Stories from Tuesday, May 13, 2008

OGALLALA -- The McCook High School boys golf team did not qualify for the Nebraska Class B state tournament and will not be sending any individuals to state. The Bison placed ninth out of 12 teams at Tuesday's district meet, which took place at West Winds Golf Course in Ogallala...

LINCOLN -- The pairings for the Nebraska Class B state tennis meet in Lincoln were released Monday. McCook junior Brianna Watkins (24-19) will face Rut Kramerova of Alliance in her first round match at No. 1 singles. Hanah Swanhorst (28-15) will square off against Emily Jones of South Sioux City at No. 2 singles...

McCook Junior High sixth grade girls and boys track meet took place May 6 at the McCook High School track. Molly Sughroue earned three first-place finishes. Sughroue won the long jump, 400 and 800. Andie Jernigan and Madison Shepherd were double medal winners...

Dec. 22, 1929 - May 9, 2008 BENKELMAN -- Gordon Bradley Towne, 78, of Benkleman died Friday (May 9, 2008), at Dundy County Hospital. He was born in Vinton, Iowa on Dec. 22, 1929, to Paul McBain and Thurla Gretchen (Healy) Towne He served in the U.S. Air Force from Nov. 24, 1950, to Nov. 23, 1954...

Coach Tim Garcia is hosting the Bison Boys Basketball Skills Camp June 16-19 at the McCook Senior High School. The youth camp will feature many of the players that helped the Bison to the 2008 State Basketball Tournament in Lincoln this past season!...

Aug. 18, 1919 -- May 11, 2008 OBERLIN -- Henry M. Wolfram, 88, died Sunday (May 11, 2008) at Presbyterian Manor in Arkansas City, Kan. He was born Aug. 18, 1919, in rural Herndon to Martin and Emma (Grafel) Wolfram. He grew up on a farm near Herndon and attended Green Valley School...

Jan. 3, 1923 - April 26, 2008 STRASBURG, Colo. -- Ella Mae (Smalberger) Wahrman, 85, died April 26, 2008, at her home in Strasburg, Colo. She was born Jan. 3, 1923, in Marion to Glenn and Arvella (Sines) Smalberger. She attended country schools and graduated from Decatur County High School in 1941...

Feb. 27, 1980 - May 9, 2008 HOLBROOK -- Jeremy Joel Simmons, 28, died Friday (May 9, 2008) at Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. He was born Feb. 27, 1980, in Omaha to Diane Simmons. He grew up in Kansas and Nebraska and attended schools in Norton, Kan., Holbrook, Arapahoe and Sumner Eddyville Miller High School. He was an electrician's apprentice...

The CHUTE basketball camp still has openings for the 4-8 division. The camp is June 25-26 at the McCook Senior High gym. CHUTE is a shooting camp designed to help improve a player's shooting abilities. If interested, pick up a form form at the Sports Shoppe, the YMCA or at the Senior High School...

The president of a McCook kit helicopter company is meeting with an unnamed major aerospace company about providing help in bringing the kits to full production. The McCook company, Pawnee Aviation, is under pressure from local officials to begin repayment of a revolving loan fund and begin producing the kits...

CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- Great Lakes Aviation Ltd. today announced it will begin serving McCook with daily flights to the Denver International Airport on Sunday, June 1. "Great Lakes is looking forward to expanding our Nebraska service to include McCook," said Chuck Howell, chief executive officer for Great Lakes...

McCook Public Schools board of education members talked about long-range plans for the junior and senior high campuses during their monthly meeting Monday evening. Board member Tom Bredvick said developing lists of short- and long-range projects has benefited the schools in the past, determining "where's the biggest fire?" and addressing needs as priorities...

McCook Public Schools board of education members recognized their student body representative and approved resignations and contracts during their monthly meeting Monday. Board president Greg Larson presented student representative Cassie Olson with a certificate of appreciation for her service during the 2007-08 school year...

Recent news about the Keystone Hotel project can be construed as positive or negative, depending on whether you are a glass-half-full or a glass-half-empty type. Rex Nelson, Executive Director of McCook Economic Development Corp., reported that the proposed renovation of the former Keystone Hotel has been delayed due to rising construction costs. A proposed timeline for the project was not revealed, leaving the delay "indefinite."...

**I, having been appointed a Second Lieutenant in the U. S. Air Force do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same;…...

While Optimist International is a tax-exempt organization, the local club is not, according to Trevor D. Premer of the club. Incorrect information was included in an Open Forum letter Monday. The local club is soliciting donations for a Fourth of July fireworks display in McCook...

The newly democratized nation of Iraq will have an election in October. So, why aren't they having caucuses and debates and primaries like we do? Something must be done! It is probably those pesky insurgents causing the problems so we better keep dropping bombs on them...

Have you been out to the cemeteries lately? If not, you're in for a shock! Most of our loved ones' tomb stones have turned white. Some you can hardly read the names. They tell me it is the lime in the water -- why is it just now showing up? What was done before to prevent this?...

National Nursing Home Week, which began on Mother's Day, May 11, and ends May 18, is a special week where residents, caregivers, families, staff and volunteers honor and celebrate nursing facility life. Many nursing home residents are the people who planted the seeds that have made our community grow stronger. They have been the teachers, the business people, the parents and other central figures who produced all of the good things that we now enjoy...

Position allowed Oberlin graduate to return to his hometown