Stories from Tuesday, June 3, 2014

DUNDY COUNTY, Neb. -- In memory of Dundy County residents Jim and Marjorie Reisher, the family has established a scholarship fund at Mid-Plains Community College designed to benefit current or prior residents of Dundy County or current/former students in the Dundy County-Stratton school system...

KEARNEY, Neb. -- University of Nebraska at Kearney today announced the names of students who earned a place on the dean's list for the 2014 spring semester. To earn a place on the dean's list, UNK students must complete at least 12 credit hours with a 3.5 or better overall grade point average on a 4.0 scale. Courses taken on a credit/no credit basis aren't included among the necessary 12 credits...

CRETE, Nebraska - Doane College has announced students named to the Dean's List for Spring 2014. Students must achieve a minimum 3.7 grade point average on a 4.0 scale to qualify for this academic distinction. Doane College is the oldest private liberal arts and sciences college in Nebraska. ...

McCOOK, Neb. -- Shelby Stevens, a student at McCook Public Schools has been selected for the 2014 Middle School Honors Performance Series at Carnegie Hall. She will perform at Carnegie Hall in June with the Honors Junior Choir as an Alto. Participation in one of the three Honors Ensembles is limited to the talented middle school performers from across North America...

McCOOK, Neb. -- Red Willow County commissioner Earl McNutt said a "livestock friendly county" designation is mostly a "PR deal," but does offer a tool for attracting new industries to the county. The county will continue to work toward that designation following Monday's meeting of the county commission, filling out applications to submit to the Nebraska Department of Agriculture...

McCOOK, Neb. -- A number or professionals would like to buy family homes in McCook, but have bought houses out of town or taken rentals because of the housing shortage, City Council members were told Monday night. Some have even accepted jobs elsewhere because we don't have enough houses available, officials of two major employers said at the end of the council's regular meeting...

McCOOK, Neb. -- Many homeowners will ask visitors to remove their shoes when they come into their homes. However, Monte Garcia tells visitors they have to wear theirs. Monte says, "The No. 1 rule is, 'No one comes into the stained glass room without shoes,'."...

CAMBRIDGE, Neb. -- A body has been sent in for identification after being found in Medicine Creek on Sunday. Furnas County Attorney Tom Patterson said the body is believed to be that of a person who has been missing about a year and a half, an apparent victim of suicide...

Samuel Castro Paz Feb. 27, 1933 - June 3, 2014 McCOOK, Neb. -- Samuel Castro Paz, age 81, of McCook passed away Tuesday, June 3, 2014, at Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook. Samuel was born Feb. 27, 1933, to parents Jesus and Juanita (Castro) Paz in Minatare, Nebraska. He was one of six children. Growing up Samuel attended school in Minatare, graduating from Minatare High School in 1953. He then went on to attend the National School of Meat Cutting School in Toledo, Ohio, in 1956...

Joan Rae (Koetter) Schamel March 5, 1936 - June 2, 2014 McCOOK, Neb. -- Joan Rae (Koetter) Schamel, age 78, passed away peacefully, Monday, June 2, 2014, at Nebraska Methodist Hospital in Omaha with family at her bedside. She was born on March 5, 1936, to Woodrow Raymond and Leola Maxine (Grigg) Koetter in McCook. Joan graduated from McCook High School in 1954...

50th anniversary The family of Hoagy and Donna Carmichael of Sun City West, Arizona, formerly of McCook, Nebraska, is requesting a card shower in honor of the couple's 60th wedding anniversary. The couple was married June, 6, 1954, in McCook. The family will celebrate in Branson, Missouri. ...

From 8 and 10 to 584 were the numbers of High School Seniors that Grannie and I watched graduate this spring. The ceremonies were about equal in length but quite different in presentation. Yes, the graduates in the smaller schools received much more individual attention, but each in the large student body were appropriately announced and congratulated. Each ceremony was appropriate to the occasion with proud parents and well-wishers supporting the cast...

In high school, I read "Call of the Wild" written by Jack London in 1903. Jack London (1876-1916) died from kidney failure at age 40. He wrote short stories, plays, novels and essays. They were enjoyed by people from all walks of life. London was born in San Francisco. At age 14, he had to work to support his family. He graduated from high school and attended the university of California for one semester...

Nebraskans have traditionally enjoyed some of the lowest electrical costs in the nation, due, in part to its status, along with Alaska, as a totally "public power" state. That means the people who run the electrical systems answer not to investors looking to make a profit, but to customers who want to pay as little as possible for their energy...