Stories from Tuesday, February 3, 2004

FAIRFAX, Iowa -- Lila I. (Blecha) Manley, 72, died Sunday (Feb. 1, 2004) at her home in Fairfax, Iowa after a long illness. She was born April 23, 1931, to Albert and Hattie (Wilkinson) Blecha in Benkelman. On June 25, 1950, she married Keith D. Manley. In the early 50s, she taught school in a one room schoolhouse in Nebraska and for 20 years she worked as a bookkeeper for farm equipment companies. Her husband died Feb. 2, 1981, in Yuma, Ariz...

The family of Clyde Daniels is hosting a card shower in honor of his 80th birthday Feb. 6. Cards of congratulations will reach him at RR2 Box 69, Stratton, NE 69043.

REXFORD, Kan. -- The Herndon High School boys basketball team improved its record to 14-1 with a 66-39 victory over Golden Plains at Rexford Monday night. The Beavers led 19-9 after one quarter and 34-18 at halftime. Herndon increased the margin to 56-23 after three quarters...

With an agenda item called "possible bid on West Ward School," Red Willow County commissioners generated discussion about a county jail during their regular meeting Monday morning. Open discussion on a county jail was Commission Chairman Earl McNutt's reason for putting the item on the agenda, he said, and he wants more. "We need to say 'Yes, build a jail,'" McNutt said, "or transport prisoners forever."...

A document from the Army Corps of Engineers finding no contamination at the former air base is nothing more than a "bogus" report with absolutely no meaning, Councilman Jim Kenny told fellow council members at the regular meeting of the McCook City Council Monday evening...

McCook City and Volunteer Firefighters were able to keep a fire from spreading to other structures Monday afternoon at a mobile home fire in McCook. "Even though the fire was brought under control quickly, it had been burning for some time before it was noticed by neighbors," McCook Fire Chief Marc Harpham said...

You're not going to believe this, but we've checked and rechecked and the answer keeps coming up the same: McCook School District 17 has the lowest cost per pupil by average daily attendance among Class 3 school districts in Nebraska. That's right, the lowest...

Have you ever heard so many people saying they wished it would snow? I'm right there with them. Of course, the snowblower is sitting there in the shed, rarin' to charge the driveway. It was all I could do to leave ol' red parked during this weekend's dusting, and use the noisy aluminum shovel to clear what little snow got in the way...

**Dear Editor, I would like to explain my letter of 1-27 A.D. 2004. Everyone has God or a false god. Whatever is first in your life is God or a false god. Everyone tithes to God or their false god. A false god will pacify but it will not satisfy. Your false god will disappoint you, sooner or later because a false god is not perfect. ...

**Dear Editor, The Iraqis will soon be allowed to vote. Unless they aren't allowed to. If they don't, President Bush will be forced to give them the democracy and bomb the evil-doers still hiding in caves. Or, hiding where Saddam used to live. If they do vote, they better vote for the right party, or the wrong party will get in there and have another uncivilized society, where they bomb everything, just like President Bush I was in charge the first time. ...

**Dear Editor, If, As Mr. Anderson states, a half truth is a lie then his whole letter regarding evolution is a lie. He promises, at the beginning to provide references for his facts but never does. I'd like to see the reference that affirms Hitler's belief in evolution...

**Dear Editor, I was very sad to hear Dr. Grove was leaving. He had been my husbands' and my doctor for a good many years. He was right there when you needed him. McCook does have very good doctors and Dr. Grove was one of the best. Good luck, Dr. Grove, wherever you go and God Bless you and your family...

**Dear Editor, I have been reading comments by a legislator and other writers about child abuse and neglect. A friend recently wrote about a law that Arizona has. She said that in Arizona, parents who, in their own feeling, can't take any more stress, should be able, in any state, to bring and leave their children, abandon their children, in the local police station, fire station and other designated places where authorities will see to the safety of the kids, and if placing them in new families or new homes is part of the solution, great; it is certainly better than killing (or neglecting) them. ...

**Dear Editor, After reading the opinion on BSE or Mad Cow Disease written by Mr. Cal Siegfried for the McCook Chamber of Commerce, I just had to respond. My issue is not against this opinion, but it is against not giving the rest of the story. After you, Mr. ...

The city of McCook will be moving forward with a plan it adopted in November 2002 and abandoned in March of 2003 -- with a few minor adjustments. Following a 3-2 vote at its Jan. 19 meeting to abandon the city's plans to locate a northern well field, the council has directed city staff members to undertake three steps in acquiring safe drinking water for the city of McCook. ...