Local briefs

GRAND ISLAND

Crime Stoppers, Byco offering reward for arrest

Grand Island-Hall County Crime Stoppers and the Byco convenience store are offering a $1,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest of the person or people responsible for a recent robbery.

The Byco at 1222 S. Locust St., was robbed at gunpoint shortly before 2 p.m. on Aug. 17. The robber, who had a small handgun, is believed to be a white man but had disguised himself with a covering over his face and head, according to police.

The store has surveillance cameras and police have been reviewing those tapes as part of their investigation.

Anyone with information about the robbery can call Crime Stoppers at 381-8822. The organization guarantees callers can remain anonymous.

Grand Island police Capt. Pete Kortum said the Byco owner offered $500 for the reward and Crime Stoppers is matching the amount.



Heartland Lutheran schedules Septemberfest

Heartland Lutheran High School, 3900 W. Husker Highway, will host its annual Septemberfest Family Fun Day on Sept. 7.

A pulled-pork sandwich lunch, kids games, bake sale, cake walk and crafts will be available from noon to 3 p.m. A talent show will take place at 3.

Lunch tickets will cost $5 for ages 6 and up and $3 for ages 3 to 5. Children age 2 and under will eat for free. Activity tickets will cost 75 cents each or 10 for $5 and will be available at the door.

All proceeds will go to the tuition assistance fund for Heartland Lutheran High School.



47th Engineer Camouflage Battalion plans reunion

Members of the 47th Engineer Camouflage Battalion plan to meet Sept. 16-18 at the Howard Johnson Riverside Inn in Grand Island for their 58th reunion.

During the early 1950s, the battalion was located at Fort Riley, Kan., and its job included painting and camouflaging different pieces of equipment based on the terrain where it was to be used. Today, the group has between 85 to 150 members nationwide. Half of these are area members who continue to meet every two years for a reunion.

Hosting this year's reunion are Ted George and his wife, Imogene. The couple have hosted several of the reunions in Grand Island and attribute their success to the generosity of the area business men and women. George said that it is possible this year could be the group's last reunion as time and age have decreased its numbers.

The reunion will begin with visiting Tuesday evening in the Riverside Inn Hospitality Room. Events scheduled for Wednesday include visiting the Heartland Events Center and Fonner Park followed by a presentation by Bill Baasch, who will show his collection of draywagons. The evening will feature a dinner, business meeting and entertainment provided by Paul Siebert of Aurora. The group will say their farewells Thursday morning at breakfast.

PALMER

Troop 16 hosting turtledove hunt and feed

Palmer Boy Scout Troop 16 is hosting its annual turtledove hunt and feed from 7 to 11 a.m. Monday. The feed will follow.

For more information, contact Happ's Place at (308) 894-8635.

RAVENNA

Ravenna to host auto parts swap meet

An auto parts swap meet will be held in Ravenna on Sept. 7. The meet will be held from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Annevar Park and is sponsored by NAPA Auto Parts and K&B Parts in Ravenna.

Attendees can buy, sell or trade, and the event also includes a cars-for-sale corral.

For more information or to reserve a space, call Crystal at 390-4879.

AURORA

Prairie restoration tour set for Sept. 9

The second annual Prairie Plains Resource Institute restoration tour and field trip is scheduled for Sept. 9.

The tour will begin at 9:30 a.m. and continue through the late afternoon. It will start at Interstate 80's Exit 332 (Love's Truck Stop) and travel to visit prairies at the Ducks Unlimited Verona site east of Clay Center, Redhead Wildlife Management Area south of Sutton and PPRI's Marie Ratzlaff Prairie Preserve near Henderson.

At the end of the tour, there will be an optional visit to Griffith Prairie near Marquette.

Carpooling is planned, and volunteer drivers are needed. Participants are encouraged to work out travel costs with their carpool drivers.

Those taking part are asked to bring their own lunch and drink. Prairie Plains will offer drinks and snacks during breaks.

Participants are asked to RSVP either by e-mailing ppri@hamilton.net and/or amyppri@hamilton.net, or by calling (402) 694-5535.

For a background history on Prairie Plains' ecological restoration, visit its Web site at www.prairieplains.org. Go to "publications" to download the "Guide to Tallgrass Prairie and Wetland Restoration in Eastern Nebraska" and a 1997 article "Restoration and Management Notes" on Platte River restoration.

ST. PAUL

Benefit poker run to be held

A benefit poker run in memory of Roger Alloway will be held Sept. 13.

The run will begin with registration from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Bootlegger in St. Paul and will leave for Froggers in Greeley at 1 p.m.

From there it will run to Gringo Joe's Cantina in Cedar Rapids, New Frontier Saloon in Belgrade and Nitecrawlers Bar in Worms.

The run will include a bike contest in Greeley, a Guitar Hero contest in Cedar Rapids, a burnout contest in Belgrade and barbecue, live music and raffle drawings in Worms.

It is open to all bikes and cars. Camping is available at Nitecrawlers Bar. For more information, contact Lisa at lisa-gucci@nctc.net or (308) 730-2440.

LINCOLN

Central Nebraska students part of the marching band

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln's 290-member Cornhusker Marching Band will make its 2008 debut today at Memorial Stadium with pregame and halftime performances at Nebraska's football season opener against Western Michigan.

This year's band includes representatives from nearly every region of the country, but 80 percent of the students are from Nebraska. About 25 percent of the students are music or music education majors. The remainder of the students are studying in more than 70 other degree programs across campus. Each band member had to pass two auditions.

The following are UNL band members from Central Nebraska:

ALBION: Laura Kusek, flag, junior.

CENTRAL CITY: Sarah Haake, flag, junior; Crystal Schweitzer, flag, junior.

GRAND ISLAND: Danielle Dobbins, alto saxophone, senior; Micah Hesterman, trombone, sophomore; Sara McNair, trumpet, sophomore; Jordan Rhodes, trumpet, junior; Andy Schneider, percussion, sophomore; Gary Shuda, percussion, freshman; Amber Woestman, piccolo, junior.

HASTINGS: Megan Borrell, clarinet, senior; Chad Dalrymple, baritone, freshman; Michaela Fox, piccolo, freshman; Dane Jacobi, percussion, junior; Tara Maunder, trumpet, senior; Rachel Sullivan, percussion, junior.