Opinion

Your old columnist stopped to fill our vehicle with fuel at our favorite gas station. It was crowded with a camper and several cars waiting in line. In no hurry, I parked and went inside to visit with Todd. The gent pulling the camper, when full, courteously pulled ahead to clear the pumps for others to use while he inspected his rig. ...

This past Friday, April 19, marked the 250th anniversary of the battles of Lexington and Concord—those first fateful skirmishes in Massachusetts that launched the American Revolution. A day earlier, April 18, marked Paul Revere’s famous midnight ride, immortalized by Longfellow and woven deep into the fabric of our national story, whether or not the details match the legend. ...

In the 1999 Spike Jonze film “Being John Malkovich,” a failing puppeteer discovers a secret portal behind a filing cabinet that allows him, quite literally, to enter the mind of actor John Malkovich for fifteen minutes. After that brief, disorienting trip, the traveler is unceremoniously ejected—spit out next to the New Jersey Turnpike, as if to remind him: you don’t belong here...

Earlier this week, I had the privilege of introducing the Lied’s Arts Across Nebraska classical musicians, Take 3, at the historic Fox Theater in McCook. I wasn’t planning on taking to the stage in the shadow of these talented performers, but I guess there just wasn’t anyone else willing to go up onto the stage without any planning or anything written down to say. Where is Cal Siegfried when you need him?...

Happy Income Tax Day. We filed early and have already received our refund. The IRS doesn’t pay much (any!) interest, so overpaying is not a real good practice! Will have to adjust my withholding amount. Still, it is encouraging that Elon Musk and his DOGE team are finding and eliminating so much fraud and unnecessary spending of federal funds that we may experience less need for tax money. Hope reigns eternally!...

In early 2024, the FBI launched an operation to dismantle a sophisticated malware campaign targeting thousands of U.S.-based computers. The action, focused on malware known as PlugX, was part of the agency’s broader effort to thwart a Chinese-backed hacking group known as Volt Typhoon. ...

After a high-profile debate and no shortage of political pressure, the effort to return Nebraska’s presidential election system to “winner take all” has stalled – at least for now. The bill failed to overcome a filibuster in the Legislature, preserving Nebraska’s 30-year tradition of allocating electoral votes by congressional district...

My wife and I recently traveled from our home in extreme Southeast Kansas to McCook for a couple of reasons. We wanted to meet with representatives of the McCook Community Foundation Fund and participate in St. Patrick’s annual GALA, which benefits the school and parish. While unrelated, both events were a great success in terms of meeting individuals committed to the success of McCook and the surrounding area. And we also happened to leave some hard-earned Kansas money for St. Patrick students...

At the McCook Gazette, we don’t give stock tips, and we only offer career advice where journalism is concerned—but sometimes, the writing on the wall is too big to ignore. We’ve written extensively about Nebraska’s labor shortage, especially in healthcare, but the problem reaches far beyond nursing homes and sheriff’s departments. From classrooms to construction sites, from restaurants to manufacturing plants, the challenge is the same: there simply aren’t enough workers...

As we endure the chaos, discomfort and insecurities associated with the administration’s current tariff negotiations, many Americans have begun to ask whether increased tariff revenues could help ease the burden of income taxes or even help pay down the national debt...

The year was most likely 1944, and my dad needed a tractor driver. His forty-some acres of potatoes, people food, were ready to harvest. At the time, German Prisoners of War were available to do the manual labor of picking them up. Dad was borrowing neighbor George Clark’s one-row potato digger and was using his John Deere tractor to pull the machine...

The idea of pairing law enforcement officers with social service specialists when responding to mental health crises is rooted in compassion and common sense. LB706, introduced by Sen. Terrell McKinney, builds on this premise by proposing that social workers or other qualified professionals accompany officers on calls flagged as involving individuals in mental distress. ...

Governor Jim Pillen’s recent proclamation of March 29 as “Vietnam War Veterans Day” in Nebraska is more than a symbolic gesture. Delivered during a moving ceremony at the State Capitol, the Governor’s speech paid overdue respect to the men and women who served in one of the most complicated and misunderstood conflicts in our nation’s history. His words acknowledged not only the enduring impact of their sacrifices but also the critical need to recognize them while we still can...

One of my goals is for someone in McCook to never say, “There is nothing to do here” or “Nothing ever happens here.” I realize everyone has different definitions of “things to do,” but even if a particular project or specific event isn’t your cup of tea or floats your boat, there is always something going on here. When we say “McCook is on the Move,” this ranges from projects in the pipeline to events that have been created over the past few years...

Critics of the ongoing reductions in force (RIF) efforts under the new administration have been quick to label them “illegal,” but that accusation has been used enough that it’s beginning to lose meaning. The real question, should there be any, is the constitutional silence on the matter of removing appointed officials. ...

Geologists use the discipline of paleomagnetism to measure the Earth’s magnetic field as it existed millions of years ago. When molten rock cools, magnetic minerals align with the planet’s magnetic field – locking in a record of the direction it pointed at that moment in time. By studying those ancient alignments, scientists can see how the Earth’s magnetic field has reversed again and again throughout history...

The Trump Administration’s recent executive order establishing a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve invites comparison to the nation’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve or even the fabled gold hoard at Fort Knox. But any such comparison quickly collapses under scrutiny. Oil and gold are tangible, essential, and carry intrinsic or at least historical value. Bitcoin, in contrast, is a digital abstraction – ones and zeros on a ledger – and without market demand, that’s all it is: ones and zeros...