Good Old Days 10-16-15

Compiled By Delaney Uhrig

These stories from the past first appeared in The Sidney Telegraph. Original writing is preserved, though some stories were shortened for space reasons.

50 Years Ago

'Routine Larceny Case Turns Big As Police Report Narcotics Find'

Oct. 15, 1965

A case of petty larceny has developed into what may be the biggest haul of illegal narcotics discovered in the Midwest for a quarter century.

Three men who were arrested here Wednesday morning after allegedly getting away with a pillow and a blanket from a Kimball Motel faced federal charges here this morning of the transporting and concealing of marijuana acquired without having paid federal tax.

Three men, all Cuban citizens, had in their possession at the time of their arrest $16,000-$20,000 worth of cured, pressed and processed marijuana in 80 packages measuring 12 by 6 by 2 1/2 inches. Kimball County Attorney Thomas Brower told The Telegraph that it is estimated that the marijuana, retailed in cigarette form at $1 a cigarette, would be valued around one million dollars.

Charged are Oscar Vega, 23, Los Angeles; Reinaldo R. Lorenzo, 32, and Lucio Garcia, 21, both of New York City.

In the hearing late this morning the men were advised of their rights, ball was set at $10,000 each and G.F. Bush was appointed to represent them as counsel.

The men were told they had a right to have a preliminary hearing or they could waive such hearing. If it is held, it is tentatively set for Thursday, Oct. 29, in the city council chambers. The men are in the Sidney city jail.

U.S. Commissioner Gerald E. Matzke presided at the hearing this morning and will be in charge of future hearings.

After the alarm was sent our from Kimball Thursday morning the three were picked up at the west edge of Sidney by Trooper Lee Anderson. They were reportedly driving a 1965 model rent-a-car in which they told authorities they were going from Los Angeles to New York.

Troopers at the Sidney office who checked out the car for the stolen bedding detected a "sweetish, bitter" odor and advised the search warrant be obtained to determine the possible presence of narcotics.

In Kimball, the men entered pleas of guilty to the petty larceny charge and a search warrant was obtained.

40 Years Ago

'Vandalism to be Faced at Wednesday Meeting'

Oct. 20, 1975

A means to effectively deter vandalism throughout Cheyenne County will be introduced Wednesday night during the regular monthly meeting of the Cheyenne County Highway-Traffic Safety Commission.

Commission chairman Cal Corcoran said the organization will mail special invitations to a large number of county business leaders and city, village, and county officials and others to attend the meeting.

Corcoran said the commission is considering establishing a large reward and backed by county businesses and other interested parties. Such a fund, he said, would enable the commission to offer larger rewards (possibly as high as $500) for the arrest and conviction of scandals, instead of individual businesses attempting to put up a reward on their own.

In the letter, Corcoran said that "due to increasing vandalism to both public and private properties it is the feeling of commission members that all interested parties should discuss the merits of a consolidated effort to provide assistance to local law enforcement agencies in order to cope with this costly and dangerous problem."

The commission has said that during a typical year Cheyenne County will have to replace more than $30,000 worth of stop signs, warning signs, and others that are destroyed or stolen.

25 Years Ago

'Crime Dog on the Prowl'

Oct. 16, 1990

October being Crime Prevention Month, McGruff, the Crime Fighting Dog, is especially active these days in Sidney schools and day care center.

Wearing his familiar trench coat, the famed crime fighter with the oversize head helps people, especially children, to "Take a Bite Out of Crime."

The several local police officers who have assumed the role of McGruff all seem to enjoy the duty. "All the kids want to shake his hand and some insist on hugging him as well," Police Chief Dick Willis said. "Sometimes they almost won't let you leave after you've done your program."

McGruff appeared before Sidney City Council at its meeting last week and asked Mayor Bruce Hauge to proclaim October as Crime Prevention Month here, which the mayor did.

Many people have been asking how McGruff originally got into the business of working for the National Citizens Crime Prevention Campaign to "Take a Bite Out of Crime."

After a busy day of public appearances, lectures, seminars, posing for publicity pictures, and finally making a new television commercial, we cornered McGruff in his dressing room. He was surprisingly relaxed, sitting in his trench coat, munching on a dog biscuit (one of the few habits left over from the old days) as he remembered his earlier days.

"Ahh – I was a young dog – really not much more than a pup when I was recruited into the U.S. Army Canine Corps. It was tough, at first, giving up the comforts of my kennel for the rigors of Army life – but in the Canine Corps you either shape up or ship out. I shaped up.

"My first assignment was as a guard dog. It didn't last too long. I mean, people just looked just looked at me and couldn't believe I could be vicious. I barked and it kind of came out as a howl. They laughed and petted me. . . and I couldn't stop my tail from wagging. Humiliating!"

10 Years Ago

'Former Sidney Services Director Imprisoned'

Oct. 15, 2005

Even though there was a plea arrangement on the table which would have allowed Stave Lloyd supervised probation, District Judge Kristine Cecava sent him to serve two to three years in prison for his unwillingness to move back to Nebraska.

Lloyd pleaded no-contest Aug. 16 to one count of possession of a controlled substance, methamphetamine, with intent to deliver. At the time of his arrest he was the city of Sidney public services director.

Lloyd was arrested Oct. 29 on three drug counts. In an Aug. 16 plea arrangement in Cheyenne County District Court Lloyd agreed to enter a no-contest plea to possession of a controlled substance, methamphetamine, with intent to deliver.

In the plea arrangement, two other drugs charges against the long-time city employee were dropped by the state Aug. 16.

At Lloyd's sentencing hearing Friday, Assistant Cheyenne County Attorney Randy Rolland said Lloyd did not meet the requirements to be considered for supervised probation, despite a plea arrangement in the case. Rolland said Lloyd refuses to move back to Nebraska as he is currently living in Fort Collins, Colo.

Rolland said Lloyd admitted to years of marijuana use while working for the city of Sidney. Rolland also said that Lloyd was seen by a "main meth detector" as a lookout with the city's police department, and was possibly warning the dealers when authorities were about to crack them.

Police Chief Larry Cox said Lloyd was never in a city position that allowed him access to information about criminal investigations. In court, Rolland asked for Lloyd to be send to prison and for a fine.