McCook Daily Gazette: Columns: McCook Daily Gazette

Tough times good times to take control (03/19/10)
The rural economy is still shrinking, but not as much as it has been, according to a Creighton University professor's latest figures on the Rural Mainstreet Index. Farmland values are above "growth neutral," offsetting declines in farm equipment sales and continued job losses...

Don't let longer hours rob kids of sleep (03/18/10)
If the family seems a little more grumpy than usual these days, there may be a good reason. Yes, we all lost an hour of sleep, thanks to Sunday's return to daylight saving time, but that only exacerbates a problem that results from the changing season...

Copiers create new threat of identity theft (03/17/10)
With less than a month until tax day, you've probably got all your records together to prepare your return -- if you haven't already got your refund back and spent. It's a good time to pay special attention to the need to protect your identity. Most of us know enough not to give Social Security or credit card information out to someone who calls on the phone, to shred financial documents we no longer need and to be careful when making online transactions, but there is a new threat most of us haven't thought of.. ...

Will coffee or tea replace the donkey or the elephant? (03/16/10)
Two-thirds of Americans are "dissatisfied" or "angry" with the federal government, according to a rcent Washington Post-ABC News Poll, the highest negative numbers in the past 14 years. Just wait until health care reform is passed through back-door maneuvering, if that's what actually happens...

Education's love, hate relationship with technology (03/15/10)
Education has been in a love-hate relationship with technology ever since Abraham Lincoln did his homework on the back of a shovel with a lump of coal. We remember when the first personal computers arrived in high schools more than 30 years ago, but it's hard for most students to imagine doing homework without access to a desktop or laptop computer...

A potpourri of opinion (03/12/10)
Most of us love wildlife, but respect for wild animals doesn't mean letting them get out of control. That's what's happening with the state's blossoming deer population, growing because of too little pressure from natural predators or hunters. Thursday, lawmakers gave first-round approval to a bill that would allow the secretary of the state Game and Parks Commission to extend deer season by issuing executive orders...

WASPs finally receiving their due (03/11/10)
Nearly 70 years after the fact, more World War II heroes are finally receiving the honor they are due. We've heard and read about the Honor Flights that have carried so many of the "Greatest Generation" to the World War II memorial in Washington, and our only regret is that it didn't happen sooner...

Scrutinize every office for possible elimination (03/09/10)
The current state treasurer isn't running for re-election, but says the job is too important to eliminate it. That's what State Sen. Dennis Utter of Hastings aims to do with LR284CA, up for Legislative debate today. If passed, the proposal would go to a statewide vote, and if that passed, the office would be gone in 2013...

Nebraska enjoys advantages of cheap coal power (03/08/10)
We're all in favor of new alternative energy when it comes to generating electricity, but a new government report shows that Nebraska can thank one of the oldest sources for the cheap price we pay for power in this state. Nebraska ratepayers, who depend mostly on coal-powered plants like Gerald Gentleman Station near Sutherland, pay an average of 6.58 cents per kilowatt hour for electricity...

Pro-life group puts pressure on senators (03/05/10)
We pointed out earlier in this space the untenable position of pro-life state senators who say they support the unborn, yet would deny prenatal care to the unborn, just because the mother carrying them was illegally in this country. Now, the powerful Nebraska Right to Life has taken things one step farther, saying it will take senators' vote on the bill, LB110, which it supports, into account when it decides whether to endorse candidates later this month...

Officer deaths point out irony of seatbelt use (03/04/10)
Seat belts have been required in cars for nearly 50 years, their use has been mandatory for more than 20 and statistics confirm their value. In Nebraska, for instance, while seat belt use climbed from 31 percent in 1991 to 85 percent in 2009, the death rate per 100 million miles traveled has dropped from 1.95 to 1.10...

City Council ponders age-old alcohol questions (03/03/10)
It's an age-old question, and it won't be answered any time soon. Should drinking be allowed in public? More specifically, should alcohol be allowed on city property? The McCook City Council is considering revamping its policy to allow alcohol at the auditorium, under special, controlled circumstances...

Can advisory panel help find answers? (03/02/10)
Connecting academia to the real world is always an important task, but never more important than in the case of an advisory panel that has been looking at Nebraska's water problems since 2006. The 15-member Water Resources Advisory Panel's current priorities include quantifying water supply and demand for Nebraska river basins, beginning in the west; identifying opportunities for conjunctive management of water, especially where surface water could be stored as groundwater until needed for compliance with surface water compacts; determining the relationship between surface water and groundwater supplies; assessing better management options to reduce the impact on water supplies during drought and exceptionally wet periods; developing realistic state standards for nutrients in flowing waters; mitigating water contamination from livestock operations and agricultural production; and evaluating and measuring effectiveness of riparian buffer strips.. ...

State shouldn't deny help to those who need it most (02/26/10)

Everyday heroes prevent further tragedy (02/25/10)
Passengers of United Flight 93 fought back when their airplane was highjacked on September 11, 2001, losing their lives but thwarting the terrorists' plans to do further damage in our nation's capital. Passengers in a more recent flight subdued a would-be suicide bomber, and nearly every day brings a story of ordinary people fighting back against those who would make a point with senseless violence...

'Kickback' should have been explained earlier (02/24/10)
While generally following the Senate's version of health care reform, the White House has confirmed Sen. Ben Nelson's version of the "Cornhusker Kickback" fiasco. It's unfortunate when a controversy lends itself to alliteration, rolling easily off the tongue regardless of its truth...

New credit card rules are not the final answer (02/23/10)
The Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009, which went into effect this week was long overdue, but don't be lulled into thinking you still aren't open to being taken advantage of. The main points of the bill: But there's no free lunch, of course. Credit will be more costly for good customers, and issuers are sure to make up the difference by raising annual fees or inactivity fees for those who do not use their credit cards as often...

Progress editions offer hopeful signs (02/22/10)
Both the winter and recession are far from over, but the calendar and this week's Progress editions in the McCook Daily Gazette both show that there's plenty of hope for the end of both. Small businesses need all the help they can get, but no stimulus plan or low interest loan can substitute for old-fashioned ambition and ingenuity, as evidenced by the number of small start-up businesses that have survived and grown into established local institutions...

Turnout shows level of interest in lake is high (02/19/10)
There wasn't a lot of time for questions and answers during Thursday night's informational meeting on Red Willow Dam, at least for the standing-room-only crowd. Individuals did, however, have time to ask various officials questions following the half-hour PowerPoint presentation...

Good weekend to dream, plan for warmer weather (02/18/10)
Snow was in the forecast today, and it looks like it may be back this weekend. A great time to stay inside and dream about warmer temperatures. What better time to attend the McCook Area Chamber of Commerce's 20th annual Home and Leisure Show at the Army Reserve Training Center, 400 Airport Road?...

How serious is Nebraska about teen drinking? (02/17/10)
How serious do we want to get about teen drinking in Nebraska? Lawmakers are dealing with that decision in Lincoln this week with the debate of what is basically the "nuclear option" when it comes to teen discipline. Sen. John Harms' LB285 would require that teens have their drivers licenses suspended if convicted of minor-in-possession of alcohol. ...

Closing road makes sense for Kelley Park (02/16/10)
It will be an inconvenience for those of us used to cutting through the park on our way to northern McCook or to the southeast part of town, but closing the road through Kelley Park is a good idea. The City Council plans to vote on the issue at its next meeting...

Consumers have right, responsibility to know about common chemicals (02/15/10)
Read the label. It's the first order of advice for anyone hoping for a successful diet or a healthy lifestyle. For years, food labels have carried information about the amount of fat, number of calories and recommended daily amount of various vitamins and minerals. Reading them is an eye opener for anyone wanting to lose weight, lower cholesterol, reduce sodium or avoid an allergen in their diet...

Smooth flights, Fred (02/12/10)
Charles Shultz's "Joe Cool" version of Snoopy told the story. Wearing sunglasses and a sweater, the college-dog was ready to throw a Frisbee flying disc, a scene repeated all over the country on college campuses and city parks. The peak of the fad may have passed long ago, but the toy that evolved into a serious sport is now as much a part of American life as any other recreational activity...

Wind stimulus dollars blowing overseas (02/11/10)
When tax dollars are funneled into private industry, how much control should the government have? The question came up after financial firms, after having accepted billions of dollars in bailout money, awarded their top employees huge bonuses. But at least they were American taxpayers themselves...

Let's hope lake problem can be fixed, and soon (02/10/10)
Some things we take for granted until they're taken away. In this case, it's the water in Hugh Butler Lake, backed up by the Red Willow Dam, which is being inspected after tension cracks were discovered in the dam's earthen embankment last fall. To find out what's going on, plan to attend a public meeting with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation next, week, Feb. 18, 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the Community Building on the Red Willow County fairgrounds...

Wind in the sails of good teachers (02/09/10)
Don't expect alternative energy to be a cash cow any time soon, but a bill that would tap in to wind power, generated on school lands, has merit. LB1014, introduced by Sen. Ken Haar of Lincoln, would create a fund with money from wind-energy leases on land owned by the Board of Educational Lands and Funds, which would then be paid out to teachers who were performing well...

Repairing own car a basic right (02/09/10)
The Car Talk guys on public radio had a point when they wrote the book, "Why You Should Never Listen to Your Father When it Comes to Cars," noting that things like electronic ignition, fuel injection, anti-lock brakes and a myriad of computer-related issues have changed everything since old Dad learned how to change the oil on his '57 Chevy...

Evidence that abstinence works (02/08/10)
With local schools depending on state and federal funding, it's inevitable that political considerations will follow. Few programs are more controversial than sex education, and with the shift from right to left in Washington, "abstinence only" programs like those favored by conservatives and religious groups have fallen out of favor. ...

Colorado Springs pushing limits on cutting city services (02/05/10)
How much service should we expect from our city government? It's a question city councillors struggle with every budget season and city administrators deal with on a day-to-day basis. Now one of the bright spots on the front range of the Colorado Rockies -- Colorado Springs -- is finding out just how far city services can be cut...

Head protection vital, regardless of helmet laws (02/04/10)
Helmets are in the news again, along with important questions of personal safety and responsibility going up against issues of personal freedom. All sides seem to agree, however, that special care needs to be taken when it comes to the safety of young people...

Vaccine facts won't change minds (02/03/10)
Vaccine facts won't change minds The final retraction of a study that seemed to show a connection between autism and a common childhood vaccination should be the end of the issue, but it won't. Neither did the elimination of a mercury compound from the vaccines nine years ago, which, by the way resulted in no decline in autism, reduce the controversy...

No reason to gloat over Kansas' lost litigation funding (02/03/10)
Kansas may not be able to push quite as hard in its case against Nebraska over Republican River water, but don't expect the issue to go away any time soon. It would be funny if there weren't so many farms, jobs, businesses and taxpayer dollars on the line...

Budget projections show extent of long-term money troubles (02/02/10)
It's a problem most of us can understand -- not enough income, too many expenses, no self control and the availability of easy credit. The difference is, the money's not going for a new car or a flat-screen television, it's going to stimulate the economy, conduct two foreign wars, support huge entitlement programs and, oh yes, make the minimum payments on all that outstanding debt...

One month down, 11 to go; how is 2010 going so far? (02/01/10)
So how are you doing? With your New Year's resolutions, that is. It's Feb. 1 and 2010 is already one-twelfth gone, are you one-twelfth of the way toward your goals? A Gazette online poll showed 38 percent of respondents wanted to lose weight, 27 percent wanted to exercise more, 1 percent wanted to stop drinking, 5 percent to stop smoking and 28 percent had other goals in mind...

Deer overpopulation is a problem, but let experts do their job (01/28/10)
An open season on deer -- a really open season -- sounds like a good idea for anyone who's had to swerve to avoid the animals or had their trip interrupted and vehicle damaged with a collision. Such is the idea behind LB836, which would allow night-hunting with spotlights and shooting without permits as a way to decrease the deer population in Nebraska. ...

Celebrating a new type of hero (01/27/10)
Technology has changed so many aspects of our lives that we don't even think about it much, anymore. Now it's even changed how we think about heroes. Day after day, we hear about "drone" attacks in Pakistan and Afghanistan, with unmanned aerial vehicles, taking out insurgents with remote-control missile attacks...

Tours, discussion make need for new building clear (01/26/10)
Monday night's special meeting at the McCook Public Safety Center should have been an eye opener for anyone who hasn't visited the police station or fire station recently. Members of the public who joined the council for the event had to be divided into two groups to tour the jail, dispatch center, training rooms and fire barn. The number of people taking part tended to exacerbate the crowded conditions, but they did get a taste of the working conditions at the facility...

Census count vital part of our American system (01/25/10)
It's only a couple of months until census forms will be mailed out to everyone in the United States and Puerto Rico, asking 10 simple questions: 1. How many people were living or staying in this house, apartment, or mobile home on April 1, 2010? 2. Were there any additional people staying here April 1, 2010 that you did not include in Question1?...

Special meeting offers opportunity for learning, input (01/22/10)
We don't know what else you may have going on Monday evening, but we urge as many local residents as possible to take advantage of a chance to make an informed decision on the need for a new public safety center, jail or other facilities. A special meeting of the McCook City Council is set for 6 p.m. Monday in the Public Safety Center Fire Training Room, West Fifth and B, beginning with a tour of the facility, followed by a council discussion session and later an opportunity for public comment...

Open-meeting laws should apply to NSAA (01/21/10)
LB1021 is one of those proposals that seems like a no-brainer. State Sen. Bill Avery's bill would require the Nebraska School Activities Association to abide by open-meetings and public-records law. You mean it doesn't already? No, the NSAA is a private, nonprofit corporation and, as such, is not required to open its records for public scrutiny, publish advance notice of meetings or conform to other state requirements...

Why not every school a charter school? (01/18/10)
The conservative Nebraska think-tank Platte Institute has plenty of ammunition in making an argument for charter schools in Nebraska. According to the executive summary for a study, "Race to the Top -- Can We Compete: Nebraska's Charter School Initiative," only about a third, 35.8 percent, of Nebraska's fourth and eighth graders are proficient in reading and math. That includes 45 percent who are not poor, 20 percent who are poor, fewer than 16 percent of Hispanics and 11 percent of Blacks...

Governor makes good point on school calendar (01/15/10)
Gov. Dave Heineman's designation of education as a priority for the coming years is appropriate, especially because he coupled it with economic growth and governmental efficiency. It's especially fitting in light of the state's precarious fiscal condition that Heineman didn't propose simply throwing money at the educational system in hopes that it improves...

Haitian disaster provides needed perspective (01/14/10)
The recession, health care reform -- even the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan pale in comparison to the widespread death and destruction suffered by the people of Haiti following Tuesday's earthquake. Perhaps it's good we Americans have a chance to stop thinking about our troubles, serious as they are, and concentrate instead on helping the people of a nearby nation struggling for life itself...

New electric car may portend shift in transportation (01/13/10)
How about a pure electric car that can go more than 200 miles on a charge and has a top speed of 87 miles an hour? What if it seats five in comfort and can be recharged in about an hour? Add a price that's comparable to a similar "crossover" vehicle, and you've got quite a vehicle...

Health officials taking aim at hidden killer (01/12/10)
We've heard the mantra: smoking is bad for you. Stop smoking and live longer. That's true, but there's a 50 percent chance that we're living with a threat that, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, causes 21,000 lung cancer deaths per year...

Newspapers remain leading source of local news (01/11/10)
A Utah newspaper, the Milford News, was once published with the motto, "The only newspaper in the world that gives a damn about Milford, Utah." We don't know if the paper is still in operation, but the 1,400 residents of Milford probably have a wide variety of news available in electronic form via the Internet, satellite, radio or television...

More turning to community colleges during recession (01/11/10)
As a nation looks to rebound from a sluggish economy, a growing number of Americans are looking for answers at their local community colleges and McCook Community College is one of a number of colleges experiencing enrollment increases as a result. Addressing MCC faculty and staff at his annual "state of the college" speech last week, Mid-Plains Community College President Dr. ...

Texting only one driver distraction (01/08/10)
It seems so obvious we wonder why it requires a law to enforce it. But if it takes a law to prevent texting while driving -- teen drivers with provisional licenses already are banned from doing so -- so be it. Sen. John Harms of Scottsbluff has introduced a bill that would make texting while driving a primary offense -- an officer who sees you doing so could pull you over without needing any other reason...

Don't leave cash stranded in those debit, gift cards (01/07/10)
Now's not the time to save your money -- if it's tied up in the form of a gift card or prepaid debit card. That's because the clock is ticking on the value of that plastic, and you might wind up with nothing -- nothing you can use, that is. Kudos to State Sen. Bill Avery, who has introduced LB720, which will require businesses to offer a cash or check option whenever they offer an incentive program that uses a prepaid debit card...

Comparing apples to apples (01/06/10)
Two of the purposes of the media are to inform and educate. More and more lately, we have seen parts of the media distort facts to inflame the public. Both ends of the political spectrum are guilty. The public then loses trust in both their leaders and the media responsible for monitoring them...

Ethanol plant's purchase is welcome news (01/05/10)
It was good news for Cambridge and all of Southwest Nebraska with confirmation that an idle ethanol plant will soon be churning out fuel again. The modern plant sat idle for most of 2009 after Mid-America Agri Products, citing unfavorable economic conditions in the ethanol industry, declared bankruptcy, listing $80 million in assets and $66 million in liabilities...

New generation of leaders welcomes in New Year's (01/04/10)
It was a perfect storm New Year's Eve, in a good way. McCook's first First Night, Nebraska's only First Night Celebration, was an unqualified success. Congratulations to Sue Shaner of the McCook Economic Development Corp. and the McCook Young Leaders who spearheaded the event welcoming in the new year...

Humane Society in special need of help this holiday season (12/31/09)
A "backyard breeder" near North Platte apparently loved dogs, but let things get out of hand. McCook Humane Society and four or five other shelters were called in to "rescue" 40 or 50 dogs living in squalor Wednesday, with 11 of them finding their way to McCook. Another 11 will probably wind up here in a few days...

Fiber optic system clears way for future economic possibilities (12/30/09)
The first decade of the 21st century is almost over, and we're still not commuting to work in pneumatic tubes or strapping on our jetpacks to run to the store. There are advances of which, however, sci-fi dreamers of a half century ago could never have dreamed...

Tragic rhythm of road deaths keeps going on (12/29/09)
And the beat goes on ... It's not a pleasant rhythm, however. By quitting time Monday afternoon, nine people had been killed in Nebraska in weather-related accidents since Dec. 22. The latest included a 75-year-old man killed after a pickup truck driven by a 17-year-old boy went out of control and slid into the wrong lane south of Chadron; and a 19-year-old man struck and killed in a high school parking lot by a loader removing snow...

Kick off the new year in style (12/28/09)
Got the post-Christmas, cold weather wintertime blues? We don't blame you. Miserable weather disrupted some holiday travel plans and after all of the build-up, it's always sad to see the space under the tree empty and Dec. 25th receding into our memories...

Health care reform far from finished (12/24/09)
Read the list of benefits issued by Sen. Ben Nelson's office this morning, and passing the Senate health care bill seems like a no-brainer. No more exclusion for pre-existing conditions or lifetime limits on coverage, no more dropping you when you get sick, no premium rates based on health status or gender...

Don't give 'Grinch' reason to ruin your holiday (12/23/09)
"We don't want to be a Grinch this holiday, we just want motorists to be safe." The speaker was Col. Bryan Tuma, superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol, and no one knows better than a state trooper the cost of drinking and driving. It's hard to imagine venturing out on these roadways in other that top mental condition -- sober and rested -- but too many of us tend to burn the candle at both ends come holiday time. ...

No question about 'White Christmas' weather this year (12/22/09)
If you're reading this Tuesday afternoon and you haven't traveled to your Christmas destination, you might want to give your plans a second thought. That's because today was the best travel day you can expect all week. McCook and the rest of the area is in a winter storm warning with near blizzard conditions expected by Christmas Eve, with 6 to 10 inches of snow and winds up to 40 mph...

Triumph or disaster? Only time will tell (12/21/09)
It's like going home and being bitten by the family dog. That's how it feels to Sen. Ben Nelson, who points to the need to control costs as one of the main reasons he decided to support Senate health care reform despite much opposition. Along the way, Nelson won anti-abortion language that is weaker than current language, elimination of a public option and the inclusion of full federal funding for expanded Medicaid coverage in Nebraska...

Are toll roads answer for state's road funding crisis? (12/18/09)
Nebraska's highways are in good condition, but won't be for long if we don't find a way to pay for them. Our current system, using primarily fuel tax, has been a good one. The more one drives, wearing out the roads, the more fuel one buys, thus providing more tax money to repair the roads...

Whooping cough reinforces need for precautions (12/17/09)
First it was seasonal flu. Then it was H1N1 or "swine" flu. Now comes a report that a case of pertussis, or "whooping cough," has been reported in Southwest Nebraska. At this rate, it's going to be a long winter ... What's pertussis like? First, you cough for several minutes at a time, and after you cough, you may make a "whooping" sound when you breathe in. You might even vomit or stop breathing for a few seconds after coughing...

Feeling the heat in Washington? (12/16/09)
The weather was in the 30s in Washington D.C. this morning, but Sen. Ben Nelson shouldn't have had any trouble feeling the heat, so to speak. If the blogs were to be believed, he had been threatened by the White House with the closing of Offutt Air Force base, with its 10,000 jobs and $2 billion impact on Nebraska's economy, if he didn't supply the 60th vote for the Senate's health care bill...

Stimulus funds mean new classrooms for McCook Elementary (12/15/09)
Four and a half years after the new McCook Elementary building, school officials are preparing to add on. Did the original planners leave something out? Has the population increased so much that more space is needed? Yes, there are more students entering the system, and no, planners did the best they could with the bond money available when the current project was under construction...

Holiday season trying time for military families (12/14/09)
I'll be home for Christmas You can count on me. Please have snow, and mistletoe And presents on the tree. Christmas eve will find me Where the love light gleams I'll be home for Christmas If only in my dreams The haunting, melancholy Christmas song written by Buck Ram, Kim Gannon and Walter Kent, and popularized by Bing Crosby in 1943, when the outcome of World War II was far from assured, hearkens back to the vain hope of World War I doughboys who thought the "war to end all wars" would be over quickly.. ...

Firefighters are a special sort of hero (12/11/09)
Blaring sirens, flashing lights, big red trucks. What little boy -- or girl -- wouldn't want to be part of that? Helmets, fire suits, boots, axes and hoses, all deployed at breakneck speed in an effort to safe life and property. We've seen too many house fires around McCook recently, with families displaced just as the holiday season is upon us. ...

Senator expects fireworks over two water bills (12/10/09)
With funding tied up in the courts, most of the attention has been focused on the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources's three proposals for dealing with Kansas' claims on Republican River water. State Sen. Tom Carlson of Holdrege plans to stir two more proposals into the mix. Some see the effects as about the same as lobbing in a couple of hand grenades...

Sidewalk project was long overdue (12/09/09)
Kudos to state and city workers who spent long overnight hours clearing the streets and highways to make sure emergency traffic could get through and the rest of us could make it to work and school this morning, provided our schools and places of business were open this morning...

Public policy, private choices can share credit (12/08/09)
Public officials can do a lot to improve life, but there's no getting around taking responsibility for our own actions. Two stories in the last 24 hours make that point in different ways. One, a report from the National Cancer Institute and a group of cancer and health organizations, reported that cancer diagnoses and deaths have continued to decline in the United States, according to the latest data...

Have we learned, remembered lessons of Pearl Harbor? (12/07/09)
At 6:05 a.m. 68 years ago today, six Japanese aircraft carriers of the Imperial Japanese Navy launched a first wave of 183 airplanes, mostly dive bombers, horizontal bombers and fighters, headed toward Hawaii. Less than two hours later, at 7:51 a.m., they broke the Sunday morning stillness by striking the military airfields on Ford Island...

What price too high for fame? (12/04/09)
The desire for recognition is as old as humanity itself, but new media has expanded it to a worldwide scope. From the old "Candid Camera" to the modern manifestations like YouTube, the desire for recognition has reached new heights. It started with MTV in 1992, when seven strangers were boarded in one house, their every move videotaped for "The Real World."...

Low-cost rental closing leaves families uncertain (12/03/09)
It's always heart-wrenching to receive bad news around Christmas time, but for 22 households now living in one of the lower-cost rental properties in McCook, the notice that St. Catherine's Apartments would close by Feb. 1 is especially poignant. The apartments were a bargain -- $260 to $310 a month, water, gas and cable TV included -- but the building was only about half full, and we can't blame the owner, who reportedly has been losing money for years despite efforts to maintain and improve the property.. ...

Foster children don't 'age out' of need for help, guidance (11/30/09)
Spending time with family during Thanksgiving and Christmas can be stressful, but what if you didn't have anywhere to go? Zachary Reid of the Richmond (Va.) Times-Dispatch recently did a story about kids who are "aging out" of the foster care system...

Platte Institute county study is a good starting point (11/27/09)
It would be easy for someone from McCook to get behind a study that suggests Nebraska's 93 counties is too many, and they should be consolidated into 20 more centrally located county units -- because McCook would be one of those locations. Authored by Dr. ...

Thursday feast truly something to be thankful for (11/25/09)
It's tough to be optimistic when you're unemployed and things aren't going your way. But there are plenty of things to be thankful about this Thanksgiving, the bountiful supply of food chief among them. Each year, the American Farm Bureau sends more than 200 volunteers out to record prices at their local grocery stores between Oct. 21 and Nov. 9...

Mental health, smoking link is an eye-opener (11/24/09)
A recent news release from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services was an eye-opener, but we may have to disagree with the conclusion. The release cited a study of the relationship between smoking and mental illness conducted by the University of California...

Abortion debate underlies U.S., state controversies (11/23/09)
Sen. Ben Nelson missed the chance to take the credit or blame for killing the Senate health care bill, which passed by the minimum 60 votes necessary to advance to floor debate. Still, he joins others like Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas and Joe Lieberman of Connecticut in warning that he won't vote for the bill in its current form...

Don't let amateur cooking spoil your festivities (11/20/09)
Drinkers sometimes joke that they stay home on New Year's Eve because it's "amateur night." Home chefs might say the same thing about Thanksgiving, but it's important that big bird is prepared correctly to prevent friends and family from sharing bacterial diseases along with the white meat and stuffing...

Leave health care decisions to patient, doctor (11/19/09)
As the Senate debates the future of health care in this country, now is the time to decide what the standards will be: the best empirical evidence, or emotion? The latest case revolves around a recommendation by an advisory group, the United States Preventive Services Task Force, that women delay routine mammograms until age 50 instead of the well-established advice that women start them at 40...

Farm & Ranch Expo tips hat to our major industry (11/17/09)
Even in this economic downturn, McCook is blessed to have a thriving economy, driven by manufacturing like Valmont and Parker-Hannifin, industry like the BNSF railroad and oilfield service businesses, plus institutions like the school, college, hospital and clinics, not to mention our role as a retail trade center, entertainment and dining...

Educational media reaching the 21st century (11/13/09)
Audio-visual educational material has come a long way from the days of 16 mm films and film strips with a "beep" each time the slide was supposed to be changed. The Nebraska Department of Education has pulled visual aids into the 21st century, unveiling a link to Apple's iTunes U to distribute informational videos worldwide, via downloads to computers, iPhone or iPod Touch devices...

Census gearing up for important task (11/12/09)
"I'm from the government, and I'm here to help." It's an old joke, but in this case, it's the truth. Vic Gentry, LCO manager of the North Platte office of the U.S. Census Bureau hopes Western Nebraska's independent streak doesn't keep residents from participating in an important project that has long-term benefits for the region...

Consider veterans' sacrifice as we move into the future (11/11/09)
We honor different types of people on various "Days" throughout the year, from Mothers and Fathers to grandparents and sweethearts. None is more important than today, Veterans Day, when we honor the 23 million military veterans with whom we share citizenship today...

Keep a sharp eye out for harvesters (11/10/09)
Harvest crews are running at full speed, making up for time lost to wet conditions earlier in the fall. Big trucks, tractors and combines hurrying to and from the field, combined with hunters and normal traffic to make rural roads potentially dangerous places to travel...

Coat Closet donors, organizers deserve our thanks (11/10/09)
We've had a snow or two, most of the leaves have fallen, and high school football season is wrapping up in preparation for basketball. We take the changing seasons for granted, but throw a little adversity into the mix, and it's a different story. Those snows can turn into a blizzard, the electricity can fail, and economic hard times can leave any of us out in the cold...

Military officials felt compelled to overlook the obvious (11/06/09)
Hindsight is always 20-20, but the Army seems to have had plenty of warning something was amiss with Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, now hospitalized with four gunshot wounds after allegedly yelling "Allahu Akbar!" before opening fire inside Fort Hood, leaving 13 people dead and 30 wounded...

Why not 'chicken' or 'human' flu? (11/06/09)
Pork producers have been unfairly paying for the bad rap pigs have been taking since the onset of H1N1 or "swine flu." Some countries have needlessly killed hogs, and China, the fastest growing market for U.S. pork exports, banned the meat because of the false fear that humans could contract H1N1 from consuming pork...

New low-cost beginning hunter licenses welcome (11/05/09)
Anyone who drives through Southwest Nebraska regularly probably hopes deer hunters for the upcoming season are successful, or that they will at list thin down the deer population enough to keep them off the highways. According to the Nebraska Office of Highway Safety, 3,080 deer-motor vehicle accidents were reported in 2008, about the normal number reported in a year...

New images unsettling (11/04/09)
While no one would object to authorities using GPS to find someone who needed help, the prospect of technological intrustions into our privacy is frightening to many of us. If you are among those, you probably won't want to visit Google's maps site, which has added ground-level views of many areas, including McCook...

A tragic loss in North Dakota (11/04/09)
Our hearts go out to the family and friends of the three North Dakota college softball players whose bodies were found in their submerged Jeep Tuesday. College athletes have a special bond, and like students at our own community college, Dickenson State College students have to make their own fun...

Families can make a difference for the most vulnerable (11/03/09)
When things go bad, it's the most vulnerable among us who pay the price. Monday, Gov. Dave Heineman released a 93-page plan for dealing with the projected $334 million shortfall in the state's two-year budget. Besides a 2.5 percent across-the-board cut for most state agencies this year and another 5 percent next year, the governor proposes cutting a planed $47.4 million increase in state aid to education, freezing payment levels for health care providers, adjusting Medicaid payments and canceling a $20 million transfer to the public employees' retirement plan.. ...

Sometimes historic preservation doesn't make sense (11/02/09)
Midwesterners who visit Europe are often amazed at the history they encounter, seeing buildings that have been in use virtually unchanged, for centuries. That's a shock to those of us whose family history goes back only a few generations. We may recall stories our grandparents or great-grandparents told about the early days, and we may live in homes built by some of the first Europeans to settle on the Plains...

McCook Daily Gazette
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