Stories from Friday, March 25, 2011

Dannette Kae Miller and Jason Brian Kloepping, both of Bartley, Nebraska, announce their engagement and upcoming marriage. Children of the couple are Austin and Jaydenn Miller of Bartley, and Kirsten Soncksen of Gothenburg, Nebraska. Parents of the bride-to-be are Dennis and Kem McConville of Indianola, Nebraska. Parents of the prospective bridegroom are Doug and Barb Kloepping of Lexington, Nebraska, and Kenneth and Jackie Eggers of Ainsworth, Nebraska...

The family of Robert and Lila Leitner of Herndon, Kansas is requesting a card shower in honor of the couple's 60th wedding anniversary. They were married March 29, 1961, in St. Cyril's Catholic Church. Their family includes children, Linda and husband, Albin Ruzicka of Stratton, Nebraska, Roger and wife, Bonnie Leitner of Saint Augustine, Florida, Sam Leitner of Arvada, Colorado, Connie and husband, Robert Herzog of Peoria, Arizona, Mary and husband, Raymond Carlson of North Platte, Nebraska, David and wife, Kathy Leitner of Atwood, Kansas; and 12 grandchildren. ...

The family of Marlan and Linda Dooley of McCook, Nebraska is requesting a card shower in honor of the couple's 40th wedding anniversary. They were married March 27, 1971, at United Methodist Church in Mullen, Nebraska. Their family includes children, Matt and Traci Wiemers, Neal and Tami Golden and Trisha Dooley and fiancé Seth Weyeneth; and five grandchildren. Cards of congratulations will reach the couple at 708 Westridge, McCook, NE 69001...

Justin and Kelli Jensen of McCook, Nebraska announce the birth of a son, Jace Tobey Jensen. He was born March 18, 2011, at Community College in McCook, weighing 8.14 pounds and measuring 21.5 inches long. Grandparents are Dann and Sue Nelms of Benkelman, Nebraska and Jerry and Gail Jensen of North Platte, Nebraska. Great-grandparents are Richard and Yvonna Hayes of Cambridge, Nebraska and Don and Shirley Nelms of McCook...

Jared and Lisa (Wellman) Ringus of West Des Moines, Iowa announce the birth of a son, Colton Charles Ringus. Lisa graduated from McCook. He was born Jan. 13, 2011, in West Des Moines, Iowa, weighing 8 pounds, 5 ounces and measuring 20 inches long. Grandparents are Ken and Mary Wellman of Lincoln, Nebraska, and Charles and Lana Ringus of Clear Lake, Iowa...

Michael and Elizabeth Bauer of Sioux Falls, South Dakota announce the birth of a son, Maxwell Henry Bauer. He was born Jan. 18, 2011, at Sanford Hospital in Sioux Falls, weighing 9 pounds, 1 ounce and measuring 20.5 inches long. He has a brother, Samuel, 3, and a sister, Julia, 20 months. Grandparents are Ron and Vicki Bauer of Ord, Nebraska, and Ruth and Gordon Sather of Blair, Nebraska. Great-grandparents are Don and Norma Sitzman of Culbertson, Nebraska...

Family Features Family time can get lost when the family calendar is filled up with activities, practices, meetings and homework. It's important to carve out some special time each week to slow down and enjoy making some fun memories together. Food and games are two great ways to connect as a family -- and keeping things simple makes it easy to really focus on each other and have fun. ...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- McCook Community College science instructor Rob Bogardus has started a teaching collection of bird specimens and he's looking for the public's help in adding to that collection. Millions of birds die every year when the run into windows, get hit by vehicles or are killed by household pets. ...

The uprisings in Egypt, Tunisia, and throughout the Middle East, have drastically changed the future political landscape of the region. However, as this volatile period is navigated, it is imperative we work to ensure United States foreign policy interests are protected, particularly our relationship with Israel and its security in the region...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- 2008 McCook High School graduate Tenielle Lytle has found something special in Tijuana, Mexico -- her calling. Despite the lack of amenities most of us take for granted -- such as hot water or a dryer -- Lytle told the Gazette Wednesday afternoon that she feels unworthy to live amongst the poverty and hardship-stricken children of the City of Angels Orphanage in Tijuana...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The Omaha, Nebraska, firm chosen to conduct a jail feasibility study for Red Willow County will discuss a kickoff meeting for the study at the county commissioners' weekly meeting Monday in the courthouse in McCook. The meeting begins at 9 a.m.; representatives of Prochaska & Associates will talk to commissioners about the jail study at 11 a.m...

People involved in statewide organizations like to joke that their Omaha and Lincoln friends think Grand Island is in Western Nebraska. There's no comfort in the latest figures from the Census Bureau, which has moved the center of the state's population about five miles farther southeast, to a point in a cornfield near Rising City...

There is a myriad of biological, psychological and sociological theories that attempt to explain deviant behavior and many of them get it at least partly right. I think Freud's concept of the Pleasure Principle comes closest. Some of Freud's more esoteric psychoanalytical theories bend the mind of the common man but his theory of the Pleasure Principle is pretty straightforward...

On Dec. 1, 2010, the Nebraska State Patrol wrote a citation to Ira Neel for driving left of center on a gravel county road. On March 24, 2011, the county attorney Paul wood prosecuted and county judge Anne Payne found him guilty of driving left of center on the gravel county road...

March 25, 2011 -- Today, Nebraska's Senator Ben Nelson said a new Government Accountability Office report outlines alternatives to pursue if the individual mandate in the Affordable Care Act is struck down by the courts, which would impose a $57 billion-a-year tax on insured Americans to cover the costs of those without insurance...

The gas pump signs at the key-control fueling station on Nebraska Highway 25 south of Hayes Center read "Self Serve," but someone helping himself/herself to the whole supply of diesel fuel isn't what the owners intend. For the third time since the fall of 2010, the fueling station has been robbed. ...

This past year, Nebraska schools began to administer statewide reading tests. For the first time ever, Nebraskans will be able to compare their school district with other districts in the state. Known as the Nebraska State Accountability (NeSA) Reading Assessment, it was taken by students in grades three through three through eight and high school juniors. I want to focus on the results of our high schools...

Of all of the choices we make each day -- what to wear, what to eat, where to live -- no decision is more important than the one we make to the question "What will you do with Jesus?" The Rev. Clark Bates, pastor at McCook Christian Church posed that question to an audience of 98 Friday afternoon at the third 2011 Community Lenten service at First Congregational Church, but not before revealing how some have already answered...

Robert and Tiffany Stanton of Fort Worth, Texas, announce the birth of a daughter, Imogen Piper Stanton. She was born Dec. 4, 2010, in Denton, Texas, weighing 8 pounds, 15 ounces and measuring 21 inches. Grandparents are Dr. Chris and Karen Nix of McCook, Nebraska, Ruth Anne Dietz of Fort Worth and Joel B. Stanton of Chicago, Illinois...

The family of Marshall Grant of McCook, Nebraska is planning an open house in honor of his 80th birthday, April 1. The open house is from 2-4 p.m. at the Masonic Temple, third floor, 322 Norris Ave, McCook. Cards of congratulations will reach him at 806 1/2 E. Seventh, McCook, NE 69001...