Stories from Thursday, April 25, 2002

April 25th should be declared a holiday for Nebraskans. It is a day we should gather with our families and friends and celebrate the good life that being an American and Nebraskan has afforded us. April 25th is Tax Freedom Day in Nebraska. Tax Freedom Day is the day the average American has earned enough to pay all of his or her federal, state, and local taxes for the year. ...

ARAPAHOE -- Darrel Roger "Swede" Graning, 67, died Tuesday (April 23, 2002) at St. Francis Medical Center in Grand Island. He was born July 19, 1934 at Arapahoe to Harry and Laura (Monter) Graning. He graduated from Arapahoe High School with the Class of 1952...

Fredie A. Boehm, 77, died Wednesday (April 24, 2002) at Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook. He was born March 7, 1925, to Fred and Mary Etta (Dwyer) Boehm in Lindsay, Neb. He grew up in McCook where he attended Saint Patrick's High School. In 1941, he entered the U. ...

I was pondering if Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig recently opened his sports section and noticed that the two teams he wanted to contract are at the top or close to the top of their respective divisions. Yes, the Minnesota Twins are in second place in the American League Central -- one game behind the Chicago White Sox -- and the Montreal Expos lead the National League East...

Putting in new lawn isn't an easy task. Just ask me. I'll be happy to tell you about the hours I spent in raking up the dead leaves after collecting them for the last three years, digging up two-foot by three-foot concrete blocks and hauling them out of the yard and finding all the old rib bones the dogs had buried around the yard like a pirate's treasure chest...

I am writing in response to the mock disaster. I commend all of those involved. I think it was a wonderful way to exercise our students. Now I have some comments about the two open forum letters in the April 18 Open Forum column. If either one of the two boys think for one minute that this mock disaster did not get through to anyone, you're wrong. How do I know this? Simple, you responded...

You're so busy trying to point fingers at people who might have hurt your child's feelings that your missing the big picture. I pray that most of your are instilling good values and decent morals into your children. However, that is not always the case. Some parents don't have those talks. Some may even have parties for their children and yours, so they can "safely drink at home."...

What were our educational leaders thinking? Who thought this up and why did our school system condone treating our children in this manner? The emotional stress unnecessarily placed on our children was totally inappropriate. Our school system is supposed to lead by teaching young people, not create results by fear and intimidation...

Dear Editor, I am a sophomore at McCook High School and attended the mock disaster on Wednesday. I'm pretty sure we all know what happened so I'll spare you the sob story and cut to the chase. My friends and I were deeply affected by the news ... and then angered at what I've heard been called a "bad April Fool's joke."...

Dear Editor, How many of our own elected officials in Southwest Nebraska and Red Willow County are helping bring ethanol production facilities to us or chasing them away because their paychecks are signed by big oil companies who do not want the competition from grain producers...

CAMBRIDGE -- Anna June (Lynn) Walkington, 83, died Wednesday (April 24, 2002) at the Cambridge Manor in Cambridge. She was born June 10, 1918, to Albert Edwin and Karen Marie (Engaard) Lynn in Minden. She graduated from Minden High School in 1936. She took her undergraduate and graduate work at the University of Nebraska in home economics and education, receiving her degree in 1940. She taught high school in Minden, North Platte, Stapleton, Brainard, Indianola, Cambridge and Red Willow schools...