Let's keep local celebration for local celebrities

We've always been impressed with McCook's community spirit, and the way volunteers are always willing to put out extra effort to make events a success.

Such was the case with another success story, the Lorrie Morgan concert to benefit the new oncology center at Community Hospital.

The upcoming Buffalo Commons festival promises to be the same, with first-tier storytellers and musicians slated for the popular event in June.

Our hats off to all of the organizers who make these events happen.

We occasionally have to take exception with some of their decisions, and hope what we say will be accepted as the helpful criticism it is intended to be, for those organizing the annual fall celebration.

We've always been a little disappointed the "German" was dropped from the original German Heritage Days title, which would lend itself to liederhosen and beer gardens, the latter of which proved to be too problematic for a public park.

We were OK with the generic Heritage Days moniker for the past four decades, but have to take exception to this year's decision to rename it Austrian Heritage Days in tribute to the grand marshal, Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Never mind that early Southwest Nebraska was populated largely with Germans who moved here from Russia, not Austrians.

And, never mind that by naming the actor and former California governor to lead the parade, we are passing up a number of other worthy, local candidates.

We have to wonder why "the governator" consented to come to Southwest Nebraska at all -- could he be aware of McCook's status as the home of leaders such as George W. Norris, Ben Nelson, Ralph Brooks, Frank B. Morrison and Dave Heineman? Does he want to use Nebraska's Go-To City as a springboard for higher office?

It could be a feather in McCook's cap to host a celebrity such as Schwarzenegger, an international body-building champion before he became a movie star and governor, but he carries baggage that might not be a good influence on our young people, such as unfaithfulness to his wife with a household employee.

Will "Just Say No" carry any weight on one hand while we're lionizing someone who achieved his athletic crowns through the use of performance enhancing drugs?

Let's tell the former California governor thanks, but no thanks, and keep our Heritage Days celebration for ourselves.