Stories from Tuesday, June 8, 2004

HAYS, Kan. -- The McCook National Bank Senior American Legion baseball team posted a 2-3 record at the Hays (Kan.) Tournament Friday through Sunday. The Seniors posted victories over Scott City 4-3 and Manhattan 14-8, and lost to the Hays Eagles 10-0, Hays Alumni 16-6 and Great Bend Chiefs 5-4...

The McCook Devil Rays swim team hosted a meet Saturday at the YMCA. Teams from Palisade, Indianola and Trenton participated in this event. "All the kids swam very well for our first meet of the season. It was wonderful having area teams join us," said McCook coach Tracy Flaska...

Members of the McCook Public Schools facilities committee will interview representatives of five architectural firms who want to renovate and enlarge North Ward Elementary into the district's new voter-approved single-site elementary facility. Wednesday's interviews will follow this schedule: W Design Associates of McCook, 4 p.m.; Cannon Moss Brygger and Associates of Grand Island, 5 p.m.; Beringer Craccio Dennell Mabrey of Omaha, 6 p.m.; Alley Poyner of Omaha, 7 p.m.; and Bahr Vermeer Haecker of Lincoln, 8 p.m.. ...

The man who complained last year about musk thistles in Red Willow County and the man responsible for eliminating them agreed Monday morning that the county is looking better. Jim Wesch of rural McCook told commissioners Monday morning, "There is a marked difference over last year." Wesch contended last year that Red Willow County had the best crop of noxious musk thistles between here and Fairbury. ...

By GLORIA MASONER City Editor A well drilling company has been given the okay to go ahead with test well drilling on two proposed sites for the city of McCook. During Monday night's meeting the McCook City Council approved a contract with Charles Sargent Irrigation of Broken Bow to begin the testing of two potential well sites on property owned by Hancock Gravel southeast of McCook...

Prices for feeder cattle zoomed to all-time highs in McCook Monday, with order buyers paying $118 a hundredweight for feeders averaging 888 pounds and $119 for a group with average weights of 741 pounds. "I expected a runaway, but I didn't expect a stampede." That was the reaction of Erv Reiser of Columbus, a long-time cattle buyer who paid $118 a hundred at Tri-State Livestock Commission Co. ...

Dear Editor: I figured it would happen, and sho' nuff' it did. I am writing this letter to respond to a Mr. Levi Rogers opine printed in Fridays edition of the Gazette. Mr. Rogers took issue with my previous letter, which was a response to an article written by Mr. Mike Hendricks that appeared in the Memorial Day Weekend edition of your fine paper...

Dear Editor: I was very saddened to learn of the tragic drowning of Rod McKillip. I can't think of anyone that enjoyed working at Parker/Dayco as much as Rod did. Work was his extended family and he knew no enemies. His love for life and family and friends kept him always positive and smiling -- there is much we could all learn from his friendship. ...

Dec. 26, 1957-June 5, 2004 Rodney Ray McKillip, 46, of McCook, died Saturday, June 5, 2004, at Hugh Butler Lake. He was born Dec. 26, 1957, to James A. and Marlys Jean (Grafel) McKillip at McCook. He had lived in McCook all his life. He graduated from McCook High School in 1976. He enjoyed music, TaeKwonDo, fishing, sports, and especially Husker football...

March 3, 1939-June 6, 2004 Fern Bernice Moore died Sunday, June 6, 2004, at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha at the age of 65. She was born March 3, 1939, in Hayes County, the daughter of the late Floyd and Violet (Calkins) Hall. Fern grew up in Frontier County and graduated from Red Willow High School in 1957...

TECUMSEH -- Kristopher and Keta Rinne of Tecumseh announce the birth of their daughter, Klarissa Dawn, May 18, 2004. She weighed 8 pounds, 9 ounces and was 21 inches long. Grandparents are Wes and Kathy Newtson of Benkelman and Gerald and Susan Rinne of Nebraska City. Phyllis Kern of North Platte is the great-grandmother...