Opinion

Dear Editor, Thank you, Sherri Rothmeyer, Pam Messinger, and Delores Henton for what you have brought to Southwest Nebraska and Northwest Kansas senior dancers. Last Sunday, Alice and I ventured out after seeing the dance event advertised in the Gazette. We arrived at the Knights of Columbus Hall at 6 p.m. About 60 other senior couples and singles were there as the band music began. (There may have been four persons under 60)...

As consumers, we purchase Chinese household goods, Japanese cars, and Korean electronics without as much as a blink, so why can’t we maintain an Asian restaurant in McCook? When I landed on these shores in the mid-1990s, we had one Chinese-style restaurant on West 10th calling itself, “Goodlife.” In retrospect, I didn’t appreciate it enough. They didn’t have heavy sauces and fun dishes like moo-shoo or dim sum. It wasn’t at all exotic...

Growing up, my grandfather lived with my family before moving to my aunt’s house for his final few years. There wasn’t much to occupy his day other than seeing us off to school and work in the morning and welcoming us home that evening. As far as I know, the lone activity every day took place at 10 a.m. ...

Fewer and fewer of us live on the farm and are involved in direct ag production, but today’s National Ag Day is a good time to remind us that, realize it or not, most of us have direct ties to the farmland that surrounds our communities. We aren’t named the “Cornhusker State” for nothing; we’re near the top in corn exports and at the top in one of the major industries — beef — as well as others near the top, such as ethanol and hogs...

They came, they saw, they dined, and they bid — some really high $$$ bids. But it was all for a worthwhile cause. Their dear to the heart cause of enabling the Christian Education of our next generation of precious children. Yes, the participants all already pay taxes to support the public schools, no choice in the matter, but obviously feel that a religious-based education is important enough to contribute over and above...

I had occasion to listen to a podcast featuring Newt Gingrich this past weekend as he discussed the Federalist Papers. Most folks will recognize Newt’s name as the Speaker of the House in the late 1990s, but before he went into politics he was a history teacher. As someone who worked the halls of congress and ascended to our third highest office, his perspective on history is uniquely well-informed...

INDIANOLA, Neb. - One summer, I took our two oldest daughters on a one-hundred-mile trail ride from McCook, Neb. to Phillipsburg, Kan. This ride was scheduled to take approximately one week, and we were to appear in the Grand Entry of the Phillipsburg Rodeo...

When Walt Sehnert dedicated his book, Faces of McCook, he wrote: “…dedicated to the men and women of McCook, who collectively, over the years have shaped our town into a community where we can live and work and raise our families in a safe, interesting, and rewarding environment.” His 2011 book tells the stories of more than 50 men and women who shaped our early community. You are shaping this community in 2023. What will be written about the differences you have made?...

Dear Editor, “A fundamental right to reproductive freedom” is but a disingenuous euphemism for abortion. What the proponents of LR18CA and LR19CA desire is to persuade the people of Nebraska that a fundamental right exists for mothers to murder their unborn child – and that they be given license to do so throughout all nine months of pregnancy, for any reason or no reason...

The ads keep coming. “If you served at the Marine Camp Lejeune between certain dates you may be in line for a great amount of compensation. Contact such and such law firm.” or something like that. Don’t bite would be my advice as it is a get-rich scheme to make a group of lawyers even more rich. ...

While global economics and the politics of power are resistant to oversimplification, it seems that the more I absorb and try to understand what makes the world work, the more convinced I become that our fates as Americans are tied directly to the prominence of the dollar. ...

As Midwesterners, it is ingrained in us to be humble. You are not supposed to brag. You are not supposed to boast. You are not supposed to gloat. Instead, you are supposed to remain modest, not looking for recognition or commendations but instead quietly going about your work...

Nebraska’s economy is strong and dynamic. Our economy has for decades been growing faster than our population. Brian Sloan with the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce argues there is an 80,000 worker shortfall. This crisis will continue to grow, there are both real and bogus solutions...

Life is grand! This past week this old flight instructor was privileged to take a student instructional flight to Chadron, Nebraska. Flying direct the route takes one through the heart of our national treasure the Sandhills. I love the place, the people, the sea of grass and the myriad of lakes and ponds. In years past large herds of bison roamed and now the whole area is devoted to raising cattle a major source of healthy red meat to feed our nation...

Dear Editor, The terms “Diversity,” “Equity,” and “Inclusion” are subjective, open to individual interpretation, and thus ripe for abuse – particularly when the outcome is the promotion and advancement of a political agenda. These terms are components of Marxist Critical Theory, and for that reason alone LB291 should be opposed...

The thing about this column is that it allows me to recount my previous month and share what has been on the hearts and minds of the Chamber and our staff. Even though February is the shortest month, I feel like it has been the longest month as we have been so busy having member conversations...

This week, I stumbled upon a recording of a radio interview with Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, who has been advocating for what she calls a “National Divorce.” By that, Greene suggests that portions of our country should undergo a secession of sorts, cutting ties to our mega-powerful national government and forming a coalition similar to the European Union or perhaps even our former government under the Articles of Confederation. ...

This week, I stumbled upon a recording of a radio interview with Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, who has been advocating for what she calls a “National Divorce.” By that, Greene suggests that portions of our country should undergo a secession of sorts, cutting ties to our mega-powerful national government and forming a coalition similar to the European Union or perhaps even our former government under the Articles of Confederation. ...

Red Willow County Commissioners were wise in their decision to place a moratorium on alternative energy projects in the county, for several reasons. For one, the county needs to have all its ducks in a row when it comes to zoning for technologies changing as quickly and being adapted as quickly as solar and wind energy...

I am sure there are people out there who get things done immediately, who don’t put things off until the next day, and who don’t delay or postpone anything in their life. In other words, they are not procrastinators. I am not one of those people, nor do I know many people who are not in the same camp. I am a card-carrying procrastinator if we took the time to make cards for ourselves but we never seem to get it done...

Date night for Grannie and this old guy. Went to the just-released Jesus Revolution movie. Good movie for those of us with Christian beliefs. Set in the years around 1971 and America’s hippy culture was going strong. Positive, upbeat with love stories intertwined. Good entertainment...

Dear Editor, The McCook Gazette published a weekly opinion article on Thur, Feb. 23 from an Indianola resident titled “To heck in a handbasket” — appearing underneath the author's area of focus: “Frolics in Farming” and “Observations on farm life.” A friend from the McCook community sent me the article and noted it was “absolutely enough to make me ill” and showed why “two of my kids say they would never return to McCook.”...