Stories from Monday, October 26, 2009

I recently toured the progress of a new project taking place in Beaver City, where a company still fairly new to Nebraska is finishing a new facility and its second expansion project in our state in the last four years. While this is one of several new developments in Nebraska communities this year, this particular project is inspiring because it is an example of how personal connections can sometimes make the difference in attracting new business development to our state...

J. James Exon served the people of Nebraska with great distinction for more than a quarter of a century. The legendary "Big Jim," as so many people called him, was a very popular public figure during his two terms as Governor from 1971 to 1979 and his three terms as United States Senator from 1980 until his retirement in 1997. He endeared himself to Nebraskans for his outstanding leadership and for his larger than life public persona right up until the time he passed away in 2005...

Gene O. Morris joined the ranks of two other past publishers of the McCook Daily Gazette when he was inducted into the Nebraska Journalism Hall of Fame at a ceremony in Lincoln Friday night. Gazette founder Harry D. Strunk was inducted in 1975, and his son, Allen Strunk was inducted in 2002...

Local "celebrities" and their pets grace the pages of the McCook Humane Society's new calendar, "Beauties, Beasts and Little Critters." The calendar sale will kick-off Wednesday from 3:30 to 5 p.m. at Hillcrest Nursing Home, 309 W. Seventh; on Friday, Oct. 30, at Wells Fargo Bank, 108 West D, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 31, at the McCook Humane Society, 100 South Street, from 1 to 4 p.m...

A random sampling of 500 Southwest Nebraska and Northwest Kansas residents mentioned the doctors, the variety of specialists and overall quality of care when surveyors asked them recently what makes them loyal to Community Hospital of McCook. Jessica Bortner, the hospital's Performance Improvement Coordinator, told members of the board of directors at their meeting Oct. ...

While the nation's health care system is being shaped on Capitol Hill, the need for effect health care couldn't be more apparent. President Obama has declared a national emergency and H1N1 is widespread nearly everywhere, including Nebraska and Kansas...

While Lindbergh was waiting at Roosevelt Field New York to take off on his historic flight across the Atlantic, an aviation buff engaged him in conversation. The fellow was Harry Guggenheim, the heir to one of America's largest mining fortunes (copper, silver, gold)...

Aug. 31, 1933-Oct. 22, 2009 TRENTON -- Arlin Eugene "Al" Limper, died Thursday (Oct. 22, 2009), at McCook Community Hospital in McCook, Neb., at the age of 76. He was born Aug. 31, 1933, at Dodge City, Kan., the son of the late Jesse Edward and Dorothy (Jarvis) Limper...

March 30, 1919-Oct. 25, 2009 ARAPAHOE -- Margaret E. Schutz, 90, died Sunday (Oct. 25, 2009), at the CA Mues Good Samaritan Center in Arapahoe. She was born March 30, 1919, at Eustis, to Clarence and Amelia (Rieker) Wagner. She was baptized on June 22, 1919, and confirmed on March 25, 1934, at St. ...

Feb. 9, 1940-Oct. 23, 2009 ATWOOD -- James H. "Chopper" Wilkens, 69, died Friday (Oct. 23, 2009), at his home in Atwood. He was born Feb. 9, 1940, at Bird City, to Charles and Jessie (Herren) Wilkens. He was a farmer and former owner of a feed grinding, earth moving business...

CAMBRIDGE -- The Cambridge High School Trojans jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the first quarter but gave up 22 points in the fourth quarter, to lose to Elm Creek 28-6 Friday. Cambridge defensive back Delvin Jackson picked off a Dalton Meier pass and returned the ball 14 yards to the 48 yard line to set up Cambridge's only touchdown...

Grant Strunk/McCook Daily Gazette Nebraska standout lineman Ndamukong Suh (93) sacks Iowa State quarterback Jerome Tiller (11) for a 6-yard loss Saturday at Memorial Stadium. Suh finished the day with six solo and two assisted tackles.

Don't Defy the Founding Fathers Senator Mike Johanns October 26, 2009 Each day I spend in the U.S. Senate representing you, I become more in awe of our Founding Fathers' remarkable system of government checks and balances. The difference between the House of Representatives and the Senate is a perfect example. The House was created to be a majority body. If there is a solid majority by either party, as the Democrat Party holds today, that party will almost never lose a vote...