Stories from Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Orion is not the only celestial strong man in the sky. Now that he has exited stage-right for the summer, there is another constellation depicting a mythological hero taking his place, Hercules. Strangely, Hercules clears the eastern horizon in the same manner as our old friend Orion -- he is laying down, parallel to the horizon with his head to the right and his feet to the left...

William 'Bill' Dale Stevenson Feb. 18, 1940 - Jan. 19, 2013 LARAMIE, Wyoming -- On Jan. 19, 2013, William "Bill" Dale Stevenson passed away in Laramie, Wyoming, after a long battle with COPD. Bill was born to Carl William and Fern Olive Stevenson on Feb. 18, 1940, in Falls City, Nebraska. He was the youngest of five children and grew up in and graduated from Palisade, Nebraska...

Lillian Marie (Vap) Green Dec. 10, 1926 - May 23, 2013 ATWOOD, Kansas -- Lillian Marie Vap Green died May 23, 2013, at Rawlins County Hospital. She was born Dec. 10, 1926, to Joe and Bessie Spirk Vap on their farm north of Atwood, Kansas. She attended Bower Country School, Atwood High School, and Notre Dame Academy in Omaha, Nebraska, graduating in 1944. She taught two years in Rawlins County country schools,...

Opal I. Bryan Dec. 25, 1920 - May 29, 2013 OBERLIN, Kansas -- Opal I. Bryan, 92, of Oberlin, died today (May 29, 2013), at Oberlin. Services are pending at Pauls Funeral Home in Oberlin

Stephen C. Kruse SELDEN, Kansas -- Stephen C. Kruse, 50, of Selden, Kansas, died Monday (May 27, 2013), at Hays Medical Center in Hays, Kansas. Services are pending with Pauls Funeral Home.

Lorretta Palmer BENKELMAN, Nebraska -- Lorretta Palmer, 89, a longtime Benkelman resident, died Monday (May 27, 2013), at the Sarah Ann Hester Memorial Home in Benkelman. She is survived by numerous nieces and nephews. A memorial Mass will be 10:30 a.m. (MT), Saturday, June 1, 2013, at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Benkelman withthe Rev. Tom Wiedel officiating. Inurnment will follow in the Haigler Cemetery, Haigler, Nebraska...

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...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- According to the Hillcrest Nursing Home May financial report, the facility has funds in its budget - and then some - to make its first payment on the $1 million loan it borrowed last year. Total cash on hand for May 2013 at Hillcrest stands at 689,554.38, according to the cash flow report Colinda Nappa, Hillcrest Administrator, gave to Hillcrest Board of Trustees at the regular meeting Tuesday morning. Included in that amount is $392,284.36 as a payment for the loan...

LORRI SUGHROUE McCook Daily Gazette McCOOK, Nebraska -- If Hillcrest is approved by the Veteran's Administration, it will save veterans a 300-mile round trip to Grand Island. Hillcrest's tax information and vendor ID has been sent in, confirmed Hillcrest administrator, Colinda Nappa, at the Hillcrest Board of Trustee meeting Tuesday. Now, it is just a waiting game to be officially approved...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- A complaint filed against Hillcrest Nursing Home was determined by the state to be unfounded. The complaint alleged that Hillcrest did not follow a care plan, prevent bed sores and that toilet practices were not performed. State officials monitored staff for two days last week, said Colinda Nappa, Hillcrest Administrator, at the Board of Trustee meeting Tuesday. ...

McCook, Nebraska-- The public is invited to a healthy lifestyle nutrition class, "Cocoa, Chocolate & Health," presented by Community Hospital's registered dietitian, Pat Rice. The class is Thursday, June 20 at 7 p.m. in the Prairie View A conference room at Community Hospital, 1301 East H Street...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- In 2001, after three back surgeries, doctors couldn't figure out why John Fox of Culbertson kept falling down. Finally, a neurologist in Lincoln diagnosed him with multiple sclerosis, even though Fox had been reassured by another doctor a year earlier that he did not have MS...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The McCook Christian Church invites everyone to join them for "From The Heart Sunday" June 2, its annual worship service at the Norris Park Band shell at 10 a.m. The worship service will feature traditional and contemporary Christian music led by the church praise team. The entire congregation will be invited to share in the celebration of the Lord's Supper. The Rev. Clark Bates will preach a message on what God treasures most...

Surveyors line up the next phase of work on Red Willow County's new $5.4 million, 24-bed jail and sheriff's department offices in McCook. The project is expected to be completed next summer.

It's all about the story. From the earliest conversations around a cave campfire to a Tweet distributed by fiber optic cable, humans have sought to communicate stories, stories that are true, embellished, completely fictional or a mix of the three, designed to inform, entertain or teach a lesson...

There isn't one of you reading this newspaper that shouldn't be at least alarmed and at best incensed that the United States Justice Department used a secret subpoena to obtain two months of phone records for Associated Press reporters and editors without notifying the news organization...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Officials from Hillcrest Nursing Home will begin the process of securing a grant to buy a bus. The bus would help transport larger residents, with the van lift currently used not very suitable, said Colinda Nappa, Hillcrest Administrator, at the Board of Trustee meeting Tuesday...

McCOOK, Nebraska--Community Hospital is pleased to announce a neurosurgeon from Kearney has joined their visiting specialist staff. Chinyere Obasi, MBBS, MD, will see patients at Community Hospital's Medical Specialists Center beginning June 18. He will see patients every third Tuesday of the month...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Congratulations to Sharon Conroy, RN, Community Hospital Infection Prevention Coordinator, who received Certification in Infection Control (CIC) by the Certification Board for Infection Control (CBIC). Certification in Infection Control is the national credential in infection control...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Space is limited but there are still openings for the two-week Valmont job preparation welding class through the Mid-Plains Community College. The next class will run June 10-21 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. and will be instructed by Mike Harris...

Roxy Lang of Wilsonville, Nebraska, captured this image May 24, north of Alma, Nebraska. She writes, "What a great way to show our patriotism on this Memorial weekend -- honoring our past, present, and future military." The McCook Daily Gazette would love to showcase your weather photos. ...