Stories from Thursday, May 8, 2014

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The McCook City Council announced today the hiring of Nate Schneider as city manager. Schneider will transition from his position as city attorney in the coming weeks and his hiring will be effective June 23.

McCook, Nebraska--Community Hospital volunteers were recently honored during volunteer week with a noon luncheon prepared by the Community Hospital dietary staff. The theme was "Volunteers: Our Hats Off to You." Sixteen volunteers were honored by Community Hospital administration and department directors. ...

HASTINGS, Neb. -- Two Southwest Nebraska students have accepted scholarships to attend Hastings College in the fall of 2014. Tyler Kipp of Arapahoe High School in Arapahoe and Tyler Barnes of McCook Community College have accepted scholarships. Founded in 1882, Hastings College is a private, four-year liberal arts institution that focuses on student academic and extracurricular achievement. ...

Bruce Hoffman, left, of Common Scents Nursery and Amy Seiler with the Nebraska Forest Service show Isaac Nielsen of McCook how to tease roots from the rootball of a flowering crab apple, at the McCook City Library April 30. The tree was one of two planted in honor of Arbor Day at the new entrance of the library and donated by Mike and Jan Gilbert of McCook and Suzan (Gilbert) and Larry Weber of Franktown, Colo. ...

Leota B. Jordan May 16, 1933 - May 7, 2014 McCOOK, Neb. -- Leota B. Jordan, age 80, passed away Wednesday, May 7, 2014, at Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook. Leota was born May 16, 1933, in Decatur County, Kansas, to parents Virgil and Elsie (Horn) Cochran. She was one of five children. She attended school in Oberlin, Kansas, graduating from Oberlin High School in 1951...

Gladys L. Long April 9, 1919 - May 6, 2014 HAYS, Kan. -- Gladys L. Long, 95, died Tuesday (May 6, 2014), at Via Christi village in Hays. She was born April 9, 1919, to William and Ora (Regester) Gilleece in New Almelo Township in Norton County, Kansas. She attended St. Joseph grade school...

Gracie Scarrow BENKELMAN, Neb. -- Gracie Scarrow, 99, died Tuesday (May 6, 2014), at the Lincoln Community Hospital and Care Center, in Hugo, Colorado. Survivors include children, Edith Carter of Flagler, Colorado, Lloyd Scarrow and wife, Charlotte, of Midland, Texas, Esther Burket and husband, Ron of Fort Pierre, South Dakota, Floyd Scarrow and wife, Irene, of Suffolk, Virginia, Elaine Petersen and husband, Mike, of Flagler, Colorado; sister-in-law, Nancy McMillan of Berryville, Arkansas; 19 grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren.. ...

McCOOK, Neb. -- the McCook, Nebraska, Elks Lodge No. 1434 has awarded $14,000 in Henry Krieger schoarships, of $1,000 each, to 14 area high school seniors. Girls receiving the scholarships and city of residence are: Breanna Eubanks of Cambridge, Nebraska; Rebecca Sehnert, McCook; Breanna Redl. McCook; Mallory N. Koepke, McCook;Justine Stone, Maywood, Nebraska; Keshia Green, Atwood, Kansas and Brooke Ruggles, Indianola, Nebraska...

You can lead a kid to healthy food, but you can't make him eat it. Schools are experiencing the old "horse" adage as they attempt to comply with healthy lunch regulations championed by first lady Michelle Obama. Starting next year, pasta and other grain products in schools will have to be whole-grain rich, or more than half whole grain -- that includes rolls, biscuits, pizza crust, tortillas and even grits...

May is here and that means graduation day. It is so wonderful to see all the graduates fling their hats skyward. I only hope they (the graduates, not the hats) have learned a few useful lessons: If you come to a fork in the middle of the road, take it...

2014 is a time when various candidates are running for Congress and the Senate. 2016 is the next election. George Washington and other founding fathers did not want a dynasty or a monarchy. They made certain that American was a "Republic" or a form of government that elects officials...

BRUCE BAKER City Editor McCOOK, Nebraska -- A new lease agreement between the city and Pinpoint Wireless is anticipated to bring an additional $12,000 in annual revenue. The McCook City Council approved the agreement Monday evening, during their regularly scheduled meeting, authorizing Pinpoint to install antennas and coax on the east water tower as well as a small control box at the base of the tank...

Lorri Sughroue McCook Gazette McCOOK, Neb. -- Higher property valuations mean less state aid to schools, with the McCook School District getting $200,000 less next year. Figures released April 4 by the Nebraska Department of Education have the McCook School district receiving $5,140,685.20 for the 2014-15 school year, a decrease of $206,405.94 from the 2013-14 state aid at 5,347,091.14...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- A man who stole a Bristol Windows company vehicle from the Chief Motel last summer and received probation in November, was back in court this week facing a felony charge stemming from the recent theft of another vehicle. The offender, 19-year-old Jesse J. ...

June Rose Grossman June 1, 1920- May 6, 2014 MCCOOK, Neb. -- June Rose Grossman, age 93, passed away Tuesday, May 6, 2014, at Community Hospital of McCook. June was born on June 1, 1920, in Norcatur, Kansas. She graduated from Lebanon High School in 1938...