Stories from Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Feb. 13, 1924-May 17, 2010 McCOOK, Nebraska -- Vella LaVerne (Mann) Ham, 86, passed away May 17, 2010, at the Sanford Hospice Cottages, Sioux Falls, South Dakota. She was born in the early morning of Feb. 13, 1924, to Oscar Marvin and Ida Belle (Burkey) Mann at the family home four and a half miles north west of Beardsley, Kansas. She had seven brothers and six sisters to welcome her into a loving family...

ANDOVER, Kansas -- Evelyn Staudenmaier, 72, passed away May 9, 2010 at the Life Care Center Nursing Home of Andover, Kansas. She suffered a long illness that put her in Ponderosa Villa Nursing Home in Crawford, Nebraska in 2005. In March 2008, she moved to Wichita, Kansas to live with her sister and brother-in-law, Bonnie and Jay Johnson. She remained in their home care until August 2009 when she required more skilled care and moved to the Life Care Center...

July 6, 1936-May 20,2010 ARAPAHOE, Nebraska -- Wayne Edward Riepe, 73, of Truth or Consequences, New Mexico died Thursday (May 20, 2010) at the Sierra Vista Hospital in Truth or Consequences. He was born on July 6, 1936 in Arapahoe, Nebraska to Harry and Ella (Fletcher) Riepe...

June 10, 1931-May 24, 2010 CAMBRIDGE, Nebraska -- Dorothy Anne Jones of Cambridge, Nebraska, 78, died at the Cambridge Memorial Hospital on Monday (May 24, 2010). She was born on June 10, 1931 at the home of her parents Monte C. and Jeanie Marie (Rankin) Lockenour. She graduated from Cambridge High School in 1949. She attended Kearney State Teachers College and received an Associates Certificate in 1951...

Sometimes I get a chance to eat my words, especially when I have been skeptical about spending taxpayer's money. Case in point: I squawked about putting the taxpayer on the hook for renovating the Keystone Hotel in McCook. On a blustery day last week Matt Stebbins gave me a tour of the reconstruction in progress. I'd like to now share my optimism for the project as I think it will become a shining jewel downtown "on the bricks." From what I saw it, I think it will work!...

Above all, travel safely.

McCOOK, Nebraska -- It took a threat from the commission chairman and admonitions from the county attorney to quit interrupting each other before much could be accomplished at the Red Willow County commissioners' weekly meeting regarding a "salvage yard" southwest of McCook...

McCOOK, Nebraska --Nebraska Congressman Adrian Smith's community liaison updated Red Willow County commissioners on health care reform and ag issues during the commissioners' meeting Monday morning. John Blake, of Smith's Scottsbluff office, told commissioners that although Smith supports health care reform, he did not support the "one-size-fits-all" approach and the reform version that eventually passed...

OMAHA -- A McCook High School senior saved his best for last at the Nebraska State High School Track and Field Championships last Friday. Mark Nichols won the Class B boys triple jump on his final attempt, and the final attempt of the competition, Friday morning at Burke Stadium in Omaha. Nichols jumped 45 feet, 7 3/4 inches to win the state title...

OMAHA -- McCook High School's girls had a great start and a great finish at the 2010 Nebraska Class B State High School Track and Field Championships. The Bison girls won the opening running event early in the morning Friday, May 21, at Burke Stadium in Omaha, and won the final running event late in the afternoon Saturday. May 22, en route to a third-place finish in the final Class B team standings...