Stories from Tuesday, May 28, 2013

If you haven't taken time to reflect on the sacrifices our military personnel have made, you probably didn't take in either the visit by the traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall or the Memorial Day service closest to your home. It's a shame if American citizens don't take time to honor those who have made their way of life possible, but truly paying tribute goes far beyond a visit to a display or a trip to the cemetery...

Last week I wrote of the tornado devastation in Moore, Oklahoma. No I haven't heard whether our old house (Grannie Annie made it a home!) was destroyed. I didn't want to bother anyone near or far to check on it as they have more important things to do at the moment...

JOHN GALE Nebraska Secretary of State The great German philosopher Goethe once said, "Whatever you do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it." In 2000, when former Nebraska Gov. Frank Morrison was 95 years old, his dream of a monument celebrating the convergence of the Oregon, Mormon, and California trails in Nebraska came true with the construction of the Great Platte River Road Archway monument in Kearney...

Jenica Pauletto hugs her grandfather, Willis Jones of McCook, Nebraska, retired U.S. Army, as her husband, Major Rodric Pauletto, stationed at Offutt Air Force Base, stands by during Memorial Day services at Memorial Cemetery in McCook Monday. Jenica's and Rodric's daughter, 2-year-old Gabriel, snuggled against the fog and damp with her grandmother (Jenica's mother) Cathy Jones, also of McCook. ...

Antique tractor pullers at Maywood, Nebraska's annual "Old Glory Days" Sunday support a project coordinated by Lou Werkmeister and the Maywood Lions Club to "Pull for Moore" -- not for more power or more distance, but for Moore, Oklahoma. Lou told pullers he was touched by a video of an old farmer, wearing bib overalls, "reminding me of my father," sitting in front of what used to be his home after the Oklahoma tornadoes May 20. ...

Kathryn 'Kathy' Jo Larkin Nov. 26, 1950 - May 15, 2013 AURORA, Colorado -- Kathryn "Kathy" Jo Larkin, 62, was born in McCook, Nebraska on Nov. 26, 1950, to John J. Pettera and Patsy Pettera (Drain). She was a farm girl who grew up in Ludell, Kansas, and loved the old farm house that she grew up in with her sister and three brothers. ...

Sueann Marie Forbes Feb. 2, 1961 - May 24, 2013 BEAVER CITY, Nebraska -- Sueann Marie Forbes, 52, died Friday (May 24, 2013), at her home. She was born on Feb. 2, 1961, at Oxford, Nebraska, to Harold J. and Ethel (Hyke) Stagemeyer. She attended school in Hendley and Wilsonville, Nebraska before graduating from Beaver City High School in 1980. She attended Floral School in Denver, Colorado and returned to work at the Norton Greenhouse, in Norton, Kansas. She also worked for Pamida in Norton...

Marion Chester Reid Aug.30, 1941 - May 25, 2013 TRENTON, Nebraska --Marion Chester Reid, 71, of Trenton, Nebraska, died Saturday (May 25, 2013), at El Dorado Manor in Trenton. He was born Aug. 30, 1941, at Oxford, Nebraska, to Chester and Thelma (Brown) Reid...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Registrations are being accepted for the Co-Parenting for Successful Kids (formerly known as Parents Forever) class in McCook on Wednesday, June 5 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. CT at the Community Building, Fairgrounds, West 5th and O Streets. ...

CONNIE JO DISCOE Regional Editor McCOOK, Nebraska -- Three spring graduates of McCook, Nebraska, Senior High and one graduate of Southwest High School at Bartley, Nebraska, have been awarded Colonel Delbert L. Townsend memorial scholarships. Scholarship committees locally and at the University of Nebraska Foundation selected these high school graduates for this year's scholarships:...

OMAHA, Nebraska -- A McCook, Nebraska man has earned his master's degree from the University of Nebraska-Omaha, and has been selected as a finalist for a "Presidential Management Fellowship" program. Tad Lambert of Arlington, Nebraska, the son of Stephanie and Doug Lambert of McCook and a 2002 graduate of Republican Valley High School, graduated May 4 from UNO with a master's degree in public administration...

In McCook, Nebraska, St. Patrick's Catholic School eighth grader Lea Warnke accepts first place awards in Universal Publishing's 2013 National Handwriting Contest. Lea received a cash prize of $250 and won her classroom teacher handwriting books for the next year. She is pictured with Mrs. Tama Kain who teaches eighth grade. Lea also won this honor last year...

CAMBRIDGE, Nebraska -- Tri Valley Medical Foundation is dedicated to our area students pursing medical related degrees. Since the inception of the Tri Valley Medical Foundation scholarship program more than $900,000 has been awarded to area students. Tri Valley Medical Foundation is excited to announce that $17,900 was awarded to 40 recipients pursing a medical degree at their annual Hospital Week Picnic, Friday May 17...

HASTINGS, Nebraska -- On May 18, in Lynn Farrell Arena, 224 undergraduates and 18 Master of Arts in Teaching students graduated Hastings College. Area degree recipients are listed below. "HD" designates those students who graduated with high distinction in their major(s) while "D" indicates the students who graduate with distinction in their coursework...

LINCOLN, Nebraska -- Grant Jones of Benkelman received the Outstanding Junior Activities Award from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Department of Animal Science and Block and Bridle Club recently at its annual honors banquet. The Department of Animal Science is in the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources in the university's Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources...

CURTIS, Nebraska -- The following area students have been recognized by the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture for their academic performance for the Spring 2013 Semester. Dean's Honor Roll- To qualify a student must earn a grade point average of at least a 3.5 on a 4-point scale...

NORFOLK, Nebraska -- The 40th Commencement of Northeast Community College took place on Saturday, May 11 in the Cox Activities Center on the Norfolk campus. Some 807 students, including those earning double majors and 169 who completed their studies last December, were listed in the commencement program. Northeast President Dr. Michael Chipps gave the commencement address...

Christy Scott of McCook captured this bolt of lightning Saturday as a thunderstorm enveloped the city. The McCook weather station at the airport recorded a scant .o5 inches of rain. Scott reports that it took her 68 tries to capture the lightning on her iPhone, obviously worth the effort. ...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- McCook Masonic Lodge No. 135 AF & AM presented scholarships to deserving high school graduates during a banquet Monday, May 20, at the lodge in McCook, Nebraska. Recipients of $500 Eureka Chapter No. 86 Order of the Eastern Star scholarships are:...

We Are One -- the motto of the McCook Bison high school football program, an attitude that runs deep among Bison players past and present, coaches and fans. The tradition-rich Bison football program is well-known around the state's prep circles, with Class B state playoff appearances 13 consecutive seasons and 26 playoff berths overall, back-to-back state championships in 2002-03 plus runner-up state playoff trophies in 1980, 1994, 2004, 2005 and 2007...

Mother Nature put a damper on the 2013 Spring Slam youth baseball tournament Saturday, May 25. Late tournament games Saturday evening at the Jaycees Sports Complex in McCook were called off due to heavy lightning and rain in the area. The 11-Under age division completed play before the storm invaded the area. ...

CAMBRIDGE, Neb. -- Summer all-star basketball games give the participants a chance to showcase their athletic skills. More importantly, young athletes and coaches get thrown together for a few short days of practice, and the result usually is friendships that last a lifetime...