Stories from Wednesday, June 10, 2015

McCOOK, Neb. --Three local students have been awarded the 2015 Nelson Hometown Scholarship, which is $1,500 awarded annually. John Paul Kain, Erica Wood and Logan Kircher, all 2015 graduates of McCook High School, received the scholarship. John Paul plan to attend Nebraska College of Agriculture-Curtis, while Erica and Logan will both attend the University of Nebraska at Kearney this fall...

80th birthday The family of Jim Garrett of Hayes Center, Nebraska, is hosting a card shower in honor of his 80th birthday June 13. Cards of congratulations will reach him at P.O. Box 123, Hayes Center, Nebraska, 69032.

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. Activity log These items are taken from reports filed by the McCook Police Department. The locations refer to block numbers, not specific addresses. If you have information about any of these reports, call the police department at (308) 345-3450...

McCOOK, Neb. -- Since so much of our lives are spent driving from place-to-place, there's a good chance you -- like everyone else -- have an opinion about the condition of area highways. No one knows that better than Kurt Vosburg, who has held a leadership position with the Nebraska Department of Roads' District 7 Office in McCook for the past 20 years. ...

McCOOK, Neb. -- Science classrooms nearly 60 years old will be getting a face lift of sorts this summer. Two science rooms on the second level of the high school are being updated and renovated, including new flooring and drywall, counter tops, cabinetry, desks, chairs and plumbing. Most of the work is being done in-house by the maintenance staff, Superintendent Grant Norgaard said at the regular meeting Monday night of the McCook School Board...

McCOOK, Neb. -- School districts do not have to advertise for bids for construction jobs unless the project is $100,000 or over. A new state law, passed this legislative session, allows school districts to advertise for bids on construction/improvement projects only on projects of $100,000 or more, Superitendant Grant Norgaard told the McCook Board of Education Monday at the regular meeting. Originally, construction jobs of $40,000 or more required advertised bids...

Alexis Hanson, above, Christian Kuykendall, right, and hundreds of other hot kids gather at the McCook, Nebraska, city pool as the temperatures crept toward the upper 90's Tuesday afternoon. Daily admission for swimmers and splashers 13 and over is $2.50 and for children age 12 and younger, including those in the baby pool, is $1 a day. ...

After an unusually mild and wet spring -- McCook is .9 of an inch ahead of normal precip -- we've moved right into summer-type weather, hitting 96 degrees about 7 p.m. Tuesday. There are alternatives to sweating through the summer or eating peanut butter sandwiches to be able afford paying your electric bill, according to the Nebraska Public Power District...

Normally we outdoor types are happy to see summer arrive. The warmer temperatures, the bright sunshine, the fun outdoor activities. However, we astronomer types--we do our thing in the dark--are not so happy to see summer begin. "But," I hear you say, "I thought you would be happy. "There are so many more and brighter objects to see in the sky, in the summer, so many more interesting objects to look at. Why would you not be happy?"...

McCOOK, Neb. -- A McCook woman with an extensive criminal history, whose probation was revoked in January following Red Willow and Adams County arrests on unrelated theft charges, was ordered back on probation last week in Red Willow County District Court...