Stories from Tuesday, February 20, 2007

The first round of the the Nebraska boys sub-district basketball games began Monday. Several area teams made the cut and moved into the second round of action tonight. Cambridge, Dundy County, Chase County, Southwest and South Platte all moved into the semifinals...

HASTINGS -- The Hastings Tigers, Columbus Knights, Grand Island Islanders, Lincoln Dolphins and the McCook Devil Rays took part in a competition at the Hastings YMCA Saturday. More than 80 swimmers participated in the meet. It was the first time McCook swimmers faced Columbus...

The McCook Junior High School eighth grade boys basketball A, B and C teams finished the season Monday with a sweep of Cozad at the MJH gymnasium. The A team won 56-9, the B team won 45-4 and the C team won 23-5. The Bison A team posted a 4-2 record this season, the B team was 5-1 and the C team was 2-3...

May 11, 1908-Feb. 18, 2007 Irene M. Modrell, 98, formerly of Palisade, died Sunday, (Feb. 18, 2007) at Hillcrest Nursing Home. She was born May 11, 1908, in Hayes County on the farm to Birl S. and Stella M. (Cunningham) Dunham.  She grew up in Hayes County and graduated in 1926, from Palisade High School...

Quick thinking by those eating at the Heritage Senior Center Feb. 9 saved a man's life, the City Council was told by McCook Fire Chief Marc Harpham on Monday night. Senior Center Director Sue Chipman and a guest eating at the center, Natalie Mickey, used the Heimlich maneuver to help a man who was choking, Harpham said...

The McCook City Council approved unanimously an engineering agreement with W Designs for the upcoming J Street construction, but not without one councilman checking out a few finer details. Bids for construction on one of McCook's busiest thoroughfares will be opened in April and the work should be done by next fall. ...

The one-cent city sales tax paid handsome dividends for the city in 2006, bringing in $688,000 for property tax relief and another $688,000 for infrastructure improvements. Coupled with almost $6 million in federal grants, the city "is in better shape that what we thought we were," said Kurt Fritsch, city manager...

Danny Sandburg's alfalfa field on the Dundy-Hitchcock county line looks more like a lake, when viewed from the Highway 34 road ditch late Saturday afternoon. Temperatures in the 50s promise more melting snow and running water over the next few days.

Because of the overwhelming request for tickets to "The Noteables" concert, the location has been moved to the McCook City Auditorium. The concert will still take place on Sunday, March 4th at 7:30 p.m. Doors will open at 6:30 and ticket holders are requested to be seated by 7:15 p.m...

No one wants to return to the days of a military draft, but a survey by the Associated Press shows a downside of the all-volunteer force, especially during time of war. The impact is fresh in the minds of McCook-area residents, only days after the funeral for a young local soldier in Iraq...

Last week the Nebraska Legislature began debate on LB395, this bill which is known as the Nebraska Indoor Clean Air Act. This is a measure, which is something all Nebraska residents should seriously consider supporting. I have always personally felt that government should be extremely careful when it begins to regulate how a private business can be operated...

I question whether kings are greeted with as much fanfare as we've received. One place where we arrive has a band waiting to play as we pass. We are behind schedule so the band has been waiting hours in the hot sun just to play a few measures as we enter the building. At another town we are taken to a sport match and given seats of honor, our names announced on live television. Before the match, we are escorted to the field to shake hands with all the players...