Stories from Tuesday, April 4, 2017

Over the past 20 years, the U.S. suicide rate has been increasing to the point that it’s one of the leading causes of death. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, reports the suicide rate is up among every age group under 75, but as tragic as that is, worse is the fact that it’s tripled among young girls between 10 and 14...

William Dean Sayer Nov. 7, 1936 - Feb. 27. 2017 HURST, Texas — William Dean Sayer, 80, died Feb. 27, 2017. He was born Nov. 7, 1936, to Bill and Mabel (Ridpath) Sayer. He graduated from Holbrook High School in 1956. He was preceded in death by his parents; and brothers, Terry Sayer and Richard Sayer...

McCOOK, Neb. — Temperatures in Southwest Nebraska haven’t changed all that much over the past 100 years, and precipitation is actually up, according to a recent study by the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. McCook City Manager Nate Schneider and Utilities Director Jesse Dutcher attended a climate study seminar coordinated by the university last week and shared their findings with the McCook City Council Monday evening. ...

SEWARD, Neb. — Megan Ruppert of McCook was one of three students at Concordia University, Neb., who earned awards in the 2017 Learning with Tech – All Student Contests in the Interactive Media Pre-Service/College student category. The contest was hosted by the Nebraska Educational Technology Association (NETA)...

McCOOK, Neb. — “Bringing it Home,” a documentary film promoting industrial hemp, will be shown at a Tuesday, April 11, at the Bieroc Cafe, 312 Norris Ave. in McCook. A discussion of cannabis legislation for Nebraska will be from 5 to 7 p.m., and the film, by Linda Booker and Blair Johnson, will be shown at 6 p.m...

BENKELMAN, Neb. — A suddenly manic Monday didn’t bother the Cambridge Trojans or several other area teams at the Dundy County-Stratton Invitational. The track-field meet was originally set for today, but moved one day because of expected windy or bad weather...

McCOOK, Neb. — What’s the value of a trained storm spotter? Even with today’s technology, from a distance, radar cannot see the bottom of a storm cell. “Spotters can report from ground level,” said Tim Lynch, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Goodland, Kansas...

McCOOK, Neb. — A 40-year local art event for area high school students -- which has felt the pinch of reduced funding for the arts — has received a reprieve from the McCook Rotary Club. Participation for all high school students entering in this year’s McCook Community College High School Art Exhibition and Paint-In, will be paid for by a one-time grant from the McCook Rotary Club and a matching $500 contribution from Rotary District 5630...

If North Carolina fans danced on streets like the Tar Heels hit shots Monday night, there were probably quite a few Tar Heels picking themselves off Chapel Hill pavements. Heartburn could have easily developed and there was no relief during the trillionth showing of a Charles Barkley-Spike Lee-Samuel Jackson commercial basketball breaks...

Your humble columnist, a long-time local area resident, is enjoying the kerfuffle over the management of Barnett Park. That park along our Republican River is one of the jewels of this area. I enjoy watching the myriad Canada geese, the largest goose in the world, that spend their days there. ...

McCOOK, Neb. —Just like varsity, McCook’s JV boys swept all three realay race titles while sophomore Mackenzie Smith’s two championships powered the Bison JV girls on Friday. Smith won both the shot put and discus throws as the Bison girls surpassed 100 points...

Services are pending with Herrman-Jones Funeral Chapel of McCook.