Stories from Thursday, October 25, 2012

Gary Lee Mackey Jan. 27, 1947 -- Oct. 12, 2012 FORT COLLINS, Colorado -- Gary Lee Mackey of Fort Collins, was born on Monday, Jan. 27, 1947, in McCook, Nebraska, and passed away in Cuba, Missouri, on Friday, Oct. 12, 2012 at the age of 65. He graduated from McCook High School in McCook, and then went on to complete two years of drafting school. ...

Viola I. Sattler Oct. 7, 1922 - Oct. 26, 2012 KEARNEY, Nebraska -- Viola I. Sattler, 90, formerly of Sumner, died Tuesday (Oct. 23, 2012), at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. She was born Oct. 7, 1922, on the family farm northwest Sumner to George and Mary (Vest) Kutsch. ...

James Stanley Spirk April 22, 1950 - Oct. 23, 2012 NELSON, Nebraska -- James Stanley Spirk, 62, died Tuesday (Oct. 23, 2012), in Omaha, Nebraska. He was born April 22, 1950, in McCook, Nebraska, to Stanley and Jacqueline (Schmitt) Spirk. Jim graduated from Trenton High School with the class of 1968. ...

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...

PERU, Nebraska -- Applications are now being accepted for students interested in pursuing a career in pharmacy through the Rural Health Opportunities Program (RHOP), a partnership between Peru State College (PSC) and the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC)...

NORTH PLATTE, Nebraska -- While bonds will officially sell on Nov. 1, local residents interested in purchasing series 2012 tax-exempt Great Plains Regional Medical Center bonds are encouraged to act prior to Oct. 31. The bonds will in-part be used to help fund the Great Plains Regional Medical Center $100 million patient tower construction project. ...

CONNIE JO DISCOE Regional Editor McCOOK, Nebraska -- Middle Republican Natural Resources District board member Kevin Fornoff of rural Hayes Center, Nebraska, sees the purchase of a 19,500-acre southern Lincoln County farm as an opportunity to "keep us in control" of the water situation in the Republican River Basin...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Hillcrest Nursing Home Foundation celebrated the 10th Anniversary of their annual fundraising event, "Night On The Hill," on Sunday, Oct. 14, raising $15,895. Guests were entertained by musician, Sherman Wiehe, better known as "Shermie At The Piano" from North Platte, Nebraska...

CULBERTSON, Nebraska -- The Frenchman Valley Irrigation District, headquartered in Culbertson, Nebraska, is participating in a study to investigate how surface water use and groundwater use can be coordinated to make the best use of both water resources in the Republican River Basin...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Planning and design professionals presented a multitude of ideas and projects Wednesday evening that promise to bring an inviting new look and feel to the downtown McCook shopping experience. The public meeting served as a preliminary step in drafting a downtown development plan that is part of the city's application for an anticipated $350,000 CDBG grant...

HAYES CENTER, Nebraska -- The 17-year-old accused of breaking into Hayes Center, Nebraska, Public Schools July 21-22 is requesting the transfer of his case to juvenile court. The request made Tuesday afternoon by the attorney for Hugo Escamilla Jr., 17, of Cozad, Nebraska, is identical to a motion made recently in a Red Willow County case in which Escamilla is accused of breaking into The Buckle clothing store in McCook July 28...

HAYES CENTER, Nebraska -- The 18-year-old McCook, Nebraska, man who pleaded not guilty to burglary charges in Hayes Center, Nebraska, Tuesday afternoon was only 17 when he allegedly broke into a Culbertson liquor store in June and into the Hayes Center Public School in July...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Marcus Kuhlman, 29, was sentenced to nine months probation during a Sept. 13, 2012, hearing in Red Willow County Court after being convicted of two Class I Misdemeanor counts of theft by deception. According to court documents, each count of theft by deception reflected an amount of $201-$499. ...

NASA fans like to point out the many products originating in the space effort, from felt-tip pens to miniaturization in electronics and satellite television. But perhaps even more breakthroughs can trace their origins back to military efforts, from jet engines to atomic power to the interstate highway system to the Internet...

Hope you had a nice Autumn Astronomy Day last Saturday. The sky was perfect in Nebraska, and Colorado too. Good opportunity to view the first quarter moon. As we continue our tour of the Perseus/Pegasus/Andromeda group I want to focus this week on one of those famous "Faint Fuzzies" I always talk about...

So we got family pictures taken a few weekends ago and this week I finally got to see the highly anticipated snapshots. We haven't had family pictures taken for almost 5 years so we were way overdue. Fortunately for us, my middle brother has real talent for photography and so he took them for us down at the park by our house. ...

Merlin E. Hoyt Aug. 4, 1931 - Oct. 10, 2012 SAN JOSE, California -- Merlin E. Hoyt died Oct. 10, 2012, in San Jose, California. He was born Aug. 4, 1931, to Dean W. Hoyt and Emma (George) Hoyt in McCook, Nebraska. His mother died when he as an infant and he was raised by Silvia (Bailey) Hoyt. He graduated from McCook Senior High in 1948. He served in the U.S. Air Force 1949-1952. He married Lorna M. (Harrison) Hoyt in 1955...

As regular readers of this column know, I feel the urge to vent about commercials in this space from time to time. To be honest, 99 percent of ads are fine at what they set out to do -- offering a product to a potential consumer -- which means that it's as rare to find a great commercial as it is a truly lousy one...