Stories from Wednesday, March 26, 2003

Voters in Republican Valley and Twin Valley school districts approved a proposed school merger and new middle school-senior high facility during a special election Tuesday. The election was close in each district, passing by 24 votes in Republican Valley and by 29 votes in Twin Valley. Each district had to approve its half of the $6.9 million bond issue for the merger to proceed...

For many farmers and townspeople in Southwest Nebraska and Northwest Kansas, this year's musical production in McCook will strike close to home. The show -- "State Fair" -- tells a story of love and competition that is similar to the experiences of hundreds of fairgoers in this region...

The Tom Prin Trio will perform Saturday, 7:30 p.m., at the Fox Theater on Norris Avenue. The group includes piano, brass and percussion music that features songs from the standards of yesterday to the popular hits of today. Admission to the show is through membership in the McCook Concert Association. This is the final concert in this year's series...

The Southwest Nebraska Household Waste Team will accept used computers along with the usual household waste items during a "spring clean-up" collection Saturday, April 5, from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the facility at 108 Railroad Service Road in McCook...

With the move and enlargement of the outpatient services, Community Hospital of McCook has added a new position to its staff -- outpatient clinic manager. Karen Kliment began working as the outpatient clinic manager at Community Hospital several months ago and was introduced to the hospital's board of directors at their regular meeting March 19...

McCook High School seniors who missed the deadline for the 2003 Senior Video, have one more opportunity to get photos in for the Senior Video. Drop them off at the Senior High School Office in an envelope marked "Senior Video," including a name on each photo. The photos will be returned to the office for pick up once they have been scanned...

Brian Prohaska hangs John Deere green and yellow banners in preparation of the inaugural event at the Kiplinger Arena on the Red Willow County fairgrounds in McCook. Southwest Implement of McCook sent 2,000 invitations to its 2003 John Deere parts and service expo, scheduled today until 4 p.m. inside the new arena, community and 4-H buildings. The guest speaker will be Bruce Vincent, a third-generation logger from Libby, Mont...

Red Willow County Judge Cloyd Clark bound over to district court two McCook men charged with the manufacture of methamphetamine, a Class III felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison. According to testimony from Red Willow County Deputy Joe Koetter and Lt. Alan Kotschwar, the two men, David Paul Barris and Jeff Eugene Sprenkle, were "cooking meth" inside Barris's mini-van as they drove country roads northeast of McCook on the evening of March 11...

Supporters of the McCook Work Ethic Camp are asking Nebraskans to begin a "Penny Wise, Pound Foolish" campaign in support of the two-year-old facility. In a news conference Tuesday morning, McCook Mayor Jerda Garey, McCook Economic Development Board of Directors Chairman Greg Wolford and McCook Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Marie Owen told the media the facility needed assistance in getting word on the program to senators in Lincoln...

Republican Valley and Twin Valley superintendents Brent McMurtrey and Mark Norvell seemed excited this morning about the educational opportunities that will be afforded by the merger of their two school districts. "This has always been about continuing to provide a quality education for our students," McMurtrey said...

The images of war are before us once again. Not only on television, but in the newspapers as well. The realities of war also are upon us. No longer an academic discussion of should we or shouldn't we, we have entered the Valley of the Shadow of Death and the even less familiar Valley of the Shadow of Imprisonment. Hearts ache to see our children there and we can't help but wonder if it will all be worth it...

Katherine Hastings, 90, died Monday (March 24, 2003) at Community Hospital of McCook. She was born Jan. 15, 1913, in Lincoln, to John and Anna (Dering) Worster. She grew up in Lincoln where she attended high school. She married George Glantz and he preceded her in death...

DAVID CITY -- David Priest Jr., 47, died Saturday (March 22, 2003) in Lincoln. He was born March 27, 1955, in Lincoln, to David and Betty (Weyand) Priest Sr. On June 7, 1986, he married Jody Kopecky in Lincoln. He was a manager at Kabredlos in Lincoln...