Stories from Friday, October 31, 2008

CAMBRIDGE -- Cambridge blasted North Platte St. Pat's 41-7 in the first round of the Nebraska High School Activities Association Class C-2 football playoffs Thursday night.

HAYES CENTER -- Hayes Center blew by Sumner-Eddyville-Miller 60-16 in the first round of the D2 football playoffs. The Cardinals remain undefeated at 9-0.

The McCook Community College men's and women's basketball teams start their 2008-09 seasons this weekend.

June 18, 1907 - Oct. 29, 2008 OBERLIN -- Myrtle E. Warner, 101, died Wednesday (Oct. 29, 2008) in Newton, Kan. She was born June 18, 1907, in rural Selden, Kan., to Edward and Ellen C. Anderson. She grew up in the Selden area and attended country schools near Selden and Oberlin...

Oct. 30, 1925 - Oct. 30, 2008 NORTON, Kan. -- Naomi M. (McClelland) Richard, 83, formerly of Beaver City, died Thursday (Oct. 30, 2008) at Norton. She was born Oct. 30, 1925, at St. Francis to Homer and Ethal (May) Wolbach. She grew up in St. Francis and attended St. Francis schools. Following graduation she worked in the St. Francis area until her marriage to Clifford McClelland on May 17, 1953, in St. Francis...

Charlie Powers' great pumpkin makes "just a little snack" out of the last child brave enough to approach his porch, at 812 West 12th in McCook.

The Red Willow County Sheriff's Department and U.S. postal investigators think they have some good clues in the break-in of the Bartley Post Office Wednesday night or Thursday morning. Sheriff Gene Mahon said this morning that officers found evidence from the break-in away from the scene...

Qwest crews work to repair a large telephone line that was cut through by a contractor installing a water line on West O Street in McCook on Thursday. The cable carried 900 pairs of copper wires, serving about 660 customers around the McCook area. The cut was reported at 1 p.m. ...

While we've endorsed national and state candidates, and taken our share of flak for it, the Gazette usually refrains from endorsing candidates for local races. That's the case again this year, and not just because of the flak. Fortunately, neither is it because voters don't have some choices to make -- some tough ones at that...

I find the safe haven law amusing. For years, HHS and other state entities have been telling people how to raise children. Certainly, there are resources for people with problem kids, but it has been my understanding that unless you meet specific income and resource guidelines, you are out of luck, even if you exceed the guideline by a single dollar...

It's wonderful that you are featuring the Great World Wide Star Count -- we look forward to seeing your group's observations! Please remind the participants that they should not use binoculars or telescopes when making their observations -- all measurements should be made with the naked eye...

"30 Rock" returned to NBC (Thursdays at 8:30 p.m.) firing on all cylinders creatively, and brings along its multiple Emmy wins. Star Tina Fey, who also created and writes for the show, has been on her own rocket ride, thanks to a hit summer movie, then Emmys for writing and acting on the series, and most recently, her immensely popular impersonation of vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin. ...

Feb. 17, 1945 - Oct. 29, 2008 HAYES CENTER -- Dwight LaMonte Trusty of Hayes Center died Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2008, at Heritage Estates Nursing Home in Gering. He was 63 years old. Dwight was born on Feb. 17, 1945, in Imperial to Louis and Maxine A. (Evans) Trusty. He graduated from Hayes Center High School in 1964...

July 13, 1914-Oct. 30, 2008 OBERLIN -- Ruth (Nicodemus) Laidig, 94, died Oct. 30, 2008 at Decatur County Good Samaritan Center in Oberlin. She was born July 13, 1914, in rural Decatur County to Homer and Vida (Park) Nicodemus. She was raised in the Villiona area and in Decatur County. She graduated from Decatur Community High School in 1932...

McCook will host Schuyler next week in quarterfinals The top-ranked McCook Bison blew past the Columbus Discoverers 46-0 Friday night in a Nebraska Class B West Bracket first round game at Weiland Field.

We are nearing (thankfully) the end of another campaign season. While many of us get tired of the "bashing" and "mud slinging" that so often fills the national campaigns, we are generally fortunate to have candidates for our local elections who run much classier campaigns. Unfortunately, there are times when voters try to spoil the constructive competition of the local elections. This is one of those times in McCook...

July 12, 1931-Oct. 30, 2008 Emory Putz died Thursday, Oct. 30, 2008, at his home in McCook. He was 77 years old. Emory was born on July 12, 1931, in Hastings to Emory Walter and Bessie Glenda (Henderson) Putz, Sr. He graduated from Blue Hill High School in 1948...

Norm (The McCook Chef) and I pulled out of McCook at 5 a.m. last Saturday, driving to Denver to catch a plane for our annual World Series trek to Las Vegas. This year, in addition to the World Series, college football and pro football, there was also The Breeder's Cup Horse Races being run, plus the ever-present and always open blackjack tables so we were pumped up about the weekend and anxious to get there...