Stories from Monday, September 14, 2015

We wouldn't want to trade our traffic conditions for those in Denver, Chicago or even Omaha, but that doesn't mean rural drivers can relax. In fact, it's that lack of traffic that can make driving hazardous. One issue is corn -- it can block vision at rural intersections that have no stop signs or yield signs...

McCook's birth as a genuine community occurred in mid-Summer of 1882. One of the first items on the city's agenda was the formation of a school, which opened on September 1, 1882. This first school, a modest beginning, was held in the dining room of the old Commercial Hotel, with Mrs. Alma Churchill as the teacher. Two of the first pupils were the future Mrs. F.M. Kimmel (editor of the McCook Tribune), and the future Mrs. Edna Meserve Magee...

McCOOK, Neb. -- McCook Area Chamber of Commerce board of directors chose Community Hospital to be the fourth quarter Honor Business at their recent board meeting. "Community Hospital is a huge supporter of the chamber and they provide a very important service to the community," said Chamber Executive Director Tacie Fawver. A presentation will be scheduled in the near future...

McCOOK, Neb. -- The McCook Police Department has coordinated girls' self-defense classes at the high school for more than eight years now and will be adding a new twist in the coming weeks. Sr. Sgt. Kevin Darling instructs and spearheads the program, which touches on a variety of areas spanning from fear control techniques to the mechanics of throwing a good punch...

Jennings, Kansas, auctioneer and antiques appraiser Bob Jones evaluates Barnun & Bailey Circus posters for Letha Perks, a collector from Stockville, Nebraska, during an antiques appraisal fair in 2008. Jones will host another appraisal fair, this one during McCook's Heritage Days Celebration, Sunday, Sept. ...

BEAVER CITY, Neb. -- Arvida Louise Warner, age 82, of Beaver City passed away on Thursday (Sept. 10, 2015) at Beaver City. She was born to Floyd Guy and Gladys Irene (Stone) Weatherwax on March 29, 1933 on the Weatherwax Farm three miles south of Hollinger, Nebraska...

YANKTON, South Dakota --Robert "Bob" Lewis Cappel, 70, of Yankton died Tuesday (Sept. 8, 2015) in hospice care at Avera Sacred Heart Hospital in Yankton. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2015, at First United Methodist Church in Yankton with the Rev. Ron Johnson officiating...

CURTIS, Neb. -- Cloid Eugene Schmitz, 89, died Saturday (Sept. 12, 2015) at his home in Curtis. He was born Oct. 11, 1925, southwest of Maywood, Nebraska, to Lawrence and Elsa May Schmitz. He grew up around Maywood and graduated from Maywood High School. He married Eva Mae Kahler on Sept. 6, 1947, at the United Methodist Church in Maywood. Cloid farmed and did dirt work on the side for many years...

CLARKSTON, Wash. -- Thomas Charles Rutt, 64, died Sunday (Sept. 6, 2015). He was born Oct. 1, 1950, in McCook, Nebraska, to Richard and LeAvis Rutt. He spent 29 years working for Klein Motor and Electric and McCorkle Auto Sales, his dream job in McCook. He moved to Clarkston where he spent 17 years working for the Great Northwestern Railroad...

STRATTON, Neb. -- Joyce Joan Johnson of Stratton died Saturday, Sept. 12, 2015 at Dundy County Hospital in Benkelman, Nebraska. She was 81 years old. Services are pending with Herrmann Jones Funeral Chapel of McCook.

DENVER, Colo. -- Betty Joan Trenchard, 91, of Denver passed away Thursday (Sept. 10, 2015) in Denver. She was born in Cambridge on May 11, 1924 to Charles and Louise (Darlage) Hilton. Funeral services were held today at the Lockenour-Jones Mortuary in Cambridge with interment in the Fairview Cemetery Cambridge with Bill Weaver officiating...

McCOOK, Neb. -- Lloyd Vernon Myers, age 89, died Sunday (Sept. 13, 2015) at his home in McCook. Visitation will be Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2015, from 1 p.m. - 8 p.m. at Carpenter Breland Funeral Home. Funeral services are 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2015, at Carpenter Breland Funeral Home with Mike Roth officiating...

McCOOK, Neb. -- Betty J. Johnson, age 87, died Sunday (Sept. 13, 2015) at Hillcrest Nursing Home. Services are pending and will be announced by Carpenter Breland Funeral Home of McCook.

WAUNETA, Neb. -- Larry L. "Tuck" Richards, age 82, died Sunday (Sept. 13, 2015) at Sunrise Heights of Wauneta. Services are pending and will be announced by Carpenter Breland Funeral Home of McCook.

ATWOOD, Kan. --Irven Wesley Hayden Jr., 94, died Thursday (Sept. 10, 2015). He was born May 13, 1921, to Ruth (Hopkins) and Irven W. Hayden Sr. He graduated from Atwood High School in 1939 and earned his Bachelor's Degree from the University of Kansas in 1947...

McCOOK, Neb. -- Tom and Sherrie McConville both grew up in McCook but after living in Lincoln for 15 years, were ready to retire back in their hometown. After looking around in McCook, they couldn't find what they were wanted, they said. "The lot sizes were too high for what we wanted to pay," Sherrie said, with she and Tom not interested in an older home they had to fix up...