Stories from Wednesday, April 28, 2010

The family of Fred Pinkal Sr. is requesting a card shower in honor of his 80th birthday, Thursday, April 29. His family includes his wife, Ardith Pinkal; and children, Denise and Steve Bales of McCook, Fred Jr. and Heidi Pinkal of McCook, Terry and Lynn Pinkal of McCook, Rob and Barb Pinkal of Indianola and Shari and Joe Goodenberger of Culbertson. Cards of congratulations will reach him at 410 East 5th Street, McCook, NE 69001...

The family of Richard Dack is requesting a card shower in honor of his 75th birthday April 30. His family includes his wife, Karen; daughters, Tammy and husband, Jim Fredrickson of Selden, Kansas, Lori and husband, Harold Pearson, Terry and husband, Mike Skolout, and Kathy and husband, Todd Lichty, all of McCook, Nebraska; and 10 grandchildren. Cards of congratulations will reach him at 38115 Road 713, McCook, NE 69001...

LINCOLN, Nebraska -- Gov. Dave Heineman has awarded the city of McCook $505,000 in Community Development Block Grant funding for building and equipment costs to install infrastructure associated with a new data center. "This expansion is a combination of excellent location and the opportunity to further the development of data creation, management and storage in our state, Gov. ...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- A special meeting of the McCook City Council will be 7 p.m., Thursday, at the Heritage Senior Center, concerning new city facilities for a fire station, police department and city offices. Mayor Dennis Berry will open the meeting, followed by council comments. ...

The person who will represent Red Willow County's District 3 on the county commission board for the next four years may be determined when Republicans Leigh Hoyt, Vesta Dack and Jim Coady go head-to-head in the primary election May 11. Election commissioner Pauletta Gerver said that the name of the winner of the primary election will be placed on the ballot for the general election in November, and he or she may be challenged by someone who petitions in or becomes a write-in candidate. ...

Wendell Peters of McCook, Nebraska, tugs one last time, and the roof of the two-story yellow house at 301 E. Second crashes onto the south lawn. For several years now, preservationists, an absent owner, neighbors and the City of McCook have taken sides in favor of or against saving the big yellow house, built in 1899 by McCook pioneer and furniture salesman Henry Barbazette for his family. ...

BENKELMAN, Nebraska -- A first grade teacher in the Dundy County Stratton Public School system has been named the 2010 "McCook Area Educator of the Year." With the presentation of the award Tuesday evening, teacher Julie Burrell was recognized for her dedication to helping students always do their best and enjoy school and learning...

Thanks but no thanks, said the governor. Gov. Dave Heineman's decision that Nebraska won't operate a high-risk insurance pool ironically means the Republican governor is ceding more power to the federal government. Some 4,820 Nebraskans depend on the Nebraska Comprehensive Health Insurance Pool, which was created in 1985 to cover people with pre-existing conditions who were unable to obtain coverage elsewhere...

I think it is necessary to correct several of the statements made by my good friend, Dick Trail, about the relationship between the McCook Airport Advisory Board, and the McCook City Council. Mr. Trail says that when the council appoints a commission such as the Airport Advisory Board, the council should totally accept their decisions, and then as a council not come to a different conclusion. ...

On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Nebraska Community Foundation, we would like to express our support for Amendment One, which will appear on the 2010 Primary Election ballot on May 11. This Constitutional Amendment would benefit nonprofit organizations across the state, the people they serve, and the people who support local charitable causes...

I'm really a little too long in the tooth to be learning this again, but apparently, I'm a slow study. Frustration has set in, even though I know it to be an exercise in futility. Perhaps it is because the garden exists only in my mind while we wait, more impatiently day-by-day, for the salvage yard to come and collect the refuse leftover from the recent truck rehabilitation. Until they do, there's no room to build the trailer and no garden space to till...

KEARNEY -- The McCook High School girls tennis team ran into a pair of rugged opponents in Kearney Tuesday, April 27. The Bison girls lost varsity matches to Kearney High School and Kearney Catholic by identical 7-2 counts. "The girls played hard and put forth a great effort, but they ran into better teams," said McCook head coach Matt Wiemers. ...

HOLDREGE -- Three individuals finishing in the top eight helped the McCook High School boys finish off the rest of the field in the Holdrege Invitational golf meet Tuesday, April 27. The Bison topped 12 other teams for top honors at the 18-hole competition played Tuesday at the Holdrege Country Club. McCook carded a low team score of 318 stroke. The Grand Island High junior varsity finished three shots back, followed by Hastings with a 324 and Grand Island Central Catholic with a 329...

Oh my, Yogi Berra would have a field day with the McCook Community College baseball team. It definitely ain't over 'till it's over with the 2010 Indians. MCC scored six runs in the bottom of the eighth inning Tuesday, April 27, to pull out a 10-9 win over Colby (Kansas) Community College. The non-conference, nine-inning contest was played at the Jaycees Sports Complex...