Stories from Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Reaction to Sen. Arlen Specter's defection ranged all the way from the "full support" and "thrilled to have you" from President Obama and the Democratic Party, to "good riddance" from the GOP. Specter was far from a lock-step Republican, supporting abortion rights and embryonic stem cell research, voting for the stimulus package and opposing a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage, but he did support the invasion of Iraq, backed George W. ...

I'm writing on behalf of the newspaper industry having trouble getting newsprint from Canada. This item coming from Canada is made from hemp, which our government has ruled out due to hemp containing THC which is the thing in marijuana that causes the "high."...

The intention of this letter is to rally support for Legislative Bill 476. This is a vital issue to the future of Nebraska's Career Student Organizations (CSOs) which include FBLA, FCCLA, FFA, DECA, HOSA and SkillsUSA. As educators, we realize the value of these programs to student success in life and we also recognize that students who succeed in improving their community now through these CSOs are the students who return to support their communities in the future...

On Monday, Red Willow County Commissioners approved a modification in the revolving loan program agreement with Accents, Etc., one of any number of retail businesses across the country struggling in today's economy. Executive Director Rex Nelson said that the McCook Economic Development board approved the change and recommended that commissioners also approve changes requested by Accents Etc.'s owner, Betty Kenner. ...

Red Willow County commissioners, at their weekly meeting Monday morning, slashed in half the county's annual membership contribution to the McCook Economic Development Corp. All three commissioners voted "Aye" to a motion to pay the MEDC $5,000 for 2009-10, rather than the usual $10,000, although Commissioner Steve Downer said that budgeting one amount and pledging another, "is going down the wrong road. ...

Helen Hackney walks her granddaughter, Jacinda Ramirez to McCook Elementary this morning, during the school's Walk to School Day. Students and families enjoyed fruit and juice in the school commons area after their walks. Besides walking to school students will also be cleaning up the parks and playgrounds this afternoon in honor of Keep Nebraska Beautiful Day...

Jan. 22, 1926 - April 26, 2009 HENDERSONVILLE, N.C. -- On April 26, 2009, Charles William (Bill) Heaton entered into eternal peace in Hendersonville, N.C. His parents, Ollie and Temple Heaton and his wife of 59 years, Rita Marie Heaton, preceded him in death...

Jan. 31, 1921 -- April 26, 2009 Ray E. Aldrich, 88, peacefully passed away from this life at Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook after a long battle with Parkinson's. Ray was born Jan. 31, 1921, on a farm north of Cambridge to Albert and Mabel (Harmon) Aldrich. ...

Sept. 17, 1936 -April 26, 2009 Samuel McNeal Roberts, age 72, died Sunday, April 26, 2009, at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. He was born Sept. 17, 1936, in Joplin, Mo., to D. G. (Bob) and Mary Juanita (Higgins) Roberts. The family moved from Missouri to Arizona in 1947. ...

Oct. 10, 1921 - April 28, 2009 PALISADE -- Gerold Alfred Bodeman was born Oct. 10, 1921, in Hayes County to Lee A. and Alza Donzella "Dot" (Hilton) Bodeman at their home north of Palisade. He passed from life on April 28, 2009, at the age of 87...

March 6, 1920 - April 28, 2009 PALISADE -- Ewald Emil Werschke, formerly of Palisade, died Tuesday, April 28, 2009, at Good Samaritan Center in Syracuse. He was 89 years old. He was born March 6, 1920, in Enders to Theodore L. and Matilda (Schultz) Werschke. ...

WASHINGTON -- Senator Mike Johanns today spoke on the Senate floor to discuss the possibility of budget reconciliation being used to slip sweeping climate change legislation into law, which the Senate has twice rejected with a strong bipartisan majority vote. After stripping Senator Johanns' amendment from the final report, Senate Budget conferees produced a final budget resolution, to be voted on in the House and Senate today...

EDITOR'S NOTE -- The following is a response to Paul Fell's political cartoon, "Nebraskans Agains Abortion": While freedom of speech remains in this country, I would like to publicly respond to your cartoon "Nebraskans Against Abortion." As your cartoon indicates, you believe that Nebraskans who are "against abortion" (i.e., Nebraskans who are "pro-life") are sanctimonious because most also support the death penalty...

Time again to clean my mental state of affairs with brief observations about any number of things. Recently, Secretary of State Hilary Clinton reassured our Chinese trading partners with the statement, "We can't let human rights muddy up the waters."...