Stories from Wednesday, December 12, 2001

Babies are not safe around me. Well, actually, they couldn't be safer. Anyone who gets between me and a cuddling-sized baby is in imminent peril. As faithful readers know, growing up, all I ever really wanted to be was a wife and a mother. I simply didn't realize the enormous responsibility nor the tremendous workload associated with such a calling...

Gail Thomas Collicott YUMA COUNTY, Colo. -- Gail Thomas Collicott, 48, of Max, died Friday (Dec. 7, 2001), in Yuma County as a result of an automobile accident. He was born Aug. 21, 1953, at Benkelman to LaVoine and Opal (Myer) Collicott. He attended school in Haigler, graduating from Haigler High School in 1972. ...

Lee Eugene Beeson BIRD CITY, Kan. -- Lee Eugene Beeson, 76, died Monday (Dec. 10, 2001) at the Good Samaritan Village in St. Francis, Kan. He was born Sept. 7, 1925, in Cheyenne County, Kan., to Earl Foster and Mary Jane (Penn) Beeson. He was a farmer and rancher...

Onamae Ratcliff-Dechert ATWOOD -- Onamae Ratcliff-Dechert, 93, died Monday (Dec. 10, 2001) at the Good Samaritan Center in Atwood. She was born June 3, 1908, at Yakima, Wash., to Charles Edgar and Margaret Mae (Biddle) Minnick. In 1928, she married Dewey J. Ratcliff. He preceded her in death on Oct. 23, 1980...

Virginia M. (Howard) Griffith CLAYTON, Kan. -- Virginia M. (Howard) Griffith, 81, died Tuesday (Dec. 11, 2001) at the Decatur County Hospital in Oberlin. She was born March 7, 1920, at Stockton, Kan., to Fred and Elizabeth (Montgomery) Howard. She graduated from Logan High School and Kansas State University...

Dear Editor, I have been given the reasons for the price that was given to Mr. Harris. From what I was told, the price was fair to Mr. Harris. I agree with the answer that was given me. I believe that the public should also know what took place; that should be up to the person who told me. The City Council must realize when you are spending the taxpayers' dollars, they should do it wisely and prudently...

Dear Editor, I agree with everything the writer of the Nebraska BCS editorial wrote, but was shocked to discover the writer had left out one of the most joyful reasons to celebrate this past weekend. If I might borrow from a well-known advertising promotion:...

Dear Editor, What is a democracy? According to Merriam-Webster Online, a democracy is A: a "government by the people; especially: rule of the majority. B: a government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free elections."...

Nebraska's youth are guaranteed a free public education, but what does a free education entail? What should a student be entitled to and what should a student have pay for? The three R's? Reading, writing and arithmetic are obviously covered. Extra-curricular activities? That is when the issue becomes fuzzy. Should a school have to pay for everything it offers or should student fees help cover the costs?...

John C. Pollmann John C. Pollmann, 83, died Tuesday (Dec. 11, 2001) at Community Hospital of McCook. He was born April 20, 1918, at Culbertson to Henry W. and Anna (Volroth) Pollmann. He lived in the Culbertson area all his life. He attended rural schools...