Stories from Wednesday, April 26, 2006

Jillian Bryant, who owns four career records and was a four-year starter for the McCook High School girls basketball team, signed a letter of intent Wednesday morning to play basketball at Dana College. Bryant, a 5-foot-11 senior forward/guard, also was a four-year starter at shortstop at MHS and exceled in track and field. Bryant was a first-team All-Area selection by the McCook Daily Gazette...

Red Willow County commissioners signed an agreement during their meeting April 18 that spelled out the county's involvement in the non-binding mediation be-tween the City of McCook and the McCook Public Power District. MPPD has sued McCook over the city's denial of a variance that would have allowed MPPD to erect a taller communications tower at its headquarters on North Highway 83 in McCook. The city contends the tower would interfere with zoning regulations at the McCook Airport...

Red Willow County commissioners split 2-1 Monday in a decision to allow a federal energy loan program to be funneled through the county Commissioners tabled the issue last week, allowing Red Willow County Attorney Paul Wood time to study a request from S.W. Energy LLC (the company building an ethanol plant at the Perry elevator location west of McCook) and Allco (S.W. Energy's financial group, of New York)...

Sarah Craw, above, sketches on Zoe Baumgartner's cheek Saturday night at the McCook Elementary Family Carnival. Zoe is a third grader is Mrs. Springer's class. Kids and parents enjoyed a variety of games in the school gym and commons area. Proceeds are used by the McCook Elementary Parent Teacher Organization to supplement classroom budgets...

Imagine you're riding a bicycle, one of those old, single speed bikes with fat, whitewall tires. Now imagine those tires are almost flat and you're pedaling uphill, as fast as you can. Plus, it's raining and you're riding with an umbrella. Oh, you're also carrying four sacks of groceries, with a handkerchief tied around your nose and mouth, after having eaten nothing but two banana splits in the last 24 hours...

Remember when drought -stricken Southwest Nebraska farmers and ranchers received baled timothy grass from hay growers in the eastern part of the country several years ago? Area farmers and ranchers definitely remember -- for livestock producers, there are few feelings worse than not being able to provide for their cattle and horses...