Stories from Wednesday, October 5, 2016

Check out almost any governmental budget, and you'll see the largest line item is salaries. Paying people is the most expensive part of almost any enterprise, and it's the obvious choice when budget cuts are needed. What happens, however, when you don't have people to do important jobs like deposit checks and reconcile accounts?...

McCOOK, Neb. -- Bill Hoyt is a steward of natural resources and an advocate of open communication. As a farmer and a former law enforcement officer, Hoyt believes strongly in the conservation of resources -- natural and financial -- and transparency, especially in boards that impact the future of Nebraska's resources and its economy...

HAYES CENTER, Neb. -- On a Husker Saturday in November, American Legion Post No. 287 of Hayes Center plans a unique "Junk in the Trunk" event and a Cornhusker tailgate party. Sellers are encouraged to stuff their "junk in their trunks," their "trash to treasures," their rusty gold, their beans or popcorn, or their garage sale or yard sale gems on trailers or in the back of their pickups and sell between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 5 at the Legion Hall on the Hayes County fairgrounds...

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Rural Nebraskans are optimistic about their communities and would rate many characteristics as good or excellent to someone looking to move there, according to the 2016 Nebraska Rural Poll. In general over the past 21 years, more rural Nebraskans have believed their community has changed for the better during the past year than those who believed it changed for the worse. In fact, the gap between the two opinions has widened during the past six years...

OGALLALA, Neb. -- The McCook tennis team went 1-1 at Tuesday's triangular held at Ogallala. The Bison defeated Alliance 7-2 and lost to Scottsbluff 3-1. McCook enjoyed success against the Bulldogs. The Bison won all three doubles matches, which had teams of Josiah Hegwood/Syd Wier, Zion Moyer/Caden Bortner and Spencer Krysl/Sam Knoll...

Autumn continues on with some remarkably clear skies, which match some remarkable events and things to look at. Some are transient events and can be seen on only one or two evenings (or mornings), like today's event, when a crescent moon meets the planet Saturn in tonight's evening sky and meets the planet Mars on Friday...

McCOOK, Neb. -- The American Legion of Nebraska honored McCook firefighter Tyler Neff as its 2015 Firefighter/EMS Officer of the Year during Monday's meeting of the McCook City Council. Neff was originally named for the award during a conference earlier this year while he was deployed to Afghanistan as a flight medic with the Wyoming National Guard. As part of the award, Neff was submitted for consideration as the National Firefighter/EMS Officer of the Year...