Stories from Monday, December 24, 2012

William 'Bill' Christner HAMLET, Nebraska -- William "Bill" Christner, 86, of the Hamlet area, died Friday (Dec. 21, 2012), at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. Survivors include sons, Steve Christner and wife, Vicki, of Hamlet, Donald Christner and wife, Tonya, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, Charles Christner and wife, Becky, of Tonganoxie, Kansas; daughter, Elizabeth Hofer and husband, Earl, of Wichita, Kansas; sisters, Patricia Bornemeier and husband, Don, of Murdock, Nebraska, Dorothy McDonald and husband, Gene, of Sterling, Colorado and 13 grandchildren.. ...

Mary Ellen Pinkerton FORT COLLINS, Colorado -- Mary Ellen Pinkerton, 85, died Friday (Dec.21, 2012), in Fort Collins, Colorado. Survivors include son, Cappy Pinkerton and wife, Sue, of Blair, Nebraska, James Pinkerton of Greeley, Colorado; daughter, Shelly Swanson and husband, Chris, of Fort Collins, three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren...

Vada Nicholson BENKELMAN, Nebraska -- Services for Vada Nicholson will be Friday, Dec. 28, 2012, 1:30 p,.m., MT at Forch Funeral Chapel in Benkelman, Visitation is Thurday, Dec. 27, 6-8 p.m. MT at Forch Funeral Chapel. Forch Funeral Chapel in Benkelman is in charge of arrangements...

DeVeta V. Redfield PALISADE, Nebraska -- DeVeta V. Redfield, 90, of Palisade died Saturday (Dec. 22, 2012), at McCook Community Hospital in McCook, Nebraska. Funeral services are Thursday, Dec. 27, 2012 at 1 p.m. at the Palisade United Methodist Church in Palisade with the Rev. Bonnie McCord officiating. Burial will follow in the Palisade Cemetery...

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...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Jo Smolczyk of McCook and her extended family decided to give something different this year -- themselves. With all her kids and grandkids expected in McCook for the holidays, Smolczyk wanted to do something together as a family. So she signed everyone up to ring bells on Saturday for the Salvation Army...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Lunches at Central Elementary will not have to be trucked in from across town, thanks to a new kitchen that is estimated to be completed by the beginning of the next school year. Lunches now are being transported from the elementary school to Central, as there is not enough room to prepare the food at Central Elementary. ...

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow had just lost his wife, Frances, in an accidental fire, when he received word that his son, Charles Appleton Longfellow, had been severely wounded in the Civil War -- he had enlisted in the Union Army without his father's blessing...

Probably the greatest feeling a high school football player can have is to be a member of a championship team, undefeated, even unchallenged during the season. But perhaps an even sweeter sensation is to be a member of the team that cuts down the team that everyone has already predicted as the championship team -- against long odds. This is the position in which the McCook Bison footballers found themselves at the end of the 1956 season...

Last week, the horrible shooting happened in Connecticut. This tragedy caught our nation's attention and we were engrossed and deeply saddened. We heard many say we must do something. They suggested gun control, increased mental illness perogatives, curbing violent video games and movies...

DANBURY, Nebraska - Ten members of American Legion Auxiliary McDonald Ryan Unit 276 and one guest, Josh Hitt, were present for the noon luncheon and meeting at the McCook Senior Center on Wednesday, Dec. 12. The minutes of the November meeting were read and corrected. A treasurer's report was given and bills allowed...

GRAND ISLAND, Nebraska -- Holiday greetings will reach Robert "Bob" Ruby at the Veteran's Hospital in Grand Island, Burkette Section. Send greetings to 2300 W. Capital St., Grand Island, NE 68803.

Have no fear, St. Nick won't let a little snow stop him from delivering toys to all good little boys and girls tonight.

Parker Hannifin Materials Manager Suzanne Fries, above left, presents McCook Food Pantry Coordinator Dorothy Henton with $615 raised by Parker employees during a silent auction, Friday afternoon. Employees donated the majority of the items used to create the 14 gift baskets that were auctioned off, with all proceeds donated to the pantry. ...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- 'Tis the season for more wagging and less barking The McCook Humane Society recently listened to some creative ideas to help with last minute holiday and New Year's gift giving for the animal lover in your life. A number of four-legged furry friends from the McCook Humane Society sat down in an exclusive holiday interview to offer up a number of great gift ideas which can impress the animal lover in your life. ...

Probably the greatest feeling a high school football player can have is to be a member of a championship team, undefeated, even unchallenged during the season. But perhaps an even sweeter sensation is to be a member of the team that cuts down the team that everyone has already predicted as the championship team -- against long odds. This is the position in which the McCook Bison footballers found themselves at the end of the 1956 season...