Stories from Monday, October 19, 2009

Presidents always have surrounded themselves with advisors and counselors. Beginning with President George Washington, these individuals play an important role in public and foreign policy. To date, the Obama Administration has appointed more than 30 new advisors to oversee various industries and governmental functions. ...

The University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) this year marked 100 years of academic excellence in our largest city. As UNO completes a year-long centennial celebration honoring its past, the campus continues to build and plan for the future. The largest of several projects currently underway include the creation of a new $30 million College of Business Administration building on the old Aksarben racetrack property. ...

When a member of the military is deployed to a war zone, he or she has a lot to think about. In addition to their new military dangers and duties of the war zone, they have family concerns they never leave behind. Besides missing their loved ones, the issue of family finances is ever present...

UNK ATHLETICS KEARNEY -- Sophomore quarterback Jake Spitzlberger had a hand in eight touchdowns and was perfect through the air to lead the 16th-ranked Nebraska-Kearney football team to a 65-30 win over Western New Mexico Saturday afternoon. The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference contest was played at Ron & Carol Cope Stadium at Foster Field in Kearney...

Jan. 30, 1920 - Oct. 17, 2009 OBERLIN -- Wesley G. Benda, 89, died Saturday (Oct. 17, 2009) in Kearney. He was born Jan. 30, 1920, to Robert and Hazel (Hurst) Benda in Oberlin. He attended Achilles, District No. 14 and Decatur Community High School graduating in 1937. He then attended Kansas State University...

Part of what makes our country great is the transparency that exists between citizens and their government. We make laws at the will of the American people; therefore it's your right to be as informed as possible about the laws that will significantly impact your life. ...

A plan proposed by the state to shut down irrigation in water short years is inequitable and targets a select group of irrigators to carry the load, while enabling the continued depletion of water in the rest of the basin. That's the concern of area businessmen and ag producers, who are drafting a resolution to Gov. Dave Heineman...

If it could be done outdoors, someone was doing it this weekend. Boating, cycling, running and walking joined the usual fall chores of raking leaves as the temperature climbed above 80 degrees on Sunday. Many took the opportunity to try out the newest section of McCook's walking trail, recently completed from East M Street, down the former Kelley Creek Drive, around the corner and through the park to East Fifth Street. ...

The Nebraska Department of Natural Resources has been making formal presentations of their proposal to achieve compact compliance in water short years. By the middle of next week they will have made this presentation to all NRDs in the Republican basin. DNR has indicated that they will schedule a number of informational meetings across the basin to discuss this issue further. We, as NRDs, will then have to evaluate the options and make a decision on what action to take...

In the early 1920s, a young, beanpole of a man used to fly into McCook, out of Bird City, Kan. -- as an aerial barnstormer. The fellow was Charles Lindbergh. Ray Search, an early McCook aviation buff, told of flying with Lindbergh (whom Ray only knew as "Slim") during one stopover in McCook while Lindbergh was on a barnstorming trip to various Southwestern Nebraska towns...

SCOTTSBLUFF -- McCook's volleyball team is getting a week off at a perfect time. The Bison girls have been fighting the flu bug recently, and the bug is apparently winning. Even head coach Krystal Weber missed the Saturday, Oct.17 road trip to Scottsbluff for a triangular meet with the Bearcats and Ogallala...

HASTINGS -- McCook's girls couldn't continue the magic at state that the Bison found in district tournament play a week earlier. The Bison lost two games last Thursday for a quick exit from the 2009 Nebraska Girls Class B State High School Softball Championships...

OMAHA -- Third time was the charm for McCook High School junior Connor Larson. Larson capped a perfect season by winning the No. 1 singles division at the 2009 Class B Boys State Tennis Championships. Larson had lost in the state championship match each of his first two years of high school competition...

McCook's 35-21 football win over Holdrege Friday, Oct. 16, probably wasn't as close as the score might indicate. The Bison assured themselves of a playoff berth with the victory on the Weiland Field home turf. McCook committed five turnovers -- three Bison miscues led to Holdrege scores -- plus several penalties that negated big plays. A fourth-quarter interception return for a touchdown by safety Chance Pearson was called back by a pass interference penalty against the Bison...

March 27, 1927 - Oct. 17, 2009 Clarice Nadine Dack, died Saturday, Oct. 17, 2009, at her home in McCook, at the age of 82. She was born March 27, 1927, at Wheatland, Wyo., the daughter of the late Clarence Clyde and Ora Mae (Grant) Colvert. The family moved to Cambridge in 1933, where she grew up and graduated from Cambridge High School in 1945...

IMPERIAL -- Harchelroad Motors in Imperial is open and fully operational today, despite a massive fire early Saturday morning that destroyed its old showroom, a body shop and two vehicles inside. Four fire departments -- Wauneta, Lemar and Grant as well as Imperial -- responded to the blaze, which was reported at 1:45 a.m. Saturday...