Editorial

New opportunities take the spotlight

Tuesday, December 21, 2004

Never before have there been so many opportunities to enhance our health, fitness and appearance with facilities and personnel located close to home.

That's the inspiration for a new special section which will debut Jan. 13, 2005, in the McCook Daily Gazette. Called "A New Year, A New You," the edition will feature advertisements and articles from the Golden Plains businesses which emphasize products and services to improve your well-being.

The list is long and growing. This area has long been a leader in the fitness field, dating all the way back to the 1920s when McCook became one of the smallest cities in the United States to build a YMCA.

Now, the scope of services has expanded greatly with the addition of fitness centers, tanning salons and massage centers, as well as the many services offered by physicians, dentists, chiropractors, optometrists, nutrition centers, health food stores and hair and nail care establishments.

This would be a good time to avail ourselves of the many opportunities to improve our health, fitness and appearance. With the New Year approaching, let's start thinking about the resolutions needed to get a new lease on life. Then, in 2005, let's get started on a scheduled program of improvement.

While we're at it, let's be on the lookout for the special section: "A New Year, A New You." We're always talking about resolutions. This year let's make them come true with a healthier, happier lifestyle.

Aviation Pioneer

Following the announcement that Pawnee Aviation will manufacture helicopter kits in McCook, Leopold "Bus" Bahl called with recollections about an early day aviation manufacturer in McCook.

Bus, who is in his 90s, was a paper carrier for the Gazette in the 1920s. At that time, he said, there was a small airplane manufacturer located between East Sixth and East Seventh streets.

"The plant was operated by the Morton brothers," he said. "They made single seat planes, which were smaller even than the Curtiss Robin which delivered the Gazette."

Bus is very familiar with the airplane used to deliver the Gazette to area towns. Following his days as a carrier he joined the staff of the newspaper, rising to the position of production superintendent in a career which spanned more than 50 years.

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