Stories from Monday, January 16, 2006

OBERLIN -- The McCook High School varsity wrestling team traveled to Oberlin on Saturday for the Decatur Community Invitational tournament. "We were hoping to send our full squad to this tournament but we have run into a string of bad luck with a few guys out of competition because of injuries," said McCook wrestling coach Nick Umscheid...

CAMBRIDGE -- Cambridge's girls and boys basketball teams swept Hayes Center Saturday. The girls won 48-23 and the boys 61-50. Waid Vontz contributed 33 points to the Cambridge win. Anthony Lytle trailed with 11 points. Vontz also led in rebounds with 9. Lytle and Brian Ballou had 5 rebounds...

NORTH PLATTE -- McCook's JV boys basketball team fell short at North Platte Friday 60-47. "We gave a great effort, but just could not get in our offense tonight," said Bison boys JV coach Dan Hilton. Brady Dame led the scoring for the Bison with 9 points. David Swisher had 8 points and Brett Burton had 7...

The weather Sunday was bright and warm, with just a hint of a breeze -- very conducive to activities in Norris Park in McCook. Isaac Larson, above, pedals his bike, accompanied on foot by his grandmother, Shari Haag. Typical for the mood swings on the Golden Plains, Sunday's non-typical nice weather is gone for a while, as the forecast calls for high winds and a chance of sprinkles or snow flurries today and cloudy and colder through Friday...

McCook Economic Development Director Rex Nelson was recognized as Chamber Volunteer of the Year and Sheri Sughroue was McCook Area Community Volunteer of the Year at an upbeat McCook Area Chamber of Commerce annual banquet Saturday night. Gov. Dave Heineman used the opportunity to outline his plans for the state, as well as press the flesh as he was put to work handing out the numerous awards...

Joined by Sen. Tom Baker, Gov. Dave Heineman said that for all of Nebraska, "water is the issue of the decade." Heineman and Baker spoke at an informal meeting Saturday evening at the Bieroc Cafe. "We didn't get into this overnight, and we're not going to get out of it quickly," Heineman said, and he believes some sort of compromise can be worked out as long as "good faith efforts" were continued by irrigators...

Saturday's banquet was a special event.

April 2, 1952--Jan. 15, 2006 KEARNEY -- Clinton Allan Wear, 53, died Sunday (Jan. 15, 2006) at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. He was born in North Platte on April 2, 1952, to Alfred and Helen (Flock) Wear. He graduated from Farnam High School in 1970. ...

Jan. 27, 1903--Jan. 13, 2006 OBERLIN -- Florence Jones, 102, died Friday (Jan. 13, 2006) at the Decatur County Good Samaritan Center in Oberlin. She was born Jan. 27, 1903, in Gosper County to Amza Pruden and Ada May Lewis. She graduated from Arapahoe High School in 1922...