Stories from Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Dear Nebraskans, Americans need true health care reform, and members of Congress agree that this issue must be addressed. The Administration has promised several things: everyone will have access to health care; everyone will get to keep their insurance plan if they want; and the government will be responsible with taxpayers' money. ...

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Ben Nelson welcomed an announcement by the U.S. Department of Education that Nebraska will receive more than $191 million through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for schools and to stop teacher layoffs as the state deals with strains on the state budget. The state will be eligible to apply for another $94 million in economic stimulus funds this fall...

The family of Dan and Ruth McCormick are hosting a 50th anniversary celebration at 5 p.m., Saturday, at the McCook Evangelical Free Church. Cards of congratulation will reach them at 38259 Road 714, McCook, NE 69001.

NORTH PLATTE -- The Board of Governors at Mid Plains Community College will be asked for the second time to fund an Area Student Success and Retention coordinator position at McCook Community College. The item is on the agenda at its regular meeting 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, room 200 at the North Platte Campus...

Jan. 24, 1921 - June 19, 2009 WAUNETA -- Elinor Jean Blobaum, 88, died Friday (June 19, 2009) at Linden Court Nursing Home in North Platte. She was born Jan. 24, 1921, in Hayes County to George William and Elsie (Israel) Branum. She attended country grade school and graduated from Wauneta High School in 1938. ...

April 4, 1921 - June 20, 2009 CAMBRIDGE -- Stanley M. Parker, 88, died Saturday (June 20, 2009) at Cambridge Memorial Hospital. He was born in South Windham, Maine on April 4, 1921, to Dana and Gladys (Lawlar) Parker. He graduated from Fredrick Rhobe High School in South Windham...

June 29, 1936 -- Jan. 27, 2009 ATLANTA, Ga. -- Mary Lorraine (Orin) Avery, age 72, passed away Jan. 27, 2009, in Atlanta, Ga., surrounded by her family. Mary was born in Culbertson on June 29, 1936, to Charles "Jack" and Eloise (Moore) Orin and grew up on the family ranch south of Culbertson where her grandfather, Ed Orin, raised horses and trained Kentucky Derby winner and member of the Jockey Hall of Fame, Steve Brooks. ...

Jason Gildea is exploring the music of the road -- literally -- in his quest to save the music program at the Youth Empowerment High School in Oakland, Calif. Gildea, on leave from his job as a nightclub manager, and who only recently took up bicycling, set out from Brooklyn, N.Y., on May 13 on his way to San Francisco by the end of July, stopping in McCook on Monday...

Wanting to encourage neighboring counties to share expenses, Red Willow County commissioners cut their county's contribution, from $12,000 to $8,000, to the juvenile pre-trial diversion program run by Lutheran Family Services. Commissioner Leigh Hoyt stressed at the commissioners' weekly meeting Monday morning that he supports the diversion program -- "I'm behind it 100 percent," he said -- but explained that he resents Red Willow County having to pay also for juveniles in Hayes, Hitchcock and Furnas counties.. ...

LINCOLN -- For the second consecutive year Brandon Crick has qualified for the U.S. Amateur Public Links. He qualified Monday by shooting a 36-hole, 4-under-par 140 at Wilderness Ridge Golf Club in Lincoln. He outdistanced the field by seven strokes...

As the proposed expansion of Community Hospital of McCook nears completion of the "design development" stage, hospital officials are looking forward to the next steps. Hospital President Jim Ulrich said Friday morning, following a board of directors' meeting Wednesday, that the acceptance of a Guaranteed Maximum Price for construction and the development of "construction documents" -- creating blueprints for contractors -- are the next major steps in the realization of Phases 1 and 2 of the hospital's facility master plan.. ...

Summertime may be the traditional time for vacation, but some activities don't take a break. People still have surgery, still get sick -- in fact, people may be more likely to be involved in accidents requiring blood transfusions to keep them alive...

Last Friday Ann and I were driving to York for the annual training of ESGR. Yeah I know. I had planned to fly but the lady advocated for the auto as area rain with low clouds was forecast and she was reluctant to be "stuck" in York for a couple of days...