Stories from Friday, February 21, 2003

Southwest Nebraskans with limited incomes don't have to give up on their dream of owning a home. According to officials who spoke to the McCook Housing Partnership, a number of programs are available to assist first-time homebuyers and those with low incomes and special needs...

Dear Editor, Let it be known that what the governor is doing to education is unconstitutional. The   Nebraska Constitution has provided, since we were a state, that the Legislature "shall" (and as we know the word "shall" is mandatory, not permissive) provide for the free instruction in the common schools...

Dear Editor, Terror -- government losing power, selling off government lands and letting the private sector take over many of these jobs. Terror -- to the poor and the elderly, is trying to pay massive increasing taxes while seeing jobs go out of the country and corporations destroying small farms and small businesses with the blessings of the elected. Terror -- is what wild life is allowed to do to this state...

Dear Editor, When I have been back to Red Willow County, and from what appears in the online version of the Gazette, The Work Ethic Camp does seem like a good solution to rehabilitation. Out here in California we are experiencing something like a $35 BILLION state shortfall. ...

Dear Editor, Over the last few years, while serving on active duty with the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Army, I have been given the opportunity to live here in McCook and various other places throughout the world. During that time, I was able to experience other cultures and their views of the United States and its citizens. ...

Talk about tradition! When it comes to wrestling, McCook High School stands out in Nebraska sports history, having won the state's first wrestling title in 1928. With all the drama surrounding the 2002-03 season, it's inspiring to look back 75 years to the first McCook wrestling team and the first state title -- in any sport -- in the school's history...

Justin and Cricket Haag of Chadron announce the birth of their son, Sawyer Joseph. He was born Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2003, at Chadron Community Hospital. He weighed 8 pounds, 10 1/2 ounces and was 21 1/2 inches long. Sawyer's grandparents are Terry and Vonda Morehead of Elsie, Deanna Miller of Arapahoe and Richard Haag of Indianola. His great-grandparents are Ruth Morehead of Grant, Helen McChesney of Cambridge, Evelyn Haag of Indianola, and Victor Beebe of Hayes Center...

Farmers, ranchers and rural business owners are facing one of the toughest times in history. Adverse weather conditions and other factors are placing overwhelming stress on individuals, families and rural communities. Not only are farmers and ranchers suffering with drought, water shortages and occasional flood conditions, but they continue to contend with low commodity prices, high production costs, pests and disease...

First Central Bank of McCook has purchased and is now the permanent home of Kenny Meyers' rug sculpture, "Let Freedom Ring," which toured the United States and Europe after taking first place in a national contest sponsored by the National Association of Rugmakers and Sculptors. ...

New inductees to the McCook Senior High Wall of Fame include Allen Strunk, the former publisher of the McCook Daily Gazette, and the late Harvey Eugene Lyon, a retired U.S. Navy rear admiral. Strunk, of Las Vegas, Nev., was inducted into the Nebraska Newspaper Hall of Fame in October 2002. ...

Families Accessing Innovative Resources is announcing its second "Respite Day" in the southwest part of our state. If you are a caregiver of someone with a long-term or lifelong physical or psychological challenge, then you are invited to take Saturday, March 15, off...

McCook Arts Council Board of Directors members kicked off their 2003-04 fund raising campaign at their regular meeting Tuesday. The McCook Arts Council will celebrate its 10th anniversary in 2003. The mission of the council is to unify member organizations with fund raising and to promote, coordinate, and support their activities...

SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. -- John "Breeze" Hudson, daddy of Shelby Marie and Haley Elizabeth Hudson, passed away Feb. 1, 2003, in Sevierville, Tenn. He was born Feb. 2, 1955, to Leoland and Marjorie Hudson in Baltimore, Md. Breeze lived in the Oberlin-McCook area for several years before moving to Tennessee. He enjoyed riding, motorcycles, horses and fishing. Most of all, he loved spending time with his children...

Robert Michael Scott, 46, died Wednesday (Feb. 19, 2003) in McCook. He was born Aug. 3, 1956, to James Alvin and Cora Ann (Turpin) Scott in Oberlin. He attended Wahoo-Newman Catholic High School and Central Tech College in Grand Island. On Nov. 8, 1975, he married Kathy Stock in Trenton...

Valentine's Day is different from every other holiday in one distinct area: what is left over for sale on the day after. Halloween features discounted costumes, Fourth-of-July sees everything in red, white and blue on the clearance table and the day after Christmas? That day is its own shopping holiday with enough garland on sale to circle the Earth twice...

Forget the trees blossoming and the flowers blooming. Forget hayfever. Forget not having to wear your coat. Forget the stupid groundhog. By the way that's a myth. The groundhog isn't out to make any predictions about the change of seasons. He's out looking for a mate when that pompous-looking guy in the funny hat grabs him and pull him out of his groundhog hole. You would be ticked off enough not to see your shadow if someone did that to you...

STRATTON -- Wayne Marley, 81, died Wednesday (Feb. 19, 2003) in Dundy County Hospital in Benkelman. He was born Sept. 15, 1921, to George and Florence (Benesheck) Marley at Roxborough, Penn. He attended Roxborough High School. After graduation he enlisted in the Army Air Corp and served in World War II in the 8th Air Force in Europe and North Africa. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross...