Stories from Tuesday, April 5, 2016

Raymond Leon Peterson Jan. 24, 1941 - April 1, 2016 TUCSON, Ariz. -- Raymond Leon Peterson, 75, of Tucson, died Friday (April 1, 2016). He was born on Jan. 24, 1941, in Lincoln, Neb., to Ralph Emerson and Evelyn Vivian (Eno) Peterson. He graduated from the University of Nebraska with a master's degree in electrical engineering in 1963. After working for various semiconductor companies, he retired in Tucson...

Barbara Jean Masoner Matson (Nichols) Jan. 25, 1934 - March 31, 2016 SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb. -- Barbara Jean Masoner Matson (Nichols), 82, died March 31, 2016. She was born Jan. 25, 1934, in Galesburg, Ill. She marred Billy James Masoner and after his death, married James Matson...

Allan L. Winings Feb. 12, 1951 - March 23, 2016 O'NEILL, Neb. -- Mass of Christian Burial for Allan L. Winings, age 65, of O'Neill was March 31, 2016, at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in O'Neill. Burial was at St. Joseph's Catholic Cemetery in Atkinson, Neb. ...

McCOOK, Neb. -- Maddy Hinze, an eighth grader at St Patrick School, won the school competition of the National Geography Bee on Jan. 12, 2016, and now has a chance at a $50,000 college scholarship. The school bee, at which students answered questions on geography, was the first round in the 28th annual National Geography Bee...

Theresea Reeves takes a critical look at some of the nearly 100 works of art on display at the Wrightstone Art Gallery on the McCook Community College campus. Reeves is the judge for this year's Paint-In and exhibition. The paint-in is set for Friday in the Peter and Dolores Graff Events Center while the exhibition of works from area high school students will remain on display through Friday. ...

If you're one of the lucky ones receiving a tax refund this year, you've probably already spent it. If you have to pay, you're probably putting it off as long as possible and you're wondering whether you're getting your money's worth. Don't feel alone. Two out of five Americans feel like they pay too much in taxes, and think that slightly more than half of every tax dollar is wasted by the federal government, according to WalletHub.com...

Bring on the warm(er) weather! I've been walking the sidewalks, alleys and best of all the walking trail in McCook. Mine is an attempt to melt off belly fat and yes I know the exercise of pushing back from the table will help greatly in that effort. ...

McCOOK, Neb. -- City officials received an introduction to the annexation process Monday evening including best practices, legal requirements and a synopsis of three communities recently completing the process. Professional planners Craig Bennett and Brenda Jensen of Miller and Associates presented the information. ...

McCOOK, Neb. -- A convincing call, complete with an authentic-looking caller ID, attempting to scam Dish network customers is making the rounds of the area, according to the McCook Police Department. The caller, generally with a foreign accent, says Dish Network is installing a new satellite and current equipment needs to be updated immediately...

HAYES CENTER, Neb. -- Seventy-eight families and the Hayes Center Senior Citizen Center shared 5,500 pounds of food distributed at the "Mobile Pantry" in Hayes Center Saturday morning. Mobile Pantry coordinators JoLyn Hare, a board member of the Hitchcock County Pantry, and Lea Childress, manager of Network Expansion at the Food Bank for the Heartland in Omaha, were pleased with the turnout in Hayes Center, and appreciated the volunteer assistance of Hayes Center Public Schools staff and students.. ...

McCOOK, Neb. -- Red Willow County commissioners agreed unanimously Monday morning to lease two tractors rather than purchase them. Commissioners had budgeted $150,000 to buy tractors this year for commissioner Earl McNutt's District 1 and for Steve Downer's District 2. They would offer for trade two tractors, a 2001 John Deere and a 2013 Case IH...