Stories from Tuesday, October 8, 2013

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...

BENKELMAN, Nebraska -- "Down Thru the Years," a DVD of 30 years of columns of Pat Ketler, founder and publisher of the Benkelman Post, are available from the Dundy County Historical Society, through special permission by the newspaper. Cost is $30. The document covers the development of Southwest Nebraska, northwest Kansas and eastern Colorado from the very early pioneer days up until the time they were written, totaling 1,141 installments...

Marlene Hamill of McCook stands beside the quilt stitched by her grandmother, Emma Plahn (1874-1951). It hung with other quilts at least 50 years old at the Museum of the High Plains in downtown McCook, during the community's annual Heritage Days celebration Sept. 28 and 29. The quilts entered in the Heritage Days show will be displayed during the museum's regular hours, Tuesday through Saturday afternoons, through Saturday, Oct. 12...

Brooke Hoyt of Culbertson captures a photo of overcast skies on June 4, 2013, while rounding up cows with her horse Gabby. This picture was taken from her iPhone. The McCook 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. ...

CURTIS, Nebraska -- Katelyn Sughroue of Bartley, Nebraska, received an Associate of Applied Science degree in agriculture production systems at the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture in Curtis, Nebraska, on Aug. 2.

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The Mid-Plains Community College wellness program (Working on Wellness or WOW) is gearing up for its LiveWell Fall Challenge. Participants will record physical activity minutes daily over a six-week period and the system will calculate calorie-burn data...

LINCOLN, Nebraska -- The Nebraska Science Festival will return in 2014 with expanded programming that offers greater opportunities for students of all ages. In its second year, the Nebraska Science Festival -- scheduled for April 24-27, 2014 -- will feature an array of science- and technology-related activities, while extending programming into Lincoln as it builds toward being a statewide celebration...

Police Sgt. Kevin Darling demonstrates functions of a new mobile computer system to Jim Dusatk of McCook this morning following the monthly Coffee with a Cop meeting at McDonald's. Four McCook police vehicles were equipped with the computer systems recently, allowing officers mobile access to driver's license and other information as well as the ability to file reports while away from the police station...

McCook Community College students take a break from academic responsibilities recently to participate in a friendly game of Bongo-Ball Mania. Part capture the flag, part Nerf football cannons, students donned protective gladiator armor and dodged through, under, and over obstacles while trying to capture the opposing team's flag. The event is sponsored by the MCC office of Student Life...

The first full quarter (April-June) of the McCook Gazette's "Share Who Cares" campaign garners nine published stories of a variety of random acts of kindness shared by our readers. The submission by Barbara Grafel, left, was drawn, giving her the opportunity to select a local non-profit agency to receive $5 per published submission. ...

Graduates of McCook, Nebraska, Senior High in 1953 gather on the deck of the Coppermill Steakhouse in McCook for a 60-year reunion class picture. Classmates gathered in McCook during the community's annual Heritage Days Celebration Sept. 28 and 29. Class members available for the picture were, front row, from left: Dian Wilcox Parsons, McCook; Norma Lebsack Crocker, McCook; Mary Lou Ulrich Ross, Culbertson, Nebraska; Pat Rogers Schmid, McCook; Sharolyn Bales Hornkohl, McCook; Carla Cruver Bales, McCook; Joanne Ruppert Roedel, Greeley, Colorado; and Joanne Walters Dueland, McCook. ...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The McCook City Council prioritized supervision over streamlining business development, Monday evening, approving the proposed comprehensive plan without a requested amendment. Local property owners and economic development experts asked city council to ease the burden on prospective small businesses interested in property on Drive 716, west of Orscheln Farm and Home, by amending the future land use of a portion of the area from residential to light industrial...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Determined walkers registered at the 2013 Memory Walk, Saturday in Norris Park, on behalf of all who are afflicted by Alzheimer's disease, those who have it, those it has claimed, caregivers, and loved ones. Despite wind gusts of up to 45 miles per hour and temperatures in the mid-forties, approximately 50 people signed up for the walk, raising nearly $5,200...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Hillcrest Nursing Home Foundation's 11th Annual "Night On The Hill" fundraising event is set Sunday at the nursing home, 309 West 7th Street. Funds raised through this special event will be used for "Hillcrest Homegrown" Scholarships to assist individuals with their careers at Hillcrest. The most recent scholarship recipient, Rebecca Holst, will be the featured speaker for the program which will begin at 7:30 p.m...

SPRINGFIELD, Colorado -- McCook gas balloonist John Kugler and his crew mate, Bert Padelt, landed safely near Springfield, Colorado, Monday evening. A competitor in the America's Challenge race, Team 5, Philip Bryant and Andy Cayton, was seen flying east of McCook this morning, over Harry Strunk Lake...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The McCook Area Chamber of Commerce will present the third quarter honor business award to the City of McCook, 505 West C, at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 15. The public is encouraged to attend.

HOLDREGE, Nebraska -- A soup supper is set for Mount Calvary Lutheran Church, 1419 East Ave. Drive in Holdrege, one block east of the football field, from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday before and during the McCook vs. Holdrege football game.

McCook, Nebraska, Senior High's graduating class of 1958 gathers for a class reunion picture at the Republican River Valley Events Center during McCook's annual Heritage Days celebration Saturday, Sept. 28. Classmates attending the reunion available for the picture were: front row, from left: Nancy Corey Martin, Fort Worth, Texas; Judy Rothmeier Hulst, Fresno, California; Judy Chinn Wortley, McCook; Eileen Miller Holston, McCook; Linda Peterson Bauer, Littleton, Colorado; and Kent Kotschwar, McCook. ...

Pope Benedict has retired and the College of Cardinals has elected a new pope. In the 2,000-year history of the Roman Catholic Church, there has been little, if any, intellectual freedom. Let's hope Pope Francis will be open-mined and tolerant of the opinions of others, and release the heavy chains and shackles of mere dogma...

October is here and shades of golden yellow, bright orange, rustic red and deep brown are spreading across Nebraska. It is time again for Halloween fun, scary things, costumes and masks. In real life situations, it is counter productive to hide our real fears behind a mask. At times, it is essential to muster up our faith and courage...

Health care. The "Affordable Care Act." "Obamacare." Whatever you call it seems at the moment to be a mess. I've no clue how it will all turn out but fear we won't like the end result one way or the other. For one the healthcare aspect of the whole rhubarb is a misnomer. The Affordable Care Act has more to do with health insurance than anything to do with healthcare itself...

We've been calling it the end of an era for a long time now. It's supposed to be the end of newspapers, according to naysayers who have been predicting their ultimate demise for years. But the facts prove the newspaper industry is growing and transforming rather than dying. Of course, there are always bumps in the road to innovation, but as it turns out, we're actually in the midst of a promising and exciting time...

Many, many years ago -- in a store building located at 307 Norris Avenue in McCook -- an idea was born which resulted in a business which has grown into the most complete music store in the Golden Plains of Southwest Nebraska and Northwest Kansas. The business -- now known as Hershberger Music Company -- came into being when a long-time furniture store owner and oil investor, Joe Rothmeyer, took a young teacher, Floyd Hershberger, under his wing and suggested he start a piano and organ company...

Jan Marie Horn Jan. 14, 1958 - Sept. 30, 2013 CUMBERLAND FURNACE, Tennessee -- Jan Marie Horn of Cumberland Furnace, Tennessee, originally of McCook, passed away on Sept. 30, 2013, at her home. She was 55 years old. Jan was born on Jan. 14, 1958, at McCook to parents, Elvin Clare and Marion Elvera (Dotson) Allen. ...

Owen E. Wilson Aug. 31, 1932 - Oct. 7, 2013 OBERLIN, Kansas -- Owen E. Wilson, 81, of Oberlin, died Monday (Oct. 7, 2013), at the Cedar Living Center in Oberlin, Kansas. He was born Aug. 31, 1932, in Oberlin to Andrew and Elizabeth (Schissler) Wurm.He was raised in Traer, Kansas and graduated from Decatur Community High School in 1950. He served in the United States Army...