Stories from Wednesday, July 6, 2011

June 1, 1922-July 4, 2011 GOTHENBURG, Nebraska -- Jack C. Schultz, 89, formerly of Farnam, Nebraska, died Monday, July 4, 2011, at Stone Hearth Estates in Gothenburg. He was born June 1, 1922, near Eustis, Nebraska, son of Ferdinand Christian Otto Schultz and Ruby Mae (Johnson) Schultz...

Aug. 29, 1926-July 5, 2011 OBERLIN, Kansas -- W. Dean Groneweg, 84, died Tuesday (July 5, 2011) at Cambridge Memorial Hospital in Cambridge, Nebraska. He was born Aug. 29, 1926, in Oberlin, Kansas, to George H. and Effie (Baughman) Groneweg. Dean rode a horse to the country school. He graduated from Oberlin High School in 1944. Dean had a driver's license in high school and doubled as the school bus driver for the school kids...

"We're doing what?" That was the general reaction when busy Gazette staffers were pulled away from their deadline work to pose for a picture on one of the Norris Avenue "Islands" near Sen. George Norris' home. Don't worry, folks, we do this only every 100 years...

LINCOLN -- Deb Fischer did it. The two-term lawmaker / rancher from Valentine joined the race for the Republican nomination to the U.S. Senate. Several Nebraska governors -- Jim Exon, Bob Kerrey, incumbents Ben Nelson and Mike Johanns -- have won Senate elections. State senators? Can't recall any...

If Mom hadn't mentioned the iron that day, I would have walked right past it without a first thought, let alone a second one. But, she warned me off, saying "I've been downstairs ironing all day, so that iron is hot. Don't touch it." Of course, that meant I had to touch it. ...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- A 9-foot bur oak tree planted Tuesday on the 700-block Norris Avenue island commemorates Volume One, No. One of the "Red Willow County Gazette," which was offered by new newspapermen Harry Strunk and Burris Stewart to 4,000 readers in McCook, Nebraska, on July 6, 1911 -- 100 years ago today...

CONNIE JO DISCOE Regional editor WILSONVILLE, Nebraska -- The U.S. Postal Service sees the closure or consolidation of small, rural post offices as an opportunity to save money. Wilsonville, Nebraska, residents, however, see the possible closing of their post office as a genuine concern, an added expense and a definite inconvenience...

Sept. 13, 1923-July 4, 2011 BARTLEY, Nebraska -- Merwyn B. Burton, 87, died Monday, July 4, 2011, at Cambridge Manor in Cambridge, Nebraska. He was born Sept. 13, 1923, on the family farm near Bartley in Red Willow County, Nebraska to Owen D. and Margaret (Mecham) Burton. Merwyn attended country school and later graduated from Bartley High School in 1941. He attended McCook College for a year...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- City staff recommended an across- the-board wage increase of 2 percent for all employees, Tuesday evening, during the first of three budget workshops intended to finalize the cities fiscal year 2011-12 budget. The wage increase, as in previous years, was said to be derived from the consumer price index, February through January. However, the CPI during that timeframe shows only a 1.6 percent increase, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics...