It took only minutes for customers to spread through the low profile aisles after Walgreens opened its doors at 502 S. 11th St. for the first time at 9 a.m. on Wednesday.

There was a steady stream of 20 to 25 customers all morning long to the satisfaction and surprise of Certified Store Manager John Wood.

The Nebraska City Police Department will be reimbursed $19,141.21 by the Nebraska Office of Highway Safety for operations costs associated with multiple grant programs completed in 2009.
The office is also receiving specialized equipment valued at $10,584.99 for participation in grant activities.

The First National Bank & Trust in Syracuse is taking steps to strengthen its financial position in agreement with the U.S. Treasury Department’s bureau of the Comptroller of Currency.

The bank remains financially strong and has already accomplished the majority of recommendations in a Nov. 2 agreement, said Alan Britton, the bank’s senior vice president.

The regulatory authority over national banks is requiring the Syracuse bank to hire an outside consultant to evaluate its management and review its loan portfolio.

School Superintendent Jeff Edwards commended Nebraska City Public Schools staff for its careful spending practices while the state Legislature deals with a sagging economy.

The Legislature convened its 60-day session Jan. 6 on the heels of special session called by Gov. Dave Heineman in November to slash the state’s two-year budget due to revenues falling $334 million below expectations.

Nebraska City’s Pamida store and pharmacy are scheduled to close at the end of the day on Monday, Jan. 25.

Russel Lee, district manager for Pamida pharmacies, said pharmacy customers are being transferred to the new Walgreens, 502 S. 11th St., beginning Jan. 26.

He said the pharmacy has remained busy despite the additional competition of Wal-Mart, but the trend on overall store sales and the new Walgreens were considered in the decision to close.

The Nebraska State Patrol and state Department of Roads rescued three people who were stranded in vehicles on Highway 34 in Cass County Thursday.

Shortly before 10 p.m, a state patrol dispatcher received a call from a woman indicating her son’s pickup had become stuck on Highway 34 about 10 miles west of Union.

The caller also indicated a female whose vehicle had also became stuck in the same area, was now in her son’s pickup and was beginning to exhibit signs of frostbite.

Otoe County’s keno lottery games contributed its first $10,000 to the county coffers by the end of 2009.

In November, game contributions were $3,440 from the Eagles Club, $979 from the Avenue Grill and $5,019 from Table Creek.

Video>>> Government officials in Nebraska City are developing ordinances to regulate wind energy that include a limit on wind turbine noise.

The windmills are not to exceed 65 decibels during the daytime hours measured from the closest inhabited dwelling. The sound limit is reduced to 55 decibels at night.

Otoe County commissioners have declared a snow disaster and are requesting assistance from state and federal sources.

“Otoe County has suffered from a disastrous blizzard,” Board Chairman Tim Nelsen said in the declaration.

He said the winter storm from Dec. 23 to Dec. 29 caused severe damage to public and private property and endangered the health and safety of the citizens.

The Old Freighters Museum in Nebraska City sustained water damage on three levels after a water pipe burst on New Year’s Day.

A neighbor notified police around 3:30 p.m. after noticing a large amount of ice forming on the west side of the building and hearing what sounded like running water.

Sgt. Chris Angus and Brian Volkmer of the Nebraska City Museum Association discovered the water spraying from a pipe at an upstairs sink. Volkmer waded through knee-high water in the basement to shut the water off.

Otoe County commissioners met with road crew supervisors Tuesday and Otoe County Emergency Management Director Gregg Goebel regarding forecasts of crippling winter storm on Thursday through Christmas Day.

Forecasts this morning show rain, freezing rain and sleet through Wednesday with snow starting to fall the day before Christmas and gaining momentum on Christmas Eve.

Nebraska State Patrol Trooper Christopher Richardson will receive the Nebraska State Patrol Life Saver Award for his efforts in saving the life of a premature infant.

Shortly after 4 p.m. on Dec. 2, 2009, Trooper Richardson responded to a 911 call of a baby not breathing at a residence in Otoe, Neb.

Walgreens is planning to make its return to Nebraska City with liquor on its shelves.

Walgreens, which was located in 1975 at the current location of the Nebraska City News-Press, 823 Central Ave.,is applying for a license to sell beer, wine and distilled spirits.
The new store at 502 S. 11th St. is one of 50 in Nebraska that Walgreens is seeking a liquor license for.

Otoe County Emergency Management Director Gregg Goebel reported no physical damage an hour after an earthquake was felt  in southeast Nebraska on Dec. 16.

Goebel said residents in Dunbar and near the county line with Nemaha County reported feeling the earthquake at 8:54 p.m., but  no physical damage had been reported.

James Cook, who farms south of Nebraska City,  said he had never experience an earthquake before and thought perhaps there had been an explosion or a plane crash when his house began to shake.

A Highway 75 traffic accident claimed the life of a Holdrege man, the Nemaha County Sheriff’s Office reported Tuesday.

John Donoghue, 68, died at the Nemaha County Hospital from injuries suffered about a quarter mile south of the Otoe County line near the Julian corner on Monday morning.