Stories from Tuesday, March 25, 2003

The president-elect of the Mid-Plains Community College Area vowed to continue building on the unified, one-college concept. "This is 20,000 square miles, and we're in this together, to survive and prosper," said the selected candidate, Dr. Michael Chipps, via teleconference equipment from North Platte...

Dear Editor, On March 6, 2003, I was walking to my home in Haigler from the downtown area when I fell at the edge of U.S. Highway 34. After realizing I was unable to get up on my own, I began trying to get the attention of passing motorists. Several attempts failed. But, finally, two young ladies traveling west turned around, helped me in and settled me in a chair. They also volunteered to take me to receive medical attention if I felt necessary...

After a long, in-depth search -- which reached nationwide -- the Mid-Plains Community College Area found its new president close to home. He is Dr. Michael R. Chipps, a career educator and administrator who has served as vice president of North Platte Community College for the past year...

At the request of the McCook City Council and the McCook Parks Advisory Board, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission has completed the deer depopulation effort at Barnett Park. According to Ryan Martin, Game and Parks Wildlife Biologist in Southwest Nebraska, "As part of the project, biologists collected tissue and blood samples from six white-tailed deer and one mule deer."...

The theme "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" set the stage Saturday afternoon at Memorial Auditorium for the Women's Day activities. The event, sponsored by the McCook Area Chamber of Commerce, featured 14 booths from area businesses and a spring style show...

BARTLEY -- The Republican Valley and Twin Valley school merger and bond election attracted a steady to heavy stream of voters to the polling place in the community building in Bartley. The polls in six locations opened at 8 a.m., and an election worker in Bartley reported a very good turnout of voters during the first hour...

Numerous actors and musicians have come and gone from McCook stages over the years, but there has been one constant fixture since the 1960s -- accompanist Marie Coffey, who couldn't begin to calculate how many productions she's been in. "Oh gosh. I wouldn't even know where to start. Let's just say a lot since the 1960s and 1970s if you count the high school, college and community theatre productions," she said...

William L. Coe, 83, died Saturday (March 22, 2003) at Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook. He was born Feb. 9, 1920, to Roy E. and Maude C. (Ballard) Coe at McCook. He graduated from Lincoln High School in 1937. On Dec. 27, 1941, he married Felice C. Carriero in New York City, N.Y...

Long time resident, Maryan Rosamond (Feese) Rider passed away at Heritage of Wauneta nursing home Thursday (March 20, 2003) at age 102. She was the youngest of seven children born to Urias D. Feese and Elizabeth (Zerbe) Feese at Alma on Dec. 24, 1900. ...

HERNDON -- Alice Julia (Kompus) Hutfles, 90, died Sunday (March 23, 2003) at the Rawlins County Health Center in Atwood. She was born Dec. 5, 1912, at Lamoure, N.D., to Joseph and Lena (Toth) Kompus. As an infant, the family moved to a farm northwest of Herndon. She attended Walsh Country School and graduated from Herndon High School with the Class of 1930...

NORTH PLATTE -- Berdean M. Hazen, 84, died Saturday (March 22, 2003) at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. She was born Nov. 3, 1918, at Wallace, to Elmer and Jessie (Clemens) Russell. She attended school at Wallace and Grainton. On Aug. 3, 1935, she married John Light and they lived and worked in various places in Nebraska...

EL PASO, Texas -- Erin Lynne Rose, 20, died Tuesday (March 18, 2003) from unexpected complications of heart failure. She was born April 16, 1982, to Dennis and Cynthia Rose. Her father was a McCook High School graduate. She was preceded in death by her grandparents, Karen Carr and John Morrison...