Stories from Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Sept. 9, 1923-March 11, 2011 BENKELMAN, Nebraska -- Clifford Alfred "Shorty" Chipperfield, 87, died Friday (March 11, 2011), at the Dundy County Hospital in Benkelman. He was born Sept. 9, 1923, in Cheyenne County, Kansas to Harold Mitchell and Hattie Maude (Merklin) Chipperfield. He graduated from Bird City High School in Bird City, Kansas in 1941...

June 5, 1926-March 13, 2011 ARAPAHOE, Nebraska -- Leland E. McCoy, 84, died Sunday (March 13, 2011), at Cambridge Memorial Hospital in Cambridge, Nebraska. He was born June 5, 1926, southwest of Arapahoe, to Stanley P. and Ethel M. (Holloway) McCoy. ...

OTIS, Colorado -- John Howlett, 84, died Saturday (March 12, 2011), at the Yuma District Hospital on March 12, 2011. He and his family lived in McCook from 1966-77. Funeral services are Thursday, 10 a.m., at First Presbyterian Church of Otis. Viewing is Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., at Brenner Funeral Home in Akron, Colorado...

CONNIE JO DISCOE Regional Editor McCOOK, Nebraska -- The McCook, Nebraska, Public Schools board of education Monday evening unanimously approved a calendar for 2011-12 that includes six all-day teacher in-service and/or work days and 16 early dismissals for teacher training...

The city of Tochigi, Japan, in the Tochigi prefect of that island nation, reports only one minor injury following the 9.0 magnitude earthquake that struck just offshore Friday. The city website reports that 128 buildings and some roads were damaged. The power went out with the earthquake but was restored. Rolling blackouts are now the order of the day as the country deals with offline nuclear plants and the threat of nuclear fallout if the severely damaged nuclear reactors fail...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Work on a highway improvement project on Highway US-6 & 34 between Culbertson and McCook is scheduled to begin March 21. The project, which begins at the Highway 6 & 34 junction west of Culbertson and extends to the west edge of McCook will involve extending culverts, concrete pavement patching, replacing guardrail, work on bridges and overlaying the roadway and shoulders with asphalt...

We tend to agree with the president of the McCook school board, who said he is a firm believer in the "butts-in-the-seats learning" concept when it comes to learning. Other school officials and teachers may also agree, but they're making more time for teacher training, approving a 2011-12 school calendar that includes six all-day teacher in-service or work days and 16 early dismissals for putting teachers' butts in the seats...

"Buy Local" campaigns are common, especially around the holidays, and on the increase. Often organized by chambers of commerce, the idea is to convince consumers to spend their money in their hometowns, versus leaving town to shop at big box retailers...

Our son Don and his family participate in a Council for International Students attending nearby Cal State Fullerton and several other local colleges in the area. Members of the group, all volunteers, track the college rolls for incoming foreign students. ...