Stories from Thursday, August 8, 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...

Bruce Baker/McCook Gazette Representatives from "Build McCook a Skatepark" present the McCook City Council with their proposal, Monday evening. Councilors thanked the group for their efforts but were not prepared to commit funds to the project. The group is asking the city to desginate $75,000 for a park, that the city would own and operate, with the group planning to raise $15,000 to $25,000. Top, Matt Smith, from left and Brigham Larington. Bottom, Christian Olsen, from left, and Logan Vrbas...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- During a meeting anchored by a room full of McCook youth and their parents attempting to rally support for the city to operate a public skatepark, several residents provided input to the McCook City Council on a variety of other topics...

ATWOOD, Kansas -- A 54-year-old Atwood, Kansas, man died in a one-vehicle accident Wednesday, July 31. The Atwood Square Deal newspaper reports that Duain L. Hafer was westbound on County Road S northwest of Atwood at 9:59 p.m., when his vehicle went off the road to the south. Hafer over-corrected and the vehicle went into the north ditch and rolled 1 1/2 times. Hafer was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected...

CURTIS, Nebraska -- Livestock judging students studying at the University of Nebraska-Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture will host the Third Annual "Aggie Fest" Livestock Judging Clinic and Contest on Saturday, Sept 14th, at the NCTA Campus. "We will have several classes of livestock to evaluate as well as instructions on how to answer contest questions and give oral reasons before a judge," said Dr. ...

Tie-down roper Cole Kinderknecht, above right, of Stapleton, formerly of Norton, Kansas, and team ropers Jason Johnston and Rod Doggett, top left, also of Stapleton, compete in the 2013 Red Willow County Fair Nebraska State Rodeo Association-sanctioned rodeo Saturday, July 27 in McCook, Nebraska. Kinderknecht tied his calf in 11.1 seconds. Bull-dogger AJ Freeman, above left, of Dunning, man-handled his steer in 4.6 seconds...

PRAIRIE VIEW, Kansas -- a Selden boy was killed and a Logan girl injured in a one-vehicle accident 7:23 p.m. Wednesday three miles south of Prairie View. Joseph W. Koerperich, 16, Selden, died when a car driven by Justice R. Bonner, 16, Logan, Kansas, struck a fence and rolled multiple times. Neither occupant was wearing seatbelts, according to the Kansas Highway Patrol...

ALMA, Nebraska -- An Alma man is arrested and 23 vehicles seized in an investigation into an illegal auto dealership in Alma. Just after 11: 30 a.m., Wednesday, August 7, the Nebraska State Patrol, in conjunction with the Nebraska Motor Vehicle Industry Licensing Board, and the Harlan County Attorney, served both a search warrant and an arrest warrant at the High Plains Claims Company, 904 Brown Street in Alma...

A Weaver Brothers Tree Service crew from Bartley dodges bees from a honeycomb in a hollow tree felled by Wednesday morning's storm, which fell on two vehicles, totaling both, at East First and D in McCook. As of mid-afternoon, no one had been stung.    ...

Decatur County, Kansas, 4-H exhibitor Clayton Carter eyes the steer slobbers on her sleeve during the market beef show Wednesday morning on the fairgrounds in Oberlin. Gavin Uehlin kept his eye on the judge, Dustin Wiley of Wiley Show Cattle, St. Francis...

Madison Macfee, exhibitor No. 5, and her sister, Taylor, exhibit the grand and reserve champion market beef animals at the Decatur County, Kansas, county fair on the fair grounds in Oberlin Wednesday morning. Beef judge Dustin Wiley, of Wiley Show Cattle, St. Francis, Kansas, selected Madison's steer as grand champion and Taylor's as reserve champion. The girls are the daughters of Shelly and Dennis Macfee of Oberlin...

County fair livestock events can't hold the attention of the youngest spectators indefinitely. During the Decatur County, Kansas, fair beef show Wednesday morning, the fairgrounds tractor was a natural magnet for Gus Bryan, the almost-4-year-old son of Brandon and Laura Bryan of Oberlin. ...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The McCook City Pool will be closing for the season Sunday, Aug. 11, due to staffing issues. According to city staff, operating hours will be 1-7 p.m., Thursday through Saturday and 1-5 p.m. on Sunday. A family night swim is scheduled for this evening, 8-10 p.m., weather permitting. Children under 13 must be accompanied by an adult...

McCOOK,Nebraska -- The Hillcrest Board of Trustees will meet for a special meeting Friday, 10 a.m. in the lower level conference room at Hillcrest Nursing Home. After beginning as an open meeting, the board will immediately re-convene in closed executive session to discuss personnel issues, said Hillcrest Administrator, Colinda Nappa...

MAYWOOD, Nebraska -- Four Maywood, Nebraska, school board members and one village board member are subjects of a possible recall elections. The Frontier County Enterprise newspaper reports that Maywood resident Tim Wolfe is asking for the recall of school board members Lyle Koester, Donita Werkmeister, Sheri Hartley and David Dodson. Another Maywood resident, Joe Schmidt, is requesting the recall of village board trustee Colleen Stone...

BENKELMAN, Nebraska -- The Nebraska Supreme Court has overturned the theft conviction of former Keith County and Dundy County attorney Blake Edwards. The Benkelman Post newspaper reports that the state attorney general's office must make the next move -- dismiss the case, retry the case or work out a deal with Edwards...

Joseph Koerperich SELDEN, Kansas -- Joseph Koerperich, 16, died Wednesday( Aug. 7, 2013), at Phillips County Hospital in Phillipsburg, Kansas. Services are pending with Pauls Funeral Home in Oberlin.

Culbertson, Nebraska, firefighters respond to a vehicle fire Thursday afternoon on a graveled stretch of the original Highway 6-34 east of Culbertson and north of the current highway. Culbertson fire chief Richard Sensel said that Jarod Cappel of McCook, who owns the newer-model Dodge pickup, said he smelled fuel as he drove down the road. "He stopped and it started smoking, and burned," Sensel said. The pickup was totaled.