Stories from Thursday, October 23, 2014

Dorothy E. Snyder Hunt May 18, 1920 - Oct. 21, 2014 OBERLIN, Kan. -- Dorothy E. Snyder Hunt, 94, died Tuesday (Oct. 21, 2014,) at Decatur County Good Samaritan Society in Oberlin. She was born May 18, 1920, in rural Norcatur, Kansas, to Silas Willard and Venie Belle (Moler) Hessenflow. She attended Prairie Belle and Prairie View district schools in Decatur County...

Lois B. Koller April 9, 1909 - Oct. 22, 2014 ARAPAHOE, Neb. -- Lois B. Koller, 105, of Arapahoe, died Wednesday (Oct. 22, 2014), at her home at Prairie Pines Retirement Center at Arapahoe. She was born on April 9, 1909, at Crab Orchard, Nebraska to James S. and Loretta B. (Hafner) Marshall...

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...

Donna Darlene (Gilliland) Hazen Sept. 26, 1933 - Oct. 21, 2014 MAYWOOD, Neb. -- Darlene (Gilliland) Hazen, 81, of Maywood, died Tuesday (Oct. 21, 2014), at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney Nebraska. She was born Sept. 26, 1933, in Maywood to Hazel and Blanche (Doyle) Gilliland. She grew up in the Maywood area and attended Maywood grade school and U.N.S.A in Curtis, graduating in 1951. She received a college teaching degree from Kearney State College...

Imperial, Neb. -- An agreement reached Wednesday gives Nebraska 100 percent credit for augmentation water NRDs are pumping this year to maintain compliance with the Republican River Compact, and ensures water being stored in Harlan County Reservoir for compliance purposes won't go to waste...

McCOOK, Neb. -- Deficiencies within the Nebraska Department of Corrections, stemming from a "total breakdown in communication," have been the recent focus of Democratic candidate for attorney general Janet Stewart. Stewart said she had been following the situation closely and the Attorney General's office did apprise the Department of Corrections of a very important change in Supreme Court precedent, which mandated how they calculate sentences and release prisoners into the community. ...

McCOOK, Neb. -- Nebraska has been able to pick the best aspects of the Common Core standards while avoiding the controversial ones, said Molly O'Holleran, incumbent District 7 member of the State Board of Education. She hopes the state will be able to do much the same with remnants of the "No Child Left Behind" law, obtaining a waiver from much of that law, and proceeding with a roadmap for improved education regardless of whether the waiver is approved...

Friday is the last day that a person can register to vote for the General Election. The Red Willow County Clerk's Office will remain open until 6 p.m. for the purpose of registering first time voters or residents who have moved into the county or within the county...

Grass has not yet covered the bare dirt left during construction of the latest section of McCook's walking trail, but fall leaves are doing their part to make the pathway inviting. Concrete was recently poured and the trail from East H to East 11th along Kelley Creek has been opened for hikers and bicyclists...

McCOOK, Neb. -- The 45th issue of the Bison Alumni Newsletter is ready to be folded for mailing. Alumni & friends are needed at 6 pm Tuesday, Oct. 28 at the McCook Junior High Cafeteria. Join in the fun!

One of the ironies of the ebola "crisis" is that Americans have become more aware of the relative risks of more common diseases such as influenza. In fact, by some reports, more people are better prepared to prevent flu infection, through vaccination, handwashing and other measures, as a result of the ebola scare...

Just yesterday, it seems I had a curly haired little girl who played dress up in oversized fancy dresses and high heeled sparkly shoes, twirling about the house to music on the radio. A little girl who thought the boy on the Disney movie was dreamy and life revolved around friends and sleepovers. ...

Here are six Conundrums of socialism in the United States of America: 1. America is capitalist and greedy -- yet half of the population is subsidized. 2. Half of the population is subsidized -- yet they think they are victims. 3. They think they are victims -- yet their representatives run the government...

Dear Editor, Recently road crews have repainted traffic lines on our streets and highways. They did a terrific job. There were few, if any drips, splatters or crooked lines. We should all be happy and proud! Stephen Stramel, McCook, Nebraska

Due to the fact that I was born in Colorado, I spent a lot of time in the mountains. I enjoyed the wild flowers and learned to identify the different types of trees. The smell of pine needles made me feel invigorated. When I moved to Nebraska, I was pleased to see ponderosa and cedar trees growing in many places. (Farmers use them for windbreaks and shade.)...

McCOOK, Neb. -- Volunteers plan the 2014 "Share the Heat" soup luncheon, salad bar and silent auction Sunday, Nov. 2, from 11 a.m. until 1:30 p.m., in the Community Building on the Red Willow County fairgrounds in McCook, Nebraska. Proceeds from the free-will lunch and auction, as well as donations, go into the "Share the Heat" fund to help families throughout Southwest Nebraska pay their winter heating bills...

Sunday afternoon, I stepped onto (and then, about three hours later, off of) a McCook stage for the final time. And it was all I had hoped it would be.