Stories from Friday, January 7, 2005

INDIANOLA -- Southwest High School senior Chelsea Morgan, a 5-foot-9 middle hitter, signed a letter of intent Thursday to play volleyball at North Platte Community College. "Chelsea has started the past two seasons in volleyball," said Southwest volleyball coach Dennis Troester...

McCook's Ray Miller bowled the first perfect game in the 44-year history of Willow Lanes Tuesday night. Miller was solid and true on his 12th straight strike to record his 300 game, said Rod Lytle, the manager at Willow Lanes. "They (the other bowlers) were cheering and clapping for him," Lytle said. "He was nervous -- he was shaking. I've come close, but you get nervous the last few shots."...

CAMBRIDGE -- Waid Vontz scored a game high 28 points in leading the Cambridge boys basketball team over Northern Valley in the opening round of the Cambridge Holiday Tournament on Thursday. Also in double figures for Cambridge was Brett Cribelli with 12 points and Anthony Lytle with 11...

BENKLEMAN -- The Chase County wrestlers took six out of nine matches from Dundy County and received two forfeits on the way to a 40-18 victory in dual wrestling action on Thursday. 103 Chad Cochran (CC) decisioned Zach Starks 112 Jake Matthews (CC) pinned Jordan Stroup...

McCook sophomore boys, girls teams fall to Lexington LEXINGTON -- The McCook sophmore boys basketball team was defeated by Lexington on Thursday, 38-30. Lexington went on an 8-0 run in the final three minutes to secure the victory. Josh Cherry led McCook with 12 points. Brett Burton added 8 points and 8 rebounds for the Bison...

"June," the cocker spaniel puppy, snuggles inside Justen Nokes's warm jacket, as Justen blows snow off a sidewalk in McCook Thursday afternoon. Justen said the puppy, who belongs to his girlfriend, Lindsey Zysset, was playing in the powdery snow until the snow blower started. The noise scared her, and Justen tucked her inside his jacket. The weather should be more fit for man-and-beast this weekend, as temperatures climb to around 50...

McCook City Council members will consider bids for equipment for the city's drinking water treatment system Monday. During the special council meeting, scheduled at 7 p.m., in the city council chambers in Memorial Auditorium, W Design/JHC Joint Venture will present a bid tabulation and recommendation of award to council members...

Because of Nebraska's term limits law, more than two-thirds of Nebraska's state senators are "lame ducks," which means that they are serving their last terms. Some -- like State Sen. Tom Baker of Trenton -- have only two years left on their terms. Others, who were elected in November to their second terms, have four years to go...

About this time every year, experts start warning everyone about being SAD and that's not just walking around without a smile on your face. Sufferers of "seasonal affective disorder" go through the winter yearning for more sunlight, the coming of sunrise and dreading the sunset...

Women Involved in Farm Economics today called for cattle producers and beef consumers to raise their united voice in protest against the proposed rules recently published by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) concerning the reopening of the Canadian border on March 7, 2005. ...

City of McCook employee Rick Province, center, McCook Police Officer Justin Pachner and McCook veterinarian Wayne Watkins, right, conduct an "emu rescue" about noon Friday, south over the steep bank at the west junction of U.S. Highways 6&34 and 83 in McCook. ...

TRENTON -- Authorities are investigating the death of a three-month-old female in rural Palisade in Hitchcock County. The Nebraska State Patrol, Hitchcock County Sheriff's Office, Red Willow County Sheriff's Office and Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services are involved in the investigation, according to D. Eugene Garner, Hitchcock County Attorney...

An Imperial man plans to ask the Nebraska Republican River Management Districts Association to take on a new role and support what he calls part of a solution to problems created by the settlement of the Kansas-Nebraska Republican River Compact lawsuit...

LINCOLN -- Doug Vap of McCook, was selected to be Chairman of the Nebraska Aeronautics Commission by his fellow commissioners on Dec. 17. The five commissioners are unpaid professionals, appointed by the governor, who volunteer their counsel and expertise to the Nebraska Dept. ...

At midnight on Jan. 1, Lincoln became smoke-free in its bars and restaurants, making some people happy and others anything but. I belong to the second category. It's an outrageous law. It infringes on personal freedom, individual choice, and a business owner's opportunity to make a buck...

Courts can be cold, impersonal places. That may be okay when law-breaking adults are involved, but it is tragic when children are forced to endure the consequences of their parents' criminal actions. That happens far too often, as was brought to light a year ago when Gov. Mike Johanns appointed a task force to study the problem of children's deaths in Nebraska. In the search for solutions, the task force determined that courts could and should do more to protect children...

The McCook boys basketball team held on down the stretch, defeating Hershey 53-47 Friday night at the McCook Senior High gymnasium. McCook led by just six at halftime of a fast paced game between the two teams, but that would be enough to stand, as both teams battled back and forth in the second half...

CAMBRIDGE -- Waid Vontz poured in 32 points to lead the Cambridge Trojan boys basketball team to a 63-51 victory over the Southwest Roughriders Friday night at Cambridge. The Trojans outscored Southwest 17-2 in the fourth quarter. Cambridge jumped out to a 19-12 first quarter lead, but the Roughriders tied the score at halftime 32-32 and led 49-46 after three quarters...

MCC men hold off Hastings JV 54-46 HASTINGS -- The McCook Community College men's basketball team improved to 9-6 with a 54-46 victory Friday night against the Hastings College junior varsity at Hastings. Brandon Butler, a 6-foot-6 sophomore post player from New Orleans, led the Indians with 20 points and 18 rebounds...

March 21, 1938-Jan. 4, 2005 YUMA, Colo. -- Phyllis Pauline (Kotschwar) Traphagan, 66, died Tuesday (Jan. 4, 2005) at the Yuma Life Care Center in Yuma, Colo., after a battle with cancer. She was born March 21, 1938, to Leo and Anastasia (Wasia) Kotschwar in Dickens. She was raised in McCook and graduated from McCook High School in 1956...

Brandon and Hollie Anderson of McCook announce the birth of a son, Tyler Lee. He was born Friday (Dec. 3, 2004) at Cambridge Community Hospital. He weighed 8 pounds, 5 ounces and was 21 inches long. He has a brother, Michael, 18 months. Grandparents are John and Julie Wayman of Bartley and the late Michael and Margaret Anderson. Great-grandparents are Lemoine and Geri Anderson of McCook and Polly Grim, also of McCook...