Stories from Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Floyd L. Lotker Jr. March 14, 1921 - May 10, 2015 OBERLIN, Kan. -- Floyd L. Lotker Jr., 94, died Sunday (May 10, 2015), at Cedar Living Center in Oberlin. He was born March 14, 1921, in Kansas City, Missouri, to Floyd and Edma (Mix) Lotke Sr. He graduated from St. John's Military School in Salina, Kansas...

Victor M. Schwartz Feb. 17, 1945 - May 4, 2015 HENDERSON, Neb. -- Mr. Victor M. Schwartz, of McCook, Nebraska, died at Henderson Health Care Center in Henderson, Nebraska. He was preceded in death by brothers, Randy Schwartz, Charles Schwartz; and brother-in-law, Tom Erwin...

Ann Louise Gregg May 9, 1940 - May 7, 2015 ARVADA, Colo. -- Ann Louise Gregg, 74, of Arvada, Colorado, died May 7, 2015. She was born May 9, 1940, in Beaver City, Nebraska, to Glenn Thomas and Mary Arlyne (Malone) Pickett. She graduated from Beaver City High School in 1958 and attended Parks Business School in Denver. Following graduation, she worked at the Federal Reserve Bank of Denver for eight years...

At the Museum of the High Plains on Thursday, May 7, McCook Junior High seventh graders Eric Vasquez, from left, Colton Craig and A. J. Johnson study the uniform of Lt. Col. Vincent P. Wasia, who served in the U.S. Air Force from 1966 until 1988. They and other junior high students toured McCook on the first-ever "McCook Appreciation Tour," hosted by the local Home Town Competitiveness Initiative and Youth Change Reaction. ...

McCOOK, Neb. -- Unofficial results from the 2015 special election show the majority of city residents support continuing McCook's local option sales tax, but at the same time are against using the revenue to fund the McCook Economic Development Program. ...

McCOOK, Neb. -- No drugs. No alcohol. That was the message of a Nebraska State Patrol trooper, a Red Willow County sheriff's deputy and a K9 officer to eighth graders at McCook, Nebraska, Junior High Tuesday afternoon. Students struggled to walk a straight line as Trooper Cassie Wegelin fitted them with goggles that simulate the affects of alcohol on a person's coordination and attention...

Roughly a dozen area residents showed up to visit with McCook police officers and new City Attorney Nate Mustion, second from right, during Tuesdays' Coffee with a Cop meeting at McDonald's. Topics ranged from the use of civil defense warning sirens to enforcement of handicap parking on private property. The June Coffee with a Cop meeting is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, June 9...

Descendants of the original parishioners of the historic Stone Church, eight miles south of Culbertson, Nebraska, on Highway 17, plan their annual clean-up day Saturday, May 16, starting at 10 a.m. The church association's annual meeting will be Sunday, May 24, at 6 p.m. ...

Despite Saturday's cold rainy weather, McCook letter carriers collected 1,300 pounds of food left out by postal patrons for the annual Letter Carriers' Food Drive. The food will help feed hungry people served by the McCook Pantry.

Who remembers the little rhyme, "Star light, Star bright, first star I see tonight. Wish I may, wish I might, have the wish I wish tonight"? Who can forget waiting outside for it to get dark so you could be the first one to spot the "wishing star" and have your wish granted. Scanning the sky from right to left, up and down just to be able to find that star...

McCOOK, Neb. -- A plea agreement was reached last week in Red Willow County District Court with a McCook man who assaulted two corrections officers after being arrested for drunk driving. The offender, 25-year-old Tyrell C. Sydow of 302 W. Seventh Street Apt. 9, will face sentencing on a Class 3A felony offense for assault by a confined person and a misdemeanor for refusing to submit to a chemical test. Sydow was scheduled for sentencing at 2:30 p.m. on July 6, 2015...

James M. Harris May 14, 1918 - May 12, 2015 McCOOK, Neb. -- James M. Harris, age 96, of McCook, passed away at the Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook on May 12, 2015. He was born in McCook on May 14, 1918, to Melvin and Gladys (Utter) Harris. James grew up in McCook where he received his education...

McCook will have to regroup following the narrow defeat of the economic development portion of the local option sales tax, while voters passed a 15-year extention of the regular 1.5 percent sales tax, until 2033. Whatever the future of economic development looks like, McCook has plenty of things going for it. As a trade center for Southwest Nebraska and Northwest Kansas, we offer a surprising number services, attractions and opportunities for employment for a town our size...

McCOOK, Neb. -- McCook Economic Development Executive Director Rex Nelson conceded this morning he was disappointed with the results from Tuesday's special election, however, he plans to focus his energy on ensuring a second effort turns out more favorable...