Good Old Days - 04-15-16

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

'Cheyenne, Deuel Counties Included in Sedgwick-Sand Project Being Considered'

April 11, 1966

Among the eight requests for watersheds to be considered April 21 by the State Soil and Water Conservation Commission will be one which is almost equally divided between Nebraska and Colorado.

This is the Sedgwick-Sand Watershed which originates in Cheyenne and Deuel Counties and affects Sedgwick County, Colo.

The property affected includes 28,200 acres in Sedgwick County, Colo.; 8,950 acres in Cheyenne County; and 28,000 acres in Deuel County.

The watershed has its start in the Nebraska counties and most of the damages is being done in Colorado, according to the application.

The description of the property and damage in the application says in part:

"The watershed drainage area consists of several draws originating in Nebraska and in steep parts of Sedgwick County north of the South Platte River in Colorado.

"Two larger draws, Sedgwick and Sand, extend approximately 10 miles above High Line Canal. The open reaches are mainly in dry crop land and the steep areas near the irrigated lands are range."

Damages from the 1965 floods occurred on 1,800 acres of dry crop land and 4,500 acres of irrigated crop land in Colorado. In addition, one bridge in Deuel County washed out in both 1964 and 1965. In two cases of damaged bridges in Deuel County motor vehicles ran into holes, causing personal and property damage.

Project objects are the reduction of flood water and sediment damage to the town of Sedgwick and Ovid and to control erosion in the surrounding rural areas.

Roger Plantz, work unit conservationist for the Cheyenne County Soil and Water Conservation District, reports that the project, if approved, will include land treatment in the two Nebraska counties from which the damaging flood waters emanate.

The April 21 hearing before the state commission will see the largest group ever to make requests at a single meeting, says Warren R. Fairchild, executive secretary of the commission.

40 Years Ago

'No Official Talks Yet About Pioneer Airways Service Here'

April 14, 1976

Officials from the Pioneer Airways of Denver, Colo., have contacted City of Sidney officials via letter about plans to serve Sidney with flights to Denver, but no official contact has been made, according to City Manager Maynard Dils.

Dils said Pioneer officials have contacted him and the Cheyenne County Chamber of Commerce about plans to meet in person and discuss details but nothing has come out of the effort.

Dils said questions to be worked out before Pioneer would be allowed to land at Sidney Municipal Airport include landing fees, office rental space, and if the competing service with Frontier Airlines would jeopardize the government subsidy frontier receives for serving Sidney and other rule markets.

Pioneer Airways plans to become operational within six months to one year, according to President John Warren.

Dils' remarks came in the wake of Pioneer's recent application without he Federal Aviation Administration to operate commuter service in Nebraska.

The FAA is expected to answer the application within 30 days, according to Warren.

Pioneer plans to operate twin engine Cessna service, carrying cargo and up to eight passengers between McCook and Omaha, with intermediate stops in Kearney, Hastings, Columbus and Lincoln, according to the Associated Press.

25 Years Ago

'Tornadoes, Winds,

Hail Pound Parts of State'

April 12, 1991

Tornadoes and thunderstorms packing high winds and baseball-size hail pounded parts of Nebraska damaging farm buildings and smashing windows, the National Weather Service said.

Icy conditions were blamed for a traffic accident that killed a Hemmingford woman just after midnight today in western Nebraska, authorities said.

Margarita Bremer, 36, apparently lost control of the vehicle she was driving on an icy county road eight miles north and one-quarter mile east of Alliance, the Nebraska State Patrol said.

No other deaths or injuries immediately reported in Thursday night's siege storms. Parts of southeast Nebraska were under a tornado watch until early this morning.

Damage was reported near Fairfield and Lawrence, a community hit by a tornado just a year ago. The weather service said a farmstead near Lawrence was destroyed by a tornado.

"Most of the damage is to outbuildings. We're not going to be able to get out and do any assessment of it until morning," said Dick Kohmetscher, a Lawrence firefighter.

"We do have some damage south of Lawrence, Crews are out there now but we won't know the extent of damage until morning," said Scott Stemper and the second twister apparently did no damage.

The weather service reported tornado touchdown near Lawrence and Superior between 7:30 and 8:35 p.m. CDT.

"We've heard that there was damage in the Lawrence area. And one touch down north of us. They say it caused damage, but we haven't been able to getup and check it. These clouds here are something else, rotating and everything," said Fairfield Fire Chief LeRoy Soucie.

Lawrence is a community of about 300 located in Nuckolls County, about 130 miles southwest of Omaha. Fairfield, population about 500, is in Clay County and is just northeast of Lawrence. Superior is in southern Nuckolls County.

10 Years Ago

'Three Days Left

Before Tax Deadline'

April 15, 2006

Politicians have election night, football players have the Super Bowl. For accountants, the all important moment is the filing deadline for state and federal income taxes.

People have until Monday at midnight to file income tax statements, anything postmarked or handed in after that date will start tallying penalties.

"We'll do about 100 returns between the Kimball and Sidney offices before the deadline Monday night," said Tim Anderson, owner of H&R Block offices in Kimball, Sidney, Ogallala and North Platte. "I don't know what the other offices are doing, I just know it's crazy right now."

Some of the biggest mistakes Anderson witnesses is people not taking time to go over itemized deductions and that they haven't put money into individual retirement accounts.

Anderson also acknowledged that the first week in February is just as big as the filing deadline.

"That's when people get their W2s and want their refunds," Anderson said. "By coming in early we can review their finances and see what deductions are available to get them the biggest refund they have coming to them."

People who owe taxes are usually the ones that aren't too quick to file, and wait until the last possible moment to submit their income tax, Anderson said.

Some people put of filing because they don't have the money to pay what they owe. Both federal and state governments have plans for that situation. Both recumbent a person pay as much as they can, and, if necessary, set up a payment plan for the rest. Penalties and interest will accrue on any upped balance until it is fully paid.

The state of Nebraska allows a 90-day payment plan, which includes the initial payment and three equal payments after. People can pay their balance on a credit card. A convenience fee of 2.5 percent of that tax payment is charged to the card used. Payments extending over 90 days can be requested to be paid through Electronic Funds Transfer. Filers must complete form 27d, Payment and Authorization Agreement, to take advantage of this option.

On the federal side, people having trouble filing their return can apply for an automatic extension by using form 4868. The extension will give people extra time to file paperwork, but it does not extend the deadline for payment.