Stories from Tuesday, March 13, 2018

Are conservative politicians ogres who don’t care about children and the needy? Is Nebraska living beyond its means when it comes to taxpayer-supported services? That’s the debate that goes on every time the state budget is set, and especially this year when revenues aren’t keeping up with expenditures...

McCOOK, Neb. — There was only one hiccup during the evacuation of elementary students during the March 6 fire north of McCook. And that was the excessive amount of traffic of people driving to see the fire, said Rick Haney, McCook Public Schools business manager Monday night at the regular Board of Education meeting...

McCOOK, Neb. — When complimenting McCook Junior High eighth-grader Isaac Griger on winning the county spelling bee, McCook Board of Education president Tom Bredvick joked that the only word he could have probably spelled at that age was maybe “all.”...

McCOOK, Neb. — Red Willow Western fire chief Bill Elliott is banning absolutely any burning of any kind — even in a burn barrel. There will be no burn permits issued for any reason, Elliott said. The fires “are coming too fast and furious,” he said. “And we ain’t done yet. It’s too dry. We’re sitting on a powder keg.”...

BENKELMAN, Neb. — A Benkelman family of six got out of their home with what they wore to bed last night, their mobile home burned in an overnight fire. The Benkelman Post reports this morning that the Shapley family was awakened by glass shattering in an unoccupied mobile home next to theirs, and got out of their own home safely...

James Horsford GREELEY, Colo. — James Horsford, 79, of Greeley, passed away on Wednesday, March 8, 2018, at North Colorado Medical Center in Greeley.  James Arne Horsford was born in Fort Dodge, Iowa, the son of Arne and Dagne (Anderson) Horsford. He was raised and educated in Nebraska. Upon his graduation from high school, he attended Midland College in Fremont, Neb., and earned his teaching degree in 1962...

Frank L. McEvoy July 27, 1940 - March 11, 2018 OBERLIN, Kan. — Frank L. McEvoy, 77, died Sunday, March 11, 2018, at Decatur Health in Oberlin, Kan. He was born July 27, 1940, in Benkelman, Neb., where he graduated from high school. He served in the U.S. Navy. He retired from the Decatur County Co-Op as outside operations manager and safety director. He was a member of Herndon Covenant Church...

Why? All we can wonder is why. Why did the wind blow sixty miles an hour? Why did the flying embers ignite only one home in the upscale neighborhood? It could have been much worse had the fire burned one house and spread to a whole block in close by more densely populated blocks of homes. Why?...

McCOOK, Neb. — Out of three candidates contending for the Central Elementary principal position, Joel Bednar was the candidate who came out on top in interviews. Superintendent Grant Norgaard told the McCook Board of Education Monday night that a team of administrators, teachers and community members conducted interviews with all three candidates...

McCOOK, Neb. — During their weekly meeting Monday morning, Red Willow County commissioners signed an interlocal agreement with Frontier County detailing the two counties’ cooperation to remove two bridges and replace them with culverts, and ultimately get reimbursed 55 percent by the Nebraska Department of Transportation...

McCOOK, Neb. — A street project on the northeast side of Community Hospital will limit access to the emergency room for about 60 days according to officials. Paulsen Inc. of Cozad plans to begin construction Monday, March 19, and East J Street from East 15th approximately 875 feet to the west will be closed to traffic for about two months...

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - McCook Community College Sophomore Alexis Moeaki (Las Vegas, Nevada) has been named National Junior College Athletic Association Division I Player of the week for Feb. 26-March 4. She joins Maddie Green of Gordon State (Ga.) as Division 1’s top pitcher of the week...

PAXTON, Neb. — Rick Haddix from Culbertson has earned a trip to the American Poolplayers Association (APA) Poolplayer Championships in Las Vegas in April after winning the 8-Ball Singles Regional tournament held recently. Devin Bolio from Benkelman and Vickie Thornbrugh from Stratton took second place in their respective 9-Ball brackets, earning a cash prize for their efforts...

SEWARD, Neb. — Even if everything breaks the way the Concordia University Bulldogs want it, the collegiate basketball career of Brenleigh Daum will come to an end by about 9 p.m. tonight. Between now and then, Brenleigh will just keep chucking. That’s been the motto for the McCook Bison alum , who has drained 230 3-point field goals during her career...