Stories from Tuesday, August 9, 2005

McCook Community College baseball coach Jeremy Jorgensen has wrapped up his recruiting for the 2005-2006 season with three Nebraskans and six players from Colorado. The Nebraska signees include: * Brett Paben, Hildreth, is a right-handed pitcher who pitched for the Hildreth American Legion team this summer and his achievements included a no-hitter and a perfect game...

The McCook Public Schools board of education accepted $28,423 in monetary donations and a glass fiber bison and landscaping rocks for Weiland Field during its regular August board meeting Monday. Board members also decided not to increase the price of breakfast and lunch for this school year...

For 5 1/2 years, John Hanson served on 3rd District Congressman Tom Os-borne's staff as district director. Now with Osborne running for governor of the state of Nebraska, Hanson has set his sights on Osborne's seat in Congress. Hanson, who announced his candidacy for Congress two months ago, made the rounds in McCook Tuesday morning...

INDIANOLA -- Jim Gas-ter of Indianola will be demonstrating the old trade of white coopering, the art of making wooden buckets at the Old Settler's Picnic in the Indianola Park on Saturday during Old Settlers' Day. Jim is the owner of Beaver Buckets and has demonstrated his skill at Lincoln's New Salem, Ill.; George Washington's home at Mount Vernon, Va.; Fort Boonesborough, Ky.; Conner Prairie near Indianapolis; Homestead National Monument at Beatrice, and the Lewis and Clark Expedition reenactment up the Missouri River.. ...

"If only this Gazette could tell us about its travels..." read a note on the back of a business card from Jackie Wayman Seward, Keene, Texas, listing her as "Texas Coordinator" for "the National Grassroots Organization of Republicans for Environmental Protection."...

During a 33-year career as a railroad ticket agent, Kenneth Geispert of McCook saw first-hand the convenience and economy of traveling on passenger trains. Even now -- 23 years after retiring -- Geispert, of 812 W. Third, is urging Nebraskans to join him in the fight to save Amtrak service. He is particularly concerned about the California Zephyr route, which travels from Chicago to the outskirts of San Francisco and passes through McCook along the way...