Stories from Thursday, February 17, 2005

The Cambridge High School girls basketball team advanced to the Nebraska Class D1-11 sub district finals by defeating Medicine Valley Tuesday night 68-42. Medicine Valley was able to stay relatively close to a good Cambridge team and only trailed at half by 11...

HASTINGS -- McCook's Krae Dutoit lit up the scoreboard for Hastings College Wednesday night with 29 points. But Dutoit's effort came in a losing effort as the Broncos lost in a tight game to Midland Lutheran 89-86. Hastings College's other leading scorers included Brad Toepfer with 17, Mike Snyder with 14 and Medicine Valley alumnus Kyle Campbell with 10...

TRENTON -- Hitchcock County Attorney D. Eugene Garner said this morning the cause of death of 3-month-old Kyla Nichae Martinez of Palisade has been classified as "undetermined" at this time. No charges have been filed and no arrests made, Garner said, since his office received an autopsy report this week on the baby girl's death Jan. 7. The report was prepared by P.W. Schilke, M.D., of the Regional West Medical Center, Western Pathology Consultants, Scottsbluff...

An announcement this morning by Nebraska Sen. Nancy Thompson that she would be resigning her post this summer is just a small sign of how term limits will affect the state capital. Nebraska Sen. Tom Baker told the McCook Chamber of Commerce Legislative Committee several lame duck senators have been approached with employment opportunities and he believes Sen. Thompson's resignation will be the first of many...

Sailors may be told to beware red skies in morning, but that shouldn't keep the rest of us from enjoying a spectacular sunrise. Southwest Nebraskans are enjoying mild weather this week, with a chance of showers on Saturday.

**Dear Editor, Just read about MTV and your high school -- what a joy. We need more schools like yours, or should I say "LEADERS" Everyone I have talked to said it made them feel better -- knowing there are people looking out for what is best for our area -- and not a bunch of no-care, money people. ...

**Dear Editor, This past weekend was the GNAC swim meet. There were lots of good young men and women competing there. I feel this story should be told because it is an example of the high quality of some of our young people in this great state. Jessica Hall is a senior at McCook High school and Mackenzie Porter is a senior at Hastings. ...

**Dear Editor: There are too many spooky leaders in foreign countries today. Suppose they might have an atomic bomb. What would the President do? That's right! Attack, invade and occupy them until they have democracy. Then our troops can go home. The evil terrorists must have bomb factories...

It's been a long time since I've had to use the words every parent has used at least a dozen times against their children. "Knock it off, or I'll stop the car and make you walk," hasn't been a part of my vocabulary since my oldest son went off and joined the Coast Guard in 1999. So you can imagine my surprise when the words escaped my lips on the trip home from Trenton one day...

Thank God someone could make the right decision by not promoting silly acts. ("Don't want their MTV -- School won't help cable network recreate 2003 graduation prank" (http://www.mccookgazette.com/story/1089068.html)) It's a funny high school prank, but impressionable youth's don't need to be encouraged all over the nation. Which MTV's cool, "it's all good" attitude would defend their reason of why this is no big deal...

Pat on the back to both school boards ("Don't want their MTV -- School won't help cable network recreate 2003 graduation prank" (http://www.mccookgazette.com/story/1089068.html)). When UN-L allowed filming of a "youth oriented" bit on campus featuring Tommy Lee it did nothing but garner criticism and make the University a laughing stock. It's nice to see some of our public servants remembering why the institutions exist, education not entertainment...

Beginnings, endings and life-saving escapes. These are all part of the ebb and flow of community life, as reported in the newspapers of Southwest Nebraska. Recent editions are typical, telling of a new industry in Palisade, a doctor's retirement in Benkelman and a carbon monoxide scare in Curtis...

I enjoyed the quote selection from Connie Jo Discoe for this story ("Don't want their MTV -- School won't help cable network recreate 2003 graduation prank" http://www.mccookgazette.com/story/1089068.html). It's unfortunate that no quotes or references were made to the McCook School Board of Education members who supported the proposal -- I'm sure those three had a valid argument. ...

Dec. 19, 1929-Feb. 15, 2005 HAYES CENTER -- Earl Dale Brush died Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2005, at his home in Hayes Center at the age of 75. He was born Dec. 19, 1929, in Bartley to Lewellyn and Rosa Belle (Crosby) Brush. He grew up in Bartley where he received his education and also began farming on the family farm...

Sept. 24, 1947-Feb. 15, 2005 NORTON, Kan. -- Jane E. Boxler, 57, died Tuesday (Feb. 15, 2005). She was born Sept. 24, 1947, to Peter John and Aileen (Brunson) Boxler in Norton, Kan. She was raised in Norton until 1955, when the family moved to Jefferson, Wis. They moved back to Norton in 1996. She attended school at St. Coletta School in Jefferson...

Nov. 27, 1917-Feb. 14, 2005 ATWOOD -- Royal Raymond Chessmore, 87, died Monday (Feb. 14, 2005) in Hays, Kan. He was born Nov. 27, 1917, to Asahel Raymond and Katherine Cecilia (Koski) Chessmore in Ludell. He attended grade school in Ludell and was a graduate of Atwood High School. He attended college at Dodge City Community College and Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kan. He left college to run the family farm east of Atwood...

The family of Don and Joan Schamel is hosting a card shower in honor of the couple's 50th anniversary Feb. 20. The couple married in 1955 in McCook. Cards of congratulations will reach the couple at No. 6 Wedgewood Drive, McCook, NE 69001.