Stories from Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Soon after entering the water treatment business in the 1960s, DeWayne and Sandra (Schlager) Hanes realized that softening the water was not enough to meet the clean, safe water needs of their customers. And so -- in the years which followed -- DeWayne and Sandra began working on a system that not only softened water but also removed a wide range of contaminants, including nitrates, arsenic, radon and uranium...

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...

Hillcrest recognized employees for their years of employment during its Education Day on Sept. 26. Employees recognized include, first row, from left, Barb Hoyt, four years, environmental service; Ellen Howard, one year, receptionist; Maryann Trosper, nine years, dietary; Jessica Gonzales, one year, trained nurses assistant; Back row, Jen Harvey, one year, environmental services; Dixie Lepper, 12 years, medical record director; Caitlyn Conroy, five years, child care/assisted living; Marie Loomis, 23 years, registered nurse; Elsie Reiners, 27 yrs, trained nurses assistant. ...

St. Patrick's Catholic School in McCook recognized the top AR point achievers during the month of September. Students pictured read more than 20 points. Luke Roberts, sixth grade, earned 75 points and the top earner was Jackie Hinze with 84 points. Students pictured are, front row, from left, Riley Werkmeister, fourth, Grace Cappel, fourth, Tucker Gillespie, fourth, Tanner Jacobs, fifth. ...

McCook National Bank representative, Shelby Haag (right), presents Marcus Fox, a junior at Dundy County - Stratton High School, with the September "MNB Student of the Month Award" for the 2013-2014 school year. Also pictured is Bill Polson (left), Marcus's nominating teacher. ...

LINCOLN, Nebraska -- Kendall Prior of Imperial, Nebraska, is one of the exhibitors at the "Celebration of Youth: Exuberance" through Oct. 25 at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Robert Hillestad Textiles Gallery. Nebraska youths, from 9 to 19 years of age, are having their work displayed at the show...

MCCOOK, Nebraska -- Students enrolled at McCook Community College for Fall 2013 semester have been awarded a total of more than $57,500 in student financial aid for academic year 2013-14, sponsored by the McCook College Foundation and a number of individuals and organizations. ...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Conflicts are still simmering among McCook Board of Education members after a June 11 hearing, as one member alleged Monday night that district policies were violated and another maintained there was no conflict of interest on his part...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- More than 200 participants and a total of 12 teams took part in the first "Walk in My Shoes" event at Norris Park Saturday. "It was awesome, considering we didn't really have that much time to plan," said one of the organizers, Kaylynn Harris. The event, designed to raise awareness and celebrate children with disabilities, was the first of its kind in McCook...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Despite poor business tax climate and individual income tax rankings, Nebraska was ranked for the first time ever in the top five of "CNBC's Best States for Business" this summer. Nebraska climbed two spots from 2012, and 18 spots since 2008, to reach the number four ranking in 2013, behind South Dakota, Texas and North Dakota, respectively...

Red Willow County's new jail cell No. 154B swings into place this morning, despite winds gusting to 30 miles an hour. The crane operator unloaded the cells for female prisoners and placed them on the west wall of the new facility under construction next door to the courthouse in McCook, Nebraska. ...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- With record cattle prices the last two years in Southwest Nebraska, Northwest Kansas and Northeast Colorado, the McCook Farm & Ranch Expo is the place to be. The Expo will return to the Red Willow County Fairgrounds on Wednesday and Thursday, Nov. 20-21, 2013...

Just the right angle and fortuitous timing early Monday afternoon creates a blending of the bronze sculpture of Jesus Christ in the yard of St. Alban's Episcopal Church in McCook, Nebraska, and the crane being used to build the new Red Willow County jail -- a half-a-block east of the bronze...

With more and more of our transactions taking place online, it's no surprise that criminals are becoming more and more adepts of following the money -- and seeing that it finds its way into their hands. The latest example is Duncan Aviation in Lincoln, which reported that someone hacked into the banking account of a shareholder -- no explanation as to why the shareholder had Duncan Aviation money in his personal banking account -- and stole $135,000...

Sunday was to be a day of protest for United States military veterans. And protest they did in Washington D.C. the site of maximum frustration as of late. Protest and clean up was the mantra as the National Park Service is on paid vacation except to hassle the common folk. Closing an open air monument is ridiculous but not paying death benefits to war casualties is downright criminal. Worse than criminal! Where was Sec. Def. Chuck Hagel who surely knows better? He isn't making Nebraska proud!...