Stories from Tuesday, December 23, 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...

OMAHA, Neb. -- Consumers are becoming more involved in food choices and urban gardening. Farmer's markets number more than 8,100 nationwide, nearly doubling over the past five years, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Community leaders and existing business owners in the Omaha area are seeing increased need for agricultural education opportunities which target aspiring entrepreneurs who are starting their own urban ag enterprises...

Happy Festivus! It's time to erect the aluminum pole, for airing grievances and exhibiting feats of strength. The faux fest was popularized by a 1997 Seinfeld episode, but actually was invented by the father of one of the show's writers, who created it in February 1966 as a celebration of his first date with his future wife. ...

Well he has done it again. Yes our President Obama has stepped forth to prop up yet another dictatorship, this a hardcore Communist State. His dream is that if we allow our liberty inspired capitalist business world to trade freely with Cuba, our closeby neighbor, those poor oppressed people will see the light and persuade the Castro brothers to loosen their iron grip and democracy will flower and everything will get better. ...

BARTLEY, Neb. -- Attendance is lighter than normal at Southwest Junior/Senior High School in Bartley today, with some parents keeping their children home after a letter threatening students was received at the school about 8:30 a.m. Monday. "The school is in lockdown, and will remain in lockdown until further notice," Red Willow County Sheriff Gene Mahon said during a press conference this morning. ...

McCOOK, Neb. -- Some people blame geese. Some say it travels with big bales. Whatever is to blame, Canada thistle "grows like a weed" with very little encouragement, and then like gangbusters when it rains. Red Willow County, Nebraska, weed control superintendent Bill Elliott told county commissioners Monday that the battle against the noxious weed Canada thistle became "a lost war at some point" after all the early last summer...

McCOOK, Neb. -- Orders for Prairie Land Food's January packages are due by Tuesday, Jan. 13. The pick-up date in McCook is Friday, Jan. 23. Prairie Land Food is a food buying group that provides best quality foods at prices up to 50 percent off retail prices. The program is open to everyone...

McCOOK, Neb. -- Call it procrastination, waiting for the best deal, or a little of both, but last-minute shoppers swarmed the downtown business area Monday, taking advantage of last minute promotions and retailers' extended hours. "Saturday was insane," said Amy Noe, sales associate at JC Penneys. It showed no signs of letting up on Monday, when downtown shoppers were still out in force "on the bricks."...

McCOOK, Neb. -- Donors can ring out the old year by donating blood next week at the Community Building on the Red Willow County Fairgrounds, and free T-shirts will be given to all presenting donors while supplies last. The collection will take place 12:30 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 30, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 31...

Crews from the Nebraska Air National Guard stationed at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar this holiday season said they would like to thank Schamel's NAPA Supply in McCook, Nebraska, for their appreciation, hats, treats and warm wishes from home. They are, from left, Capt. Sean Cappel, 
Capt. Matt Roby and Master Sgt. Mat Ellison
...

Lila Schwartz BENKELMAN, Neb. -- Lila Schwartz, 82, formerly of Benkelman, died Sunday (Dec. 21, 2014), at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney, Nebraska. Survivors include children, Warren Schwartz and wife, Patty, of Greeley, Colorado, Terri Terry and husband, Wayne, of Sarben, Nebraska, Pam Smith and husband, Frank, of Wauneta, Nebraska; brother, John Pursley, of Stratton, Nebraska; sisters, Marshlene Wilkinson, of North Platte, Nebraska, Evelyn Rowley and Mary Emma Maris of Imperial, Nebraska; eight grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren.. ...