Stories from Monday, August 29, 2011

In retirement, in the 1930s, H.P. Waite of McCook wrote an extensive, and highly entertaining history of our town. Mr. Waite was quite a man. He had been a school teacher in Iowa, but was overcome with the longing for adventure and quit the teaching profession and came west with his brother, Ed, in 1879 -- first to a claim they filed near Wilsonville. The brothers were apparently nothing if not optimistic -- their capital stock consisted of three horses, a covered wagon, and $14...

MCCOOK, Nebraska -- The Hillcrest Nursing Home Board of Trustees moved forward Friday on its $3.2 million upgrade project, at a special meeting Friday. The project, which was approved by the board in November, will upgrade energy needs and improve/add facilities. It includes renovation in one wing, a new ambulance garage and energy efficient improvements on heating and cooling systems...

BENKELMAN -- The Benkelman, Nebraska, fire chief answers every emergency call with the prayer, please let there be no fatalities. While there were injuries and massive damages to metal and iron, there were no fatalities in the derailment accident of the eastbound Amtrak No. 6 California Zephyr at 7:51 a.m. MT Friday near what locals know as "the Doane elevator" on a country road about five miles southwest of Benkelman...

BENKELMAN, Nebraska -- Amtrak train passengers and crew members, sidetracked to a high school gym by a derailment outside of Benkelman, Nebraska, far from their destinations and homes, were touched by the response of Midwesterners to their plight. Even emergency responders, accustomed to the big hearts and giving spirit of Midwesterners, seemed overwhelmed by the magnitude of the immediate arrival of emergency personnel and the unselfish offers of help from all over the area...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- At first it was just an idea. "Let's talk with the folks at the Nebraska Educational Telecommunications," said Tim Monzon. "Maybe they would let us show some of their films." Monzon's remarks, made at a meeting of the Fox Theatre's Operations & Events Committee, inspired an assignment from Charles Coleman, the Fox O&E Committee chairman. "Why don't you give NET a call, Tim?," Coleman said...

Dec. 13, 1950-Aug. 26, 2011 BEAVER CITY, Nebraska --Suzan Ilene (Bishop) Long, 60 years of age, of Beaver City, Nebraska, passed away on Aug. 26, 2011, at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney, Nebraska. Funeral services will be at First Presbyterian Church in Beaver City on Wednesday, Aug. 31 at 11 a.m. with the Revs. Ivan and Joyce Dean officiating, Private burial for family will be at a later date...

Benkelman fire chief Relgene Zimbelman got it right; there's no such thing as a "good" train wreck, but Friday's Amtrak wreck brought out the best of area residents. Yes, fire and ambulance crews from every town within driving distance got there as fast as they could, but we tend to expect that and take them for granted...

HOLDREGE, Nebraska -- The youthful McCook High School girls softball debutants may have had their coming-out party Saturday, Aug. 27, at the Holdrege Invitational. The Bison girls bounced back from a disappointing early-morning loss to win two games and finish fifth in the annual early-season Holdrege event...

SCOTTSBLUFF, Nebraska -- Word around the 2011 McCook HIgh School football preseason camp was that the Bison possess a long list of offensive weapons this season. It took the squad about 15 seconds into the start of the season-opener against host Scottsbluff to show just how potent the Bison could be...

Feb. 24, 1929-Aug. 27, 2011 CAMBRIDGE, Nebraska -- Naomi J. Kelly, 82, died Saturday, (Aug. 27, 2011) at Cambridge Memorial Hospital. She was born on the family farm near Indianola, Nebraska on Feb. 24, 1929. She attended school in Indianola. She married Ernie Potts on March 22, 1947, in Oberlin, Kansas. To this union a son, Richard "Dick" Potts was born. The family moved to Cambridge in 1957. She later married John Don Kelly on Dec. 17, 1993, and he preceded her in death on July 20, 2005...

I always enjoy the August work period because it's a time I can travel across the state listening to Nebraskans talk about their concerns, hopes and ideas for making their lives better. For me, working in Nebraska and visiting with people all across the state is nothing new because I come home to Nebraska virtually every weekend and during congressional breaks. It's part of the job and meeting with my fellow Nebraskans is the best way to stay in touch and represent their views in Washington...