Stories from Thursday, October 8, 2009

Oct. 27, 1940 - Oct. 7, 2009 Doris K. Grossman of rural McCook died Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2009, at Hillcrest Nursing Home. She was 68. She was born Oct. 27, 1940, to Huel and Pauline (Scott) Payton in Burley, Idaho. Her family moved to McCook and she attended McCook Public Schools...

Jan. 21, 1945 - Oct. 4, 2009 KINGWOOD, Texas -- Ralph E Sydow, 64, of Kingwood, Texas died Sunday (Oct. 4, 2009) while working in Florence, S.C. He was born in McCook, Jan. 21, 1945, to Robert F and Inez R Sydow. He attended high school at the University of Nebraska's school for agriculture in Curtis and Kearney State College...

Artist Dick Budig of Lincoln, formerly of McCook, has completed two portraits of Sgt. Randy J. Matheny, 20, of McCook, who was killed Feb. 4, 2007 near Baghdad when an IED -- improvised explosive device -- detonated next to the armored security vehicle in which he served as a gunner...

Nebraska ranks number 10 in Top 10 pro-business states, a list that businesses look at in deciding where to re-locate or expand. That's a move up from number 15 last year, said Jamie Karl, Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry vice president of public affairs and policy...

Results of a recent study point up the danger of making sweeping public policy decisions before all the information is available. According to a new study by the U.S. Geological Survey, trees along the Platte River in Central Nebraska use less water than we previously believed...

It's dark outside at 4:30 in the morning. Now, before you give me a fish-eyed look like my kids used to do right before they would say, "Well Duh, dad," let me explain. This dark was different. It was more than just the absence of light, it was a dark that could almost be felt. As I walked out of the house with binoculars in hand to look for the Garnet Star I wrote about recently, there was a feeling, a sort of velvety, or almost silken touch to the air...

STEVE KODAD Gazette Sports Editor It's probably been many years since any McCook High School regular-season football game carried a must-win label. Friday night's battle at Lexington looms large for the Bison in terms of playoff hopes for the perennial Class B powerhouse...

Grant Strunk/McCook Daily Gazette McCook Community College's Sierra Guy shows her basketball ball handling skills before practice Wednesday. Guy a 5'7" guard from Toronto, Canada, is among ten sophomores returning this year for the Indians. The MCC women will have a scrimmage against Cloud County Community College in Concordia, Kan. next Tuesday...

COLUMNBUS -- The Nebraska Public Power District's Board of Directors is considering a proposed, 5.7 percent average rate increase for its retail customers. Depending upon the type of customer (e.g. residential, commercial, industrial, irrigation, etc.), the respective proposed rate increase will range from 4.7 -- 8.4 percent. Residential customers can expect an average 6.0 percent increase which equates to approximately 20 cents a day or $6 a month...