Stories from Tuesday, September 27, 2011

McCOOK, Nebraska -- McCook Public Schools Superintendent Grant Norgaard confirmed Monday that the district has purchased the former Nebraska Army National Guard Armory from the state for $82,500. In August, following the McCook School Board's one-hour closed session, (allowed under law to discuss the acquisition of property), members authorized Norgaard to submit a sealed bid to purchase the armory...

DENVER -- U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Michael L. Connor today announced that SEMA Construction of Centennial, Colorado, has been awarded a contract of $15,346,900 to conduct extensive modifications of Red Willow Dam. The dam, located 10 miles northwest of McCook, Nebraska, was slated for repair after examinations by Reclamation crews in October 2009 discovered a sinkhole on the face of the dam...

DAWN CRIBBS Associate Editor McCOOK, Nebraska -- The idyllic landscape, the down-to-earth people and the inborn self-sufficiency of the culture on the High Plains may conspire to hide a deep dark secret, happening in neighborhoods and communities that line the north/south corridor formed by U.S. Highway 83...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- A Red Willow County, Nebraska, taxpayer shared with county commissioners Monday morning his concerns and observations about the possibility of building a county jail, and doing it without a vote by county residents. Another taxpayer, a rural McCook resident, told commissioners regarding a jail, "It's time to quit draggin' your feet." Her husband added, "We're going to have to have one."...

The Midwest Medical Helicopter landed on the McCook Bison football practice field just prior to 8 p.m., Monday evening. The aircraft's arrival and subsequent takeoff were part of landing zone training coordinated by the McCook Fire Department.

This is in response to another misleading column written by Dick Trail whose habit is to try to pass off his personal opinions as fact. This time, he's relying on his memory. In the column his memory does not serve him well. It did not serve your readers well, either, because the facts show his recollections are incorrect...

We put a lot of time and treasure into our educational system, but some students just don't quite fit in. Perhaps it's because of poor choices by the students themselves. Perhaps it's because of a disrupted homelife, pregnancy, illness or other factors beyond the student's control...

"The Rio Grande does not separate two nations, it joins two peoples. Mexico and the United States have a shared history, and a common future. And it is along this border where we will either fail or succeed in addressing the education, health care and transportation needs of our two peoples. ...

We did it. Sean Cappel, local McCook product, is now a full fledged Air Force pilot. With a little more training, the military services are always training, it is in their DNA, he'll transition into the F-16 "Viper" and be ready to set the world on fire. Ah the optimism of youth. There aren't any old bold fighter pilots -- it is a young men and women's game. Our whole community is to be thanked for turning out splendid young warriors like Sean and a host of others just like him...

CULBERTSON, Nebraska -- Donald K. Paulson, 76, died Monday (Sept. 26, 2011), at his home in Culbertson. Services will be announced by Carpenter Breland Funeral Home which is in charge of arrangements.