Stories from Monday, January 4, 2010

Thousands of Americans are struggling with debt, forced to make tough budget decisions in order to stay within their means. The federal government also is facing massive debt problems, but unlike families across Nebraska and the nation, it is refusing to take the tough steps necessary to put our nation's fiscal house in order...

Nov. 26, 1947 - Jan. 1, 2010 Michael John Foley, 62, died Friday (Jan. 1, 2010), at McCook Community Hospital. He was born Nov. 26, 1947, in McCook, the son of the late John and Ruth (Cotton) Foley. Mike grew up in McCook and graduated from McCook High School in 1965...

Jan. 12, 1919-Dec. 30, 2009 Marjorie R. Miles of McCook, formally of Stratton, Neb., passed away Dec. 30, 2009, at McCook Community Hospital in McCook, at the age of 90 years, 11 months and 18 days. She was born Jan. 12, 1919, to Albert and Zelma (Harding) Latta at Stamford, Neb. Marjorie married Eroll R. Miles on June 1, 1941 in Reno, Nev...

Aug. 15, 1972-Dec. 31, 2009 ARAPAHOE -- Paula Lynne Deisley, 37, died Thursday (Dec. 31, 2009), at Cambridge Hospital, in Cambridge. She was born Aug.15, 1972, at Lincoln, to Wayne and Marilyn (Andreesen) Koehler. She grew up in Funk and Bern, Kan., before moving to Bruning. ...

Three male offenders who walked away from the Nebraska Department of Corrections Work Ethic Camp in McCook Dec. 31 were captured two days later in Hastings. The offenders were identified as Cory Erickson, 18, Bryce Elliott, 19, and Robert Jones, 26...

Sept. 15, 1923 - Jan. 1, 2010 Dorothy Irene Loop, 86, of McCook, passed away Friday, Jan. 1, 2010, at the Community Hospital. Dorothy was born Sept. 15, 1923, at Max, Neb., to Delbert and Ruth A. (Harrison) Higley. She graduated from Stratton High School in 1940...

Red Willow Western Rural firefighters look over the burned remains of a steel building and feed truck early Friday morning. The call came in Thursday evening about 9 p.m., as a possible structure fire on Road 717 northwest of McCook. When firefighters arrived on scene the building's roof and overhead door had collapsed onto the feed truck and front-end loader and was fully engulfed. ...

Nov. 8, 1925 - Jan. 2, 2010 GRAND ISLAND -- Merlyn J. Andrews, 84, died Saturday (Jan. 2, 2010), surrounded by family at her home in Grand Island. A Celebration of Life service is being planned for the weekend of Easter. A future notice will run in the newspaper...

The family of Dale Crocker celebrated his 75th birthday Saturday evening. He was born Jan. 6, 1935, rural McCook. His family includes his wife, Norma, daughters, Cathy and husband, Dan Winder of Kearney, Barb and husband, Chuck Henwood of North Richland Hills, Texas, Lisa and husband, Rod Horsley of Kearney, and Karen and husband, Darrell Wilhelm of Lincoln, 11 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Cards of congratulations will reach him at 410 West R Street, McCook, NE 69001...

It was a perfect storm New Year's Eve, in a good way. McCook's first First Night, Nebraska's only First Night Celebration, was an unqualified success. Congratulations to Sue Shaner of the McCook Economic Development Corp. and the McCook Young Leaders who spearheaded the event welcoming in the new year...

When the Civil War began, in 1861, there were few families that contributed more to the Union cause than did the family McCook from Ohio, descendents of George McCook, an Irishman of Scottish descent, who had come to the United States about 1780. Altogether there were some 15 members of the McCook family, two brothers and 13 of their sons, who volunteered to fight for the Union cause...

Though I've not lived in McCook since March 20, 2004, and am a registered voter in Missouri, the politics of Nebraska will continue to interest me as long as I'm able to read and comprehend. The insulting first paragraph of the Tuesday, December 29, 2009 Dick Trail column "Our favorite Senator in action" should draw more than two responses from disgusted readers!...

Dick Trail's Dec. 29th column, "Our Favorite Senator in action‚" contained a few items that need qualifying remarks. While Mr. Trail maintains that Nebraska taxpayers will pay to the tune of $100 million or worse, the facts show otherwise. The CBO has estimated and has subsequently reaffirmed, that we will see savings between $160 billion to $1.3 trillion in deficit reduction related to healthcare costs...

NORTH PLATTE -- Would McCook High School boys basketball head coach Tim Garcia play Olivia Newton-John in the locker room before Bison games? 'Let's Get Physical' might become the theme song for the McCook boys after the Thursday, Dec. 31 50-40 loss to Columbus in the fifth-place final in the Greater Nebraska Athletic Conference Tournament at North Platte...

NORTH PLATTE -- McCook High School's wrestling team had a strong week of workouts over the Christmas break, and that showed in a successful performance at last Saturday's North Platte double-dual meet. The Bison beat Ogallala 45-27 and lost a controversial 37-36 decision to the host Bulldogs in the mat competition held at the North Platte High School gym...