Stories from Thursday, June 19, 2008

Nebraska produces some 80 million bushels each year.

Dear Editor: The District Court has ruled the property tax portion of the Republican River Basin water tax to be unconstitutional. The mechanism that permits the property tax also permits the occupation tax, which is the per irrigated acre tax. If the Nebraska Supreme Court upholds the District Court ruling, then the LB701 taxes would be illegal...

Tis the season -- summer that is, and it will be officially that on Friday, June 20, at 5:59 p.m. MDT. That is when the sun reaches the northernmost point in its traverse of the horizon. These seasonal changes are due to the twenty-three and one-half degree tilt of the Earth on its axis from perpendicular. Because of that tilt, a changing portion of the Earth's surface is pointed to the sun in its orbit...

McCook Rebels 14 and under squad splits NP games NORTH PLATTE -- The McCook Rebels 14 and under girls fastpitch softball team went 1-1 at North Platte Tuesday. McCook Rebels lost to the North Platte Sensations 3-2. Jenna Smith pitched and posted nine strikeouts...

June 23, 1937 - June 12, 2008 CURTIS -- Harold J. Brown, 70, of Curtis, passed away June 12, 2008, at Great Plains Regional Medical Center in North Platte, Neb. He was born June 23, 1937, in Frontier County, Neb., on a farm south of Curtis to Kenneth J. and Leona (Mann) Brown. He attended elementary and high school in Stockville and graduated with the class of 1955. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in September 1957 and served 1 ½ years in Korea where he was a radio repairman...

July 2, 1934 - May 8, 2008 EUGENE, Ore. --Morris Merril Brown died at Eugene, Oregon on May 8, 2008. He was born to Morris and Roxie (Schmidt) Brown on July 2, 1934, at their home south of Trenton, Neb. He attended country schools in Hitchcock County and graduated from Culbertson High School in 1952...

The family of Eola Kincaid Stanton is announcing a card shower for their mother's 91st birthday on June 22, 2008. Cards may be mailed to 608 E. Seventh, McCook NE, 69001.

KEARNEY -- Good Samaritan Hospital physicians have upgraded the condition of the McCook woman injured in a one-vehicle accident in McCook early Wednesday morning, but the driver of the pickup remains in critical condition. Senamon Rogers McLeod, 37, has been upgraded from critical to fair condition following treatment first at Community Hospital of McCook and then Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney...

A McCook man was sentenced in District Court Monday on forgery charges along with failing to register as a sex offender. Frank Charles Roosa, 41, of 304 W. Third, was originally charged with 14 counts of forgery, Class I misdemeanors, failing to register as a sex offender, a Class IV felony and tampering with a witness, a Class IV felony. In a plea agreement, he pleaded guilty to the forgery charges and failing to register as a sex offender, with the tampering with a witness charged dismissed...

If all goes according to plan, the first phase of the Kelley Creek Walking Trail in McCook could be open by the end of summer. This phase connects the trail from East H to the existing grass trail that begins by the Kelley Creek lower shelter house...

Red Willow County commissioners will seek bids from contractors to armor coat 10 1/2-11 miles of county roads. Commissioners decided at their meeting Monday morning they will use an RC (rapid cure) 800 formula at a .25 application rate (.25 gallon of oil to 1 square yard of county road) on 6 1/2-7 miles of road from Bartley north to the county line and and on 1 1/2 miles of road south of the Perry elevator. Those roads will cost about $14,000 a mile...

GOODLAND -- McCook may have dodged a big bullet late Wednesday afternoon, as a funnel was reported over the city and tornados were spotted northwest and southeast of town. After the horizontal rain ceased and the wind and dust settled, however, the only damage appeared to be broken branches, toppled trees and some power lines dragged down by falling trees...