Homecoming 2006
Heather Bearnes and Sklyer Curry were named the 2006 Homecoming King and Queen during coronation ceremonies following the traditional football game Friday Night.
Laurel 2006 Homecoming Royalty were (l-r) Crown bearer, Ashley Wolfgram; Junior Attendant, Ann Brandow; Queen Candidates, Katlyn Dahlquist, Sasha Hackney, Nikki Lubberstedt, and Andrea McCorkindale; 2005 King Blake Rasmussen; 2006 Queen Heather Bearnes; 2006 King Skyler Curry; 2005 Queen Sadie Schantz; King Candidates, David Patefield, Tony Jacobsen, Ian Engebretsen, David Brandow, Junior Attendant, Eli Schantz; Crown bearer, Logan Hanson.

Laurel - Top Stories
California man improves the community he fell in love with
A new manufacturing plant, which will eventually employ 13 people, will soon be opening in Laurel.
It will occupy the building which formerly housed Benscoter Plumbing and Heating on Highway 20.
Lynn Madsen, owner of Giant A & M, Inc., who lives in California, says he wants to give back to a community that has meant so much to him.
“Laurel has been a very special place for me ever since I was a kid,”said Madsen. (read more)

County Commissioners approve $8.3 million budget
Cedar County Commissioners Tuesday approved a tax levy of .310780 which is close to last years levy of .310830.
“Basically the levy is the same as last year,” said County Clerk Dave Dowling.
The Commissioners approved a budget that is close to $8.3 million at Tuesday’s hearing. Last year commissioners approved a $7.9 million budget. (read more)

Council looks at plans to improve the building structure in Laurel
Two hearings took place before the regular City Council meeting Monday.
The first was for the purpose of hearing support, opposition, criticism, suggestions or observations of taxpayers relating to the proposed budget.
Mike Pommer, city auditor, went over the budget with the council, noting the mill levy is going to decrease. The budget disbursements will be down from last year, as well. A copy of the proposed budget was published in the Advocate earlier this month. (read more)

Meeting centers on wells and water quality
Randolph area residents got more information on a proposed rural water system here Wednesday.
The Wau-Col Rural Water System committee met in Randolph Wednesday to discuss any updates. (read more)

Advocate owners celebrate 10 yrs. in Laurel
The owners of Laurel’s oldest business, the Laurel Advocate, will celebrate 10 years of publishing the local newspaper next week.
Rob Dump and Peggy Year, Hartington, publishers of the Cedar County News since 1992, formed the Northeast Nebraska News Company Oct. 1, 1996, and became publishers of the Advocate at that time. Along with the purchase of the Advocate from Duane and Mary Jane Weber, Osmond, the couple acquired the Randolph Times and Osmond Republican, also owned by the Webers. (read more)

County needs to make changes to court room
HARTINGTON — Cedar County Commissioners want to make the Cedar County Courthouse and courtroom a safer place.
Commissioners discussed several options last week which would make the courtroom, county court and district court offices a safer place. (read more)

L-C School takes distance learning to a new level
LAUREL — Teachers in the Laurel-Concord and Coleridge schools are now teaching the same class, during the same period, at both Laurel and Coleridge with the use of a web cam.
It’s an innovational idea and it took a lot of planning to make it work. (read more)

Belden area man enjoys taking on the big projects
BELDEN —  Blistering heat, freezing rain or chilling cold wind, no matter what the weather conditions, Clyde Cook is outside working.
Poor weather can’t keep Cook, known to most as “Cookie” from moving haystacks with a bright red tractor and Layman hay mover. (read more)

Yankton based Guard unit returns home
YANKTON, S.D. — After spending a year training Iraqi police in Baghdad, 150 members of Charlie Battery of the National Guard’s 147th Field Artillery returned home Saturday to family, friends, a parade and a grateful community.
Several Cedar County residents were part of the detachment.
“It’s unexplainable,’’ Jason Heimes of South Yankton, said of his unit’s return. (read more)