Stories from Wednesday, May 21, 2003

Steve Clapp said he won't try to "fill the shoes" of Jim Steinke, who is retiring after 31 years of coaching in the McCook school system. Most of Steinke's tenure was spent as the McCook High School girls track coach, and Clapp was his main assistant for 25 years...

PALISADE -- Matilda "Tillie" Romine, 75, died Tuesday (May 20, 2003) at Great Plains Regional Medical Center in North Platte. She was born June 20, 1927, to Exie and Laura Taylor Brown. She attended school in Palisade. In 1947, she married Wayne Romine. They lived south of Hamlet on their family farm. They moved to Oregon in 1967, and she returned to the area in the early 1980's...

Mona "Monie" Mae Padgett died Monday (May 19, 2003) at Community Hospital of McCook. She was 66 years old. Monie was born Oct. 26, 1936, at Wallace, to Pascal Carter and Valda Fern (Comstock) Padgett. She graduated from McCook High School in 1955. ...

RIDGECREST, Calif. -- N. Christine Moore, 82, died Sunday (May 18, 2003) at her home in Ridgecrest, Calif. She was born May 26, 1920, in Beaver City, to Clarence and Rose Anna (Minniear) Axtell. She grew up at Danbury where she graduated from Danbury High School in 1938. She received her associate of arts degree from McCook Junior College in 1940...

BENKELMAN -- Maxine M. Shafer, 87, of Benkelman, died Sunday (May 18, 2003) at the Northern Colorado Medical Center in Greeley, Colo. She was born Dec. 7, 1915, at Max, to George and Civilla (Boyles) Mills and grew up in Max where she attended school. She was a member of the 1934 graduating class of Max High School...

Travel this great land through and through -- from north to south and east to west -- and you will not find anyone better qualified than Frank B. Morrison to personify the finest traditions of American politics. Frank, who celebrated his 98th birthday Tuesday, remains an imposing presence, standing well over six feet in height and speaking with a booming, gravelly voice that surpasses the stump appeal of southern "Boss Hogg" types...

Saturday afternoon, I attended my best friend, my heart's twin, as she walked down the bridal path to pledge her heart to her husband. Her gown was a vision of loveliness, the ivory satin shimmering as it trailed behind her as she traveled the few remaining yards that remained between her and her beloved...

PHOENIX, Ariz. -- Former McCook resident, Bob Prest, has two sculpted pieces on display in the Capturing the Wild exhibit at Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix, Ariz. The show is a commemoration of 100 years of the National Wildlife Refuge System featuring the work of thirty artists with fifty pieces on display...

Tyler Woolwine of McCook takes his cousin, Dakota Gustafson of Kearney, for a ride in the sunshine, past a hedge of blooming lilacs. The last trip around the block, it was Dakota's sister Kalaya's turn to ride.

Paintings by McCook native Beth Poore-O'Hanlon will be on display through the month of June at the McCook Art Guild in downtown McCook. The paintings -- in oil and pastels -- range from abstract renditions to realistic reflections of Nebraska vistas. Poore-O'Hanlon grew up in McCook and graduated from high school in 1977...

The completion of a second obstetrics room for Community Hospital of McCook provided an opportunity for the Board of Directors to tour one of the new rooms at the hospital. For the past several months, the board has been scheduled to take a tour of the new rooms, but each time it was scheduled for a tour, the room was occupied, explained Gary Bieganski, hospital president...

The Rural Enterprise Assistance Project and its Women's Business Center, in conjunction with McCook Community College and the Nelson Fellows program, is offering a basic eCommerce course for small business owners. The four-part course starts Thursday in Walsh Brady Room 130 on the McCook Community College campus, and will go from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m...

West Ward teachers and students will say goodbye and celebrate 78 years of education at West Ward, 300 West Fourth, 1 p.m., Friday. The celebration will include entertainment, refreshments and a special visit from Miss Rodeo America Lori Bortner of McCook. The public is invited to attend...

Suppose a '58 Chevy -- like this one in a pasture near Silver Creek -- will be all souped up and on display this weekend during the re-scheduled Ray Moffitt Memorial Car Show in McCook? The car show (rained out May 10) will be in Barnett Park from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. Car show organizer Terry Sitzman of McCook will award trophies to the top street rods, classics and motorcycles and vehicles exhibited by owners age 21 and younger. The grand prize will be the "Ray Moffitt Memorial Trophy."...

CAMBRIDGE -- The Cambridge High School boys golf team blasted the field on its home course Tuesday to win the Nebraska Class C2-4 District title. The Trojans posted a 327 score on the Cross Creek Links to win the district, and earned a trip to the Class C2 state tournament May 28-29 at Lincoln's Holmes Golf Course...

GOTHENBURG -- Five McCook High School golfers shot scores of 77 and lower Tuesday and the Bison ran away with the Nebraska Class B-4 District title. The Bison posted a 301 team score at the Wild Horse Golf Course in Gothenburg to win the district title by 12 strokes over Gering...

Travel this great land through and through -- from north to south and east to west -- and you will not find anyone better qualified than Frank B. Morrison to personify the finest traditions of American politics. Frank, who celebrated his 98th birthday Tuesday, remains an imposing presence, standing well over six feet in height and speaking with a booming, gravelly voice that surpasses the stump appeal of southern "Boss Hogg" types...