Stories from Thursday, November 17, 2005

Pohl, Frazier, Fritz, Berry are versatile, determined One of the keys to McCook boasting the No. 2 defense in Nebraska Class B has been the play of its inside linebackers. But it hasn't been easy for senior Mason Pohl, sophomore Sam Frazier and juniors Craig Fritz and Nate Berry...

The McCook-Omaha Skutt meeting Saturday in the Nebraska Class B state championship football game is one of those dream No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchups. Both teams enter Saturday's 7 p.m. prime time battle with 12-0 records. McCook has been ranked No. 1 since the preseason. The Skyhawks finished right behind the Bison at No. 2 in the final regular season polls...

MJH Bison wrestlers host five-team tourney The McCook Junior High School eighth grade wrestling team, coached by Dan O'Brien, hosted a five-team invitational Tuesday. Other schools competing were Cozad, Holdrege, Gothenburg and Minden. McCook won 16 matches and lost 12. The Bison were 8-2 against Minden, 3-4 against Gothenburg, 1-6 against Cozad and 4-0 vs. Holdrege...

Adrian Smith of Gering does not want increases in sales and income taxes, and he does not want to lose local control of small schools. He wants to promote ethanol development and he wants to revitalize the downtown districts of small Nebraska communities...

A long-range plan for the succession of Community Hospital's President was presented at the Board of Directors meeting Wednesday and announced to Community Hospital employees and medical staff. The plan, which spans a little more than a year, is to be completed Dec. 31, 2006, with the retirement of Gary Bieganski, current President and Chief Executive Officer and the promotion of Jim Ulrich, Senior Vice President Finance and Support to President & CEO...

Let's see how good a predictor you are. With less than a year to go before the 2006 general election, you can show your political savvy by guessing who the winners will be in the big four races facing the voters of Southwest Nebraska. We're talking about who you think the winners will be in the Nebraska races for the U.S. Senate, the 3rd District seat in the House of Representatives, the Governor's office and the Legislator's position in the 44th District...

Don't slam schools **Dear Editor The letter of 11-16-05 slamming California Schools is inaccurate. I don't know where he lives, but the two school districts I work for in California have HIGH test scores (both score at about 850 out of 1,000), the facilities are clean and safe, and according to the last independent survey I am aware of all of the above is accomplished while California ranks 48th, at the bottom, of per pupil spending...

NORTH PLATTE -- Despite an objection from one board member, Mid- Plains Community College Board of Governors members voted Wednesday night to donate $7,500 toward local matching funds for the McCook Walking Trail project. Jane Hornung said at the North Platte meeting she opposed the donation, as she did not believe the project fits in with the mission statement of the college...

I looked around the house the other day as Brad and I were preparing to leave for the first day of deer rifle season. I've always admitted I'm not a great housekeeper. My house normally isn't dirty, it's disorganized. I've tried the "A place for everything and everything in its place," philosophy of housekeeping -- I could never re-member where I had designated a particular item to be placed...

Carla Rogers of McCook and her 4-year-old daughter, Kailee, select a basketful of dolls to take home for cleaning and dressing Saturday at First Congregational Church. The dolls, part ot the Mission of the Heart project, are destined for the Toy Box giveaway. Volunteers gather at the church, at 212 East E Street, each Saturday morning from 10 a.m.-noon, and have more than 100 dolls ready to go. According to organizer Karen VanKooten, workers will continue to work on dolls each Saturday, except for Nov. 26, through Dec. 10, and anyone who enjoys playing with dolls is encouraged to come and lend a hand.

Dec. 10, 1927--Nov. 16, 2005 BEAVER CITY -- Farrel E. Bates, 77, died Wednesday (Nov. 16, 2005) at Nebraska Veterans Home in Grand Island. He was born Dec. 10, 1927, in Colorado Springs, Colo. to Joseph and Clara (Massengill) Bates. He graduated from Beaver City High School in 1945...