Stories from Tuesday, September 29, 2009

The McCook Community College Indians volleyball team, playing host Monday night to Colby Community College's Trojans, absorbed a tough four-set loss. The scores were 25-20, 19-25, 25-22 and 25-23. "We definitely had our chances to come away with a win at home tonight," said head coach Michelle Reiners. "We made crucial errors at critical times in the match."...

July 29, 1928 - Sept. 27, 2009 LOVELAND, Colo. -- Richard Dean Hanes, 81, of Loveland, died Sunday (Sept. 27, 2009). He was born on July 29, 1928, in Freedom to Harvey Ellsworth and Fern (Blake) Hanes. He graduated from Stockville High School in Stockville...

Oct. 3, 1953 - Sept. 27, 2009 COZAD -- Rhonda Joy (Rhoades) Friend of Cozad, died Sunday, Sept. 27, 2009, at Bryan LGH Hospital in Lincoln. She was 55 years old. Rhonda was born Oct. 3, 1953, to Robert and Shirley (Joy) Rhoades in Loveland, Colo. She attended Loveland High School and Aims Community College in Greeley, Colo. After college she entered the U.S. Army and was honorably discharged on Jan. 28, 1980. She resided in Virginia for many years before moving to Nebraska...

Bison varsity nipped by North Platte, JV rallies for one-run win.

Oh, the suspense ... Red Willow County commissioners directed County Attorney Paul Wood following a closed session Monday morning to negotiate the purchase of "a certain property," but Commission Chairman Earl McNutt added, with a sheepish grin, "No, we're not going to disclose what property ... not at this time."...

The McCook Pantry plans its annual fall food drive Saturday. Pantry volunteers report that 735 McCook and area families have been served by the Pantry so far this year. Usage of the Pantry has increased over the past four years, from 5,500 people served in 2005 to 6,629 people served in 2008...

Offenders who have taken off recently from the Work Ethic Camp in McCook have at least one citizen wondering if enough is being done about security. Rex Solomon of rural McCook, who lives about a mile from the Nebraska Department of Corrections Work Ethic Camp, said area residents are not being properly notified when offenders walk away from the camp...

McCook's Walmart Supercenter will open its doors on the finished product of a three-month remodeling project with a a grand re-opening ceremony Wednesday at 8 a.m. McCook Mayor Dennis Berry, McCook Chamber of Commerce Director Pam Harsh and 20-plus-year store associates will join in the ribbon-cutting ceremony. To help with the celebration, a local Boy Scout troop will post the colors as members from the McCook High School Marching Bison Band perform the National Anthem...

In 1964, I was a pilot in the 19th ARefSq located on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The KC-97, air refueling tanker we were flying was on its last active-duty legs. In fact I had the privilege of ferrying five of the grand old birds to the bone yard near Tucson, Ariz., that year...

Problem No. 5 with the Republican River Model is Ignored Elements. Kansas State Scientist, James Koelliker, says 60 to 80 percent of the stream flow depletion in western Kansas is caused by conservation practices such as terraces, minimum till, and retention ponds. While the study is watershed specific, almost identical conditions exist in Nebraska. In fact, Koelliker has tested his model on the Republican River Basin, including the Nebraska portion...

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Mike Johanns today spoke on the Senate floor to discuss his concerns regarding the proposed tax increases embedded within the Senate Finance Committee's health care legislation. "In our current economic crisis, the last thing American families need is to see more of their paychecks going to pay more taxes. ...