Stories from Friday, June 6, 2014

Elva Stone BARTLEY, Neb. -- Elva Stone, 93, died today (June 6, 2014), at Cambridge Manor in Cambridge, Nebraska. Memorial services are Tuesday, June 10, 2014, at 10:30 a.m. at Lockenour-Jones Chapel in Cambridge. Inurnment is at the Indianola, Nebraska, cemetery,...

Jean Steward HAYES CENTER, Neb. -- Jean "Aunt Jean" Steward of Hayes Center passed away Monday, May 19, 2014 at El Dorado Nursing Home in Trenton at the age of 87. Memorial services are Saturday, June 7, 2014 at 10:00 a.m. at the Hayes Center High School Gymnasium with Rev. Morris Hartman and Rev. James Echols officiating...

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...

Eichelberger, Hardin Sarah Beth Eichelberger of Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Ryan James Hardin of McCook, Nebraska, announce their engagement and upcoming marriage. Parents of the bride-to-be are George and Kathy Eichelberger of Colorado Springs. Parents of the prospective bridegroom are Ben and Susan Hardin of McCook...

90th birthday The family of LaVerna (Riley) Amann of Atwood, Kansas, is hosting an open house in honor of her 90th birthday June 15. The open house is Saturday, June 14, 2-4 p.m. at the Prairie Plaza Club House, 906 Logan Street in Atwood. She born June 15, 1924, the second child of Edd and Grace (Davis) in the home of her grandparents, Ned and Nellie Davis. ...

Holland, Hinz Alissa Jean Holland of La Vista, Nebraska, formerly of Lincoln, Nebraska, and Nicholas Eugene Hinz of Omaha, Nebraska, formerly of McCook, Nebraska, announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the couple are Rick and Kathy Holland of Lincoln and Gary and Barb Hinz of McCook...

The family of Donna Mockry of McCook, Nebraska, is hosting an open house in honor of her 84th birthday. She was born June 10, 1930, in McCook. The open house is Sunday, June 8, from 2-4 p.m. at the 4-H building at the Red Willow County Fairgrounds. Her family includes her late husband, Orville Mockry; children, Nancy and Charlie Collins, Mary Sue and Bob Wurster, the late Jim and Kay Mockry, Julie Mockry, Randy and Wanda Mockry, Robbie and Angie Mockry, 13 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren. ...

Susan Doak SW Nebraska Genealogy Society McCOOK, Neb. -- In order to tell this story I must back-track for a moment to lead into how our country became the melting pot it is. North America had land, lots and lots of land, and not enough people to settle it or to provide the labor to build it into what we are today. ...

50th anniversary Richard and Sharon Karr of McCook will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary June 7. They were married June 7, 1964, in North Platte, Nebraska. Richard is a retired minister and now serves as a hospice volunteer for Great Plains Regional Medical Center and McCook Community Hospital. ...

McCOOK, Neb. -- There's a lot more to the 1973 murders of Wilma and Edwin Hoyt by Harold Nokes, asserts an attorney from Lincoln, Nebraska, who is publishing a book about it. "Nokes tells a very different story than he did in his 1974 confession," said James Hewitt, author of "In Cold Storage" that will be published in Spring 2015...

McCOOK, Neb. -- More than $50,000 will be donated to the McCook School District by the McCook Bison Booster Club, to replace bleachers at the high school. The McCook School board will also be asked to approve a $10,000 donation for playground improvements at McCook Elementary, at the regular meeting Monday, 6:30 p.m. at the junior high conference room...

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. -- They say the early bird gets the worm. If that's the case, you'll want to be one of the first to purchase raffle tickets for Mid-Plains Community College's newest custom car project -- a '67 Camaro RS 350/350 -- at a kickoff event from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday, June 9, at Bob Spady Buick GMC in North Platte...

From left, Dawn Record, Kari Weir, Marilyn Roth and Tag Groshong of D & S help Barb Ostrum load fans for people who may not otherwise be able to keep cool. The program, through Community Action Partnership of Mid-Nebraska, is available for those who meet monthly income guidelines: Household size 1, $1,111; 2, $1,499; 3, $1,888; 4, $2,277. Call (308) 345-1187 for more information...

Although I'm sure there are some, I don't know anyone who enjoys going to funerals. They're long, boring, depressing and mournful, as has been the tradition of funerals throughout recorded history. It's intended to be a solemn occasion where we pay our "last respects" to the person who died but often that person is rarely mentioned in the funeral itself...

"What evil lurks in the hearts of men? ... " said the deliciously scary voice on the radio. After a long pause, designed, I'm sure, to make us all wonder what evil may actually lurk there, the voice continued. "The SHADOW knows," and then uttered a maniacal laugh that could clabber milk ..." ha, ha, ha, haaaaaaa."...

With America now attempting to wind down its longest-lasting war, attention is focused on a single soldier who may or may not have been a deserter, in exchange for five captives who definitely were terrorists. As we debate the implications of the exchange of those six individuals, a look at the raw, nameless numbers from the D-Day invasion, occurring 70 years ago today, can bring things into perspective...

According to Ralph Reed, they author of the book Awakening, the United States of America has gone through several cycles when debauchery, greed, moral disintegration and abandonment of the family sought to destroy the fabric of our nation. Each time, this backsliding was followed by a spiritual awakening that purged our country of its social ills...

Dear Nebraskans: If you want to know the future of your state and the future of America, look at California. Everything begins here in bankrupt La-La Land, and you'll soon be awash in illegal immigrants, high taxes and an insidious welfare state. Sincerely,...

McCOOK, Neb. -- The Goodwill Donation trailer will be in McCook this week. It will be in the Sears parking lot, Highways 83 and 6-34, from noon to dark Tuesday, June 10, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Tuesday, or before if the trailer is full. Goodwill is accepting clothing, household items, computers and computer equipment...

Delores and Paul Orman of Maywood chat with Wendell Angotsinger of Dennison, Iowa, about Angotsinger's 1958 Ford 641 Workmaster tractor, part of the 2014 Tractor Relay Across Nebraska which made a stop in McCook on Friday night. More than a dozen tractors paraded around the Willow Ridge retirement center before heading down to Norris Park for activities with the local tractor club...

Bernard (Bernie) J. Smolczyk April 7, 1933 -- May 29, 2014 WESTCLIFFE, Colorado -- Bernard (Bernie) J. Smolczyk passed away Thursday, May 29, 2014, at his home in Westcliffe, Colorado. He was 81 years old. Bernie was born on April 7, 1933, in Ogallala, Nebraska, to parents, Robert and Bernadette (McCroden) Smolczyk. He graduated from Ogallala High School in 1951...

Gordon J. Marquette July 3, 1932 - June 5, 2014 TRENTON, Neb. -- Gordon J. Marquette, age 81, of Trenton, passed away at the Community Hospital in McCook, Nebraska, on June 5, 2014, surrounded by his family. Gordon was born in Sutherland, Nebraska, on July 3, 1932, to George and Celia (Bodell) Marquette. He attended and graduated from Paxton High School...