Stories from Thursday, November 13, 2014

Disney is name-checking a couple of its recent successes in the TV ads for their new animated adventure "BigHero 6" -- "Wreck-It Ralph" and "Frozen."While it isn't as good as those movies (and doesn't even come close to the best animated superhero film ever, Pixar's "The Incredibles"), it's still...

John Bones, my beloved maternal grandfather, was 34 years old when Uncle Sam called. He was likely destined to be what was called 'a gentleman farmer' (polite Midwestern words for a single male farmer without romantic prospects) before being drafted into the Army to serve in the Pacific during World War II...

A World War II Veteran I interviewed a few years back said adamantly the "real heroes" never came back. I have thought about his claim often since and, while I maintain Billy Loop of McCook is among the many heroes that have returned home over the years, I do recognize some of us are lucky enough to simply return home as boys who have served our country...

Everett Lavern Gerdes Aug. 21, 1922 - Nov. 9, 2014 OBERLIN, Kan. -- Everett Lavern Gerdes passed away Sunday, Nov. 9, 2014, at the Cedar Living Center in Oberlin, Kansas, at the age of 92. He was born Aug. 21, 1922, in Cadiums, Nebraska, to Edward and Louisa Gerdes. ...

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...

LINCOLN, Neb. -- There's a gap between what characteristics rural Nebraskans say are essential in a community and what currently exists in theirs, according to the Nebraska Rural Poll. The findings may reflect rural residents' acceptance of the trade-offs that are inherent in their lifestyle: Certain wants and needs can't be met there, but other qualities make the lifestyle worthwhile...

McCOOK, Neb. -- Dani has seriously considered it for a long time. Sabina played it on her neighborhood streets in southern California. Kc watched a game once. Spencer can teach them how to fall. And Chuck wants to be the towel boy. Those are the very beginnings of a women's roller derby team in McCook, Nebraska...

Pat Burns of McCook, Nebraska, wheels finished bicycles into temporary storage, building up the supply of bikes that will be given away during the community's annual "Christmas Toy Box" toy and bike and trike giveaway in December. Outside collection receptacles (holiday-decorated trash containers) have been placed at Alco Discount, McCook Christian Church, WalMart and Dollar General for donations of clean, gently-used and/or new toys, dolls, games and books. ...

McCook High School's football team is in the running for a USA Today contest to pick the best high school program in America. Visit http://bit.ly/1uqdXrh to vote. First prize is $1,000 for the school.

McCOOK, Neb. -- The American Health Care Association has announced that Hillcrest Nursing Home has earned the tier one recognition as part of the AHCA Quality Initiative Recognition Program for achieving the Quality Initiative goal of "Safely reducing hospital readmission."...

McCOOK, Neb. -- "Pet Night With Santa" is set for 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 11, at the Keystone Business Center in downtown McCook. Pet owners are invited to bring their pets to the northeast corner of their building to have their pictures taken with Santa for a free will donation...

It's the American dream, but it isn't always a sweet dream, according to a research firm. Owning one's own home has historically been a good idea, particularly if the numbers are right. According to HeroWallet, a workforce optimization and research firm, for more and more people, particularly with younger workers, the numbers show it's better to rent than to buy...

Personally, I prefer to hope that a majority of the people in the world are civilized in the 21st century. The recent beheadings of American and British citizens by Islamic terrorists prove otherwise. An excellent biography, "Marco Polo -- From Venice to Xanadu" by Laurence Bergreen, published in 2007 by Alfred A. Knopf points out that Marco Polo questioned many things...

Aww, 9 o'clock in the p.m., basically the last hour of the day for me. Everyone is lounging in their pj's and zoned out watching tv or checking out a book or the ipad. The house is quiet with just the murmur of some Alaska show Hubby is watching flowing through the living room. ...

McCOOK, Neb. -- A former McCook man received prison time last week on a felony offense for attempted sexual assault, stemming from the 2013 rape of a 15-year-old girl. The offender, 38-year-old Gregory A. Cole of Palisade, was sentenced to 6-8 years in state prison during a hearing in Red Willow County District Court. ...

McCOOK, Neb. -- A former McCook man received prison time last week on a felony offense for attempted sexual assault, stemming from the 2013 rape of a 15-year-old girl. The offender, 38-year-old Gregory A. Cole of Palisade, was sentenced to 6-8 years in state prison during a hearing in Red Willow County District Court. ...