Stories from Friday, December 13, 2013

Vivian Kompus Sept. 23, 1919 - Dec. 12, 2013 BENKELMAN, Nebraska -- Vivian Kompus, age 94, passed away Dec. 12, 2013, at the Dundy County Hospital in Benkelman with family by her side. Vivian Kompus was born Sept. 23, 1919, to Marie Siedschlag and Elmer Martin. She lived in Cambridge, Nebraska, in her early life...

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...

IMPERIAL, Nebraska -- Frenchman Valley Coop, along with CoBank, has donated $10,000 to the Nebraska FFA Foundation to support local FFA programming. Kimball, Creek Valley, Perkins County, Chase County, Wauneta-Palisade, Dundy County, Hayes Center, McCook, Southwest, and South Platte FFA chapters were all selected by Frenchman Valley Coop to receive funds in this special project...

Blake Michael Sovereign Angie Sovereign and Chris Sovereign of Rapid City, South Dakota, announce the birth of their son, Blake Michael Sovereign, who was born Oct. 30, 2013, at Rapid City Regional Hospital. He weighed 6 pounds, 1 ounce and measured 19.5 inches long. ...

By Susan Doak SW Nebraska Genealogy Society McCOOK, Nebraska -- The second English colony to be established in the New World was Jamestown, which just happens to be where the first of my mother's relatives set foot in the United States. Jamestown began in 1607, a full 13 years prior to the pilgrims landing at Plymouth Rock (Massachusetts) and was situated on the mouth of the James River...

LINCOLN, Nebraska (AP) -- A Nebraskan who helps coordinate services for students, teachers and school districts was chosen Thursday as the state's new education commissioner. The State Board of Education announced it had unanimously chosen Matthew Blomstedt, of Central City, for the job out of four finalists. Blomstedt will replace Roger Breed, who retired earlier this year...

Sherri Stang, left, and Dawn Foster of McCook National Bank prepare to bag up donations of toys given by MNB customers to the McCook-area Christmas Toy Box Collection. Other inside drop boxes for the Toy Box are at AmPride/Baskin Robbins, First Central Bank, Eakes Office Plus and, new this year, at Adams Bank in Indianola. ...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- New subdivision regulations are being proposed to the McCook City Council which officials believe will continue to improve the city's appeal to developers. City Manager Jeff Hancock praised the new regulations and said they were part of a collective effort to make the City of McCook easier for businesses, companies, developers and individuals to do business...

"Jingle Bells" excites Central Elementary fifth graders Casey Carlin, left, and Talyn Campbell as they perform during the school's Christmas program Tuesday evening. The program featured the fourth and fifth grade choirs and soloists. Directors are Abbey Misfeldt and Kathy Latta...

After sunset, the home of Shawn and Sandra Banjoff at 802 W. Fourth in McCook, Nebraska, illuminates the neighborhood with its twinkling lights, animated and inflatable Santas and snowmen, holiday greetings and Nativity scene. The Christmas light display continues despite the couple losing some of their Christmas decorations in a garage fire in July 2012...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- "Company Costume" of McCook plans a toy drive show for all ages Saturday to help collect toys for the McCook-area "Christmas Toy Box Giveaway." Admission to the concert will be a new toy or $5. Organizers will go shopping with admission funds to buy more toys...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Citizens from throughout the Golden Plains are invited to join a caravan of cars which will travel to Lincoln Monday, Jan. 6, for Norris Day ceremonies at the Nebraska State Capitol. The Southwest Nebraska delegation will depart from the East Casey's in McCook shortly after 8 a.m. on the 6th, which is the first Monday of the new year...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- A second man charged in connection with the theft of a pickup from a rural residence, and related drug charges, was sentenced to prison time last week in Red Willow County District Court on a felony meth possession offense. 28-year-old Vincent D. Bonacci of McCook was ordered to serve 20 to 60 months in state prison, with credit given for 24 days already received. Considering Nebraska good time laws, Bonacci could be out in less than 10 months...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- A local dance team is coordinating a bake sale and wrapping Christmas presents at the Keystone Business Center Saturday morning. Youth dancers with Spotlight Studios will be staffing the fund raising event, from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., to raise funds for fees for participation in a national competition coming up this February in Denver, Colorado...

We all joke about New Year's resolutions and our varying success -- usually, unvarying failure -- in keeping them over the course of a year. When Jan. 1, 2014, comes around in a couple of weeks, however, there's one resolution we should take seriously if we haven't yet kicked the smoking habit...

It's hard to have a level-headed, reasonable conversation with anyone anymore because, thanks to the mass media, everybody seems to know everything about everything. So we don't ask questions; we make absolute, unyielding statements about politics, religion, sports and social life with no regard or thought to the possibility that we might be wrong. And that plays hell with civil discourse...

"Paco" is a senior 9-year-old adopted dog from the McCook Humane Society who spends a lot of these winter days sleeping in his favorite chair.