Stories from Tuesday, March 9, 2010

The recent reports about faulty Toyota products have brought to the forefront a critical disconnect between the United States and a valuable ally, Japan. On one hand, Japan expects the U.S. to be patient and keep our borders open to Japanese cars and car parts. ...

Feb. 19, 1933 - March 7, 2010 INDIANOLA -- Sheila Wederski died Sunday (March 7, 2010) at Community Hospital in McCook. She was 77 years old. Sheila was born in Aberdeen, Scotland on Feb. 19, 1933, to John Bruce and Elizabeth (Milhe) Massie. She attended school in Aberdeen and later received her business certificate. She was employed as a clerk in a foundry for many years while living in Scotland...

Isiah Christopher Cappel, infant son of Mark Allen and Christina Marie (Weaver) Cappel was born on Nov. 8, 2009. He went to be with his Savior on the same day. Isiah is preceded in death by his great-grandmothers, Rose Weaver and Velda Fleider. Survivors include his parents Mark and Christina Cappel of McCook; his brother, Logan Cappel and twin brother, Jayden Cappel of the home; maternal grandparents, John Weaver of Riverton and Georgia Witken of Cambridge; paternal grandparents, Douglas and Terri Cappel of McCook and Deb Swanson of McCook; great-grandparents, Clarence "Larry" and Donna Swanson of McCook, Claude and Deloris Cappel of McCook and Harold and Gail Fleider of Cambridge; numerous uncles, aunt and cousins.. ...

WAUNETA -- Emerson Schwenk, 81, died Sunday (March 7, 2010) at his home in rural Wauneta. Survivors include his wife, Joyce of rural Wauneta; his mother, Leona Paustian of Wauneta; two sons, Matt Schwenk and wife, Tammy of Hayes Center and Nick Schwenk of Hayes Center; two daughters, Janet Keiser and husband, Rich of rural Wauneta and Rhonda Brunkhorst and husband, Lynn of Wauneta; sister, Joan Denker of Council Bluffs, Iowa; eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren...

NORTH PLATTE -- Mid-Plains Community College is reporting that a recent "snapshot" of the Spring 2010 term indicated that students are enrolled in 11.19 percent more classes. It also states that there are more full-time students, but fewer part-time students attending college within the entire MPCC system...

A downtown McCook gift shop has filed for bankruptcy protection, but its owner assured Red Willow County commissioners Monday morning that she intends to repay her loan from the county. Betty Kenner, owner of Accents Etc., told commissioners during their weekly meeting that Chapter 11 bankruptcy will allow her to reorganize, stay in business and continue to liquidate inventory to pay her creditors. ...

McCook Public Schools board of education members at their monthly meeting Monday evening approved paying $389,000 in early retirement incentives to 10 teachers who represent 230 years of experience. The board offered the one-time early retirement program, called "Temporary Separation Incentive Policy," in January in anticipation of a reduction in state aid to McCook's school district. That reduction, Superintendent Grant Norgaard reported Monday evening, will be approximately $307,959...

On Saturday, March 27, the Ed Thomas YMCA will be sponsoring its first Adventure Race. This race involves teamwork, communication, endurance, logic and most of all fun. This is a team event, with teams comprised of three participants and each must have a bicycle. The team must also have at least one cell phone that has a camera, $5 and a pencil and notepad...

Red Willow County Attorney Paul Wood wants a time, date and location agreed upon and set in stone before county officials go to Colorado to retrieve a kit helicopter built with a loan from the county. Rex Nelson, administrator of the county's revolving loan program, told Red Willow County commissioners during their meeting Monday morning that Ron Willocks of Longmont, Colo., owner of the now-defunct Pawnee Aviation helicopter kit company, seems anxious and willing to get this matter settled. ...

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The father of an American soldier injured in Afghanistan in February said Monday afternoon that his son's spirits are good, despite injuries that have required surgeries in Afghanistan and Germany, and hospitalization in Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C...

The current state treasurer isn't running for re-election, but says the job is too important to eliminate it. That's what State Sen. Dennis Utter of Hastings aims to do with LR284CA, up for Legislative debate today. If passed, the proposal would go to a statewide vote, and if that passed, the office would be gone in 2013...

My fellow givers of charity: Be careful of whom you give money to! If you give a ragged beggar a few bucks, he could easily spend it on a bottle of muscatel. If you go to an art auction, the merchandise on the block could easily be the work of an academic hack...

He is probably the best friend that I've ever had. Liberal to the core, well maybe as liberal as my outlook in life is conservative, we still get along. He hates George W. Bush but surely can't be too proud of Bill Clinton's morals or the latest antics of our present esteemed president but, oh well, these are subjects from which we steer clear...

Time and again, I have heard from Nebraskans who have been treated unfairly by their credit card companies. The stories I heard are the reason why I voted for a tough new credit card holders' bill of rights, which took effect in the last week of February. ...

LINCOLN -- Sen. Greg Adams, Chairman of the Legislature's Education Committee, held a Press Conference earlier this afternoon, Tuesday, March 9, 2010, to discuss the progress that has been made toward resolving the current community college funding dispute. Sen. Adams provided the following statement:...