Stories from Friday, December 27, 2019

Lois Marie Berends Oct. 14, 1931 - Dec. 21, 2019 ARAPAHOE, Neb. — Lois Marie Berends passed away at the age of 88 on Saturday, Dec. 21, 2019, at C.A Mues Good Samaritan Center in Arapahoe. Lois was born on Oct. 14, 1931, at Everly, Iowa, to parents, Ernest and Irene (Snell) Mohni. On March 10, 1951, she was united in marriage to Leslie Everett Berends at Ocheyedan, Iowa. To this union three children were born...

Harlan E. Drain Sept. 20, 1936 - Dec. 24, 2019 SIDNEY, Neb. — Harlan E. Drain, 83, of Sidney and formerly of Benkelman, Neb., passed away at home on Dec. 24, 2019. Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m., Monday, Dec. 30, 2019, in the St. Joesph’s Catholic Church in Benkelman, with Father Matthew Eickhoff officiating...

50th anniversary The family of Paul and Mary Nichols of Culbertson, Neb., is hosting a card shower in honor of the couple’s 50th wedding anniversary on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2020. They were wed in 1970, at the United Methodist Church in Culbertson. Paul and Mary were born within days of each other, raised in the area and started dating while they were both in high school. ...

Probate records are predominately records concerning wills or lack thereof. The word probate comes from Latin and means “to prove” which in the case of wills means to prove to the court that the will provided is authentic and is the last testament of the person who has died. If there is a will and it is authentic, the probate is called testate. If there is no will it is intestate...

Bailee Porter helps her siblings and friends try out their new holiday hoverboards in Norris Park Thursday afternoon. They are, from left, Karstyn Porter, 11, Jayce Hauxwell, 12, Sterling Hauxwell, 9, and Bentlee Porter, 7. Norris Park is friendlier terrain for balancing on two wheels than their Heritage Hills Golf Course neighborhood, but if the forecast is correct, they may need to check into snow tires...

As many travelers are in the process of making their way home from holiday gatherings, the Nebraska Department of Transportation and Nebraska State Patrol are urging motorists to be prepared for another round of winter weather, according to information provided by the departments. The National Weather Service issued winter storm watches Thursday for much of western Nebraska and is warning Iowa travelers about the potential for icy roadways and heavy rain. Snowfall ranging up to 6 or even 8 inches (15.2 centimeters or even 20.3 centimeters) has been forecast for the western two-thirds of Nebraska, starting late Friday afternoon and ending early Sunday. Storm winds could gust up to 35 mph (56.3 kph), adding to the difficulty of maintaining vehicle control on slick highways and streets. Freezing rain is expected to fall starting Friday night across west-central and northern Iowa, the weather service said. Rainfall of up to 1.5 inches (3.8 centimeters) is forecast for most the state. "With uncertainty in this particular storm system, it's imperative that travelers plan ahead and stay up-to-date on the changing weather possibilities," Col. John Bolduc, superintendent of the state patrol, said through a provided statement. "Rain, ice and several inches of snow are all possible across much of the state." Travelers are advised to be alert, be aware and check the most up-to-date travel conditions available through 511, Nebraska's Advanced Traveler Information System. The system is available at all times via phone, online at 511.Nebraska.gov, and with 511's smartphone app. "Our teams are ready throughout Nebraska to respond to whatever this storm system brings," said NDOT Director Kyle Schneweis, through a news release. "Drivers can also get a real-time view of what conditions are like with our Plow Tracker network and see what our team is seeing on the roads." Troopers will be working and ready to help motorists in need of assistance, should the need arise. Any traveler who needs help can call the NSP Highway Helpline at *55 or 800-525-5555 to speak directly with an NSP dispatcher. Call 911 for any emergency. Nebraskans and travelers through the state should stay tuned to local forecasts and updates from the National Weather Service. As conditions begin to change, the timing and type of precipitation has the potential to affect Nebraska roads in various ways across the state.

McCOOK, Neb. — A “Christmas miracle” of sorts occurred at the McCook Humane Society. Thanks to a donor who wishes to stay anonymous, spay and neuter fees have been paid for all of the cats and dogs at the shelter, as well as for all the vaccinations and micro-chipping of animals...

McCOOK, Neb. —Two portable ballistic barriers to shield medical personnel during an active shooter incident have been purchased at the McCook City Police Department. Each bullet-proof barrier weighs 63 pounds and are 4x8-foot. Each comes with different sized rods to set up the barrier quickly. ...

So, everyone reading this article must fit into one of two options: Either you accept the doomsday predictions of Greta Thunberg and Al Gore, or you are a “climate denier.” Those are your choices. I’ll wait…. Well, I don’t care for those options. First, I believe that the climate is changing. The NOAA Global Climate Report for 2019 tells us that the ten warmest years on record have taken place since `1998, and thus far this century, our average surface temperatures are up 1.7 degrees from that of the 20th century. As government bureaucracies go, I like NOAA. I trust them, so yes, I agree that as a general rule, the climate is warming. I think that the second criterion for being a “denier” is a belief that human activity can’t affect climate. I’m no climatologist, but I have spent hot summer nights in both the city and in the country, and I know that concrete and asphalt retain heat, which makes the cities a few degrees warmer. If we humans are good at anything, it’s pouring concrete, so based on that alone I would conclude that we have made at least some impact on climate. Please scratch me off on your denier list. Does that make me a Green New Deal guy? Let’s hope not. I prefer “Open Minded Skeptic.” When Al Gore released his slideshow movie back in 2006, I watched it as any dutiful citizen should, and I took notice of the slide which graphed evidence of carbon dioxide (CO2 ) in the atmosphere since the beginning of the industrial revolution against rising temperatures. I’m an old econ student and got it immediately. Carbon went up the graph at a 45-degree angle, and so did the temperature. It doesn’t get more clear cut than that, right? Anyone who managed to sleep through sixth-grade science class and escape with a passing grade knows that correlation is not cause. Suntan lotion sales peak in the months of June, July and August. So do shark attacks. Think about it. As an old ham radio guy, I am also aware that the sun works on 11-year cycles of peaks and valleys, and throws fits from time to time. Mr. Gore’s graph didn't mention the sun. Nor did it consider seismic activity (remember that hot ball of molten metal that we are all standing on?). The graph didn’t complicate things. It was just two jagged lines side by side. Not too hard for us to figure out. Mr. Gore’s graph left out a few other things that I think I understand, like the jet stream, ocean currents and moving fault lines He also left out some stuff that I wouldn’t begin to understand. Are you aware that Wichita Eisenhower airport changed its runway designation because of a shift in magnetic north? You are probably aware that the moon’s gravity influences tides, but did you know that it is moving 3.78 cm away from us every year? I was a kid in the 1970s. I can remember when folks used to toss fast food trash out of moving cars without much thought. Then we had this great, iconic television commercial featuring a native American with a teardrop leaking down his cheek. The reference was to fast food trash, but the real victim was cigarette butts. Until then, cigarette butts were recognized as nature’s bounty; an excusable but a necessary evil. Not trash, just something we step over without notice (sort of like dryer sheets in my house). For the environmentalist movement overall, I would say this: There is a famous line in the movie “Jerry Maguire” where Rene Zellwigger looks at Tom Cruise and says, “You had me at Hello.” Well folks, you had me at clean water and clean air. You didn’t need to invent a crisis to get me on your side.. I don’t need a contrived emergency to motivate me. Let’s put in INCENTIVES to further develop renewable energies to a point where they are economically competitive without penalizing currently successful business models. I have never played with wind power. I helped my son with a science fair project where we split water into hydrogen on a small scale. That was cool, but I have had the privilege of sitting at a campsite in a national park and listening to the radio on solar power. That’s cool. That’s magic. I did that 30 years ago. We aren’t ready to scale renewable fuels up yet. We just aren’t there yet, but someday we will be. Until then, I think it’s in our best interest to offer tax advantages to those who wish to research and develop renewable fuels, but penalizing existing successful and necessary business models is ridiculous. Sorry, Al and Greta. I’m no climatologist, but I damned well know a political agenda when I see one. I care about the environment, but I’m not going to allow you to define what that means to me

Get 2020 started off right with a First Day Hike! The Red Willow State Recreation Area and other state parks across Nebraska will hold free, guided hikes on Jan. 1 to help you ring in the new year in a fun way. Meet at Site 48 on Trail 2 at RWSRA at 1 p.m. The moderate 1.4-mile hike will include some hilly terrain and possible slick conditions, depending on the weather. Participants may see all types of wildlife, especially deer and songbirds. Be sure to dress for the weather. Participants are encouraged to bring their own water and snacks. Park entry permits are required. Call 308-737-6577 for more information.

Swanson Reservoir near Trenton is alive with snow geese Wednesday. The birds, on their way south, will return in the spring, just ahead of the more celebrated sandhill cranes.