Stories from Thursday, December 13, 2012

Unlike most recent years, I've been lucky so far this awards season to have actually been able to see a couple of the bigger Oscar-contending films. So far, they haven't disappointed -- I've awarded 4-star ratings to both Ben Affleck-directed "Argo" and Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln."...

Virginia A. Meyers Oct. 23, 1926 - Dec. 12, 2012 LINCOLN,  Nebraska -- Virginia A. Meyers, age 86, died on Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2012, in Lincoln, Nebraska. She was born in Curtis, Nebraska, on Oct. 23, 1926, toClarence and Ilma (Razee) Petersen. Virginia attended school at the Nebraska School of Agriculture in Curtis, Nebraska, graduating in 1944. She graduated from McCook Community College in 1982. She taught rural school in Frontier County for five years...

Nancy G. Brown TRENTON, Nebraska -- Nancy G. Brown, 75, died today (Dec. 13, 2012), at El Dorado Manor Nursing Home in Trenton. Services are pending with Herrmann Jones Funeral Chapel in McCook.

Joy Lynn Solko Feb. 25,1958 - Dec. 12, 2012 KEARNEY, Nebraska -- Joy Lynn Solko, 54, of Kearney, died Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2012, at Saint Francis Medical Center with family at her side. A vigil service will be held at 7 p.m Friday evening with funeral services at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at St. James Catholic Church in Kearney with Father Joe Hannappel officiating. To honor Joy's wishes, cremation has taken place. All Faiths Funeral Home of Grand Island is serving the family...

Mildred Florence Heath Jan. 4, 1908 - Dec. 12, 2012 CURTIS, Nebraska -- Mildred Florence Heath, 104, of Curtis, Nebraska, former longtime Overton resident and newspaper publisher, passed away Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2012, at Senior Living Choices of Curtis at Curtis, Nebraska...

Everette E. Korgan Feb.13, 1933 - Dec. 11, 2012 HASTINGS, Nebraska -- Hastings resident, Everette E. Korgan, 79, passed away Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012, at Mary Lanning Healthcare, Hastings, Nebraska. Services will be Friday, Dec. 14, 2012, 2 p.m. at Butler Volland Chapel, Hastings, with Pastor Tony Dawson officiating. Burial will be in Sunset Memorial Gardens Cemetery, Hastings, Nebraska. Memorials may be given to American Cancer Society...

NORTH PLATTE, Nebraska -- The Nebraska Forest Service announces the 2013 Western Tree Care Workshops in Chadron, Scottsbluff, Sidney, Valentine, North Platte, and McCook in January. These full-day workshops will address some of the challenges associated with growing trees and other landscape plants in Nebraska, with specific emphasis on dealing with the drought's effects on trees and shrubs...

An effective weed control plan for pasture and range involves several management practices. The grazing scheme takes into account the type of livestock as well as the grass and forb species available. Grazing intensity influences the relative abundance of undesirable forbs and grasses. ...

Henry David Thoreau wrote a whole book about a pond and never got wet. He simply took the time to ponder. I, too, find myself pondering life's mystery; like what is the purpose of a dewclaw? To measure the dew? Why do horses have canine teeth? Were they once carnivores? How do sheep tell each other apart? Why do ants think they can drag a kibble of dog food back to the hill? Do they lack depth perception?...

Majority leader Sen. Harry Reid had fun with retiring Sen. Ben Nelson's famous mane that some have mistaken for a toupee. "I mean, that is a mop of real hair ... he'll pull it for you anytime, just to show you that it's real," Reid said at a tribute dinner at the famed Charlie Palmer steakhouse...

Way back in the 1400s, the O'Dea family built a castle in Ireland. The nearly six-century old structure still stands and, if I do say so myself, looks pretty good for an edifice built by the Irish. I began thinking about the castle the other day after observing McCook's emerging police, fire and administration building...

When English composer, Gustav Holst wrote his orchestral suite, "The Planets," he gave a different musical identity to each planet. Mars he called "The Bringer of War," Venus he called, "The Bringer of Peace," but Jupiter he called, "The Bringer of Jollity."...

So as I wrote about the chaotic drive-thru process last week, my mind began to think of all the other drive-thru instances that can cause brain damage for a busy mom. Having to generalize these situations into one story just isn't possible. Also, ranting about the subject brought back some vivid memories of other drive-thru occasions that make me chuckle now but were NOT funny at the time. Apparently this drive-thru thing isn't anything new and not particular just to me...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The McCook Post Office estimates several thousand cards, letters, and packages will be mailed on Monday, Dec. 17, making it the busiest mailing day of the year. More than 650 million cards, letters, and packages are expected nationwide. Fully-staffed Post Offices will greet customers, and postal managers will be in lobbies to answer questions and provide assistance...

Steve Wray found this collection of stamps while cleaning a shelf niche in his home in McCook, Nebraska. Now, most everyone remembers and/or knows about S&H Green Stamps, trading/rewards stamps presented to shoppers by retailers and redeemed for products in a catalog; popular throughout the United States from the 1930's through the 1980's. ...

LYONS, Nebraska -- The Nebraska State Patrol is assisting the Lyons Police Department with an investigation into the discovery of a partial human skull near Lyons. The skull was turned over to the Lyons Police Department in early November after being uncovered by a contractor excavating land near Lyons. A forensic examination of the skull determined it was that of a middle-aged woman...

CURTIS, Nebraska -- Local and state officials are preparing for a likely water shortage next year that would require extra conservation along the Republican River. Nebraska Department of Natural Resources deputy director Jim Schneider said Wednesday that his agency is in talks with Kansas and Colorado on ways to comply with the Republican River Compact. The water-sharing agreement among the states dates to 1943...

CULBERTSON, Nebraska -- Trenton, Nebraska, auctioneer Doug Garner plans to sell Hitchcock County Schools memorabilia and surplus equipment at an auction Saturday, Dec. 22, at 10:30 a.m., at the elementary school in Culbertson. The sale bill includes district championship banners for boys and girls sports; basketball scoreboards; a "Culbertson Bears" wall pad; and student lockers...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Despite being slammed with the double whammy of a hard hitting 2011 hail storm and the devastating 2012 drought, McCook's award-winning Heritage Hills Golf Course is going full speed ahead with a course-wide, $250,000 renovation project...

Johnathan Ellis, a seventh grader at McCook, Nebraska, Junior High, takes a toothbrush to the toy barn he's scrubbing, preparing for McCook's 31st annual "Christmas Toy Box" toy, game and bike/trike give-away Sunday, starting at 1 p.m., in McCook's Memorial Auditorium, West Fifth and C streets. ...