Stories from Tuesday, June 30, 2009

LINCOLN -- The final deadline to register for most sports in the Cornhusker State Games is Monday, June 29. The Games, which take place July 17-26 in and around Lincoln, feature competition in 63 sports for Nebraskans of all ages and abilities. Those interested can register or find information at CornhuskerStateGames.com or call 1-800-304-2637...

Four McCook swimmers brought home first-place finishes at the swim meet Saturday at the City Pool with Alma, Atwood and Indianola also competing.

The 2009 McCook Midget League All-Star game representing players selected by teammates and coaches will be played at Felling Field tonight at 7 p.m. The selection process for the National and American League rosters is determined by the players' teammates and head coaches...

May 12, 1918-June 27, 2009 ATWOOD -- Erma Sophia (Fleischacker) McDougal, 91, died Saturday (June 27, 2009), at the Rawlins County Health Center in Atwood. She was born May 12, 1918, to John and Sophia (Goltl) Fleischacker. On Aug. 10, 1938, she married G. Kenneth McDougal at Oberlin. They farmed northeast of Ludell until moving to Atwood in 1986. She was a member of the Redeemer Lutheran Church in Atwood...

April 6, 1927-June 25, 2009 CAMBRIDGE -- Betty Lou Hyde, 82, died Thursday (June 25, 2009), at Cambridge Memorial Hospital. She was born April 6, 1927, at Neoga, Ill., to Fred and Eva Jane Scoles. She was a homemaker. She was preceded in death by her parents; a brother; a sister; one grandchild; and two great-grandchildren...

Dec. 9, 2008-June 27, 2009 LINCOLN -- Morgan Jane Sitzman, age 6 months, died Saturday (June 27, 2009) at her home in Lincoln as a result of Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Type I. She was born Dec. 9, 2008, to Katie and Eric Sitzman of Lincoln. Surviving are her parents Katie and Eric Sitzman of Lincoln; grandparents, Larry and Sally Sitzman, formerly of Culbertson, now of Lincoln, and Tom and Suzi Fischer of Omaha; aunts and uncles, Eddie and Maggie Sitzman of Johnstown, Colo., and son Chase; Jason Sitzman and finance, Cassandra Cronin of Winter Park, Colo., and Dr. ...

The windows were old, the siding outdated and the walls showed more than a few years of use. Now, a home at 404 E. Third has a new lease on life and is available for purchase. The transformation of the two-story, three bedroom home is the result of the "Purchase, Rehab, Resell" program by the McCook Economic Development Corp., that offers refurbished houses to first-time homebuyers...

OBERLIN -- Oberlin police recovered a Freightliner truck stolen June 26 in Williston, N.D., , after the truck's driver drove away without paying for gas in Oberlin. The Williston Herald newspaper reports that the stolen truck may be connected to two burglaries in Williston...

Seventeen wagons and numerous outriders kick up dust northeast of McCook Monday morning, leaving from Lee Janssen's home east of McCook en route to Stapleton for the Fourth of July parade Saturday. Janssen joined in with a team of four mules, and 69-year-old Donna Clevenger of Scotia rode her 8-year-old Morgan-Arabian named "Reality."...

They're celebrating in the streets in Iraq. The country declared a public holiday today because American troops were officially withdrawn from Iraq's cities and towns, a result of an Iraqi-American security agreement that went into effect on Jan. 1...

Anyone who doesn't think sports has an important impact on our community just isn't paying attention. Last weekend's State Prep Tournament, hosted by the McCook Rebels, is just the latest example. Twenty teams in four divisions played dozens of games over three days, with only a few games canceled because of rainy weather. ...

"Sir! I relinquish command," stated Lt. Col. Cantu, the retiring commander. "Sir! I assume command," in turn stated the new squadron commander Lt. Col. Nate Allerheiligen. With those four simple words McCook's own Colonel Nate assumed the helm of the 50th Airlift Squadron, an essential part of the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command. The 50th is stationed at Little Rock Air Force Base but flies C-130 missions world wide...

Nine-year-old Grace Hillemeier of Byron, Minn., thinks its hotter in McCook than it is at home in Byron, Minn. Grace threw her dripping, long blond locks over her shoulder as she cooled off in McCook's swimming pool Monday afternoon. Grace is visiting her grandmother, Marlene Webster of McCook...