Opinion

With students moving into McCook this week in anticipation of college classes starting on Monday, I think a look at how colleges have transitioned over the years is pretty appropriate. I loved college. I graduated high school at 17 in 1963 and three months later was on my way to rush week at the University of Arkansas by myself. ...

I am very concerned for my fellow Nebraskans in District 44 as well as throughout the state regarding their legislative representation. Sen. Dan Hughes, Chairman of the Natural Resources Committee, has again missed the mark in his most recent column in this paper. ...

As a congregation of committed disciples of Jesus Christ, we condemn the violence, hatred and bigotry that occurred in Charlottesville, Va., this past weekend. The actions and rhetoric which the world witnessed do not represent the core values of the United States or our community and are incompatible with the life of Jesus and the nature of the Kingdom of God. We categorically reject the myth of white supremacy...

It’s a transition time for many families, with McCook children heading off to school today, offering new adventures and challenges for both the students and their parents. Just how much freedom should be offered to a child at any given age? How much privacy should a child be allowed, and how far should parents go when it comes to monitoring their activities?...

Lightning safety awareness week was back in June, but Southwest Nebraska seems to be having more lightning events now as we head into a season when large groups of us are outdoors — football season. “When lightning roars, go indoors” is an easily-remembered phrase, but hard to follow when the home team is down by a touchdown and nearly ready to score...

Much ado about something that makes very little sense to my family and friends that live work and love in Southwest Nebraska and Northwest Kansas. My great grandad fought on the winning side of the Civil War the war that was to abolish slavery forever in the United States. Over and done with. Former Private James Hoyt then immigrated to Nebraska from his native Ohio found a bride and the two settled to homestead south of Culbertson...

Since my last article, I have received a few more questions about the R-Line and wanted to give some additional facts about the project, as well as further explain my position. There are two groups in the Sandhills, one is opposing wind development and the other is opposing the R-Line, both are small but enthusiastic...

Present circumstance requires bluntness: I’ve had enough of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s bull crap! I’ve had enough of the unethical sham he calls an investigation, which is based entirely on a bogus story. I’ve had enough of the DNC-induced “Russia” narrative and its media-propagated, GOP-exacerbated lies! I’ve had enough of the maelstrom of malicious “leaks,” attributed to Bush / Obama holdovers within the “intelligence” community. ...

Change is the natural order of things, but that might be difficult for Baby Boomers, who are finding themselves supplanted as the largest living American generation by the Millennials. Boomers, ages 53-69, have long influenced everything from marketing to politics, thanks to simple demographics, the fact there are nearly 75 million of them. But millennials, ages 20-36, now outnumber them at 75.4 million...

There is an occurrence that has always been present in marriages and is as prevalent today as ever and to identify it in the least offensive terms, it’s called cheating and cheating is defined as being unfaithful to your spouse. There are a thousand reasons for it, each one different and unique based on the situation and the individual personalities of the people married but the most common reasons are boredom, predictability, and sameness. ...

“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never harm me.” Well, we’ll see. President Trump is the first president to prefer direct communication with the world through Twitter, bypassing established media and even his own communications staff...

Yesterday, I was extremely fortunate to join a group of fellow open-ocean swimmers to swim in an area of ocean where sharks frequent. We boarded a 25-foot-long boat and headed directly to the heart of shark waters 3 miles off Halewia Harbor Hawaii. As promised upon arrival 8- to 15-foot sharks were circling the boat, estimated number of 30. ...

“I love it when a plan comes together,” said John “Hannibal” Smith on the old “A-Team” television show, usually after an unlikely, entertaining series of events. The city of Alliance might have the same sentiment. The Northwest Nebraska town expects a deluge of visitors to arrive in time to see the total eclipse sweep through on Aug. 21...

Let’s face it. McCook motorists have it easy. Compared to Chicago for instance, where drivers are divided into two types — the quick and the dead — we’ve got a virtual automotive paradise. City traffic rules were among the topics at Tuesday’s Coffee With A Cop at Sehnert’s Bakery, recounted on an earlier page today...

Family reunions — a learning experience. It is most interesting to watch the human interpersonal dynamics. There is something about “family” that enables one to let your guard down knowing that you will be accepted for who you really are. Join in, give and take, just enjoy the experience and look forward to meeting again next time. It may be a year, skip a year or meet again in five years, no matter, the bonds of family are elastic and will always be there...

Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) has proposed construction of a 345KV transmission line (R-Project) extending from Sutherland, Neb., to Eastern Holt County traversing the heart of the Nebraska Sandhills. The Nebraska Sandhills cover approximately 19,600 square miles and contain 1.3 million acres (10 percent) of wetlands...

We’ve been writing about the upcoming total solar eclipse for a couple of years now, and dearly miss our long-time astronomy columnist, Vernon Whetstone, who passed away after a brave battle with ALS — Lou Gehrig’s disease — before he could share his wisdom with our readers...

Dear Editor, Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) has proposed construction of a 345KV transmission line (R-Project) extending from Sutherland, Neb., to Eastern Holt County traversing the heart of the Nebraska Sandhills. The Nebraska Sandhills cover approximately 19,600 square miles and contain 1.3 million acres (10 percent) of wetlands...

Does the age at which boys first see pornography affect the way they look at women? Definitely, say researchers at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, but not the way you might think. Surveying 330 undergraduate men ages 17-54, the psychological research team found that the younger a boy is when first exposed to porn, the more likely he was to believe that men should dominate women...

A former student of mine at MCC who became a very good friend died unexpectedly at home earlier this week. He was an avid runner and bicyclist, competing in many races and events in Nebraska and surrounding territories but his heart gave out on him. ...

If you haven’t checked your 401K lately you may be pleasantly surprised at the gains you’ve made in the past months — the Dow Jones Industrial Average topped 22,000 for the first time in history Wednesday. It’s sure to drop again in the future, but there’s one investment that’s much better than the stock market — yourself...

I have heard from several people in the sandhills region who are concerned about the R-Project. Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) needs to construct a 345,000-volt transmission line from NPPD’s Gerald Gentleman Station near Sutherland to a new substation to be sited adjacent to NPPD’s existing substation east of Thedford...

They say that one lawyer will starve if he’s the only one in town, but two lawyers can make a decent living. There are much better lawyer jokes out there, but it’s no laughing matter if you need legal advice and none is available. That’s too often the case, especially for low-income residents in West Central Nebraska...

Licensed gun owners began being allowed to carry concealed weapons on Texas four-year college campuses a year ago, and the law extended to community colleges today. They can be carried on all campuses, but they must be hidden under clothing or in a purse, not open-carried in a holster...

Why do I love aviation? Let me count the ways. There is something for anyone interested young or old. Airplanes of every color or description from ancient, that dates back to 1903, well not really so ancient to brand new state of the art. Even one space rocket, used already, on display. ...