Stories from Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Area residents visit with new McCook Police Officer Colin Rogers, left, during this morning's Coffee with a Cop meeting at the Bieroc Cafe.

Highly religious people are happier than others, according to a new Pew Research survey. However, even those who call themselves "religious unaffiliated" value religious attitudes. The unaffiliated group listed criteria for a moral life that might sound familiar to religious folk:...

McCOOK, Neb. -- A McCook High School grad is one of four new teachers hired for the school district next year. The McCook Board of Education approved a teaching contract Monday night at the regular meeting for Laykin Engell, a 2011 MHS graduate and McCook Community College grad. Engell will teach at McCook Elementary and is slated to graduate from Chadron State College in May with a bachelor degree in education. She student taught first grade at Hitchcock Elementary...

McCOOK, Neb. -- Because knights in shining armor are not always available, Damsels in Defense have got your back. That's the theory behind the line of personal safety items geared toward women by Damels in Defense and sold locally by Alisha Garcia of Holbrook...

Karen S. Blunt Dec. 13, 1959 - April 10, 2016 NORTH PLATTE, Neb. -- Karen S. Blunt, 56, of North Platte, passed away April 10, 2016, at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. She was born Dec. 13, 1959, to Garrell "Red" and Frances (May) Howell at McCook, Neb...

Stuart Dennis Couse April 6, 1940 - April 4, 2016 LITTLETON, Col. -- Stuart Dennis Couse, 75, died Monday, April 4, 2016, at his home. He leaves his wife of 53 years, Barbara (Brown) Couse; his daughter, Staci; two sons, Doug and Derek; two daughters-in-law, Lisa and Lorie; and six grandchildren, Ian Wilson, Kathryn Wilson, Calahan Wilson, Spencer Couse, Danielle Couse and Dalton Couse...

80th birthday The family of Ron Sis of McCook is requesting a card shower in honor of his 80th birthday today, April 13. His family includes his wife, Donna Sis; children, Mike (Cathy) Sis of Bellevue, Neb., Melanie (Lee Don) Scott of Oberlin, Kan., Melissa (Keith) Prohaska of Columbus, Neb., Marty (Denise) Sis, Mitchell (Dee) Sis and Marshell (Tracey) Sis, all of McCook; 24 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren, with 5 more on the way this year. ...

McCOOK, Neb. -- You'll get a bird's eye view of the high school area in McCook, thanks to students in web design classes. Bill Ramsay's Web Design 2 and 3 at McCook High School have updated the school district's website at mccookbison.org and treat viewers to up-in-the-air footage taken by a drone belonging to the school. Students have also used it at the golf course for projects they are doing for Heritage Hills golf course and the Bison boys golf team...

McCOOK, Neb. -- Experienced glass technicians from Kearney and McCook have joined forces to start a new glass business to serve homeowners, auto owners and business people from Southwest Nebraska and Northwest Kansas. The business -- GlassDoctor -- is in the remodeled brick building at 509 East B Street in McCook...

McCOOK, Neb. -- A McCook man was sentenced to prison time on a felony drug charge last week in Red Willow County District Court. The offender, 39-year-old Paul Allen Miller of 1307 West F Street, accepted a plea agreement combining two criminal cases and admitting guilt to a Class IV felony for possession of methamphetamine and a Class I misdemeanor for attempted possession of meth. ...

I am writing to request a clarification to the April 12 letter to the editor by Pat Holder (Can Gov. Ricketts Imagine?). While Pat accurately highlights the widespread problem of under-resourced indigent defense in this country, the statistics attributed to the Innocence Project are either inaccurate or conflated...

And now -- drum roll please -- number 10 on our list of "Top Ten" things to see in the night sky, and sorry folks, but this is another "faint fuzzy" (actually two of them) as were most of the rest of them but it is easier to find. Be outside at your favorite dark-sky place at least one and a half to two hours after local sunset with your binoculars looking north...

Lynetta Wine WAUNETA, Neb. -- Lynetta Wine, 64, died Tuesday (April 12, 2016), at Sunrise Heights Nursing Home in Wauneta. Suvivors include her husband, Arlan of Wauneta; children, James McNab of Wauneta and Jeralyn Wine of Scottsbluff, Neb.; and brother, Lloyd Bley and wife, Durenda of Wauneta...

Virginia M. Henthorn Nov. 14, 1926 - April 13, 2016 McCOOK,Neb. -- Virginia M. Henthorn, age 89, passed away Wednesday, April 13, 2016, at her home at Brookdale McCook. She was born in Phillips, Neb., on Nov. 14, 1926, to Henry F. and Emy A. (Larsson) Sandberg. She graduated from Aurora High School in 1944...

Ann Marie Shaw June 26, 1930 - April 7, 2016 SANTA FE, N.M. -- Known as "Mimi" to her family, Ann passed away at her home in Santa Fe, New Mexico on April 7, 2016, after a long and fulfilling life. Ann was born June 26, 1930, to Clifford M. and Helen Dryden Shaw in Wilsonville, Neb. ...