Stories from Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Tanner Lee Townsend Jan. 27, 2013 - Jan. 27, 2013 OBERLIN, Kansas -- Tanner Lee Townsend, infant son of Trent and Jessica (Stanley) Townsend, was born and died Sunday (Jan. 27, 2013), at Citizens Medical Center in Colby, Kansas. Survivors include his parents; twin brother, Tyler Joseph; paternal grandparents, Gary and Lucille Townsend, of Danbury, Nebraska; maternal grandparents, Joe and Regina Stanley of Oberlin; and numerous uncles, aunts, cousins and other family members...

Stephen Kelsey Dec. 2, 1920 - Feb. 4, 2013 McCOOK, Nebraska -- Stephen Kelsey, 92, died Monday (Feb. 4, 2013), at Community Hospital in McCook. Inurnment is Friday, 1 p.m. at Fort McPherson National Cemetery in Maxwell, Nebraska. Herrmann Jones Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements...

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...

Bruce Crosby/McCook Daily Gazette Mel Thielbar, above right, and Robert Stapp, center, of McCook Eagles Aerie 2769, present a check to Bob Hardy of the McCook Pantry. Hardy said he was worried about having purchased some $435 worth of groceries when the Eagles called to say they would like to donate $500 to the charity. ...

LINCOLN, Nebraska -- Nebraska voters could be considering these six amendments to the Nebraska Constitution in November 2013. LR 1CA: If people can vote, they could become Nebraska senators if this amendment, introduced by Sen. Tyson Larson of O'Neill, is passed...

None of us favor undue government interference in our lives, but there are occasions when it's a useful thing. Case in point: Grandpa's getting too old to drive, but no one wants to hurt his feelings by telling him. If the state steps in as "the bad guy," grandpa and the other drivers he encounters will be safer and family harmony preserved...

Fifteen years ago, who would have thought it was not wise to conserve ground water? Now, farmers who practiced water management may be punished for not pumping their full allocation. The URNRD is proposing any carry forward (saved water which can be used in dry years or on future crops) is to be eliminated...

Dear Editor, The photo of the eagle taken by Ben Hardin was a great shot. Also, the hawk by **Connie Jo. Keep up your great work. Bill Coe, Max, Nebraska

Hooray for Sen. Avery of Lincoln! His recently-introduced bill to the Nebraska Unicameral targets state pension funds invested in companies that help provide mineral/oil extraction and military equipment to the government of Iran. There is no reason at all why we should be involved with an evil foregn country that could have terrorists and nuclear bombs hidden away...

Sometimes in life one has to hit the "restart button" to get your head on straight. Grannie and I have been toying with possibly relocating to spend our remaining sunset years. In order to decide we have been checking it out. Our son lives in the L.A. ...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Antique light fixtures and oak filing cabinets now stored in the Red Willow County, Nebraska, courthouse will be offered to the Museum of the High Plains in McCook. That was commissioners', district court clerk Beverly Dodge's and custodian Greg Holthus' consensus as they discussed Monday morning what to do with "surplus" on the fourth floor of the courthouse...

LORRI SUGHROUE McCook Daily Gazette McCOOK, Nebraska -- A McCook man has created a new phone app, as a result from a chance conversation a year and half ago. Greg Pennington of McCook, a robotic engineer at Valmont, was shooting the breeze one day with a friend at work and asked, "What does a guy have to do to make a half million dollars?" His friend shrugged, Pennington recalled, and said, "you tell me."...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Red Willow County, Nebraska, commissioners encouraged the county's sheriff and jail administrator to check into hiring part-time "on-call" jail staff to help the county ensure compliance with state jail standards. Sheriff Gene Mahon told commissioners that the state recommends at least two jailers on staff at all times, with one male and one female jailer preferred. ...

BRUCE BAKER City Editor McCOOK, Nebraska -- A blighted designation on properties throughout McCook, as proposed by a study forwarded to the McCook Planning Commission recently, may affect property appraisals in the area. A McCook Economic Development Corp. representative told the McCook City Council Monday evening that the designation would not have an impact on loan activity and likely would have a positive effect on property values...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The McCook Library has stocked the shelves with these new items. ADULT FICTION Nano -- Cook Shiver -- Robards The Child's Child -- Vine Shadow Creek -- Fielding You Don't Want to Know -- Jackson SEAL Team 666 -- Ochse The Round House -- Erdrich...

McCook Community Foundation offers the Haag scholarship to local scholars for the fifth year.

CHADRON, Nebraska -- Chadron State College students are often drawn to northwest Nebraska for its hunting opportunities. For a certain group of students on campus, however, a big buck or a tom turkey is not the object of their pursuits. Rather, they are hunting area soils for the elusive bacteriophage, or phage for short...

McCook National Bank representative, Angela Wagner, right, is pictured presenting Andrea Wach, a junior at Hayes Center High School, with the "MNB Student of the Month Award" for the 2012-2013 school year. Also pictured is Peggy Pruter (left), Andrea's nominating teacher. ...

Sarah Calvin, a student at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, spent the 2012 Fall Semester completing an internship with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service Resident Agency in Quantico, Virginia. She will graduate in May with a criminal justice major and minors in chemistry and biology. Her parents are Jerry and Robin Calvin of McCook, Nebraska. Her grandfather is Kenneth Frick of McCook. Her grandmother is Lois May Calvin, also of McCook...

The McCook College Foundation deadline for academic year 2012-13 scholarships is March 1, 2013. Applications may be picked up at the Foundation office located at 206 East 1st Street or at the welcome center in McMillen Hall at the College. Last year students attending McCook Community College were awarded a total of over $40,900 in student financial aid sponsored by the McCook College Foundation and a number of individuals and organizations. ...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- McCook High School has released second quarter academic honors and has asked that first quarter honors be repeated as some student names were inadvertently omitted from their original press release. 1st Quarter Merit Roll Grade 12: Riley Allen, Sean Backer, Veronica Bair, Allison Been, Javier Beltran, Danial Best, Karli Blank, Cashous Bortner, Drew Bredvick, Austin Cherry, Carrie Clay, Matthew Collicott, Hollie Eiler, Marisa Esch, Joshua Escher, Steven Faimon, Karie Funk, Kassidy Gillen, Trevor Gleason, Rachel Goltl, Megan Gray, Gavin Harsh, Shelby Henthorn, Cody Jankovits, Clayton Korus, Khyla Krepcik, Sara Larington, Alexis Martin, Patricia Mitnik, Trevor Pate, Mariah Poore, Lucas Post, Jacob Riemann, Megan Ruppert, Kaylee Samway, Jacob Schlager, Brettani Schmidt, Kelsey Siebrandt, Trista Thames and Brooklyn Trew.. ...

Roxy Lang of Wilsonville, Nebraska, got this shot Jan. 16, at 8:30 in the morning. The windmill is a still silhouette with varying hues of blue as the backdrop. Lang used these camera settings: f9, 1/400, 24mm, iso 100. The McCook Daily Gazette would love to showcase your weather photos. ...