Stories from Tuesday, June 24, 2008

We take a lot for granted in the United States -- and McCook, Nebraska, in particular. One of the most important is a quick response when we call 911. In town, especially, but even in the countryside, we know emergency crews, both paid and volunteer, will do everything they can to get us the help we need as quickly as possible...

"Are you kidding me?" read the anonymous note. "So Wednesday night when everyone got chased to their basements, it didn't rain at all!! Check your edition, you didn't report any, or add it to the monthly total. Report it right, or don't report it at all!"...

Why do I question how every member of the McCook City Council can vote no on paying for a wage comparability study at one meeting and the very next meeting vote unanimously in favor of the same study? Why am I suspicious that there was some collusion before the meetings rather than frank and open honest discussion in open session? Why could a past financial manager for the McCook schools conduct the same study as a part of his duties without additional cost to the school district? Was the study requirement a union demand? Oh, right, the McCook police and fire departments did organize courtesy of (in defense from) John Bingham. ...

Abbie Horton, Alex Graff and Andrew Graff all claimed victory with first-place ribbons in three individual events Saturday at the Great Plains Tsunami Swim Meet. The Great Plains Tsunami meet took place at the McCook City Pool. Area towns represented at this event were Cambridge, Atwood, Curtis and McCook...

CAMBRIDGE -- Southwest Weed Management Area officials are calling the first year of efforts to remove invasive plant species on the Republican River a success. The work was made possible by an $817,000 grant funded through Legislative Bill 701 and administered by the Nebraska Department of Agriculture...

By LORRI SUGHROUE City Editor A controversial anti-affirmative action petition drive made its way to McCook this week, as paid petitioners knocked on doors and milled around public places collecting signatures. The petition, conducted by the Nebraska Civil Rights Initiative in Lincoln, seeks to place a proposed constitutional amendment before voters in November that will prohibit all consideration of race, ethnicity and gender in hiring, scholarship or contracting decisions made by public agencies.. ...

ATWOOD -- Two natural gas drilling rig workers were admitted to the Rawlins County Health Center hospital in Atwood Sunday night after lightning struck their rig erected in the northwest corner of Rawlins County. A hospital spokesperson said this morning that the men were treated, held overnight for observation and released Monday; she could not release information on the type or extent of the men's injuries. ...

Ever-increasing fuel prices were reflected Monday morning in the bids for the gravel that Red Willow County commissioners will use to cover 600 miles of county roads. Three suppliers split the gravel bids awarded by commissioners during their weekly meeting...