Stories from Wednesday, August 18, 2010

LINCOLN, Nebraska -- Gov. Dave Heineman today announced the results of a fiscal analysis of the new federal health care law that predicts the cost to the State of Nebraska will be between $526 million and $766 million over the next 10 years in new state funding for Medicaid programs...

WASHINGTON--U.S. Sen. Mike Johanns (R-Neb.) today issued the following statement after Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman released a report detailing the devastating impact of the new health care law's Medicaid mandate: "Unfortunately, today's report points out what we already knew -- the health care 'reform' law is not reform at all. ...

Nov. 30, 1956-Aug. 16, 2010 CURTIS, Nebraska -- Deborah Lynn Vreeland, was born Nov. 30, 1956 at North Platte Nebraska and passed away on Aug. 16, 2010, after a courageous battle with cancer at the age of 53. She was the fifth child of Nelson Eugene Jr. "Gene" and Mary Lou (Florom)Vreeland of Curtis, Nebraska...

Nov. 29, 1933-Aug. 16, 2010 OBERLIN, Kansas -- Eldon W. Huntley, 76, died Monday (Aug. 16, 2010), at his home in Oberlin. He was born Nov. 29, 1933, at a farm in Finley Township at Decatur County, Kansas, to Willis Chester and Della Fern (Young) Huntley. He was raised in Traer, Kansas, and attended Traer School and Decatur Community High School, graduating in 1951...

Oct. 12, 1932-Aug. 17, 2010 INDIANOLA, Nebraska -- George Christian Hoelscher Jr., died Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2010, at the Cambridge Hospital. He was 77 years old. George was born on Oct. 12, 1932, in Ward County, North Dakota, to George Christian and Daisy Pauline (Laid) Hoelscher Sr...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Classes are set to begin next week at McCook Community College and as staff and faculty make final preparations and instructors have issued reminders and clarifications about music and science courses. MCC Music Instructor Glenda Baker said she has fielded several questions regarding the fall schedule as it pertains to non music majors interested in taking music classes...

And so it goes ... Nebraskans like to think of themselves as independent, but the seatbelt situation is just one small illustration of how federal tendrils entwine themselves in state and local government. How so? As it stands now, drivers can be ticketed for not wearing a seatbelt, but only after they are stopped for some other reason, say speeding, failure to signal a turn or missing a stop sign...

Are you enjoying those BLTs with fresh summer tomatoes? They're so delicious, you probably didn't notice that the price of the bacon in the middle was up about a dollar a pound. Bacon makes for an interesting study in market forces and economics. The price of bacon at the grocery store is up because the price of the pork bellies from which it is made is up nearly 50 percent since June...

Many news articles and opinions have been circulating in our local media and coffee groups about the recently adopted Integrated Management Plan approved by the Middle Republican NRD. I cautiously supported this IMP and voted to approve it after the Board of Directors made some alterations from the original plan...

"And if you go chasing rabbits, and you know you're going to fall..." The words to this Jefferson Airplane hit from my obviously misspent youth have been running through my head lately, as it seems I've been chasing rabbits. Oh, not the White Rabbit from the song, written by Grace Slick and released on the Surrealistic Pillow album in 1967. ...

August 18, 2010 -- Today, Nebraska's Senator Ben Nelson issued this statement after Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman released a study assessing the impact of the new health reform law's Medicaid costs to state government: "While the intent of the report is to illustrate how much health care will cost state government, it actually illustrates how much of a burden health care costs are to Nebraska families. ...

McCook High School junior Alan Goodenberger keeps an eye on the ball during Bison boys tennis team drills Tuesday at the high school courts. Goodenberger and his McCook teammates are scheduled to open the season Friday, Aug. 27, at Kearney Catholic in a triangular meet against the host Stars and Holdrege...

INDIANOLA, Nebraska -- For whatever reason, the monument that marked the rise of the 1935 Republican River flood as it swept through Indianola was removed years ago and taken to the city office. After a National Weather Service program that commemorated the flood's 75th anniversary, Indianola city officials plan to replace the original marble monument in its rightful position in south Indianola and highlight it with a new "High Water Mark" plaque presented to the community Saturday by Joy Hayden and Dave Floyd of the NWS.. ...