Opinion

Dear Editor, “For what shall it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and suffer the loss of his soul?” – Mark 8:36. Each time the fight over traditional marriage comes to the fore, the first thing conservatives act to defend is “Religious Liberty” and “rights of conscience.” This is misguided and ineffective. ...

Temperatures have plunged, holidays are beginning to tick by, and earlier this week we had our first snow. I suppose I am now forced to admit that summer is over. We each have our winter and snow day rituals, and in my case, it reflects a flaw in my character. Our recent snow was relatively light and I was spared the need for shoveling, but I make no secret of my contempt for the task...

Fond memories of horses we had known INDIANOLA, Neb. — One of our daughters had a four-year-old gelding named Howard that was pretty gentle and had a lot of “try” but didn’t have a zillion training miles.  Farmer Tom had a bull out in the neighbor’s pasture, and he took a couple of buddies with horses over to try and get him in.  ...

It may be the “most wonderful time of the year,” but what is really wonderful about it? Is it celebrating the biblical message behind the season, the chance to show our loved ones how we feel — or is it something else? According to a CouponBirds https://bit.ly/3VB3Vn3 survey, something else may be in play...

This past Thanksgiving morning, I awoke and got going a couple of hours before the rest of the house stirred. Yes, a few of those baker traits still linger even though I haven’t worked at the bakery for nearly a year. With the benefit of the quiet, my thoughts turned to Thanksgiving, focusing on the “thankful” parts...

Dear Editor I would like to make a few comments in regard to the two-page article about the Genoa, Neb., Indian boarding school. The finding of the unmarked graves of the Indian children would be a good thing. A bill in the House of Representatives is to fund a project to help find these graves...

Did you notice? The UN projected that the world population, we humans, reached 8 billion souls on November 15th, just 14 days ago. No celebration just a noteworthy fact. Now consider that the population at the time of Christ was around 200,000 for the entire world. Gee there have been some changes made in those 2000 years passing in time...

Last year at this time, McCook and the McCook Community Foundation Fund was still basking in the glow of Night on the Bricks. In 2021 as part of the Nebraska Community Foundation’s annual training and celebration, McCook hosted Night on the Bricks as a replacement for the traditional sit-down banquet...

A few weeks ago, I mentioned that I don’t have a great deal of regard for people who insist that their vote doesn’t matter. Voter participation isn’t mandatory in our system, but good people vote their convictions and if enough other people share those convictions, changes are made. History is made. The future is made, and every single vote counts...

In a couple of days we will be enjoying Thanksgiving. It is one of this old gentleman’s favorite holidays and hopefully yours too. Family time. An occasion to sit around a table brimming with good food, healthy if you choose, and celebrate each other’s lives. ...

During my several years of writing, advertising, and pretending to be a journalist, I have faced many challenges. I have dealt with deadlines, difficult interview subjects, software problems, equipment breakdowns, rotten employees, writer's block, and humiliating typographical errors. I have done all of that, and yet I wonder if I am up to the arduous task before me now–writing about Thanksgiving on the heels of another Trump presidential announcement. This time, I may truly be in over my head...

It started with a simple phone call a few months ago. “I want to see Christmas lights in downtown McCook,” Taryn Arterburn asked. We shared what had been done in the past to light up downtown McCook, including successes and obstacles. We talked about the lights which were already installed along the buildings up and down Norris. We dreamed about zig-zagging lights across Norris and every tree lit up from truck to the top of the branches...

INDIANOLA, Neb. — I was watching the news today and there was a student caught on video assaulting another, then later that student claimed it was a racial crime.  My thought is the color of one’s skin doesn’t amplify the cases of bullying in our country. ...

The local celebrations for Veteran’s Day were a wonderful experience for your old columnist. Editor Bruce covered the event at Central School well. What was not to like, good food for breakfast, the awarding of a plaque inducting me into our High School’s Wall of Fame and a chance to say a few words to the youth present—our future...

On Tuesday, McCook voters made the decision to get McCook on the Move by approving the 1/2 cent sales tax to pay for a recreational bond. This means McCook should have a new outdoor city swimming pool in 2024, which is long overdue and gets us out of the “deep end.”...

I am writing this on the day before the mid-term election. I have no real clue as to the outcome just hunches and wishful thinking. Hopefully, the candidates with a conservative bent will do well. Still, those with liberal progressive thinking have a millstone around their necks dragging them down, their President Biden, so I think that the results will be good for our country’s future...

Chamber Notes Time for us to invest in our own community Tricia and I have been very transparent about our support of the Recreation Bond Issue that will be on the ballot this coming election. The bond has been a hot topic in our community as of late and a lot of discussions have been had around it. At this point, we know your mind is made up. We know you are passionately for or against the bond issue. So what is there to do now? Vote...

We’re all going to vote next week, right? Voting is a privilege not enjoyed by all, so I hope you will exercise your rights with gratitude. In my many years of tinkering around the edges of politics, I’ve followed races at the state and national levels that were decided by voter turnout alone. ...

Most athletes don’t like to be on the sidelines. That means they aren’t in the action. They aren’t getting to play. Yes, they are part of the team, but they aren’t making as big of an impact or making a difference if they aren’t involved. This same analogy can be applied to our everyday lives. ...