Stories from Thursday, December 2, 2004

In the warm and close-knit community that McCook is, a tragic loss of a pillar to the community, like coach Ron Coleman, is heartbreaking and devastating. You would be hard pressed to find an active member of the town that didn't know and have memories of coach Coleman...

Jan. 8, 1954-Dec. 1, 2004 ARAPAHOE -- Georgia Grace Esslinger, 50, died Wednesday (Dec. 1, 2004) at Phelps Memorial Hospital in Holdrege. She was born Jan. 8, 1954, in Oxford to Earl "Bill" and Grace C. (Bowen) Land. She graduated from Oxford High School in 1972...

May 30, 1952-Nov. 30, 2004 Ronald J. Coleman, 52 of McCook died Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2004, at the St. Joseph Hospital in Omaha. He was born to Wilbur M. and Hilda Olga (Prochaska) Coleman on May 30, 1952, in David City. He graduated from David City Aquinas High School in 1970. ...

LINCOLN -- Loren and Bonnie Isom of Lincoln announce the birth of their daughter, Reanne Jo, Nov. 26, 2004. She weighed 7 pounds, 14 ounces and was 20 inches long. She has two brothers, Garrett and Sheldon. Grandparents are Ron and Joanne Allen of McCook and Roley and Rita Isom of Randolph. The great-grandparents are Helen Allen and Wayne and Betty Allen of McCook and the late Bessie Garrett...

CAMBRIDGE -- Alan and Tiffany Hardy of rural Lebanon announce the birth of their son, Clayton Gregory, Nov. 29, 2004, at Cambridge Memorial Hospital in Cambridge. He weighed 9 pounds and 2 ounces. He has two brothers, Casey and Cody. Grandparents are Rocky and Judy Leibbrandt of Danbury and George and Carolyn Hardy of Stratton. Great-grandparents are Mereta Duncan of McCook, Dale and Darlene Leibbrandt of Danbury and Marvin O'Dell Sr. of Protection, Kan...

Greg and Terese Vontz of Oberlin announce the birth of their daughter, Gabrielle Baylee, Nov. 2, 2004, at Community Hospital of McCook. She weighed 7 pounds, 9.6 ounces and was 20 inches long. She has three siblings, Canaan, Chantelle and Gracie Anne. Grandparents are Steve and Bethine Vontz of McCook, Elaine Bishop of Glendale, Ariz., and Derry Bishop of Oberlin...

Some of the cast from McCook Community College's "You Can't Take It With You" strike a few poses in preparation for this weekend's performances at the Fox Theatre in downtown McCook. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and Sunday's matinee starts at 1 p.m. Tickets are $5 and available at the MCC Welcome Center and Office of Student Life in McMillen Hall and also at Sun-Mart and at the door...

I'm not sure how I drew the short stick. Maybe the powers-that-be are simply trying to get me into the holiday spirit, but for the past two weeks I've been working on the annual holiday gift guides published by the Gazette and I have three more weeks to go...

In case you didn't notice, McCook jeweler Bill Longnecker made front page news in the Omaha World-Herald this morning. In the World-Herald's lead article, titled "Income boom has farmers on edge," Longnecker was asked how farmers were doing economically this year. "Shhh, you're not supposed to talk about that," he said...