Stories from Monday, August 20, 2007

By BRENT?COBB McCook Community College McCook Community College officially ushered in a new era of athletics with five new coaches taking over six of the school's sports programs when classes began today. Brandon Lenhart from William Penn University takes over the men's basketball program. Benjamin Smith, a former assistant at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks will lead the women's basketball program in addition to serving as MCC's Director of Housing...

A group of Republican River Basin property owners plans to challenge the constitutionality of a new law to bring Nebraska into compliance with an agreement with Kansas and Colorado. "We believe that the Legislature has chosen a means of paying for a portion of the costs of funding water purchases by using an unconstitutional property tax," said Angus Garey of McCook, a member of the group...

McCook Elementary Principal Lynda Baumbach welcomes George Fritsche, left, on his first day of school along with his brother, Wayne and mother, Georgia. Today was the first day for students in McCook Public Schools.

Backpack? Check. Pencils, pens? Check. Notebook? Check. Walking shoes? According to the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, good walking shoes should be as much a part of school equipment as boxer shorts and cell phones. The group points out that approximately 24 million children in the United States are overweight or at risk of being overweight. That's more than a third of children and adolescents, more than triple the obesity rate from 20 years ago...

As the grand finalé for McCook's 125th anniversary celebration, the Quasquicen-tennial Committee and the George W. Norris Foundation will present the McCook community's second Governor's Ball. The prestigious event, featuring Gov. Dave Heineman, will take place at the Republican River Valley Event Center. The date is Saturday night, Dec. 8, beginning with a social hour at 6 p.m...

In 2007, the McCook National Bank is celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the bank's founding. In those 100 years three names, among a host of serious minded and capable personalities, come readily to mind -- Pat Walsh, Mary Brady, and Pete Graff. When our family came to McCook in 1957, Pat Walsh was long gone, having died in 1928, the year I was born, but Mary Brady, his niece, was very much alive. ...

The drive to raise $20,000 for the life-size George W. Norris Sculpture is spreading throughout the United States. "We are widening our appeal," said Duane Tappe, site operation manager for the Norris Home and a member of the George W. Norris Foundation Board of Directors. He urged McCook area residents to contact family, friends and former residents across the nation to invite them to become $125 contributors to the Norris Sculpture campaign...

Oct. 20, 1926 - Aug. 18, 2007 BIRD?CITY -- Marian Lee Howland, 80, died Saturday (Aug. 18, 2007) at Memorial Central Hospital in Colorado Springs, Colo. She was born Oct. 20, 1926, in Decatur County. She married John Howland. He preceded her in death in 1986...

Oct. 12, 1924 - Aug. 16, 2007 HERNDON -- William "Bill" C. Solko, 82, died Thursday (Aug. 16, 2007) at Pleasant View Nursing Home in Inman, Kan. He was born Oct. 12, 1924, to Elizabeth (Neuburger) and Joseph H. Solko in Herndon. He attended school in Herndon and graduated from Herndon High School...