Stories from Wednesday, September 27, 2006

Oct. 29, 1946-Sept. 21, 2006 CURTIS -- Les Larsen, 59, died Thursday (Sept. 21, 2006) at the Omaha Medical Center Clarkston Tower. He was born Leslie Anton Larsen Oct. 29, 1946, to Signor and Inga Jensen Larsen at Iowa City, Iowa. He grew up on the family farm near West Branch, Iowa. He attended West Branch Public Schools. He graduated with the class of 1965. He was baptized and confirmed at Bethany Lutheran Church in West Branch Decorah, Iowa where he majored in religious studies...

March 10, 1912 - Sept. 25, 2006 CURTIS -- Edwin A. Kline, 94, died Monday (Sept. 25, 2006) at Sunset Haven Nursing Home in Curtis. He was born March 10, 1912, in St. Francis, Kan., to Jacob and Elizabeth (Morhart) Kline. The family moved to Beverly, where he attended schools in Palisade, Culbertson and McCook...

The children of Fern Dowling are requesting a card shower in honor of her 88th birthday. She was born Sept. 28, 1918, in McCook. Her children are Sharon Felker of McCook; Carrol Barnell of Johnson; and Roger Dowling of Sequim, Wash. She has 16 grandchildren; and 32 great-grandchildren. Cards of congratulations will reach her at 905 E. Fifth, McCook, NE 69001...

Dirtwork will start in mid-October and construction after the first of the year on the 54.3-million-gallon Southwest Energy LLC ethanol plant at the Perry elevator site west of McCook. Dean Buesing of Granite Falls, Minn., director of SW Energy, said Tuesday morning that the plant will be ready for start-up the first part of 2008...

Flag corps member Ashley Guffey of Sutherland stands before her band in the Heritage Days band competition in Norris Park following the parade Saturday. Judges awarded these ratings: "Superior," McCook Senior High and Perkins County High; "Excellent," Cambridge High School, Hitchcock County Junior/Senior High, Medicine Valley High School and Sutherland Junior/ Senior High; and "Good," Cambridge Jr. High...

Teaching history is one thing. But to make it come alive is the mission of Bill Coate. Waving his cane for emphasis and dressed in a tuxedo, Coates' enthusiasm was evident as he encouraged the 400-plus educators at the ESU in-service program Monday in McCook to "not hold back."...

Sen. Ben Nelson's plan to allow small businesses to form pools to lower health insurance premiums is still in doubt, but news this week proves the issue remains worthy of special attention. As the "Association Health Plan Bill" was being rewritten to make it more palatable to Nelson's fellow Democrats, word has come that health insurance premiums paid by employers grew 7.7 percent last year, down from a 9.2 percent increase a year before, but more than twice the rate of inflation...

No one sees it happen. And, up until a few short years ago, it would be weeks or even a couple of months before anyone could know of a certainty (though some would have their suspicions) that anything had happened. Nevertheless, as one day follows another, moment by moment, a new life grows...

The McCook Bison came away with a six to zero win over Lexington behind the 4-hit pitching of senior Taryn Placzek on Tuesday night, the last regular season home game this year. Placzek struck out seven and walked two. Her senior teammate Michelle McKenna knocked in the first run of the game with double off the fence. Both were honored on senior night at the Jaycee Complex...

McCook's  tennis team finished its last home match with a 8-1 win over Hershey, Tuesday. "We opened play sweeping all three doubles matches, which helped get the momentum going," said Bison Coach Matt Wiemers.  "Asher and Austin played well and showed signs of improvement in areas we have been working on in practice.Jack and John came away with a win, which I hope will build some confidence going into the final two weeks of the season."...