Stories from Thursday, March 6, 2008

Oct. 29, 1916 - Jan. 29, 2008 Josephine "Jody" Braun, died Jan. 29, 2008, at Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook at the age of 91. She was born Oct. 29, 1916, in McCook, the daughter of the late Joseph F. and Kathryn E. (Phillips) Downs. She grew up in McCook and graduated from McCook High School...

HASTINGS -- McCook YMCA swimmers didn't seem intimidated by their final meet of the 2007-08 winter swim season, a number placing near the top of their age group. The team joined more than 300 swimmers from Omaha, Columbus, Grand Island, Fremont, Beatrice, Lincoln, Hastings, Blair at Hastings for the Swim League Championship Meet on Saturday.
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LINCOLN -- Testing of deer for chronic wasting disease (CWD) along the Kansas border produced negative test results. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission in southern Red Willow County and the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks in northern Decatur County last month tested 63 deer and found no CWD...

A former Indianola and McCook resident has been keeping track of the Norris Park tree controversy over the Gazette's Web site and thinks an idea that caught on in her current hometown in Washington might have some merit here. It's the classic case of "when life hands you lemons, make lemonade." Or perhaps it's an example of "having your cake and eating it, too."...

The financial industry is suffering convulsions because it gave too many people too big an answer to the question, "How much house can I afford?" But in looking over the mess left by the popped housing bubble, another question comes to mind, one of much greater consequence in the long run: "How much house can the planet afford?"...

Well, here it is 2:30 in the morning. I tried lying down to sleep, but just as I was about to doze off, I heard a thud. I lay in bed listening, wondering what in the world was going on. Then I heard it again, over near the window. First the thud and the "meow."...

Bill Donze said he recently heard cheers while parked near Norris Park in McCook in his candy-vending van. "So I lean out to see a kid climbing a tree. I got out and asked 'why?' He said his dad had told him he'd be an old man before the next trees get big enough to climb ... He figured he had better do it now before they are all cut down...

Southwest Weed Management Area has contracted with BSB Construction, Inc for mechanical tree removal on the Republican River in portions of Furnas, Hitchcock and Dundy Counties. This work began Feb. 15 and is expected to be completed by June 30. Species targeted are eastern red cedar, salt cedar and Russian olive. Crews will be removing trees within 100 feet of the Republican River...

A McCook Community College instructor has been named the Area Dean of Economic Development and Training with the Center for Enterprise. MCC English Instructor Doug Joyce will move across campus and begin his duties June 1, in the Hormel Center in McMillen Hall...

A proposed bill that would mandate a statewide model for student assessment testing appears to be moving forward but Sen. Mark Christensen is not fully convinced it's the right direction to take. LB1157, introduced by Sen. Ron Raikes, advanced in first round approval Tuesday by 30-4 with Christensen casting one of those nay votes. But many senators didn't vote at all, he said this morning at the Chamber Legislative conference call, which leads him to believe it isn't a done deal yet...

By CONNIE JO DISCOE Regional Editor PALISADE -- Not only was Krystall Rayne Witt born on Leap Day, but the little dark-haired charmer was also born at home -- as her older sister hosted a horror-fest movie night for her friends -- half-a-dozen 13-year-old boys and girls...