Stories from Friday, November 13, 2015

Liam Dean Fries Bradley and Jennifer Fries of Benkelman, Nebraska, announce the birth of their son, Liam Dean Fries, who was born Oct. 9, 2015, at Community Hospital in McCook. He weighed 9 pounds, 6 ounces and measured 21.5 inches long. Grandparents are Barbara Sydow of Stratton, Nebraska and the late Spencer Sydow and Valerie and Richard Fries of Benkelman. ...

Blakely Terri McCorkle David and Kayla McCorkle of McCook announce the birth of their daughter, Blakely Terri McCorkle, who was born Aug. 17, 2015, at Community Hospital in McCook. She weighed 6 pounds, 13 ounces and measured 19 3/4 inches long. She has three siblings Bailey, 6, Brennan, 3 and Breckyn, 1. Grandparents are Jim and Connie Meixner and Terry and Jill McCorkle, all of McCook. Great-grandparents are Harry and Mary Lebsack and Edith McCorkle, all of McCook...

Portenier, Ruppert Jessie L. Portenier of Harvard, Nebraska, and Dylan J. Ruppert of Curtis, Nebraska, announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the bride-to-be are Kif and Sharon Portenier of Harvard. Parents of the prospective bridegroom are Dave and Darla Ruppert of McCook, Nebraska...

80th birthday The family of Arliss Kinder of Arapahoe Nebraska, is requesting a card shower in honor of her 80th birthday Friday, Nov. 20. She and her late husband, Norman, farmed south of Holbrook for many years. Cards of congratulations will reach her at 208 E. 6th Street, Apt 17, Arapahoe, NE 68922...

Susan Doak Southwest Nebraska Genealogy Society Before the written word, it is surmised that people kept records through stories and songs passed down from generation to generation. Considering that thought, you have to remember that literacy, the ability to read and write by the majority of people in our country, is a fairly "new" concept!...

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...

Life's a lot simpler than many folks would have you believe. I hate to be the one to have to tell you this but a big part of the problem is "education." Now don't get me wrong, education is great for those who use it to prepare for their life's work...

McCOOK, Neb. -- A plea agreement was reached last week in Red Willow County District Court with a McCook man admitting guilt to felony drug and weapons charges. The offender, 29-year-old Keenan Jorschumb, was subsequently scheduled for sentencing at 9:15 a.m. on Jan. 4, 2016...

WASHINGTON -- Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack recently announced USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service will invest about $8 million in the Ogallala Aquifer Initiative Fiscal Year 2016 to help farmers and ranchers conserve billions of gallons of water annually while strengthening agricultural operations...

McCOOK, Neb. -- Red Willow County attorney Paul Wood said Thursday morning that the issue of ownership of the tractor involved in a roll-over east of McCook Nov. 5 is a civil matter, not a criminal matter. Teresa Leighton, the mother of 19-year-old Austin Rawlings, who was injured when the tractor he was driving rolled into a road ditch, told the Gazette that the tractor is now in her family's possession on their farm in South Dakota...

McCOOK, Neb. -- A North Carolina women finally paid a visit to an Army air base where her father was stationed 70 years ago, a visit she's been dreaming about for years. Linda Crawford of Goldsboro, N.C., was an infant when her father, Hubert Sasser of the U.S. Army Air Force, was stationed during World War II at the McCook Army Air Base nine miles northwest of McCook...

McCOOK, Neb. -- The November and December calendar is full, according to McCook Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Tacie Fawver. Beginning with the McCook Farm and Ranch Expo next week, the chamber and members will be busy promoting local business and industry and helping everyone get into a holiday spirit...

McCOOK, Neb. -- The November and December calendar is full, according to McCook Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Tacie Fawver. Beginning with the McCook Farm and Ranch Expo next week, the chamber and members will be busy promoting local business and industry and helping everyone get into a holiday spirit...

INDIANOLA, Neb. -- A sophomore at Southwest High School in Bartley will represent Nebraska and the United States as a member of the Central Conference Team competing in track and field in the "Down Under International Games" in Australia in July 2016...

I was raised by a progressive family who emphasized the importance of personal character in everything we did. Character in the sense of knowing who you were, what you were about and embracing it, even when you were criticized by others. Those teachings have stayed with me throughout my life and have buoyed my definition of self. ...

While we're confident the Bison will prevail in Friday night's playoff game, but one thing is for sure: Nov. 13 will be an unlucky day for one of the teams meeting on Weiland Field. We're well into the 21st century, but how many of us are stuck in the Middle Ages when it comes to the number 13?...

Before we get into the nitty-gritty of this story about Pam Morello, the Warden at the Work Ethic Camp in McCook, let's take a couple of minutes to ponder the words which appear on the wall hanging in the warden's office. The wall decoration was given to Morello on her first day as the leader of the McCook correctional institution. Today - five years later - Morello continues to read the plaque word-for-word on a frequent basis...

McCOOK, Neb. -- More details will be announced in an upcoming release from the college, but the Mid-Plains Community College board of governors is set to consider the gift of the former McCook Elks Club property. The agenda for Wednesday's meeting in McCook includes an item to consider acceptance of the property from Perry and Vicky Case and authorizing Mid-Plains President to sign a memorandum of understanding on behalf of the board. ...