Stories from Monday, June 1, 2015

WAUNETA, Neb. -- James A. Brewer was born in Omaha, Nebraska, on Feb. 13, 1949. He attended school in Geneva and Fairmont, Nebraska; graduating Fairmont High School where he received the John Philip Sousa Band Award in 1967. He is a graduate of Hastings College and received the Outstanding Music Department Graduate Award in 1971. He was on the faculty of the Armed Forces School of Music in Norfolk, Virginia, in 1972-74...

McCOOK, Neb. --Michael "Mike" August Schiffelbein passed away Thursday (May 28, 2015) at his home in McCook surrounded by his family, after a long fought battle with Multiple Sclerosis. He was 63 years old. Mike was born on May 13, 1952, at Garden City, Kansas, to parents, Casper "Cap" John and Madelon Rose (Winters) Schiffelbein...

GREELEY, Colo. -- Carol Ann Horsford, 75, of Greeley passed away Thursday (May 28, 2015) at Kenton Manor in Greeley. Carol was born Feb. 7, 1940, to William and Ella Hongsermeier in Grand Island, Nebraska. She graduated from Grand Island Senior High School in 1958. She attended Midland Lutheran College...

ARAPAHOE, Neb. -- Darwin LaMar Strickland, 58, of Arapahoe died at his home on Friday (May 29, 2015). He was born Feb. 23, 1957, to Clifford H. and Bonnie June (Helton) Strickland, at the old St. Catherine's Hospital, in McCook, Nebraska. He is survived by two brothers, Doug and Deena Strickland of North Loup, Nebraska, and Richard and Marlene Strickland of Lakewood, Colorado; sister, Dalis Strickland of Arapahoe; aunt, Lila Adams of Arapahoe; and many cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends...

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. Activity log These items are taken from reports filed by the McCook Police Department. The locations refer to block numbers, not specific addresses. If you have information about any of these reports, call the police department at (308) 345-3450...

Nebraska's minimum wage is going to $9, far below the $15 some activists are demanding, so it was interesting to see a study published by the National Low-Income Housing Coalition about the cost of living. According to the study, the average Nebraskan would have to work 54 hours at a minimum wage to afford a one-bedroom apartment...

Note: Over the weekend we received word of the passing of a great friend of McCook, Flora Lundberg. Flora loved McCook, and for many years was McCook's #1 booster, working tirelessly as Mayor, and for a number of McCook organizations. This week it seems appropriate to look back at one of Flora's favorite organizations, and one in which she was instrumental in bringing into existence. ...

OBERLIN, Kan. -- Helen Margaret Sughroue Helm, 93, died Saturday (May 30, 2015) at Cedar Living Center in Oberlin. She was born Jan. 29, 1922, in Frontier County, Nebraska to Clarence Edward Sughroue and Esther Loretta Hanthorn, she was the oldest of seven children. Helen began her education in rural schools...

McCOOK, Neb. -- Neighbors of a dog kennel located on the southern edge of McCook filed a lawsuit recently claiming damages by the business and asking for compensation and an end to the operation. The civil complaint was filed May 19, 2015, in Red Willow County District Court by Joe and Ranae Williams of 71370 County Road 385 in McCook. ...

McCOOK, Neb. --Flora Jean Lundberg passed away Friday (May 29, 2015) at her home in McCook surrounded by her family and long term caregiver. She was 90 years old. Flora was born on Sept. 10, 1924, at Chicago, Illinois, to parents Earl E. Judy and Marie Propp. She graduated from McCook High School in 1942 and attended McCook Junior College...

McCOOK, Neb. -- McCook's first woman mayor, Flora Lundberg, was remembered for a lifetime of service following her passing Friday at the age of 90. Mrs. Lundberg, who served three terms as a McCook City Council member and four different stints as major, passed away at her home in McCook surrounded by her family and her long-term caregiver...

In her book, "Swept Away," Mary Magorian Sherk wrote, "Water has often harassed the folks who live in Southwest Nebraska. Usually it was the lack of it they complained about ... " However, the last week of May 1935, in the middle of a drought, it was too much water that would terrify those who lived along the Republican River. ...