Recent pictures of additions to McCook's Parks.

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by Froma Harrop who is from Rhode Islandand is a columnist for Creators Syndicate. Our thanks to Froma for giving her permission to reprint this story. We found this article on www.ruralnebraskaliving.com; a site you should checkout. This website includes information about livable small towns, rural success stories, articles and essays (like the one below), great places to eat, many resources and things to do, all in Southwest Nebraska
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  A book about the only Frank Lloyd Wright structure in Nebraska will be published this year.  It will include photographs by John Altberg ’69, an architectural photographer, and Donald Morgan ‘69 who based his 1964 University of Nebraska thesis on the building. In the 70’s the building was going to be torn down because no one would buy it.  Now it is owned by Van and Jan Korell.  The book will include the concept, design and construction of the structure from its beginning through next four owners.

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The Buffalo Commons Storytelling Festival enters its 13th year of bringing the nation’s most revered performers to the stage of the Historic Fox Theater. Returning this year is featured teller Bil Lepp, a five-time champion of the West Virginia Liar’s Contest. His outrageous, humorous tall-tales and witty stories have earned the appreciation of listeners of all ages and from all walks of life. Though a champion liar, his hilarious, insightful stories often contain morsels of truth which shed light on subjects such as politics, religion, death, relationships, and human nature.
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Improvements in the neighborhood.
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With gifts ranging from $10 to $10,000, McCook High School alumni have been the pacesetters in the campaign to fix up McCook’s historic Fox Theatre.

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We may soon forget about The Beijing Games, but McCook will long remember the Olympian year we had for cultural events! Just like the Tobi ’88 and Brett ’00 Warren, who were keeping the video feeds streaming in from the Olympics (see Alumni News), the Southwest Nebraska Community Theatre Association (SWNCTA) and McCook Community College (MCC) presented wonderful performances for all to enjoy.

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After more than three years of concentrated effort, the McCook Economic Development Corp. has received an economic investment award of $1,578,500 for the purchase of the historic Keystone Hotel. The award will fund half of the cost of renovating the Keystone. The other half of the $3.1 million project will come from local bank financing, charitable contributions, tax increment financing and city funding. The news of the grant came from U.S. Sen. Ben Nelson ‘59 and U.S. Congressmen Adrian Smith. The Keystone project will clear the way for growth of 21st Century Systems, the software application firm now headquartered on the McCook Community College campus. As the anchor, 21st CSI will occupy the fourth floor of the Keystone, making room for 30 computer and software technicians. The Entrepreneurship Center will be a full-service support center, offering resources for local businesses. The second floor of the renovated Keystone is designed as executive offices for lease. The first and second floors will be restored to their original uses. A small restaurant and catered events will bring life back to the main floor. One office space on the ground floor is proposed as the new location for the Chamber of Commerce. This will be a return home for the Chamber, which had an office in the southeast corner of the hotel for years.

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The 2008 Buffalo Commons Storytelling Festival will be held May 30 & 31. Returning to the festival this year is the nationally-renowned storyteller from Oklahoma City, Barbara McBride-Smith. At her third appearance in McCook, Barbara will demonstrate why she has performed at the National Storytelling Festival seven times. For over thirty years she has been a teacher, a school librarian, a theological seminary instructor, a traveling storyteller and a writer. Her tales deliver these experiences in a powerful, yet heart-warming way.

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It began with a walk after church and concluded with a basketball shot through a hoop. The vision Marty Russell ’63 had in 2005 of a park to honor his father, Carson Russell, came to fruition Saturday with the official opening of Russell Park, on East Fifth and J streets.

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During 2007, McCook celebrated its 125^th (Quasquicentennial) year with an impressive array of events.

On April 14th, the Prairie Statesmen barbershop choir performed at the city auditorium with an expanded chorus of singers from the McCook area. This group was known as the “Big Q” choir in recognition of McCook’s 125^th celebration and was directed by Carl Philo. The local barbershop quartet, “Key of Gee”, also sang featuring Prairie Statesmen members Charles Coleman ‘66, Merlin Brown, Russ Ankersen, and Philo.

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“Challenge Concepts, LLC”, is a Nebraska hunting and fishing company owned by Mike Roth ‘87 of Lincoln, Matt Egglsston of Broken Bow and Chris Fryzek of Burwell. They say, “Welcome to the Nebraska Xtreme Outdoorsman Challenge.  Hunting in Nebraska has never been this big!” The challenge is for a two man team to hunt five native species in three days in December. The Top Gun team will receive $40,000 and will pay the top 5 teams, over $70,000.00 in prizes. Mark your calendar for Wednesday, Dec. 5th thru Sunday, Dec. 9th, 2007. Check out all the details at: huntandfish.org or outdoorsmanchallenge.com