Stories from Tuesday, July 12, 2016

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Gov. Pete Ricketts and the Nebraska Department of Economic Development unveiled the new State of Nebraska brand at a launch event kicking off the first annual Governor's Summit on Economic Development. The tagline, "Good Life. Great Opportunity." is the foundation of the brand, which includes a new logo and website. Governor Ricketts said the brand reflects Nebraska's historic strengths and projects a vision for the future...

McCook, Neb. -- When a child with cerebral palsy, developmental delay, perinatal stroke or other neuro-muscular disorder is born, there are a variety of problems which may need to be addressed. Using Neuro-Development Treatment can be an avenue for these individuals, according to therapists at Community Hospital's Rehabilitation Center...

McCOOK, Neb. -- A new weblink is available for people who want to pitch in on any of four main projects that grew out of the "Marketing Hometown America" Action Forum Jun 30 and Town Hall meeting July 7. Nebraska Futures Institute's strategic intern for McCook, Andrew Ambriz, has established a link to "Marketing Hometown America" activities on the McCook Economic Development Corp. website...

Rather than let Vermont dictate GMO food standards for the country, the Senate passed a labeling law last week and the House will take up the issue in short order. There's no guarantee the House will go along with the requirement. While humans have been modifying their foods for centuries through selective breeding, it's only been a few years that they've been able to manipulate DNA directly, by inserting a gene from one plant or animal into another...

Recently, a number of news outlets reported that over $15.6 million was spent in the state of Nebraska on lobbying in 2015. Many sources responsibly explained how that money was spent, and detailed the compensation of lobbyists. However, some comments could be construed to imply that this figure represents money that in some way is going into the pockets of senators. ...

Anyone who has been in the military knows about change. Most times it seems to be arbitrary change. "The only thing constant is change" so says the wag. Of course change takes place for well thought out reasons. It is just that the military is not very good about explaining change to the troops down the line...

In preparation for the 2016 Red Willow County Fair July 20-24, Farm Credit Services of America/McCook employees, including from left, financial officers Trista Banzhaf and Danny Gullion (right) and Mike Skolout, insurance office, volunteer to build display easels and paint metal signs for the exhibit buildings on the county fairgrounds in McCook. ...

Lorri Sughroue McCook Gazette McCOOK, Neb. --For almost 60 years, only two have held the position as head secretary at McCook High School. And this year, the most recent has retired. Carol Brodersen has been manning the front office as head secretary at the high school for the past 25 years and retired in May. She replaced the former head secretary, Dorothy Baker, who started with the school in 1958 and retired after 34 years...

One of the customers to the Stanton sisters' lemonade stand in McCook last week handed them a $5 bill and asked them to "pay it forward." When the girls (from the left) Mirabelle, 3, Imogen, 5 1/2, and Juniper, 2, looked puzzled, their grandma (Karen Nix) explained that their next four customers would get their lemonade and crispy treat free because that customer had already paid for them, that "pay it forward" means that when someone does a good deed for you, you "pay it forward" by doing a good deed for someone else. ...

Donald G. 'Tuffy' Pond May 16, 1933 - July 11, 2016 HOLBROOK, Neb. -- Donald G. "Tuffy" Pond, age 83, of Holbrook, passed away at the Cambridge Manor in Cambridge, Neb., on July 11, 2016. He was born May 16, 1933, south of Alma in Harlan County, Neb., to Floyd J. and Mary E. (Lochert) Pond. Don was the fourth of six children born to the family. Don received his education in Alma, graduating from Alma High School in 1951...