Stories from Tuesday, December 16, 2008

SEATTLE (AP) -- The fourth-seeded Nebraska Cornhuskers didn't take the easy road in winning the NCAA volleyball West Regional and advancing to the third final four appearance in four seasons on Saturday night. Nebraska (31-2) had to dig themselves out of a 2-0 hole just to force a fifth set. ...

LINCOLN -- The Nebraska football team began its second full week of Gator Bowl preparations with a 90-minute workout inside the Hawks Championship Indoor Center Monday afternoon. The Huskers are getting ready for their match-up with Clemson in the Gator Bowl on Jan. 1...

Dundy County-Stratton's girls finished fourth in the McCook Cattle Trail Saturday. Southwest's boys took eighth in the tournament. The Maywood girls and Arapahoe boys won the tournament titles. Girls division Dundy County-Stratton edged by Hitchcock County in the semifinals 45-41...

The McCook High School freshman boys basketball team dropped a 51-41 decision at Southern Valley Monday night. The Southern Valley Eagles led 18-5 after one quarter, 29-14 at halftime and 39-22 after three frames. The Bison closed the gap with a 19-12 run in the fourth quarter...

McCook's eighth grade girls basketball teams defeated Lexington Monday night. The Bison won the A game 32-11, the B game 21-6 and the C game 14-8. Megan Ruppert led the Bison in the A game with 12 points and Brooklynn Trew had 10. Brittany Broomfield put in 17 points for the girls in the B game and Sara Larington had 4...

July 24, 1930 - Dec. 12, 2008 CAMARILLO, Calif. -- Joan Marilyn Olson, age 78, died peacefully of lung cancer in the company of her children on Friday, Dec. 12, 2008, at her home in Camarillo, Calif. Joan was born on July 24, 1930, in Barnston, Neb., to Blaine Fletcher and Mary (Stromer) Fletcher Jarl. She grew up in McCook and was a proud member of the McCook High School Class of 1948...

The McCook High School ninth grade girls basketball team dropped to 1-3 with a 51-17 loss at Southern Valley Monday night. "We opened the game playing right with them but got frustrated by our inability to score points, and we didn't respond well," said McCook coach Jon Graff.

May 30, 1928 - Dec. 14, 2008 Kenneth Verner Carlson, 80, died Sunday (Dec. 14, 2008) at Hillcrest Nursing Home. He was born May 30, 1928, south of Herndon on the family farm to Carl Robert and Mina May (Anderson) Carlson. On Sept. 22, 1957, he married Betty Marie (Eggers) Stone in Atwood. He adopted her children, Carol, Norma and Bruce Gerald on June 21, 1958...

Aug. 27, 1923 - Dec. 14, 2008 WAUNETA -- Daniel Liebig, 85, died Sunday (Dec. 14, 2008) at Heritage of Wauneta Nursing Home. He was born Dec. 14, 2008, in Platte Center to Adolph and Mary Liebig. He attended St. Joseph's Catholic School. After completing his sophomore year in high school, he began farming full-time on the family farm...

Aug. 7, 1919 - Dec. 13, 2008 OBERLIN -- Leslie H. Walters, 89, formerly of Oberlin, died Saturday (Dec. 13, 2008) at Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook. He was born Aug. 7, 1919, in Quanah, Texas to Walter and Lillian (Smith) Cheatham. He grew up in Iowa, Nebraska and Kansas. He served in the U.S. Marine Corp during World War II...

A zoning law that prohibits construction of a medical clinic on part of North U.S. Highway 83 will have to be modified through the McCook Planning Commission, despite a request from a man who asked that the process be expedited. John Hubert of McCook asked the McCook City Council at its regular meeting Monday night to amend the current zoning on the east side of the highway, so construction can begin for an immediate-care medical center...

Owners of run-down, dilapidated properties have been put on notice by the city: time to clean up. Members of the McCook City Council Monday night approved convening the McCook Health Board to review five properties that were deemed unsafe and hazardous, the second time this year they've done so...

The director of superintendent search services for the Nebraska Association of School Boards discussed with two patrons of the McCook Public Schools district Monday evening the hiring of a new school superintendent, "the most important thing a school board ever does."...

Gov. Dave Heineman and former Gov. Charley Thone say they'd like to trash the law that divides Nebraska's five electoral votes in presidential elections. We don't blame them. As Republican stalwarts, it's their job to get their party as many votes as possible...

Now that she is officially retired with time to volunteer Ann had a new experience this past weekend. She helped a wee bit with the setup and distribution of McCook's annual "Toy Box." To be recognized are the dedicated volunteers who live and breathe the project year around. Their hearts are huge. The community is generous and the event is a grand success every year...