Stories from Wednesday, October 9, 2013

I learned about the importance of telling a good story -- something your publications try to do each and every day -- from a Tennessean who was a dear friend of mine. His name was Alex Haley and he became famous for telling stories, in particular those of his African ancestry in his best-selling novel, Roots...

What happens when four months of hype on the world stage meets a northeast Nebraska community of 1,700 people? Well, in the case of Pierce and the much ballyhooed Lambrecht Chevrolet automobile auction, folks from the area step up to the plate and the History Channel turns it into a three-hour documentary, "History Made Now: Wheels of Fortune."...

Capricornus is the smallest of the zodiacal constellations. Represented as half goat and half fish, this boat-shaped constellation lies due south at about 8:30 p.m. MDT on these early autumn evenings. It is somewhat difficult to find from city skies as only one of its stars is brighter than magnitude three...

Doug Edward Kolsky March 5, 1953 - Sept. 19, 2013 OBERLIN, Kansas -- Doug Edward Kolsky, 60, of Oberlin, died Sept. 19, 2013, at his residence. He was born March 5, 1953, in Los Alamos, New Mexico, to Harwood and Frances (Cilek) Kolsky. He was raised in Saratoga, California. He attended high school in Saratoga and later, San Jose State University...

Elsie A. Winder July 16, 1932- Oct. 4, 2013 OBERLIN, Kansas -- Elsie A. Winder, 81, of Oberlin, died Friday (Oct. 4, 2013), at Deseret Nursing Home in Kensington, Kansas. She was born July 16, 1932, in Cope, Colorado, to William Fanklin and Fiona Mable (Logue) Craig. She graduated from Decatur Community High School in 1950...

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...

Burrows, Vrbas Dr. Tim and Sharon Burrows of McCook, Nebraska, announce the engagement of their daughter, Abigail Nicole, to Andrew James Vrbas, son of Jerry and Kathy Vrbas of Atwood. Abi is a 2009 graduate of McCook High School. She graduated from Hastings College in 2013 with a bachelor of arts degree in advertising and public relations and a minor in visual media and studio art...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The eighth annual Nebraska Kids Fitness and Nutrition Day (NKFND) on Wednesday, Oct. 2 brought 412 fourth grade students to the McCook High School, Junior High and Ed Thomas YMCA . These students come from across the Southwest Nebraska Public Health Department (SWNPHD) eight-county health district and participated in the one-day fitness and nutrition event...

Glenda Baker of Cambridge, Nebraska, captures an unnatural sunset Saturday, complete with a jet contrail seemingly heading straight up to the heavens. 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. ...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Out of 249 schools in Nebraska, students at McCook Junior High ranked the fifth highest in science. But state testing also shows that scores have dropped slightly in math at McCook Elementary. The Nebraska Department of Education released the State of the Schools report in late September, which included rankings of schools in Nebraska in different subjects, as well as results of state testing in reading, math and science administered to students...

IMPERIAL, Nebraska -- Just short of four years ago, fire raged through Harchelroad Motors Inc. in downtown Imperial, Nebraska. "Destroying everything. Everything was gone ... everything," Sid Harchelroad said Tuesday morning. But Friday and Saturday, with an open house and a "Corvette and All-GM Classic Car Show," Sid and his employees will put that devastating fire behind them, celebrating the opening of a new body shop and paying tribute to the determination and commitment it took to rebuild...

KEARNEY, Nebraska -- A McCook truck driver is in Kearney's Good Samaritan Hospital following a semitractor trailer wreck that killed several cattle and left others loose on Interstate 80. The driver, Don Brush, 73, McCook, was listed in serious condition...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- A McCook couple who had hoped to share pumpkins with their grandchildren, only to have their pumpkin patch cleaned out by thieves, returned from Omaha to find donated pumpkins on their porch and offers of many more. Angi McCarty said she was "humbled, grateful and thankful to everyone who has generously offered their pumpkins to us!" in a Facebook post...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The McCook High School football program wants Bison fans to think pink Friday night. Breast Cancer Awareness Night will be the theme of the McCook-Hastings varsity football game Friday, Oct. 11, at Weiland Field. The Bison team encourages fans to wear pink to Friday's game to help support the fight against breast cancer...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Educators in McCook, Nebraska, will use a theater setting to help prevent bullying and to empower junior high students to help themselves and their peers when faced with challenging relationships, negative peer pressure and the potential for strong emotional responses that often accompany these situations...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- A McCook man was sentenced to 10-12 years in state prison Monday in Red Willow County District Court after being convicted of one count of sexual assault of a child. The offender, 60-year-old Claudie L. Patterson of 38644 Road 705, was also sentenced to one year in prison for an unrelated sexual assault case involving an adult victim. The one-year sentence was ordered to be served at the same time as the longer sentence...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- It's jacket weather. Cooler weather stirs up thoughts of cold weather and winter coats, hats and mittens. Barb Ostrum, of the McCook office of Community Action Partnership of Mid-Nebraska, plans McCook's 32nd annual "Coat Closet and Winter Clothing Give-Away" the end of October and first part of November...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Southwest Nebraska Crimestoppers are seeking information about the following crimes: Sometime between Friday Aug. 9 and Wednesday Aug. 14, someone broke into a Quonset hut and vacant house in rural Red Willow County, stealing power hand tools a table saw, band saw and a firearm, valued at over $2,000...

Margaret Mary Harr Oct. 18, 1928 - Oct. 9, 2013 McCOOK, Nebraska -- Margaret Mary Harr, 84, died Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2013, at Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook. She was born on Oct. 18, 1928, to Rodney and Matilda (DeRouchey) Montgomery in Norfolk, Nebraska. She graduated from Sacred Heart High School in Norfolk in 1946 and Mercy Nursing School in 1949...

Mitty Quigley of Indianola recently received a special birthday card on her 91st birthday, from Washington, D.C., signed by President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama. "We are pleased to join your family and friends in wishing you the best on your birthday. ...