Stories from Wednesday, May 21, 2014

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...

The cast of "You Can't Take It With You" gathers together after a recent performance. The classic comedy, originally set in the 1930s, was presented May 16-18 by McCook High School Thespians. Cast members are, first row, from left, Franziska Satinger, Emily Karr, Thatcher Skolout, Molly Sughroue, Megan Siebrandt, Rachel Gordine, Eric Langan, Mary Cain and Kelsey Kilpatrick. ...

Cancer patients in the McCook area won't have to travel nearly two hours away for treatment, with the opening of the new Community Hospital Anderson Center for Radiation Oncology. The Masons of Nebraska laid the cornerstone for the new building at a grand opening celebration/tour May 16. ...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The City of McCook is conducting a survey in an effort to gather citizen input on the future direction for recreational opportunities and facilities. The survey inquires as to the types of recreational activities citizens are actively involved in, as well as those they wish the city would consider for construction or improvement...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The City of McCook is conducting a survey in an effort to gather citizen input on the future direction for recreational opportunities and facilities. The survey inquires as to the types of recreational activities citizens are actively involved in, as well as those they wish the city would consider for construction or improvement...

Tim Monzon of McCook portrays a "homeless" vet for a Memorial Day fund-raiser for veterans Sunday through Tuesday. The "hungry and homeless vet" who will set up his "camp" in the parking lot of Schmick's Market in the Westview Plaza will raise awareness of American veterans struggling with financial challenges. ...

McCOOK, Neb. -- Many area communities plan Memorial Day services Monday. The McCook American Legion Post 203 plans services at 10:30 a.m. at the Veteran's Memorial Monument near the north section of Memorial Park Cemetery in McCook, "Memorial Day is the time to recount the sacrifice of all America's warriors, honor the memory of America's fighting men and women who died defending our nation and honor our family heritage, said Dan. Stramel, commander of the McCook American Legion Post...

BENKELMAN, Neb. -- Construction on a hilltop north of Benkelman, Neb., is part of Tallgrass Energy's conversion of an existing transmission line from natural gas to crude oil. Dick Sears, director of land and rights-of-way for Tallgrass Energy of Lakewood, Colorado, said Monday that the pipeline conversion and the construction of 15 new pump stations is part of Tallgrass' response to increased oil production in the United States and its involvement in the moving of oil where it needs to go...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The Nebraska Public Service Commission executive body is comprised of five commissioners statewide, each assigned to a specific district. The largest geographical district, essentially covering more than half the state from Grand Island west, just so happens to be covered by McCook resident and NPSC vice-chair Gerald "Jerry" Vap...

The whole health care issue comes down to one issue: Who pays? One of the major selling points of the Affordable Care Act was that, by covering more people, we could reduce the number of people who resorted to expensive emergency room visits for otherwise routine medical care...

Triangles and more triangles. One nice thing about the stars, you can make just about anything you want out of them, even make up your own constellations. This week there are two particular triangles I want to look at, one a made-up one and the other is one of our old friends...

This week, the entire country will be celebrating National Emergency Medical Services Week, May 18-24. It's a time set aside by the American College of Emergency Physicians to salute the more-than 750,000 professionals and volunteers who are "serving on health care's front line."...

Memorial Day weekend is quickly approaching us once again. The McCook American legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars Posts and a number of community volunteers will be setting out flags on our veterans' gravesites at Calvary, Memorial Park and Riverview cemeteries in McCook on Saturday, May 24, at 9 a.m...

Curtis McCarty, right, says he "tried to maintain my composure" during his 22 years in prison -- 19 on death row -- after being falsely convicted of murder. Speaking at the United Methodist Church in McCook Wednesday night, McCarty and Stacy Anderson, left, executive director of Nebraskans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, argue that resources spent on executions, running into the millions of dollars each, would be better spent on the "front end," on education, crime prevention, treatment and law enforcement. ...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Construction of a new local sports bar, touting live music and an outdoor patio area off of U.S. Highway 83, took a step forward Monday evening when the McCook City Council approved the use of Tax Increment Financing for the project...