Stories from Friday, August 16, 2002

Cool jazz on a cool "Hot Summer Night' drifts through Norris Park on Thursday for the third in a series of concerts sponsored by McCook National Bank and the Chamber of Commerce. Wes Hird (middle picture) lays down chords on guitar, Jim Payne (top) plays the trumpet and Bonnie Payne (bottom, center) plays the bass guitar for Platte River Jazz of Kearney. ...

Dear Editor, Have you been watching the news on TV recently? Terrible flooding in Czechoslovakia, Germany, China and India is bringing devastation, disease and death. The eastern half of the U.S. has had excessive amounts of rainfall and devastating floods while the western half of the U.S. ...

Word of new cases of West Nile Virus are popping up around the country. The latest reports are that the virus has been found in Colorado and there have been 24 confirmed cases in Nebraska horses including nine new cases confirmed Thursday. With the bad news out of the way, its time to take a realistic look at the virus which was first discovered in the New York City area in 1999...

An windmill is reflected in a farm pond near Trenton.

Curtis -- Middle Republican Natural Resources District directors approved a variance request from the city of McCook to drill four test holes for water wells in the McCook area. Variance requests from landowners Steve Seeman, Doug McDermott, Bruce McDermott, Bruce Kramer, Ilah Rice, Doug Sellers, Ryan Kuhlman, William Green, Don and Bruce Hagan, Les Wood, the NE BELF and James Uerling were denied...

Twelve youth from McCook, Indianola, Curtis and Arapahoe completed the "Sitter Sense" Babysitting Clinic held Aug. 14 in McCook. The workshop was sponsored by the University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension. Presenters were Mary K. Warner, Extension Educator; Donna Kircher, 4-H Aide; Jerry Calvin, McCook Police Department; and Nancy Miller, Red Willow County Health Department. ...

The 4-H Alumni Reunion and Breakfast honoring the national 4-H centennial year will be held Saturday, August 31 from 8 to 11 a.m. during the Nebraska State Fair reports Mary K. Warner, Extension Educator. Current and past 4-H'ers, volunteer leaders and anyone interested in 4-H are invited to attend the reunion being held in the indoor arena next to the 4-H Exhibit Hall...

IMPERIAL -- The senior center in Imperial smelled like Grandma's kitchen, as bakers entered and judges tasted the competition in the whole wheat bread baking contest at the Chase County fair. Each entry could win up to 40 points, 10 each for taste, texture, smell and appearance...

The McCook Public Service Commission will meet Saturday, 8 a.m. to administer police officer exams for two positions open in the McCook Police Department. The Commission approved the first vacancy at its June 10 meeting. The second position opened after the death of Officer James McConville and is expected to be certified at Saturday's meeting...

If you want to see a financial lender really squirm, tell them that you have a big surprise for them and watch their reaction, reports Cheryl Burkhart-Kriesel, Ph.D. Extension Community and Economic Development Specialist, University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension. They not only will get a nervous look on their face, they might start to perspire, begin breaking their pencil leads, and even start shuffling papers!...

After approval of 11 more Nebraska counties for disaster aid Thursday, most Southwest Nebraska counties are eligible for such aid. The U.S. Department of Agriculture approval brings to 37 the total number of counties in the state receiving a primary designation...

Wayne Goodenberger, 82, died Thursday (Aug. 15, 2002) at Community Hospital of McCook. He was born on Feb. 16, 1920, at Ocean Beach, Calif., to Bert A. and Grace (Nelson) Goodenberger. The family came back to Nebraska soon after his birth. He grew up in the McCook area and graduated in 1939 from McCook High School. ...

KEARNEY -- Velma Marie Schuman, 80, died Wednesday (Aug. 14, 2002) at St. John's Good Samaritan Center in Kearney. She was born March 24, 1922, to Joseph and Rose (Kutcher) Vlasin in rural Hayes County. On April 6, 1945, she married Maurice Albert Schuman in Atwood. The couple farmed west of Hayes Center until their retirement...

Some of you have been scratching your heads (you might want to visit with your dermatologist) wondering where the local sports is the last few days. Whaddya mean -- isn't Nebraska football local? I'm from Kansas and even I know where my butter is breaded. ...

Dogs basically come in two types. There is the friendly, go-lucky pooch, which would lick the hand of anyone who has touched a piece of meat in the past 30 days. Then there are those hounds which would sooner rip off your arm if you look at them wrong or your breath is bad...

HAIGLER -- Ena Pauline Phipps, 90, died Tuesday (Aug. 13, 2002) at Hillcrest Care Center in Wray, Colo. She was born Feb. 20, 1912, to Claude and Alma (Bernard) Frasier north of Benkelman. She attended country school near the family's home. She graduated from Wauneta High School in 1929. She attended the University of Nebraska at Lincoln and studied dietetics for two years. She taught at Ash Grove near her parents farm after she left college...