Stories from Wednesday, June 26, 2002

Southwest Nebraska and Northwest Kansas received a welcome respite from the heat overnight, with precipitation ranging from three-quarters of an inch or less in Max and parts of Northwest Kansas, to an official 1.46 inches at the McCook Municipal Airport and two to three inches of rain in Dundy and Cheyenne counties...

Sewer problems in Cambridge We just came from the Cambridge city council meeting (June 17). They had us sit outside the room, and they shut the door for half-an-hour while they decided they were not going to do anything to help us on this sewer backing-up into our basement...

Through the years, McCook has been known as a community where houses are well-kept and lawns are well-tended. That's still true, but as houses have gotten older and ownership has changed, a growing number of residences are becoming rundown and unfit for habitation...

Stan and Jenny Colby of McCook announce the birth of their son, Heath Christian, on Wednesday (June 19, 2002) at Community Hospital of McCook. He weighed nine pounds. He has a two year-old sister named Madi. Grandparents are Delbert and Mary Colby of North Platte and Harry and Liana Rich of McCook...

Jim Lampos entertains a full house at the Bieroc Cafe on Norris Avenue Tuesday evening. Lampos, who is from New York, delivered thoughtful folk, toe-tapping rock and hold-your-breath, soulful blues to around 75 ticket-holders. He performed many original songs including Resurrection, On The Solstice, The River Brought Me Here, Dark American Night and Native Corn. ...

North Colorado Cardiology, PC will be joining the specialty clinics of Dundy County Hospital. Gary Rath, MD, is seeing patients in the Benkelman area during June and July. His first clinic date was June 12. Rath, who is board certified in cardiovascular disease has been providing cardiovascular care since 1992 in the Greeley area...

BENKELMAN -- The manslaughter trial of Brad K. Dixon, set to begin July 15, has been rescheduled to Monday, Oct. 21. The jury trial, which will begin at 9 a.m., will be in the courthouse in Benkelman. Dixon is accused in the death of his father, Mardelle Dixon. The body of the elder Dixon was found April 27,1999, alongside Highway 61 north of Benkelman...

Cambridge city officials are asking residents not to do any outside watering between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m., to allow water wells to recover from heavy usage. Arapahoe city council members are requesting that residents water only from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m., to keep nitrate levels low in wells during times of heavy usage. Arapahoe council members, however, decided to allow the school to water the football field during restricted hours because of a seeding project...

Hillcrest Nursing Home's board of trustess approved the purchase of new carpet for the child care area. The cost of the carpet will be $1,523.66. A new sign for the exterior was also approved by the board. Swanson Sign company will create the sign for $1087...

LEBANON -- The Lebanon post office will close Friday. The Indianola News reported postal officials in North Platte are not certain what type of service will replace the contract post office in Lebanon. Officials plan a town hall meeting, to be announced, to explain available options...

CULBERTSON -- The 2002 racing season at the renovated Hitchcock County Raceway in Culbertson starts Wednesday, July 3, at 8 p.m. The gates open at 6 p.m., followed by hot laps at 7 p.m. Co-promoter Jim Lewis said the three-eighths- mile track has been widened to 68 feet, and 700 yards of clay dirt have been hauled in to improve the racing surface. "We'll attract a lot of drivers with these track improvements," Lewis said. "It's a good track -- long straight-aways and high banks."...

An Iowa crew conducts "tuck-pointing" repairs on Memorial Auditorium. The crew found shade on the north side of the building, putting off work on the south side for another day.

A McCook man was arraigned for two weapon charges June 20 in Red Willow County District Court. Floyd C. Coates, 24, of McCook appeared before Judge Battershell with his attorney, Robert Conner. Coates pleaded no contest to possession of a deadly weapon by a felon, a Class III felony and carrying a concealed weapon, a Class I misdemeanor...

TRENTON -- The Palisade mother accused of beating her baby pleaded not guilty Tuesday during an arraignment in Hitchcock County District Court in Trenton. Judge John Battershell scheduled a jury trial for Renae McDaniel, 24, for Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 and 2, at 9 a.m., in Trenton...

It is up to rural fire departments to ban fireworks if they wish -- provided their fire codes make allowances for such a ban. The Red Willow County Commissioners have no authority to ban fireworks from the county, County Attorney Paul Wood told the commissioners Tuesday...

You spent hours finding that perfect dress, agonized over which matches better, the black heels or the cream slingbacks, used your sixth sense to scout out the perfect earring and bracelet making the transformation almost complete. The final thing you need is a unique handbag, but where to go?...

The lazy, hazy crazy days of summer are finally here. Or they will be next week when I take my vacation from the Gazette newsroom and turn my attention to my four room apartment for a week. I don't have a lot to do, just some curtains to wash, windows to clean and closets to reorganize. Danny has kept the walls washed and painted, so I don't have any heavy work, thank heavens...

KEARNEY -- Esther E. Boyle, 92, died Monday (June 24, 2002) at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. She was born Aug. 9, 1909, to Fred and Cecile (Murtha) Grovert on the Carmody homestead in Hitchcock County. She graduated from Trenton High School in 1927...

Elwin Hansen, 87, died Tuesday (June 25, 2002) at his home north of McCook. He was born June 12, 1915, to M. Peter and Georgia (Cramer) Hansen in Frontier County. He graduated from the Nebraska School of Agriculture at Curtis in 1933. On May 17, 1944, he married Dorothy Klooz at Oberlin. They spent their married lives farming in Red Willow and Frontier counties. He was a seed corn representative for several companies. In 1988, he received the Pioneer Farm Award from Ak-Sar-Ben in Omaha...

Donald Rea Matson, 59, died Tuesday (June 25, 2002) at Community Hospital of McCook. He was born July 21, 1942, at Wauneta, to Barton Rea and Grace Lucille (Fuqua) Matson. He entered the U. S. Army in 1964, serving during the Vietnam War. He was honorably discharged in 1966, and served in the Reserves until 1970...