Stories from Thursday, July 19, 2018

McCOOK, Neb. — The McCook Bison summer tennis session came to a close on Tuesday. The camp participants learned fundamentals, scoring, and court strategy. They also had the opportunity to join the match play league, as campers were divided into two divisions, with four teams in each division...

McCOOK, Neb. — Heritage Hills Men’s Golf League continued Wednesday night with Mead Lumber and MNB Financial Group now sharing B League most points. A League Culbertson Bank 66.5 Old Sarge’s 64.5 McCook Lettering 56 Golight 55...

I have a confession to make: Sometimes...especially during the summer...I exercise outside, rather inside at the Y. When the weather is nice, it is hard to beat a nice bike ride to Culbertson for breakfast. There is the joy of a run on the trail through Kelley Park and spotting deer or turkey among the trees...

McCOOK, Neb. — The turbo button’s been blasting through weight rooms all summer as McCook Bison are only getting bigger and badder entering this season’s final pre-season “push”. “Oh yeah, our guys are definitely stronger than when the summer began,” McCook football coach Jeff Gross said this morning...

Nebraskans are hesitant to complain about rainfall, but like anything good, too much is a bad thing. Sudden rainfall made rural travel hazardous in parts of the county, and flash-flood warnings have been common of late. If you were out Wednesday evening, you may have noticed a City of McCook truck cruising the streets, dispensing pesticides to keep the mosquito population at bay...

I hope everyone has been having an enjoyable summer. I have been traveling the 44th District to multiple community events and parades. I always enjoy getting out and meeting the people of the district I serve. Please make sure to reach out and say hello to me if I am at an event with you, I always enjoy talking to my constituents. This week I would like to talk about Medicaid expansion since it will most likely be on the ballot this November...

As I continue our objective to clarify that the four NRDs involved in N-CORPE could continue to use the groundwater underlying the augmentation project without continued direct ownership of the land, I am often told by an attorney who is well versed in Nebraska’s groundwater law: yes, I am correct that N-CORPE can sell the land but that I should refrain from using the term “separating groundwater from land ownership.” Although my argument is correct, legal mechanisms in existing law do allow for a past or present landowner to assign their groundwater use rights to others by lease, easement or reservation, he is also correct in saying those agreements always tie the ability to use groundwater to the land.. ...

I should be saying a huge prayer of thanks for my 16-year-old’s survival! Seriously! I don’t know how she made it through the last 40 days? Just shy of a miracle, I’m pretty sure. Thank goodness she was patient and managed to struggle through or I just don’t know what would have happened. ...

COLUMBUS, Neb. – Nebraska Public Power District is taking another step forward in the carbon world with a second Department of Energy (DOE) study. This most recent initiative has a goal of developing an integrated carbon dioxide (CO2) collection, transportation, and storage infrastructure in the Midwest for ethanol facilities and nearby power plants...

BEAVER CITY, Neb. — Agriculture is the heart and soul of Nebraska, said Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts as he presented Furnas County officials with their official “Livestock Friendly” designation during the county fair Wednesday in Beaver City. “Agriculture accounts for more than 20 percent of our economy, and all ag-related jobs support our general economy,” the governor said. ...