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i
i 102nd Year, No. 50
annual Lighted Christmas Pa-
downtown Superior is
for 7 p.m. Monday. The
will form north of the United
Church and move down
enhance the parade's impact,
district street lights will be
off during the parade. The
lights will remain on.
new feature will be a Superior
;ponsored chili
rving in the Farmers & Mer-
..gin at 6:30
forms are available at
Chamber of Commerce
located in the Carnegie Build-
will be accepted until pa-
time.
placed on the
The chief requirement is that
be lighted. In past years, area
have decorated a large as-
of items, even horses and
plans to return to Supe-
, to visit with area young-
gift list. Last Satur-
sters talked with Santa
treats.
expect that large of turn
125 bags of candy.
local sponsors that
have replenished his candy
before Saturday.
will be in the lobby of the
from 2 to 4 p.m. Satur-
to 6:30 p.m. Mon-
tng.
Superior Nazarene
plans to again
their live nativity scene from 6
,.m. Dec. 21 and 22. This will be
the nativity scene. The congre-
ill a Christmas pro-
at 10:30 this Sunday morning.
Monday Superior stores
g their evening shop-
hours. Monday through Friday
stores will remain open until 8
The stores will close at 4 p.m.
.24.
continues for the Su-
r Bucks drawings.
this week included Doyle
Donald Tyler, Becky Gay
Rempe each receiving 50
won ! O0
bucks which may be used like
participating Superior stores.
Co. lake
not keeping
evaporation
the gates were closed and
the outflow from Harlan
Reservoir during November
the biggest lake on the Re-
River system lost 835 acre
water during the month. The
inflow of 22 cubic
was not sufficient to
up With the evaporation loss.
i month's end the reservoir level
to 1,932.24 feet above
• This is approximately 13 feet
of the conservation pool
feet above the inactive
Reservoir did much bet-
November the lake near
average inflow
feet per second. Evapora-
acre feet of water but
gain was 4,272 acre feet.
end of
the lake had filled to
sea level. It is now
feet-below conservation level
above the inactive level.
Feet of water.
contains 161,662 acre
! the first 11 months of the year
lan County was 75
of normal. It was 79 percent of
at Lovewell. For the 17 reser-
Nebraska and Colo-
ureau of Reclama-
atains statistics, precipitation
low of 50 percent of
at Keith Sebelius to a high of
at Sherman. Other per-
included Bonny, 54; Enders,
Butler, 61; Harry Strunk,
65;Webster,
Bluff, 64; Waconda, 81;
-=, 55; Merritt, 77; Calamus,
Creek, 64.
Ed Groves, Observer
............................. 55
Week .............................. 14
1.02
0.02
... .................... 0.02
!n 2002 ............... ....... 27.74
2001 ...................... 36.57
Dec ......................... 0.80
Jan. 1 ..................... 27.20
qhe Superior
Official Nuckolls County Newspaper Member of Nebraska Press Association and National Newspaper Association
ISSN 0740-0969 © 2002 Supenor Publishing Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Superior, Nebraska 68978
Price 50¢
National Edition
16 Pages in Two Sections
Thursday, Dec. 12, 2002
This week Nuckolls County commissioners continued to discuss courthouse roof repairs. The past two weeks
workers have powered washed the clock tower and explored the roof. Arnold Brown said, 'l'he clock tower tin work
is full of pin holes. The courthouse has lots of water damage. We think water has been coming in the clock tower, running
out on adjacent boards and down the walls into several office"
Monday, the commissioners expectad to rdcoive an estimate from C&F Roofing, Fairbury, to also repair the four
flat roof areas surround the clock tower.
Above, one worker power washes the Nuckolls County courthouse clock tower from the basket of a 120 foot lift while
another explored the clock tower railing. It is expected wooden parts of the railing will be replaced with steel.
Christiancy retains position
on Superior City Council
Though he had announced he was maticallyadvancedtrthemayor'spost.
not running for re-election and had his Couucii members Hubert
name removed from the ballot, David Simonsen, Jerry Grove and Aden
Christiancy was one of three Superior
City Council members taking the oath
of office Monday for another term.
A sufficient number of voters in the
city's third ward wrote in Christiancy' s
name to win him the right for a second
term. The Superiorbusinessman agreed
to accept the post and was sworn in
along with Ron Springer, second ward
representative, and Mel Menke, first
ward representative. They along with
Billy Maxey, mayor, were re-elected
in the November general election.
Members of the council unani-
mously retained Christiancy as coun-
cil president. As council president he
will act as mayor in the absence of the
mayor. Should the mayor vacate the
office, the council president is auto-
Mickelsen were carried over for an-
other two years.
Most of Monday's meeting was
devoted to reorganization of the coun-
cil. Maxey said because of the uncer-
tainty surrounding the third ward coun-
cil position, she had not finalized com-
mittee assignments. She promised to
have the committee assignments ready
for the council meeting Jan. 6.
Without dissent members of the
council confirmed her appointment of
Jan Diehl as city clerk, Diane Way as
city treasurer; Wayne Garrison as
county attorney, Dr. T.D. Blecha as
city physician, Robert Allgood, police
chief, Jim Rust, Gary D. Keeling, Tom
Johnson, Perry Freeman, Gary Blevins
and A" Gary Keeling as police officers.
Agencies extend deadline
for Giving Tree donations
Four service agencies have joined
together this holiday season to sponsor
giving trees located throughout
Nuckolls County.
Nuckolls County Early Interven-
tion, Early Head Start, Good Begin-
nings and Mid-Nebraska Community
Action have joined together under'the
name of Nuckolis County Human In-
In an effort to avoid duplication,
HIS will also coordinate with Toys for
Tots, a gift program organized by the
Superior Lions Club, and the Nuckolls
County Food Pantry which will pro-
vide 25 boxes containing all the fix-
ings for Christmas dinner. "We are still
hoping for more food donations," said
(Continued to Page 7A)
Joe Jensen will continue as utilities
superintendent, Jim Peterson as build-
ing inspector, Richard Elliott as zon-
ing officer, and Tim Schmidt as city
prosecutor.
Linda Cox was appointed to hous-
ing authority and Karen Happ to the
park and cemetery board. Economic
development council members reap-
pointed included Bob Trapp, Gary
Ward, John Price Jr., Marlene
McGowan and Shannon McCord.
A proposal to begin charging when
a police escort is furnished for funeral
processions was tabled. MayorMaxey
said the charge had been suggested as
a way for the police department to
generate additional revenue.However ,
the wisdom of the charge.
Members of the council debated at
length a proposed change in the city's
health insurance plan. It was decided
to forgo most of a planned employee
wage increase and maintain the cur-
rent insurance coverage. It appears the
insurance premium will be going up 26
percent.
[I I I II ' I i L
Markets ....
Superior Market
Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2002
Corn ......................... : ..... 2.34 2.14
Milo ............................. ;..2.56 2.14
Wheat ............................ 3.91 3.18
Soybeans ....................... 5.38 4.70
teragency Services (HIS) to spon'sor
the trees. The Lincoln Diocese Catho-
lic Social Services and the altar societ-
ies in Nelson, Lawrence and Superior
are also helping with the project.
Giving trees have been located at
Menke Drug Store, Superior, Farmers
& Merchants Bank, Lawrence, and
Commercial Bank, Nelson. Each tree
is decorated with cards giving sex, age
and suggested gift for a needy resident
of Nuekolls County.
More than 120 needy persons have
been identified by the four agencies.
Many are from families now being
served by the agencies. Others have
been suggested by the county ministe-
rial association and the schools.
Residents who want to help brighten
someone's Christmas are asked to take
a tag from one of trees, purchase the
gift, wrap it, and bring the gift to the
place the tag was obtained. The tags
specify gender, age of the child or
adult, and a gift they would like to
receive. The identity of the person to
received the gift is not revealed.
Local Red Cross chapter
faces financial emergency
Because to an anticipated shortfall
of operating reserves, the Mid-Rivers
Chapter of the American Red Cross
may be forced to reduce and possibly
eliminate some services. The Mid-Riv-
ers Chapter serves Adams, Clay, Nuck-
oils and Webster Counties.
Dec. 30 the executive board will
determine the future of local Red Cross
services. The Mid-Rivers Chapter has
provided assistance to victims of fires
and natural disasters in the area since
1917.
With a volunteer base of approxi-
mately 325 individuals, the Mid-Riv-
ers Chapter has provided many ser-
vices including.
Armed Forces Emergency Service,
forty-six messages were sent in the last
fiscal year.
Blood S,'vices spon.;ors 70 or more
bloodmobile assists in the four coun-
ties.
Community Services, sponsor two
youth peer educator s groups who
reached 1,939 individuals with HIV/
Aids education in fiscal 2002.
Health and Safety Services, taught
1,719 individuals CPR, First Aid and
AED in fiscal year 2002; issued 558
swimming lesson certificates, trained
28 new instructors and certified 44
lifeguards who served in area pools.
Disaster Services responded to 23
fires and other disasters in fiscal 2002,
helping 261 individuals by providing
emergency food, clothing and shelter.
Provided canteen services to emer-
gency workers on extended events.
Providel disaster education and mate-
rials to ihe general public.
Board votes to close
elementary school
Members of the Guide Rock Board
of Education met Monday evening in
Guide Rock at 6:30 p.m. All members
were present. The board unanimously
voted to not offer K-6 instruction at the
Guide Rock facility for the 2003-04
school year. Only 10 to 12 students
were expected to attend the facility
next year.
In otherbusiness, LesterMontgom-
cry was reappointed to serve the dis-
ttict for a four year term on the Unified
District Five Board of Education. Tim
Kinnaman will continue to also serve
the Guide Rock district as a member of
the Unified Five District Board. His
term. expires in 2004.
The first reading of a policy related
to procedures for removing a represen-
tative serving the Guide Rock school
district from the Unified District Five
Board of Education was approved.
An item on the January agenda is
continued discussion related to the fu-
ture of the Guide Rock school build-
ings.
Superior
The Superior Board of Education
also met Monday evening in the high
school library. The meeting started ap-
proximately 10 minutes late as they
waited on administrators to arrive from
attending the Guide Rock meeting.
All members were present, it was
the last local monthly meeting Steve
Renz, president and Ann Tuma will
attend during their term of office. They
will be replaced by Don Robb and Kim
Williams, newly elected board mem-
bers at the January meeting.
As parting remarks, Renz said,
"Serving on the school board is the
most memorable thing I have ever
done."
Renz said he had enjoyed serving
on the board and would miss it, but had
other things he wanted to do and must
relinquish his school board responsi-
bilities to do them.
Tuma said, "I've learned lots and
enjoyed working with everyone."
The board accepted the resignation
of Katrina Hansen, cheerleadec spon-
sor, effective last November and ap-
pointed Teresa Scott as sponsor and
Diane Kile as her assistant. Several
cheerleaders and some of their parents
were present to request transportation
to all school sporting events, Bob
Tipton, superintendent, discouraged
parents from providing transportation
in the event school transportation was
not available. He said signed liability
release slips had not proven reliable
and most individual' s insurance would
not cover transportation to a school
sanctioned event.
The board elected Janice Tordup to
a four year term on the unified board.,
Kerry Corman and Dave Healey were
both nominated to serve a three year
term on the unified board. After two tie
votes, Corman was selected to serve by
the flip of a coin. He will serve a two
year term, which was open when Renz
ws not re-elected to serve on the Su-
perior board.
November receipts for the Superior
hot lunch program were $7,618.38 from
the junior-senior high and $4,419.23
for the elementary.
Supt. Tipton reported revenue from
the Unified District Five school sur-
plus auction was $8,700. After ex-
penses, Tipton estimated the auction
would net the school district approxi-
mately $6,500.
Partially as the result of the auction,
the "band building", a building used by
the Superior district for storage which
is located near North Ward, is nearly
empty. Supt. Tipton said the Superior
building and grounds committee would
be recommending to the unified dis-
trict that the band building be razed.
Tipton also said the cooperative
fund account had been closed and the
money moved to a certificate of de-
posit. The money would earn approxi-
mately 1.66 percent more interest. More
than $350,000 was in the account.
Doug Hoins, elementary principal,
review the Educational Service Unit
(ESU) Nine regional writing assess-
ment procedures. Superior third,
fourth, fifth and sixth graders partici-
pated in the event during the week of
Nov. 11. Fifth and sixth grade students
wrote a descriptive essay to the follow-
ing prompt: "Pretend you are going to
camp. The camp director will match
you with a roommate after reading
about you. Write a description of your-
self that is so clear and complete that
camp director will have no problem
assigning you the perfect roommate."
Third and fourth graders wrote a
narrative essay with the following
prompt, "Think of a friend inr out of
school. Tell one story that comes to
mind when you think of this friend."
On the first day of the assessment,
students have 30 minutes to write their
rough draft. The next day students proof
their rough draft and submit their final
essay in another 30 minute timed pe-
riod.
Marcia Schultz, Carol Wameking,
Nate Roberts and Beverly Beavers,
Superior elementary teachers joined
other ESU 9 instructors and scored the
papers.
"This is great practice for the state
wide writing assessment which will be
Local program receives
grant for safety seats
According to Fred Zwonechek, ad-
ministrator of the Nebraska office of
Highway Safety, a just completed state
observation survey of vehicles revealed
that child safety restraint use of chil-
dren under age 6 has reached 70 per-
cent up from 56 percent in 199.
The scientific survey conducted in
August and September, in both rural
and urban locations, was only able to
determine whether safety seats were
being used or not. It was not able to
determine if the safety seats were be-
ing used correctly. It was able to deter-
mine that 95 percent of the children in
these safety seats were riding in the
rear seat, the safest seating position.
"The increase in use is the result of
the dedicated work of law enforce-
ment and the more than 200 trained
child passenger safety technicians in
Nebraska, Zwonechek said. "We are
encouraged by the increase, but realize
that 30 percent of these young children
still remain at risk."
In October the Nebraska Office of
Highway Safety awarded 12 Perma-
nent Fitting Station grants to organiza-
tions located across the state. The fit-
ting stations are locations where par-
ents and caregivet's can routinely go or
.call for appo_imments to have their
child's safety.seat inspected. Staff will
inspect the safety seat and then deter-
mine if it is the right size for the child
and if it has been properly installed in
the vehicle.
The six new grant award recipients
are: Brodstone Memorial Hospital,
Superior; Faith Regional Health Ser-
vices, Norfolk; Phelps Memorial
Health Center, Holdrege, Central Ne-
braska Community Services, Loup
City, North Central Community Care
Partnership, O'Neill, and the York
County Health Department, York.
Second-year grants for Permanent
Fitting Stations were awarded to the
Alliance Fire Department, Bellevue
Police Department, Western Commu-
nity Health Resources in Chadron, the
Nebraska Safety Council in Lincoln,
Southeast Coalition for Child Restraint
Education of Nebraska in Auburn, and
MCH Health System memorial Com-
munity Hospital in Blair. Those fitting
stations were established last yeai" uti-
lizing federal highway safety funds.
"While most parents believe they
have their children buckled up cor-
rectly, during 2001 actual checks indi-
cated more than 8 out of 10 car seats
checked in Nebraska were not," said
Cathy Chochon, traffic safety special-
ist from the Nebraska Office of High-
way Safety.
done at the eight grade level this year,"
Hoins said.
Bob Cook, high school principal,
reported winter sports practice began
Nov. 18. There are 23 participating m
high school boys basketball, 13 in high
school wrestling, 20 in high school
girls basketball, 20 in junior high girls
basketball and 12 in junior high wres-
tling. Junior high boys basketball starts
in January.
He also said Laura Corman, in-
structor and director of the high school
drama department play, would be start-
ing a speech team this year. Next year
Superior High School students would
be eligible to participate in conference
speech activities.
The board then gathered in the spe-
cial education classroom in the east
hall. Harriet Marr, unifieddistrict tech-
nology coordinator, shared plans for
the distance learning center which is
planned for the room. Special educa-
tion instruction will move to the west
room of the Junior High wing.
Supt. Tipton said money is cur-
rently available for distance learning
equipment. The district is responsible
for providing the room. Minor modifi-
cation are expected. Man-has asked for
equipment so the room can be used by
regularinstructors as an additional tech-
nology lab when distance learning
classes are not in session.
The monthly phone bill for the dis-
tance learning center is expected to be
$915. Marr expects 65 percent of the
monthly phone bill to be paid by fed-
eral money she called "Universal Ser-
vice." It was projected the room will be
ready for distance learning activities
by August, 2003. It will seat 20 stu-
dents.
During reports, Supt. Tipton said
the Tier I digging will soon begin. If
contamination is found they could be
used as test wells for five or six years.
If no contamination is found, Tipton
expected the project to be complete
and the wells capped in three to four
months,
Early in the meeting, as part of
faculty presentation, Martha Young,
fifth grade instructor asked Stacia
Gebers to review her one million dol-
lar Chicago Math project for the board.
Young said the project taught toward a
seven-state standard: three in English
and four in math. It uses a wide array of
math skills and involves the student's
family. Gebers outlined her expenses
to establish "Stacia's Cattle Ranch".
Included were the purchase of 80 acres
of land, 1,000 head of cows, a year's
supply of feed, various farming and
livestock equipment, needed clothing,
miscellaneous vehicles, tools, medical
supplies, utilities, insurance and taxes.
Edgar holds benefit for
Christmas giving
Once again the Christmas "elves"
are busy in Edgar, as the various orga-
nizations and individuals get ready for
their second annual Festival of Trees
and Soup Benefit to b held at the
American Legion Hall beginning at 10
a.m., Saturday morning. This year a
portion of the proceeds from the soup
benefit will help women from Fair-
field, who needs an insdin pump to
help control her diabetes. The rest of
the proceeds from the soup benefit and
the money raised from the bake sale
and raffle will go towards a new Edgar
Community Center.
The men of the Edgar Lion's Club
will make noodles for their soup. The
. women of the local extension club will
make pies for the bake sale. The mer-
chants and churches of Edgar are plan-
ning unique decorations ft,- Ihe Festi-
val of Trees. Loca! c r:, ! I ,1 d gifts are
being assembled for the "Last Chance
Stocking Stuffer" ,ift and craft show.
Joe McReynolds, president of the
Edgar Lion' s Club said, "At Christmas
time, we all catch the spirit of giving.
When we heard about this young
woman who needed this special diabe-
tes-controlling equipment, we knew
we could help her with a soup benefit
in conjunction with the Edgar Com-
munity Club-sponsored Festival of
Trees."
Nelson City Council signs lease
for high speed internet antenna
Nelson street superintendent.
• Established the official deposi-
tory as Commercial Bank and the offi-
cial newspaper as The Nelson Gazette.
• Approved training meetings for
2003 for the city clerk, utility and fire
department personnel and EMTs.
During the business meeting the
council accepted the resignation of
Larry Thornberry. Thornberry had
worked with compacting.,
Kelly Schleif rescinded his resig-
natioa request and t;,e council approved
raisirh h; s salary to $10 per hour.
An antenna lease agreement was
signed with DTN SpeedNet, Omaha.
The antenna is to be mounted on the
Nelson water tower. It will provide a
high speed interact convection for area
residents who can see the water tower
and subscribe to the service.
A construction permit request from
George Dohlinger to baiid a car port on
his garage was also approved.
Dustin Drohman was appointed as
a new member of the Nelson Volun-
teer Fire Department at Oak.
The next meeting is January 13.
The Nelsem city council reorganized
Monday evening for 2003, Members
of the coundl are Scott Stemper, mayor,
Ken Crooks, Bonnie Jensen, Pat Ehlers
and Adan Drudik. Stemper, Crooks
and Jensen all were re-elected this fall
land took oath of office Monday
evening. •
As part of themganization, the
council took the fdlleging actions:
• Approved JEO" Consulting, .
Hastings, to be the city engineer.
• Approved Dale Sole to be the
if!ill
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