Stories from Tuesday, June 4, 2002

"Let's Share," (top) by Kandy Dodson of Valentine took first place and a $50 prize in the People, Pets & Places photo contest, sponsored by the McCook Daily Gazette and Big Nickel. "Gimme a Kiss" by Bill Wilkinson (middle) of Culbertson took second place for $35 and "Let's Play," by Taryn Burrell of Parks took $15 for third. Another page of entries is printed on page 13 today...

I, too, am getting tired of hearing people complain about the racing noise.  There are only 14 races scheduled this year and the races normally last three or four hours. We are talking about less than 1 percent of a year. I put up with the fast cars zooming by my house, loud bass bumping music, etc. ...

I would like to know why the cemetery had to be mowed two days after Memorial Day. Grass was blown into the flowers and arrangements and vases were broken. The upsetting thing was, on Tuesday it rained, and you were unable to pick up your flowers. Why wasn't the cemetery mowed before memorial day so that we would have three or four days to pick up our things?...

Dear Editor, I recently attended my first graduation of McCook High School at Weiland Field. This is also my first ever letter to the editor. Superintendent Jon Burkey's welcoming address to those of us gathered for the ceremony was a highlight of the event. ...

Cooler temperatures will be a welcome change for runners who are carrying the torch for the Cornhusker State Games. Runners began on May 30 at the Wyoming border and continue through June 21, when the torch will be carried into Seacrest Field in Lincoln...

The children of Robert and Claire Uerling of Indianola are hosting a card shower and an open house in honor of their 50th anniversary on June 10. Their children are Rosann and Tom Wattonville of Bakersfield, Calif., Susanne and Mike Osberg of Grand Island, Carol and Mark Akers of Omaha, Mark and Sherri Uerling of McCook, Nancy and Bob McGrath of Imperial, James and Kathy Uerling of Indianola and Ray and Lee Uerling of Columbus. ...

City manager John Bingham (back, left)presents McCook Fire Chief Marc Harpham (front from left), Rick Metcalf and Mark Eiler of the McCook Professional Firefighters Association Local No. 2100 with a union contract for the next 16 months. The contract includes provisions for longevity pay, sick leave and a four percent across-the-board salary increase...

ST. FRANCIS -- Everything from World War II-vintage open-cockpit airplanes to tandem skydives will be available at the 20th annual Stearman Fly-In, Saturday and Sunday at the Cheyenne County Airport in St. Francis. Hot air balloons will launch at 7 a.m. ...

CAMBRIDGE -- Three days of food, community and fun begin this Friday at the 24th annual Medicine Creek Days in Cambridge. Participants will be donning their grass skirts and leis down the parade route on Saturday at 10:30 a.m in accordance with this year's theme, "Aloha Cambridge". In addition to the parade, residence and visitors alike can participate in numerous activities throughout the three-day event...

The city of McCook will ask the Middle Republican Natural Resources District to exempt municipalities from its proposed moratorium on water well drilling at a special meeting scheduled in McCook at 4 p.m., Tuesday, June 11. The moratorium proposed by the MRNRD comes as a result of the Republican River Nebraska-Kansas lawsuit. It would suspend water well drilling until June 1, 2005 and allow the directors of the MRNRD to extend the moratorium annually for two years...

I was certain he'd ask me to parallel park. On the day I took my driver's test, I knew that the examiner would pick the busiest street in town, calmly request that I stop beside a narrow parking space, then politely ask me to maneuver my 12-ton car into an opening the size of a peanut...

Major League Baseball is plagued by a whole host of problems -- and most of them are the game's own doing. There is talk that there could be another work stoppage -- the first since the disastrous 1994 debacle. There could be another work stoppage slated for Oct. 1 -- just in time for the playoffs...

CURTIS -- Paulyne DeNio Wilkinson, was born Margaret Paulyne DeNio on July 19, 1915, in Salina, Kan., the fourth child of Elizabeth Maude Boyle DeNio and Benjamin DeNio. Her best friend and loving husband Robert "Scott" Wilkinson, was waiting for his "Poll" when she awoke in the arms of our Lord and Savior on June 1, 2002...

HENDERSON, Nev. -- John Barratt died Sunday (May 12, 2002) at his home in Henderson, Nev. after a lengthy battle with cancer. He was born Sept. 14, 1937, to Gerald I. and Ida Barratt in Oberlin, Kan. John moved together with his family to McCook in 1945, where he attended McCook City schools. ...