Stories from Wednesday, November 7, 2007

By BILLIE?COLE McCook Daily Gazette CULBERTSON -- A little of this, a little of that fills Kathy Steinke's home near Culbertson. Kathy collects many things as does her husband and her sons, but one of her favorite collections is her children's handkerchiefs...

Relationships and connections were a recurring theme as past, present and future leaders were recognized Tuesday at the Southwest Nebraska Resource Conservation and Development annual banquet, at the Best Western Chief Motel Courtyard. Featured speakers were Keith Olson, president of the Nebraska Farm Bureau Federation, and Dist. 44 State Senator Mark Christensen, both who spoke of developing relationships to foster success...

McCook City Councilman Aaron Kircher clarified his remark at Monday night's council meeting concerning the bid submitted for the Expedition, to be used by the police department. Kircher said he was concerned about going over the $46,000 allocated in the 2007-08 budget for the four wheel drive and police package vehicle, not the $24,999 bid submitted for the Expedition with special services included...

May 24, 1925 - Nov. 4, 2007 WAUNETA -- Paul Yost, 82, died Sunday (Nov. 4, 2007) at the Heritage of Wauneta Nursing Home. He was born May 24, 1925, southwest of Champion to John E. and Della M. (Jones) Yost. He attended country school to the eighth grade and assisted his parents in farming...

A policeman back from Iraq and an award-winning Senior Center bus driver were recognized at the regular McCook City Council meeting Monday night. Officer Justin Pachner, who recently returned to the police department after 18 months of duty in Iraq, was introduced by McCook Police Chief Ike Brown. Pachner had been with the police department for five years before his deployment and his safe return was welcomed by the council and Brown...

Oct. 6, 1926 - Nov. 5, 2007 Robert E. "Bob" Henton died Monday, Nov. 5, 2007, at his home in McCook.  He was 81 years old. Bob was born Oct. 6, 1926, at McCook to Burr M. and Vaire (Godown) Henton. He graduated from Danbury High School in 1944. After graduation, he entered the U.S .Navy on July 16, 1944, and served during World War II.  He was honorably discharged on May 2, 1946...

A North Platte man was sentenced to 20-60 months with the Department of Corrections for allegedly stealing a pickup and crashing into a police vehicle while fleeing arrest. Richard J. Villareal, 23, pleaded no contest in District Court in McCook in a plea agreement to the amended Class IV felony charges of theft by unlawful taking, operating a motor vehicle to avoid arrest and criminal trespass, all Class IV felonies...

A visit to the fuel pump is about to get more painful. Crude oil prices are expected to reach $100 a barrel any time now, and some are predicting gasoline could hit $4.50 a gallon next summer. That's a big issue for those of use who live miles from our work; that fuel bill comes right out of our bank account. A surprising number of us commute to work -- the highway between Culbertson and Indianola is one of the busiest around...

Next Tuesday, Nov. 13, McCook voters will go to the polls and make choices that will provide important direction regarding McCook's economic future. If you vote and choose yes on all three ballot issues, which I encourage you to do, it will be a decision that demands a continued financial commitment from shoppers spending their money in McCook...

When trying to decide how to vote on the sales tax, I continue to ask, "How did McCook pay for streets, sidewalks, water and sewer, parks and ball fields for 117 years without a sales tax?" Having read the sales tax ballot questions over and over, I felt like I was looking at a cross-eyed prom queen. Something just didn't seem right...

We rented a DVD not too long ago, a rare occurrence, I know, given the dearth of suitable entertainment available. This particular movie, Deja Vu, featured imaginary technology in which events from four days previous could be replayed, revealing the sequence of events that, in this case, led up to the explosion of a ferry, claiming hundreds of innocent lives...