Stories from Tuesday, September 3, 2002

The McCook City Council will need to pass a resolution to place the seat left open by the resignation of Chris Overman on the November election ballot, according to Red Willow County Clerk Pauletta Gerger, election official for the county. Gerver said the council will need to direct the local election board to allow for a short filing period for those wishing to run for the two year seat...

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. -- Brenda Kay Burkey and Matthew Thomas Manteufel were united in marriage June 1, 2002, at Bethany Lutheran Church in Overland Park, Kan., with the Rev. Thomas Manteufel, father of the bridegroom, officiating. The Rev. Dan Rayer, cousin of the bride, served as the lector...

With just two months to go before a decision must be made, no clear direction has been determined for solving McCook's water problems. A mass of information has been gathered and many opinions have been exchanged. Now it's time to move to the next phase: consensus building. ...

Dear Editor, When I read the program that Ernie Chambers gave the Omaha Rotary Club in suburban Omaha, I was certainly surprised that he is such a bigot and so ill-informed that in Rotary, topics that are never discussed are religion, politics and personal problems! His talk must have been so full of bigotry that one wonders how the people of his legislative district (are) certainly ill-informed of a type of member that they elect to have in our Nebraska government! I really believe they vote for him for his show-off mannerisms and his show of ignorance that is so prevalent in so many of his decisions and display of ignorance and racism in the interruptions of discussions by the legislative group!. ...

Dear Editor, I had to chuckle while reading Wednesday's article "Earth may be older than first thought." It seems that scientists have proven that the earth became a planet precisely 4.530 billion years ago. How can they be so sure? They used "... a series of complex calculations ..."...

Dear Editor, As you read the book of Revelation, you cannot help but come to the conclusion that there is only one thing that can cause such massive destruction and that is nuclear warfare. How else could one fourth of the earths population be annihilated and then one third of the remaining be killed etc. ...

Dear Editor, As the fall sports season approaches, I'm reminded of an example that Les Roggencamp, the football coach at Republican Valley Schools, set for his athletes in the past. He encouraged student athletes to support one another in whatever sport they were involved. He let football practice out early, and then encouraged his players to follow him to the Cross Country Invitational in McCook to support the runners...

Keep a wary eye on the road this weekend, and not just because of the good chance of getting caught if you're doing something wrong. Head to Lincoln, and sooner or later you'll be driving on Interstate 80, and that's where the special concern comes in...

Dear Editor, Chris Overman was elected by the people to serve on the City Council. He did, in fact, receive more votes than another council member in the last election. This would indicate that at least at the time he held the confidence of the people...

Boyd and Karen Bland of Gove, Kan., and Dennis and Shirley Ferguson of Palisade, announce the engagement and upcoming wedding of their children, Jessica Lynn Bland of Lincoln and Dennis DeRay Ferguson of Aurora. Grandparents of the couple are are Kenneth and Mae Bland of Gove, Mary Ann Herl of Victoria, Kan., and the late Edwin Herl, Raymond and Roberta Werkmeister of Palisade and the late Dean and Bonnie Ferguson. ...

The family of Jack and Rosetta (Miller) Abbuhl, formerly of Palisade, is hosting a card shower in honor of the couple's 50th anniversary. The couple was married Sept. 14, 1952, in Culbertson. Cards of congratulations will reach the couple at 704 Highland Avenue, Red Oak, IA 51566...

Wendy Gayle Blank and Michael Joseph Eisenmenger, both of Omaha, were united in marriage on June 15, 2002, at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in McCook with the Rev. Gary Brethour officiating. Parents of the couple are Larry and Ruth Blank and Larry and Mary Beth Eisenmenger, all of McCook...

Area law enforcement agencies spent a busy Labor Day weekend answering domestic disturbance and vandalism calls and breaking up parties around the area. The McCook Public Safety Center received calls ranging from burglary and vandalism to criminal mischief and assault over the three day weekend...

In an effort to keep the public informed, a public information meeting is planned 7-9 p.m. today, at the Heritage Senior Center. Topics of discussion will include innovative ideas brought forward by McCook Water Advisory Committee members, point-of-use and point of entry treatment, water conservation ideas and a status report on the test wells being drilled at three alternate water well sites...

Families are presented with challenges each day. Sometimes especially stressful conditions occur, such as a job layoff, selling cattle because of the drought, closing a business, a serious medical condition, or an accident can cause doubts and fear among family members. ...

The McCook City Council will be meeting for the first time as a four-member board following Friday's announcement by Councilman Chris Overman that he will resign his position. In a letter to McCook Mayor Linda Taylor, Councilman Overman wrote: "I regret to inform you that I am hereby submitting my resignation from the McCook City Council effective immediately. ...

Citizens of the United States are known around the world for their humanitarian efforts. From our beginnings, when immigrants with no language skills and no clear direction disembarked on our shores, we, the citizens of this great nation, were there to meet them with hot coffee, blankets, medical care and food...

The McCook Police Department is investigating more than 20 cases of vehicle windows being shot out with a pellet gun during the evening hours of Aug. 29 and the morning hours of Aug. 30 in random places in McCook. Police Chief Ike Brown said that one or more persons drove around town and shot at the windows from a vehicle...

Christy Carpenter and Dennis Peterson, both of Curtis, announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the couple are Shirley Carpenter of Caroll Stream, Ill., Sandy and Donna Carpenter of Niobrara, Peggy Peterson of Grahm, Texas and the late Ron Peterson. ...

HERNDON -- Sarah Beth Ketterl of Herndon and Aaron Ritchey White of Kingsdown were united in marriage July 20, 2002, at the home of the bride's parents in a double ring ceremony. The Rev. Bob Seth of Minneola, Kan., was the officiant. Pastors Judy Carlson and Jim Larson assisted in the ceremony...

IMPERIAL -- Sarah L. Dutton, 88, died Tuesday (Aug. 27, 2002) at the Imperial Manor. She was born Jan. 7, 1914, to John and Ethel Bowley at Victoria Springs, Neb. She graduated from high school at Merna. In 1934, she married Renold E. Dutton at which time they made their home in Anselmo. ...

Millard Richard Johnson, 92, died Friday morning (Aug. 30, 2002) at the Cambridge Manor Home in Cambridge. His wife, Effie Grace Johnson, 99, died Friday night (Aug. 30, 2002) at the Cambridge Manor. Millard was born March 7, 1910, at Farnam to George Irvin and Clara (McMichael) Johnson. He grew up at Stockville where he graduated from Stockville High School...

ARAPAHOE -- Clarence Calvin Tracy, 75, died Sunday (Sept. 1, 2002) at his home in Arapahoe. He was born June 9, 1927, to Guy and Elizabeth (Payne) Tracy at Wilsonville. He graduated from Wilsonville High School in 1944. After high school, he served in the U.S. Navy from Sept. 13, 1945 to Oct. 24, 1946. After his discharge, he moved to Arapahoe and began work for Weverka Gravel Company...

WHEAT RIDGE Colo. -- Lela Mae Moler, 99, died Saturday (Aug. 31, 2002) in Wheat Ridge, Colo. She was born Jan. 6, 1903, to Charlie and Sarah (Rodgers) Frase in Furnas County. On April 9, 1930, she married John Ivan Moler at Smith Center, Kan. She was preceded in death by her husband; and her parents. ...

It's kind of amazing how victims and controllers find each other. It's almost like the victims have been implanted with homing devices that only the controllers can sense. Regardless of how it works, we know that far too often these two opposite personality types get hooked up with each other. When they do, bad things happen...

McCook's growing population in 1942 created some not-so-good side effects. Three strangers working together took advantage of Mrs. Fred Rutt, alone in Rutt's Liquor Store and robbed her of about $200 in cash on Sept. 21. "It was expected that among the large number of laborers and hangers-on attracted here during the construction period will be some highly undesirable persons." It was the third incident since the start of the air base but was the first robbery of its kind in several years for McCook. ...

On July 4th, 2002, the world breathed a collective sigh of relief, as Steve Fossett landed safely and became the first man to fly a balloon, solo, around the world. Progress of this journey was especially interesting to people in McCook because a McCook man, John Kugler, was a member of Mr. Fossett's crew standing by in Australia...

As a teacher, I've done some reading on the developmental stages of childhood. One of the most difficult doesn't receive much attention in the textbooks. It's a stage I call "The Ridiculous Joke Phase." During this time, children make up perfectly awful jokes that have no punch line whatsoever. If you know children who are in this stage, you understand the particular torture I'm talking about...

BARTLEY -- JoAnn Laird, 68, died Tuesday (Aug. 27, 2002) in Colorado Springs, Colo. She was born July 11, 1934, to Charles and Hazel Tomlin at Cambridge. She grew up in the Indianola area and graduated in 1951 from Indianola High School. She married Robert L. Laird and they recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary...