Stories from Friday, June 20, 2003

Wednesday afternoon the Nevada Park Board got their first look at what Walton Park Pool will look like after it is renovated this winter. The project, which is estimated to cost $1.4 million, is one of the major projects Nevada voters were promised when they passed the 1/2-cent park and recreation sales tax in 1998. ...

With only a few finishing touches left to go, Nevada Regional Medical Center is nearly ready to open its new wing, offering expanded services and modernized facilities for patients. It's not yet open to the public, but the Nevada Lions Club members took a special, sneak-preview tour of the new addition to Nevada Regional Medical Center Tuesday during their weekly meeting. ...

Tuesday the U.S. House Appropriations subcommittee on agriculture voted to stop funding on the controversial mandatory country of origin labeling program. Right now, this program is voluntary but as of the fall of 2004 it will be mandatory for everyone. ...

HAYS, Kan. -- The Griffons dropped two games and slipped out of the league lead on a rainy Thursday night in Hays. After an hour-long rain delay the Nevada Griffons and the Hays Larks, the top two teams in the Jayhawk League standings, were able to take the field at Larks Park. ...

100 Years Ago -- June 20, 1903 Nevada is to have a 4th of July celebration and preparations for the occasion are now being made. The celebration will be held at Lake Park and at night a splendid fireworks' exhibition will be given. During the day there will be eloquent speeches, excellent music by Professor Crawford's band, fishing and boat riding, etc. ...

A head-cold doomed me to several desperate television evenings, rewatching old movies and reflecting that they don't make 'em like they used to. Even the "Grade B" efforts shine alongside what surrounds them, the "wasteland" of regular television fare and the newer movies: mindless concoctions, with a few exceptions, of glitzy "special effects," gratuitous sex and violence, and "political correctness." "The Unforgiven," from the late 1940s (not to be confused with Clint Eastwood' s film of the same name), is a classic Western, telling the story as it was always told before the coming of "deconstructionism." (Though why not just say "destruction?") The heroes are the settlers, fighting to bring civilization to the Texas frontier; the villains are the Indians, the Kiowas, referred to in every other line by a curse or slur and twice in the film called "G-- Red N --" which was a new one on me. ...