Stories from Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Scattered across America are monuments to our military, celebrating victories and memorializing campaigns. These are important reminders of the history of our freedom. They help us teach our kids about the men and women who so bravely and selflessly volunteered to stand guard over our ideals and security. ...

This week marked an important day in our state's history as we opened a new Nebraska National Guard Joint Force Headquarters on the Nebraska National Guard air base in Lincoln. This 140,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility replaces several aging, 1960s-era buildings and an underground facility that was utilized by the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency and served as the site of our state emergency operations center...

More than 200 Nebraskans are likely to be laid off come Nov. 1, due to Congressional inaction, and Nebraskans deserve to know why. From the start of the 112th Congress, "control" was a higher priority than "compromise," and this jammed up the legislative machinery. ...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The third, and final, fall Share-a-Thon at KNGN 1360 AM is set for Thursday and Friday, 9 a.m.-7 p.m., each day. The KNGN board of directors has decided to limit the station's main fund raiser to a single spring Share-a-Thon, traditionally scheduled in April...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- A McCook man accepted a plea agreement that admitted guilt to several felonies stemming from the burglary of a West H Street residence and was subsequently sentenced to prison time, Sept. 5, 2012, in Red Willow County District Court. The offender, 40-year-old Steven A. Durham, accepted a plea agreement that admitted guilt to five felonies and one misdemeanor...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Three alleged burglars accused of breaking into a West First Street residence in May each pleaded not guilty to felony charges in Red Willow County District Court. The accused, 20-year-old Toni Hopkins of 906 East E Street, 22-year-old Johnathon M. ...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The McCook police department has received numerous complaints regarding the parking of campers, boats and trailer on public streets for extended periods of time, obstructing traffic and the view of motorists and pedestrians. These larger vehicles create especially problematic situations during cold weather conditions. The police department will be responding to these complaints in accordance with City Ordinances...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The McCook Area Chamber of Commerce will be presenting the fourth Quarter Honor Business Award to Horse Creek Inn, 1 Holiday Bison Drive on Thursday, October 11 at 1 p.m. Perry Strombeck and his staff have made outstanding contributions not only to the Chamber but also to the McCook community and the surrounding area, according to chamber officials. "Please join us as we honor and express our appreciation to Horse Creek Inn."...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The McCook Area Chamber of Commerce will host a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for Nick's Distribution Inc. 801 East B on Tuesday, Oct. 16 at 10 a.m. Stop in to welcome Nick Nothnagel and to see the many products he has available.

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The Red Willow County Sheriff's Office is receiving grant funding assistance for obtaining three in-car camera systems, according to Fred Zwonechek, administrator for the Nebraska Office of Highway Safety. "This highway safety grant funding in the amount of $3,138.75 will aid the Red Willow County Sheriff's Office in purchasing three camera systems," Zwonechek said...

CULBERTSON, Nebraska -- The deadline to register for the Oct. 20 "Trail Ride for St. Jude" and its barbecue lunch is Wednesday, Oct. 10. Contact trail boss Terry Morris and his wife, Denise, at (308) 278-2300; or their son, Nathan Morris, at (308) 340-9604, so they can have a head count for lunch...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Wings of Hope Christian Support Group will meet Friday, Oct. 12, at the McCook Methodist Church, from 1-2 pm in the Friendship Room. The group offers spiritual and emotional support to those battling cancer or serious illnesses and hardships. Family members or friends are welcome also. If you have any questions please contact Kerry Graves 350-1004 or the church office 345-2445...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- A new eligibility policy put into place last year at the high school has identified between 26-28 students not meeting academic standards. Superintendent Grant Norgaard updated the McCook School Board Monday night at the regular meeting on the progress of the eligibility policy that the board approved last year...

HAIGLER, Nebraska -- The community of Haigler, Nebraska, plans its fifth annual "Tumbleweed Festival" Saturday on the Haigler Museum grounds south of Highway 34 and Porter Avenue. All activities are free of charge; free-will donations will help fund Haigler Cornerstone Museum projects...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The deadline to compete in the radon awareness poster contest sponsored by the Southwest Nebraska Public Health Department is Wednesday, Oct. 17. Youngsters ages nine to 14 who live within the Southwest Nebraska Public Health Department district are eligible to participate, according to Denise Ringenberg, SWNPHD health educator. These counties are Chase, Dundy, Frontier, Furnas, Hayes, Hitchcock, Perkins and Red Willow...

Most of a new crop of teachers are too young to remember the song by the Animals, "We Gotta Get Out of this Place," and the theme from "Welcome Back, Kotter" was before their time as well. But the fact that many of them are finding more in common with the later television show than the earlier rock tune says a lot for McCook Public Schools and their hometown community...

Happy anniversary to all you survivors of the Cuban Missile Crisis. From Oct. 15 through the 28th the odds were high that World War III was about to start. America and the USSR for two weeks teetered on the brink of what promised to be a conflict of epic proportions. It was one of those signature events where those of us in the active military who played even a small part in the preparations for nuclear war can vividly remember where and what we were doing at the time...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Students enrolled at McCook Community College for Fall 2012 semester have been awarded a total of over $40,900 in student financial aid for academic year 2012-13 sponsored by the McCook College Foundation and a number of individuals and organizations...

STURGIS, South Dakota -- Michelle Calvin of Sturgis, South Dakota, has passed the National Board exam to be a funeral director. Her schooling was through Arapahoe Community College in Littleton, Colorado. She is with the Kinkade Funeral Home in Sturgis...

LAKEWOOD, Colorado -- Madison Nott graduated Aug. 17, from Red Rocks Community College, Physician Assistant Program in Lakewood, Colorado. Madison was selected to receive the Mission Statement Award. Each year a student from the graduating class that has exceedingly fulfilled the mission of the program is selected for this award...

Adam Kain, a third grader at St. Patrick's School in McCook, Nebraska, was the school's top Fall Festival raffle ticket salesperson, selling a total of $775. Principal Mrs. Rebecca Redl said that Adam not only won a cash prize of $50 but also won his class a pizza party. Raffle tickets sales are part of St. Patrick's Fall Festival conducted every year in September. Funds raised by this event help support St. Patrick School...

McCook Community College Instructor Rick Johnson, left, helps MCC art students Carlos Dominguez, center, and Kasha Messersmith, right, arrange and hang exhibition pieces for this month's showing at the Wrightstone Gallery on campus. The

John Ransom Bolio Feb. 7, 1946 - Oct. 4, 2012 McCOOK, Nebraska -- John Ransom Bolio, 66, died Thursday (Oct. 4, 2012), at the gravel pit near McCook. He was born on Feb. 7, 1946, to Frank and Louise Lena (Warning) Bolio in Cheyenne County, (Calhoun Township), Kansas. He attended country school in Kansas through the eighth grade. He then went to work for the Paul Gorthy Ranch...

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...

LINCOLN, Nebraska -- Benjamin Fox of Stratton, Nebraska, was part of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's 290-member Cornhusker Marching Band Sept. 1 debut at Memorial Stadium, with pregame and halftime performances at Nebraska's football season opener against the University of Southern Mississippi...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Joel Arterburn didn't have to think twice when he was offered the job as a third grade teacher at McCook Elementary. "My wife and I hopped right on it," he laughed. "My wife was driving to work every day in Lincoln while I was student teaching in Wahoo, and she was sick of the commute...