Stories from Monday, December 3, 2007

NORTHGLEN, Colo. --Kristi Kenny and Matt Huff, formerly of McCook, of Fort Collins, Colo., were united in marriage on Aug. 4, 2007, in Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Northglenn, Colo. Parents of the couple are Jim and Cathy Kenny of McCook, Tom and Cindy Huff of McCook and Tyler and Deborah Myers of Silverthorne...

Mr. and Mrs. John R. Abbey of Winter Park, Fla., announce the engagement of their daughter, Alicia Colleen, to Clyde Elmer Bell III, son of Mr. And Mrs. Clyde E. Bell Jr. of Winter Springs, Fla., formerly of Culbertson. Clyde is the nephew of Pat and Roger Brown of Culbertson...

The family of Reuben and Rosalie Hoff Jr. is hosting a card shower in honor of the couple's 50th anniversary. They were married at the Westside Congregational Church in McCook on Dec. 8, 1957. Their children are Alan and Jeannine (Hoff) Kotschwar of McCook, Bryan and Amy Hoff of Lincoln and Reuben and Diana Hoff of Cozad. They have seven grandchildren and one great grandchild. Cards of congratulations can reach them at 71993 Road 386, McCook, NE 69001...

Bill and Melissa Larington of McCook announce the birth of their son, Leo Allen Larington on Oct. 1, 2007, at Community Hospital in McCook. He weighed 7 pounds and was 19 3/4 inches long. He has three sisters, Molly Grace, 2; Ashley, 20; Rachael, 19; and three brothers, Brigham, 8; Tom, 17; and Chris, 15. ...

Kaylea Schauer of La Vista, formerly of McCook and Kenneth Day of La Vista announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the bride-to-be are the late Rueben Schauer and Roma Schauer. Parents of the prospective bridegroom are Janece Field of Guilford, Maine and the late Sidney Day...

The family of Lee and Marjorie Carter of McCook is hosting a card shower in honor of their 80th birthdays. Lee was born Nov. 5, 1927 and Marjorie was born Dec. 11, 1927. Their children are Robin and Keri Carter. They have two grandchildren. Cards of congratulations will reach them at 402 Apollo, McCook, NE 69001...

Mark and Nicole (Cotton) Strecker of McCook announce the birth of their daughter, Brianna Faith Strecker, on Sept. 13, 2007, at Community Hospital in McCook. She weighed 7.1 pounds and was 19 1/2 inches long. She has an older brother, Zackery Strecker. Her grandparents are Dennis Cotton of McCook, Larry Derr and Corky of Lingle, Wyo., and Debbie Dunbar and George of Torrington, Wyo. Her great-grandmother is Marge Cotton of McCook...

KEARNEY -- Tessa Smolik and Derek Deyle of Kearney were united in marriage on June 16, 2007, at Yanney Heritage Park in Kearney with the Rev. Rob Kuefner officiating. Parents of the couple are Paul and Karen Smolik and Don and Londa Kost, all of Kearney...

Movie Review - Dan in Real Life Starring Steve Carell, Juliette Binoche, and Dane Cook. Rated PG-13 for some innuendo. Running Time of 1 Hour 39 minutes. Dan in Real Life is the story of Dan, a newspaper columnist with three daughters. His wife passed away and Dan is doing his best to get along. ...

LAMAR, Colo. -- The McCook Community College women's basketball team slipped by Lamar, Colo., 79-77 in a Region IX South-Sub-Regional game Saturday. The Indians lost to Otero Junior College 65-52 Thursday and Western Nebraska 73-51 Friday. MCC improved to 3-8 and dropped Lamar to 2-12...

EUSTIS -- The Cambridge Trojan boys basketball team dominated the Eustis-Farnam Knights Friday night at Eustis 44-40. The information received by the McCook Daily Gazette from Eustis-Farnam Friday night had the linescore reversed. "Cambridge played a great defensive game holding Eustis-Farnam to only 18 points in the first half," said Cambridge coach Chris Barr...

The McCook vs. Grand Island Northwest girls basketball game has been rescheduled for Jan. 12, at Grand Island. The varsity game is slated for 4 p.m., followed by the junior varsity game at 5:45 p.m. The Cozad Invitational wrestling meet and the Hastings Invitational swim meet will not be rescheduled...

WALLACE -- Maywood edged out Wallace 59-50 Friday in girls basketball action. Brooke Koester and Staci Arensdorf posted 14 points each for the Tigers. Susan Koester followed with 11 and Staci Koester and Makayla Gardner both had 10. Maywood scoring: B. Koester 14, K. Arensdorf 14, Susan Koester 11, Staci Koester 10, M. Gardner 10...

Sept. 6, 1921 - Nov. 29, 2007 Maxine E. Myers died Thursday, Nov. 29, 2007, at Hillcrest Nursing Home. She was 86. She was born on Sept. 6, 1921, in Republic, Kan., to Donald A. and Willetta (Larkins) Davidson. She graduated from high school in Byron in 1938...

Sept. 10, 1912- Nov. 29, 2007 LAKEWOOD, Colo. -- Bertha "Bert" D. Tongish Unger, 95, of Lakewood, Colo., passed away on Nov. 29, 2007, at the Villa Manor Nursing Home. She was born in Herndon on Sept. 10, 1912, to Andrew and Elizabeth (Hafner) Tongish...

April 26, 1924 - Dec. 2, 2007 OBERLIN -- Elmoin W. Bailey, Sunday (Dec. 2, 2007) at Cedar Living Center in Oberlin. He was born April 26, 1924, in Decatur County to Elvin and Mabel (Rohan) Bailey. He grew up in Kanona and Jennings, Kan., areas. He attended school in Kanona and Jennings, graduating from Jennings High School ...

July 20, 1915 - Nov. 29, 2007 TRENTON -- Louise Faye Echols died Thursday, Nov. 29, 2007, at El Dorado Nursing Home. She was 92 years old. She was born on July 20, 1915, in Alva, Okla., to Cyrus Sylvester and Linda Bell (Barney) Steward. She graduated from high school in Vega, Texas in 1933. She then married William Echols on July 10, 1933 also in Vega...

March 13, 1913 - Nov. 30, 2007 ELLSWORTH, Kan. -- Lois B. McKinley, 94, formerly of Oberlin, died Friday (Nov. 30, 2007) at Ellsworth Good Samaritan Center. She was born March 13, 1913, in Ellsworth County, Kan., to Charles and Eva (Salsbury) Wennihan. She grew up in Kanona, Kan., and attended Decatur County Schools...

Naomi Brynoss, of Benkelman will celebrate her 80th birthday on Tuesday, Dec. 4. Cards of congratulations will reach her at P O Box 804, Benkelman, NE 69021.

McCook fire officials blamed a faulty ceiling fan for a fire at a McCook home Sunday afternoon that caused approximately $7,500 in damage to the home and contents. The fire was reported at 804 W. Third, where fire trucks and emergency personnel responded about 3:30 p.m. The house is owned by Gloria Wortman, who lives there with her son, her daughter and eight grandchildren; everyone was evacuated and no one was hurt...

Gold will be discovered this spring in the next Southwest Nebraska Community Theater musical, "Paint Your Wagon." Auditions will be at the McCook High School Auditorium from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 9, and 7 to 9 p.m. Monday, Dec. 10. Rehearsals begin the first week of January. Directors are Don Harpst and Nathan McCarty, artistic, and Kathy Latta, music. Dates of performances are March 13, 14, 15 and 16...

Larger-than-life statues of a grizzly bear and an elk surprise drivers along Old Highway 34 east of Benkelman. Ron Hiatt, of Berthoud, Colo., said he splits his retirement between Colorado and Benkelman, and put the large statues -- not actually bronze, but painted bronze, heavy, made in Mexico -- on Dundy County land that he owns and "farms for wildlife." "I plant food plots to enhance the environment for natural wildlife in the area," Hiatt explained. ...

The ice storm didn't turn out to be as bad as predicted locally, but folks who stayed home Saturday were fortunate to have avoided worse conditions elsewhere in the state. The storm cleared in time to allow Saturday night's KFNF Christmas Lights parade (theme "Naughty or Nice") to come off without a hitch, and shows promise of continuing to be a major holiday tradition...

Those who second-guessed former NU Athletic Director Steve Pederson's decision to hire Bill Callahan now will have a chance to find out how Bo Pelini will do as Husker head coach. Many thought he should have gotten the nod four years ago, after carrying on for fired Frank Solich to lead Nebraska to beat Michigan in the Alamo Bowl...

You know the neatest thing about history? It's that we keep making it. Sure, there are lots of wonderful things that people have done through the ages. Amazing things. Outstanding things. But, as great as the past accomplishments were, they are not nearly as important as what is happening now and what is yet to be...

One of the things we tend to take for granted these days is ice. Modern refrigerators are all equipped with some sort of ice making attachments -- from simple ice trays to ice making machines and dispensers. (Recently we were in a home that had a special attraction on their refrigerator -- an outside spigot leading to a small beer keg, for instant glasses of draft beer -- the ultimate in instant gratification?)...