Stories from Friday, May 14, 2004

McCook girls represented by Friehe, Morell OGALLALA -- The McCook High School boys track team will send 11 to the Nebraska Class B state track meet next week at Omaha. The top four finishers in the running events, the top two relays teams and top three placers in the field events (plus any athletes posting state-qualifying marks) earned a trip to the state track meet...

OXFORD -- The Cambridge boys track team ran away with the Nebraska Class C-10 district title at Southern Valley on Wednesday. The Trojan's Kyle Custer swept the long distanct events, taking first in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 meter runs, plus ran a leg on the first-place 3,200 meter relay team...

Jennings boys 4th at WKLL meet OAKLEY, Kan. -- The Jennings boys track team finished fourth at the Western Kansas Liberty League meet at Oakley Thursday with 64 points. "I'm proud of the consistency our team has shown throughout the season," said Jennings coach Russ Aumiller...

Some people make their money in the stock market. Others make their money in real estate. Now, some will be able to pick up some cold cash in the hospital. In an attempt to stop their declining population, the Australian government has approved a one-time payment for every child a mother delivers...

There is a reason ... a very special reason ... why high school graduation is one of the most celebrated occasions in communities across America, and especially so in small towns such as those of Southwest Nebraska and Northwest Kansas. Why? Because, as parents and teachers, we traveled the same path earlier in our lives. We know what it takes ... 13 years of study and activities ... starting in kindergarten and going all the way through that final, fleeting senior year...

The 1013th U.S. Army Reserve Quartermaster Co. of McCook and North Platte has been placed on alert, and can be mobilized at any time during the next 90 days. Jerry Chambers, unit administrator of the McCook company, declined this morning to release information about the alert, although he did say that, at this time, soldiers of the 1013th who returned last month from a year's stay in Iraq would not be part of this possible deployment...

May 16, 1938-May 5, 2004 Richard "Dick" Wagner, 65, passed away May 5, 2004, in Kearney of unexpected heart failure. He was born May 16, 1938, in Culbertson to Wanda and Arthur Wagner. He was born and grew up on the family farm, one of five children, and completed 12 years of schooling...

Aug. 9, 1913-May 13, 2004 ATWOOD -- Mildred Elaine Knapp, 90, died Thursday (May 13, 2004) at Atwood Good Samaritan Center in Atwood. She was born Aug. 9, 1913, to Chester and Ethel (Beeson) Phipps. She attended school in McDonald and graduated from McDonald Rural High School in 1932...

May 8, 1938-May 8, 2004 John Fidler passed away May 8, 2004, while vacationing with his wife, Peggy, in Nice, France. He was born May 8, 1938, in Cambridge, beloved son of the late E.H. and Elizabeth Fidler. John held a bachelor of science degree in chemistry from the Black Hill State University in Spearfish, S.D., a master's degree in microbiology from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln and a MBA in hospital administration from the University of Florida at Gainsville...

May 28, 1922-May 13, 2004 BENKELMAN -- Melba B. Loker, 81, died Thursday (May 13, 2004) at her home in Benkelman. She was born May 28, 1922, to James Edward and Lola Ann (Hendrix) in Dundy County. She attended country school near her home. After completing 8th grade, she helped her family with the farm and later moved to Kansas City, Kan., where she worked for a short time...

Jan. 21, 1923-May 13, 2004 BENKELMAN -- Adalaide "Addie" Pursley, 81, died Thursday (May 13, 2004) at the K.C. Stout Assisted Living Center at Hester Memorial Home in Benkelman. She was born Jan. 21, 1923, in Cheyenne County to Will and Mary (Cavanaugh) Syme and attended Riverside country school through the 8th grade. She graduated from Cheyenne County High School in 1941. She attended commercial school in Denver, Colo...

A joint city-county jail, fire department, dispatch and emergency center might be a good idea, but not yet, according to the city manager. While Red Willow County is actively studying the possibility of constructing a new jail, the city of McCook shouldn't take on any new projects right now, City Manager John Bingham told the City Council in a packet for Monday night's regular meeting. ...

The McCook Public Schools board of education will accept donations Monday that will start a bleacher project at the track west of the junior and senior highs. Those donations and others and consideration of a resignation and contracts highlight the agenda of the meeting scheduled at 5:30 p.m., in the junior high conference room...

Friday's headline, "Researchers say economy looking up," might have been more accurate with "but ..." added at the end. Yes, the state seems to continue to recover from the September 11 attacks, and low interest rates have boosted those involved in construction, mining and natural resources...

Time flies when you're having fun. Can it actually be May already? Where did the month of April go? More importantly, what happened to my April column that was due about three weeks ago? I wish I could proclaim that I had won the lottery and have been so busy paying bills and shopping that I forgot this column was due. ...

Tuesday's primary election produced the lowest voter turnout in Nebraska history. Only a little more than one in five registered voters actually went to the polls. This is a continuation of a trend that has been going on for decades. The reasons for this decline are many...

Officers of the Border-Area Police Officers Association fire a 21-gun salute beneath the lowered flag, during a Law Enforcement Officers Memorial ceremony Friday in McCook's Karrer Park. State Sen. Tom Baker of Trenton praised the inner strength of law enforcement officers and others, like Stacy Pratt of Omaha, who continues to support law enforcement even after her husband, Omaha Police Department Sgt. ...

March 14, 1921-May 13, 2004 LONGMONT, Colo. -- Dr. Lawrence T. "Larry" Burns, 83, died Thursday (May 13, 2004) in the Hospice Care Unit of McKee Medical Center in Longmont, Colo. He was born March 14, 1921, in Crookston, Minn., to Leo and Margaret (Abernathy) Burns...