Stories from Thursday, January 14, 2010

WASHINGTON -- The American Red Cross is sending money, supplies and staff to Haiti to support relief efforts there after yesterday's earthquake, which caused catastrophic damage and loss of life. According to reports, as many as three million people may have been affected by the quake, which collapsed government buildings and caused major damage to hospitals in the area...

The family of Lucille Klient-Grassmeyer, formerly of McCook, is requesting a card shower in honor of her 80th birthday, January 19. Cards of congratulations will reach her at 940 West 9th Street, Lexington, NE 68850.

CAMBRIDGE -- Pinpoint Communications, along with the Cambridge Telephone Co., is warning residents of Southwest Nebraska not to divulge personal information to callers offering refunds or credits on telephone bills. Subscribers of Pinpoint and CTC have received calls purporting to be from their "Telephone Company" claiming that a telephone bill had been overcharged and that the subscriber would be receiving a refund. When pressed for details about the transaction, the caller hangs up...

By BRENT L. COBB McCook Community College From the time he was 8, Ted Fellers knew he wanted to be a teacher. In his small Dawson County country school, his teacher assigned him to help some of the younger students with their lessons. "Something clicked and I just knew," Fellers said. "There was never any question in my mind that I was going to be a teacher."...

A bill introduced by Sen Mark Christensen of Imperial that would allow people to use deadly force against someone breaking into their homes, workplaces or cars is getting overwhelming positive response, the senator said today. In fact, the only negative feedback is coming from newspapers in Lincoln and Omaha which have "hammered" him on it, Christensen said this morning at the McCook Area Chamber of Commerce Legislative conference call...

The recession, health care reform -- even the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan pale in comparison to the widespread death and destruction suffered by the people of Haiti following Tuesday's earthquake. Perhaps it's good we Americans have a chance to stop thinking about our troubles, serious as they are, and concentrate instead on helping the people of a nearby nation struggling for life itself...

As promised, let's start our tour of the Winter Circle, or Winter Hexagon as some call it. Go outside (yes, outside. I know it's cold so dress warm) at about 8 p.m. MST and look to the southeast for the hourglass form of Orion, the Hunter. You won't even need a dark-sky place...

Donations for Christian World Outreach missions in Haiti are being accepted at the Chief Mogtel and Restaurant on West B Street in McCook on Sunday, Monday and next Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Please check in at the motel office when dropping off items and they will direct you to the proper location...

Forget the flu vaccine -- McCook High School head girls basketball coach Jeff Ellis would be lining up his players for an inoculation of confidence, if it were available, entering the Friday, Jan. 15 home game against Hastings. The perfect remedy for the McCook girls' season-long ills would be a victory over the Tigers, to give Coach Ellis and his squad a big boost of confidence for the rest of the season...

The McCook High School boys basketball team is on a roll, with a tough Hastings team ready to derail the Bison Friday night. McCook rides a four-game win streak into Friday's action against the Tigers. Tip-off for the boys varsity action is set for 7:45 p.m. at the Senior High gym following the McCook-Hastings girls game...