Stories from Thursday, December 27, 2001

So, I've made it through Christmas. I started my shopping on Dec. 23 and had it finished up by 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve. That's a new record for me. I don't have to bother taking down the Christmas tree, I can just convert it back into the hall tree and start hanging my long coats back on it...

Claudine B. Eisenhart CAMBRIDGE -- Claudine B. Eisenhart, 83, died Monday (Dec. 24, 2001) at BryanLGH in Lincoln. She was born Feb. 28, 1918, at Lincoln to Claude E. and Bernice (Casteel) Burt. She attended Lincoln High School and graduated from the University of Nebraska in 1939. She was active in theatre, a cellist and an accomplished pianist...

Jane 'Louise' P. Austin EMPORIA, Kan. -- Jane "Louise" P. Austin, 87, formerly of McCook, died Monday (Dec. 24, 2001) at the Holiday Resort Rehabilitation Center in Emporia. She was born June 3, 1914, at Denver, Colo., to William Bryan and Emma Louise (Smith) Pegram. She graduated from Denver High School...

Raymond E. Callahan GRAND ISLAND -- Raymond E. Callahan, 60, died Monday (Dec. 24, 2001) at BryanLGH Medical Center East in Lincoln as a result of a heart attack. He was born Oct. 15, 1941, on a farm west of Wood River to William and Lena (Bohnardt) Callahan. He was raised in Wood River, and graduated from Wood River High School in 1959. Following high school he joined the Army National Guard...

Religion is like whisky. A small amount taken in private probably does little harm. Swilled in quantity in public, it always leads to disgusting behavior and occasionally an airplane flown into a building.

To the person or persons who horribly abused Buddy, whose picture is in Wednesday's paper, I wish the judge would sentence them to 30 days in a cold locked cell with no food and water, and let them die, the way that poor animal died. Everyone please contact the address given in Wednesday's edition, Gov. Johanns, and see if we can't bring some laws about to stop this horrible, horrible inhumane treatment of animals...

Why are you giving the early retirement to McCook Public School teachers? Our Nebraska TV stations keep telling us there is a real teacher shortage in Nebraska. Will they be able to replace these teachers with qualified teachers? Seems like like a ridiculous amount of money to give to the teachers when the McCook taxpayers can't afford it...

Dear Editor, I'm writing in regard to Mike's article about men and crying. I know many people think it's a sign of weakness for a man to be seen crying, however, I do not. The greatest man to ever walk the earth (Jesus Christ) wept when His friend Lazarus died...

Dear Editor, I would like to comment on the choir that performed at the high school auditorium in McCook. Mrs. Sandy Weigel does a wonderful job with those young people. It was so encouraging to see those kids get up and sing songs about Christmas and our country, and how wonderful it is to live here...

Dear Editor, In response to the Gazette (Open Forum) Wednesday, Dec. 26, by Patty Brown, and thanks to the Humane Society for their wonderfully kind deeds, as a lover of animals and all living things, I am appalled at the cruelty displayed toward "Buddy."...

Once upon a time, there was one phone company, which, because it was the only phone company, was regulated by the government to keep it from abusing its customers. Then came the break-up of AT&T, the deregulation frenzy of the 1980s, and the telecommunications revolution that brought cellular telephone service with it...

Dianne Ruth Lavery Dianne Ruth Lavery, 49, died Monday (Dec. 24, 2001) at the Great Plains Medical Center in North Platte. She was born Jan. 30, 1952, at Galesburg, Ill., to Duayne and Helen (Frederick) Imel. She grew up at Kearney, and graduated from Kearney High School in 1970...