Stories from Monday, March 1, 2010

This week, I'd like to highlight the work of our Nebraska State College System. These colleges offer a great value in higher education. The system consists of three colleges located in Chadron, Peru and Wayne. The Nebraska State College System began in 1861, the same year as Nebraska was admitted to the Union, as a resource to prepare teachers for their careers in the classroom. ...

GLASGOW, Ky. -- Rita Rose Oswald, 88, of Glasgow, Ky., died Saturday (Feb. 27, 2010) at the NHC Healthcare Center in Glasgow, Ky. Born in Lawrence she was the daughter of the late Lewis and Maggie Hartman Walz and the wife of the late John Oswald. Mrs. Oswald attended the St Helen's Catholic Church in Glasgow...

This week I wanted to talk about a bill that some of you parents with preschool aged children might find interesting. You may not have caught it, but the Legislature advanced LB 1006, introduced by Sen. Adams, to the second round of debate. It is a bill I support that changes the eligibility date for kids entering kindergarten...

Feb. 26, 1920 - Feb. 27, 2010 Lavern "Bud" Joseph Bender passed away February 27, 2010 in McCook, with his family at his side while celebrating his 90th birthday. He was born Feb. 26, 1920, in Humphrey, Neb., to Simon and Sabina (Abler) Bender. He was the fifth oldest child of ten...

FARNAM -- Gary Wach is in awe of the drive and the determination -- and faith -- that his great-grandparents must have possessed to leave their home in Russia and immigrate to a young, wild America 125 years ago. Gary's great-grandparents, Friedrich Hermann and Maragaretha Minna Nagel Wach, came to America with nine children in tow, and arrived on Ellis Island on June 18, 1885, the same day as the Statue of Liberty, Gary said. ...

April 3, 1928 - Feb. 26, 2010 TRENTON -- Edward Albert Bailey, 81, died Friday (Feb. 26, 2010) at Community Hospital in McCook. Ed was born on April 3, 1928, at Maringo, Neb., in Hayes County to Ervin N. and Millie F. (Bussard) Bailey. He attended rural country school...

Nov. 16, 1912 - Feb. 26, 2010 NORTH PLATTE -- Helen Delight (Van Meter) Pettit-Mitchell, 97, of Tryon and North Platte, died Friday (Feb. 26, 2010) at Linden Court. She was born Nov. 16, 1912, at Curtis to George Brown and Eva Irene (Wagoner) Van Meter. She attended School District 26 in McPherson County and high school at Nebraska School of Agriculture at Curtis, graduating in 1931. She also attended Doane College at Crete for 1 year...

STRATTON -- The Stratton Community Foundation reached a goal of raising $75,000 by Feb. 28, 2010, meeting a second challenge from the Robert and Jeanette Hunt family, owners of Great Plains Communications. Stratton residents had until Sunday evening to raise the final $2,000 of the challenge. "We made it," said Foundation board member Peggy McDonald, "with an extra $1,700 cushion."...

It's time for things to get back to normal. No more staying up late to see the figure skating, trying to understand the icing rule and the attraction of curling. The 2010 Winter Olympics are over, but Sidney Crosby's sudden-death overtime shot in the U.S.-Canada hockey game will linger on and on...

In thinking back over a period of many years I realize that I've spent a good bit of time in the barber chair, with many barbers -- enjoyable times that I fear I've pretty much taken for granted, and I'm sorry for that. So here's my belated salute to a few out of that grand group of fellows (and for most of my life the barbers were indeed males)...

LINCOLN -- The McCook High School swimming and diving teams fight a numbers game when it comes to state meet competition. There is only one school classification for Nebraska high school swimming and diving. The Bison are the smallest of the state's schools that compete in the sport, and that means that McCook doesn't have the squad numbers on the rosters compared to the much bigger Omaha and Lincoln squads. So when McCook scores points at state, it's probably considered a pretty big deal...

The McCook Community College women's basketball team might best be described as a blue-collar team. The hard-working Indians did a great job defensively Friday, Feb. 26, in slowing down a potent Northeastern (Colo.) Junior College squad. Unfortunately, the MCC offense couldn't pry the lid off the bucket in a 58-45 loss to the talented Sterling, Colo. squad...

It's the time of year when high school basketball teams, their coaches and fans go into sudden death mode. District tournament time means one loss and the season is over for most of the state's prep teams -- except for the few teams in contention for state tournament wild-card bids...