Stories from Friday, June 3, 2005

IMPERIAL -- Alex Sharp, Imperial's ace pitcher, dominated the American Legion Juniors game against McCook American Legion First Central Bank Juniors last night in Imperial. The Juniors dropped to 4-4. Sharp got the victory on the mound with a 7-1 win and had two doubles...

Drs. Deborah E. and Frank J. Popper of New Jersey insulted a goodly portion of Americans with their 1987 metaphor suggesting that the Great Plains of America be returned to a "Buffalo Commons," an area of light land use controlled by the federal government...

Another chapter in McCook's continuing water saga was completed Thursday when the City Council agreed to buy 73 acres of land from Jay T. Hancock and Vickie L. Hancock for $210,000. The land, which is located southwest of McCook, will be used to drill two water wells. ...

What do the wind, mosquitoes and snakes have in common? I'm not fond of any of them and I'm not sure of their purpose. While there are few ways to elude the wind and mosquitoes, I make it a regular and usually successful practice to avoid snakes. Yet, it seems like I'm seeing them everywhere right now. ...

**Dear Editor, Culturally speaking, the Buffalo Commons Storytelling Festival is one of the best things that has happened to this corner of the state. We have revisited our heritage in story and song. This year, we have broadened the scope of the message brought to us by cowboy poets and folk singers. We have a session devoted to farmers and ranchers: "You Have to Be Delusional to Farm in Southwest Nebraska."...

**Dear Editor, In response to the article in the May 24 Gazette on the special City council meeting held on May 23 concerning the swap of property between the city and schools, a statement was made by Chief of Police Ike Brown: "If the facility (jail) were located outside city limits, as is being considered at this time, McCook residents would experience an across-the-board increase in insurance rates."...

Look closely at the wide open spaces of western Nebraska. What do you see? If you answered sandhills, sagebrush and beautiful sunsets, you're only partially right. There's more out west ... much more. It's called opportunity, and it abounds in the rural lifestyle which home folks take for granted...

(May 31, 1924 - June 1, 2005) BENKELMAN -- Josephine Georgania Schrader, 81, died Wednesday (June 1, 2005), at Dundy County Hospital in Benkelman. She was born May 31, 1924, in Max, to Jesse and Effie (Potter) Rowe. At the age of 18, Josephine took a job as the cook at the Morehouse Hospital in Benkelman...

By Connie Jo Discoe Regional Editor Given enough time, he chuckles, he'll get the clock to work. John Hubert, an eight-year member of the High Plains Museum board of directors, is working to repair the museum's historic "Sutton street clock" before an open house for the museum's Carnegie Library scheduled June 11, during McCook's annual Buffalo Commons Storytelling Festival...

Brandon Park, a 2005 graduate of McCook Senior High School as accepted an Art Scholarship to attend Doane College in Crete. He also received a track scholarship to compete in the long and triple jump competition. Park has been a four-year honor roll student and has lettered in both football and track...