Stories from Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Election day was a week later than indicated on many calendars, but today's McCook city sales tax vote may still take many local voters by surprise. We hope not. This page has carried many opinions, pro and con, which we hope will help eligible voters make up their minds...

I am still not a morning astronomer, but this was worth getting up for. The overflight of the International Space Station and the space shuttle Discovery, together. Morning was bad enough, but this was a Monday morning. After getting up at 4:30 a.m. the first task was to look out the window to see if the sky was clear, it was. From the window I could see Orion gleaming in the early morning darkness and a slender crescent Moon off to the southeast with a brilliant Venus shining close by...

Amid all the angst over the economic and population decline of the rural Great Plains, many of the region's people and businesses are gambling on problematic ventures that likely do more harm than good.  Corporate livestock feedlots? Nothing degrades quality of life faster than stinky air and tainted water. Corn ethanol production? Its negatives seemingly mount daily, from a huge appetite for diminishing groundwater to budget-busting government subsidies to questionable energy benefits...

COLBY -- The McCook Community College men's basketball suffered its first two losses of the season last weekend at Colby Classic. The Indians defeated Fort Scott 88-71 Thursday, lost to Neosho County 93-80 Friday and lost to Colby 84-74 Saturday. Trey Mosby led MCC in scoring in the win over Fort Scott with 20 points...

By LORRI SUGHROUE City Editor Technology may hold the key to the water issues facing western Nebraska, said Mike Johanns, former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture who is now seeking the Republican nomination for the Senate seat being vacated by fellow Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel...

By CONNIE JO DISCOE Regional Editor McCook Public Schools' efforts to prevent the transmission of the antibiotic-resistant "super-bug" methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureas --MRSA -- may also mean that kids' gym clothes get washed more often. School nurse Dawn Garcia said that MPS has implemented additional cleaning and disinfecting schedules for certain higher-risk areas of the school to address outbreaks across the country of the antibiotic-resistant strain of staph infections. ...

Security has improved at the McCook Junior and Senior High buildings with the installation of new camera systems and new locks. One of 16 new cameras at the junior high monitored and recorded school board member Tom Bredvick as he walked through the southeast door into the junior high main office, where school board members gathered Monday evening for a demonstration of the new system...

June 19, 1922-Nov. 6, 2007 CLAY CENTER, Kan. -- Kenneth Rex Garver, 85, died Tuesday (Nov. 6, 2007), at Country Place Senior Living in Clay Center, Kan. He was born June 19, 1922, at Oberlin to James Franklin and Jessie (Wilson) Garver. He attended school in Oberlin and enlisted in the Navy during World War II.  He went to underwater welding school during his enlistment with the Navy and served with search and rescue on the USS Grasp and USS Lexington...