Stories from Tuesday, July 17, 2012

This information is gathered at the McCook Public Safety Center, the McCook office of the Nebraska State Patrol, the Red Willow County Courthouse, the Red Willow County Sheriff's Office and the McCook Humane Society. Police activity Activity log...

Courtesy photo President Linda Crandall presents the Alpha Delta Kappa scholarship to Chelsey Moyer of Cambridge. Each year the Alpha Iota Chapter presents a scholarship to a Southwest Nebraska resident majoring in education. Chelsey is pursuing a K-12 degree in music education from Doane College. She is the daughter of Scott and Candice Moyer of Cambridge...

99th birthday The family of Florence Phillips of McCook is requesting a card shower in honor of her 99th birthday. She was born July 21, 1913 in North Platte, Nebraska and has lived in McCook with her husband since 1946. Her family includes her husband, Web, children, Karen Evans of McCook, Ron and wife, Karen, of Washington, four grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren. Cards of congratulations will reach her at 1008 W. Sixth, McCook, NE 69001...

60th anniversary The Rev. and Mrs. Conley K. Hinrichs of Lincoln, Nebraska, will observe their 60th wedding anniversary on July 27, 2012. Rev. Conley was the Methodist pastor at Eustis and Farnam from 1966-1973. They have two sons and two granddaughters, all who live in Lincoln. Cards of congratulations will reach them at 4527 St. Paul Avenue, Lincoln, NE 68504-2657...

CULBERTSON, Nebraska -- Eight members were in attendance when the Culbertson United Methodist Women had their June Unit meeting. President Charlotte Oberg opened the meeting by sharing "Our Father in Heaven" from Our Daily Bread. The minutes were read and approved and the correspondence was shared. The treasurer's report was given...

It's a plot George Orwell would love. Every citizen is issued a device that keeps track of his every move, stores his personal information, controls his banking accounts, knows who he knows, what he says to them, where he shops, what he buys and what games and hobbies he enjoys in his spare time...

Fall is rapidly approaching and it is time to start making plans for going to school. The cost of college tuition keeps rising. The intellectuals in our universities are woefully underpaid and many are out of work. It is painful to see academics wandering our streets and alleys digging through garbage cans looking for aluminum cans to sell for a dollar or two...

What is with the automotive advertising lately on TV? It seems that every scene is of some SUV (even the more politically correct brands) are shown raising dust in four wheel slides. On the beach, in the parking lot or on country roads each car is depicted in a full out controlled skid. No caption saying "Don't try this at home!" The message is simply drive like a fool and ignore any consequence. I'm wondering how many lives the ill- considered advertising is going to cost society...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Red Willow County, Nebraska, commissioners Monday morning approved an increase in the county's lodging tax to establish an "improvement fund" that can help finance "brick and mortar" projects designed to enhance tourism opportunities...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Shortly after approving a proclamation designating the month of August 2012 as "Random Acts of Kindness Month," Mayor Dennis Berry performed his own such act. During the McCook City Council's regularly scheduled meeting, Monday evening, city staff had cited concerns that a costly precedent would be set if a request to waive Memorial Auditorium usage fees was approved. The $425 in fees related to the McCook Toy Box and Coat Closet events...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- What the City of McCook will charge Red Willow County for having dispatched the county sheriff's officers during 2011-2012 will raise by $19,072. During their weekly meeting Monday morning, county commissioners discussed briefly a letter from McCook Police Chief Isaac Brown telling them that the city will charge the county $59,973 for dispatching services during 2011-12...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- A McCook, Nebraska, business owner and Red Willow County supporter who has invested a third of his life in service to the county asked county commissioners Monday morning "to put one house in order before building another." Don Klein, owner of Klein's Motor Electric and a member of the county's fair board for 20-some years, told county commissioners Monday morning that he is "very, very concerned" about finances at the county-owned nursing home, and recommends that the county take care of Hillcrest Nursing Homes' critical cash flow situation -- precipitating the need for a $1 million loan -- before it builds a new law enforcement center and jail.. ...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Almost everyone has had to cut back in 2012, as the economy, jobs and wages continued to remain sluggish. But agencies that rely on dollars from the Mid-Plains United Way-Community Chest of McCook especially took a hit this year...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- P&G Excavating of rural McCook, Nebraska, will tear down three structures north of the Red Willow County courthouse to make way for the new county jail. County commissioners Monday morning accepted P&G's bid of $36,500 to demolish the former beauty salon at 516 Norris Avenue and two apartment houses at 520 Norris, and to backfill, compact and regrade the resulting vacant lots...

A Red Willow Aviation crew refuels a "Super Pinto" at the McCook airport. Sharp-eyed aviation buffs may spot a variety of airplanes on their way to a major fly-in in Wisconsin over the next two weeks. This jet, however, originally designed as trainer for the U.S. military, was on its way to a Detroit-area museum...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The McCook office of Community Action Partnership of Mid-Nebraska has free fans available to low-income individuals and families. Coordinator Barb Ostrum said there is some paperwork involved. Call her office, (308) 345-1187, from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m., to make an appointment to participate in the fan program...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Red Willow County, Nebraska's treasurer Monday morning took the first step in foreclosing on properties whose owners haven't paid real estate taxes or assessments for at least two years. "There's not a lot of money involved," county treasurer Marlene Garcia told county commissioners, but, with 28 properties, there are more tax certificates issued on properties with delinquent taxes than normal...

A hot south wind makes it difficult for irrigation systems to keep ahead of the 100-degree-plus temperatures scorching a cornfield near Bartley, Nebraska.

HOLDREGE, Neb. -- The McCook First Central Bank Juniors started out the Class B Area 6 Tournament about as dismal as possible. But the FCB Juniors rebounded with two big victories to get in position for revenge that first-round loss and earn a spot in the area tournament championship finals...

HOLDREGE, Neb. -- The outcome of the McCook-Cozad Juniors baseball contest July 16 basically came down to a couple of plays. Unfortunately, those plays went Cozad's way, and the First Central Bank Juniors watched their season come to an end in the Class B Area 6 Tournament...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- A McCook man has been using his photographic and painting talents to bring a McCook woman's poems to life. Or, perhaps he's more likely to say it's the other way around. Regardless, poet Ginny Odenbach and artist Don Schaaf have collaborated on "Ekphrasis," a "celebration of art and poetry" in featuring 16 works by each, each accompanied by and complimenting another...