Stories from Thursday, June 21, 2012

Barbara Joan Denker WAUNETA, Nebraska -- Joan Denker, 79, died Monday (June 18, 2012), in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Survivors include son, Kurt and wife, Minnie Denker of Harlingen, Texas; daughter, Michelle Sis of Council Bluffs, Iowa; one granddaughter, one step-grandson and one great-grandson...

This information is gathered at the McCook Public Safety Center, the McCook office of the Nebraska State Patrol, the Red Willow County Courthouse, the Red Willow County Sheriff's Office and the McCook Humane Society. Police activity Activity log...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The Good Earth Garden Club met June 12 and toured the beautiful yard of Ben and Susan Hardin of McCook. The club enjoyed the Hardin's yard, flowers and cactuses. The members then traveled to Bartley to visit the home, yard and vegetable garden of Jim and Jane Foster...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- During June, local residents are seeing posters and other materials around town with parents and children distinctively depicted as red balls. The materials are part of the 2012 Nebraska Child Abuse Prevention Public Awareness Campaign...

Courtesy photo/Diane Trew The McCook High School Starz Dance Team competed at the Universal Dance Camp in Ainsworth, Nebraska on June 10 and 11. The dancers were very successful and brought home many different awards at the camp, including 2012-First Place in the Home Routine Competition; 2012-Over All Superior Ratings and 2012-Drill Down Squad Champion. ...

Victory Christian Academy students winning honors at a recent student convention are, from left, Tori Tietz, Shannon Buck, Jessica Wilcox, Benjamin Putz, Taylar Hegwood, Whitney Davis, Christian Hoffman, back, Felicity Petty, Courtney Swanson, Rebecca Huff, Dania Weimers and Leah Putz. ...

KEARNEY, Nebraska -- Fifty-nine Nebraska business teachers were recognized by the Nebraska Department of Education at the Nebraska Career Education Conference held recently in Kearney. Teachers whose professional activities influenced business and marketing education in Nebraska during the past year received BEST -- Belong, Excel, Study and Travel -- Awards for their involvement in professional associations, community and school activities, professional leadership development and service to the business education profession.. ...

Hastings College releases dean's list HASTINGS, Nebraska -- Hastings College has announced the Dean's List for its spring 2012 semester. To be eligible for the Dean's List, students must achieve a grade point average of 3.7 to 4.0, on a 4.0 scale, and be registered for full-time course work...

Stuttering is a frustrating and embarrassing problem for millions of people, but it can be especially tough on teenagers. Help is available at most public libraries, inclluding the McCook Public Library, in the form of a DVD. Some libraries have an older video format...

With Rodney King's passing this week, it's appropriate to take a look at how the widespread use of video has changed our lives. You will recall it was King who was videotaped as Los Angeles police beat him, then implored citizens, "Can we all get along?" when riots broke out after the police officers were acquitted. ...

Happy summer!! Or at least at 5:09 p.m. MDT yesterday. That is when the sun reached the Tropic of Cancer, the latitude line 23 and one-half degrees north of the equator. That is as far north as the sun will appear to move along the horizon. After today, it will start to move southward, the days will get shorter, and the nights will get longer...

Every year I think that my girls and I are going to do our best to make Hubby's Father's Day relaxing and fun. Since it's always on a Sunday, you can forget breakfast in bed, because a mom trying to get three girls and herself ready for church leaves barely a spare moment to give Daddy his cards, nonetheless a four- course breakfast in bed. ...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The Red Willow-Frontier County USDA Farm Service Agency Executive Director Kenneth Carriker, announced that county committee election nominations began June 15, 2012. Farmers, ranchers and landowners are encouraged to nominate farmer and rancher candidates to serve on their local FSA county committee by the Aug. 1, 2012 deadline...

NOEL MUES Furnas County Extension Educator Recently, I observed large numbers of brownish colored beetles on my flowering, linden tree that is located in the back yard. With a little research, I determined that they were one of the many different species of Soldier Beetles that belong to the family, cantharidae...

A wheatfield is ready for harvest in Southwest Nebraska, two weeks or more ahead of schedule, thanks to the dry conditions. Wheat harvest is almost complete in Kansas and is forging ahead in the cornhusker state. While parts of southern Nebraska have received some much-needed rain, the northern and western parts of state remain hot and dry, which is putting stress on crops and pastures. ...

My friend and utility consultant, Stevo, often points out the obvious in a sea of obfuscating shrapnel. For example, upon seeing a sailing vessel on the high seas, I noted that sailors in the old days often did not know how to swim. Stevo commented, with the wisdom of my shoe-shine lady, "Probably made them better sailors!"...

Swimmers and sunbathers escape from triple-digit temps at McCook, Nebraska's city pool -- where the sidewalk is still too hot-hot-hot for bare feet. Depending on weather and attendance, the pool is open Monday through Saturday, from 1 p.m. until 7 p.m., and Sunday, from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The public fireworks display July 4th at the Red Willow County Fairgrounds promises to be another spectacular event in McCook. The recent dry weather and hot temperatures adds to the importance of having a public display as an option to the expense, hassle, and danger of lighting off private fireworks...

Now and then, I'm reminded of my mother's words when I would complain to her about not being able to find anything to watch on TV: "Why don't you read a book?" It's not bad advice, really, even today. I still like the printed word. And the full flower of my imagination remains intact and ready to be tapped. ...