Stories from Friday, March 21, 2003

A crowd of more than 75 people filled the spacious meeting room at Community Hospital this morning to celebrate the grand opening of McCook Clinic's new $3.2 million building. "Let us rejoice," said Community Hospital President Gary Bieganski. "This is a day of celebration."...

The construction of the new Kiplinger Equestrian Arena on the Red Willow County fairgrounds in McCook is complete. The facility is now ready for use by the public. The first scheduled event is Wednesday, March 26, when Southwest Implement of McCook will host a "John Deere Expo." Bob Loghry of Southwest Implement said, "It is a wonderful facility for agricultural functions such as ours."...

Few segments of our society face as many challenges as health care. Increasing costs, decreasing Medicare reimbursement, an aging population, insurance issues all make the job of providing quality medical service more difficult. But an event this morning is a sign of the confidence local providers have in the healthcare industry and their community...

Dear Editor, I have been very concerned about the budget cuts to public education, but the problem really came to light for me when I asked my seventh grade speech students to select a persuasive speech topic. Without any prompting from anyone, five of the students chose topics about budget cuts for public education and how it is going to affect their school...

Whether you approve of the war with Iraq or not, it has begun and the U.S. troops are over there fighting for us. For months, the news has been filled with little else but the impending conflict. For weeks, the ultimatums filled political speeches. And for days now, the planes have been flying and the troops have been moving. ...

Bad luck and trouble are my only friends. I've been in trouble since I don't know when. If it wasn't for bad luck, I wouldn't have no luck at all ... "Born Under a Bad Sign" -- written by Booker T. Jones and William Bell of Booker T. and the MG's and later re-interpreted by Cream...

HAMLET -- Jim Taylor, 84, died Thursday (March 20, 2003) at the Chase County Community Hospital in Imperial. Survivors include his wife, DeLores of Hamlet; daughters, Cindy and husband, George Hallett of Imperial, Lorna Taylor of Rosamond, Calif., and Doreen "Dodi" and husband, Gary Mohr of Enders; a son, Joshua Taylor of Parker, Colo.; sisters, Frona and husband, Leonard Kerchal and Anita and husband, Bill Reade all of Benkelman; five grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren...

OBERLIN -- Dorothy Eva Fisher, 99, died Tuesday (Dec. 24, 2002) at the Mariner Health Center in Denver, Colo. She was born June 23, 1903, in Oberlin, to William and Mary (Zwickle) Cook. She graduated from Decatur Community High School with the Class of 1921. She lived and worked in Oklahoma for a time and later moved to Denver...

Charles Levi Nealeigh died Wednesday, March 19, 2003, at the El Dorado Manor in Trenton, at the age of 91. He was born Nov. 29, 1911, in Hitchcock County, the son of the late William and Amy (Perkins) Nealeigh. Charles grew up in the Cornell Community where he graduated from country school. ...