Stories from Tuesday, September 17, 2002

McCook Mayor Linda Taylor will begin looking at applications of possible replacements for the City Council seat left open with the resignation of Chris Overman at its next regular meeting, Monday, Oct. 7. The Council declared the seat open at its meeting Monday night, paving the way for anyone interested in filling the three month term until a new Council member, elected in the Nov. 4, general election, is sworn in on Dec. 2...

With two confirmed cases of the West Nile virus in North Platte, and one near death, and confirmed cases of the virus in horses and birds in Red Willow County, what precautions are being taken by either the McCook schools or the city of McCook to protect our young people and the McCook Bison fans for Friday night's game at Weiland Field?...

Dear Editor, Why is it there is such a plethora of bad news in the world today in the newspapers, on radio and TV? Rapes, murders, robberies, a collapsing economy, terrorism here and around the world, top ranking people in huge companies doing false financial reporting and raking in hundreds of millions of dollars (robber barons), at the expense of shareholders and employees etc, etc.?...

Dear Editor, If the cheat-off crowd thinks the $1 check-off is doing them good, why don't they put in $20 for more profit. Quit rustling from everybody else! How many agents do they have hunting, persecuting and damaging those who want to do their own promoting! Churches have the same goal -- heaven, not hell, but disagree on how!...

During the next three months, the makeup of the McCook City Council will change considerably, with at least three new members, and possibly four, taking places on the city's governing board. Major changes were already in the works. As is the case once every four years, three council positions were up for election this year. ...

Therapeutic horseback riding is credited with improving flexibility, balance and muscle strength in people with physical, cognitive and/or emotional disabilities. What doesn't always show on the outside, or in all the scientific research, is the pure joy of being around and riding a horse. The serenity ... the sense of accomplishment ... the animal's unconditional love...

Details are being finalized for the arrival of two historic aircraft in McCook next week for Heritage Days and the McCook Army Air Base Historical Society. The world's only flying B-29 Superfortress, "Fifi," will arrive at the McCook Municipal Airport on Monday and leave a week later, on Monday, Sept. 30...

The McCook Public Schools' board of education adopted a $14.4 million budget for the 2002-2003 school year following a public hearing late Monday afternoon. Board members, the superintendent and the finance director sat alone during the hearing; no one from the public appeared for the hearing or for the special meeting that followed...

Law enforcement officers apprehended a runaway from the Work Ethic Camp in McCook early Monday evening, about three hours after staff saw him running into a cornfield northwest of the camp. Offender Steven Crewdson had been sentenced to the work camp from Otoe County, on a charge of felony criminal mischief. He had been at the camp for a week...

On Feb. 7, the Fox Theater will be the site for Everything Under The Sun, the piano/vocal duo of Diane Penning and Rich Ridenour. The duo plays songs from George Gershwin, Irving Berlin, Harold Arlen, Cole Porter, Jacques Offenbach, Leonard Bernstein and Sigmund Romberg...

The McCook Concert Association will be campaigning for new members of its four part professional concert series. The campaign, which concludes Friday, offers season tickets which admit the person into all four of the concerts in McCook, Cozad, North Platte or Holyoke, Colo...

One summer night, when I was 14 or 15 years old, I woke up after midnight and couldn't get back to sleep. I tossed and turned, even tried counting sheep, but nothing helped. Finally I decided it was hopeless and tip-toed out of bed. I paced through the dark rooms of our farm house, looking out every window. The moon was shining brightly. It was almost like daylight outside...

IMPERIAL -- Lois Ruth (McFadden) Molzahn, 83, died Sunday (Sept. 14, 2002) at Chase County Hospital in Imperial. She was born Oct. 27, 1918, to Troy and Edna Mae (Beck) McFadden. She grew up on a farm east of Imperial. She attended school in Rural District 21, Chase County High School and the University of Nebraska at Kearney. She taught in Rural District 23 Northeast of Imperial after receiving her education...

ASHLAND -- Marvin "Shorty" L. Gerard Sr., 55, died at his home in Ashland. He was born Dec. 14, 1946, to Charles Marvin and Edna Mae (Nelson) Gerard in McCook. He attended McCook Schools, graduating in 1964. After graduation, the family moved to Loveland, Colo., to farm...