Stories from Wednesday, February 5, 2003

Zachary Rokusek, 11, joined hundreds of other McCook students at Kelley Park for sledding Monday afternoon during a rare snow day. Forecasts call for occasional snow flurries Thursday, but no other snow is expected any time soon.

I don't understand why we have to pay for clean drinking water wells, when 99% of it is used to water lawns, wash cars, baths, dishes, laundry, etc. Why can't we save the money and just drink bottled water? Most everyone that I spoke with about this issue already uses bottled water for drinking...

I would like to say Mr Smock was a great teacher, all three of my kids had him in school and he will be greatly missed.

A special section in today's edition points out problems and progress in dealing with heart disease, but most of us don't need a reminder of the dangers the ailment poses. Few of us have been spared the loss of a family member or friend because of heart disease. Many of us already have, or will have, heart disease ourselves...

KEARNEY -- The University of Nebraska at Kearney has retired the jersey of record-setting UNK quarterback and McCook High School football standout Justin Coleman during the basketball game with Fort Hays State on Tuesday night. Coleman, who wore No. 5, is only the third Loper to have his jersey retired. The others were Randy Rasmussen in football and Tom Kropp in basketball...

The Nebraska Department of Roads will let bids Thursday on a Red Willow County bridge project that has been in the works since 1992. The bridge southwest of Danbury, near the Sauvage feedyard, is 80-90 feet long and could cost between $300,000 and $350,000, county surveyor Gary Dicenta guessed during a commissioners' meeting Tuesday afternoon...

Faced with only three options, the McCook Parks Advisory Board has decided to recommend that the city of McCook remove the captive deer herd at Barnett Park. The three options examined by four members of the committee Tuesday included keeping the deer in the park, transferring them to another licensed zoo facility or requesting the assistance of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission which would use the herd for research on Chronic Wasting Disease. ...

Canadian folk/pop duo Easily Amused will play at the McCook Community College student center at 11:45 a.m. Thursday. Renee Lamoureaux and Keith Macpherson are on a six-week tour in the United States and are in the middle of recording their second album. ...

As the first ever housing director for McCook, Sheila Hrnchir says her mission is crystal-clear. "The ultimate goal is to provide safe, affordable housing for the McCook community and the surrounding area," she said. After receiving a $40,000 housing grant late in 2002, the McCook Economic Development Corp. immediately set about the task of hiring a director...

NORTH PLATTE -- A free farm and ranch clinic is set for Tuesday, Feb. 11 in North Platte. Farmers and ranchers who wish to have a free meeting with an experienced ag law attorney and ag financial counselor should call Michelle at (800) 464-0258.

Southwest Nebraska Habitat for Humanity will host an informational meeting Sunday, 3 p.m., at the McCook Senior Center. Habitat for Humanity is excited to provide a family with the opportunity to build their simple, decent house with the help of volunteers in our community and invites the community to attend this meeting to learn first-hand what Habitat for Humanity is all about. ...

Everything Under The Sun will play the Fox Theater on Friday, but not the original duo of Diane Penning and Rich Ridenour. Penning will not appear with Ridenour because of family problems, but Kathy Wagner, who is well-know for her extensive vocal repertoire, will appear in McCook for the McCook Concert Association performance...

Once again, we are reminded of the fragility of this reality we call life. When I attended school at Stevens Elementary on Capitol Hill in Denver, my fourth grade science teacher encouraged my interest in the solar system with the prediction that I would become the first woman in outer space...

STRATTON -- Marjorie S. Rath, 84, died Saturday (Feb. 1, 2003) at Presbyterian -- St. Luke's hospital in Denver, Colo. She was born Feb. 16, 1918, at Sutton, to Hall E. and Mabel C. (Chambers) Beattie. At the age of 14 months, following the death of her mother, she went to live with her aunt and uncle, Cora and Victor Anderson, who raised her as their own in their home at Ragan...