Stories from Monday, October 7, 2002

"Beautiful Butterfly (above)," submitted by Matt Park of Atwood was the $50 first-place winner of September's "People, Pets & Places" photo contest. "Take me to your leader! (below, right)," submitted by Richard Baney of Benkelman won $35 for second place. "Gerty's Mansion," submitted by Deb Shirley of Encampment, Wyo., took third place and $15...

Even during months of preparations for one of the most successful Heritage Days events in recent history, members and volunteers at the McCook Chamber of Commerce have been making plans and setting dates for another extraordinary weekend in McCook. This year's Freedom Flight promises to be be bigger and better than last year's...

Dear Editor National 4-H Week is being celebrated during the week of October 6-12 and activities are taking place statewide to recognize 4-H'ers for their achievement. 4-H is conducted by the Cooperative Extension Service of the State Land-Grant Universities and the U. S . Department of Agriculture...

Dear Editor The voters of Arapahoe are being denied their constitutional right to vote on an important local issue. Two Arapahoe voters circulated a petition raising an issue about city ownership of the Arapahoe municipal golf course. At least 127 residents properly signed it. ...

With every passing week, it seems the McCook water situation becomes more complicated. Now, City Manager John Bingham informs the council members that they may have no other logical choice than to put the land at the McCook Army Airbase up for sale. ...

Tonia Jo Rippen and Brent Lee Hazlitt were united in marriage May 25, 2002, at Bolles Canyon in Kelley Park in McCook with the Rev. Daniel Spearow of the Culbertson United Methodist Church officiating. Parents of the couple are Phyl and Trish Rippen of Culbertson, Monte and Mary Hazlitt of McCook and Mick and Scott Minnick of Bartley...

CULBERTSON -- Carrie Wagner and David Junker, both of Omaha, were united in marriage on July 27, 2002, at St. John's Lutheran Church in Culbertson with the Rev. Bryan Hopfensperger officiating. Parents of the couple are Ty and Pat Wagner of Culbertson and Bob and Becky Junker of Grand Island...

HASTINGS -- Jamie Getting and Mark Stritt were married June 15, 2002, at St. Michael's Catholic Church in Hastings with the Rev. Michael Houlihan officiating. Parents of the couple are Charles and Joanne Getting of Sanborn, Iowa and Tom and Nanci Stritt of Indianola. Grandparent are Lee and Betty Davidson and Alyce Mae Stritt, all of Indianola...

Angela Davidson and James Parsons, both of Auburn, announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the couple are Suzanne Davidson of Curtis, David and Connie Davidson of McCook and the late Ed and Meg Parsons. Grandparents are Kenneth Luther of McCook and Lee and Betty Davidson of Indianola. ...

The Rev. Jack Tanner and his wife, Hazel, drive in white-painted wooden crosses on the lawn of the United Pentecostal Church, 404 West 10th, in preparation for Sunday's 13th annual Life Chain in McCook. The event starts at 2 p.m. at the parking lot at West Second and D in McCook. The Tanners hoped to put up as many as 1,000 of the crosses, representing less than a third of the 3,200 abortions performed each day in the United States...

The McCook City Council will have a tough decision to make when it is asked to choose a firm to either manage or market the 1,885 acre parcel of land at the McCook Army Air Base. A judgement settlement made in February with owner Kim Swearingen, requires the city to pay nearly $2.9 million no later than Jan. 7, 2003...

The High Plains Freedom Flight II balloon festival promises to be bigger and better than ever during the weekend of Oct. 18-20. While plans are still being formulated, organizers hope to bring 20 balloons or more to the McCook area to once again colorize the skies over Southwest Nebraska...

Lorissa Strayer, 13, of Beaver City makes her first-ever pull Sunday at the 22nd Annual Mini Sappa Antique Thresher and Engine Show. Entertainment, food and games kept the Decatur County Fairgrounds busy over the weekend for the 22nd annual event.

McCook Developer Joe Giorgione has filed a lawsuit against the city of McCook in Red Willow County District Court. Giorgione is asking the court to either compensate him for the loss he suffered when he purchased a section of land or to allow him to go ahead with plans to construct a dirt road, which will give him access to the property, at his expense...

COLBY, Kan. -- Charles L. Adams, 85, died Thursday (Oct. 3, 2002) at the Lantern Park Manor in Colby, Kan. He was born Sept. 15, 1917, in Levant, Kan. He spent most of his adult life in the Atwood, Herndon and Oberlin areas. He was a retired U.S. Post Office Rural Mail Carrier and an electrician...

ATWOOD -- Myrna Edna Marie (Headrick) Schnee, 81, died Saturday (Oct. 5, 2002) at the Rawlins County Health Center in Atwood. She was born March 1, 1921, to John Sylvester and Jesse Mae (Little) Headrick in rural McDonald. On March 3, 1946, she married Harold A. Schnee at Phillipsburg, Kan. She was a resident of the Rawlins County area all of her life, living first in McDonald and later in Atwood. She was a homemaker and a cook for the Atwood Good Samaritan Center for more than 20 years...

Lulu D. "Lou" Balius, 86, died Saturday (Oct. 5, 2002) at the Holton Manor Home in Holton, Kan. She was born April 17, 1916, in Trenton to Samuel Clayton and Eva Mae (Parrott) Cobb. She grew up in Stratton and moved to McCook where she graduated from McCook High School in 1932...

GERING -- John G. Simmerman, 85, died Friday (Oct. 4, 2002) at the Heritage Health Care Center in Gering. He was born Aug. 20, 1917, in McCook to Alva "Scot" R. and Jesse M. (Miner) Simmerman. He attended school in McCook, Bayard and graduated from Gering High School with the Class of 1935...

Sometimes we get so caught up in our daily chores and obligations that we forget about those special people in our lives that make our lives worth living to begin with. Most of us like to be thought of and remembered on our special days and it requires such little effort that it's amazing that anyone ever forgets or fails to recognize the special day of someone that supposedly is significant in their lives...

A tribute to Buffalo Jones written by Charles S. Bird on March 1, 1911, said "Perhaps no one has done more than he to preserve the American buffalo, and most of the remaining herds in this as well as in other countries owe their existence to his energy and work. Rightfully he is called 'preserver of the American bison'."...

The other afternoon I happened to be at the Bieroc Cafe and witnessed a sight I had not seen since I was a boy -- a roomful of chess players. The Bieroc was more than half filled with chess playing boys and girls from Central Elementary, all studying the board for their next move. I had not known of the presence of a Chess Club in McCook, the idea of Eileen Austin and Dee Friehe -- to give the young people a healthy pastime after school...

LAKESIDE, Calif. -- Geraldine "Gerri" C. Palmer, 61, died Tuesday (Oct. 1, 2002) in El Cajon, Calif. She was born March 11, 1941, in McCook. She was a court clerk and supervisor for the El Cajon Court. She married Larry Palmer in 1963. She was a member of the Lakeside School Board from 1982-1990. ...