Stories from Thursday, December 31, 2009

The company which was hired to design a city fire station at the West Ward location will present an update about the site at the regular McCook City Council meeting, 7:30 p.m. Monday at City Council Chambers in Memorial Auditorium, West C and Fifth...

Invoking two homestate icons, Sen. Ben Nelson said he was not content to sit on the sidelines and do nothing and risk having a bad bill become law through the reconciliation process with a simple majority. Nelson spoke with the Gazette Wednesday to explain his vote for a health care reform bill that many of his constituents oppose...

Nearly all of the footings have been dug and concrete poured for Phase 1 of Community Hospital's building and remodeling project, Hospital President Jim Ulrich said. The final bid opening was completed Dec. 16, and the bids are continuing to come in under budget, he said. "We're where we had hoped to be, coming in under the initial construction budget."...

A Maltese adult female was among 11 dogs -- including three imminent mothers -- rescued from a "backyard breeder" near North Platte on Wednesday. The McCook Humane Society joined shelters in North Platte, Kearney and elsewhere in taking possession of about 50 the animals, which were neglected and unsocialized. ...

For many, the year 2009 was greeted with bated breath, as the nation faced the worse economic dilemma in recent history: unemployment kept rising as jobs were slashed, foreclosure and bankruptcy rates skyrocketed and consumers cut back sharply on their spending...

A "backyard breeder" near North Platte apparently loved dogs, but let things get out of hand. McCook Humane Society and four or five other shelters were called in to "rescue" 40 or 50 dogs living in squalor Wednesday, with 11 of them finding their way to McCook. Another 11 will probably wind up here in a few days...

Aside from the usual nastiness of weather associated with winter, it is really a great time for some stargazing. Some of the brightest stars and the most interesting constellations are coming into view in the early evening hours. Six of the top 10 brightest stars as seen from Earth are displayed in the early winter evening hours...

This will be my last comments to columnist Dick Trail's columns in the McCook Daily Gazette, specifically his last in the Dec. 29, 2009, issue, because I will not be reading his columns any more. He has a right to express his opinions, but to trash a person (Sen. Nelson) by comparing him to a prostitute is "Rush Limbaugh" style my-o-my, just how low can partisanship go?...

Sept. 11, 1948-Dec. 27, 2009 MAX -- Wesley A. Osborn, 61, died Sunday (Dec. 27, 2009) at Dundy County Hospital in Benkelman. He was born Sept. 11, 1948, at Fort Collins, Colo., to Wesley A. and Viola Mae (Triplett) Osborn, Sr., and grew up in Loveland, Colo. He moved with his family to Pennsylvania and later to California, where he became interested in auto mechanics...

STRATTON -- Marjorie R. Miles, 90, died Wednesday (Dec. 30, 2009) at Community Hospital in McCook. Memorial services will be Tuesday, 10:30 a.m., at the Church of Christ in Stratton. Inurnment will follow at Rose Hill Cemetery in Stratton. There is no visitation...

The nattering nabobs of negativism have increased a hundred fold since Spiro Agnew made that comment penned by William Safire many years ago when he was vice-president of the United States. It seems the only way we can sell newspapers or get people to watch our television shows or listen to our radio programs is to be on the attack; to be negative, to denigrate character or motive, or to lampoon honest and heart-felt sentiments...

The family and friends of Roberta Werkmeister are hosting an open house, Jan. 10, from 2 p.m. - 4 p.m., at the Palisade United Methodist Church, in celebration of her 80th birthday. No gifts please. She was born Jan. 11, 1930. Her children are Shirley and husband, Dennis Ferguson of Palisade, Melody and husband, Bob Herbert of Chadron, Roger Werkmeister and wife, Janet of McCook and Terri Wilson of Palisade; she has 10 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren. ...

Chris and Kim Cuellar of Mullen announce the birth of their son, Nathan James Cuellar, who was born Nov. 12, 2009. He weighed 8 pounds, 1 ounce. He has one brother, Casey, 5. Grandparents are Larry and Sarah Smith of Maywood and Mike and Millie Cuellar of Indianola...

The family of Elvin Goodson is requesting a card shower in honor of his 90th birthday, Jan. 8. Cards of congratulations will reach him at 1500 East 11th St., Apt. 318, McCook, NE, 69001.

The family and friends of George Patterson are requesting a card shower in honor of his 75th birthday, Jan. 5. George was born Jan. 5, 1935, in Cloud County, Kan. Family includes his wife, Sylvia Patterson; daughter, Cindy Moore and family, of Bartley; son, Duane Patterson and family, of Lakewood, Colo., and four grandchildren. Birthday wishes will reach him at 104 East 10th, McCook, NE, 69001...

The family of Brian and Nancy Harris is requesting a card shower in honor of the couple's 25th wedding anniversary. They married Jan. 4, 1985, in McCook. Cards of congratulation will reach them at 1302 Missiouri Ave., McCook, NE 69001.

The family of Lewis McFarland is requesting a card shower in honor of his 85th birthday. He was born Jan. 5, 1925. His family includes wife Laveda, son Dennis and his wife Linda and two grandchildren, all of McCook. Cards of congratulations will reach him at 1106 West L, McCook, NE 69001...

Matt and Deanna Sellers of McCook announce the birth of their daughter, Ali Todd Sellers. She was born Sept. 21, 2009, at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, weighing 3 pounds, 4 ounces and measuring 15 inches. She has an 18- month-old brother, Reid. ...

The family of Eleanor Allen would like to honor her with a card shower for her 95th birthday Jan. 10, 2010. Cards of congratulations will reach her at P. O. Box 488, Cambridge, NE 69022

Kristen Harr and Jonathan Lancton, both of Houston, Texas announce their engagement and upcoming marriage. Parents of the couple are Phil and Donna Harr of McCook and the late Patrick and Barbara Lancton. The bride-to-be is a 2000 graduate of McCook High School and a 2007 graduate of Ave Maria University in Naples, Fla.. She is a religious education and audio book production editor for Ignatius Press...

Brent and Tonia Hazlitt of McCook, announce the birth of their son, Tekoa Azlan Gabriel Hazlitt. He was born Oct. 14, 2009, at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney, weighing 9 pounds, 14 ounces and measuring 20 and 1/2 inches. He has three sisters, 6-year-old Shelbi, 4-year-old Cinamon and 2-year-old Aspen. ...

WAUNETA -- Francis Fekkers, 82, died Tuesday (Dec. 29, 2009), at Chase County Hospital in Imperial. Survivors include his son, Mike Fekkers of Corvallis, Ore., a daughter, Ruth Leidle of Lincoln; a sister, Barb Blickenstaff of Arapahoe; three grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren...