Stories from Thursday, August 1, 2013

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 -- Piecemakers Quilt Guild will host a seminar featuring a well-known quilter and quilt designer. Patty Knoechel, the sister of Eleanor Burns, has published many patterns and quilt books popular with quilters. She will present a program featuring Eleanor's newest book, "Quilts from El's Kitchen," which also includes recipes from El's kitchen. ...

The seed pods from the blooming yucca plants add beauty to the landscape, according to photographer Roxy Lang of Wilsonville, Nebraska. The McCook Gazette would love to showcase your weather photos. Readers can contribute to our daily weather page, subject to space and color availability, by emailing photos to editor2@ocsmccook.com or bringing them into the Gazette offices at West First and E Streets. ...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Val Kircher with Coldwell Banker Kircher & Associates Realty Inc., has been awarded the Accredited Buyer's Representation designation by the Real Estate Buyer's Agent Council of the National Association of Realtors. Kircher joins more than 30,000 real estate professionals in North America who have earned the ABR designation. ...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- McCook Rotary Club recently granted four $1,000 scholarships to McCook High School students. The scholarships were made possible through a grant from the Vada Kinman and Col. Barney Oldfield Foundation, and matched by the McCook Rotary and two individuals...

It may be time to revisit McCook's recreational needs.

Six-year-old Hunter Koetter, above right, explains his pre-4-H Clover Leaf project -- a 6-month-old bottle-fed dwarf black Angus/Simmenthal cross calf -- during the Hayes County fair Wednesday afternoon in Hayes Center. Helping his big brother prepare the calf for showing was 4-year-old Colton. ...

Hayes County, Nebraska, youngsters cool off on an inflatable water slide during the county fair in Hayes Center Wednesday afternoon. With forecasts of thunderstorms, the fair continues today with 4-H competition. Friday's entertainment schedule starts with the kids' carnival at 10 a.m., followed by a kids' ranch rodeo at 3 p.m., free barbecue from 5 p.m. ...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The police department has proposed that an additional $1,500 be set aside in the upcoming budget, to be utilized specifically to increase the police department's animal control ability. $1,000 of the funds has been requested for animal control equipment, varying between catch and release poles, cages and traps. ...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- After the projected expense of a water slide proposed to be constructed at the McCook municipal swimming pool rose from $180,000 to more than $300,000, city staff became concerned that given the age of the McCook pool, an engineering survey should be completed to ensure costly upkeep issues weren't also on the horizon...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- City of McCook revenue from Keno funds has increased dramatically in recent years and is projected to end the current fiscal year at four times the budgeted amount. The increase in revenue has resulted in more than $224,000 in uncommitted community betterment funds in the proposed upcoming budget, providing the McCook City Council with yet another opportunity to enhance the future of McCook...