Stories from Monday, March 22, 2004

Shawn McMurtrey first in boys 3,000 KEARNEY -- McCook High School senior Carl Fritz opened the spring track season with two first-place finishes at the UInversity of Nebraska-Kearney High School Class B Indoor Meet on Saturday. Shawn McMurtrey was the other Bison to bring home a gold medal from the first track meet of the 2004 spring season...

OMAHA -- The Omaha World-Herald announced its Boys and Girls All-State Basketball Teams in its Sunday edition. Cambridge sophomore Waid Vontz, who led the Trojans to the Nebraska Class C-2 state title, made the World-Herald's Class C2- First Team. Vontz averaged 15.8 points a game for the 26-1 Trojans...

Oct. 16, 1906-March 21, 2004 OBERLIN -- Elna V. Larson, 97, died Sunday (March 21, 2004) at Cedar Living Center in Oberlin. She was born Oct. 16, 1906, to Axel and Anna (Hoagland) Larson in Ludell. She was raised in Ludell and attended Ludell Country School through the eighth grade. She attended two years at a high school in Minneapolis, Minn...

Tiffany Dike and Christopher Hylton, both of McCook, were united in marriage March 13, 2004, at McCook Christian Church in McCook with the Rev. Jason Van Pelt officiating. Parents of the couple are Bob and Shirley Dike of McCook and Kevin and Connie Hylton of Geneva...

Randy and Diane Rentschler of Atkinson and John and Printha Fox of Culbertson announce the engagement and upcoming marriage of their children, Brenda Kay Rentschler and Jeffrey Mitchell Fox. The bride-to-be is a 1998 graduate of Atkinson West Holt High School. ...

Cherie Lynne Wilkens and Thomas Alan Barrett, both of Denver, Colo., announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the couple are Larry and Cheryl Wilkens of Colorado Springs, Colo., and Jim and Phyllis Barrett of Boulder, Colo. Grandparents are Mary Schwerdt of Stratton, the late Don Schwerdt, the late Kermit Downing, the late Charley Wilkens and the late Jessie Wilkens. ...

Terri Sonnenfelt and Kurt Miller, both of Kearney, announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the couple are Larry and Dee Sonnenfelt of Sidney, Kim Miller of North Platte and Kelvin and Leigh Ann Miller of McCook. Grandparents are Coralee and Andy Knepp of Curtis and Larry McCarty of McCook. ...

Bree Quigley and Lance Frazier, both of Clay Center, announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the couple are Steve and Cindy Quigley of Indianola and Steve and Deb Frazier of Blue Hill. The bride-to-be is employed with Roman L. Hruska USDA Meat Animal Research Center and the prospective bridegroom is employed with Trenton Agri-Products. The couple is planning an April 24, 2004, ceremony at Memorial United Methodist Church in McCook...

Elwyn and Betty Krous will celebrate their 50th anniversary, March 27. They were married in 1954, at the Indianola Methodist Church. They have three sons, Dr. Henry Krous of San Diego, Calif., Kenneth Krous of Tulare, Calif., and the late Philip Krous. Cards of congratulations will reach them at PO Box 6, Indianola, NE 69034...

The family of Hazel "Toots" Bybee is hosting an open house in honor of her 94th birthday, March 27, 2-4 p.m., at the Legion Hall in Curtis. Cards of congratulations will reach her at Box 94, Maywood, NE 69038.

Xeriscaping helps reduce water bill, beautify property.

The family of Roland B. "Stretch" Welch is hosting a card shower in honor of his 90th birthday March 17. Cards of congratulations will reach him at 4420 Avenue P, Kearney, NE 68847-2688.

In the first full week of Spring, it's time to embrace new topics and get a fresh perspective on old ones. So what's happening? Let's look at some of the highlights. What Causes Drought? According to an article written by the Baltimore Sun and reprinted by the Omaha World-Herald, a NASA study provides strong evidence that the Dust Bowl of the 1930s was caused by barely perceptible temperature changes in oceans thousands of miles away...

**Dear Editor, I think it's about time the City Council and manager let our city water employees do their job. Let them do whatever is necessary to take care of the ammonia problems immediately. There is no way the citizens of McCook can pay the astronomical utility bills it would take to pay $43 million in fines...

**Dear Editor, There are way too many durned foreigners doing business in our country today. They are investing heavily in our national resources, banking interests, real estate and even in the newspaper Bible-quoting business. Some of these darned foreigners are trying to take away my family farm!...

**Dear Editor, I read with interest the article, "Does it matter whether 'under God' remains in the Pledge of Allegiance?" Contrary to Balmer and others, God is not generic,1 but a real part of most people's lives. They may not attend church, but they do not give up God. There is no "trivialization of faith" by being "under God." In fact, Balmer works in an interfaith college...