Stories from Tuesday, May 11, 2004

Oberlin JV 2-man duo place 7th at Phillipsburg meet PHILLIPSBURG, Kan. -- The Oberlin High School two-man team of Jace Robinson and Andy Gilliam placed seventh at the Phillipsburg Invitational Monday. Robinson fired an 88 and Gilliam 94 for a combined score of 182...

Hoping for the best but fearing the worst, Nebraska Gov. Mike Johanns has appealed for a disaster designation for 21 drought-stricken counties in western Nebraska. His action hits close to home because six of the parched dry counties are right here ... in the southwest corner of the state. The area counties -- all of which are in the midst of severe drought -- are Dundy, Chase, Hayes, Hitchcock, Red Willow and Frontier...

**Dear Editor, The McCook Art Guild wishes to commend Dr. Marchant, Mrs. Latta, Mr. Berry and others for finding innovative ways with grant monies, etc., to implement an art program for the elementary schools in the form of an after school art club...

**Dear Editor, There are far too many innocent U.S. civilian contractors being killed in Iraq. If those evil Iraqis don't want freedom, they should leave their own country and go elsewhere, such as the North Pole or Devil's Island. Then, they will be brought to justice by President G.W. Bush...

**Dear Editor, While June 21 marks the first day of summer, Memorial Day has long been the holiday more eagerly associated with the start of the season. That idea is pervasive and at times seemingly detrimental to the real purpose of the observance, which is to honor the memory of America's fighting men and women who died defending our nation. The observance usually includes the decoration of veterans' graves, and in fact, was originally known as "Decoration Day."...

Both sides were pulling out all the stops in today's McCook school bond election, with even Clifford the Big Red Dog being drafted into the fray. Today's vote will determine whether East Ward Elementary is closed and North Ward Elementary expanded and remodeled to concentrate elementary classes in one site. ...

Red Willow County commissioners and noxious weed specialist Bill Elliott disagree with a letter from the Nebraska Department of Agriculture regarding the spraying of musk thistle in some Red Willow County pastures. "It's not like we're not going to spray," Elliott told commissioners Monday morning. "It's just too early."...

Jan. 16, 1916-May 8, 2004 LINCOLN -- Ellen Gladys Alberts, 88, died, of Oxford, died Saturday (May 8, 2004) at Bryan LGH East Hospital in Lincoln. She was born Jan. 16, 1916, to LeRoy and Bertha (Gose) Brown in Trenton. She attended school in Trenton and graduated from Trenton High School in 1934. She received her teaching certificate in McCook and at Kearney State Teachers College. She taught school in Hitchcock and Red Willow Counties for over 25 years...