Stories from Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Local governmental bodies have been taken to task on this page many times over the years, including recent weeks when budgets for the coming years have all seemed to include levy hikes as well as the usual real spending increases. Speaking in McCook this morning, Jamie Karl of the state chamber of commerce made a good point, that it does little good to complain to state legislators about property taxes which are levied by local governments, mostly in support of schools...

Autumn is always a nice time of year. The heat of summer is changing slowly to the coolness of autumn and there simply seems to be a calm in the air. However, the leaves on the trees are not the only things changing with the autumn season. We are seeing changes in the celestial realm as well...

McCOOK, Neb. -- A summer-long auction of a super-deluxe doghouse displayed at the Tractor Supply Store in McCook raised $1,150 for the McCook Humane Society. Earlier this summer, Humane Society director Lorie Prestes was very impressed with the quality of the doghouse built for the fund-raiser by Prairie Gold Homes of McCook and displayed at Tractor Supply...

McCOOK, Neb. -- Tickets are still available for the George W. Norris Heritage Breakfast, which will be Friday morning, beginning at 7 a.m. at the Heritage Senior Center in McCook. The tickets, which cost $10 each, may be purchased at McCook National Bank, the McCook Area Chamber of Commerce, or by calling Leon Kuhlen art 345-3981...

McCOOK, Neb. -- For the fourth year in a row, Gavin Harsh and the McCook Optimists are bringing drive-in movies back to McCook. This year's showing will be Saturday night on the south side of the Red Willow County Fairgrounds. A huge screen -- measuring 60 feet wide and 30 feet tall -- will be set up to show two movies, "Frozen," beginning at approximately 8 p.m., and "Remember the Titans," beginning at approximately 10:15 p.m...

The second floor of the McCook Art Guild on Norris Avenue begins to take shape Tuesday afternoon as guild members, Bud Kleckner and Gary Ginther, prepare the recently renovated space for upcoming Heritage Days activities. The guild will host a reunion for the McCook High School Class of 1961 arriving Thursday. The second floor exhibit features artwork exclusively created by 1961 graduates and is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday...

McCOOK, Neb. -- Complaining to your state senator about high property taxes is like complaining to a City Council member about legislation being implemented at the state level, at least according to one official. "They have very few tools available to them to affect it," said Nebraska Chamber of Commerce representative Jamie Karl during this morning's legislative breakfast at the Weeth Theater. ...

Tuesday's unusually warm weather wasn't the only thing heating up the Bison Tennis Courts. The McCook Bison also brought the heat en route to defeating the North Platte Bulldogs 6-3 in Tuesday's tennis dual...

The McCook Lady Bison posted three top-ten finishers to win the A/B Division title at Tuesday's Ogallala Invite...

Nason Russell Wilson Nov. 5, 1937 - Sept. 10, 2016 LINCOLN, Neb. -- Nason Russell Wilson, 78, of Lincoln, passed away Sept. 10, 2016, from multiple myeloma cancer. Nason was born to Kermit and Martha (Gobel) Wilson on Nov. 5, 1937, in a farmhouse located two miles south of Chadron, Neb. ...

70th anniversary Gerald Elwood Traphagan and Irene Pickrel were united in marriage at McCook Methodist Church on Sept. 22, 1946. Their family is celebrating their 70th anniversary with a card shower. Their family includes children, Susan Yates of McCook, Jerry and wife, Mary Traphagan of Chadron, Neb.; and three grandchildren, Amy and husband, Todd Johnson of Yakima, Wash., Ryan Traphagan of Las Vegas, Nev., Lindsay and husband, Glen Cowie of Denver, Colo., and four great-grandchildren. ...

Theo Riddick is about to get a chance to be an every-down running back in the NFL...

CAMBRIDGE, Neb. -- Two new providers will see patients at TriValley Health Systems. Angie Howard, APRN, (nurse practitioner), grew up in Lincoln, Neb., and attended nursing college at the University of Nebraska Medical Center-Kearney campus. She worked as a registered nurse in rural Dawson county for 18 years. ...

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Two nurses at Community Hospital of McCook were among "40 Nurses under 40" honored at the Nebraska Action Coalition (NAC) Future of Nursing third bi-annual awards ceremony Friday in Lincoln. Julie Wilhelmson, RN, BSN and Bree Frazier, RN, who are employed by Community Hospital of McCook and 38 other nurses from across Nebraska were recognized for their contributions to leadership within the nursing profession through clinical practice, education and teaching, administrative leadership, research, writing/publishing, policy involvement/self-governance, mentoring, and/or health care innovation.. ...

Suffice it to say Nebraska players and coaches haven't forgotten last year's 30-28 home loss to Northwestern...

MCCOOK, Neb. -- A 2015 graduate of the University of Nebraska College of Law, Lisa (Lord) Shifflet, has become the McCook area's newest attorney as a member of the staff at Mousel, Brooks, Schneider & Mustion, PC, LLO. Shifflet, who grew up in Indianola, graduated from Southwest High School in 2008 and continued her education at Doane College in Crtete, graduating from there in 2012. ...

Winifred J. Workman Jan. 23, 1923 - Sept. 20 2016 McCOOK, Neb. -- Winifred J. Workman, age 93, passed away Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2016, at Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook. Winifred was born Jan. 23, 1923, to Fred and Tina (Grussing) Brandt in Beatrice, Neb., where she grew up and spent most of her life...

Rose B. Wittwer Feb. 3, 1925 - Sept. 20, 2016 McCOOK, Neb. -- Rose B. Wittwer, originally of McCook, passed away Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2016, at Good Samaritan Center in Wood River, Neb., where she had been residing since March. She was 91 years old. Rose was born on Feb. 3, 1925, at Alma, Neb., to parents, Fred and Emily (Seibold) Beck. She grew up in Southwest Nebraska and graduated from Culbertson High School in 1943. She later attended Midland College at Fremont...

Norma "Jean" Linnemeyer Oct. 10, 1927 - Sept. 20, 2016 McCOOK, Neb. --Norma "Jean" Linnemeyer of McCook passed away Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2016, at Community Hospital. She was 88 years old. Jean was born on Oct. 10, 1927, at Quick, Neb., in Frontier County to parents, James A. and Louise (Crawford) Loghry. As a young child she lived with her family in a dug-out home. She graduated high school from Curtis School of Agriculture and attended McCook Junior College...