Stories from Monday, September 17, 2007

Mr. and Mrs. Dean and Ann Sladek of Bartley announce the engagement and upcoming wedding of their daughter, Jacqueline Ann to J. Thomas Shoemaker, the son of Mr. Dick Shoemaker of Cambridge and Mrs. Sheryl Wymore of Kearney. The bride-to-be is a graduate of Twin Valley High School, attended the University of Nebraska at Kearney and is a graduate of Mid-Plains Community College at North Platte. She is employed by Dr. Michael Owens, DDS, in McCook...

Justin and Josette McConville of Kearney announce the birth of a daughter, Lexie Malee McConville. She was born July 11, 2007, at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney, weighing 6 pounds, 14 ounces and measuring 19 1/2 inches. She has an older brother, Brodie Steven. ...

The family of Lynn and Carol Kerst is hosting an open house for the couple's 50th wedding anniversary on Sunday, Sept. 16 at the Legion Hall in Bartley. The open house is from 2-4 p.m. Children of the couple are Rick and Alberta Kerst of Bartley and James and Brenda Edwards of Poplarville, Miss. Cards of congratulations will reach them at 40252 Road 715, Bartley, NE 69020...

The family of Bob and Mary Ellen Dahnke of Stratton is requesting a card shower in honor of the couples 60th wedding anniversary. The were married Sept. 21, 1947. Their children are Dennis Dahnke of Ogallala, Kathy and Ben Turpin of Wood River, Robert Hall of Grand Island and Marilyn Bottorf. They have 12 grandchildren and 34 great-grandchildren. Cards of congratulations will reach the couple at 119 Hamilton St., Stratton, NE 69043...

The family of Francis and Leanna Young is hosting an open house Sunday, Sept. 16 in honor the couple's 60th wedding anniversary. The open house will be at the Evangelical Free Church, 602 East 14th at 2 p.m. The 4-Hyms will sing from 2-2:45 p.m., with a program following. Their family includes daughter and son-in-law Eileen and George Young...

The children of Pam and Lonnie Joe Schilz are hosting an open house Sept. 23 in honor of their parent's wedding anniversary. The open house will be at St. Alban's Parish Hall, 108 W. Fourth, on Sunday, Sept. 23 from 12-3 p.m. Their family includes Jeromy Joe Schilz of McCook, Bobby Joe, Suree, Hannah and Noah Joe Schilz of Milford, Joshua Joe and Dee Schilz and Zachary Joe Schilz, all of McCook...

Neal and Sharlee Hochstein of Wynot announce the birth of their daughter, Joslyn Kate, who was born July 12, 2007 in Wayne. She weighed 8 pounds. She has three sisters, Shelby, Sonya and Whitney. Grandparents are Dewey and Carla Teel of Neligh and Don and Elaine Hochstein of Hartington. Great grandparents are Delma Teel of McCook and the late Carl and Augusta Miller...

July 28, 1983-Sept. 14, 2007 Christopher L. Esch of Indianola, Neb., died Friday, September 14, 2007 at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. He was 24 years old. Chris was born on July 28, 1983, in McCook to Vernon and Sara (Doyle) Esch. He has been a special needs person since birth. He attended the Development Center in McCook. Chris enjoyed quality time with his family attending church, sporting events, and watching TV...

McCook, Cambridge, Southwest place second, third, fourth The Chase County-Imperial volleyball team captured the McCook Invitational Saturday, but the host McCook Bison made quite an impression by reaching the finals of their own tournament for the first time ever...

CURTIS -- Enrollment at the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture is up 20 percent from last year, according to Dean Weldon Sleight. Enrollment figures rel-eased in September 2007 show 327 students enrolled for the fall semester, up from last year's enrollment of 272. A number of factors have contributed to the increase, Sleight said...

Members of the McCook High School junior varsity volleyball team rooted on their varsity teammates, complete with re-painted skin and costumes, during the McCook Invitational Saturday. They are, from left, Madison Wagner, Kelsey O'Dea, Katie West, Kelsey Pohl, Whitney Korgan, Madeline Shaddock, Katie Latta and Danielle Barenberg. The Bison volleyball team defeated Gothenburg in the first round and Cambridge in the semifinals. The Bison lost to Chase County in the semifinals...

Regardless of our opinion of a city sales tax, we owe a debt of gratitude to the citizens who took the time to create a meaningful, responsive ballot question. The McCook City Council is expected to approve the ballot wording and forward it to the voters Nov. 13...

I had to smile when I read Mike's betrayal ["Who betrayed whom?" (http://www.mccookgazette.com/story/1277106.html)]. Mike's friend was concerned about who got betrayed -- without any mention of the friend's betrayal of the wife and family. It seems the friend was so wrapped up in his personal agony he failed to realize what this had done to his wife and children...

Dear Editor, I am also upset about that article wrote 28 years later on the Travis/Bussard story but I am not in any way related to anyone in it. However, a better article would be for you to remind us about the Ida Fitzgibbons suicide/murder! I remember that being quite controversal and I was very young then...

OK, Smarty Pants. What single athletic event do you think brings the most participants to McCook on an annual basis? Do you think it's district track? District basketball? district volleyball? A stock car race? The Mullen Pro-Am Golf Tournament? The Larry Samway Fishing Derby and Casting Contest at Hugh Butler Lake?...

Harry Strunk was impatient, as a boy and as a man. When he was only 14, growing up in Pawnee City, he was forced to quit school and go to work. The work he found was as a "Printer's Devil" for the local newspaper, for the weekly wage of $2. His striving to better himself led him to jobs in print shops in Fairbury, Pohattan Kan., and by the time he was 17, to Norton, where he became shop foreman at the Norton Daily Telegram, in charge of 10 typesetters...