Stories from Monday, June 7, 2010

This spring I had the pleasure of meeting a family that is helping conserve the wide open spaces, ranch and farm land that are part of Nebraska's natural resources. Each year, the Nebraska Cattlemen join with the Sand County Foundation in honoring the work of a private landowner involved in caring for the land, water and wildlife in this state. ...

July 9, 1974-June 3, 2010 TRENTON, Nebraska -- Jesse Alan Jones, 35, died Thursday (June 3, 2010) as the result of a truck accident near Red Cloud, Nebraska. He was born July 9, 1974 in Loup City, Nebraska, the son of John and Judy (Amann) Jones. He grew up in Trenton where he graduated from Trenton High School in 1993. He attended McCook Community College...

Ty Milleson of Dunning ties his goat during the 2010 junior high state finals rodeo Friday and Saturday at the Kiplinger Arena in McCook, Nebraska. Contestants competed for the chance to advance to the national junior high rodeo finals June 27-July 3 in Gallup, New Mexico...

It's easy to get complacent about storm warnings in Southwest Nebraska and Northwest Kansas, with doppler radar, Internet and wireless communication supplementing conventional broadcast warnings, storm chasers feeding the latest information into the mix...

The 1935 Republican River Flood is arguably the greatest disaster ever to befall our valley. This year, 2010, the 75th Anniversary of the flood, offers the opportunity to look at some of the stories to come out of that bleak time. The following story is of the McNeece and Rippen families...

Every year in late July or early August for the past several years, my family heads to McCook for the Relay for Life from Colorado, South Dakota and here in Nebraska. The 20 or so members of our team raise money (usually in the top 3 money raisers for the event), we pitch our tents (except for mom, who at 72 likes the comfort of her own bed, but returns for the final lap in the morning), we decorate for the theme, we play the games, do the exercises with Martha early in the morning, and we talk with survivors and others who are there to help with the fight.. ...

Our new health law continues to interest Nebraskans, judging by questions I'm being asked during travels around the state, and I'm happy to report there's good news for us this year. The White House recently sent out a report showing some of the improvements that will go into effect pretty soon. ...

Organizers of the John Mullen Pro-Am Health and Heritage Classic expect to reap another huge monetary donation from the annual golf tournament. The 22nd edition of the classic tournament was held Friday through Sunday, June 4-6, at the Heritage Hills Golf Links in McCook. Amateur and PGA golf professionals compete to honor John Mullen, a former PGA apprentice at the McCook course. Mullen passed away in 1986 at just 23 years of age...

March 4, 1938-May 31, 2010 INDIANOLA, Nebraska -- Lynn Howard, 72, of Colorado Springs, Colorado and Indianola, Nebraska passed away May 31, 2010 in Denver following a brief illness. He was born March 4, 1938 in Modesto, California. He spent his first 35 years in California working construction and in fruit orchards before moving to Colorado in 1972...