Stories from Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Oct. 30, 1922 - Feb. 5, 2008 DENVER, Colo. -- Ray Hope, 85, died Tuesday (Feb. 5, 2008). He was born near Breckenridge, Texas, on Oct. 30, 1922, to Robert Ellis and Willie Ellen Hope and the youngest of triplets. He joined the Army Air Corps in 1943, and married Lola Maxine Goble of McCook in 1946. Ray lived and worked in McCook from 1946 to 1962...

Oct. 4, 1935 - Feb. 18, 2008 NORTON, Kan. -- M. Ford Farber, 72, died Monday (Feb. 18, 2008), at his home. He was born Oct. 4, 1935, near Hoxie to Willard and Eula Hamilton Farber. He married Shirley Sealock on Aug. 21, 1955, in Hoxie. They lived in Norton the last 34 years. He taught school and coached at junior high, senior high and junior colleges for 39 years. He was a graduated of Fort Hayes State University, where he received a bachelor's degree and later a master's in industrial arts...

Sept 12, 1921 - Feb. 19, 2008 Orlan Clarence Cole died Tuesday Feb. 19 2008, at Community Hospital in McCook at the age of 86. He was born Sept. 12, 1921, in Hitchcock County, the son of the late George Clarence and Myrtle (Nealeigh) Cole. Orlan grew up on the family farm southwest of Culbertson and graduated from Trenton High School in 1939...

Sept. 25, 1914 - Feb. 18, 2008 CAMBRIDGE -- Hubert H. Kohlmeier, 93, died Monday (Feb. 18, 2008). He was born in Jericho Springs, Mo., on Sept 25, 1914, to John Henry and Katherine (Walters) Kohlmeier. The family moved to the Yuma, Colo., area where he spent much of his life...

May 14, 1926 - Feb. 18, 2008 Harlan Edward Geihsler, age 81, died Monday, Feb. 18, 2008, at the Decatur County Good Samaritan Center in Oberlin. Harlan was born in Palisade on May 14, 1926, to Harold W. and Sophia M. (Kircher) Geihsler. He attended Palisade Public Schools...

Before the McCook City Council unanimously approved on first reading a 10-year franchise for the new cable provider for the city, Great Plains Cable Television Inc., it had a few questions for the company. Great Plains, based out of Blair, purchased the cable television system from Charter last fall and the council unanimously approved the contract at the regular meeting Monday night...

INDIANOLA -- An Indianola farmer died Tuesday morning when the truck he was driving was struck by a train at the Red Willow crossing southeast of Southwest High School on U.S. Highway 6-34 between McCook and Indianola. The farmer, Harvey W. Hofman, 77, was declared dead at the scene by Red Willow County coroner Paul Wood...

A McCook City Councilman wants to make sure the public is kept up to speed concerning city sales tax proceeds to the McCook Economic Development. The council approved Monday night at its regular meeting on first reading a plan that defines how the MEDC will use 50 percent of the proceeds from half-cent sales tax, estimated to be about $325,000, along with a change regarding how often the Citizen Advisory Review Committee will advise the council on the functions and progress of the plan...

Red Willow Western rural firefighters along with workers from the Red Willow Dairy soak down burning bales Tuesday night. Firefighters responded to the call at 8:48 p.m., at the dairy.The departments two semi-tankers and pumpers along with a grass rig were on scene for several hours wetting down the burned feed. ...

The Nebraska Republican Party has taken down the Web site it hijacked from a new Democratic congressional candidate, saying it was because of Web site maintenance, not regrets for having done it in the first place. Oh, really? Shortly after Max Yashirin, 25, announced that he was running against Republican incumbent Jeff Fortenberry for the 1st Congressional District, the Web site www.maxyashirin.com went live with photos from Yashirin's Facebook account, showing him drinking beer and smoking a cigar.. ...

Ben the City Council of McCook has begun "clear cutting" the beautiful old trees in Norris Park, just a few yards from your boyhood home on Norris Avenue, and just across the street from the George Norris home. They contend the old trees are in danger of falling on someone and so all should be removed...

I have never been a political activist and the longer this current campaign continues, the less likely it is that I ever will be. I've heard a number of arguments from brothers and sisters as to why believers should be involved in the political process, and taken at face value, they are valid arguments. Those arguments are quickly losing their allure...

BENKELMAN -- Hardy midwesterners look out for each other. When someone needs help, everyone pitches in, never expecting anything in return but knowing that, if the tables ever turn, the favor will be returned. Residents of Benkelman, in 2007, helped one of their own, when Janet (Pursley) and Chester Smith needed a more substantial home...

Four MHS seniors play their final game

GOTHENBURG -- The semifinals of the boys sub-district tournaments finished Tuesday with six area teams moving into the finals on Thursday. Hayes Center bombarded Wauneta-Palisade in the first period to cruise to their 20th victory. The Cardinals led 24-8 after one quarter...

LA JUNTA, Colo. -- The McCook Community College women's basketball 
team dropped an 85-41 decision at La Junta, Colo., Tuesday night. Heaven Johnson led the Indians with 12 points and Bridgette Riddick 
added 11. Kendra Knight pulled down 7 rebounds, Riddick 6 and Ali 
Brickley 5.
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