Stories from Monday, January 5, 2009

Grand Island Hoops Classic March 13-15 GRAND ISLAND -- The Heartland Lutheran and Trinity Lutheran Boosters Clubs will be hosting the 13th annual Hoops Classic basketball tournament March 13-15 in Grand Island. The registration deadline is Feb. 18. Register early, the tournament was full last year. ...

WAUNETA -- Staci Alberts and Matthew Applegarth of Palisade were united in marriage June 7, 2008, in the United Methodist Church in Wauneta with the Rev. Judith Dye officiating. Parents of the couple are Deb Rathe and Kurt and Janet Applegarth, all of Palisade...

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- All those lopsided wins didn't mean a thing for top-ranked North Carolina once it opened Atlantic Coast Conference play. They sure didn't seem to prepare the nation's top-ranked team for a tough game, either. Tyrese Rice scored 25 points and Rakim Sanders added 22 to help Boston College stun the Tar Heels 85-78 on Sunday, likely ending the Tar Heels' run atop the early season polls with a surprisingly one-sided road victory...

LeBron James didn't agree with the traveling call that helped prevent his Cleveland Cavaliers from beating lowly Washington. A loss to the struggling New York Knicks leaves little doubt Kevin Garnett and the Boston Celtics are stumbling atop the Eastern Conference...

Scott and Rochelle (Schmidt) Swanson of Gretna announce the birth of their daughter, Anisten Noel Swanson, on Dec. 16, 2008, at Methodist Hospital in Omaha. She weighed 10 pounds, 10 ounces and measured 22 inches. Her grandparents are Les and Nancy Schmidt of Indianola and Jim and Sandi Swanson of Utica. Great-grandparents are Peggy Schmidt of McCook and Don and Mariann Ogorzolka, also of McCook...

The family of Retta Berger will host an open house and card shower in honor of her 80th birthday. She was born Jan 8, 1928 in Rawlins County. The open house will be Thursday, Jan. 8, from 2-4 p.m. at the Colonial Villa, 719 N. Brown in Alma. Cards of congratulations will reach her at 719 N. Brown, Alma, NE 68920...

RaeAnn Burton of Maywood and Jared Knoell of Fremont announce their engagement and upcoming marriage. Parents of the couple are Robert and Jan Burton of Curtis and Bill and Mary Knoell of Fremont. The bride-to-be's grandmother is Delma Teel of Maywood...

LAWRENCE, Kan. -- Kansas coach Bill Self has said it all season: Sherron Collins and Cole Aldrich have to play well for the Jayhawks to beat good teams. They did against Tennessee and Kansas ended up with its biggest win of the season. With Collins blowing past defenders with crossover dribbles and Aldrich flying in for dunks and blocked shots, Kansas picked up an important victory by knocking off 14th-ranked Volunteers 92-85 Saturday...

The family of Myrth Norman of McCook is hosting an open house and a card shower in honor of her 100th birthday. She was born on a farm near Venango on Jan. 13, 1909. The open house will be Sunday, Jan. 18, 2009 from 2 - 4 p.m. at Highland Park Retirement Center in McCook. Cards will reach her at Highland Park Retirement Center, 610 East 14th, Apt. B-7, McCook, NE 69001...

The family and friends of Ruth Hayward are requesting a card shower in honor of her 95th birthday Jan. 6. Cards of congratulation will reach her at Box 294, Trenton, NE, 69044.

MINNEAPOLIS -- Above the Metrodome's deafening noise, Donovan McNabb stayed poised. Completing passes precisely when the Eagles needed him to, McNabb repeatedly sidestepped the Minnesota rush and sent Philadelphia to a 26-14 playoff win Sunday after being all but forgotten as a postseason contender just one month earlier...

Daniel and Gigi (George) Sattler of McCook announce the birth of their twins, Jackie Ray and Kale Thomas Sattler on Dec. 18, 2008, at Community Hospital in McCook. Jackie weighed 4 pounds, 5 ounces and Kale weighed 4 pounds, 2 ounces. Both measured 19 inches long. Their grandparents are Jack and Thelma George of Loveland, Colo., and Tom and Myra Sattler of Herndon. Their great-grandfather is the late Clarence Sattler of Herndon...

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Offense or defense? Speed or precision? The Heartland or Dixieland? The Big 12 or the Southeastern Conference? They've been college football's best conferences this season, so it's only fitting their champions will decide the national title when Florida plays Oklahoma in Miami...

This Week in Nebraska Athletics Monday Jan. 5 -- Men's Basketball Florida A&M Devaney Center 7 p.m. Sat.-Sun. Jan. 10-11 -- Wrestling at NWCA National Duals Cedar Falls, Iowa 9 a.m. Saturday Jan. 10 -- Men's Basketball Missouri (ESPN2) Devaney Center 1 p.m...

OGALLALA -- On Saturday, the McCook High School Bison varsity and junior wrestling teams travelled to Ogallala for their first dual competition of the year. Winning matches for McCook were Jesus Gauna, 103 pounds; Nate Morgan, 112; Jake Fahrenbruch, 119; Skyler Kalinski, 125; Drew Peterson, 130; Rusty Sullivent, 135; Keldon Osterman, 140; Tyler Rogers, 145; Deon Allen, 160; Hank Lichtenwaldt, 171; and Eric Chalupa, 189...

Five area high school basketball games were played this weekend. Maywood's boys and girls teams hosted Dundy County-Stratton Friday and Southwest's boys and girls teams played at Alma on Saturday. Southwest's boys also played Maxwell on Dec. 30.

The Gazette's "New Year's Baby 2009" is a little girl named Chloe Marie, the new daughter of Krystal and Clayton Weber of McCook, born Jan. 4 at Community Hospital of McCook. Chloe takes the "New Year's Baby" crown from Blake Alan Hagan, born Jan. 1, 2008, to (Ashley) Dawn and Bruce Hagan Jr. of Culbertson. Chloe will be featured in a news story in Tuesday's Gazette...

McCook's Main Street Program has announced that it will hold a fundraiser concert at the historic Fox Theater on Norris Avenue on Sunday, Jan. 25. The concert will begin at 3 p.m. and will feature recording artist Jim Salestrom. Main Street Promotions Director Mike O'Dell said, "We hope that area residents will mark their calendars and save the date." O'Dell added, "We feel very fortunate to have booked a performer of Jim Salestrom's caliber and McCook Main Street is proud to play a role in the presentation of quality, family friendly entertainment on Norris Avenue.". ...

China's big-time irresponsibility is hurting small-time, responsible entrepreneurs. And like the proverbial bull in the china shop, if the law isn't changed, Congress will help stomp out the mom-and-pop enterprises that have been flourishing under new opportunities made possible by the Internet...

Prior to the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor, Dec. 7, 1941, which signaled America's entry into World War II, there were a number of American men fighting for peace in the world, by joining forces with Britain and China, as volunteers. Some of these men, known as the American Volunteer Group -- AVG -- formed the Eagle Squadrons in England and fought alongside the RAF in the Battle of Britain. ...