Stories from Monday, July 8, 2002

June Davis' photo (above), "Lindi feeds the ducks," took first place for June in the Gazette's People, Pets & Places Photo Contest, winning $50 for the McCook woman. Dorothy Beyer of Grand Island took second place with "Lom, Norway" (below, right) and won $35. Clifford Richardson's photo "Duet -- Down by the Old Mill Stream!" (below, left) took $15 for the third place prize. Richardson is from Max...

Katie Fletcher and Chad Graham, both of Littleton, Colo., announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the couple are Mark and Glenda Fletcher of McCook and Chet Graham and Annette Agren of Denver. The bride-to-be is a graduate of McCook High School and the University of Northern Colorado. ...

HASTINGS -- Shannon Diane Brown of McCook and Craig Alan Bird of Hastings exchanged wedding vows in a double ring ceremony Saturday, June 15, in Hastings. A steady summer rain falling on Lakeside Chapel at Good Samaritan Village prompted the relocation of the ceremony to All Saints Chapel, also at Good Samaritan. Uniting the couple was the Rev. Neil Vic...

Jennifer Wood and Allen Scarrow, both of Houston, Texas, announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the couple are K. David and Donna Wood of Richmond, Texas and Cecil and Ferma Scarrow of McCook. The bride-to-be is a 1997 graduate of Texas A&M with a degree in psychology. ...

Dear Editor, I read the article by Richard Budig in the Monday, July 1 Gazette, "An encounter with Joe Lewis," with a great deal of interest. It was in 1950 when Joe Lewis came to Trenton, Neb., to put on an "exhibition bout." My husband, Kenney, had just graduated from the University of Nebraska in May 1950 and we had moved to Trenton to work on the relocation of the railroad, which was moved from the river bottom to the top of the hills north of town. ...

Far too often, we fail because we do not try. "That's too big a job," we think to ourselves, passing up opportunities because of the vast amount of time, effort and money required for success. But, thankfully, there are exceptions. One glowing example is Palisade, a Golden Plains community where the spirit of patriotism burns brightly...

Several years ago a Denver radio station gave a daily recipe to its listeners. The recipe was a one dish meal that could be cooked in a car during the summer. All that was required to cook the food was a car sitting out in the hot sun with the windows rolled up. The radio station claimed the one dish meals would be ready to serve the family by the time the work day was over...

Dear Editor; I am increasingly concerned with the lack of involvement that is being shown by the citizens who reside in our City. As I go about my day to day business, I overhear a great deal of discussion of the issues that are before us as a community. Whether it's in the coffee shop, the grocery line or on the street, it seems as though people are concerned with the problems we face, buy not to the point of finding out the facts first hand...

Dear Editor, The Nebraska Humanities Council had the pleasure of working with the Museum of the High Plains and the community of McCook the last year on the Barn Again! project. This Smithsonian traveling exhibit toured the state of Nebraska for almost a year and the response has been overwhelming. McCook was no exception. The town of McCook and the surrounding area came together to produce wonderful events, programming and support for Barn Again!...

Phil and Teresa Pierce of Ogallala announce the engagement of their daughter, Piper Jo, to Thomas Robert Krause, both of Lakewood, Colo. Parents of the prospective bridegroom are Steve and Joan Krause of Ogallala. Grandparents of the bride-to-be are Edward Geier of Culbertson, the late Berneita Geier and Ted and Jeannine Pierce of Stratton. ...

Crazy Days are here again. The bargains begin this Thursday through Saturday with sidewalk sales at various retailers throughout the community. On Thursday, retailers are encouraged to kick off the event by dressing up to this year's theme "Saturday morning favorites." On Friday, the sales will continue, and on Saturday, classic cars will line the streets. ...

Mabel Peppler (left) presents the quilt she made, in 1964 or 1965, to Katheryn Adams, who won a drawing which raised $240 for the Heritage Senior Center's building program. Jim Hamill of McCook National Bank and center director Sue Chipman (right) look on. ...

KEARNEY -- Richard A. Baxter of Palisade was elected and installed as state commander of the Nebraska American Legion at the 84th annual department convention in Kearney. Baxter is eligible for membership in the American Legion through his Vietnam War service in the U.S. Navy. A Legionnaire since 1994, he is post commander of the John L. Sullivan Post 318 in Palisade...

LINCOLN -- Dwaine Wilson of McCook, adjutant / quartermaster, will serve on the council of Gerald "Jerry" Ludwig of Lyons, who as elected the new VFW State Commander at the 82nd state convention in Grand Island. Other state officers are from Davenport, Bloomfield, Elkhorn, Omaha and North Platte...

A North Platte man was sentenced in Red Willow County District Court this week for attempted possession of methamphetamines. Loren A. Biltoff was sentenced Monday to 12 months probation for attempt to possess a controlled substance, a Class I misdemeanor...

Katelyn Hoffmaster (left) and Jasmine Gomez discover that ice cubes don't last long in their lemonade. The girls, and Katelyn's sister, Amber, sold lemonade on a day recently when the temperature in McCook climbed above 100 degrees.

KEARNEY -- Two McCook teenagers injured in a one-vehicle accident Friday morning are listed in serious condition at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. The patient care coordinator at the Kearney hospital updated condition reports this morning on Shawn Nelson and Stephen Peterson, both 17...

Nebraska's chapter of Women Involved in Farm Economics is calling for immediate passage of federal disaster relief aid to help farmers and ranchers battling with an ongoing drought. Pam Potthoff of Trenton, NE WIFE president, said following a meeting in McCook Saturday that even the new farm bill won't be of much help to farmers and ranchers desperate for moisture...

LINCOLN -- Five men from Southwest Nebraska have been appointed to help the Legislature chart a course for future regulation of the use of ground water and surface water. Appointed by Gov. Mike Johanns and State Sen. Ed Schrock of Elm Creek to the Water Policy Task Force are Dan Smith of Curtis, manager of the Middle Republican Natural Resources District; James B. ...

LINCOLN -- Despite drought, terrorist attacks and economic woes, rural Nebraskans are slightly more optimistic this year than last, according to the annual Nebraska Rural Poll. This year, 37 percent of respondents to the University of Nebraska poll said they were better off today than five years ago, up from 32 percent in 2001, and 21 percent said they were worse off, up from 19 percent last year. ...

Benjamin E. Gottschalk, 87, died Tuesday (July 2, 2002) at Community Hospital in McCook. He was born Oct. 17, 1914, to Herbert and Elizabeth (Deyle) Gottschalk at the family home seven miles south of Max, in Dundy County. As a child, he attended country school - District #52, near his home through the eighth grade. He is a 1933 graduate of Benkelman High School...

BEAVER CITY -- Opal E. Penrod, 97, died Friday (July 5, 2002) at Cambridge Memorial Hospital from an auto accident which occurred June 27, 2002, north of Norton, Kan. She was born July 11, 1904, to Rosswell and Tillie (Wolfe) Shellenbarger at Hendley. She grew up on a farm near Beaver City...

ARAPAHOE -- Mary Marguerite Palmer, 91, died Sunday (July 7, 2002) at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. She was born June 18, 1911, to Edward and Emma (Baker) Collins at Rapid City, S.D. She was raised in McCook and attended McCook Public Schools. After school she worked and lived in Denver, Colo. and then moved southwest of Arapahoe in 1944...

PALISADE -- Gary Owen Petsch, 65, died Wednesday (July 3, 2002) at Guide Rock. He was born April 8, 1937, to Jess and Mabel Carmen (Hill) Petsch on his family's farm near Stratton. As a young boy, he attended country school near his home, and later attended Stratton High School where he was a member of the graduating class of 1955. After high school, he attended McCook Community College...

Caroline Wilhelmina Reiners, 91, died Friday (July 5, 2002) at Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook. She was born Sept. 29, 1910, to Henry and Dorothea (Wall) Hofman at McCook. She attended rural schools in the Ash Creek area. On June 18, 1931, she married Edward R. Reiners at St. John's Lutheran Church. She lived in the Ash Creek area all her life. She was a member of the St. John's Lutheran Church and a charter member of the St. John's Guild-LWML...

HERNDON -- Rose Mary "Rosie" Solko, 96, died Friday (July 5, 2002) at her home in Herndon. She was born March 25, 1906, to Joseph and Elizabeth (Neuberger) Solko in a sod house in rural Rawlins County. She attended a country school, call the Brown School and later attended St. Mary's Parochial School at Herndon. She was a lifelong resident of Herndon...

ATWOOD --Frank "Doc" Rudolph Horinek, 91, died Friday (July 5, 2002) at the Rawlins County Health Center in Atwood. He was born March 20, 1911, to Rudolph and Agnes (Janousek) Horinek in Atwood. He graduated from Queen of Driftwood rural school. He received several degrees in veterinary medicine and surgery from Dr. David Roberts Veterinary School in Waukesha, Wis. He served in the 1852nd Calvary Unit at Ft. Bliss, Texas during World War II where he was given a medical discharge...

AUBURN -- J.B. Choate, 71, died Thursday (July 4, 2002) at the Nemaha County Good Samaritan Center in Auburn. He was a former minister of the the First United Methodist Church in Auburn. He also ministered in Culbertson, Trenton and Wilsonville. Survivors include his wife, Sue of Auburn; two sons, Jerry and wife, Jayne Choate of Hawthorne, Wis., and David and wife, Elizabeth Choate of Beatrice; two daughters, Wanda and husband, Rich Carr of Lincoln and Yolanda and husband, Justin Wheelson of Sterling; and two brothers, Dawson and Doyle Choate.. ...

EUSTIS -- Arthur "Art" Ficken, 83, died Friday (July 5, 200) at Phelps Memorial Health Center in Holdredge. He was born Dec. 29, 1918, to John and Joanna (Noltensmeier) Ficken south of Eustis. He lived his entire life on the family farm. He was a farmer...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Belmont E. "Butch" Shreffler, 85, died Sunday (June 16, 2002) in Sacramento, Calif. He was born Aug. 24, 1916, to Edmond and Cora Belle (Duter) Shreffler in Fairbury. He grew up in the Palisade area and moved to Sacramento in 1937. ...

TRENTON -- Jarod Lee Berry, 21, died Friday (July 5, 2002) in McCook. He was born Sept. 26, 1980, to Randy and Darlene (Dickey) Berry in Colby, Kan. He grew up in Trenton and he was a 1998 graduate of Trenton High School. He was attending McCook Community College and was employed at El Dorado Manor Nursing Home in Trenton...

I think that most people have a few dreams that must be put off until retirement. A working schedule just doesn't lend itself to frivolous pursuits. I was no different. One of the goals I looked forward to in retirement, and one that I'm grateful I was able to fulfill, was an extended trip to Mexico, particularly the Yucatan Peninsula...

Just three days after the announcement that the McCook Army Air Base would be built 10 miles north of McCook, there were at least 100 people, "entirely new" to the city looking for a place to stay and places to eat. The Sept. 4, 1942, McCook Daily Gazette informed us that, "The influx of new people already was apparent in hotels and camps in the city, where short-handed staffs were struggling to keep business moving and provide even ordinary service."...

It has always baffled me how so many people can live their lives satisfied with less than they could have and less than they deserve. There are many reasons why they do. Perhaps they weren't challenged during their formative years to be the best they could be and accept nothing less than the best...

EDISON -- Memorial services for Jesse E. Miller were conducted from the Evangelical Free Church in Oxford, today (July 8, 2002) with Pastor Wes Holen officiating. Interment was in the Edison Cemetery at Edison. Jesse Eugene Miller, 59 years of age of Edison, passed away July 2, 2002, in Council Bluffs, Iowa of natural causes...