Tammy Pearson
News | Press

Otoe County Republicans nominated Dean L. Speth of Unadilla Tuesday for the third district seat on the Otoe County Board of Commissioners.

Speth, a road grader operator and member of the Nebraska Public Employees Local Union 251, will run unopposed in the November general election.

He received 28 percent of the votes for a total of 192. Willie Scheef of Syracuse was second with 182 votes, about 26 percent. Also receiving votes were Arlen Ross, 120; Paul Wallman, 96; and Milton Boldt, 89.

During his campaign, Speth voiced concern for weighing the needs in the current welfare system, examining the county’s tax climate and maintaining and improving roads and bridges.

Speth, a Vietnam veteran with 13 years experience on the roads department, had circulated a petition in the Unadilla area prior to election seeking to keep a road grader parked in the village.

In the race for Nebraska City parks commissioner, one candidate, Jerimy Heft was eliminated. He received 17.37 percent of the votes.

The top vote-getters, Jeffrey Crunk, 46.75 percent, and Julie Naberhaus, 35.38 percent, will advance to the general election.

In the most hotly contested county race, Dean L. Speth defeated four other Republicans for his party’s nomination for Otoe County commissioner in District 3 in Tuesday’s primary election. He will run unopposed in the November general election.

Speth received 28.24 percent of the votes; Willie Scheef received 26.76; Arlen Ross, 17.65; Paul Wallman, 14.12; and Milton Boldt, 13.09 percent.

In the race for Syracuse City Council’s two open seats, one candidate, Raymond Umbarger, was eliminated from the field of five. The other four, Alan Britton, Lynn Lyon, Jim Pierce and Kristy Henke, will advance to the general election.

Umbarger received 4.96 percent of the votes. The others received 20 to 27 percent, with Alan Britton and Lynn Lyon receiving the most votes, 27.08 percent and 26.79 percent respectively.

For the Palmyra school board, one candidate, Kevin Heidtbrink, was eliminated. The others advance.

Voters approved a budget levy override for the Syracuse Rural Fire District. The levy override would be in place July 2008 to June 2013.

Voters in Otoe voted to permit the village to establish a keno-type lottery to raise funds to be used for community betterment.

In the presidential race, Otoe County Democrats favored Hillary Clinton with 50.96 percent of the votes. Barack Obama received 43.31 percent. In the caucus, county Democrats favored Barack Obama by approximately 3-2 margin.

Otoe County Republicans chose John McCain with 83.17 percent of the votes to Ron Paul’s 13.85 percent.

For U.S. Senate, local Democrats chose Scott Kleeb, 65.26 percent, while local Republicans chose Mike Johanns, 76.68 percent.

Elected to the Community Memorial Hospital Board were Carolyn Gigstad, 36.40 percent, Jan Moore, 32.76 percent, and Dallas Haynes, 30.60 percent. Three seats were open.

County voters favored the Nebraska constitutional amendment with 57.42 in favor and 42.58 opposed. The amendment would allow investing of endowment funds by cities.