Stories from Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Martin F. Thompson May 5, 1920 Feb. 7, 2013 GREGORY, South Dakota -- Martin F. Thompson, 92, formerly of McCook, died Feb. 7, 2013, at Gregory. He was preceded in death by his wife, Wanda M. Thompson; sons, Martin Gene Thompson and Martin F. Thompson Jr.; brothers, Leonard, Glen, Melvin, Bill, Robert and John; and sister, Irene...

Courtesy photo McCook Community College students (from left) Brad Powell, John Reeves and Christian Conroy, stand guard at the dessert table Saturday and prepare to auction off more than 50 desserts made by members of MCC's Phi Beta Lambda and donated from college and community members. ...

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 -- Public Health Association of Nebraska (PHAN) announces the selection of Myra Stoney as the new Chairman of the Local Health Directors Section of PHAN. She is the Director of Southwest Nebraska Public Health Department headquartered in McCook. Stoney assumed the new duties in January following her election during the PHAN annual conference held in Grand Island...

Our equine friends know how to satisfy winter's dry itch, even if it means leaving a little something behind. The McCook Daily Gazette would love to showcase your weather photos. Readers can contribute to our daily weather page, subject to space and color availability, by emailing photos to editor2@ocsmccook.com or bringing them into the Gazette offices at West First and E Streets. ...

Helping conduct a presentation and training session about new "triage bags" for McCook-area EMS crews Monday night are, from left, Sharon Steele of the Nebraska Health and Human Services EMS/Trauma Program; Joy Molcyk, Good Samaritan Long Distance Ambulance Service; Marc Harpham, McCook Fire Department; ReBecca Lagler, LifeTeam Critical Care Transport; Sue Mulligan, West Central Medical Response System coordinator, North Platte; and Dari Olson, Community Hospital safety director. ...

LINCOLN, Nebraska -- Law enforcement officers could seize mistreated livestock with a veterinarian's recommendation if an Agriculture Committee bill is passed. Rick Leonard, the committee's research analyst, presented the bill (LB423) at a hearing Tuesday. Six people testified in support of the bill, and one testified against it. The committee also received a letter of support from the Humane Society of the United States...

ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico -- Call it the come-back caramel. A 70-year-old candy recipe used by a McCook, Nebraska, woman during the Depression is now a big hit 500 miles away in New Mexico. The late Catherine Magrath of McCook helped to support her family during the Depression by making candy and wedding cakes. ...

A 1940 Nash Ambassador slowly succumbs to the forces of oxidation and solar radiation in a field in Southwest Nebraska.

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The first tenants of East Ward Village will move in next week and as of Wednesday the senior housing project has four duplex units ready for occupants. According to McCook Housing Agency Executive Director Rebecca Dutcher, the other eight duplex units are scheduled to be ready by the last week of February...

A card? A box of chocolates? A night out at a nice restaurant? Those are all great ways to show someone you love them on Valentine's Day, but they're by no means the only way. We think the Nebraska Safety Center at Kearney has another great idea, one that works both for ourselves and those we love...

After the tragic killing of 26 people at Sandy Hook School in Newtown, Connecticut, plus the crazed gunman's murder of his mother, and his own suicide, the problem of autism is big news. Experts say that the 20-year-old killer had autism and schizophrenia...

When the Nebraska Unicameral comes to town, don't be fooled by the big headlines and the issues that get the sound bytes on the tube. Pay attention to the details. The little nuances and suggestions buried deep in the pages of issues that are seemingly routine and may just get passed through three rounds of debate and sent off to the governor for a signature. ...

Alcoholics Anonymous created a relatively safe environment for those who had fallen victim to a cruel taskmaster; a slave driver; a heart breaker; the demon rum; to find freedom from that curse. (I have other names, but they simply aren't suitable for a family newspaper.)...

SIDNEY, Neb. -- It's been a tough year and a learning experience this season for the McCook High School wrestling team. Head coach Nick Umscheid has a young squad with nearly three-fourths of the roster comprised of freshmen and sophomores. The Bison entered a young lineup at the Class B-4 District meet Friday and Saturday, Feb. 8-9, at Sidney. Coach Umscheid knows he will take two very deserving athletes to state in Omaha next weekend...

For some area high school wrestlers, dreams came true last weekend. For others, there will be pain and disappointment after coming up short. Class C and D teams competed in district wrestling meets Friday and Saturday, Feb. 8-9, with state meet qualification on the line. The top four individuals from each district earned berths in the Nebraska State High School Wrestling Championships Thursday through Saturday, Feb. 14-16, at the CenturyLink Center in downtown Omaha...

Kylee Rinehart would probably like to preserve for future use the first half of her McCook Community College women's 79-62 win over Trinidad State (Colo.) Junior College Feb. 9. The Lady Indians' interim head coach watched her team hit high gear on both ends of the court at the MCC Events Center while racing to a 47-19 halftime lead...

Antwuan Boyd put an exclamation point to an exciting McCook Community College men's basketball win over Trinidad State (Colo.) Junior College Feb. 9. Boyd, a 6-foot-3 freshman from Stamford, Conn. executed a 360-degree slam dunk in the closing seconds to cap McCook's 92-71 victory at the MCC Events Center...

He will probably be mentioned among the top McCook High School football linemen to ever represent the Bison on Weiland Field. Mitch Collicott will extend his football legacy at the next level in the coming years. Collicott is taking his talents to Chadron State next fall. The Class B All-State performer signed a letter of intent to join the Chadron State gridiron program in a special ceremony last week at the McCook Senior High gym...

A record-breaking 2012-13 season will pay post-season dividends for the McCook High School girls basketball team. The Lady Bison have drawn the top seed in the Class B-6 District Tournament. McCook tops the five-team field in the district meet to be held Feb. 19-22 at the Cougar Palace on the Western Nebraska Community College campus in Scottsbluff...

The 2012-13 Nebraska high school wrestling season will reach a climax this weekend. The grind of the prep mat campaign will pay rewards at the Nebraska State High School Wrestling Championships at the CenturyLink Center in downtown Omaha. The three-day state mat carnival opens Thursday, Feb. 14, with first-round and quarterfinal matches in all four school classifications...

Dan Ross Brown Oct. 13, 1948 - Feb. 12, 2013 PALISADE, Nebraksa -- Dan Ross Brown of Palisade passed away Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013 at Culbertson, Nebraska. He was 64 years old. Dan was born on Oct. 13, 1948, in Culbertson to Elma Wilson. At a young age the family moved to Portland, Oregon where he attended school...