Stories from Monday, July 10, 2006

Ashley Michelle Ruppert of Hastings and Daniel Joel DeWitt of Orange City, Iowa, announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the bride-to-be are Zolona and Rick Rader of Hastings and Jeff and Angie Ruppert of McCook. The prospective bridegroom's parents are Lila and Jeff DeWitt of Luverne, Minn. ...

Nanci Ann Ruggles and Jay Daniel Martin, both of Grand Island, announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the couple are Gayle and Barb Ruggles of McCook and Jean Martin of Davenport, Iowa. The bride-to-be is employed by Wood River Schools as a fifth grade teacher and middle school volleyball coach. The prospective bridegroom is employed by DHL Transportation Center as a dispatch driver. The couple is planning an August 3, 2006, wedding at Pinecrest Chapel in Palmer Lake, Colo...

Carl and Jill Koenig of McCook announce the birth of ta daughter, Rebecca Rose Koenig on May 26, 2006 at Community Hospital in McCook. She weighed 7 pounds, 11 ounces and was 20 1/2 inches long. Her grandparents are Ben and Ginny Bortner of McCook and Tom and Laura Koenig of Chadron. ...

Derek and Maria Downer of Cambridge announce the birth of their daughter, Leah Marie Downer, born June 7, 2006.  She weighed 6 pounds 11 ¾ ounces and was 19 ¼ inches long.  She has an older brother, Dylan, 2.  Grandparents are Steve and Pat Downer of Bartley and Jim and Yanis Helm of Danbury.  Great grandparents are Alice Rummel of Cambridge; Helen Helm of Cambridge; and Efreen Rojas of David, Panama...

The children and grandchildren of Charlie and Dorothy Ankenman will host an open house Saturday, July 22nd, 2-4 pm at the Cambridge Community Center in honor of the couple's 60th wedding anniversary. The couple married July 25, 1946. Children of the couple are Rita and Rick Bose of Cambridge, Janet and Donnie Trosper of Cambridge, Carol and Joseph Rindone of Birmingham, Ala., Kent Ankenman of Phoenix, Ariz., and Mark Ankenman of San Diego, Calif. ...

Kelly Renee Sinclair and Matthew Owen Kettler, both of Sidney, announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the couple are Scott and Debbie Sinclair of Grand Island and Dale and Bonnie Kettler of Sidney. Grandparents of the couple include Martin and Wanda Thompson of McCook, Doris Sinclair of Omaha, the late Harold Sinclair, Richard and Frances Babcock of Waxahachie, Texas, Dorothy Kettler of Sidney and the late Marvin Kettler.The bride-to-be is a 2000 graduate of McCook High School and a 2004 graduate of Nebraska Medical Center - College of Nursing. ...

The family of Oren and Judy Greenlee are requesting a card shower in honor of the couple's 45th wedding anniversary July 9. They were married in Oberlin. Their children are Brenda and Bob O'Dea of Scott City, Kan., Rick and Tammie Greenlee of Bartley, and Mandy Greenlee and fiance Brent Petty of Indianola. They have six grandchildren. Cards of congratulations will reach them at PO Box 193, Indianola, NE 69034...

The family of Harold "Duce" and Beth Ann Hartzer are requesting a card shower in honor of the couple's 50th wedding anniversary July 15. They were married July 15, 1956 at the Culbertson United Methodist Church. Their children are Melody and Tom Ferneau and Yancy and Janell Hartzer, all of Culbertson, and Tony and Barb Hartzer of Central Point, Ore. They have six grandchildren. Cards of congratulations will reach the couple at RR 1, Box 8, Culbertson, NE 69024...

The family of Leila Fries is announcing the celebration of her 85th birthday on July 19th. Cards of congratulations can reach her at Box 393, Culbertson, NE 69024.

Kenny and Christie Korell of Hayes Center, and Phil and Carol Amateis of Broadwater announce the engagement of their children Brooke Ann and Philip Ryan. The bride-to-be is a 2000 graduate of Hayes Center High School. She is also a 2004 graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a major in animal science. ...

The family of Leroy (Roy) and Greta Stratton are hosting a card shower in honor of their 60th wedding anniversary. They were married July 20, 1946 in Hiawatha, Kan. Cards of congratulations will reach them at P. O. Box 261, Trenton, NE 69044.

Don Blank, who might have been re-elected to the University of Nebraska board of Regents had not David Hergert violated campaign finance laws, said he would turn down a governor's appointment to his old job. Hergert was removed from the position Friday after the Nebraska Supreme Court found him guilty of two impeachable offenses...

Bob Pomnier of Grand Island raises a dusty ruckus with his souped-up Farmall at the "Thunder on Deer Creek" antique tractor pull during Holbrook's annual "Holbrook Days" celebration Saturday afternoon. A smiling Joseph Grindle of Holbrook displayed a better-behaved John Deere during the community's parade Saturday evening. A beef show, a sheep show, music in the park, volleyball in the river -- those were the highlights of the community's annual two-day celebration of summer...

July 20, 1983 - July 8, 2006 LUDELL Kan. -- Jordan B. Niermeier, 22, died Saturday (July 8, 2006), at Rawlins County Health Center. He was born July 2, 1983, to E. Niles and Jayne Niermeier. He was baptized at Trinity Lutheran Church of Ludell on Sept. 4, 1983 and confirmed on May 10, 1998...

Alexander Traber Gatewood was probably the first dentist in McCook; indeed, he was probably the only dentist west of Hastings for many years. But his career was long and varied, and encompassed so much more than just "frontier dentistry." Dr. Gatewood was born in Malden, West Virginia, in 1852. His father was restless, and an opportunist...

Jan 19, 1914 - July 7, 2006 CAMBRIDGE -- S. Marie Allen, 92, died Friday (July 7, 2006) at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. She was born Jan. 19, 1914, near Orafino to Marion C. and Minnie M. (Teagle) Kilburn.  She grew up in the Orafino area attending grade school.  She later moved to Cambridge where she graduated from high school. ...

Southwest Nebraska and a ski resort. As different as night and day at first glance, but use a little imagination, and, looking at the latest Rural Nebraska Poll you can see some similarities. Resort areas are often home to the very rich, but they are also populated by the not-so-rich, who have to struggle to make a living...

Oct. 15, 1915 - July 7, 2006   BENKELMAN -- Bula I. Adkinson, 90, died Friday (July 7, 2006) at Dundy County Hospital in Benkelman. She was born Oct. 15, 1915, to William and Grace (Moreland) Nicholson, on their farm in Furnas County near Beaver City. She graduated from Beaver City High School in 1933 and began her teaching career in Furnas County.  She moved to Dundy County in 1935 and lived with her sister and brother-in-law, Winnie and Francis Adkinson...

After stopping at the Massacre Canyon Monument Visitor's Center last Wednesday, I came back to the office and pulled out a copy of "Nebraska Pioneers." Years before, I had read an eye witness account in the book of the massacre of the Pawnee by the Sioux, and I wanted to refresh my memory about the details of the story...

A memorial walk commemorating the life of a man whose murder remains unsolved is planned for Sunday. Family and friends have organized a walk in honor of David Moreau to begin sometime between 6:30-7:00 p.m at old Sarge's Bar and finish at Missouri Avenue, where his body was found in 2004...

BENKELMAN -- At the qualifying meet in Benkelman on Saturday, 93 percent of the McCook swimmers qualified for the Championship Meet to be held in Lexington on Saturday, July 15. These swimmers will compete in 48 individual events and 9 relays.  "I am very excited about having so many qualifiers. The kids have worked very hard all season long.  It's rewarding to have it pay off," says Coach Tracy Flaska...

That Other Floor Store Angels earned the Championship title in the McCook Midget Baseball Cubs tournament, that started on Thursday. The Angels the MNB Astros 8-0 for the title. First round Union Bank Rockies 11, McCook Eye Clinic Orioles 1 Brandon Kofler had three singles and Jake Schlager had two singles and a double for the Rockies. Hunter Felker and Josh Escher both had a single for the Orioles...

Angela Finnesy of McCook and Christopher Sovereign of Battle Creek, announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the bride-to-be are Mike and Sue Finnesy. The prospective bridegroom's parents are Dale and Sue Sovereign of Battle Creek. ...