Stories from Monday, November 23, 2015

Martin E. May Dec. 17, 1924 - Nov. 19, 2015 OBERLIN, Kan. -- Martin E. May, 90, of Oberlin, died Thursday (Nov. 19, 2015), at Decatur Health Systems in Oberlin. He was born Dec. 17, 1924, in Decatur County to Ernest H. and Martha (Voelker) May. He grew up on a farm northwest of Oberlin and graduated from Decatur Community High School in 1942. He married Evelyn Reith on April 6, 1947. He served in the U.S. Army...

Don Mines Dec. 8, 1927 - Oct. 21, 2015 OBERLIN, Kan. -- Don Mines, 87, died Saturday (Oct. 21, 2015), at Good Samaritan Society in Oberlin. He was born Dec. 8, 1927, in McCook, Nebraska, to Joseph and Elta (Waldo) Mines. He graduated from Decatur Community High School in 1945. ...

Dennis R. Leonard Aug. 5, 1937 - Nov. 19, 2015 GRAND ISLAND, Neb. -- Dennis R. Leonard, 78, of Grand Island died on Nov. 19, 2015. Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday at Third City Christian Church in Grand Island with the Rev. Scott Jones officiating. Burial will follow at 3 p.m. in Orleans Cemetery near Orleans, Nebraska...

If you were around in the '70s or '80s, you remember the bas news. Coffee will give you cancer. Coffee will give you heart disease. Coffee can make you jittery and give you heart burn and indigestion. There's no denying that too much caffeine can have bad effects, but a lot of those old studies didn't take other factors into account: Many coffee drinkers smoked, drank too much alcohol or engaged in other unhealthy behavior...

Over the years, when there is discussion of a favorite long-time resident, Blind Sam, there is always the question, "I wonder whatever happened to Blind Sam's violin?" Now, thanks to a nice lady from Cokato, Minnesota, Jean Lanska, we have the answer to that question...

McCOOK, Neb. -- Officials appear concerned about foot traffic at the former St. Catherine's apartment building and have cited the property owner for maintaining an unsafe building. Property owner Bev Smith was cited last month, the same week a Gazette article ran touting the Smith's renovation plans for the former hospital building turned apartment complex...

TRENTON, Neb.-- Two duck hunters were rescued Saturday after their boat was swamped in Swanson Reservoir, leaving them stranded in 45-degree weather for three hours. Both were taken to Community Hospital, and one of them was reportedly flown out by air ambulance with severe hypothermia, according to Craig Stover of the Game and Parks Commission...

McCOOK, Neb. -- This isn't your grandfather's printer. Seniors at McCook High School have been giving the 3-D printers in their industrial tech class a workout, creating objects like headphones, masks, even a trumpet. If you can think it, you can more than likely make it, said Joseph Solorzano, who created a Rubik's cube by making each piece with a 3-D printer and putting it together, along with a musical wind instrument called an ocarina...

McCOOK, Neb. -- Part of the former Walmart building in Westview Plaza has been busy as the Tractor Supply Co. prepares to open a store there in early 2016. Tractor Supply Company is excited about being a new member of the McCook, Nebraska, business community," according to a company spokesman...

OXFORD, Neb. -- The daughter of an Oxford woman was in Paris, France, when terrorists attacked the city Friday, Nov. 13. The Oxford, Nebraska, Standard newspaper reports that Kim Lueking's daughter, Darcy, called her mother from a hotel in Paris with information about the shootings and bombings before the news of the massacre went worldwide...

YRC Freight driver Loren Wiederspan of Kearney, Nebraska, delivers 2,200 "The Dogs and Cats of McCook" decks of playing cards to the McCook, Nebraska, Humane Society animal shelter Monday afternoon. The cards are the project of "The Cat Pack," a group of McCook teens that raises funds for the shelter and awareness of responsible pet adoption. ...

Mildred (Millie) Jones June 10, 1923 - Nov. 21, 2015 BENKELMAN, Neb. -- Mildred Evelyn Yancy was born on June 10, 1923, the daughter of Luther Sylvester Yancy and Zella Mae (Evans) Yancy. She passed away on Nov. 21, 2015, at the Sarah Ann Hester Memorial Home in Benkelman, Nebraska, at the age of ninety-two years and five months...

May Elizabeth Phillips Lawson May 4, 1922 - Nov. 20, 2015 CAMBRIDGE, Neb. -- May Elizabeth Phillips Lawson passed away Nov. 20, 2015, in Cambridge at the age of 93. May was born on May 4, 1922, to Harry and Helen (Gammill) Phillips in Frontier County, the sixth of seven children. She grew up in the Stockville area...

George Albert Fritz Aug. 2, 1928 - Nov. 22, 2015 CAMBRIDGE, Neb. -- George Albert Fritz, age 87, passed away Sunday, Nov. 22, 2015, at Tri Valley Health System in Cambridge. George was born in Indianola to Adam M. and Alice M.(Fidnarik) Fritz on Aug. 2, 1928. He graduated from Curtis Agriculture High School in 1948...

Michael L. Jones Aug. 19, 1948 - Nov. 22, 2015 McCOOK, Neb. -- Michael L. Jones, age 67, passed away Sunday, Nov. 22, 2015, at his home in McCook. Michael was born on Aug. 19, 1948, in McCook to Kenneth D. and Barbara J. (Neilsen) Jones. He graduated from Glen Elder High School in Kansas in 1967...