Stories from Monday, March 3, 2014

Sonya Chapin OBERLIN, KANSAS -- Sonya Chapin, 79, died Sunday (March 2, 2014), at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney, Nebraska. Services are pending with Pauls Funeral Home.

Terrence L. 'Terry' Goscha July 2, 1960 - Feb. 28, 2014 SELDEN, Kansas -- Terrence L. "Terry" Goscha, 53, died Feb. 28, 2014, in Selden. He was born July 2, 1960, in Logan Kansas, to Jerome "Jerry" and Jeanne (Riedmiller) Goscha. He attended Logan High School. He married Gloria Koerperich on June 26, 1982, in Selden. He worked for APAC KS-MO as a construction foreman/heavy equipment operator...

Jean Welch CHAMPION, Nebraska -- Jean (Brown) Welch, 87, died Friday (Feb. 28, 2014), at the Imperial Manor Nursing Home in Imperial, Nebraska. Survivors include her husband, Don Welch of Champion; son, Jon Welch and wife, LaDonna of Champion; sister, Nina Fortkamp and husband, Art of Wauneta, Nebraska; brother, Don Brown of Parks, Nebraska; brother-in-law, Jack Welch and wife, Karen of Imperial; two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren...

Willis Ervin Sept. 2, 1923 - Feb. 23, 2014 GOLDEN, Colorado -- Willis Ervin was born in Frontier County, Nebraska, on Sept. 2, 1923, to Elmer and Clara Ervin. He passed away peacefully on Feb. 23, 2014, in Golden, Colorado. He was 90 years old. Willis attended a one-room schoolhouse in Frontier County, Nebraska, and graduated from the State of Nebraska School for Agriculture in Curtis, 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 -- After several years of sitting idle, the former St. Catherine's apartment building was purchased for $16,500 Wednesday at a Sheriff's Sale at the Red Willow County Courthouse. The purchaser -- John Smith of 908 East Fourth Street, McCook -- told the Gazette this morning that he plans to convert the building into apartments and condominiums. ...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Candidates for Nebraska legislative seats will be featured at the South Platte United Chambers of Commerce meeting next week. The public is invited to attend the meeting at McCook Tuesday evening, March 11, to hear from Districts 38 and 44 candidates for the legislature...

McCook, Nebraska, Elementary School celebrates the state's 147th birthday Friday, a day early, with cookies and a play about good guys and bad guys, and orphans, in the wild west. In a skit, above, based on Diane Stanley's book, "Saving Sweetness," teacher Randy Ryser played desperado "Coyote Pete," in a stand-off with the sheriff, played by teacher Cassa Haney. ...

Temperatures promise to climb into the mid-60s later this week, and propane prices are descending from all-time highs, but Nebraskans are paying the price this month for living in a sometimes-frigid climate. Unfortunately, we may pay the price next summer for living in a sometimes-scorching state as cooling demands push up utility demands as well...

(Note: The current news of continuing squabbles with North Korea, and word of the death of one of my old Korean War buddies, stirred more memories from the Korean War) In 1945, following the end of World War II, Korea, a former colony of Japan, was divided by the victorious allied forces, at the 38th Parallel. ...

LINCOLN, Nebraska -- USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) State Executive Director, Dan Steinkruger, urges producers who want to purchase 2014 protection through the Noninsurable Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) to do so before the sales closing date of March 17, 2014. The sales closing date is actually Saturday, March 15, 2014, but producers have until Monday, March 17, 2014, to purchase coverage this year...