Stories from Thursday, September 20, 2007

McCook defense faces Bulldogs' spread offense The Gering Bulldogs present a bit of a mystery to the McCook football coaching staff and players as well as some familiarity, said Bison head coach Jeff Gross. McCook (3-0 and ranked No. 1 in Nebraska Class B by the Lincoln Journal-Star and No. 2 by the Omaha World-Herald) hosts Gering (2-1) at 7 p.m. Friday at Weiland Field...

LINCOLN -- Dr. Jim Tenopir, executive director of the Nebraska School Activities Association, will be at Wauneta-Palisade High School on Friday to present the 2006-07 NSAA Cups. Tenopir will honor the Wauneta-Palisade boys and girls activities programs for their performances in last year's NSAA state championship events during a halftime ceremony at the Broncos' home football game against Dundy County-Stratton High School...

The McCook Community College golf team, guided by first-year coach Bill Stokley, has participated in two events this fall. The first competition for the Indians took place at Heritage Hills and Cross Creek in Cambridge Aug. 30-31 with six teams that included two junior varsity squads from Hastings College, Trinidad State, Lamar JC, Eastern Wyoming CC and McCook CC...

The McCook Junior High School seventh grade volleyball teams opened their season at home against Lexington Sept. 13. The A team lost in three games 25-20, 22-25, 12-15. Brooklyn Trew led the team in serving with 11 points (8 which were aces). The B team also went three games with scores of 25-21, 23-25, 10-15. Haley Durham led the B team in scoring with 8 points (4 aces)...

NORTH PLATTE -- Taxpayers in the Mid-Plains Community College 18-county service area will see a decrease in the college's personal property tax levy while not jeopardizing the quality of teaching and learning at the institution, according to officials...

The total assets for Community Hospital of McCook increased from $14.8 million to $20.3 million between 2003 and 2007. "This is even more positive news when you consider," said hospital president and CEO Jim Ulrich, following a hospital board of directors' meeting Wednesday, "all that growth  was  in the area of equity."...

A heron soaks up some late summer sun on the Republican River near Holbrook. Temperatures are expected to be in the 90s for the next few days, during a time most of us are thinking about snow.

Seventy of Nebraska's counties declined in population from 2000-2005, and most of them had a common trait: They weren't along Interstate 80. But what are the rural counties to do, build their own interstate? What once seemed like an outlandish idea is gaining support in the Legislature...

Sir, while I've enjoyed my visits to McCook(loved shopping @ the Hinky Dinky) I must clarify the Boeing Museum of Flight is where it's always been-adjacent to Boeing Field in Georgetown. Our landmark Space Needle is a good 7 miles north, just East of Belltown...

As a former city alderman, in another city, I would not be able to support this request. ["County asks for share of city sales tax" (http://www.mccookgazette.com/story/1277841.html)]. As a current County Supervisor I can see his point, but this is NOT a proper request. The County should introduce their own half-cent sales tax in lieu of the city...

Nov. 22, 1914 - Sept. 19, 2007 Mark Albert Schaaf died Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2007, at Community Hospital in McCook. He was 92 years old. Mark was born on Nov. 22, 1914, at Columbus, to Albert Jacob and Rose (Vanderheiden) Schaaf. He graduated from Kearney High School in 1933. He continued his education at Alexian Brothers in Chicago, Ill., graduating with a registered rurse anesthetist degree...