Stories from Wednesday, July 7, 2010

1921-2010 WILMORE, Kentucky -- Ora Alfred Spaid Jr., 88, died on July 3 at the Thomson-Hood Veterans Center in Wilmore where he had been a resident for the past three and a half years. Born in the kitchen of his boyhood home in South Bend, Indiana in 1921, he was a man of diverse experience and talents...

Oct. 22, 1922-July 2, 2010 COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa -- Dean Knutson, 87, passed away July 2, 2010, in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Dean was born Oct. 22, 1922, on the family farm near Wilsonville, Nebraska to the late Silas and Myrtle (Kempf) Knutson. He graduated from Norcatur High School in 1941...

Nov. 13, 1924-July 1, 2010 COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado -- Hazel M. Reining, 85, died at her home on July 1, 2010, with her family at her side. She was born on Nov. 13, 1924 in Laird, Colorado, the daughter of Arthur and Gladys Lovell Hanshaw. She graduated with honors from Parks High School in Park, Nebraska...

April 23, 1920-July 4, 2010 McCOOK, Nebraska -- Melba E. Herrmann, 90, died Sunday (July 4, 2010) at Bryan LGH Hospital East in Lincoln, Nebraska. She was born April 23, 1920, to Laverne and Madora (Berquist) Westfall in Atlanta, Nebraska. Melba grew up in Atlanta where she graduated from Atlanta High School in 1938...

July 25, 1926-July 4, 2010 CAMERON, Missouri -- Lt. Col. Edwin F. O'Brien, U.S. Army (Ret), 83, of Cameron, formerly of St. Joseph, Missouri died Sunday (July 4, 2010) at Cameron Regional Medical Center. Lt. Col. O'Brien was born July 25, 1926, in St. Joseph. He served in the United States Army until his retirement. He served during World War II, The Korean Conflict and Vietnam...

Saturday's heartwarming dedication ceremony focused on leadership.

Editor: In response to the Money, Politics and Fremont June 30, 2010 Opinion piece by Ed Howard: The Gazette published the above article from the Statehouse Correspondent under "opinion." To me, the article reads like a propaganda piece designed to create apathy and discouragement from our citizens. ...

Editor: I swear, if the good Lord chose McCook for the resurrection of Elvis, city government would find a way to screw it up. During last weekend's reunion the city allowed beer drinking on a city street (normally illegal) for six hours ... but wouldn't allow U-turns on Norris for the 1 1/2 hour "Cruise Main" event. U-turns were essential to "Cruisin'."...

It's a foundation issue. Any builder can tell you that if the foundation of your home is compromised, the entire structure is at risk. It's why we have building codes, designed specifically for geographical areas, soil conditions, flood plains and the like, that are strictly enforced across the length and breadth of the nation. Foundations matter...

A thunderstorm in the early morning hours Wednesday failed to provide a shaft of lightning for the waiting photographer but did bring .78 inches of precipitation recorded at the McCook weather station, bringing McCook's annual total precipitation to 13.81 inches. The forecast calls for a 30 percent chance of more rain showers through the night...

BERTRAND -- The McCook Community Hospital Juniors B Blacks are catching fire at the right time. The Juniors B Blacks advanced to the semifinals of the South Central Nebraska League Tournament with a 4-0 win over Cozad Tuesday, July 6. The league tournament action was held in Bertrand...

The McCook Midget Baseball Association, Inc. has announced brackets for the Cubs Division post-season tournament. The tournament will be contested Thursday through Sunday, July 8-11, at Felling Field in McCook. Cubs Division Midget Baseball had 11 teams competing this summer. The league is comprised of players entering grades 5-7 next fall...

July 28, 1924-July 6, 2010 McCOOK, Nebraska -- Howard M. "Deak" Huff, 85, died Tuesday (July 6, 2010) at Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook. Deak was born in McCook on July 28, 1924, to Henry Boyd and Ohna (Wedepohl) Huff. He graduated from McCook High School in 1947...

City Council members discussed the need for construction ideas regarding the use of the property where the soon-to-be demolished Romanoff building is located during Tuesday's semi-monthly City Council meeting at Memorial Auditorium. With the potential to tie both sides of Norris Avenue into a "gateway" type project, City Manager Kurt Fritsch expressed the need for a project that would "capture attention and entice travelers to make the turn into downtown McCook."...