Stories from Monday, June 15, 2009

McCook Speedway welcomed the United Rebel Sprint Series to the races Friday night, and 18 drivers from four different states came to take a run at the 3/8-mile action track. The IMCA classes were on hand as well to put on a show. At the end of the night, C. J. Johnson of Quinter, Kan., David Murray of Oberlin, Kan., Dave Plowman of Gretna, and Austin Davis of Benkelman had the action in their favors, as they took the A Feature wins...

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Kobe Bryant jumped and punched the air. He did it again, seven years of pent up frustration freed in a fit of joy. This was the one he wanted more than all the others. The one to top them all. One year after failing miserably in the finals against Boston, Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers found redemption. They finished a season they felt was theirs with a 99-86 win over the Orlando Magic on Sunday night in Game 5 to win the 15th NBA title in franchise history...

Dec. 29, 1928 - June 12, 2009 TRENTON -- Lloyd Joseph Frederick died Friday, June 12, 2009, at his home in Trenton. He was 80 years old. Lloyd was born Dec. 29, 1928, on a farm near Humboldt, Kan., to Raymond and Clara (Westerman) Frederick. He attended rural country school. He entered the U.S. Air Force and served during the Korean War. He was honorably discharged and reenlisted into the Army and was again honorably discharged on Jan. 28, 1954...

March 7, 1921 - June 10, 2009 BEAVER CITY -- Evelyn M. Keezer, 88, died Wednesday (June 10, 2009) at Beaver City Manor. She was born March 7, 1921, at Beaver City to Christopher and Ethel (Turner) Clason. She grew up in Beaver City and graduated from Beaver City High School in 1939. Following graduation she taught rural school south of Beaver City for several years...

Sept. 14, 1954 - June 8, 2009 DENTON, Texas -- Patricia M. Bell, 54, died Monday (June 8, 2009) at Presbyterian Hospital in Denton, Texas. She was born Sept. 14, 1954, in North Platte to Stanley Dean and Monica Josephine (Pitner) Hamilton. She attended the University of Nebraska, TWU and graduated from UNT. She was a mental health counselor for AIDS Services of North Texas...

Last week in this column, I presented some facts behind the statistics of the uninsured living in the U.S. I noted that of the 47 million currently without health insurance, there are 12 million who literally have no affordable health care options. I concluded that, before jumping to the rushed decision of overhauling the system, we should first focus on enrolling those who currently have access to an insurance plan, and lowering costs for those who don't. ...

PALISADE -- The new therapeutic riding ranch nestled in tall-grass pastureland along the Stinking Water Creek just north of Palisade on the highway plans a grand opening/open house Saturday, June 20. Heidi McGraw of Hamlet welcomes visitors to riding demonstrations and supper at "HIS Haven Ranch," a horse ranch where she and her husband, Kevin, and the riding ranch's mentors will share their faith in God, their love of horses and their belief in the healing powers of both...

CURTIS -- How to refund property taxes collected under LB 701, taxes later ruled illegal by the Nebraska Supreme Court, will be up to a judge to decide. Board members of the Middle Republican natural resources district voted Tuesday night at its regular meeting to retain a lawyer, who will ask for a declaratory judgement from the district court as to the responsibilities of the NRDs in repaying these taxes...

Bil Lepp explained how to make a new story from a familiar biblical story, while carefully preserving the theology, to an audience of nearly 80 people Saturday morning at Memorial United Methodist Church, part of the Buffalo Commons Storytelling Festival in McCook this weekend...

McCook area music fans will be treated to a high energy Christian rock concert Saturday, June 27, when the 211 Band performs at the historic Fox Theatre. The Lincoln-based band will be appearing in McCook in advance of a national tour of youth gatherings. ...

The president is asking us, especially those of us in rural America, to take a giant leap of faith. Barack Obama plans to cut the current levels of Medicare and Medicaid spending by up to $300 billion over the next 10 years. He would pay for it by adopting new technologies, improving the management of chronic disease, and addressing the geographic variations in Medicare spending...

Bill Lyons was one of the first people we met when we came to McCook. Bill was an attorney, and represented the fellow from whom we bought the bakery. In 1957, rental houses were scarce in McCook, and we were having trouble finding a place we could afford. ...