Despite recession, 2009 was year of planning, construction

For many, the year 2009 was greeted with bated breath, as the nation faced the worse economic dilemma in recent history: unemployment kept rising as jobs were slashed, foreclosure and bankruptcy rates skyrocketed and consumers cut back sharply on their spending.

But locally, the economy held steady, with new construction planned for two hospitals in the area, the Keystone Hotel undergoing renovation as a refurbished Business Center and organizations and individuals in the area who continued to donate generously.

Here's a round-up of what made news in the McCook Daily Gazette for 2009:

JANUARY

* The City of McCook fire station welcomes a new Dalmatian puppy, named Axe

* Chloe Marie, the new daughter of Krystal and Clayton Weber of McCook, was born Jan. 4 and named the Gazette's New Years Eve Baby of 2009

* Citing climbing costs and declining advertising for the edition, the McCook Daily Gazette stops publishing a Saturday newspaper. Friday and Monday editions are expanded, as well as online coverage of Friday night and weekend sports.

* Community Hospital administration and Board of Directors announced their support of the new McCook Community College Events Center, by pledging $100,000 to the project. In return, the hospital will have the honor of naming one of the rooms the Community Hospital Cardiovascular Room.

* The 10 remaining 100-year old Hackberry trees on the west side of Norris Park begin to be removed by city crews. A total of 25 trees were already removed last winter at Norris Park due to decay and possible danger they posed to park visitors, following a recommendation from a consulting arborist hired by the city and concerns from city staff. New trees are planted at Norris Park, the majority of them donated.

* a fire at Pride- n -Joy Auto Detailing at 314 West B causes $115,000 worth of damage. The fire is blamed on an electric heater in a pickup truck that was parked in a work bay.

* The owner of a personal helicopter kit company that owes Red Willow County $366,595 will be served with foreclosure papers. Pawnee Aviation owes $366,595.41 to the county's revolving loan program in two loans taken out in December 2004.

* In an effort to cut costs, The Omaha World Herald announces it will no longer deliver to McCook or other communities west of Kearney.

FEBRUARY

* a $787 billion stimulus package is passed by Congress for tax relief and new spending

* The McCook Public Schools board of education approves a superintendent's contract with Grant Norgaard of Leigh. Norgaard will be paid a salary of $131,000 for the first year of the two-year contract from July 1, 2009, until June 30, 2011

* The Nebraska Supreme Court declares the property tax authority in LB 701 is unconstitutional, upholding an earlier District court decision. The state's highest court rules it is unconstitutional to set local property taxes for state purposes. The ruling comes as the result of a lawsuit filed by "Friends of the River," a group of landowners within the basin that challenged the constitutionality of the legislation. In 2007, the Nebraska Legislature crafted LB 701, allowing the three NRDs to collect additional property tax and an occupation tax on irrigated acres. A challenge to the occupation tax has been filed in Lancaster District Court in Lincoln.

* "The History of Mid-Plains Community College: Volume 1," is the first of two planned volumes and its five writers sign copies of the book. Jerda Thompson Garey, a former student, instructor and administrator at MCC, was the principle writer for the McCook section of the book.

* Television goes digital and ceases analog power: viewers who rely on "rabbit ears, " or analog over-the-air service, will lose reception of programming unless they use a DTV receiver or a converter box that is hooked up to their existing analog television.

* The theatrical performance of "Civil War Voices" is performed at the Fox Theatre, drawing a standing-room only crowd. The theater puts on many productions during the course of the year, as a way to garner funds to renovate the historic building.

* The McCook City Council unanimously agrees to sign a property lease agreement between the city and the State of Nebraska, Department of Administrative Services, for the McCook Armed Forces Readiness Center. The proposed $8.5 million facility will be built on about 34 acres between U.S. Highway 34 and Airport Road, starting sometime in October.

* The McCook Community Foundation is awarded a $20,000 grant from the Peter Kiewit Foundation, that will be allocated to several organizations to provide food, heating and energy assistance to those in need in Southwest Nebraska in the next few months.

* CAMBRIDGE -- The Tri Valley Health System Board of Trustees signs a resolution to move forward with construction of a new hospital. The project is anticipated to encompass 49,400 square feet of new construction. Total estimated cost is $21,800,000, including construction, equipment, financing and contingency costs.

MARCH

* The McCook City Council approves using about one third of city sales tax allocated to the MEDC for the next 10 years, toward a $1.3 million bond that will be used to renovate the Keystone Hotel into a Business Center.

* The McCook Economic Development Corp. receives $100,000 in HOME funding to provide down payment and closing cost assistance for 14 employees wanting to purchase homes within incorporated communities located in Red Willow County. The HOME funding is administered by the Nebraska Department of Economic Development.

MEDC will contribute $5,000, and employers $2,500 for a total of $7,500 towards down-payment assistance and/or closing costs of home loans. To date, employers participating in the program include Valmont Industries, McCook National Bank, Community Hospital, and AmFirst Bank, NA.

* four new lighted fountains are installed in the ponds at Barnett park

* With the state unable to use the electric chair since it was declared cruel and unusual punishment, a listener at the weekly legislative conference call at the McCook Area Chamber of Commerce asks Sen. Mark Christensen if there's a possibility that "Old Sparky" could be moved to McCook as a tourism attraction. The story generates a buzz and eventually goes global, appearing as far away as China. After discussions with the governor, it is decided that the chair will remain in Lincoln, much to the relief of some McCook citizens.

APRIL

* MPCC votes to charge in-state tuition for those coming from the neighboring states of Kansas, Colorado, Wyoming and South Dakota. MPCC also votes to make all campuses and vehicles tobacco and chew free in 2010.

* McCook Community Hospital approves a resolution that authorizes renovation and new construction at the hospital. The project, that will be done in phases over the next two years, will include about 50,000 square foot of new construction as well as the demolition of about 25,000 square feet of current space. Total costs are estimated at $30 million

* The J Street paving project, scheduled to begin this year, will be paid for 100 percent with stimulus funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The project is estimated to cost $1 million

* NORTH PLATTE --Community Hospital administration and Board of Directors announced their support of the new North Platte Community College Health Complex, by pledging $10,000 to the project. In return, the hospital will have the honor of naming one of the ten nursing offices.

* INDIANOLA --Community Hospital donates $5,000 to the city of Indianola for the community building expansion project.

* Sen. Ben Nelson will be among the speakers at a groundbreaking ceremony at the Keystone Hotel in McCook.

* McCook Public Schools' board of education Tuesday evening approves a contract with a Kearney company to install air conditioning at the junior high for $392,886.64

* About 30 protesters show up at McCook's "Tea Party" at Barnett Park April 15, joining thousands of others across the nation who demonstrate against excess government spending.

* HAYES COUNTY --Hayes County has partnered with Chase County to contract with Emergency Communications Network Inc., of Ormond Beach, Fla., for its "CodeRED" high-speed telephone emergency notification services. The CodeRED system gives county officials the ability to deliver pre-recorded emergency telephone notification/information messages to targeted areas or the entire county at a rate of up to 60,000 calls per hour.

MAY

* Craig Dickes, McCook Junior High's eighth grade social studies teacher and the high school's assistant softball coach, is named the "Rookie Teacher of the Year" by the Nebraska State Education

Association.

* CAMBRIDGE --Two historic places in Cambridge are listed on the first-ever list of "Hidden Treasures and Fading Places" created by Heritage Nebraska. The list includes the Faling House, now used as the Cambridge Bed & Breakfast, and Thorndike Hall in downtown Cambridge.

* Donita Priebe, McCook Public Schools' band instructor, is named the 2009 "McCook Area Educator of the Year." The "Outstanding Educator" award was started in 1998 by Allen Strunk, former owner and publisher of the McCook Daily Gazette and is coordinated by the McCook Area Chamber of Commerce Education Committee. The honor goes annually to the instructor who demonstrates commitment to teaching, compassion to students and involvement in the community. Honorees are nominated by students, colleagues and community

members.

* McCook Community College speech and theater teacher Sue Watts accepts the 2009 Dr. Gene Budig "Outstanding Educator" award from guest speaker Nebraska Lt. Gov. Rick Sheehy

* A send-off ceremony is held for Nebraska National Guard unit, Detachment 2, 1195th Transportation Co. deployment to Iraq.

* DANBURY -- The historic Danbury Depot shows off its new renovations with an open house. Supporters of the depot have financed and completed a new roof, new siding and new windows over the past couple of years.

JUNE

* The McCook Economic Development Corp. purchases the Keystone Hotel Tuesday for $150,000, using city sales tax revenue alloted to the MEDC.

* a fire at 901 W. Seventh results in about$75,000 in structural damage. The fire is blamed on excess fuel that ignited in the garage

* The winner of the Hormel Family Foundation Business Plan Competition is The Kloset, a business proposed by Stephanie Hagan-Dusatko, Jeffrey Dusatko, and Ashley Hagan. The Kloset will be a resale store located in McCook, specializing in new and gently used name-brand clothing.

* The McCook City Council approves re-naming McCook Regional Airport to McCook Ben Nelson Regional Airport. The name change now goes to the Federal Aviation Administration for approval

* New playground equipment is installed in Norris Park, attracting a swarm of kids. The equipment was purchased with $100,000 of city sales tax money.

* CHAMPION -- Champion Mill will be repaired, thanks to federal funds and $55,554 approved by the Nebraska Legislative session. The historic mill was damaged when flooding occurred in 2007.

* a new book on the only Frank Lloyd Wright structure in Nebraska, The Sutton House in McCook, is being written by Donald Morgan, a 1959 MHS grad, with photographs by fellow classmate John Altberg. The book becomes available in July.

* MAYWOOD - a mission group from the Christian Church in Oakley, Kan., help volunteers working on the Southwest Nebraska Habitat for Humanity on behalf of the Anders family

* The Southwest Nebraska Public Health Department investigates eight rabies incidents since March. The cases have involved skunks, cats, dogs, and puppies. Cases investigated have been in Frontier, Hayes, Red Willow, Hitchcock and Chase counties.

* The state is installing in all counties new cameras with facial recognition technology, that will be used to take pictures for driver's licenses, permits and state IDs. Under new procedures, temporary licenses are issued for 30 days with new licenses mailed within five to seven days.

JULY

* The first confirmed case of H1N1 influenza has been diagnosed by the Southwest Nebraska Public Health Department. A total of 111 cases have been confirmed across the state of Nebraska.

* A non-binding arbitrator concludes that Nebraska does not owe the$72 million Kansas sought in damages, for failing to get enough water in 2005-06, but also finds that Nebraska has no plan in place to ensure compliance during water-short years. The arbitrator was brought in to resolve Kansas' claims that Nebraska overused water and did not comply with the Republican River Compact in 2005-06.

* repaving of J Street begins, with the street closed off from West 10th to Norris Avenue.

* the McCook City Council sets aside funds in the 2009-10 budget for renovation work on the Norris Park Bandshell. $36,454 from the Public Alliance for Choice Gas, the ACE revenue sharing program, will be put toward restoring the Norris Park bandshell, as well as $80,000 in Keno funds. An architect's estimation to restore the structure came to $147,526 including about $30,000 in contingency for the unknown.

* Fire investigators blame an extension cord on a refrigerator for the fire July 11 that destroyed the home of a Palisade couple

* IMPERIAL --Mid-Plains Community College completes the purchase and total remodel of their new Extended Campus in Imperial. The new 3,000 square foot building was acquired late last year and remodeled to create classrooms equipped with state-of-the-art distance learning systems.

* U.S. Department of Agriculture is sending $17 million to the Community Hospital Association of McCook for hospital construction, as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The $17 million low interest loan is more than half the total cost of the entire project which will replace the 35-year-old patient wing and add a new surgery wing.

AUGUST

* a crowd of about 50-60 pet owners, angry over proposed revised city ordinances concerning dogs and cats, pack the regular city council meeting. Citizens express concern about a number of issues, including licensing fees for dogs and cats, limiting the number of animals in a household and mandatory collaring of pets. The City Council votes to drop the licensing fees but did keep other changes, such as raising the dog at large fines from $20 to $25 and increasing the fines for vicious and potentially vicious dogs.

* the McCook City Council accepts gift of $70,000 from the Nebraska Community Foundation and to act as the pass-through agency to purchase a life- sized, bronze statue called "On My Honor," of Sen. Nelson as a Boy Scout receiving his Eagle Scout, flanked by his parents. The sculptures will be placed at Sen. Nelson's boyhood home on Norris Avenue, as part of Heritage Square.

* CURTIS -- Board members of the Middle Republican Natural Resources Districts file a petition in District Court in Red Willow County, that asks for a declaratory judgement as to what the NRDs in the Republican River Basin should with the property taxes collected under LB 701. The taxes were ruled unconstitutional by the Nebraska Supreme Court in February but the NRDs say as there are no legal means to return them so they remain with the NRD districts. Legislative Bill 681 was introduced by Gov. Dave Heineman to return the taxes, but never made it out of committee as other senators were leery that the bill could be used by taxpayers against the recently implemented learning centers in Omaha. About $2.5 million in LB 701 property taxes were collected by the Upper, Middle and Lower NRDs, with $700,000 from Red Willow County.

* Horizon Bank, new owners of the former McCook Branch of Union Bank & Trust, donates $10,000 to the new McCook Community College Events Center. In donating their gift, Horizon Bank will be recognized and named on the coaching office for MCC Men's Basketball.

* BENKELMAN -- USDA Rural Development has awarded $1,351,000 ($993,000 loan and $358,000 grant) to the City of Benkelman to construct a new water treatment plant that will serve more than 1,000 rural residents. A $350,000 Community Development Block Grant and $245,000 from the City will complete the funding package

* RC is the new drug trafficking dog at the Red Willow County Sheriff's office

SEPTEMBER

* a fire at 912 West L is determined to have started from an electrical box.

* a groundbreaking ceremony is set in Cambridge for the new hospital.

* McCook City Councilman Jack Rogers resigns from the council, effective immediately.

* HOLDREGE -- state water officials tell natural resources districts they must adopt one of three options concerning irrigation in the basin during water short years. The state wants to have some kind of plan in place during water short years to make sure enough water gets to Kansas and Nebraska stays in compliance with the Republican River Compact. In July, Colorado-based arbitrator Karl Dreher said Nebraska owed Kansas just $10,000 for overusing river water in 2005 and 2006 -- a fraction of what Kansas demanded -- but that Nebraska's plan for future compliance with the compact was insufficient

* a groundbreaking ceremony is held for Community Hospital in McCook, for its new patient wing, surgery wing and dedicated outpatient space.

* the City of McCook receives a $629,700 grant from the Community Development Block Grant Neighborhood Stabilization Program and will it use to tear down dilapidated structures, such as the Romanoff building at Norris Avenue and B Street and the former West Ward Elementary school

* during Heritage Days, a bronze sculpture honoring war veterans is dedicated in Norris Park to a packed crowd. The sculpture is the Eagle Scout project of 14-year old Trenton Klimper, who raised donations for the artwork. The memorial depicts an angel carrying a fallen soldier and beneath the soldier an American flag, which is resting on a cloud so it will never touch the ground. Created by Sondra Jonson of Cambridge, only a few stars were put on the flag, nine raised and two recessed, to represent the terrorist attack in New York on Sept. 11, 2001

* Sen. Ben Nelson makes a stop in McCook for a town-hall meeting on healthcare reform legislation and tells the crowd his vote is "not on auto pilot for anyone."

* Source Gas announces it will charge higher rates for customer and distribution charges. Under the increase, the monthly residential customer charge will go from $10.44 t0 $15.44. Distribution rates will increase from $0.35 to $0.50 per therm for residential customers. Source Gas will charge the rates on an interim basis, pending the hearing of the Public Service Commission that begins Dec. 14. Depending on the PSC decision, interim rates may be credited back to customers.

* Divine Productions and Spotlight Studios, a photography and dance studio, is opened by Cody Dame in a long-standing vacant building on West First and C

* An electrical wiring malfunction in the attic is blamed for a fire at 904 E. Fourth. Damage is estimated at $5,000 to contents and $15,000 to the structure

OCTOBER

* Fire fighters respond to a house fire at 1107 E. Third.

* 21st Century Systems Inc., which develops software programs for the military and businesses, will expand its initial scope of operations at the Keystone Hotel, by adding a data center in the basement of the facility. The expansion will be funded by the federally-funded Community Development Block Grant. The company will also occupy an entire floor of the building.

* Jerry Calvin is appointed by Mayor Dennis Berry to fill the vacant seat on the council, created by the resignation of Jack Rogers. The council approves unanimously.

* The McCook Community Foundation awards more than $20,000 to various community groups at its annual Founders Celebration.

* McCook City Councilwoman Colleen S. Grant, 62, dies in her home of natural causes.

* IMPERIAL -- a massive fire over the weekend that took four fire departments to extinguish, damages Harchelroad Motors in Imperial. The business still manages to open the following Monday.

* Mass clinics for the H1N1 vaccine are planned for the area by the Southwest Nebraska Public Health Department. The vaccines are open to those in the target area of pregnant women, people between six months - 24 years of age and emergency medical personnel and those with compromised immune systems.

* The H1N1 flu continues to makes its presence known in the state, with absentee rates causing the Wauneta-Palisade to close. Absentee rates also spike at McCook Public Schools, with the Senior High at 15.4 percent and Central Elementary at 14.9 percent

* WAUNETA --Nebraska Cattlemen leaders welcome the news that Jack Maddux of Wauneta received the 32nd annual National Golden Spur Award in recognition of his contributions to the livestock and ranching industries and his contributions to improving the land and natural resources.

* Gene O. Morris joins the ranks of two other past publishers of the McCook Daily Gazette when he is inducted into the Nebraska Journalism Hall of Fame at a ceremony in Lincoln Friday night. Gazette founder Harry D. Strunk was inducted in 1975, and his son, Allen Strunk ,was inducted in 2002.

* INDIANOLA --The Nebraska Department of Economic Development awards $706,700 through the Community Development Block Grant Neighborhood Stabilization Program to the City of Indianola to help with neighborhood revitalization efforts. Indianola will use its $706,700 to demolish four blighted buildings and clear the properties for future development, plus demolish a vacant downtown building and redevelop it into a storm shelter for residents who don't have basements or sufficient shelter from inclement and dangerous weather conditions.

* The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is inspecting a small hole discovered in Red Willow Dam at Hugh Butler Lake north of McCook.

Engineers from Reclamation's Denver Technical Service Center and Nebraska-Kansas Area Office will be on-site to monitor, excavate and inspect portions of Red Willow Dam in order to identify the cause of a small hole discovered last week by maintenance crews working at the facility.

* The Nebraska State Historical Society has not changed its recommendation to the City of McCook that the West Ward school building be reused and/or incorporated into plans for a new municipal facility, despite an engineer's estimate of $2,251,000 to repair, update and reuse the former elementary school. This halts plans by the city to use CDGB grant funds for West Ward's demolition.

NOVEMBER

* At the City Council meeting, it's decided that city staff, with the help of an architect, will compile concrete numbers on the costs of building a new city office facility and a fire/police station at the former West Ward school site, and the costs of converting the former school building into a municipal structure. The council will then decide what is the most viable option to pursue --new construction or renovation -- and present its recommendation to the public for feedback at town-hall meetings.

* A group of MNB companies and organizations -- McCook National Bank, MNB Financial Group, Inc., MNB Insurance Services, Inc., Graff Family, Inc. and the Graff Charitable Foundation Inc. --gives to the McCook College Foundation the next $100,000 to be used for the construction of the new Events Center on the McCook Community College Campus. This honors the commitment made to the project last September and brings the total contributions for this effort from the MNB group to $400,000. There is another $100,000 committed for September 2010, which will bring the total gift from the organizations to $500,000

* Mike Gonzales is sworn in as the new city councilman, taking the place of Council member Colleen Grant who passed away in October.

* a total of 1,940 doses of H1N1 vaccine are distributed by Southwest Nebraska Public Health Department, or 1209 doses.

* BARTLEY --It took five years, but a grand opening celebration is held for the new Southwest Junior and Senior High School in Bartley. The delay came as lawsuits were filed challenging the bond, after voters approved the new school. Final construction bids came to $8.3 million in 2008.

* The McCook Public Schools board of education votes unanimously to sell the former Fitsch District 8 school buildings, contents and land. The state legislation consolidated Nebraska's Class I elementary-only schools with Class III K-12 schools in 2005, and McCook's school board voted in March 2007 to close the school.

* Former Nebraska State Senator Tom Baker of Trenton announces plans to run for his old legislative seat next year, currently held by Sen. Mark Christensen of Imperial.

* The Nebraska Public Power District's Board of Directors vote to increase electric rates an average of 5.7 percent for retail customers (end-use customers that receive a bill from NPPD directly) and 5.9 percent for wholesale customers (other Nebraska utilities that purchase power from NPPD and sell to their end-use or retail customers). The changes will go into effect Jan. 1, 2010.

* Red Willow County Attorney Paul Wood will appear in district court and ask Judge David Urbom to allow the county to liquidate collateral it holds in Pawnee Aviation.

* The McCook City Council approves the request from McCook's Young Leaders for the New Year's event "First Night." The downtown, non-alcoholic event will host a number of activities, such as a ball-drop from the roof of the Keystone Hotel.

* an electrical fault is blamed for a fire at a mobile home at 300 West 11th, Lot D3. There was there was no fire damage and minimal smoke damage throughout the house.

* the 11th Annual An Evening for Hospice draws a record crowd, raising $30,000 for the work of Community HealthCare and Hospice.

* Only five months after winning the Hormel Business Plan Competition, clothing retailer "The Kloset" opens the doors of its much-anticipated boutique at 217 Norris Ave

* Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman approves a massive package of spending cuts to close a $334 million budget gap caused by lower-than-expected state revenue.

* A Nebraska State fire marshal and investigators from the McCook Fire Department blame heat from a turkey fryer for the Thanksgiving Day fire that destroyed a home and garage at 211 West P in McCook.

DECEMBER

* The Bison Alumni Association inductees to the McCook High School "Wall of Fame" for 2009 are Robert V. Beneda, class of 1958, and Sharon McDonald Morrison, class of 1955.

* A member of the Nat Romanoff family, who owns St. Catherine's Apartments, announces through the realty agency that manages the apartments that he will close the building Feb. 1, 2010, due to costs of maintaining the structure. Twenty-two family who live in the building must find other living arrangements. The half-block-long, four-story red brick building in the 1200 block of West Fourth was built as a hospital and transformed into apartments in the late 1970s

* Red Willow County Commissioners purchase an apartment house at 524 Norris, on the corner north of the courthouse, for $50,000 from Stannis and Kenneth Spencer of McCook. Three of the five apartments are rented and those renters have to find other living arrangements by the closing date of Feb. 1, 2010. Commissioners say the property is being purchased as sometime in the future, the courthouse will have to be expanded, especially if 93 counties in Nebraska are consolidated and Red Willow County is designated a county center.

* The McCook City Council votes to de-obligate the city from grant funding and to use instead $60,000 in city funds to construct a sidewalk along U.S. Highway 6-34, from the intersection at U.S. Highway 83 to Wedgewood Drive. Using city funds will cost less than the rising costs of the project and the corresponding increase in city matching funds.

* The season's first snowstorm rolls into the area, dropping off eight to ten inches of snow and closing schools in the area

* McCook Public Library Director Patty Hall resigns after 24 years

* A fire of undetermined cause left in its ashes and smoke residue an estimated $90,000 damage to the home and possessions at 306 Apache

* The McCook School Board approves preliminary plans for two new special education classrooms at McCook Elementary. The project is funded by $366,000 in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act federal stimulus money awarded to MPS and earmarked specifically for special education. An additional $14,000 in stimulus funding earmarked for preschool programs will be used to bring the existing preschool classroom into compliance with ADA regulations,

* Republican River Basin Natural Resources Districts were back in Lancaster District Court in Lincoln, defending the constitutionality of an occupation tax collected on irrigated acres in the Republican Basin in 2008. A decision from Judge Robert R. Otte is anticipated in early 2010.

* McCook native U.S. Sen. Ben Nelson, (D-Neb.) is the crucial 60th vote needed for Senate health care reform legislation and he votes for the cloture motion, cutting off debate and moving forward the Senate health care reform bill. It is also announced that the federal government will pick up 100 percent of the tab for the planned Medicaid expansion in Nebraska -- forever. That deal permanently shields Nebraska from increased Medicaid costs that will hit other states starting in 2017. Nelson said he did not seek out the special exemption for Nebraska.

* Water continues to be drained from Hugh Butler Lake, to determine the cause of embankment cracking on Red Willow Dam.

* A recent anonymous donation of $5,000 to the McCook United Way has helped the organization achieve 50 percent of its goal for the 2009 fund drive.

* Red Willow County commissioners gave elected officials a raise and determined a yearly increase beginning in 2011, adopting a resolution setting salaries for the next four-year term at their weekly meeting Monday morning.

* CAMBRIDGE --The new owners of the Cambridge ethanol plant, shut down since January, plan to restart production as soon as possible and to hire 30 to 35 people to run the facility. The Cambridge Clarion newspaper reports that on Dec. 16 Zeeland Farm Services Inc., with offices in Michigan, Wisconsin and Georgia, purchased the two-year-old Cambridge ethanol plant owned by Standard Ethanol LLC of North Platte and run by Mid-America Bio-Energy and Commodities LLC. The plant started production in early 2008 and shut down for maintenance in January 2009. In March 2009, more than two dozen employees were laid off. In June 2009, Mid-America filed for bankruptcy protection.