Stories from Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Frank Woodson Goad, Sr. Aug. 13, 1934 - May 13, 2013 McCOOK, Nebraska -- Frank Goad (Pop Pop) left his home peacefully on Monday afternoon, May 13, 2013, to join his loved ones and Savior on Heaven's shore while resting at home. Frank was born in Townsend, Delaware on Aug. 13, 1934, to the late Edgar and Essie (Spence) Goad. He grew up on the family farm in Dugspur, Virginia attending rural schools and graduated in 1952 from Hillsville High School, Hillsville, Virginia...

Violet 'Tiny' Williams BENKELMAN, Nebraska -- Violet "Tiny" Williams, 79, died Monday (May 13, 2013), at the Dundy County Hospital. Survivors include daughter, Jennifer Wilson and husband, Rich, of Wood River, Nebraska; two sons, Tony Williams of Sidney, Nebraska and Tom Williams and wife, Cheryl, of St. ...

Cecilia Kump Brown April 6, 1926 - May 11, 2013 OBERLIN, Kansas --Cecilia Kump Brown, 86, died Saturday (May 11, 2013), at Wichita, Kansas. She was born April 6, 1926, in rural Selden, Kansas to Leo and Elizabeth (Kamphaus) Zodrow. She graduated from Decatur Community High School in 1945 and attended St. Joseph School of Nursing in Concordia, Kansas...

OMAHA, Nebraska -- A Veterans of the Armed Forces Open House to provide rural-area Veterans information and assistance with U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs benefits and services takes place Friday and Saturday at McCook Community College, 1205 E. 3rd Street in McCook...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- A multitude of Nebraska political leaders and healthcare providers spoke during a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Radiation Oncology Center at Community Hospital Tuesday morning, but none of the comments in support of the project struck home as effectively as those from McCook Mayor Dennis Berry...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The formula that determines state aid to schools was tweaked and resulted in a $110,000 decrease to McCook Public Schools. Although not happy with it, Superintendent Grant Norgaard said some schools were decreased substantially in their state aid and that the McCook district was in a good place financially to absorb this decrease...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- A donation worth $37,000 will keep McCook High School FFA students busy. The McCook School Board Monday night officially accepted with gratitude $37,000 worth of car parts from Annette Irwin, in memory of her late father, Otto Nilsson of Automotive Sales and Service...

Red Willow Western rural firefighters douse the blaze consuming the metal garage and workshop owned by John and Sheryl Havens one mile east of McCook, Nebraska, about 5:15 a.m., today. Firefighters from Indianola arrived to provide additional water and equipment. A State of Nebraska fire marshal has been called to determine the cause of the fire and the extent of damages...

You'll still be able to have a glass of wine with dinner or a beer with your pizza, but you'd better monitor your drinking a little closer if the National Transportation Safety Board has its way. The federal safety board recommended that states cut the drunken driving threshold from .08 to .05, a move that has cut drunken driving by half in the decade since it was enacted in Europe...

Water and other stuff flows downhill in Nebraska, especially when the Legislature is in session. During the same week that the state Department of Natural Resources started releasing water from the Harlan County Reservoir to the Republican River in Kansas to avoid penalties, state lawmakers gave first-round approval to a measure that would compensate Nebraska farmers for the loss of water...

More about double stars. Astronomers have estimated that between one-half to 80 percent of the stars in the Milky Way are double stars. It was once thought that most of the stars in the galaxy were like our sun, a single star. But when larger and more powerful telescopes began to come into play, more and more of the stars were discovered to be doubles...

The sun paints with a palette of orange the morning of May 2, following the snowfall from the day before. Roxy Lang of Wilsonville, Nebraska, used these settings: f/5.6; 1/200; iso100; 141 mm. The McCook Daily Gazette would love to showcase your weather photos. ...

Many were plagued by 'peculiar allergies'

McCook, Nebraska, Central Elementary teacher Mary Dueland tries to keep her fourth graders focused on reading during the last few days of school, moving them outside into the sunshine Monday afternoon. The school year ends Thursday. Students were challenged by a record high temperature Monday of 95, tying the high set in 1962; and the first triple digit day Tuesday with a high of 100 degrees, erasing the high of 98 set in 1928. ...

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 -- The traveling Vietnam War Memorial Wall arrived in McCook Wednesday afternoon, accompanied by a motorcycle escort. It will be on display at Weiland Field in McCook from noon Thursday through Sunday...

Roberta M. Hansen Jan. 8, 1934 - May 14, 2013 NORTH PLATTE, Nebraska -- Roberta M. (Kircher) Hansen, 79, passed away on May 14, 2013, in North Platte. She was born in Indianola, Nebraska, on Jan. 8, 1934, to Albert and Ola Faye (Elms) Kircher. Roberta, along with her three brothers, was raised on a farm outside of Indianola. ...

Thomas Shirley April 25, 1928 - May 5, 2013 SPRINGVIEW, Nebraska -- Thomas Edward Shirley, 85 of Springview, Nebraska formerly of McCook, passed away on May 5, 2013. Tom was born on April 25, 1928 in Stockville, Nebraska, to Thomas Clarence and Isabell Irene (Wagner) Shirley. He attended high school in Maywood, Nebraska. On June 17, 1947, he was united in marriage to Phyllis Jean Smith in North Platte, Nebraska...