Stories from Thursday, January 11, 2007

SCOTTSBLUFF -- The McCook Community College men's and women's basketball teams both lost to Western Nebraska Wednesday night at Cougar Palace in Scottsbluff. The MCC men lost 72-53 and the women lost 77-59. Noel Cardinelli led the MCC men with 16 points and made 6-of-12 shots. Christian Lewis scored 10 points (4-of-5 shooting) and Sterling Link 7...

HASTINGS -- The No. 21 Hastings College men's basketball team defeated Doane College 80-70 Wednesday night in Hastings. The Broncos improved their impressive win streak to four in a row. The Broncos were led by McCook senior Krae Dutoit, this week's GPAC Player of the Week, with 24 points including 12-of-13 from the free throw line...

Forty-three girls and boys from the ages of 9-14 competed in the Knights of Columbus free throw championship Sunday at the McCook St. Patrick's school gym. First place winners will go on to districts, which will also be played at the St. Pat's gym on Jan. 28, at 1 p.m...

Bills that would reward premarital counseling and propose a solution to the state's water problem are among those District 44 Sen. Mark Christensen plans to introduce in the Legislature next week. Under provisions of his bill, couples who take premarital counseling will be able to purchase their marriage license for the current $15; those who waive the counseling will have to pay $100...

The education consultant hired to examine McCook Public Schools' elementary reading program recommends improvements in communication and organization and "small changes" in the implementation of the district's "Reading First" program. Dr. Dawn Mollenkopf, Ph.D., the director of the department of teacher education at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, will present her findings in detail at a special meeting of the school board Monday, at 6:30 p.m., in the junior high conference room, or in the cafeteria, if more seating is needed.. ...

Clouds of hot breath rise over the calves and obscure the horses and riders pushing the herd down a country road northwest of McCook Wednesday morning. McCook-area rancher Don Klein and a crew of pickups and drivers and horses and riders moved 400 head of black Angus calves about three miles from a pasture to a feedlot, where they'll be closer to bales of hay. ...

The family of Marjorie Miles is hosting a card shower in honor of her 88th birthday on Jan. 12. Cards of congratulations will reach her at Willow Ridge Apt. 24 1500 E. 11th McCook, NE 69001.

Let's hope President Bush doesn't wind up having much in common with another man the nation honored last week -- the late President Gerald Ford, who was on watch during the ignominious collapse of South Vietnam. Sen. Ben Nelson praised Bush for establishing "benchmarks for progress -- or conditions for staying -- for the Iraqi government to meet," as well as Bush's call for the creation of jobs as a means for reducing violence...

Call it what you will, self reliance, survivalism, or just plain county folk. We all can learn from those locals that are fighting terrorism in their own small way. This last summer a rancher west of McCook told of having three calves killed by rattlers. ...

I've been sick to my stomach watching a cow herd being starved. This 100+ cow herd finally started to die off last week. As of Sunday night, I counted four dead from the road, and they were all on TOP of the snow indicating the time line. After contacting the Frontier County Sheriff's office on Sunday, the deputy investigating informed me that, according to the owner, these were "just a couple" of old cows and the herd was in good condition otherwise...

I initially felt good when I read Steve Smith's comments about my letter until I read farther and found out that I and most state senators don't know anything. Apparently Steve thinks that a senator's vote can be bought for a free lunch and if someone isn't standing outside their door to tell them what to do they won't know how to vote. I have known several past senators and I know many of the current senators. They are informed and not so easily swayed...

Twenty-thousand "troops." Maybe they use the word to take off the edge. "Troops" -- like tools or guns or Hummers or tanks. The fact is President Bush's Iraqi plan, televised across the nation Wednesday evening, is to send 20,000 more American men and women to Iraq, place them in harms way, and try to make up for the mistakes he admits are his own...