Stories from Monday, June 24, 2002

NORTH PLATTE -- Dr. George Mihel, President of the Mid-Plains Community College Area has announced his retirement effective Aug 12. Dr. Carlton Williams, who is serving as Interim Vice President of the North Platte Campuses, has accepted the interim role of Acting President beginning today...

The family of Justin and Sarah Floyd of Hayes Center is hosting a card shower in honor of the couple's 60th wedding anniversary, June 27. Cards of congratulations will reach the couple at HC 61 Box 12, Hayes Center, NE 69032.

Jody Esteraich and Shon Lieske, both of Kearney, announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the couple are Brent and Bev Klein of McCook and the late Paul Esteraich and Tom and Mary Lieske of Minden. Grandparents of the couple are Robert and Ruth Ward of McCook, Byron and Irene Esteraich of Johnson Lake in Elwood, Warren and Bea Boisen of Kearney, Renee Lieske of Kearney and the late Gerald Lieske. ...

Amanda M. Meyer and Benjamin M. Brown, both of Lincoln, announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the couple are Sandie and Dennis Reichenberg of Lincoln, Vernon Meyer of Bellwood and Gary and Karen Brown of Wilsonville. The bride-to-be earned her bachelor of science degree in elementary education from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. ...

Cindy Marie Crocker and Kurt Louis Van Den Hemel, both of Lincoln, announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the couple are Bill and Lorie Crocker of Indianola and Francis and Barbara Van Den Hemel of Lincoln. The bride-to-be is a 1998 graduate of Republican Valley High School in Indianola. ...

Residents of the vast outstate region of Nebraska should rise up in appreciation for Craig Schroeder, the director of the Nebraska Rural Development Commission. Schroeder, who was born and raised in Holbrook, has vowed to keep the rural development agency in operation despite the loss of $350,000 in state funding...

Toad encounter Dear Editor, Over at the pool, I heard screaming. Looking up, I saw two little girls bent over chasing something in the lawn. With the first jump it was plain that they were after a TOAD. A BIG ONE! I thought nothing of this as no self- respecting toad would allow two little girls to catch it. I, however, was wrong. This race was more or less like a greased-pig contest, but darn if they didn't catch him. So what do two little girls do with a fresh caught toad?...

Dear Editor, It is astonishing how the city manager can spin and turn issues around to sound like he, the city and the engineers were in agreement with the Concerned Citizens on the Kansas-Nebraska lawsuit. On April 2, 2002, we presented a letter from the Attorney General's office to the city of McCook stating that the lawsuit would not affect McCook's well site. The city manager and the engineers did not agree nor did they accept the opinion of our letter...

Gov. Ben Nelson worked hard to improve Nebraska's rising cost in social services and Medicaid during his two terms in office. He is continuing that crusade in his job as U.S. Senator. On May 23, Nelson and Susan Collins of Maine introduced a non-partisan bill that would increase the federal government's contribution to Medicaid. ...

Two instructors from McCook Community college were recognized by the Nebraska Department of Education at the INVEST Conference held Tuesday, June 4 in Kearney. Donna Harr and Janet Weber were two of 42 Nebraska's Business Education teachers recognized. ...

HASTINGS -- Shannon Nix of McCook has been named the 2002 National Leader of the Year by Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK), the national leadership honor society. This national award includes a $1,500 scholarship to be applied toward graduate school and a $300 donation to the Hastings College ODK Cirle to promote activities...

The McCook Library Foundation presents the McCook Library $2,500 check that will be used to purchase large print mystery books. The funds were donated by Lorraine Derr who had specific requests on the use of the money, including expanding the library's mystery book selections. ...

Larry Bass of McCook, in a white 1962 Corvette, challenges Ward Carpenter of Arapahoe, in an '82 'Vette, to a drag race during the third annual McCook Speedway and Ray Moffitt Memorial Car Show Saturday in McCook. The winner of the Moffitt Memorial Award was a 1954 Chevrolet owned by Bob Kuhlmann of McCook. Red Willow County Sheriff's Posse members selected a 1970 Ford Mustang, owned by Monte Hazlitt of McCook, as their favorite...

State Senator Jon Bruning, Republican candidate for Attorney General, made another campaign visit to McCook on Friday. State Sen. Tom and Pat Baker of Trenton, and Frank and Beth Padilla of McCook hosted the campaign event, held at the Coppermill Restaurant...

CURTIS -- The Middle Republican Natural Resources District board of directors plans a public hearing and regular meeting Tuesday, July 9, at the NRD office in Curtis. The public hearing, to allow requests for variances from rules and regulations concerning a new MRNRD well-drilling moratorium, is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. ...

In response to an Open Forum letter written by Concerned Citizens, McCook City Manager John Bingham says he's glad the city and the group have finally agreed on something. In the June 21 Open Forum letter, the group said it supports the state's position that the Kansas-Nebraska lawsuit should not be considered when making a decision on the city's solution to its water problems. Bingham said this stand was a step toward the two groups coming to an understanding...

A line of Model A Ford cars pull into a Max park on Friday for a refreshment break on their journey through the Golden Plains. The nine cars from the Denver Model A Club are traveling to Omaha for a regional Model A convention. According to Don Neyman, a member of the club, there will be about 350 Model A cars at the convention. Refreshments for the stop were provided by the Community Club of Max...

The McCook Housing Authority has announced it has created an agreement with the the housing agencies of Arapahoe and Indianola to use Housing Choice Vouchers in the private rental market for these towns. In addition, an agreement was made with the Cambridge Housing Agency to use the voucher program to subsidize rental payments in the South Ridge Apartment Complex in Cambridge...

LINCOLN -- In the midst of a severe drought, irrigation is like life support. If the plug gets pulled, the farm might go with it. As limited precipitation, scorching temperatures and high winds parch the western Nebraska plains, reservoir inflows dwindle to historic lows and bring little hope for surface irrigation to quench withering crops, a University of Nebraska irrigation engineer said...

OMAHA -- The Knights of Ak-Sar-Ben and Nebraska Fair Managers Association will honor 202 families with "Pioneer Farm Family" awards during the summer. To qualify for the award, members of the same family must have owned a parcel of land consecutively for at least 100 years...

TRENTON -- Olive D. Trusty, 90, died Friday (June 21, 2002) at Community Hospital of McCook. She was born Sept. 11, 1911, to Oscar and Lela Mae (Day) Keller in Callaway. She graduated from rural school in Fort Morgan, Colo. In 1925, she married Edward C. Smith. He preceded her in death in 1951...

LEANDER, Texas -- Judy Annette Fries of Leander, Texas passed away Saturday, June 22, 2002. She was born on April 13, 1944, to Ray and Ruth Reiter in Kearney. She graduated from Kearney High School and received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Nebraska at Kearney in June 1966 and began a teaching career in Gothenburg. She married U.S. Navy Ensign Wayne Fries on June 19, 1970, in Kearney, and they moved to San Diego, Calif...

TRENTON -- Olive D. Trusty, 90, died Friday (June 21, 2002) at Community Hospital of McCook. She was born Sept. 11, 1911, to Oscar and Lela Mae (Day) Keller in Callaway. She graduated from rural school in Cozad. In 1925, she married Edward C. Smith. He preceded her in death in 1951...

Barbara Jean (Bartak) Harrison, 58, died Saturday (June 22, 2002) at her home in rural Stratton. She was born March 12, 1944, San Diego, Calif. to Filbert F. and Celestine A. (Kloke) Bartak. Shortly after her birth, she moved with her mother to live with her grandparents in Madison while her father served during World War II near Okinawa in Japan. ...

Lucille Gammill Kleesick was born June 28, 1910, in a sod house on her Grandfather Gammill's ranch in Frontier County. She was the eldest child of Elwood and Nellie (Fisher) Gammill. Her fondest childhood memories were going with her father to deliver mail from Freedom to Stockville with the horse and buggy and playing in her Grandfather James Gammill's log house located near the Medicine Creek...

The title of today's column is currently a "hot-button" topic in the media and among so-called experts in the field with a lot of debate back and forth between those who believe they should and those who believe they shouldn't. There is little empirical evidence to support either answer but a sociological perspective will certainly reveal strong indications...

Sen. George W. Norris and Congressman Carl T. Curtis were not informed about the decision to locate an Army Air Base north of McCook until the announcement was made in McCook. Curtis was in Southwest Nebraska on Sept. 1, 1942, and actually heard the news while in the McCook Daily Gazette office...

In Europe, where countries are very close, many people speak multiple languages. In the United States, where distances are great, relatively few people are bi-lingual. Indeed, it has been said that our use of a common language is the trait that has made our form of democracy successful. ...

ST. PAUL, Minn -- Astre G. Johnson, 87, died Friday (June 21, 2002) in Minnesota. She was retired from School District No. 622 in Minnesota after 17 years of service. She was preceded in death by her husband, Kenneth. Survivors include three daughters, Barbara and husband, Gerald Michaelis of McCook, Sandra Kennedy and Cynthia Berry; three sons Charles and wife, Susan, George and wife, Mary, Gregory and wife, Leslee; one brother, Norman and wife, Charlotte Larsen; two sisters, Catherine Frazier and Evelyn Williams; 15 grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren.. ...