Stories from Monday, October 24, 2005

SALINA, Kan. -- The Decatur Community-Oberlin volleyball team earned a trip to the Kansas Class 3A state tournament at Salina by winning the regional championship at Phillipsburg Saturday. The Red Devils will bring a 27-5 record to the Salina Bicentennial Center and were placed in the Court B pool as the No. 6 seed...

WAUNETA -- The scoreboard operator got a workout Friday night at Wauneta as the host Wauneta-Palisade Broncos outlasted the Dundy County Tigers 62-42. The Broncos rolled up 448 yards in total offense (434 rushing), compared to 258 for the Tigers (129 rushing, 129 passing)...

ELLSWORTH, Kan. -- The season came to end for the Decatur Community-Oberlin boys and girls cross country teams Saturday at the Kansas Class 3A regional at Ellsworth, Kan. The Oberlin girls placed 10th and the boys 13th in their races. The top three boys and top three girls teams qualified for the state meet next Saturday at Wamego...

PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. -- TJ Strunk, grandson of Bus and Marietta Balius of McCook and Allen Strunk of Las Vegas, was announced as the Player of the Week in Palm Beach County, Fla., last week. Strunk rushed for 265 yards on 26 carries and 2 touchdowns to help his Benjamin School Buccaneers to a 28-14 divisional championship win over American Heritage...

Red Willow County commissioners this morning unanimously accepted Jon Morrison's offer to sell the former West Ward Elementary site in McCook to the county for $50,000. County Attorney Paul Wood and commissioners listed several contingencies of the sale, which Morrison will have until the commissioners' next meeting on Nov. 7 to consider. The sale could close on or before Jan. 31, 2006...

It is interesting how events and trends in history tend to repeat themselves from time to time. After the present Red Willow County Courthouse was built in 1926, McCook's city offices shared facilities with the county, in the county courthouse. But as more and more services were added to both the city's and county's responsibilities, more space was needed by both organizations...

March 10, 1953--Oct. 23, 2005 LINCOLN -- Janet Lynn Williams, 52, formerly of Beaver City and Oxford, died Sunday (Oct. 23, 2005) at the Lancaster Manor in Lincoln. She was born March 10, 1953, in Norton to Charles and Evelyn (Bishop) Williams. She lived in the Beatrice State Home from 1959 until 1962. She returned to Beaver City where she lived until 1973, when she moved to Oxford to reside at Mid-Nebraska Services. She moved to the Lancaster Manor in 2005...

Sadly, the American system of government has become far too bureaucratic. Because of that, it is all the more satisfying when grass roots citizens stand up for themselves and are successful in stopping unwanted government action. We are referring specifically to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's decision to drop plans for the closure of up to 713 local Farm Service Agency offices...

A fine young buck can be hard to find during hunting season, but other times they hang out in town. Dolores Schneider shot this deer -- with a digital camera -- on Monday after he was spotted by her grandson grazing in Memorial Park Cemetery.

Brian and Terra Michaelis of McCook announce the birth of a son, Lincoln Andrew, on Monday, Oct. 3, 2005, at Community Hospital of McCook. He weighed 7 pounds, 13.8 ounces and was 21 inches long. He has two siblings, Kassidy, 4, and Mason, 2. Grandparents are Dale and Glenda Ellerton of McCook and Jerry and Barb Michaelis of McCook. Great-grandparents are A.M. Johnston of McCook and Delores Ellerton of Huron, S.D...

Amanda J. GreenLee and Brent E. Petty, both of Indianola, announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the couple are Oren and Judy GreenLee and Everett and Marian Petty, all of Indianola. The bride-to-be is a 2005 graduate of Southwest High School. The prospective bridegroom is a 2004 graduate of Republican Valley High School. He is employed with LTI Contracting in Arizona. No wedding date has been set...

The family of Bob Wacker is requesting a card shower in honor of his 80th birthday. He was born Oct. 27, 1925. Cards of congratulations will reach him at 804 E. Seventh, McCook, NE 69001.

Jonathan and Whitney Mires of Highlands Ranch, Colo., announce the birth of a son, Elijah Blair, on Friday, Sept. 16, 2006. He weighed 8 pounds, 3 ounces and was 20 1/2 inches long. Grandparents are Butch and MaryJane Mires of McCook, Ron and Melanie Cross of Richmond, Ind., and Linda and Doug Owens of Phoenix, Ariz. Great-grandparents are James and Evelyn Cross of Monticello, Ky., and Marjorie Mires of Wausau, Wis...

Kyle and Linda Drain of Trenton announce the engagement and upcoming wedding of their daughter, Jessica Marie, to Justin Fredric Gestenslager, son of Steve and Evelyn Gestenslager of Lakin, Kan. Grandparents of the couple are Helga Binkey of McCook, Earl and Carol Binkey of Trenton, Deloris Drain of Trenton, the late Ron Drain, Norman and Ethel Simshauser of Lakin, Irene Gestenslager of Garden City, Kan., and the late Eldon Gestenslager. ...

The family of Merlyn J. Andrews, formerly of McCook, is requesting a card shower in honor of her 80th birthday. She was born Nov. 8, 1925, in Meriden, Kan. Her family includes children, Steve and Sue Andrews of Wisconsin Rapids, Wis., Susie and Lanny Thomsen of Grand Island, Randy and Peg Andrews of McCook and Judy and Mike McKee of Prescott, Ariz.; six grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. ...

The family of Ellen Kennedy is requesting a card shower in honor of her 95th birthday. She was born Oct. 25, 1910. Cards of congratulations will reach her at 1500 East 11th, Apt. 26, McCook, NE 69001.