Stories from Wednesday, May 12, 2004

Bison senior excels in academics, leadership as well as three sports Trent Lyons' athletic career for the McCook Bison includes a pair of championships, a bushel of accolades and several records. However, the most amazing aspect of the three-sport star's time for the Bison is that Lyons has avoided major injuries while being a major workhorse for McCook the past four years...

HOLDREGE -- The McCook High School girls tennis team dropped 7-of-9 varsity matches Tuesday at Holdrege. The Bison victories came at Nos. 1 and 3 doubles. At No. 1 doubles, Kim Serbousek and Tausha Escher won 8-6. At No. 3 doubles, Angela Abercrombie and Jessica Chmiel won 8-5...

NESS CITY, Kan. -- The Jennings High School boys track team scored 23 points at the Ransom meet contested Tuesday at Ness City, Kan. The Coyotes placed ninth out of 18 teams. Five Jennings athletes did not compete because they were on their senior trip -- Adam Wahlmeier, Nathan Becker, Grant Bailey, Brett McKenna and Nick Wahlmeier...

Aug. 13, 1943-May 11, 2004 OMAHA -- Francis Eugene Jorgensen, 60, of Cambridge, died Tuesday (May 11, 2004) at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha after battling cancer and Parkinson's disease. He was born Aug. 13, 1943, to Lars Alfred and Mable Luceal (Foster) Jorgensen in Sidney. ...

The family of Elsie Kasten, formerly of McCook, is requesting a card shower in honor of her 96th birthday May 16. Cards of congratulation will reach her addressed to 2123 14th Ave., Central City, NE 68826.

Overnight, an election can change lives ... and communities. And so it is this morning in McCook, Red Willow County and the surrounding counties of Southwest Nebraska. The election brought 3,267 voters to the polls in Red Willow County. That is 42 percent of the registered voters in the county. While that may not sound like many, it's far better than the statewide turnout percentage...

I finally have my spring planting finished. Of course, my planting is done on a very small scale and is easily accomplished. I had some flower seeds to sow this year, something I've never tried before and, though I followed the package directions carefully, I have no idea how well they will do. My planting is haphazard at best -- I kind of set the plants out, keep them watered and weeded and hope for the best...

The top six vote-getters, led in Red Willow County by Crinda McConville and Duane Teter, will advance to the fall election to determine who fills the three available seats on the new Southwest Public Schools board of election. In Red Willow County, McConville got 388 votes, followed closely by Teter with 381. Bringing up the next four are: Steve Daffer, 229; Brad Randel, 224; Brian Holtze, 188; and Dennis Wasson, 177...

Cheers and applause erupted in the Red Willow County Courthouse on Tuesday evening as the final vote was counted and the announcement was made -- McCook Schools has the go-ahead to begin school improvements. Voters approved the project with a 197-vote margin, 1,306-1,109, or about 54 percent in favor to 46 percent opposed...