Stories from Monday, July 7, 2003

The McCook National Bank Seniors won 2-of-3 games against the Beatrice Seniors Friday and Saturday at the Jaycees Sports Complex in McCook. The McCook American Legion Juniors game on Friday against Cambridge was cancelled. MNB won the first game on Friday 4-2 over Beatrice. Matt Serbousek pitched a complete game victory...

The family of Bessie Wilcox is hosting a card shower in honor of her 95th birthday July 10. Her children are Gerald and Florence Wilcox of McCook, Charlotte Rogers of Indianola, Marie and Al Kuck of Smithfield, Betty and Bill Jussel of Grand Island and Doris Ruppert of McCook. She has 26 grandchildren, 72 great-grandchildren and 35 great-great-grandchildren. Cards will reach her at 605 East 14th St., McCook, NE 69001...

Quick, name what happens Nov. 27, 2003. How about May 11 earlier this year? For those who don't know, it's Thanksgiving and Mother's Day, respectively. Whereas these holidays float around to somehow match the government's designation (similar to its development of tax laws), other holidays are readily identified with a specific day each year. None more than the Fourth of July...

Though he only spent two years in McCook, those two years changed Henry Weeth's life. The education he received at McCook Junior College started him on the road to financial independence, which in turn allowed him to pursue his love of music. He never forgot MJC, and because of his and his wife's generosity, McCook College will be able to give back to the community, in their names, for years to come...

You've heard about a "Catch-22" situation. It's a term which came from a book by Joseph Heller, in which he describes a situation that you can't win, no matter what you do. In a way, that explains the dilemma faced by mid-sized Nebraska hospitals. ...

Dear Editor: On Friday, July 4, I visited my mother at 907 E. Fourth Street. I was outraged to see her neighbors to the north had pulled up the little flag and thrown it on the ground. In my opinion, and the opinion of many others, this is disrespectful and unpatriotic...

Dear Editor: The pool being closed has been a curse for sure and for certain but there has also been a blessing. At the store I now have the time to hear stories of some real local hero's. 1. An older woman angry at being told she needed surgery got on the Internet and found 19,000 sites on her problem and picked out two. Checked them out with the Better Business boys and spent nearly $50. Now 4 mouths later she is doing fine without surgery...

After this weekend, the term "roughing it" will take on added meaning at the state park locations in Southwest Nebraska. Because of budget cutbacks, the Nebraska Game & Parks Commission will do less maintenance and mowing at 85 state parks and recreation areas, including six locations in the southwest region...

CAMBRIDGE -- Jessie Lois Holliday, 90, died Saturday (July 5, 2003) at the Cambridge Memorial Hospital in Cambridge. She was born June 19, 1913, near Lyle, Kan., to James Robert Florence and Amanda (Campbell) Murphy. The family moved to Nebraska when she was two. She graduated from Lebanon High School in 1931...

ATWOOD -- Rosa Pearl (Ferguson) Pratt, 93, died Wednesday (July 2, 2003) at the Good Samaritan Center in Atwood. She was born Dec. 26, 1909, in Graham County near Hill City, Kan., to James Thomas and Emma Virginia (Carson) Ferguson. She attended rural grade school and graduated from Morland High School in 1928. She then attended Fort Hays State College during the summer months, after which she taught in a rural, one-room grade school in Graham County for five years...

McDONALD -- J. Marion Hallagin, 88, died Thursday (July 3, 2003) at the Good Samaritan Center in Atwood. He was born May 8, 1915, in Cheyenne County to Lee and Bertha (Banister) Hallagin. He was a heavy equipment operator for Rawlins County, a farmer, harvester and bus driver...

Red Willow County District Judge John Battershell overruled motions to suppress evidence that will now be used in a jury trial of a McCook man charged with possession and manufacture of methamphetamine. Battershell announced his decision July 1, denying motions from defense attorney Frank Shoemaker after a 7 1/2-hour hearing June 18. ...

Thirty years of silt and cattails have slowed the flow of water along the creek through Kelley Park in McCook. The resulting standing water creates a perfect habitat for mosquitoes which can transmit West Nile virus. To reduce the standing water and the possibility of flooding through the park, the City of McCook has started dredging the banks of Kelley Creek through the park...

The 1993 "State Champs" team defeated the McCook American Legion Alumni 6-1 on a hot Friday afternoon. The game featured nine players on the "State Champs" squad and 20 players on the alumni team. Rich Barnett started off the scoring for the "State Champs" in the third inning when he smacked a "triple."...

Tyler Bieck: When did you begin to play baseball? Derick Lorentz: Six years old. My dad got me into playing sports when I was young. TB: What positions do you play? DL: Third base and Pitcher. I pitch because that's the best place to be in baseball and it's fun watching opposing batters move out of the way on curve balls and splitters...

HASTINGS -- The McCook Rebels 16 and under girls fastpitch softball team finished third at the Class B state tournament Friday through Sunday at Hastings. The Rebels started the state tournament Friday with wins against the Goehner Rebels and Kelly's from Norfolk...

The McCook boys golf team paid off its bet with coach Ron Coleman Monday night at Heritage Hills Golf Course. Coleman bet the Bison golfers that they would have to shave their heads if they did not win the Class B state championship in May. But if the Bison won the state title, Coleman would have to lose all his hair. The Bison won and Coleman lost. Recent grads Serbousek and Nothnagel were the first Bison to start cutting...

Bill and Kelley Hanson of Holdrege (top) show off for Arapahoe-area relatives, trailing the Tri Valley Health System float on a bicycle-built-for-two in the Arapahoe Fourth of July parade while Thelma Matson (bottom picture) of Trenton collects money from her grandson, Aaron Matson, during the money dive at the Culbertson pool. ...

The McCook Police Department will be monitoring 10 public streets during July for speed enforcement operations. The areas will be monitored during random time periods throughout the day for the purpose of reducing the frequency of traffic violations, decrease traffic accidents and to enhance public safety...

Storm clouds bring rain, wind and lightning to ripe wheatfields north of Max Sunday evening. Max received .30 inches of rain while McCook was limited to .07. The Bureau of Reclamation office in McCook recorded .08 and Swanson Reservoir received .08. ...

CULBERTSON -- The storms stayed away from Culbertson Speedway, and that allowed the racers to treat the fans to some exciting racing Thursday night. Ronnie Wallace and Todd Chrisman of North Platte, Richie Wickizer of Palisade, Larry Pollmann of McCook, and David Wimer of Trenton were also treated to the big checks of the night, as they won the night's A Features...

McCook city administrators are requesting an independent consultant to examine the city's property casualty insurance. The consultant would review and evaluate the city's insurance coverage during the preparation of a Request for Proposals from insurance companies...

The safest way to enjoy fireworks is to attend an outdoor public display provided by professional pyrotechnicians, according to the McCook City and Volunteer Fire Department. Children between the ages of 10 and 14 are at the greatest risk of injury from fireworks, according to officials...

LIBERTY, Mo. -- Philip Arnold Orvis, 56, died Tuesday (July 1, 2003) at North Kansas City Hospital following a battle with the cancer Multiple Myeloma. He was born Sept. 6, 1946, in Orleans to Oliver and Camilla Orvis. He was raised in Wilsonville and graduated high school there. He attended McCook Junior College before becoming employed with United Airlines where he worked for more than 35 years as a customer service representative. He retired in 2001...