Stories from Monday, February 15, 2010

Nov. 13, 1937 - Feb. 12, 2010 OBERLIN -- Ray D. "R.D." Thornton, 72, died Friday (Feb. 12, 2010) at Decatur County Good Samaritan in Oberlin. He was born Nov. 13, 1937, in Nampa, Idaho, to Orval E. Thornton and Hazel L. McDonald. He grew up on a farm near Norcatur and graduated from Norcatur High School in 1955. He entered the U.S. Navy and served on an Amphibious Squadron...

Miss Nebraska Brittany Jeffers told students at Medicine Valley Public Schools during a visit in Curtis on Feb. 10, "I'm just like you. All I have is a crown that's pretty, but the crown isn't who I am." At MVPS and during a stop at the University of Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture, Jeffers talked about self esteem. ...

Young singers and dancers will share the stage with the Saggy Bottom Boys, singers from "Annie" and an award-winning yodeler from Arapahoe at the third annual Hometown Talent Showcase at McCook's historic Fox Theatre. The 2010 talent show will be presented Sunday afternoon, Feb. 28, at 2:30 p.m. Everyone is invited to attend. Free will donations will be accepted to benefit the Fox renovation project...

The Red Willow County Ministerial Association is joining with the Fox Theatre of McCook for a Lenten season presentation of The Passion of the Christ film. The graphic account of Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection will be shown Saturday at 7 p.m. A discussion period will follow...

Read the label. It's the first order of advice for anyone hoping for a successful diet or a healthy lifestyle. For years, food labels have carried information about the amount of fat, number of calories and recommended daily amount of various vitamins and minerals. Reading them is an eye opener for anyone wanting to lose weight, lower cholesterol, reduce sodium or avoid an allergen in their diet...

Some of the people who came to Western Nebraska in the early days were adventurers, or speculators, looking for opportunities to make a fast buck. But, after 1862, many were Homesteaders, looking for a new beginning, a chance to wrest a living from 160 acres of "free" government prairie land. ...

There is some very good news in the Administration's 2011 budget for 170,000 veterans who live in a 104-county area of Nebraska, western Iowa and parts of Kansas and Missouri. The aging VA Medical Center in Omaha that serves them is finally in line for much-needed makeover that I and many others in Omaha, and the VA system, have worked toward for years...