Stories from Tuesday, June 17, 2014

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, Neb. -- Local college student Morgan Schilling has earned a $1,500 scholarship from America's Farmers Grow Ag Leaders. Growing up in rural Nebraska, Schilling has had a full-time farm job since he could drive. Credited as one of the best experiences of his life, working on the farm taught him skills that will not only help with his education but also with his future career. Schilling's involvement in the McCook High School FFA Chapter continued to develop those skills...

LINCOLN, Neb. -- The University of Nebraska-Lincoln has announced its deans' list and honor roll for the spring semester of the 2013-14 academic year. Those named included the following area students: McCook: Beth Christine Peck, College of Arts and Sciences Dean's List, junior, geography major; Cashous William Bortner, College of Arts and Sciences Dean's List, sophomore, mathematics major; Karli Blank, College of Arts and Sciences Dean's List, freshman, psychology major; Laura Jane Brooks, College of Arts and Sciences Dean's List, junior, psychology major; Elise Marie Polly, College of Arts and Sciences Dean's List, junior, sociology major; Chad Michael Stull, College of Business Administration Dean's List, senior, business administration major; Megan Elizabeth Gray, College of Business Administration Dean's List, sophomore, finance major; Rebecca Marie Goodenberger, College of Business Administration Dean's List, senior, marketing major; Gavin Lee Harsh, College of Education and Human Sciences Dean's List, sophomore, nutrition and health sciences major; Brooklynn Ericka Trew, College of Education and Human Sciences Dean's List, sophomore, nutrition and health sciences major; Kelsey Jo Siebrandt, College of Education and Human Sciences Dean's List, sophomore, pre-elementary education major; Betsy Renae Hardin , College of Education and Human Sciences Dean's List, junior, speech-language pathology major; Alan Joseph Goodenberger, College of Engineering Dean's List, junior, mechanical engineering major. ...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The McCook City Council is looking for citizens to help develop ballot language for the renewal of the city's sales tax. Both the 1 percent local-option sales tax and additional half-cent sales tax end in 2018 and the City Council wants to get an early start to present a renewal to voters this fall...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- A McCook man charged with possession of methamphetamine and felony child abuse was sentenced to probation last week after accepting a plea agreement admitting guilt to felony possession of a controlled substance. The offender, 40-year-old Christian Towne of 915 Westridge, was sentenced to 36 months Community Based Intervention probation during a sentencing hearing in Red Willow County District Court...

McCOOK, Neb. -- Grant funds are now available to improve existing or create new visitor attractions and facilities in Red Willow County. The "Red Willow County Improvement Fund" is funded with 2 percent lodging tax revenues, according to Carol Schlegel, Red Willow County tourism director, who described the grant process to county commissioners Monday morning...

Red Willow County, Nebraska, tourism director Carol Schlegel reported to county commissioners Monday morning that prairie chicken tours in March and April attracted 26 bird watchers -- 24 of whom were from outside the 308 telephone area code. All but one of those 24 -- who was from Oberlin, Kansas -- spent the night and spent money (in addition to registration fees for the prairie dance watching) in McCook to see the prairie chickens perform their annual mating dance. ...

Friends hope that a pancake supper benefit and silent auction to help Red Willow Western Rural Fire Department Fire Chief Bill Elliott of rural McCook, Nebraska, with medical expenses will also lift his spirits. Elliott, who is 61 years old, suffers from ulcerative colitis and the side effects and complications of its treatment. ...

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Foundation project "Faces Never Forgotten" needs help obtaining missing photos of Vietnam veterans from the area. These photos will help complete an electronic "Wall of Faces" in the new education center at the Vietnam Memorial Wall...

About a half hour after the call went out for emergency help at Pilger, Nebraska, another call came telling first responders that no more help was needed, yet. That's a typical Nebraska situation; volunteers, official and otherwise, are quick to respond, above and beyond the call when their neighbors are in need of help...

Busman's holiday: According to the Wiktionary, first recorded in 1893 in the UK. The idea is that a busman, to go off on a holiday, would take an excursion by bus, thereby engaging in a similar activity to his work. Yes I did that very thing last week. ...