Stories from Monday, January 6, 2014

McCook National Bank president Brian Esch, middle, presents a check for $3,000 to Bison Booster Club president Bob Elder, left, and McCook High School Athletic Director Darin Nichols, right, Friday afternoon. The funds will be used as a portion of the expense to install new bleachers in the main gymnasium at the high school...

Harold Melvin 'Mux' Johnson Jan. 7, 1932 - Jan 2, 2014 ST. FRANCIS, Kansas -- Harold Melvin "Mux" Johnson, 81, died Thursday (Jan 2, 2014), at the Good Samaritan Society in St. Francis, Kansas. He was born Jan. 7, 1932, in Rawlins County, Kansas. He was a truck driver...

Shirley A. Ball OMAHA, Nebraska -- Shirley A. Ball passed over on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2014, in Omaha, Nebraska. She was 76 years old. She was preceded in death by her husband, Wayne R. Ball; two sisters, Bonnie Hanna and June Blankenship and both of her parents, Dewey Hill of Wauneta and Thelma Neil of Lincoln...

Maggie Virginia Morthole Nov 1, 1919 - Dec 29, 2013 LAKEWOOD, Colorado -- Maggie Virginia was born on the family farm near Palisade, Nebraska, on Nov. 1 1919, to Claude Sailors and Maggie Mae (Land) Sailors, and passed away peacefully on Dec. 29, 2013...

Minnie Herbel Jan. 19, 1917 - Jan. 3, 2014 RUSSELL, Kansas -- Minnie Herbel, 96, died Friday (Jan. 3, 2014), at Russell. She was born Jan. 19, 1917, in Dorrance, Kansas, to Dave and Anna (Hilgenberg) Betz. She married Jake Herbel on June 14, 1936. She was a homemaker. She was a member of the First Lutheran Church in Dorrance,...

Opal Ann Henke Dec. 27, 1929 - Dec. 30, 2013 HASTINGS, Nebraska -- Hastings resident Opal Ann Henke, 84, passed away Monday, Dec. 30, 2013, at Mary Lanning HealthCare in Hastings, Nebraska. Opal Henke was born Dec. 27, 1929, in Meek, Nebraska, the daughter of Charles and Iva Mae (Winchell) Hull. ...

Donald Charles Liess Jan.30, 1934 - Jan. 1, 2014 SUN CITY WEST, Arizona -- Donald Charles Liess died Jan. 1, 2014. He was born to Fred and Marie (Powers) Liess in Red Willow County and graduated from McCook High School in 1952. He served in the in the U.S. Army from 1953 to 1955...

While I agree with your editorial, "Underage drinking campaign facing an uphill battle" (Dec. 27), it is also true that there has been progress on this front. Alcohol use among Nebraska high schools students has declined considerably in the last twenty years. ...

(Note: We were saddened recently with the news of Leo McKillip's death. We thought that it might be of interest to look back again on the career of one of McCook's greatest athletes.) In 1946 the McCook football team was receiving rave reviews all across Nebraska. ...

Few topics are more controversial than the legalization of marijuana, and few recent editorials have generated more feedback than ours on Dec. 31: "Colorado pot laws likely to affect Nebraska (http://bit.ly/19F3JZH)." One questioned our statement "Why would a state legalize a drug seen as a gateway to other more dangerous substances?"...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The McCook Area Chamber of Commerce honored three citizens and a local bank at its 89th annual banquet Saturday night at the Republican River Valley Event Center. The Community Builder Award was given to Jim Ulrich, Chief Executive Officer at Community Hospital. Ulrich came to McCook in October of 2000 to take the position of Vice-President of Finance. Within a few years, he began transitioning into the position of CEO, which he assumed in 2006...

Terry Sides of Tri-State Towing, McCook, Nebraska, steps into the diesel tow truck that he let warm up for at least 15 minutes about 8:30 this morning -- when the temperature chilled out at -9 degrees. "It's colder-n-crap this morning," Terry said, grinning and adjusting his furry winter hat complete with fur-lined ear flaps. ...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The McCook Gazette's 2014 New Year's Baby doesn't mess around: she arrived nearly two weeks earlier than expected. Acacia Marie Frank, daughter of Nathaniel and Sara Frank of McCook, arrived at 8:36 a.m., Thursday, Jan. 2, at Community Hospital in McCook, with Dr. Lori Reese as the attending physician...

Beulah I. 'Cindy' Ethier Sept. 21, 1919 - Jan. 4, 2014 McCOOK, Nebraska -- Beulah I. "Cindy" Ethier passed away Saturday, Jan. 4, 2014, at Community Hospital in McCook. She was 94 years old. Cindy was born on the family farm near Shelton, Nebraska, on Sept. 21, 1919, to Fred and Estella (Dean) Wiest...

Ada Mae Mays Hawkins Schruben Oct. 7, 1916 - Jan. 3, 2014 ATWOOD, Kansas -- Ada Mae Mays Hawkins Schruben, 97, died Friday, Jan. 3, 2014 in Atwood. She was born Oct. 7, 1916, to Charles Owen Mays and Mable Blanche Sullivan Mays on a farm in Furnace County, Nebraska, near the town of Wilsonville. She graduated from Rexford High School in Kansas in 1934...

Donald D. Harrold Feb. 15, 1928 - Jan. 1, 2014 BEAVER CITY, Nebraska -- Donald D. Harrold, 85, of Beaver City, formerly of Oxford, Nebraska, died Jan. 1, 2014, at Beaver City Manor at Beaver City. He was born Feb. 15, 1928, south of Beaver City, to Pearl R. and Mabel A. (Goodwin) Harrold. He attended Beaver City High School. He worked at the Hollinger, Beaver City, and Oxford Elevators, while serving as manager in Oxford for a many years...

Linnaea Charmaine (Trapp) Budke Dec. 2, 1931 - Jan. 6, 2014 McCOOK, Nebraska -- Linnaea Charmaine (Trapp) Budke, age 82, of McCook, passed away Monday, Jan. 6, 2014, at her home. She was born Dec. 2, 1931, in Beverly, Kansas, to Charles and Fairie (Neel) Trapp...