Stories from Tuesday, September 1, 2015

McCOOK, Neb. -- Among the new full-time faculty, administration, and coaches at McCook Community College this semester are: Erinn Brauer Erinn is the new Area Director of Financial Aid for Mid-Plains Community College with her office in McMillen Hall...

McCOOK, Neb. -- With an increase in the county's valuation and a decrease in taxes requested, Red Willow County commissioners will drop the county's tax levy from $.31 t0 $.29 in the 2015-16 budget. Commissioners worked to finalize the budget during their weekly meeting Monday morning, and were pleased that their tax request went down $145,158, from $2,152,661 in 2014-15 to $2,007,503 in 2015-16...

McCOOK, Neb. -- The oratory of Chuck Peek will highlight this year's George W. Norris Foundation Heritage Breakfast. The Rev. Peek, an Episcopal priest, college professor, poet and speaker, will be featured at the traditional Heritage event, scheduled Friday morning, Sept. 25, beginning at 7 a.m. at the Heritage Senior Center...

McCOOK, Neb. -- Dustin Payton hopes he can complete his Eagle Scout project by October and residents who like to garden at Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook hope so, too. Payton wants to build raised beds in one of the outdoor courtyards at Hillcrest, so residents can garden in their wheelchairs or without having to bend over. ...

McCOOK, Neb. -- Red Willow County commissioners said during budget talks Monday morning that the county's new jail won't initially be a huge money savings over the transport-a-prisoner/rent-a-jail-bed concept that the county used for 31 years. It is, however, serving its purpose well. "It's full most the time," said commissioner Earl McNutt...

BRUCE BAKER City Editor McCOOK, Neb. -- City leaders indicated earlier this year at least three competing hotel developments were eyeing McCook and one of them is set to break ground in the coming weeks. Construction of a $3.5 million Cobblestone Hotel on the northeast corner of the intersection of U.S. Highway 83 and N Street is approximately 45 days from getting underway, according to Jeremy Griesbach with BriMark Builders...

Omaha and Lincoln workers know what a tough commute is, but for the rest of the state, the gag photo of a "Nebraska traffic jam" -- a herd of cattle crossing the highway -- is more apropos. It was a pleasant surprise when the Obrella Insider crowned McCook as "the best commuter city in Nebraska."...

This is story of a successful immigrant to this country and it has a Nebraska connection. A true story. A week or so ago our son who lives in Yorba Linda, California, had guests for the day. It was a threesome of Kwans, Young and his two eldest daughters both college age pre-med students. Doing very well. Home for the Kwans is Stone Mountain, Georgia, an outskirt of Atlanta...