Stories from Friday, March 25, 2005

Southwest standout to play volleyball at Kansas INDIANOLA -- Southwest High School volleyball standout Savannah Noyes signed a letter of intent to play volleyball at the University of Kansas, coached by Ray Bechard. Noyes was selected to the RVL All-Conference Volleyball team and also was placed on the C-2 State Tourney Team...

McCook High School senior Sara Cappel signed a letter of intent Tuesday to play volleyball at McCook Community College. Her high school coach Krystal Weber was not available for the signing, but she e-mailed some comments to the Gazette. "Sara will be a great fit in coach McConville's quest to build the volleyball program at MCC," Weber said...

SCOTTSBLUFF -- The McCook Community College softball team dropped both ends of a doubleheader Wednesday at Scottsbluff. The Indians lost the opener to Western Nebraska 7-5 and the nightcap 11-3 in five innings. The Indians lost the first game when the Cougars scored two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning and two in the fifth...

CAMBRIDGE -- The Chase County-Imperial High School boys and girls track teams swept the titles at the Don Stine Invitational at Cambridge Wednesday. The Chase County boys scored 195 points and the girls 184. Cambridge finished second in the boys division with 155 points, followed by Alma 82, Wauneta-Palisade 76, Cheylin 7 and the Cambridge junior varsity 6...

By Connie Jo Discoe Regional Editor CURTIS -- Rattlesnakes are a fact of life in the pastures and on the prairies of the Golden Plains, and the humans who have to cohabitate with these poisonous reptiles must use caution -- always. Norm Liakos, a teacher, counselor and coach at Medicine Valley High School in Curtis, is very familiar with the results when caution is cast aside, even for a few minutes. ...

After months of deliberations, a lawsuit demanding the removal of bleachers that did not meet city code and the ultimate removal of those bleachers, guests at the Kiplinger Arena will once again have a place to sit. "This fiasco is finally over," Deb Lafferty, Red Willow County fairboard manager told the Gazette this morning after receiving a Certificate of Occupancy from McCook Building Inspector Doyle Wineland...

With the state facing ever- increasing Medicare and Medicaid costs, a lobby to give illegal immigrants driver's licenses is meeting strong resistance in Lincoln. Nebraska Sen. Tom Baker told the McCook Legislative Committee Thursday, he has been lobbied by a group asking that driver's licensed be issued to illegal immigrants...

The McCook Area Crimestoppers is offering a $1,500 reward for information leading to the arrest of the person or persons responsible for the murder of David Moreau. Moreau was found dead outside his home on or about July 18. Red Willow County Attorney Paul Wood ruled the death a homicide, citing blunt force trauma to the head as the cause of death...

Once in a while, I stumble across something that is just too good not to pass on. Such was the case when the "The Good Wife's Guide" fell into my hands by, of all people, my husband. Published in Housekeeping Weekly, May 13, 1955, the article lists in detail how to be a "Good Wife."...

Throughout the Golden Plains, farmers and businessmen are talking about the beneficial effects of the rain that fell earlier this week. "It was a multi-million dollar rain for this area," said John Hanson, ag loan officer at the McCook National Bank...

**Dear Editor, I must agree that King George and the Republican Guard have no business getting involved in this issue, but then neither dues her husband["Vain hopes" (http://www.mccookgazette.com/story/1092240.html)]. As far as I'm concerned, you don't get to pick which wedding vows to forsake; honor them all, or forsake them all...

**Dear Editor, After reading your column, I think it has just gotten "better than this."["Can't get any better than this" (http://www.mccookgazette.com/story/1092107.html)] The afterglow of this show continues with many many people that make a point to tell myself and cast members how much the "Fiddler" was enjoyed. SWNCTA experienced a new record total attendances of 1327. SWNCTA put together over 70 people that dedicated themselves to a temporary hard-working and forgiving family...

**Dear Editor, I went to the irrigation meeting on March 10 where they explained the Integrated Management Plan Draft for the Lower Republican. I knew that we would have allocations, but I never expected to be told that my allocation for my well for the '05 year would be 2 inches. ...

**Dear Editor, I would like to offer a challenge to Robert A. Yost concerning his letter of 3-23 A.D. 2005. Read on if you dare, Robert. "... all that hate me love death." (Proverbs 8:36B). The problem that this scripture presents to the unbelievers is that they hate the thought of their own death, but any other kind of death is just fine...

While two area lakes are showing some signs of im-provement, much more rain will be needed to restore them to the capacity necessary to supply area irrigators and once enjoyed by recreational users. According to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Web site, Hugh Butler Lake north of McCook is two feet above last year's level and Swanson Reservoir is nearly three feet higher than it was the same time a year ago...

In the stillness that echoed with the sound of steel striking steel Friday afternoon, a chorus of 10 male voices sang "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross" at McCook First Church of the Nazarene. The men, members of the Red Willow County Area Ministerial Association, represented 10 Christian congregations in the community and brought the seven-week Community Lenten series to a contemplative conclusion...

Like the season in which it falls, there's something uncertain, yet reassuring about the Easter holiday most of us are observing this weekend. Based on the Jewish Passover, the holiday is observed in March or April each year to celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead after his death by crucifixion...

**EDITOR'S NOTE -- The writer has agreed to share with our readers the following Easter holiday letter to his children: The year was 1973 and we lived in the nice big house in Fairborn, Ohio. You kids attended the grade school at Dayton Yellow Springs, only about a dozen blocks from our home...

Soulmate is a word that is bandied around a lot and it often means different things to different people. It is part of the language of love but love means different things to different people as well. I always thought it would be great if someone could invent a machine that tested whether or not we're in love and, if we are, how much we're in love. Like a blood pressure machine or a thermometer...

Aug. 8, 1930-March 22, 2005 EUSTIS -- Robert "Bob" Allen, age 74 of Eustis, died Tuesday (March 22, 2005) at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. He was born Aug. 8, 1930, at Cambridge to Jack and Dorothy Lyle Allen. He attended rural schools in Furnas and Frontier Counties...

May 13, 1921-March 23, 2005 ATWOOD -- Joseph Charles "J.C." Youngblood, 83, died Wednesday (March 23, 2005) at Rawlins County Hospital in Atwood. He was born May 13, 1921, in Atwood to Joe and Nelle Preder Youngblood. He grew up in Atwood and graduated from Atwood Community High School in 1940...

Dec. 15, 1913-March 24, 2005 BEAVER CITY -- Ralph E. Christensen, 91, died Thursday (March 24, 2005) at Beaver City Manor. He was born Dec. 15, 1913 at Orleans, to Theodore and Millie (Noren) Christensen. He grew up in the Orleans and Beaver City area and attended country school...

April 8, 1910-March 24, 2005 WAUNETA -- Velma D. Collins, 94 died Thursday (March 24, 2005) at Chase County Community Hospital in Imperial. She was born April 8, 1910, in Hayes County to Richard and Kitty (Lantz) Daniel. She graduated from Wauneta High School. She continued her education at Kearney State Teachers College where she graduated with a degree in elementary education...

The family of Arlee and Sue Bethel are hosting a card shower in honor of the couple's 50th anniversary. They were married April 2, 1955, in Denver, Colo. Their children are Rick and wife, Kelly Bethel of Wilsonville and Kathy McConnell of Arvada, Colo. They have five grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Cards of congratulation will reach them at Box 5, Wilsonville, NE, 69046...

June 28, 1910-March 25, 2005 Ronald F. "Tug" Stevens, 94, died Friday (March 25, 2005) at Hillcrest Nursing Home. He was born on June 28, 1910, at Indianola, to Fred and Maude (Jones) Stevens. He graduated from Indianola High School in 1929. He entered the U.S. Navy on Sept. 14, 1942, and served during World War II. He was a Second Class Baker on the Destroyer USS Charles F. Hughes. He was honorably discharged in 1945...