Stories from Wednesday, April 13, 2011

June 30, 1918-April 11, 2011 HOLDREGE, Nebraska -- Funeral services for Idella L. Bowers will be conducted from the United Methodist Church in Oxford, Nebraska on Friday, April 15, 2011 at 10:30 a.m. with Reverend Eldon Flablinger officiating. Interment is in the Oxford Cemetery...

Sept. 29, 1932-April 11, 2011 AURORA, Colorado -- Jerry Fear, 78, died at Denver Hospice Care Center in Denver, Colorado. He was born Sept. 29, 1932, in Salem, Illinois, to Herbert and Faye (Bonsengerger) Fear. He was raised in Salem. He received his education from Southern Illinois University...

Terry Bradshaw's sports commentaries are always enthusiastic and entertaining, but his revelation Monday that he accumulated disabling brain damage over the course of his football career is no laughing matter -- as well as no surprise. And it's not just football. Major League Baseball recently created a separate disabled list for concussions, and sports of all types and levels are taking notice of this type of traumatic brain injury...

Last week, the Legislature made a difficult step toward balancing the budget by advancing LB 235 to select file. LB 235 reduces state aid to schools to approximately $822 million for next year -- down from $950 million this year -- and $880 million the following year. The bill advanced 41 to 0, with my support...

When I first met Chris and Eunice Atkins, to do a new pastor story for the newspaper in August 2006, I ended up spending a lot more time with them than I typically do when covering a story. It helped that the center of the focus that day was my favorite subject, Jesus -- what he has done and is doing in people's lives throughout time and yet today...

JUSTIN BASS McCook Daily Gazette CURTIS, Nebraska -- The Middle Republican Natural Resources District voted unanimously to send letters of support for Resource Conservation and Development to all five Nebraska U.S. Senators and Representatives. During a regular monthly meeting Tuesday night at the Curtis Memorial Community Center, the board agreed to ask that delegates vote against any resolutions that would defund the RC&D...

CONNIE JO DISCOE Regional Editor BARTLEY, Nebraska -- Multiple explosions at the Ag Valley elevator Tuesday morning sent two welders scurrying down a ladder in a hurry and firefighters from three departments rushing to the scene, hoping and praying they didn't see any smoke or flames...

McCook High School split two varsity matches in girls tennis action at the Bison courts Tuesday, April 12. The Bison opened with a 7-2 win over Ogallala, then Holdrege beat McCook, 5-4 in the nightcap. The hosts opened the Ogallala dual by winning two of three doubles matches. The McCook teams of Kelsey and Kassidy Gillen, plus Nichole Eisenach and Brooklynn Trew beat their respective Ogallala opponents. Laura Brooks and Kaylee Samway lost the No. 1 doubles match in a tie-breaker...

LEXINGTON, Nebraska -- Competitors faced windy conditions at the Tuesday, April 12 Lexington Invitational boys high school golf meet. The rest of the 12 teams in the field were blown away by the McCook Bison. McCook had four individuals finish in the top eight medalists in the meet held at the Lakeside Country Club south of Lexington. The Bison won the 18-hole event with a low team total of 310 strokes. North Platte was a distant second at 332, and Ogallala third at 347...