Stories from Wednesday, April 2, 2003

Red Willow County Sheriff Gene Mahon wants a NOAA radio in every home, business, school and health care facility in the state. "NOAA radios are another tool we can use with outdoor sirens and television and radio broadcasts," Mahon said. NOAA radio alerts can also be used, the sheriff said, for civil emergencies and "Amber Alerts, (missing children bulletins)...

Dear Editor, I am a student at McCook Junior High School. I would like to voice my opinion concerning the state budget cuts at our school. I realize as a student that these cuts are a necessity; however, I feel the choice of cuts by the school system is a mistake...

More than 100 years ago -- on June 17, 1902 -- President Theodore Roosevelt signed legislation which resulted in the transformation of this part of America. The historic legislation was the act which created the Bureau of Reclamation. As the events of the 20th Century unfolded -- particularly the devastating Republican River Flood of 1935 -- the Bureau was to become the single largest contributor to this area's recovery. ...

I whole heartedly agree. I am sure that all countries in the world realize that this man is bringing peace to the world. If they don"t realize it we should liberate them or just plain kill them. Then they will love us all!

Steve Stramel is even funnier than I thought, according to his (Open Forum letter) April 1. April Fool, huh, Steve?

It is interesting that the Bush Administration insists on drilling in the national wildlife refuge even though they were rebuffed by the Senate recently. Too bad Georgie can't put a little more effort into developing autos that use less gasoline, rather than more. He must really be loved by the SUV people. He has got to be the most anti-environment president we have ever had...

Dear Editor, I must disagree with Steve Stramel's April 1, 2003, letter to the editor, "Bush For Nobel Prize" World leaders who win the Nobel tend to be those who overcome incredible circumstances for peace. In other words, they earn it through diplomatic breakthroughs, not diplomatic failures. ...

Theater of the American West will present "In Bed With Grandpa" or "Sweethearts Again" at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Fox Theater in McCook. Tickets, available at Country Whimsey in McCook, are $9 in advance, or $10 at the door.

IMPERIAL -- The Republican Valley Renaissance Project, in conjunction with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Foundation, has announced an organ recital by Ms. Masako Nakamura, Sunday, 4 p.m. MDT, at Zion Lutheran Church in Imperial. Ms. Nakamura is the 2003 recipient of the Eva V. ...

Several defendants facing methamphetamine charges have kept Red Willow County District Court busy. Nickoles D. Patterson, 25, Palisade, was sentenced to 24 months probation for possession of a controlled substance, a Class IV felony. Patterson was arrested on Sept. 5, 2002, after he was stopped for driving with a suspended license. During a body search, officers found two vials of meth in his pocket and various drug paraphernalia...

I'm not sure how it happened, but I was the delegated driving instructor for our kids. Oh, Danny helped, but since he usually worked in the city, and I worked in town, it was easier for me to give them wheel-time -- the only way to learn how to drive...

GOODLAND, Kan. -- Lyle L. Smith, a longtime insurance agent and civic leader in Sherman County, Kan., died Sunday (March 30, 2003) at Presbyterian St. Luke's Hospital in Denver, Colo. Mr. Smith was born April 26, 1929, at Beardsley, Kan., the son of Ethel (Lavell) and John J. Smith, and grew up on the family's wheat and milo farm. He graduated from high school in Stratton, and attended McCook Junior College at McCook for one year...

Alice Julia (Kompus) Hutfles was born Dec. 5, 1912, to Joseph and Lena (Toth) Kompus at LaMoure, N.D. She passed away March 23, 2003, at the Rawlins County Health Center in Atwood, at the age of 90 years, three months and 18 days. As an infant, the family moved to a farm nine miles northwest of Herndon. She attended the one room Walsh country school for eight years, walking more than two miles with her sisters...