Opinion

When things go wrong on your old PC, you can hit the “control-alt-delete” buttons and reboot the machine. Sure, you will lose whatever you are working on at the time, whether it’s the great American novel or an email to grandma, but at least you’ll get the computer running again, cleared of whatever bug was causing it to not function...

In 2001, I had been writing a weekly column in the Gazette for several years, highlighting activities in our community, recounting the highjinks of my family and commenting on things that peaked my interest. But that column stopped the week Graff kid No. ...

Your old columnist is tickling a bit. Our President Donald Trump stated an observation for those suspected of contacting the COVID-19 virus that possibly treatment by chloroquine and/or hydroxychloroquine might work. The drugs have been tested and authorized for treatment and prevention of malaria. ...

So, how are we holding up? Are you dug in? Working out of the house? Trying to be productive while watching the kids? Do you provide an essential service and have to brave the threat of illness head-on? Or are you in a high-risk group and even more wary of exposure than the rest of us?...

We are inspired and encouraged by the ingenuity and determination that Gazetteland businesses have demonstrated when faced with challenges that this pandemic presents. Restaurants adapted menus to curbside pickup and takeout. Teachers rolled up their sleeves to provide lessons for students stuck at home...

President Trump was accused of being slow to take action, but even he is now warning Americans to brace for a “hell of a bad two weeks” ahead, with 100,000 to 240,000 coronavirus deaths even if we faithfully maintain our social distancing guidelines...

Uncertainty is one of most frightening things about a threat such as the COVID-19 pandemic, and even though a couple of items Monday weren’t necessarily good news, they helped alleviate some of the uncertainty. Gov. Pete Ricketts confirmed expectations during his daily briefing Monday, saying April will be another “tough month,” calling for continued the 10-person limit on social gatherings, and tougher restrictions in more hard-hit counties, including 12 more in the Panhandle with May 11 expiration... ...

I am amazed. Our president asked us, the whole USofA, to shut down all non-essential activity and shelter in place and we are doing it! Further word informs that only essential businesses are allowed to be open and that is pretty much accepted. The reason for all the caution is a disease that appears to be world wide a virus type disease that most humans have not developed a resistance to and a disease that is easily spread from person to person, friend or stranger alike...

This week, my wife mentioned that a coworker of hers uses the word “normalcy” when speculating about the prospect of someday ending our current closure of schools, restaurants, churches and other social gatherings. Although the grammatical construction is a bit suspect, the word couldn’t possibly be more appropriate for our times...

The Legislature was called back to reconvene earlier this week by the Governor in order to pass emergency funding for the state of Nebraska. The Governor will use these funds for the COVID-19 pandemic here in Nebraska. He has asked for $83.6 million to be transferred from our cash reserve funds to the emergency fund. ...

Personally, one of the challenges I’ve always faced deals with control. It is difficult for me to remember what I can control and what I can’t control. This can lead me to trying to change things or worry about things I really didn’t have the power to control. I think a lot of us have had a new experience with control in the last few weeks...

There are no reported cases of the coronavirus in the counties served by the Southwest Nebraska Health Department, but they’re sure to report one when there is. Notice we said “when” when we would have preferred to say “if.” Do the math, and you’ll see why it’s a virtual certainty COVID-19 will be diagnosed in our area. ...

“You can’t spell divorce without COVID” some Twitter wags are pointing out. Or, will a spike in coronavirus cases lead to a spike in births nine months later? We’ve seen stories supporting either prediction. The Australian Broadcasting Corp. reported a spike in applications for divorce in the Chinese city of Xi’an, where are thousands of couples are quarantined, and lawyers predict a similar phenomenon elsewhere in the world...

Back when your columnist was a young child, pre-school age, we lived on a farm some eighteen miles southwest of McCook. The lady that I married also lived on an isolated farm some 35 miles northwest of McCook. With the current national isolation of people due to the coronavirus pandemic I’m reminded of life as it was 70 to 75 years ago...

Like columnist Walt Sehnert, whose column on the 1918 H1N1 “Spanish Flu” is reprinted on this page, the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services is looking to the past to provide guidance in dealing with the current COVID-19 pandemic. It’s all about slowing the spread of the illness enough to give health care professionals time and resources to help save the patients who need it the most...

I was reminded this week of an old saying that is known alternately as the “Chinese Curse” or sometimes, the “Chamberlain Curse.” As the Chinese Curse, it is believed to be an English translation of an expression found in Chinese literature dating back to the 17th century. ...

One year ago, this column focused on another unprecedented event. Nebraskans all across the state suffered catastrophic losses as a result of the floods of March 2019. Dozens of Nebraska communities declared disaster. Thousands of homes were impacted. For small businesses, farms, ranches, and governmental services including schools, healthcare and basic infrastructure, the effects were profound – and in some communities, are still being felt...

My great uncle Val Blakley gathered my mother's family together at my wedding reception in August 1954. He explained that they needed to remember the joining together of our family at a wedding was a special occasion. He pointed out that it was a peaceful gathering...

We’re part of the problem; we admit it. We’d rather pass along good news, and we do, when it’s available. But we owe it to our readers to relay the truth, and a lot of the truth is bad news in recent days. But the choice of reading a paper or watching television or scanning online news sites is ultimately up to consumers who decide how much time to devote to the activity...

The state of Nebraska and the nation finds themselves in a unique moment in history where proper decisions about public health are potentially at odds with societal norms. It has been a century since the last global pandemic and it only takes a walk through an old country cemetery in Nebraska to realize the serious nature of that historical moment. ...

If you aren’t tired of news about the COVID-19 pandemic, you probably haven’t been paying attention. If you’d like to learn more about the issues surrounding a virus outbreak, however, you might want to take in the Netflix series “Pandemic How to prevent an outbreak.”...

As you may be aware the legislature has decided to postpone the current legislative session until further notice due to the spread of the Coronavirus or also known as COVID-19. We could be called back into session for the limited purpose of passing any emergency appropriations. These are unprecedented times and we are trying to make the best decisions based on what those in the medical field advise. ...

“Crises like COVID-19 tend to bring out the best and worst in humanity,” World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Monday. He said the current coronavirus outbreak “is the defining global health crisis of our time” and “the days, weeks and months ahead will be a test of our resolve, a test of our trust in science and a test of solidarity.”...

Another week of leisure. Well not doing much in physical labor but the mind still explores history and the current state of our nation. Coronavirus. I picked up a book on the B-17 of WWII. This author meticulously researched the building of a particular B-17G (the latest model built in large numbers), the training of its crew and its missions over Europe until it was shot down. ...

This past weekend was a great weekend of supporting McCook businesses! Saturday included Citta' Deli and their 5th annual St. Patrick's Day party that ties in closely with their 5 year anniversary of being in business! Congratulations Jade and Bill and thank you for all that you do in our community! Sunday lunch was (mostly) homemade pizza with a crust from Matt and Sehnert's which was awesome! And Sunday night finished off a great weekend with shrimp from Tyler McCarty and boy was it delicious, I even convinced myself to try a whole shrimp which was quite the experience!. ...