Stories from Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Clarence R. Heble TRENTON, Nebraska -- Clarence R. Heble, 91, died Thursday (Nov. 22, 2012), at the Rawlins County Health Center in Atwood, Kansas. Survivors include his five children, Alena and husband, John of Port Angeles, Washington, Milton and wife, Kimberly of Fayetville, North Carolina, Alleyn and wife, Diana of Lawrence, Kansas, Colette and husband, Dallas of Ulysses, Kansas and Mae Lee and husband, Kelly of Loveland, Colorado; sister, Bev (Heble) Clark of Osacoma, South Dakota and brother Tony Heble of Atwood; 19 grandchildren; and 18 great grandchildren.. ...

Modell Folsom BENKELMAN, Nebraska -- Modell Folsom, 83, died Monday (Nov. 26, 2012), at the Sarah Ann Hester Memorial Home in Benkelman, Nebraska. Survivors include daughters, Carol Walker and husband, Hal, of Parks, Nebraska and Robin Wilcox of Lakewood, Colorado; son, Robert Folsom Jr. of Lakewood; sister, Maizie Veith of Orange County, California; brother, Sam Pack and wife, Sharon, of Atlanta, Georgia; nine grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren...

Pilot training Allison Smith, daughter of Bob and Marie Smith of Culbertson, Nebraska and a 2006 graduate of McCook Senior High, graduated from Officer Training School (OTC) at Maxwell, AFB in Montgomery, Alabama and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Air Force on Oct. 23, 2012. She is stationed at Vance AFB in Enid, Oklahoma, where she is waiting pilot training...

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...

85th birthday The family of Doris Jean Wacker of Centerton, Arkansas, is requesting a card shower in honor of her 85th birthday. She was born Nov. 29, 1927, in Hitchcock County. Her family includes her late husband, Fred Wacker, children, John Wacker of Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri, Tim and Kathy Schlegel of Centerton, Roxie and Rob Lanterman of Mesa, Arizona, Tammy and Terry Bennett of Kearney, Nebraska, 11 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. ...

McCOOK, Nebraska - Nine McCook High School FFA members made the long bus ride to Indianapolis, Indiana, from Oct. 24-27 for National Convention. While there, members got to watch sessions with some amazing guest speakers, including Scott Hamilton. Students also got to participate in student workshops and meet students from other chapters in Nebraska, as well 49 other states and Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The City of McCook Building Code Review Committee will meet Wednesday to review and make recommendations for revisions to Chapters 11 through 15 of the 2012 International Residential Code. The chapters include building codes pertaining to energy efficiency, mechanical administration, general mechanical system requirements, heating and cooling equipment and appliances and exhaust systems...

LINCOLN, Nebraska -- Current forecasts suggest the state will not see any significant increase in precipitation this winter to reverse the drought, according to the state climatologist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. "We're probably going to see a more normal winter," said Al Dutcher, state climatologist in the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at UNL...

50th anniversary Bill and Kathy Steinke of Culbertson, Nebraska, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary Nov. 25. Their family includes children, Don Steinke and Sam Steinke, both of Culbertson, Lonnie and Katrina Steinke of Alaska and four grandchildren. Cards of congratulations will reach them at 37383 Road 721, Culbertson, Nebraska 69024...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- After a health scare in 2010, Dave Stanzel of Bartley, Nebraska, took stock of his life. And he decided to let go of some stuff -- actually, a lot of stuff, two storage sheds full. An almost life-time accumulation of collectibles will be auctioned off Saturday at the Red Willow County Fairgrounds, beginning at 9:30 a.m. ...

LINCOLN, Nebraska -- Nebraska Farm Bureau has selected Weldon Sleight of Curtis as the 2012 recipient of its highest honor, the Silver Eagle Award. The award will be presented to Sleight on Dec. 4 at the 2012 Nebraska Farm Bureau Convention in Kearney...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Area residents have until Friday to make eligible tree purchases for the Fall 2012 Tree Rebate Program. The City of McCook will rebate as much as $100 each, for up to three trees, purchased by Nov. 30. Tree rebate requests must be received by Dec. 10, 2012, and the tree must meet certain type and planting requirements...

If you and your scale are feeling the effects of the annual Thanksgiving day gluttony, take heart; there are worse things to feel guilty about. One of them is not being a glutton -- or at least, not wasting that feast purchased with your hard-earned dollars...

Mike Hendricks, in his left-wing diatribe in his column of Nov. 9-11, misses the whole point on why Democrats won the election. They won because of Obama's campaign of lies, smears, and character assassination of Mitt Romney, and not because the Democrats are so beloved, except by the welfare mobs...

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, for your great support in my project in sending Christmas boxes to our troops. You have been outstanding this year with all the items and the money I was given to send the boxes. This year we sent 111 boxes. Starting the middle of January, I will be sending several a week. ...

OMAHA, Nebraska -- A class of 19 scholars has graduated from the Great Plains Public Health Leadership Institute, a professional development program of the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Public Health. The year-long program is designed to build and enhance leadership skills for established and emerging leaders in the region's public health systems. This marks the seventh consecutive year the institute has been held...

On Nov. 18, Joseph McHale of Cambridge exhibited his paintings for his Bachelor of Arts Senior Exhibit, at the Walker Art Gallery on UNK's campus. McHale is a 2006 graduate of Cambridge High School and is completing his Bachelor's degree in Studio Art. His exhibit included 14 paintings of various sizes, executed in mixed media. He has been an active member of the Art Club at UNK. Joseph McHale is the son of James McHale and Sondra Jonson-McHale...

McCook National Bank representative Tom Bredvick, right, presents Regan Garey, a junior at Medicine Valley High School with the bank's October "MNB Student of the Month" award for 2012-13. At left is Teresa Ruppert, Regan's guidance counselor, who nominated Regan for the award. ...

NORTH PLATTE, Nebraska -- J. Kirk Brown, Nebraska solicitor general, and Michael Radelet, professor of sociology at the University of Colorado Boulder, will discuss "The Death Penalty: Justice, Retribution and Dollars," on Wednesday, Nov. 28, as part of the 2012-13 E.N. Thompson Forum on World Issues...

Hitchcock County School System students of Mrs. Baker's 4th grade class watch an introductory video pertaining to the Sheldon Statewide art exhibit, featured at the Museum of the High Plains on Norris Avenue. The students made the trip from Culbertson to McCook last week to visit the exhibit, "Railroads and the Making of Modern America," which features work that examines the way artists captured and influenced the modern ideas and practices made possible by the railroad. ...

LINCOLN, Nebraska -- Four graphic design students from McCook Community College were honored by Governor Dave Heineman last week at the State Capitol Building. Trisha Rickel, Kasha Messersmith, Veronica Waddell and Desiree Washum, were among those honored by the Governor and Nebraska Education Commissioner Dr. Roger Breed...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Apples from Klooze Farm and water bottles with the "Commit to Complete" label on them were delivered to all faculty and staff recently in appreciation of their support for the Eta Omicron chapter of Phi Theta Kappa on the MCC campus...

DENVER, Colorado -- Nine students active in Phi Beta Lambda at McCook Community College recently attended the National Fall Leadership Conference in Denver. The keynote speaker was Al Duncan, an award-winning youth advocate, publisher, and internationally recognized authority on soft skills. Duncan is the author of four books, including the bestseller, "My Success Journal for Young People."...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- For the first time ever, McCook Community College will host Santa Claus in the Event Center when he conducts his annual workshop with the help of MCC students. Santa's Workshop is scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 6 from 6-8 p.m. in the auxiliary gym in the Events Center...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Wednesday, Nov. 28 will be MCC Movie Night at the Cinema 3 Theaters in McCook. MCC students and staff that produce college identification receive $3 admission and student discounts on snack combos. Late Night Movies include: Rise of the Guardians 2D (PG) at 8:50 p.m.; Red Dawn (PG-13) at 9:10 p.m.; Twilight Breaking Dawn Part 2 (PG-13) at 9:15 p.m...

GRAND ISLAND, Nebraska -- This holiday season register your budding babysitter for an American Red Cross Babysitter's Training course. This course will give 11-15 year-olds the skills and confidence to safely and responsibly care for children and infants, as well as tools to help them get started with their own babysitting business...

CHAMPION, Nebraska -- Federal officials are investigating an attack at the Champion Post Office that left an unidentified postal employee with minor injuries Monday morning. According to a release from the Chase County Sheriff Kevin E. Mueller, a 911 call came in at about 11:20 a.m. Monday after a male subject reportedly entered the post office, jumped the counter and assaulted the employee, demanding money from the safe...

'Tis the season. We are about to get inundated with calls to "Keep Christ in Christmas" or decrying the "War on Christmas," many versions same theme. It is as if the very name of the holiday doesn't proudly convey, loud and clear its meaning a solemn mass in honor of Christ! Christmas is a beloved federal, state, and local holiday no matter what the super religious, the secular, atheistic, non-Christian or just "Politically Correct" crowd may say. ...