Updated: Thursday - 2:19 p.m.
Alliance High School band welcomed by Smith in Washington D.C.    
     U.S. Congressman from Nebraska Adrian Smith welcomed the Alliance High School band to the nation’s capital city today (Thursday).  Alliance’s band will be performing in the 2008 National Independence Day Parade in Washington D.C.
     Smith said, “I’m proud of the students and everyone who helped them get to this point.   I look forward to having them represent Nebraska as our nation celebrates the Fourth of July.”
     Smith arranged a tour of the U.S. Capitol for the band, and the students will have the opportunity to be part a special ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery.   (Dave Collins 7/3)

Events continue to fall into place to help farm accident victim
    The community is rallying together again to help the victim of an unfortunate accident.  Eight-year-old Drew Stiles is listed in fair condition at Children’s Hospital in Denver as she recovers from a farm accident that crushed her face.
     Her third grade classmates from North Elementary are hosting a root beer float benefit at 7:30 tonight (Thursday) at the WNCC parking lot to raise money for her medical expenses. 
     “Send Your Love to Drew” hearts will be sold at the root beer float stand and in Sidney’s Legion Park on Friday at 4:00 p.m. for $1.00.  Well-wishers can write a message to Drew to be displayed in her hospital room in Denver to give her encouragement during her recovery.
     The Sidney Jaycees are hosting a bowling tournament on July 27th and the Sidney Methodist Church will have a spaghetti feed the same day.  
     Trombetta's Dog House in Sidney will donate 100% of arcade game proceeds to Drew's fund Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
     Details are still being worked out and will be announced later.  More information is available on the Events Page. (Dave Collins 7/3)

Fund set up at Sidney bank for family of tractor accident victim
     A fund has been set up to help the family of a Sidney girl who’s face was crushed in a tractor accident. 
     Eight-year-old Drew Stiles is listed in fair condition at Children’s Hospital in Denver after being taken there for surgery following Saturday’s farm accident near Sterling, Colorado.  She and her brothers were riding in a tractor bucket when a metal piece came loose and struck them.
     The fund has been set up through First National Bank in Sidney to help the family with medical bills.  (Dave Collins 7/2)

No one inside truck totaled by train Wednesday morning near Sidney
     Authorities say no one was inside a white truck that was hit by a train near Sidney early this morning (Wednesday).  According to the Cheyenne County Sheriff’s Office accident report, the truck was parked parallel on top of railroad tracks at the crossing at County Road 117 and Highway 30 two miles east of Sidney.    A Union Pacific train slammed into the rear of the truck and pushed it several feet down the tracks.  The report says no one was inside the truck at the time of the collision at 3:50 Wednesday morning.
     The truck is owned by the parents of a 17-year-old male from Sidney. 
     Alcohol is suspected in the incident and the County Attorney is processing evidence and reviewing the case for potential charges.  (Dave Collins 7/2)

Sidney firing off annual fireworks show on July 3rd
     The City of Sidney is celebrating the 4th of July with its annual fireworks show Thursday night.  The city displays fireworks a night early, July 3rd, so that Sidney Volunteer Firefighters can spend the holiday with their families.
      Sidney Public Works Director John Hehnke says the best places to watch the fireworks are from the WNCC parking lot and the soccer fields.  Bring lawn chairs and blankets for comfort and take some mosquito spray with DEET along to avoid bites.
      The fireworks will start at dusk and typically last around 30 minutes.  (Dave Collins 7/2)

Girl rescued from Gurley fire improving at Denver hospital
     Izabela Gonzalez, the six-year-old girl found wrapped in a blanket inside a smoke-filled house in Gurley, is doing better at Children’s Hospital in Denver.  A hospital staff member tells KSID today (Tuesday) that Gonzalez has been upgraded to fair condition.
     Gonzalez was rescued by family members from a smoldering house fire in Gurley last week.  Her grandfather Frank Ortivez died of smoke inhalation.  Officials believe the fire was accidentally started overnight from a lit cigarette.
     A Mass of Christian Burial for Frank Ortivez was held this morning (Tuesday).  (Dave Collins 7/1)

Highway 385 project to cause delays between Sidney & Gurley
     Drivers on Highway 385 between Sidney and Gurley can expect delays this month.  The Nebraska Department of Roads says a resurfacing project will start in early July and be finished sometime in the fall.
     The highway will not be closed during the work but delays can be expected.
     NDOR urges motorists to be extra cautious when driving through the work area.
     The project will cost $3.38 million.  (Dave Collins 7/1)

WNCC Sidney scholarship benefit raffle tickets are on sale!
     Western Nebraska Community College is selling tickets for its annual Endowment Association raffle.  All proceeds will go to scholarships for students attending WNCC-Sidney campus.
     Tickets can be purchased from students, at the college, or from Endowment members and several downtown Sidney businesses including Western Drug, American National Bank, Financial Partners, The Insurance Store and Wilson Tobin Drug.  Cost per ticket is $1.00 or six for $5.00.
     Prizes range from Nebraska football tickets to Denver Broncos and Colorado Rockies tickets, local business gift certificates, artwork, jewelry and savings bonds.
      The raffle is being held on August 23rd at 10:00 a.m. on KSID.  (Dave Collins 7/1)

    Nebraska News 
  
                                Lexington teacher pleads guilty to sex with teen  
    
     OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - A former teacher has pleaded guilty to fleeing to Mexico with a 13-year-old student, so she could have sex with him.
     The deal 26-year-old Kelsey Peterson struck with federal prosecutors means she'll likely face nearly six years in federal prison.
     The reduced charge of transporting a minor across state lines for the purpose of sex calls for a sentence between 70 months and 87 months in prison.
     Attorney Amy Peck, who represents the boy and his family, says they're ready for the case to be over.
     Peterson and the boy left Lexington in October and were found a week later in Mexicali, Mexico.
     The guilty plea doesn't mean Peterson is off the hook on state charges, which include kidnapping and first-degree sexual assault.

     OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - A 29-year-old Omaha man faces a first-degree murder charge in the death of his wife. Douglas County authorities say Johnny Rix was also charged yesterday with a weapons count in the death of 34-year-old Sonia Espinoza-Lucero, whose body was found overnight Monday in the couple's home.
      
     OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Storms yesterday hindered efforts to restore power to Omaha-area customers, which was hit Friday by a strong storm with winds of up to 115 miles per hour. As of last night, some 2,300 Omaha Public Power District customers remained without power.
     
     LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - The Nebraska Public Service Commission has held a hearing on a proposed 100 million-dollar natural gas pipeline that would run from Clay Center to Columbus to Norfolk. A few concerns have been expressed about the proposal -- mostly from competitors of Tulsa, Oklahoma-based Seminole Energy Group.

 National / World News    

                          Young Vermont girl found dead; mom wants justice

       WASHINGTON (AP) - The Labor Department is reporting a sixth straight month of job cuts today. Numbers for June show employers laid off 62,000 payroll jobs, with heavy losses in construction, manufacturing and retailing.
 
     UNDATED (AP) - Oil prices are inching closer and closer to the $146 a barrel mark this morning. The European Central Bank is expected to raise interest rates today, and that could push the price even higher.
 
     LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AP) - Three Americans held hostage for more than five years in Colombia are back in the U.S. this morning. U.S. Ambassador William Brownfield says U.S. and Colombian forces worked closely to pull off a daring rescue mission yesterday.
 
     RANDOLPH, Vt. (AP) - The mother of a girl found dead in Vermont yesterday wants justice. Authorities have already arrested 12-year-old Brooke Bennett's uncle and former stepfather. FBI documents say Bennett's uncle was planning to initiate her into a child sex ring.
 
     NEWARK, N.J. (AP) - A new Associated Press study shows a rapid increase in the number of "go-arounds" that are happening at the nation's busiest airports. Pilots and air traffic controllers blame runway congestion for the increasing number of flights that have to abort landings at the last minute. Many worry that it's eventually going to cause a deadly accident.

   Colorado News
                                 
               Colorado man killed while working on Nebraska Wal-Mart building
    
     LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - A 40-year-old Colorado man has died, a day after falling 25 feet from the roof of a Wal-Mart under construction in Lincoln, Nebraska. Lincoln police say Delfonso Bahana fell from a ladder about 9:45 a.m. Monday. He died early Tuesday. Bahana was an employee of Superior Roofing of Aurora (Colorado).
    
     EAGLE, Colo. (AP) - Eagle County sheriff's officials have arrested a Gypsum man accused of making and selling false Social Security cards and work visas. Sheriff's officials say 34-year-old Jamie Antonio Valencia-Duron faces felony charges of forgery and criminal possession of forged instruments. He's free on $2,500 bond.
    
     DENVER (AP) - An immigrant rights group is planning a march during the Democratic National Convention in Denver next month to make sure the party doesn't forget their cause. Nita Gonzales of the We Are America Alliance says she expects from 5,000 to 50,000 people at the march on the second day of the convention.
    
     GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (AP) - A former middle school principal in Grand Junction is suing School District 51, claiming her contract was breached when the district placed her on administrative leave, and the she has been denied due process. District officials say they cannot comment on the case because it's a legal matter.
    
     DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - A ticket sold in Oklahoma matched all six numbers to win last night's Powerball jackpot worth 84.9 million dollars. The winning numbers were 4-33-46-48-and-52. The Powerball was 17 and the multiplier was 5. Colorado's top prize was $10,000 for one ticket that hit four numbers plus the Powerball.
           
  Wyoming News 
                               
     HOUSTON (AP) - There are 1,921 rigs actively exploring for oil and natural gas in the U.S. this week. That's up eight rigs since last week, according to Baker Hughes in Houston. One year ago the rig count stood at 1,752. Wyoming's rig count remained unchanged from last week.
    
     CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) - The Kroger Co. voluntarily recalled some ground beef products in Wyoming because of E. coli concerns originating in the Midwest. The company restocked the products at King Soopers and City Market Tuesday night and fresh cases were put in the stores yesterday.
    
     LARAMIE, Wyo. (AP) - Chief Bob Deutsch has left the Laramie Police Department. City Manager Janine Jordan won't say whether he was fired or left on his own, but Jordan did say there's no severance package. Jordan has appointed Commander Dale Stalder as interim police chief for the department.
    
     CASPER, Wyo. (AP) - Cameco Resources Inc. wants to expand its in-situ leach uranium mine at Smith Ranch-Highland ranch north of Douglas. The company has asked federal regulators to expand its permit boundary by 8,700 acres. The company says it will actually target only 325 acres for production.

**All stories are the exclusive copyright of KSID or AP.**
AP stories are published directly from AP NewsWire.
If you have a news story or news tip call KSID at 308-254-5803, FAX it to 308-254-5901,
or e-mail it to News Director Dave Collins at dave@ksidradio.com
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