Stories from Friday, February 17, 2006

OMAHA -- Four area wrestlers advanced to the semifinals at the Nebraska State Wrestling Championships at the Qwest Center in Omaha. The semifinals will be contested Friday and the finals Saturday. In Class C 215 pounds Thursday, Southern Valley's Dan Stoelting pinned his first round opponent and won a decision in the quarterfinals to reach the semifinals round...

Eustis-Farnam's girls basketball team overpowered a tough Cambridge squad 37-31 in the Nebraska D1-11 finals Thursday. The Cambridge Trojans took the lead in the first quarter but struggled in the second and third, allowing the Knights to pull ahead and take the win...

McCook's varsity and junior varsity girls basketball teams came up short to North Platte Thursday at home. The McCook varsity fell to North Platte 49-44 and the Bison JV fell short 48-45. In the varsityy game, McCook kept up with North Platte ending the first qarter 7-7. The Bison almost tied it up again in the third quarter coming within one point of the Bulldogs...

SIOUX CITY, Iowa -- Beaver City native and Southern Valley High School graduate Erin Powell, who attends Nebraska Wesleyan University, was recognized by the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) and Hauff Mid-America Sports as one of its indoor track and field athletes of the week for Feb. 6-12...

LINCOLN -- The Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture Aggies ran into a tough battle with Hamilton College of Lincoln Wednesday night and ended up on the short end. Hamilton College defeated the Aggies in their final game of the season 116-58. It was all Hamilton as they jumped out to a 61-30 halftime lead and continued to pound on the Aggies...

By Connie Jo Discoe Regional Editor The "butcher, the baker and the candlestick maker" weren't, but the pilot, the draftsman and the extension agent were, and spoke to McCook Senior High freshmen during "Career Day" Thursday. Thirty-one business professionals manned panels during the morning, telling students the ups-and-downs, the ins-and-outs of their jobs...

Driving around McCook, it's obvious that many of us -- a majority, in fact -- take great pride in our homes. Drive through older parts of town, and you'll see many homes that have been remodeled and updated, everything from a simple new siding and window job to a complete gutting and installation of new electrical, HVAC and plumbing systems...

On Feb. 20, City Council will make a decision that will either be a step backward or the first step of many that will benefit the region long after Chief Brown and current city employees have retired or moved on. To make this decision, the council (members) must separate themselves from the "Mutual Admiration Society" that exists at City Hall...

Thank you very much for the wonderful editorial and front page article on the new black box theater at McCook Community College. The credit for remodeling Tipton Hall and creating the new Weeth Theatre belongs to Dr. Richard Tubbs, McCook Community College CEO...

The commercials directed at families with lots of kids and lots of stuff are becoming more common on the airwaves. A large SUV rolls down the highway, the two parents, three children and one dog laughing and singing, the reason for their joyfulness obvious: They have more room in their vehicle than everyone else and are therefore happier...

Jan. 6, 1954--Feb. 14, 2006 ARAPAHOE -- Barbara A. (Scott) Dunn, 52, died Tuesday (Feb. 14, 2006) at the Cambridge Manor as the result of cancer. She was born Jan. 6, 1954, in Hill City, Kan. She married Kevin Dunn on Sept. 15, 2003. Survivors include her husband; five stepchildren, Eddie Dunn and wife, Olga of Grant and William Dunn, Kevin Dunn Jr. ...

April 6, 1947--Feb. 14, 2006 Candice L. Baltzell, 58, died Tuesday (Feb. 14, 2006) at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney following a brief illness. She was born on April 6, 1947, in Kankakee, Ill., to Orville and Eve (Elliott) Borchers. She was a 1965 graduate of East Richland High School in Olney, Ill., and attended Olney Central College. She graduated from Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa, in 1967 and then completed dental assisting courses in Chicago...

Steve Renner, lieutenant paramedic, and Dan Hartwell, firefighter paramedic, work the McCook City and Volunteer Fire Department booth, only one of dozens of displays at the McCook Area Chamber of Commerce's Home & Leisure Show on Friday night in Westview Plaza. The show is open again Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission is $2 for adults and free for children 12 and under...

Frazier pinned in consolation OMAHA -- Wauneta-Palisade's Jesse West will compete for the 130-pound state championship in Class D at the Nebraska State Wrestling Tournament at the Qwest Center in Omaha. West defeated East Butler's Dustin Payne 18-6 Friday night and will face Sutton's Chris Marsh in the finals Saturday. Sutton defeated Winside's Jordan Brummels 1-0...

After scoring just 9 points in the first quarter, the McCook High School varsity boys basketball team got red-hot and torched the Grand Island Northwest Vikings 76-61 Friday night at the MHS gymnasium. GINW took a 16-9 lead in the first quarter, only to have the Bison go on a 13-0 run and take a 34-32 haftime margin...

Although underlying legislative measures remain controversial in nature, the Speaker of the Legislature has done an excellent job of providing an agenda that keeps up with the flow of both new and carryover legislation. Several bills were discussed thro-ughout the week and many were advan-ced to subsequent stages of debate. Prior to adjournment yesterday, the Speaker accepted the last priority bill designations...