Stories from Tuesday, May 14, 2002

U.S. Senator Ben Nelson voiced his concern over the newly passed Farm Bill during a telephone conference this morning with McCook residents. "I am somewhat surprised by the controversy surrounding the Farm Bill. They are politicizing this more than they should," he said, referring to editorials in the Lincoln Journal-Star and Omaha World Herald...

As predicted, voter turnout was low in McCook as well as across Nebraska in the opening minutes of Tuesday's primary election. "This is very slow," said election inspector Barbara Nieveen at a Lincoln polling place in an elementary school just a block south of the state Capitol...

McCook Public Schools' list of summer "To Do" projects includes repairs to the roofs at the high school and North Ward. A "maybe" on the same list, also discussed during the board of education's meeting Monday, is the roof on the special education center on North Highway 83...

During a "mock disaster" last month that wasn't presented as a "mock" disaster, students at McCook Senior High watched a video of an accident scene where two students had "died." It seems that video is now hard to find. Brenda McMurtrey, a mother of a senior, told board members at their meeting Monday she has asked to see the video and has run into brick walls at each turn...

CURTIS -- The Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture sent 63 graduates into the workforce at spring commencement ceremonies on Thursday. That included five from the agribusiness department, nine from the ag mechanics department, 22 from the ag production department, four from the horticulture department and 23 from the veterinary technology department...

Tear your eyes away from Russell Crowe in his next movie, ladies, and you may see a product that originated right here in Southwest Nebraska. James Gaster of Beaver Buckets, south of Indianola, is sending a shipment of 13 reproduction 19th century "cannon buckets" for use in an upcoming a 20th Century Fox film ready to be shot in Baja, Mexico, on water sets first built for the film "Titanic."...

There's something pure about track and field contests; something not shared by other high school sports like football or basketball. Fans may challenge a referee's call, question an umpire's eyesight, or wonder aloud how a coach selected a strategy...

Perched atop the roof of my van, I huddled with my back to the wind. I tried to shield my eyes against the cold raindrops while I watched for my husband to emerge from the truck stop where we had pulled over. People driving by pointed up at me and stared, no doubt wondering why I was playing "human lightning rod" so close to the fuel pumps. I just smiled and waved back. How I got there was a long story...

BENKELMAN -- Don Eugene Whiteley, 78, died Saturday (May 11, 2002) at Dundy County Hospital in Benkelman.  He was born May 24, 1923, to Roy and Helen (Cooper) Whiteley in Chase County, Nebraska.  He attended grade school at Hiawatha and graduated from Chase County High School where he competed in boxing. He joined the Merchant Marines in 1945 and served in the Pacific...

ATWOOD -- Audrey Maxine (Penn) Weishapl, 74, died Sunday (May 12, 2002) at the Rawlins County Health Center in Atwood. She was born Aug. 23, 1927, to Finnis E. and Elsie (Patton) Penn in Parks. She attended grade school in Bird City and Atwood. She also attended Charles Denver Beauty School in Denver, Colo. She then worked at the telephone company in Atwood...