Stories from Tuesday, July 11, 2017

When this old gent drives north on Highway 83 in McCook a glance at the new construction activity on the east side of the road gives me a tinge of frustration. At present the action is dirt moving to prepare the foundation of a new Holiday Inn Express motel. ...

Still a problem Dear Editor, President Franklin D. Roosevelt said “there is nothing to fear except fear itself.” Unfortunately, fear can be used as a means to get people to take action. Some individuals use it to manipulate others. Aug. 14, 1945, at 4:04 a.m. Eastern Time, Japan surrendered. It is imprinted on my memory. I was a 13-year-old enjoying a delightful summer at Flying G Ranch Girl Scout camp in the mountains southwest of Denver...

Republicans aren’t likely to be able to carry through with their promise to “repeal and replace” Obamacare, and a proposal to simply repeal the Affordable Care Act has even less chance, according to the Sunday news shows. Sen. Chuck Grassley, Iowa Republican, warned that his party will lose its Senate majority if it doesn’t pass health care legislation, both he and President Trump chided the GOP for failing to carry through on a major campaign promise...

McCOOK, Neb. — Gov. Pete Ricketts will be in McCook Friday visiting American Agricultural Laboratory as part of the Governor’s Cup tour, which honors recent economic development projects. The 3:45 p.m. lab visit is the Governor’s last scheduled stop Friday. He kicks off the morning with a ribbon cutting in Endicott before traveling to a 1 p.m. tour of BluePrint Engines in Kearney and then on to McCook, according to his public schedule released earlier this week...

McCOOK, Neb. — Red Willow County commissioners discussed budgets for 2017-18 with county department heads during their weekly meeting Monday morning. Board chairman Earl McNutt told the department heads — maybe a little facetiously — that the board “loves that challenge,” adding that “it’s nice when it’s done. We do the best we can.”...

MCCOOK, Neb. — By a unanimous vote, the McCook Board of Education voted to increase Superintendent Grant Norgaard’s salary to $160,00. It’s a 1.458 percent increase from last year’s salary at $157,000. The three-year contract will maintain the same health and dental benefits under the school district’s group plan at $18,107.38. Norgaard has been with the McCook School District for nine years...

McCOOK, Neb. — Some 94 vehicles participated in the McCook Chamber of Commerce’s Crazy Days “Crazy Car Show” in downtown McCook Saturday. And more than 100 cars and pickups and motorcycles “cruised” during “Cruise Night” Friday evening. Car show winners included: Best of Show: Alan Janas, North Platte, a 1963 Chevy Impala SS...

McCOOK, Neb. — The majority of McCook residents are already showing support for the city’s mandatory water restrictions put in place early Monday, according to city leaders. “It appears that the vast majority of property owners have been following our pleas. We appreciate their willingness to help out,” said City Manager Nate Schneider...

McCOOK, Neb. — A plea agreement was reached recently in Red Willow County District Court with a McCook man arrested in connection with a stabbing victim found by security personnel lying on the concrete in the Community Hospital parking lot. The attacker, 25-year-old Jacob Cash of 1604 West 4th Street and 804 East 6th Street, was subsequently scheduled for sentencing on four felony offenses stemming from the crime at 9:45 a.m. on July 31, 2017...

McCOOK, Neb. — One of this region’s oldest crops — wheat — is the source of a snack treat which is being marketed in Nebraska and is under consideration for national distribution. The snack — called Rowdy’s — comes in two varieties: Conceived and developed in Southwest Nebraska, the Rowdy’s Original snack is touted as “great on salads, in wraps or as a straight up snack,’ while Rowdy’s Sweet Wheat is described as “great on yogurt, hot cereal or just as a snack.”...