Opinion

Last week, our education reporter delved into the rapidly changing events at the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) with an eye toward discovering how those changes would specifically affect Nebraska. Recent discussions of dissolving, or more likely, the downsizing and reassignment of vital functions of the department, has understandably stirred anxieties throughout the community and across the political spectrum...

Energy issues have been thrust into the national spotlight as Americans look to their elected leaders to lower the cost of living and power key industries in their states. Fortunately, Nebraska is leading the charge on energy affordability, and it has paid dividends for our state’s economy...

When is a residential move complete? Sure, one is reminded to have utility accounts disconnected and paid off. (Spending money for unnecessary things is always a good reminder!) The Post Office is cooperative about forwarding letters, but changing the address for all the other “necessary” mail that one receives seems to be an unending task. ...

Nebraska lawmakers are considering LB556, a bill that would lower the minimum age for prosecuting juveniles as adults from 14 to 12 and allow detention for youth as young as 11. The proposal responds to concerns about rising violent crime among younger offenders, but it also raises questions about how best to balance public safety with rehabilitation...

The Nebraska Legislature is currently considering a bill that has sparked debate over privacy, gun rights, and financial regulations. LB686, introduced by Sen. Dan Lonowski of Hastings, would prohibit the use of merchant category codes to identify firearm retailers, effectively blocking financial institutions from tracking gun-related purchases in Nebraska...

Many of us recall from Junior High School Civics, discussions of the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798, enacted under the administration of Federalist President John Adams. They arose from the escalating tensions of the “Quasi-War,” an undeclared naval conflict between the United States and France. ...

Moving completed; well, almost. I still have boxes to empty, shelves to fill, and pictures to hang, but for the most part, it is done. Now, to clean out the former home, twenty-plus years at that address, give away to friends and relatives the things we don’t need and have a final estate sale. ...

The current administration has made fentanyl interdiction a key variable in its ongoing trade talks, using the issue as leverage in negotiations with Canada and Mexico. As concerns about tariffs dominate economic discussions, the White House has tied drug trafficking enforcement to broader policy objectives, pressuring neighboring governments to take a more active role in stemming the flow of illicit opioids into the United States...

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s appointment as U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services has left many observers chagrined, and not just for the partisan reasons. His penchant for embracing the unconventional – whether it’s his well-publicized battle with a parasitic brain infection or his unsettling activities with dead bears – makes for entertaining copy, but his track record of co-opting conspiracy theories is more troubling. ...

June in McCook will be abuzz with fun events, including a Youth Summit, hosted by McCook Community Foundation Fund. Our young people in Youth Change Reaction will host the first Nebraska Community Foundation gathering for youth, which will bring youth from across Nebraska to McCook. ...

As images of Gaza’s devastation continue to fill the nightly news, it’s impossible not to wonder what the people there are thinking now. Hamas, the governing body of Gaza, was democratically elected in 2006. For years, even as conditions deteriorated, support for Hamas among Gazans remained strong—fluctuating with regional conflicts, but enduring...

Quoting from a General Aviation magazine that I receive: For sale: Thriving Aircraft Maintenance Facility with 2-bay hangar and office area. Fits Singles and twins. Forty+ local customers. (Then the bad news!) Based in Auburn Maine. Must have A&P/IA...

At this time of the year, 250 years ago, a group of curmudgeons who were frustrated with taxation found common purpose with starry-eyed idealists who were students of the enlightenment. The results of their combined efforts addressed the tax problem – for a time – but also created a form of government based on the concepts of liberty, fundamental human rights, and self-determination. The actions of the few upended millennia of feudalism, rigid socioeconomic stratification and cruelty...

Dear Editor, I appreciate the opportunity to provide clarification regarding recent discussions about the Red Willow County Fair Board and the use of the fairgrounds. While I respect Mr. Trail’s long history of service and his perspectives, I would like to correct some inaccuracies in his recent column to ensure the public has a clear understanding of the situation...

When the McCook Aquatic Center opened in July 2024, the sole goal was to get the doors open to the public. The fees were waived, thanks to a grant from the McCook Community Foundation Fund, just to get people through the doors quickly and into the water. And the hours were based on just recreational swim times with no other special opportunities offered the opening year...

Drive through the Red Willow County Fairgrounds and note the variety of buildings. Big arenas, government office buildings, a 4-H building which doubles for a place for auctions, barns for livestock, church food stands, and a place for community meetings complete with a kitchen. ...

Dear Editor: Truth doesn’t mind being questioned. A lie doesn’t like being challenged. The outcry rising from the deep state minions is one of self-preservation. They demand the courts stop Elon Musk and the DOGE boys from auditing our federal agencies, all of which come under the authority of the Executive branch. ...

Being a member of the McCook Community Foundation’s Fund Advisory Committee (FAC) is one of the true joys in my life. It is a great group of community-minded members who truly want to make our community a better place to live, work, and play. We all benefit from being surrounded by like-minded individuals who share our goals for the community...

The Associated Press (AP) has filed a lawsuit against the Trump Administration, alleging unconstitutional retaliation against its journalists for refusing to adopt government-mandated language. The dispute centers on the White House’s demand that the AP refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America,” a name introduced by executive order...

The Associated Press (AP) has filed a lawsuit against the Trump Administration, alleging unconstitutional retaliation against its journalists for refusing to adopt government-mandated language. The dispute centers on the White House’s demand that the AP refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America,” a name introduced by executive order...

The Biden administration’s nursing home staffing mandate, however well-intentioned, is fundamentally unworkable for rural communities. Last week, Sen. Deb Fischer took action to address this pressing issue by rolling out the “Protecting Rural Seniors’ Access to Care Act.” Her bill aims to counteract the administration’s unrealistic regulations and ensure that seniors in rural areas, particularly in Nebraska, continue to have access to quality care...

I received a tip from a pastor friend this weekend. “Go to our big box retailer and pick up a magazine titled A.I. (Artificial Intelligence). He was also of the opinion that A.I. was not very compatible with our understanding of the Christian faith...