Stories from Monday, September 15, 2014

Kenneth E. Howard June 7, 1936 - Sept. 8, 2014 ATWOOD, Kansas -- Kenneth E. Howard, 78, of McDonald, Kansas, died Monday, Sept. 8, 2014, at Rawlins County Health Center. He was born June 7, 1936, to Charlie and Elsie (Moreland) Howard on the farm in rural Rawlins County. ...

Catherine Elizabeth (McConville) Remington July 25, 1932 - Sept. 13, 2014 McCOOK, Neb. -- Catherine Elizabeth (McConville) Remington was born July 25, 1932, in Frontier County, Nebraska, to Thomas Patrick and Elizabeth Catherine ('Lillian' Colling) McConville. She passed away Sept. 13, 2014, at Bryan LGH in Lincoln, Nebraska at the age of 82...

Janet J. Schuetz Feb. 26, 1964 - Sept. 11, 2014 OBERLIN, Kan. -- Janet J. Schuetz, 50, formerly of Oberlin, Kansas, died Thursday (Sept. 11, 2014), at Via Christi Village in Hays Kansas. She was born Feb. 26, 1964, in Oberlin, to Jerry and Sharon (Rush) Schuetz. She graduated from Decatur Community High School in 1982 and from Fort Hays State University in 1986...

Griffith Frederick Reiners April 22, 1924 - Sept. 12, 2014 McCOOK, Neb. -- Griffith Frederick Reiners was born April 22, 1924 and entered Heaven on Sept. 12, 2014. Griff was born to Frederick and Amanda (Hinz) Reiners and was baptized and confirmed at St. John's Lutheran Church. Amanda died June 16, 1936. Fred remarried Doris Carter on Febr. 8, 1945...

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 -- High on the list of George W. Norris's many accomplishments was his advocacy for public power. That will be one of the principal points of Kendall Curry, who will be the speaker for this year's Norris Foundation Prayer Breakfast. "I'll be talking about Nebraska Public Power, with particular focus on the important role Sen. Norris played in public power's development," Curry said...

A very determined Red Willow County, Nebraska, commissioner Vesta Dack struggles with bolt cutters at the "ribbon" cutting of the new Red Willow County Law Enforcement Center in McCook Sunday afternoon. "I can do this!" Dack laughed, as jail superintendent Gerry Hunter reached in to help guide her cutting of a link on the leg irons. ...

U.S. Senate candidate Dave Domina, above left, visits with Julie Chandler of Imperial, Nebraska, during a town hall meeting at the McCook Heritage Senior Center Sunday. U.S. House of Representatives candidate Mark Sullivan, right photo, from left, greets Duane Tappe of McCook during the event. Both Democratic candidates coordinated the joint-town hall meeting in an effort to solicit feedback from Southwest Nebraskans on priority issues, ahead of the statewide General Election on Nov. 4...

The Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture dedicated a new Reinke center pivot system Friday at the college in Curtis with about 180 guests in attendance. The ribbon cutting launched events with NCTA Dean Ron Rosati joined by, from left, by Ron Yoder, IANR associate vice chancellor; Chris Roth, Reinke Manufacturing president; Governor Dave Heineman, Ken Goodall, Reinke Director of Sales, west region, and NCTA Associate Dean Scott Mickelsen...

McCOOK, Neb. -- A local burglar sentenced to probation last summer, after he startled a McCook couple awake and was arrested a short time later while attempting to hide in their basement, received jail time last week stemming from another felony theft charge. ...

LINCOLN, Neb. -- A trio of local burglars sentenced to state prison time earlier this year in unrelated criminal cases are each scheduled for parole hearings next month in Lincoln. 37-year-old Gil Green, 26-year-old Jesse Morrison and 32-year-old James W. Bonacci III are scheduled for parole hearings in October 2014, according to the Nebraska VINE Service...

McCOOK, Neb. -- A plea agreement was reached with a McCook man last week in Red Willow County District Court accused of several local thefts, including the burglary of a East First Street garage, the theft of two firearms and breaking into a pair of Weathercraft company vehicles...

LINCOLN, Neb. -- A former McCook man sentenced to state prison time for his role in the 2010 break-in at the McCook JCPenney's department store was released from federal prison last month. The offender, Loren James Hamlin, spent time in federal prison after serving his state prison sentence due to a letter he wrote threatening the life of President Barrack Obama...

It's been a long time coming, and the new jail's existence and location were far from unanimous decisions, but congratulations to everyone involved in construction of the new county law enforcement facility. County Commissioner Vesta Dack's symbolic ribbon cutting -- using bolt cutters to sever a link on a pair of leg irons -- frees Red Willow County from the shackles of "farming out" our long-term prisoners to jails in places like Trenton and Curtis...

(Note: Much Aviation history was made during World War I, which began just 100 years ago this summer. But not all of that history was made in France. As a direct result of his experience as a World War I fighter pilot Wade Stevens, long-time McCook Attorney, and his friend Dr. Frank Brewster made a bit of aviation history of their own right here in Southwest Nebraska.)...

McCOOK, Nebraska - Through the years, an increasing number of customers have turned to Longnecker Jewelry in McCook for jewelry design and repairs. "I am gratified by the growth," says the store owner and jeweler, Bill Longnecker. "It's personally very satisfying because of the pride of creation."...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Red Willow County, Nebraska, commissioners finished up their yearly budget work, lowering the county's tax request and tax levy for 2014-15. Because of an increase in the county's tax valuation -- from $931,795,554 in 2013-14 to $1,128,594,832 in 2014-15 -- commissioners were able to drop the county's tax request from $3,095,367 in 2013-2014 to $3,509,089 in 2014-2015, and reduce the county's tax levy from 41 cents ($0.409200) to 31 cents ($.0310926) per $100 of tax valuation in the new 2014-15 budget.. ...

Dennis James Durack Dec. 6, 1946 - Sept. 13, 2014 McCOOK, Neb. -- Dennis James Durack passed away Sept. 13, 2014, at his home in McCook. He was 67 years old. Dennis was born on Dec. 6, 1946, in Evergreen Park, Illinois, to parents Dennis James and Helen Rose (Choske) Durack. He graduated from St. Laurence High School in Burbank, Illinois, and continued his education at Moraine Valley Community College...