Stories from Friday, March 11, 2005

LINCOLN (AP) -- Andrew Isom scored 17 points and Wauneta-Palisade blew open the game in the second quarter en route to a 62-46 victory over Spencer-Naper in the first round of the Nebraska Class D1 boys state basketball tournament on Thursday night...

Oct. 23, 1917-March 9 , 2005 LINCOLN -- Alvin E. Rueter, 87, died Wednesday (March 9, 2005) in Lincoln. He was born Oct. 23, 1917, to Lawrence and Elizabeth Neuhart Rueter in Wauneta. He graduated from Wauneta High School in 1935. On April 15, 1941, he married Irma Bricker in Atwood. He farmed in Hayes County for 47 years. After retiring in April of 1991 they moved to North Platte. They most recently moved to Lincoln in 2004...

Feb. 22, 1909-March 4, 2005 RIVERSIDE, Calif. -- Rachel Lydia (Cook) Rousselle, 96, died Friday, March 4, 2005. She was born Feb. 22, 1909, to George and Katherine Cook. On Sept. 10, 1927, she married Robert Rousselle. The couple farmed in the Culbertson area until 1954. ...

April 2, 1926-March 9, 2005 STRATTON -- Donalane W. Golding, 78, of Stratton, died Wednesday (March 9, 2005) at Dundy County Hospital in Benkelman. He was born April 2, 1926, to Clarence Emery and Lena Belle (Welch) Golding in his grandparent's home southwest of Stratton. He attended country school near his home through the eighth grade. He then farmed and he eventually started to farm for himself in 1946...

March 4, 1945-March 7, 2005 BENKELMAN -- Gary G. Stamm, 60, of Benkelman, died Monday (March 7, 2005) at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha after a short, difficult bout with cancer. He was born March 4, 1945, to Harry W. and June A. ...

While windy weather and dry conditions are creating plenty of dust clouds this week, Bob Linderholm of Cambridge has been watching a dust cloud that's out of this world. "It's called the Christmas Tree nebula," he said. "Well, it's past Christmas but it seems to be straight south nowadays and about 1400 light years away. The composition of the materials is probably a variety of gas and particles," he said...

The action by the Nebraska Legislature to overturn Gov. Dave Heinemann's veto of felon voting rights was a slap in the face for the many victims -- and their families -- of violent crimes. The law will automatically restore felons' voting rights two years after they have served their sentence. It was introduced as a way to increase voter turnout...

**Dear Editor, Mr. Anderson, If you could explain to me sir how our pre-emptive invasion of Iraq a second-rate, third-world nation effectively disarmed a decade earlier, and no threat to our security, constitutes "defending" our nation perhaps I'll allow the point ["Warriors, scholars" (http://www.mccookgazette.com/story/1091113.html)]...

**Dear Editor, I share Patrick Tolle's grief for the thousands of innocent Iraqis who have been slaughtered, and who continue to be slaughtered to this day. That is why I am so grateful that our troops are there, working in conjunction with Iraqi forces to kill or capture the terrorists who would otherwise continue their murderous attacks...

**Dear Editor, Spring is close when geese in Vs fly north, bugs and spiders are out and an old wive's tale that snakes soon follow. So, enjoy the outdoors, but watch your step. Here are the top snake stories told to me at the store last year. 1. A lady near McCook was picking peppers and got what she thought was a sting from a bee. ...

The action by the Nebraska Legislature to overturn Gov. Dave Heinemann's veto of felon voting rights was a slap in the face for the many victims -- and their families -- of violent crimes. The law will automatically restore felons' voting rights two years after they have served their sentence. It was introduced as a way to increase voter turnout...

**A blonde just got fired from a painting job and needs money, so she goes to her neighbor and asks him if he needs anything painted. The man tells her that she could paint his porch. About an hour later, she comes back to the man and says, "I'm done and just so you know, it's a Mercedes, not a Porsche."...

Firefighters examine the burned out remains of the cab of one of five trucks involved in a fatal accident on Interstate 80 near North Platte on Thursday. Smoke and blowing dust, below, obscure the scene of carnage. The accident closed the highway for several hours. ...

Jan. 12, 1939-March 10, 2005 Karen Kay Hanke died Thursday, March 10, 2005, at McCook Community Hospital. She was 66 years old. Karen was born Jan. 12, 1939, at Oberlin, Kan., to Myron Lee and Pearl Edna (Pearson) Pollnow. She graduated from Decatur Community High School in 1956 and was homecoming queen in 1955...

Feb. 26, 1909-March 10, 2005 BENKELMAN -- Helen Walsh Preston, 96, died Thursday (March 10, 2005) at the Sarah Ann Hester Memorial Home in Benkelman. She was born Feb. 26, 1909, on the family farm five miles north of Doane. She was the youngest of six children born to Jeremiah and Eleanor (Hudson) Walsh. ...

July 25, 1918-March 9, 2005 SIDNEY -- Maxine Leone Heldenbrand, 86, died Wednesday (March 9, 2005) in Sidney. She was born July 25, 1918, to Grace and Orland Weesner on a farm near Dunning. She attended elementary school in Broken Bow and junior and senior high school in North Platte...

Charles Ahovissi of Omaha demonstrates his drumming technique during his week-long artist-in-residency at East Ward in McCook. Ahovissi taught African dance to Paula Davis's third graders, who presented a recital for fellow students, teachers and parents Friday afternoon. ...

Pop quiz. Dreaded words remembered from eighth grade math class were a part of the Friday afternoon homily delivered by the Rev. Bruce Lester during the Community Lenten Service at McCook First Church of the Nazarene. Lester, who is the pastor at McCook Evangelical Free Church, had the 162 in attendance keep track of their answers using the fingers on their right hands for yes answers and the fingers on the left for no answers...

When it comes to government, none of us can do it alone. In fact, we must depend on others -- our elected officials -- to reach decisions that will affect us all in the most positive way possible. Working together, making our opinions known, reaching a consensus and hammering out public policy -- we are blessed with a system of government that works just that way, when it is working correctly...

Following an extended weekend, the Legislature began consent calendar deliberations on Tuesday. Consent calendar is an opportunity for non-controversial bills that have not been prioritized to be considered by the legislative body. Forty-six of these bills were advanced from General File to the second stage of debate...

I was having pizza with friends at The Rocket Inn in Indianola Friday night when I was introduced to a man I didn't know. Writing the Mike At Night column came up in our conversation and he said that he and his wife enjoyed the column but that their parents hated it and hated me...

June 8, 1917-March 11, 2005 LaDona Laura Redtfeldt died Friday, March 11, 2005, at St. John's Care Center in Kearney. She was 87 years old. LaDona was born on June 8, 1917, at Lushton to Lawrence and Anna (Purcell) Wagner. At one year of age, LaDona and her parents moved to Wilsonville where LaDona grew up and later graduated from high school in 1935...

Dec. 10, 1913-March 11, 2005 HODLREGE -- Mary A. Stute, 91, formerly of Haigler, died Friday (March 11, 2005) at the Holdrege Memorial Home in Holdrege. She was born Dec. 10, 1913, in Cheyenne County to Theodore and Christine (Wall) Darby. She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband, Alfred H. Stute...