Stories from Friday, December 27, 2002

Seven McCook adults, on Christmas Eve, faced charges of manufacture of methamphetamine, and Red Willow County sheriff's officers removed three young children from the home where the arrests were made Monday. Sheriff Gene Mahon said this morning his officers searched the house at 808 E. Second in McCok Monday, and found evidence of a lab set-up to make the illegal drug, methamphetamine. Four men and three women were charged with meth manufacture; one of the defendants also faces weapons charges...

Throughout his legislative career, Nebraska State Sen. Tom Baker of Trenton hasn't wavered on the gambling issue. "Since the gambling question came up, I've insisted that all areas of the state have an equal right to have casinos," Sen. Baker declared in a telephone interview this morning. His view is dramatically different from that of some metropolitan area senators, who are proposing that Nebraska allow casinos only in the Omaha metropolitan area and on Indian reservations...

The Harlem Ambassadors will once again be bringing their razzle dazzle basketball skills to Southwest Nebraska. Based in Fort Collins, Colo., the Harlem Ambassadors are led on the court by Lade' Majic, known as the "Queen of Show Basketball." A star performer, as well as the only woman coaching a team of male professional players, Majic has led the Ambassadors on tours of Europe, Asia and the Pacific Islands. ...

Red Willow County Clerk Pauletta Gerver was elected President of the Nebraska Association of County Clerks, Register of Deeds and Election Commissioners at the association's business meeting during the county officials convention this month. Gerver also serves as the register of deeds and election commisioner...

Okay, all you expectant mothers. The race is on! The first baby born in 2003 will win the Gazette's annual "First Baby of the New Year" contest. Last year's New Year's Baby was James Christopher O'Byrne, born at 7:58 a.m. MT, Jan. 1, to Casha and Dan O'Byrne of rural Trenton. James was delivered by Dr. Emanuel Beyer at the Dundy County Hospital in Benkelman...

GRAND ISLAND -- Red Willow County Sheriff Gene Mahon announced Thursday two deputies graduated Dec. 19, with honors, from the Nebraska Law Enforcement Training Center in Grand Island. Deputies Joe Koetter and Steve Kotschwar are now certified law officers, Mahon said...

With the holidays nearly behind us (and showing up on our behinds), just one major party remains -- New Year's Eve. Many Christmas traditions begin as a child and continue through to adulthood, the same year after year, only to be passed on to the next generation. New Year's Eve is different. It evolves as you age, as you become a couple, as you grow older, as you have children, and did I mention, as the years pile up...

CAMBRIDGE -- Fern Irene Ross, 79, died Tuesday (Dec. 24, 2002) as the result of an automobile accident near Grand Island. She was born Dec. 19, 1923, in Trenton to Wib and Junetta (Hall) Seybold. She graduated from Trenton High School in 1943. She was married to Dan Ross. He preceded her in death in October of 1996. She worked at Frontier Cafe in Cambridge as a cook...

Leona G. Holst, 96, died Thursday (Dec. 26, 2002) at Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook. She was born Sept. 24, 1906, to Robert T. and Emma Louise (Cordes) Meyer in Hamilton County. She grew up northeast of Hampton. She graduated from Pierce High School and received her bachelor of science degree in education from the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. She taught for several years...

WELLFLEET -- Robert James Garner, 80, died Wednesday (Dec. 25, 2002) at Linden Court in North Platte. He was born March 11, 1922, to James Martin and Eveline Rebecca (Brown) Garner at Wellfleet. He graduated from Curtis High School in 1940. On Nov. 30, 1942, he married Mildred Lucille Embrey at McCook. He had several jobs throughout his life with the most notable being more than 16 years at the North Platte West Central Research and Extension Center where he retired at the age of 62...