Stories from Friday, June 10, 2005

Eight Indians have inked letters of intent Six of the seven sophomores on the McCook Community College men's basketball team have now signed letters of intent to play at four-year schools, according to MCC coach Ty Orton. Two of MCC's women's players are continuing their careers in Iowa...

The smell of hotdogs and hamburgers grilling was in the air at the Jaycees Sports Complex Thursday night. While the grills were fired up outside the field, the McCook National Bank American Legion Seniors were doing some cooking of their own on MNB Night...

By BRETT BURTON Gazette Writer The McCook First Central Bank American Legion Juniors baseball team dropped a 9-4 decision to the Holdrege Juniors at the Jaycees Sports Complex Thursday night. The FCB Juniors led the game 2-0 through five innings of play, and then Holdrege kicked it in...

(Sept. 6, 1915 - June 8, 2005) Gean Hegenberger Smith died Wednesday (June 8, 2005), at the Community Hospital of McCook at the age of 89. She was born Sept. 6, 1915, in McCook, the daughter of the late Floyd and Myrtle (Rupp) Hegenberger. She grew up in McCook and graduated from McCook High School in 1933...

(Sept. 6, 1934 - June 8, 2005) ARAPAHOE -- Eunice Loreen Paxton, 70, died Wednesday (June 8, 2005), at her home at Immanuel Trinity Village in Papillion. She was born on Sept. 6, 1934 to Oscar A. and Elsie (Monter) Wendland in Gosper County. She attended grade school at the Immanuel Parochial School north of Arapahoe through eighth grade. She then attended Arapahoe High School and graduated in 1952...

Tornado sirens wailed over McCook homes and businesses in the middle of the afternoon Thursday, after two tornadoes were reported in the area of Valmont Industries about 3:15 p.m. Red Willow County Sheriff Gene Mahon said this morning he ordered the sounding of the city's sirens after the reports...

Has Mother Nature got your attention yet? Southwest Nebraskans found themselves looking for cover Thursday afternoon with hail and reports of funnel clouds and tornadoes, and it's a good thing we did. But how many of us headed to the windows or outdoors to look at the sky when we heard the civil defense sirens wailing? And, how many of us know what the real risks are from severe weather?...

Every spring, the same thought process occurs. First idea: I'm going to plant the most abundant, most organized, most plentiful garden ever. Let's buy three of every variety of plant. I'll can enough food to last my family throughout the winter months. This will be wonderful. (Add the sounds and visuals of Julie Andrews running over the hilltop in "The Sound of Music" and you'll get the picture.)...

It is no mystery why Great Plains farmers irrigate. My farming father and grandfathers struggled against the weather odds in our dry western end of Kansas their whole lives. It seldom rained enough, and each year they took a gut-wrenching gamble planting their wheat...

(July 24, 1915 - June 9, 2005) DOWNS, KAN. -- Harold R. "Rockie" Kummer, 89, died Thursday (June 9, 2005), at the Downs Care Center in Downs, Kan. He was born July 24, 1915, at Indianola, to Aloysius John and Mary (Lehn) Kummer. He grew up in Indianola where he graduated from rural school. In 1931, he began working as a fireman and later became an engineer for the Burlington Railroad. He retired in 1970...