Stories from Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Raymond and Mary Bockerman will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary with an open house Sunday, Sept. 7, 2-4 p.m., at the Issak Walton Clubhouse south of Arapahoe. They were married Sept. 7, 1948, in Beaver City. Cards of congratulation will reach the couple at PO Box 494, Arapahoe, NE 68922...

The family of Pat Ele is requesting a card shower in honor of his 90th birthday Sept. 4. His children are Patty Mitchem and Mary Vontz of McCook, Bob Ele of Lincoln and Ned Ele of Scottsbluff. Cards of congratulation will reach him in care of Hillcrest Nursing Home, 309 W. Seventh, Room 106, McCook, NE 69001...

Jay R. Prestes and Lorie L. Hoyt announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. The bride-to-be is the director at the McCook Humane Society and the prospective bridegroom works for Ag Valley Co-op. His parents are Al and June Prestes of McCook. The couple plans an outdoor wedding Sept. ...

HAYS, Kan. -- Tiffany Lawrence of Beloit, Kan., and T.J. Nix of McCook were united in marriage on March 15, 2008, at North Oak Community Church in Hays, Kan., with the Rev. Ken Ediger officiating. Parents of the couple are Charles and Kristin Lawrence of Beloit, Kan., and Chris and Karen Nix of McCook...

Emmanuel and Janelle Reinbold announce the birth of a daughter, Ava Grace Reinbold. She was born July 2, 2008, at Community Hospital in McCook, weighing 6 pounds, 14 ounces and measuring 20 inches in length. She has a 3-year-old sister, Olivia. Her grandparents are Greg Neer of Chariton, Iowa and Donna Reinbold of Vallonia, Ind. Great-grandparents are Clarence and Clare Neer of Williston, N.D., Russ and Mary Ellen Ramlow of Whitefish, Mont., and Louise Tolliver of Seymour, Ind...

Brianna Davis and James Davis of Denver, Colo., announce their engagement and upcoming marriage. Parents of the couple are Ken and Cathy Davis of McCook, Clarence Davis of Chandler, Texas and Dianne Bristow of Duncanville, Texas. The bride-to-be graduated from McCook Senior High in 1994 and earned an Associates degree in 1996 from McCook Community College. ...

Kenneth and Katrina Ahrens announce the birth of their daughter, Sylvia Robin Ahrens on July 27, 2008, at Community Hospital in McCook. She weighed 6 pounds, 8.2 ounces and measured 19 1/4 inches. She has a 4-year-old brother, Erik. Her grandparents are Buddy Ahrens of McCook, Kris Ahrens of Colby, Kan., and Ken and Mary Weaver of Wahoo. Great-grandparents are Helen Ahrens of Sealy, Texas and Eleanor and Jim Crabb of Wauneta...

Greg Monzon and Colette Burns of McCook announce the birth of their son, Laken Victor Burns Monzon on July 17, 2008, at Community Hospital in McCook. He weighed 6 pounds, 14.4 ounces and measured 18 inches. He has two sisters, 18-year-old, Monique Monzon and 5-year-old, Calie Kircher and two brothers, 13-year-old, Tyler "TJ" Monzon and 20-month-old, Dawson Burns. ...

The family of Bryan and Lois (McConville) Kinne of McCook is requesting a card shower in honor of the couples' 40th anniversary. There were married Sept. 6, 1968 in Indianola. Children of the couple are Lonnie of Kearney, Larry and wife, Dawn of McCook, Lori and husband, Steve of McCook, Lynn and wife Katie of Aurora and Lannette of Omaha. They have six grandchildren. Cards of congratulations can reach them at 1007 West 12th, McCook, NE 69001...

Brenda Walz and Donya Beavers of Lincoln announce their engagement and upcoming marriage. Parents of the couple are Bernard Walz of Indianola and the late Paula Walz and Ceola Ivy and Willie Beavers of Pine Bluff, Ark. The bride-to-be graduated from Republican Valley High School in 1997 and graduated from Colby Comunity College in 1999. She works as a CNA for Interim...

Danette Sughroue and Trevor Anderson announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the couple are Tom and Patricia Smith of Bartley and Gregg and Jackie Anderson of Gothenburg,. The bride-to-be graduated from Twin Valley High School in 2000 and earned a Doctorate in Occupational Therapy from Creighton University in 2005. She is employed as an occupational therapist for Alpha Rehabilitation, P.C. in Kearney...

LINCOLN -- Joe Ganz threw four touchdown passes to help Bo Pelini win his first game as Nebraska's coach, 47-24 over Western Michigan on Saturday night. Nebraska won its season opener for the 23rd straight year, the longest streak in the nation, but this victory marked a new beginning for a program in rebuilding mode after unraveling under Bill Callahan...

COZAD -- Southern Valley's High School football team claimed a 13-12 win over Cozad's Haymakers Friday night. The first quarter ended with both teams 0-0, before Cozad put in a 3 yard run and a 33 yard pass play. Drew Witte ran 3 yards to score for the Southern Valley ending the first half with Cozad leading 12-7...

HOLDREGE -- The McCook High School softball team rebounded from two opening day losses Thursday to win the Holdrege Tournament Thursday. Bailey Lauer pitched a three-inning no-hitter in McCook's 13-0 win over Omaha Gross in the first round. The Bison defeated Cozad 8-3 in the semifinals and Minden 12-2 in the championship...

The McCook Bison boys tennis team opened the season Friday by splitting matches at Kearney and placing fourth at the Grand Island Central Catholic Invitational Saturday. Next action for the Bison is Thursday at 4 p.m. at Hastings. McCook 5, Kearney Catholic 4...

May 8, 1922 - Aug. 30, 2008 Maxine Mae Schrein died Saturday, Aug. 30, 2008, at Community Hospital in McCook, Neb., at the age of 86. She was born May 8, 1922, in Red Willow County, Neb., the daughter of the late Charles and Minnie (Hinz) Reiners. She grew up in the Ash Creek Community where she graduated from rural school...

June 27, 1933 - Aug. 28, 2008 SEWARD -- Merwin L. Smith, 75, died Thursday (Aug. 28, 2008) in Seward. He was born June 27, 1933, in Wilsonville to C.J. and LaVinna (Clements) Smith. He graduated from McCook High School in 1951, and received his masters from Kearney State Teachers College...

Striving to become one of Nebraska's leading family events, event coordinators of McCook Balloon Fest are in full swing on this year's event, which will take place Saturday and Sunday at the Red Willow County Fairgrounds in McCook. This year's show will feature a motorcycle show sponsored by A.B.A.T.E. of Nebraska District 12, along with Sehnert's Bakery & Bieroc Café, the Kiwanis Club, and, every child's favorite, the Sno Place...

No one was injured when two pickups, one pulling a boat, collided Friday evening at the turnoff to Red Willow Dam 14 miles north of McCook on Highway 83. A report by Nebraska State Patrol Trooper Doug Petty indicates that the collision happened at 7:20 p.m., when a southbound pickup driven by Russell T. Hiatt Jr., 19, of Riverton, and a northbound pickup driven by Marshell G. Sis, 40, of McCook, collided as Sis turned west across the southbound lane onto the Red Willow Dam Road...

Twenty-five soldiers and 14 trucks of the Nebraska Army National Guard 1195th Transportation Co., McCook, deploy this morning to Louisiana, to help with the aftermath of Hurricane Gustav. First Lt. Bobbi Jacobsen, (front row, far left) attachment commander of the McCook unit, said that 1,000 Nebraska National Guard personnel are part a federal mission to help with recovery after Gustav hit the Louisiana coast shortly before noon Monday. ...

We've spent most of the summer at home this year; the price of gas and other family situations haven't allowed us the opportunity to do much traveling. We had planned a long stay at the lake over Labor Day weekend, but the wind kept us in the RV most of Saturday...

My wife has given me strict advice to resist writing about current politics. Some things a fellow simply can't resist so…. Time will tell, of course, but at the moment Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin appears to be a breath of fresh air in the murky world of politics. ...

Willa Cather. Johnny Carson. Dorothy Lynch salad dressing. The Cornhuskers. Vise-Grip pliers. Nebraska's a small state, and with fewer than 2 million people living here, we take pride in each other's accomplishments. Thus it was sad to hear rumors, apparently true, of the pending closing of the Vise-Grip factory in DeWitt...