Stories from Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Maurice Eugene Kaiser June 2, 1929 -- January 24, 2012 DENVER, Colorado --Maurice was born at home on the family farm north of Herndon Kansas. He graduated from Herndon High school in 1947 and attended McCook Junior College prior to acceptance into Officer's Candidate School...

65th anniversary The family of Earl and Naomi Ommert is requesting a card shower in honor of the couple's 65th wedding anniversary. Cards of congratulations will reach them at Box 224, Cambridge, NE 69022.

CAMBRIDGE, Nebraska -- A Cambridge, Nebraska, man died Tuesday night in a one-vehicle accident discovered by Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad personnel at the Cambridge lake road and Highway 6 and 34 intersection. Nebraska State Patrol Trooper Robert Golden reports that Michael A. Morgan Jr., 34 years old, died in the accident reported by railroad officials at 11:50 p.m...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The director of the Red Willow County, Nebraska, Health Department told county commissioners Monday morning that the department's ability to bill Blue Cross/Blue Shield allows its vaccination program to reach a larger segment of people...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Organizers of the Red Willow County Ministerial Association's-sponsored Feed My Starving Children McCook Mobile Pack have sailed right past their first goal of raising $24,000 to pack 100,000 meals for distribution in any of nearly 70 countries worldwide...

It's not as good as an outright repeal of term limits, but Sen. Tom Carlson's proposed constitutional amendment to limit lawmakers to three back-to-back terms is a step in the right direction. Nebraska voters approved term limits of two consecutive terms in 2000, which went into effect in 2006. Senators can run again if they sit out one term...

With the shirt-sleeve weather -- we tied the record high temperature, 70º on Monday -- it's been easy to forget we're in the middle of winter. Mother Nature is promising to give us a good reminder on Groundhog Day, no matter what Punxsutawney Phil says Thursday, with the arrival of a winter storm...

It had been a particularly challenging week and I was delighted when bedtime arrived Friday night and I could turn the radio alarm clock to the off position. Even without a nudge from that appliance, I started waking up, right on time, but repeatedly settled back into a deep sleep, reminding myself over and over again that it was Saturday morning and I could sleep as late as I wanted...

Debra Petsch and her dad, Wendell Peters, of P&G Excavating, McCook, Nebraska, clear out debris Tuesday from the one-story frame house they demolished north of the McCook Public Library at 802 Norris Avenue. In the basement of the house, Wendell said, they discovered a very solid storm cellar with cement walls and a cement roof. ...

LINCOLN -- The Public Service Commission plans town hall meetings in McCook and other locations in SourceGas' service territory during mid-February. At the meetings, customers can learn more about the company's proposal and express their views. SourceGas is requesting an increase in its customer service and distribution charges, which include costs of operating and maintaining the natural gas system. The affected rates do not include the cost of gas, which is a separate, unregulated charge...

BARTLEY, Neb. -- Hitchcock County's basketball girls just keep rolling along this season. The Falcons kept their perfect record intact with a 54-35 win over Southern Valley Saturday, Jan. 28, to claim the 2012 Republican Plains Activities Conference Tournament championship...

LEXINGTON, Neb. -- The McCook High School girls basketball team can't seem to shake the same problems that have plagued the Bison most of this season. Cool shooting and a lack of defense helped doom the McCook girls Friday, Jan. 27, in a 66-47 loss at Lexington...

The McCook High School boys basketball team has missed a couple chances this season to record a signature win. Not so on Jan. 28. The Bison rallied for a 54-48 victory over Class C-1 powerhouse Kearney Catholic, one night after rolling to a 70-34 victory at Lexington Jan. 27. The weekend sweep boosted McCook's season record to 11-7...

There weren't too many punches to be pulled when describing the McCook Community College women's basketball 53-31 loss Jan. 28 to Southeast C.C. of Beatrice. The MCC women simply collapsed in the second half at True Hall gym after pulling within three points several minutes after the halftime break. The Indians went nearly 10 minutes without scoring a point, as Southeast's 14-0 run stretched a five-point lead to 46-27 with just under four minutes left...

The McCook Community College men's basketball team found a cure for some recent ills that have befallen the Indians. The perfect prescription was a big win Jan. 28. The MCC men snapped a three-game losing skid with a huge 75-73 win over nationally-ranked Southeast Community College of Beatrice...

RED CLOUD, Neb. -- Southwest High School continued a strong wrestling campaign as the Roughriders claimed another team championship at the Red Cloud/Blue Hill Invitational. Southwest scored 168 points to claim first place in the Jan. 28 meet, with Russell, Kan. second with 140.5 points. Sutton was third with 126, and Thayer Central fourth with 97.5...

A Husker "insider" plans to deliver to local Nebraska football fans an in-depth look at the NU program and the 2012 Husker recruiting class during a special presentation in McCook. Sean Callahan will speak to Husker fans Monday, Feb. 20 at the Coppermill Restaurant in McCook. ...

A nasty weather forecast has helped the McCook High School athletic administration alter this weekend's basketball schedule. The Bison boys and girls were scheduled to host Ogallala Friday, Feb. 3, at the Senior High gym. But Friday's weather forecast is calling for heavy snows in southwest Nebraska. So officials from both schools made contact Wednesday morning and decided to avoid the possible messy weather and move the games up 24 hours to Thursday, Feb. 2...

90th birthdays The family of Dwaune and DeVeta Redfield of Palisade, Nebraska is requesting a card shower in honor of their 90th birthdays. Dwaune was born Nov. 1, 1921, north of Stratton and DeVeta on Feb 5, 1921, in Haigler. Their family includes Sharlene (Joe) Baker of Brighton, Colorado, Keith Redfield of Palisade, Kaylene (Dick) Luedtke of Columbus, Nebraska, seven grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. ...

Vlasta 'Viola' Pritchett June 28, 1928 - Jan. 31, 2012 McCOOK, Nebraska - Vlasta "Viola" Pritchett of McCook passed away on Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2012, at Community Hospital. She was 83 years old. Viola was born on June 28, 1928, in Stratton, Nebraska, to Samuel Clayton and Eva Mae (Parrott) Cobb. She attended McCook Public Schools...