Stories from Wednesday, August 21, 2002

Red Willow County commissioners approved a certificate of substantial completion on the county's new household waste collection building, and toured the building with Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality personnel during commissioners' regular meeting Tuesday...

The editor's note is ("Are taxpayers paying?" Speakout, Monday, Aug. 19) is actually quite concerning. "The construction of Kiplinger Equestrian Arena will ultimately not be funded by tax dollars" is incorrect. If you think about it, half the project will be funded up front, and the other half by a loan which tax dollars will be used to repay. ...

Dear Editor, Saturday's Gazette front page headline read, "McCook farmer to testify." Dale Dueland farms 2,500 acres and will testify at a hearing in Grand Island conducted by Sen. Ben Nelson about the devastating effects of the drought. According to climatologists this is a 30-year drought. Not something that somehow we will get through in two or three years time...

Dear Editor, I say YES to Kathy Wilmot's resolution to strongly encourage all schools in Nebraska to "lead their students in the daily recitation" of the Pledge of Allegiance. We need more like her on the State Board of Education. She shares Nebraska's values and her voting record proves it...

Kids, not to mention their parents, have a lot to think about as school starts. The latest sports challenge, social interaction, a new teacher or academic subject -- all are filling young minds on the way to the first day of classes. An accident or injury shouldn't be part of the equation...

ARLINGTON, Va. -- Susan and Jeff Knight of Arlington, Va., announce the birth of their daughter, Caroline Patricia, on Tuesday (July 30, 2002). She weighed 7 pounds and 14 ounces. Grandparents are Gayle and Caroline Kircher of Indianola.

CA--ON CITY, Colo. -- Dale Brunswick and Megan Linenberger, both of McCook, announce the birth of their daughter, Madyson Talene, on Friday (July 19, 2002) in Caņon City, Colo. She weighed 8 pounds, 3.6 ounces. Grandparents are Dwayne and Sheryl Brunswick of McCook and Terry and Trudy Linenberger of Caņon City...

The McCook Art Guild will have its fourth annual fundraising auction Sept. 5, at the Frank Lloyd Wright, Prairie-style home of Van and Jan Korell, 602 Norris Ave., in McCook. The theme for the event is "A Prairie Garden Party" and it will take place in the Korell yard...

When it comes to report cards, Community Hospital received high marks and an excellent response in the first quarter report of a new patient survey system which was recently implemented at the hospital. Nearly 98 percent of the patients responding to the survey gave Community Hospital an excellent, very good, or good grade on the care they received during January to March 2002. Almost 25 percent of the patients responded: 101 out of 418-a high 24 percent reply rate...

A Champion man was treated and released after he struck the back of a grain truck late Friday evening. Lloyd H. Meeske, 59, was southbound on South U.S. Highway 83 when he became distracted with nearby silage field operations and he struck a grain truck driven by Amy M. Messinger, 20, McCook. Messinger was also traveling south with the truck full of silage...

HAYES CENTER -- A McCook man will face district court charges of possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver following a preliminary hearing Tuesday in Hayes County court. Judge Cloyd Clark bound Jeff Whitaker of McCook over to district court despite pleas by Whitaker's attorney that Whitaker has been overcharged...

In response to an article published in the Tuesday edition of the McCook Daily Gazette, McCook developer and business owner Joe Giorgione has clarified his position on a request he made to the city of McCook. Giorgione was before the Council Monday night to explain a request to allow the development of a 64- unit rental storage facility including building a gravel driveway into the property. He said he is not asking the city to provide the improvement...

When facing tough times, it may seem as though managing resources is a lost cause for families. Credit card bills or overdue notes may tend to pile up reports Mary K. Warner, Extension Educator. For some, sticking bills in a drawer or on the pickup dash or not talking about them seems like the best way to deal with debt. ...

McCook's Boy Scout troops will be out in force this weekend to collect items for the Pantry. The food collection effort will begin Friday afternoon when members of Troops 132 and 147 cover the town, placing empty sacks on more than 2,000 McCook doorsteps...

A neighborhood squirrel peers over the side of a little, formerly-red wagon, wondering whether the photographer has any treats to offer. Urban wildlife will notice more human traffic this week as school convenes for the fall term.

The summer I was six (going on seven) Mom and Dad decided to move from Mesquite, Texas, to Colorado. They had traveled to the colorful state on vacation and Dad had fallen in love with the Rocky Mountains. I think he thought every day would be like vacation if he could just get up each morning and see those white-capped peaks fronted by varying shades of blues and purples. ...

Margaret "Mickey" Rose Meguire, 69, died Tuesday (August 20, 2002) at Community Hospital of McCook. She was born March 12, 1933, in McCook, to Paul Peter and Marie Matilda Johanna (Wind) Smith. She graduated from McCook High School in 1951. After her parents died in 1951 and 1953, she helped raise her two younger brothers. ...