Stories from Thursday, February 14, 2002

I hope the fairboard isn't intimidated into closing down the race track in McCook. It's good not only for us race fans, but for other McCook businesses. The racing has even created a need for a new car parts store, aimed at those of us who like fast cars and hot, souped-up hotrods...

CAMBRIDGE -- Alva O. Max, 70, died Tuesday (Feb. 12, 2002) at the Cambridge Memorial Hospital. He was born on Aug. 9, 1931, to Jacob and Carrie (Lawson) Max near Orafino in Frontier County. He served in the U. S. Army from 1952 to 1954. On May 17, 1959, he married Carol Ruppert in McCook. The couple made their home in the Orafino and Stockville area. He was a farmer, a seed dealer for DeKalb for 25 years, and a field rep for Midwest Livestock of McCook...

BELLA VISTA, Ark. -- Eugene Vearl League, 84, died Friday (Feb. 8, 2002) at his home in Bella Vista, Ark. He was born March 7, 1918, to Ray Edwin and Anna League in Haigler. He graduated from Stratton High School. He graduated from Colorado Springs Bible College and from the Aviation Institute of Denver in 1940. He was ordained in the Pilgrim Holiness Church in 1940 and by the Independent Fundamental Churches of America in 1952...

A recent study shows a direct correlation between spending too much time in front of the television and an early onset of Alzheimer's. For some reason my publisher felt the need to point that out to me the other day. It could have had something to do with the story I was telling about my husband and our remodeling project. I simply interjected someone else's name in place of Brad's...

Average citizens, those who aren't race fans, have no idea the impact of racing on McCook. The promoter leases the track from the fair board, so that's money for the fair board it wouldn't have if the track wasn't being used. Look at the track as the business it is. It has a boss -- the man who takes the risks. It has employees, probably 20 or so during the 2001 season. It pays a lease for the use of the property. It pays for the water it uses. It advertises...

I race in McCook, and because we can't let my hobby use up more than its share of the family's income, we don't pull the car to other tracks. If the track leaves McCook, my family and I won't be able to race. Please don't take away one of the few past times everyone in the family enjoys...

Racing brings money into McCook. As a McCook businessman, I like the money it brings in on Friday night. Promote racing, and you'll promote McCook at the same time. If racing is pushed out of McCook, the money spent on entertainment, meals, gas, car parts and repairs, and miscellaneous shopping -- and yes, even the city sales tax that accompanies all these purchases -- will be lost...

Congratulations to the McCook college baseball team on losing two games. Huh? That's right, congratulations. Despite the scores -- 3-2 and 19-6 in Colorado Springs at the hands of the Air Force Academy junior varsity, they were the first games ever played by a McCook college mens baseball team...

If there is one thing most of us are proud of, it's our home. There are a few exceptions, of course, but drive around McCook, and you'll notice that most homes reflect the pride of their owners. Keep your eyes open, and you'll see numerous projects under way, from new homes going up on the golf course, to major renovations of older homes, to minor remodeling work...

Every day I see in the newspapers, in the magazines and hear on the radio and see on TV reasons for the shape of our country. People would like to know when, where and why it all started. Older folks have probably forgotten. The younger kids didn't realized...

Whoa! What has Culbertson ever done to you? Don't you know we already have a race track, we are a city with mostly elderly people, and already, we can't sleep nights there are races and a week before with all the noise. Sorry, but that's your problem, so keep it in McCook -- we have our own noisy cars. Thanks but no thanks...

BENKELMAN -- Doyle D. Criger, 59, died Tuesday (Feb.12, 2002) at Benkelman. He was born July 12, 1942, to George Lester and Edna Leila (Sylvia) Criger at Parks, Nebraska.  He attended school in Parks and graduated from Parks High School in 1960. On Dec. 20, 1964, he married Arlene G. Edwards in Benkelman. They made Benkelman their home...