Stories from Wednesday, July 16, 2008

There's less shade and a lot more sunshine in Norris Park, but it's still a great place to enjoy a concert -- especially this summer, which has been relatively cool. The hundreds of people who attended the recent 43 Army Band right after the Fourth of July holiday weekend can attest to the venue's beauty. The upcoming Hot Summer Nights sponsored by McCook National Bank will reinforce the park's position in community life...

COZAD -- The McCook First Central Bank Juniors baseball team was eliminated from the American Legion B-6 district tournament with a 10-7 loss to Holdrege Tuesday in Cozad. Delvin Jackson led McCook with three hits. Keith Wallace, Drew Petersen and Andrew McCurdy had two hits each while Justin Terry and Cody Goltl added one hit each...

ZEBULON, N.C. -- Chattanooga Lookout pitchers Ben Jukich and Robert Manuel and third baseman Eric Eymann were on the north division roster for Monday night's Southern League All-Star Game in Zebulon, N.C. The North All-Stars won 6-1. Jukich, who pitched at McCook Community College in 2005, started the game and pitched a perfect first inning...

Jan. 4, 1917 - July 14, 2008 Irene Lillian Kolbet, age 91, died Monday, July 14, 2008 at Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook. She was born Jan. 4, 1917, to Nicholas and Magdalena "Lena" (Giespert) Kolbet at their homestead southeast of the St. Ann Church in Frontier County. She grew up in Hayes County where she attended school in a one-room schoolhouse with her many brothers, sisters and cousins, causing much mayhem and mirth...

March 10, 1944 - July 12, 2008 LITTLETON, Colo. -- Michael Eugene Allerton, age 64, died Saturday, July 12, 2008, at his home in Littleton, Colo., surrounded by his loving family. He was born in Lincoln to Russell and Geraldine Allerton on March 10, 1944. ...

Disposing of waste from the water treatment plant has hit a snag and the budget for next year includes some funds to remedy that. The proposed 2008-09 budget includes $500,000 to develop a "cation" waste disposal solution. The waste from McCook's new drinking water treatment plant comes in two streams: the cation -- pronounced "cat -ion," or the waste that has the high level of salt in it, and the "anion," that contains the uranium, nitrates and uranium removed from the water...

The Red Willow County Minsterial Association looks to help area residents fight their rising pain at the gas pump by providing a special gas discount this Saturday at Kugler's West B Street location. The event, starting at 8 in the morning, and ending at 5 p.m., will feature a 10-cent-a-gallon price break on gasoline and diesel fuel, as well as full service, provided by local pastors...

Garbage disposal fees will increase by $1.50 per month for the next two years to help offset fuel costs and help pump up the low ending balance in the solid waste department. Contracting with a trucking company, the city sends about two loads a day to the landfill at Ogallala, a 200-mile round trip. To help plan for surging fuel prices $40,000 had been budgeted for fuel and hauling costs, using $4.50 per gallon for diesel, said Kyle Potthoff said, Public Work Director...

The price of food purchased for the Heritage Senior Center has risen by about $5,000. Sue Chipman, senior center director, explained the budget of the Senior Center to the McCook City Council at the budget workshop Monday night. In addition to the price of food going up, a surcharge for transport has been added so the proposed budget for $2008-09 is estimated a t$110,000, compared to $105,000 last year...

A public hearing and vote on the purchase of property for an Imperial center for Mid-Plains Community College is set for McCook next week. The board of governors of Mid-Plains Community College will conduct the public hearing at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 23, at the Weeth Theater, in Tipton Hall on the McCook Community College campus at 1203 E. Third St in McCook...

Early in my walk of faith, I began a Bible study, to better understand this Jesus to whom I had given my heart. I had barely begun to plumb the depths of his heart when mine began to want to do something for him. And not just anything, but something meaningful, something big, something spectacular. After all, the Bible showed clearly all that he had given me by his sacrifice, he had given his best, he deserved my very best...