Stories from Friday, October 17, 2008

Bison boys squad in 5th place after first day LINCOLN -- McCook sophomore Connor Larson won his first two matches in No. 1 singles Thursday at the Nebraska Class B state boys tennis tournament at Lincoln and advanced to the semifinals Friday morning...

The McCook Community College volleyball team lost a three-game match to Central Community College-Columbus 25-15, 25-20, 25-17 Thursday night at True Hall Gymnasium. MCC hosts Northeastern Junior College, Sterling, Colo., at 7 p.m. Tuesday. "The girls played well against a very quality ball club in Central CC," said MCC coach Michelle Reiners. "We dug ourselves into holes, like we have often times this season. Our blocking was much better last night than it has been in the last few games...

Dec. 4, 1941 - Oct. 26, 2008 NORTON, Kan. -- Richard M. Hillebrand, 66, of Norton, died Thursday (Oct. 26, 2008) at Decatur County Hospital in Oberlin. He was born Dec. 4, 1941, at the family farm north of Clayton, Kan., to Joe and Olene (Brooks) Hillebrand. He attended school in New Almelo, Clayton and Norcatur, Kan., graduating from Norcatur High School in 1959...

The family of Edith Brenning is requesting a card shower in honor of her 90th birthday. She was born Oct. 24, 1918, at Arcadia. Her family includes her children, Gary Penner of Mesquite, Texas, Ron Penner and wife, Pat of McCook, Jan Eby and friend, Sam Amenta of Papillion, Pat Schluntz and husband, Brent of Oxford and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Cards of congratulations will reach her at Hidden Pines No. 2, P O Box 1087, McCook NE 69001...

McCook takes third at Class B-4 district; Tolliver, Sughroue place 4th, 5th OGALLALA -- The McCook High School girls cross country placed third at the Nebraska Class B-4 district meet Thursday at Ogallala and earned a spot in the Class B state meet Oct. 24 at Kearney...

NORTH PLATTE -- Wednesday, Mid-Plains Community College reported 2,788 full and part-time students taking 21,452 credit hours this fall. The MPCC Fall 2008 Enrollment Report indicates a 5.97 percent increase over the same day last year. The report was released on Wednesday to Dr. ...

Using the Internet not only makes more information available for your brain, it makes more of your brain use the information. That's the conclusion of a UCLA study using functional MRI tests on 24 volunteers between 55 and 76, with the group divided based on Internet experience...

All of us, liberals and conservatives alike, deep down are die-hard capitalists. We all believe in the concepts of competition, free trade, and businesses that are fair and unfettered by government. With the election rapidly approaching its time that somebody stated the obvious- Under a "Free Trader's" administration (the supposed watchdogs of laissez-faire capitalism), and with reduced regulations, we have watched merger after merger, take-over after take-over, and bankruptcy after bankruptcy...

I would like to commend the caretakers of the George W. Norris home for removing the tacky stuffed pillow that seemed to be a permanent fixture next to Sen. Norris' statue. The statue of Sen. Norris is a fantastic representation of a noble and respectable man who accomplished greatness. The stuffed pillow represents a state entity devoid of anything noble or respectable...

Spy fiction sinks or swims based on the audience's ability to buy into the premise. My favorite of the James Bond pictures, "Goldfinger," has such a wacky plot that if you dedicate even a minute thinking about it, you'd laugh it off. But the telling is crisp and exciting, and there's wit and spirit in the performances. ...

July 17, 1917-Oct. 16, 2008 LINCOLN -- Helen Brown, 91, of Lincoln, died Thursday (Oct. 16, 2008), at Tabitha. She was born July 17, 1917, near Wauneta, to Louis and Emma Blobaum. On June 16, 1934, she married Clark Brown. Survivors include her daughter, Shirley Gibson and husband, Jerry of Lincoln; three grandchildren, Alison Walling and fiance, Randy White of Lincoln, Jim Gibson and wife, Jodi of Lincoln and Nickey Gleason and husband, Brian of Tumwater, Wash.; four great-grandchildren, Ian, Seth Halie and Lexi; a sister, Hazel Self of Denver, Colo.; and a sister-in-law, Eleanor Blobaum of North Platte.. ...

IMPERIAL -- Keith Barnes, 76, died Thursday (Oct. 16, 2008), at Bryan LGH Hospital in Lincoln Funeral services will be Monday, 10:30 a.m., MT, at United Methodist Church of Imperial, with the Rev. Kay Alnor officiating. Interment will follow at the Blanche Cemetery in Chase County...