Stories from Wednesday, August 15, 2007

One of the first tasks new McCook Community College Softball Coach Tyrone Robinson needed to complete when he was hired earlier this summer was to restock the squad. He has done that by announcing 11 more recruits for the 2007-2008 season -- six from California, two from Minnesota, and one each from Utah, Colorado and McCook...

Now that he's a senior, Sam Frazier wants to leave his mark on McCook's football dynasty. These are his formative years and football has left a pretty definite impression on Sam Frazier. Not just football, but McCook football, a program which has reached elite status over the past five or six years, all while young Sam has watched, savoring his turn to be a senior, to be top dog, in the red and black...

HOLDREGE -- McCook's Connor Larson and Matt Wiemers brought home first-place medals from the 2007 Goodwin Memorial Doubles Tennis tournament in Holdrege Saturday. Men's Open Doubles: 1st Place -- Connor Larson (McCook)- Troy Salsbury (Kearney) Larson-Salsbury defeated Ron aMessbarger-Peter Messbarger (Kearney) 6-2, 6-2...

McCook High School basketball players Cory Gaston and and Seth Schaeffer recently competed on Nebraska Future Stars basketball teams throughout the course of the summer playing approximately 30 games each. Future Stars directs summer teams in Iowa and Nebraska as part of the Future Stars Midwest Developmental basketball select program...

IMCA Modified 1. 42-John Fabrizius, Colby, Kan.--219 2. 23-Royce Clapp, McCook--187 3. 07S-Jay Schilling, McCook--184 4. 9R-Robby Haines, Benkelman--181 5. 21H-Brandon Hagan, Culbertson--175 IMCA Stock Car 1. 32-Lloyd Meeske, Champion--215 2. 3-John Huffman, McCook--210...

LINCOLN -- The Nebraska volleyball team finds itself in a familiar position, as the Huskers were selected as the nation's top-ranked team in the CSTV/AVCA Division I Coaches Top 25 Poll released Tuesday afternoon. The Huskers, who finished 33-1 en route to the school's third NCAA title in 2006, return five AVCA All-Americans among their nine returning letterwinners, highlighted by AVCA National Players of the Year Sarah Pavan and Christina Houghtelling...

The family of Gary and Diana Lynn (King) Probasco, formerly of Bartley, is requesting a card shower in honor of the couple's 40th wedding anniversary Aug. 19. Cards of congratulation will reach them at 609 French Pass Circle, PO Box 254, Jefferson, CO 80456...

Nebraska's educators have a lot to be proud of in recent figures released about the ACT college entrance exam on Tuesday. According to the Nebraska Department of Education, Nebraska's 2007 graduates earned a 22.1 average ACT score, compared to 21.2 national average and an improvement from the state's 21.9 score last year...

"It's in there!" is a slogan from a nationally recognized spaghetti sauce. Tasting the sauce to see if a pinch of oregano or a snip of thyme might not improve the flavor, the actor repeatedly declares, "It's in there!" That commercial reminds me of the many times I've heard someone say, "It says in the Bible ... ...

A week's worth of activities at the Chase County Fair in Imperial will come to a climax this weekend with a pair of grandstand shows featuring one night of country and one night of rock 'n roll. On Friday, Aug. 17, the country group Lonestar will appear at the fair this summer as part of their final summer tour with lead singer Richie McDonald...

The branch office of 21st Century Systems Inc. in McCook isn't closing any time soon, said Matt Stebbins, office manager for the McCook office There is no truth to concerns that the McCook branch office will close, he said. "I still have a job here, and I would be the first to know," he joked. "We are pleasantly engaged in great work here."...

LINCOLN -- All cattle producers are invited to attend one of the meetings scheduled across Nebraska in that will address three key industry issues: Country of origin labeling, Beef Checkoff and LB677 -- the livestock facilities inspection bill.   The local COOL, Checkoff and LB677 meeting will be held from 7 to 10 p.m. Thursday at the Red Willow County Fairgrounds community building in McCook...

WASHINGTON -- The USDA's decision to close 10 Farm Service Agency offices in Nebraska will be costly for Nebraska farmers, according to Sen. Ben Nelson. State Executive Director Brian Wolford announced Tuesday that USDA Secretary Mike Johannns approved the final plan, which includes consolidating Frontier County's FSA office into the Red Willow County office in McCook, and consolidating Hitchcock County's office into Hayes County's...

Drivers traveling a little too fast in Furnas County will have the chance to meet officers Daniel Cuba, left, and Fistue. Deputy Fistue, a 5-year-old German shepherd, has been with the Furnas County Sheriff's office for 21?2 years. Fistue was trained in Germany and responds only to his handler's commands given in German. Cuba takes Fistue to schools and fairs and gives demonstrations. Fistue is trained in tracking, handler protection, narcotic detection, and evidence recovery...