Stories from Tuesday, December 29, 2015

70th anniversary The family of Ivan and Shirley Hunt of McCook, Nebraska, is requesting a card shower in honor of the couple's 70th wedding anniversary Thursday, Dec. 31. They were married in 1945 in Phillipsburg, Kansas. Their family includes daughter, Jo (Hunt) Schmidt of Lincoln, Nebraska; two grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Cards of congratulations will reach them at 904 West 12th, McCook, NE 69001...

Doris Kircher Imel Roberts Dec. 9, 1931 - Dec. 23, 2015 AURORA, Colo. -- Doris Kircher Imel Roberts, of Aurora, Colorado, passed away Dec. 23, 2015, in her home with family around her. She was born Dec. 9, 1931, in the farmhouse of her maternal grandparents near McCook, Nebraska, the daughter of Gere and Elizabeth (Hackenkamp) Kircher. She graduated from McCook High School and enjoyed reunions with her former classmates...

WASHINGTON -- Every year, U.S. senators are called upon to nominate a select group of eligible individuals from their states for enrollment at one of the five U.S. Military Service Academies: the United States Air Force Academy, the United States Merchant Marine Academy, the United States Coast Guard Academy, the United States Military Academy and the United States Naval Academy...

HASTINGS, Neb. -- Hastings College has announced the Dean's List for its fall 2015 semester. To be eligible for the Dean's List, students must achieve a grade point average of 3.7 to 4.0, on a 4.0 scale, and be registered for full-time course work. Area students include:...

McCOOK, Neb. -- Students attending McCook Community College will benefit from the benevolent spirit of Raymond and Nadine Fidler. The McCook College Foundation has received an endowed gift of $50,000 from Mrs. Fidler with her directive that it establish the Raymond and Nadine (Miller) Fidler Scholarship Program at McCook Community College. ...

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) has nominated Calvin Wineland of Cambridge, to the U.S. Naval Academy. "I am pleased to announce the 2016 nominees to our nation's military service academies. These young men and women will continue Nebraska's strong tradition of service and represent the future of our armed forces. Through their commitment, this year's nominees embody our strongest values and the ideals of our nation."...

McCOOK, Neb. -- A city-led group working in McCook for nearly a decade to facilitate the removal or renovation of local nuisance properties is finding continued success through partnerships with local churches and volunteer groups. Like any other local initiative, funding is often the biggest hurdle for needed demolition projects and the Problem Resolution Team has found that fostering partnerships with local organizations allows its work to continue when funds are unavailable, according to a report provided to the McCook City Council last week.. ...

BENKELMAN, Neb. -- Benkelman businessman Randall J. Raile credits the Dundy County Hospital staff with life-saving care following a motorcycle accident five years ago, and, as a way to give back to the hospital, he and his family are encouraging year-end gift giving to support the hospital's efforts to add a new therapy wing...

Volunteers unload and move 7,000 pounds of food for a "Mobile Pantry" at the Veterans Memorial Hall in Stratton, Nebraska, earlier this month. The one-day pantry was sponsored by the Hitchcock County Pantry, and co-sponsored and stocked by the FoodBank for the Heartland in Kearney. ...

A charity, a hospital, a clinic and the city are stepping forward to take care of residents who too often fall through the healthcare cracks. Community Paramedicine will see no more than 10 patients a month, 120 a year, but the program, funded by the Community Hospital Health Foundation with partners Community Hospital, McCook Clinic, and the City of McCook, should improve healthcare for certain patients as well as reducing overall costs to the system...

The high property taxes in Red Willow County are going to put a lot of farmers out of business. The agricultural taxes in Red Willow County are over three times what they are in Decatur County, Kansas (We own land in both). Most land owners who rent out their pastures do not realize that grass is taxed at $9.47 per acre within the McCook School district...

Inbound to my desk from my favorite wing commander -- a former B-58 pilot. That airplane was our pride-of-the-fleet supersonic bomber but sadly didn't stay in the inventory very long. He later led one of the raids across Hanoi in a mighty but slow B-52...

Alice M. (Collicott) Ruppert Nov. 3, 1920 - Nov. 3, 1929 MCCOOK, Neb. -- Alice M. (Collicott) Ruppert, age 95, passed away Saturday, Nov. 3, 1920 at her home in McCook. She was born on Nov. 3, 1920, on the family farm near Overton, Nebraska, to John and Christena (Rathsach) Jurgensen. Alice was a twin sister one of five children born to this union. She graduated from Overton High School in 1939...