Stories from Friday, May 7, 2004

Serbousek, Escher 2nd at No. 1 doubles KEARNEY -- The McCook High School girls tennis team placed sixth at the Kearney Catholic Invite Thursday. The Bison scored 62 points. Lexington rolled to the team title with 102 points. The No. 1 doubles team of Kim Serbousek and Tausha Escher finished second with a 4-1 record and improved to 20-10 for the season...

OXFORD -- With three golfers in the top seven, Southern Valley earned second place at its own invitational Thursday. Axtell took the team title with a score of 340 at the Southern Valley golf invitational at the Cardinal Country Club in Oxford. Southern Valley was runner-up with 344...

July 24, 1914-May 5, 2004 Marguerite D. Hansen, 89, of Curtis, died May 5, 2004, at Sunset Haven Nursing Home in Curtis. She was born July 24, 1914, to Andrew H. and Ella Nelsen Sowle in Lincoln County. She moved to Redding, Calif., until she was 11 years of age. She moved back to Snell Canyon Government Pocket in Lincoln County, until her marriage...

Cleotta Koester Scott, 64, of Boise, Idaho died Thursday, April 29, 2004, at her home. Funeral services were Wednesday, May 5, 2004, at Cloverdale Funeral Home, 1200 North Cloverdale Road, Boise. Burial was in Terrace Lawn Memorial Gardens in Meridian, Idaho. Arrangements were under the direction of Cloverdale Funeral Home in Boise...

A proposed program at the McCook Work Ethic Camp could be used to teach offenders about responsibility, relationships, compassion and hard work. During the community involvement committee meeting at WEC on Thursday, Superintendent Raleigh Haas said the facility is looking at a program that would allow offenders to train dogs in preparation for adoption from the McCook Humane Society...

Dr. Don Blank, chairman of the University of Nebraska Board of Regents, speaks Thursday to the 79 graduates of the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture. Blank, who practices dentistry in McCook, encouraged members of the class to count their blessings as they begin the next stage of their lives. For the first time in two years, graduation ceremonies were held outside on the field in front of NCTA's Ag Hall. (NCTA)...

While our attention is focused on the problems associated with bringing a democratic system to Iraq, are we in danger of losing our own? Maybe not, but if more of us don't take part in the process, we may not deserve to keep our own freedom. Just look at the numbers:...

**Dear Editor, My name is Michelle Gonzales. I am the mother of MacKenzie Gonzales, a second grader at North Ward Elementary. It is on her behalf that I wrote this letter. She said that is was too hot the other day at school and wanted to know why they don't have air conditioning at school. ...

**Dear Editor, Copies of a letter written by Brad Randel were sent to the supporters of the common Sense Committee this week. Several of those letters "mysteriously" ended up in the hands of the supporters of the new Southwest School District. In his letter to his "constituents," he first states that he feels they have a very good opportunity to STOP the building of the new school in Bartley, if they can get their people on the school board that share their opinion. ...

**Dear Editor, We are once again in a position to vote for the much needed, updated elementary facilities. Our young students and those coming up do deserve good educations. It has been 35 years plus since my three children received their elementary and high school education here. At that time, the facilities were adequate. But, such is not the case now. Our teachers do deserve proper facilities in which to do their instructing...

**Dear Editor, I am sending this to you so the public can see we still have people who cannot leave other people's property alone. I would appreciate the return of a "double brown" "toad stool" that was a yard ornament. It was taken from our fenced back yard on May 3 or 4...

By now, everyone in rural Red Willow County should have received new addresses. No, their isn't a mass migration or house trading going on. Rather, the new E-911 addresses have been mailed to all county residents. The new E-911 address system isn't something that just sprung up recently; it's been in the works for years. ...

**Dear Editor, I would like to express my thoughts about a great opportunity that is being presented to the voters of McCook. This opportunity will have a long lasting effect on the education of our children, on our district and on the future of McCook...

**Dear Editor, Hi, my name is Shelby. I am 11 years old. This is a unique nomination for Mother's Day. I would like to nominate my dad. My dad cooks, cleans, does laundry, does dishes and all the other things. He has been the closest thing to a mom since my mom died a couple of years ago. ...

We have always craved certainty in an uncertain world. We have all craved clarity in an unclear world. We have all craved justice in an unjust world. The revelations recently made public about the actions of some American troops serving in Iraq has stood certainty, clarity and justice on its ear. Photographs of torture, barbarism and humiliation inflicted on Iraqi detainees by some American soldiers has once again demonstrated man's inhumanity towards man...

It won't be their intelligence, talent or popularity that will determine their success after in the future, U.S. Rep. Tom Osborne told the newest graduates of McCook Community College. "The most important thing about you ... is your character," Osborne said as he addressed 104 graduates and proud faculty, family and friends during commencement exercises Friday morning...

**Dear Editor, The ink was not even dry in the Gazette about "Larry Weaver's" word of the North Ward School as "fabulous" and the building not to be torn down. The very next day, the Gazette was full for a new school. That has been going on ever since. Some of the reasons are so unrealistic, it makes a person think a big No...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Nathan and Marian Wegener of Kansas City, Mo., announce the birth of their son, Simon Friedrick, April 26. He weighed 8 pounds, 4 ounces and was 20 inches long. He has two brothers, Albert, 6, and Peter, 5, and a sister, Ellie, 3. Grandparents are Charlene and Gene Wegener of Bellevue. Great-grandparents are Amor and Minnie Huff of McCook...

Patrick and Pamela Minary of Indianola announce the birth of their daughter, Raelynn Kay, March 29, 2004, at Community Hospital of McCook. She was 6 pounds, 1/2 an ounce and 18 inches long. Grandparents are Ann and Dean Sladek of Bartley and Arlyn and Penny Minary of McCook...

CAMBRIDGE -- Bill and Nikki Cappel of McCook announce the birth of their son, Cole William, March 29, 2004, in Cambridge Memorial Hospital in Cambridge. He weighed 9 pounds, 5 1/2 ounces and was 21 inches long. He has one brother, Cade, 6. Grandparents are Claude and Delores Cappel of McCook and George and Helen Lambert of Hoxie. Great-grandmothers are Loretta Cappel of McCook and Ival Lambert of Hill City, Kan...

Chris and Tamra Neel announce the birth of their son, James Lee, March 25, 2004, at Community Hospital of McCook. He weighed 6 pounds, 12 ounces and was 19 1/2 inches long. He has a sister, JoAnn, 4. Grandparents are Dick and Joyce Neel of McCook and Gary and Lois Clay of Broken Bow. Great-grandparents are Margaret Neel of McCook and Clyde and Pearl Loy of Broken Bow. Great-great-grandparent is Fannie Barber of McCook...