Stories from Thursday, July 26, 2012

Elsie Elizabeth Pryor April 8, 1937- July 21, 2012 LINCOLN, Nebraska -- Elsie was born and raised in McCook, Nebraska, graduating from high school in 1956. Upon graduation she moved to Denver where she was employed in the medical field for the next 45 years, moving to Lincoln in 2003. Elsie entered into eternal rest at the Madonna Rehabilitation Center. The family wishes to express its sincere gratitude to all staff at Madonna Rehab and our appreciation to Aeseracare Hospice...

Eileene A. Rapp Jan. 4, 1925 - July 23, 2012 KEARNEY, Nebraska -- Eileene A. Rapp, 87, of Kearney died Monday (July 23, 2012). She was born Jan. 4, 1925, to Jay and Bessie (Carter) Poore in Red Willow County, Nebraska. She grew up in the McCook area where she attended Red Willow country school then graduated from McCook High School in 1942...

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...

Special to the Gazette A small team of McCook 6th-8th graders is taking on a volunteer summer project with big furry goals, introducing a new 2013 calendar called, "The Cats and Dogs of McCook." This summer project is a non-profit fundraiser which will benefit the McCook Humane Society...

My Starving Lion will open at 7:30 p.m., Friday night for VOTA, at the Red Willow County Fair. The fledgling band, "Just one month old," according to Adam Spanier, "is thrilled to have the opportunity" to play this venue. The band includes, clockwise from top left, Adam Spanier, vocals, rhythm guitar; Elise Kerchal, piano, keyboards; Dylan Power, bass guitar; Spencer VanPelt, drums; and (not pictured) Colton Hiatt, lead guitar, synth...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Two new custodial positions, and a raise for administrators and adjunct faculty were approved by the Mid-Plains Community College board of governors Wednesday night. The board also heard a preliminary report that the college area may have set an enrollment record for full-time equivalent students...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Great Western Bank has donated $20,000 to Mid-Plains Community College's "Today's Vision ... Tomorrow's Reality" fundraising campaign. The funds will be used toward the new Events Center at McCook Community College and the Health and Science Center at North Platte Community College...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- A McCook woman who had been charged by the city for more than a year for sewer services that weren't being provided was brought up on theft charges after she cashed a refund check that the city mistakingly wrote to her for more than six times the intended amount...

Grins and giggles abound on the midway at the Red Willow County, Nebraska, 2012 county fair. Round and round, up and down, two-year-old Alexa Hilker of McCook rode the merry-go-round with her mother, Julie, while nine-year-old Adam Kain (AKA Spiderman), also of McCook, rode his motorcycle and Hallie Kasten (left) and Kimmie Neises giggled on a faster-moving carnival ride. ...

It says something about McCook, Nebraska's, most famous son that his name is still being invoked nearly 70 years after his death. Sen. George W. Norris was one of only six senators to vote against America's entry into World War I, and while he successfully sponsored the "Lame Duck" amendment, he was unable to abolish the electoral college but was successful in establishing the Tennessee Valley Authority, supporting many of FDR's New Deal programs and influenced his home state's adoption of the unicameral form of government and public power.. ...

We come now to one of my favorite places in the sky, the area of Sagittarius, the Archer. When I was younger, I could make out the three stars on the right side that mark his bow, and a star farther out as the point of the arrow aimed at the heart of the scorpion...

Having an organizational personality doesn't always help when it comes to be a mom. One would think it would, but sometimes it's to my downfall, especially when not all of my offspring have the same personality trait. Maybe it's just kids in general, I don't know for sure. Or maybe it's just that it's summer time and I'm reminded daily that organizing this or that is mostly a waste of my time because it'll be destroyed within a few days...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The Willow Ridge Senior Living Community in McCook, Nebraska, plans a cookie fund-raiser for 6-year-old Isaiah Casillas and his family as Isaiah battles cancer. Willow Ridge bakers will sell a dozen cookies -- M&M or white chocolate macadamia nut -- for $6, and proceeds will go to Isaiah's family. The fund-raising effort at Willow Ridge is being spearheaded by Miranda Payton, a friend of Isaiah's sister, Mia, and an employee of Willow Ridge...

Little ones love horses, and two-year-old Caleb Fiorelli and his older sister, four-year-old Neelie, won ribbon participation ribbons in the walk-trot, lead-line division of the Dundy County, Nebraska, fair 4-H horse show Wednesday morning in Benkelman. Caleb rode "Pepper," owned and showed in "big kid 4-H" by Leslie Beall. Neelie rode "Chet," handled for the lead-line competition by Ashley Beall...

Stormy yawns big -- either with boredom or just because the horse show started too early in the morning. The 21-year-old Palomino and her handler, 10-year-old Tyrell Perrigo of St. Francis, Kansas, competed in the Dundy County fair 4-H horse show Wednesday morning -- early in the morning, Mountain Time even. ...

Dee Sullivan of Wray, Colorado wins first place in the 2012 Hometown Family Radio and Lifetime Eyecare "Coyote Country Music Showdown" Wednesday evening during the Red Willow County, Nebraska, fair in McCook, Nebraska, securing a spot in the Nebraska State Fair "Galaxy of Stars" talent show September 1 and 2 in Grand Island. ...

NORTH PLATTE, Nebraska -- Mid-Plains Community College's 1962 Chevy Nova will be on display at the Red Willow County Fair Stock Car Races at 6 p.m. on Thursday, July 26. Raffle tickets are $10 each and no more than 6,000 will be sold. The car will be raffled at 2 p.m. Sept. 8 at Colonel Cody's Cruise Show and Shine in downtown North Platte...