Stories from Wednesday, July 2, 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...

Farm Credit Services of America employees from offices in McCook and Imperial, Nebraska, "Team Up" with the Hitchcock County fair board to spruce up the fairgrounds in Culbertson. Tuesday, Wayne Vontz (on the ladder) and Mike Langan joined a painting crew inside the Community Building, with plans to work on the grandstand bleachers and also build rabbit and chicken cages. ...

McCOOK, Neb. -- Six young horsewomen will compete Sunday for Miss Southwest Nebraska rodeo queen titles. Outgoing royalty are Queen Natasha Wehrman of Columbus and Junior Queen Dannyl Bromander of Eustis. The new royalty will begin their reigns at the Red Willow County Fair rodeos Saturday and Sunday, July 26 and 27...

Regina Andrijeski of Old West Realty & Auction, Curtis, Nebraska, has been elected 2014-15 vice president of the 250-member Nebraska Auctioneers Association. The association, headquartered in Lincoln, also posthumously inducted Stacy B. McCoy, McCoy Auction, Arapahoe, into its Nebraska Auctioneers Association Hall of Fame. ...

Dark clouds hang over the Southwest Cruisers' first cruise-in night in McCook, Nebraska, Friday evening -- and within minutes dumped huge amounts of rain and vehicles scattered for cover. Car club coordinator Shawn Paulson said they plan another cruise-in, during McCook's Crazy Days, on Friday, July 18, in the Sears and Schmick's Market parking lot, starting at 6 p.m. It will feature "Full Throttle" D.J. Service; participants are asked to bring non-perishable food items for the McCook Pantry...

McCOOK,Neb. -- A new counselor has joined Christian Counseling Services in McCook, who comes with plenty of experience. George Young, PLMHP, of McCook, grew up on a farm in Nebraska and received his master's degree in counseling and specialization in school psychology from Kearney State College (now the University of Nebraska-Kearney)...

Anything with wheels - including bicycles and motorcycles -- were brought to New Life Christian Book Store in McCook Saturday, for a blessing of the bikes. "It's a great community outreach program and a great time for fellowship. We pray for the safety over the bikes and riders, to keep them safe as they ride," said John Gomez, who with Mike Simmonds coordinated the event. ...

McCook, Neb. -- Mosquitos in two counties in northern Nebraska have tested positive for West Nile Virus (WNV) according to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. Southwest Nebraska Public Health Department has started to trap for mosquitos in Chase and Red Willow counties...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The "Build McCook a Skatepark" group has shifted focus away from the contentious location west of the McCook YMCA, as part of the search for a future home of a new city skatepark, and may have found a little- used portion of Kelley Park that will work just as well...

The Veterans memorial in Norris Park received some added Independence Day pizazz recently, including flashy pinwheels, several American flags and some glass decor, courtesy of the Good Earth Gardeners Club.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Michele Wise, an educator at St. Patrick Elementary School in McCook, has been selected from a pool of more than 400 applicants to participate in the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources Summer Teacher Institute for the week of July 14-18...

"I just want to say one word to you -- just one word -- 'plastics.'" The generation that followed that pronouncement in 1967's "The Graduate" certainly took that advice to heart. Today plastics are everywhere, from the wad of shopping bags in the pantry to the tiny beads in toothpaste, to industrial pellets and detergent bottles...

We are in for some super conjunctions involving the moon and two bright planets in our early evening skies this week. In addition to the usual pyrotechnic fireworks we are accustomed to on July 4th, we will also be treated to some activity in the sky to supplement our viewing pleasure...

CULBERTSON, Neb. -- A 2006 McCook High School co-valedictorian and college athlete has found her way into the cockpit of a giant Air Force tanker. 2nd Lt. Allison Smith helped her parents, Bob and Marie Smith, raise wheat on their Culbertson farm, and always had a drive to succeed, according to her father...