Stories from Wednesday, March 30, 2016

MCCOOK, Neb. -- The McCook Economic Development Corp. is pleased to announce the hiring of its new Executive Director Kirk Dixon. Kirk comes to McCook and the MEDC as a visionary and dynamic leader with executive experience that has included business development, large scale organizational change, brand and culture development, strategic communications, business networking events and promotions, real estate management, and community development support involving entrepreneurs, corporations, colleges and universities, not for profits and the media.. ...

The Buffalo Commons Storytelling and Music Festival planning committee is pleased to join forces with McCook City Library and McCook Senior High to celebrate Poetry Month. Their First Tuesday event will be held April 5 from 7-8 pm in the basement of the city library. Ginny Odenbach, McCook's poet laureate, will be the featured speaker. She will also facilitate presentations from selected high school students...

McCOOK, Neb. -- The Cat Pack fund-raising group is searching for the most popular dogs and cats of Southwest Nebraska, Northwest Kansas and Northeast Colorado to feature in its annual calendar for the McCook Humane Society. Pet owners can start submitting photographs of their animals to the online contest coordinator on Friday, April 15. Instructions will be made available as the start-up date draws closer; no pictures can be submitted before April 15...

Nebraskans are known for helping out their neighbors -- turning out to harvest crops for a family with a death or illness, working cattle, generally being neighborly. Sometimes there are quite a few miles between them and the neighbors in need. That's the case with the Anderson Creek Fire, a record-setting blaze that has burned across nearly 400,000 acres of land, destroying fences, livestock, outbuildings and other property in the process. ...

Anybody get up early on the morning of March 23, to attempt to see the penumbral eclipse of the moon? Yeah, I didn't either. That kind of eclipse is difficult if not next to impossible to see. However, something we can see can be found in the early evening sky these early spring evenings. Here is a "Top Ten" list of things to look for...

McCOOK, Neb. -- The City of McCook Fire Department coordinated a volunteer recognition banquet recently and hope the event serves as the beginning of a long-standing annual tradition. City employees are recognized annually for years of service and given the critical role volunteers play in the day-to-day operations of the fire department, and the significant number of service years they represent. ...

McCOOK, Neb. -- Kids can confront the "Rock Monster" or "master the locks" during McCook Elementary School's annual "Family Fun Night Carnival" Friday, April 1, from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m., in the commons area of the school in the 1500 block of West Fifth...

David A. Keller Jan. 14, 1961-March 26, 2016 LINCOLN, Neb. -- David Arthur Keller joined the family of Myrna and Peewee Keller on Jan. 14, 1961, and was greeted by his three sisters -- Joni, Rita and Duffy Keller. In passing from this life on March 26, 2016, David, 55, is reunited with his mom and dad, grandparents and nephew, Corey...

Alice J. Driscoll Dec. 7, 1923 - March 27, 2016 KEARNEY, Neb. -- Alice J. Driscoll, 92 years of age, from Kearney, Neb., formerly of Axtell, passed away on Sunday, March 27, 2016, at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. Memorial services will be on Friday, April 1, 2016, at 4 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church in Axtell with Rev. Steve Deines officiating. Burial will be in the Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Axtell prior to the memorial service...

CHADRON, Neb. -- Beverly Dodge, of McCook, Nebraska, will be featured at the Chadron Festival of Quilts, to be held April 22, 23, 24 at the Assumption Arena in Chadron, Nebraska. Her presentation will begin at 2 pm on Saturday, April 23; she will also conduct a walking tour of her festival show on Friday, April 22, at 12 noon...

HASTINGS, Neb. -- Marlys Brenning of Culbertson, Neb. is one of 31 students who have been inducted into the Beta Alpha Delta Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa at Central Community College-Hastings. Phi Theta Kappa is an international honor society for two-year colleges. To obtain membership, students must have earned 12 hours of college credit and a 3.5 grade point average (GPA). A 3.25 GPA is required to maintain membership...

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. Police activity Activity log...