Stories from Friday, April 29, 2011

Jenna Elyse Scavuzzo of Harrisonville, Missouri and Drew Alan Scott Henthorn of Smithville, Missouri announce their engagement and upcoming marriage. Parents of the bride-to-be are Luke and Candace Scavuzzo of Harrisonville. Grandparents of the bride-to-be are Luke and Gwendolyn Scavuzzo of Harrisonville, the late Sherrill Christiansen and Deon Christiansen from Lake Ozark, Missouri...

The family of Donald and Lela (Teeter) Fortkamp of Palisade, Nebraska is requesting a card shower in honor of the couple's 60th wedding anniversary. They were married May 6, 1951, in Benkelman, Nebraska. Their family includes their children, Dee and wife, Jennifer Fortkamp of Palisade and Tina and husband, Denny Vrbas of Benkelman; four grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. Cards of congratulations will reach the couple at P.O. Box 292, Palisade, NE 69040...

The family of Jack and Ellen Wagner of Arapahoe, Nebraska is requesting a card shower in honor of the couple's 70th wedding anniversary, April 27. Cards of congratulations will reach the couple at 601 Main Street, Arapahoe, NE 68922.

The family of Ethel "Lorene" Churchill Carroll of McCook, Nebraska is requesting a card shower and is having a celebration in honor of her 100th birthday, May 10. She was born in Mayville, Missouri in 1911. Family includes her late husband, Earl "Bud" Carroll; sons, Richard and wife, Claudia Carroll of Youngstown, Florida, and the late Leonard Carroll; daughters, the late Juanita and husband, Leroy Weber, Lois Malleck of Amarillo, Texas, Nancy and husband, Bud Boyer of Overland Park, Kansas, and Mary Carroll of McCook; 14 grandchildren; and numerous great-grandchildren. ...

The family of Maurice Stanley "Stan" Greenlee of Auburn, Indiana, formerly of McCook, Nebraska, is requesting a card shower and is having a celebration in honor of his 80th birthday, May 14. He was born in Frontier County, Nebraska in 1931. Family includes his wife, Lucille Greenlee of Auburn; children, Kevin and wife, Yvonne Greenlee of Pleasanton, California, Cindy and husband, Bob Wilson of Auburn; four granddaughters; and one grandson-in-law. ...

The family of Leonard Bath of McCook, Nebraska is requesting a card shower in honor of his 80th birthday, May 1. He was born at Barr Lake, Colorado in 1931. Family includes wife, Pat of McCook; daughters, Lori Metzger and husband, Gary of Holbrook, Nebraska, and Kristi Novak and husband, Gerald of McCook; four grandchildren; and one great-grandchild. Cards of congratulations will reach him at 909 West I Street, McCook, NE 69001...

The family of K. Dale Fults of Beaver City, Nebraska is requesting a card shower in honor of his 80th birthday, May 5. Family includes daughter, Karla Lamberton of Napa, California; sons, Kendall Fults of Hanford, California, Brad Fults of Bayard, Nebraska, and Dave Fults of San Diego, California; eight grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. Cards of congratulations will reach him at 42918 Road 706, Beaver City, NE 68926...

Ken and Jessica Thomas of McCook, Nebraska announce the birth of a daughter, Makenlee Isabelle Thomas. She was born April 13, 2011, at Community Hospital in McCook, weighing 7 pounds, 13.8 ounces and measuring 20.25 inches long. She has two sisters, Haylee, 5, and Julee, 3. ...

Family Features Grilling is a great way to get a whole lot of flavor that goes way beyond plain burgers and basic barbecue. Lean meats, juicy marinades and zesty top­pings add up to terrific flame-kissed dishes that will make guests want to kiss the cook...

Dec. 30, 1913-April 28, 2011 McCOOK, Nebraska -- Helen Louise (Hartman) McNew was born on Dec. 30, 1913, on her parents' farm southeast of Stratton, Nebraska. Helen died at the McCook Community Hospital at the young age of 97, on April 28, 2011. Helen was the oldest of 11 children born to William (Claude) and Louise (Price) Hartman. ...

July 19, 1917-April 27, 2011 ASHLAND, Nebraska -- Dorene Hoschouer, 93, died at Ashland Care Center in Ashland on April 27, 2011. Dorene was born July 19, 1917, to Calvin and Edith (Fitzgerald) Rucker in rural Hayes County, Nebraska. Dorene attended school in Hayes County and graduated from Hayes County High School in Hayes Center. ...

TRENTON, Nebraska -- A controlled burn on a rural farm northwest of Trenton, Nebraska, went horribly wrong late Thursday afternoon, resulting in the death of one and severe burn injuries to two others. Hitchcock County Sheriff D. Bryan Leggott reported this morning that Theresa L. Borges Schnoor, 46 years old, of Trenton died at the fire scene eight miles northwest of Trenton...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The lone survivors of "The Elite 11" shared war stories and memories -- good and not so good -- after lunch one afternoon at the Heritage Center in McCook, Nebraska. Orville Fritsch and Kenny Martin, both of McCook, explained that "The Elite 11" was a group of 11 soldiers from Southwest Nebraska who left McCook early Dec. ...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The Federal Aviation Authority required wildlife fence at McCook Ben Nelson Regional Airport will cost significantly more than initially estimated. Monday evening, during their semi-monthly meeting at Memorial Auditorium, the McCook City Council will review a consulting contract which now estimates total cost of the project at $1,769,712. That amount is just shy of an $800,000 increase from the $970,344 estimated in March...

Nebraskans have long held rights granted by the Constitution close to our hearts -- especially the Second Amendment right to bear arms. In total, an estimated 90 million Americans own more than 200 million guns. Many are used for sport and hunting, others are collectors' items, and still more are used for self-defense and security...

While healthcare reform has been signed into law, opponents have pledged to repeal the law, and gigantic budget deficits overshadow all other arguments. Americans are not willing to leave people without needed medical care, however, and the people and institutions that provide it -- and ultimately those who can pay, usually through their insurance premiums -- bear the cost...

I must take exception to Mike Hendrick's column in Friday's Gazette in which he used a broad brush to paint all true Christians as simple, uneducated people. It certainly is not true in our church and in most churches that I know. Many have college educations. ...

Once again it is graduation time. Before flinging their hats into the aid, there are a few things the grads should know: 1. Some things might inevitably happen. 2. If you come to a fork in the middle of the road, take it. 3. Half of the lies you hear aren't true...

Salvation is a free gift ... discipleship costs everything. There are many cults (some very bizarre), feigning religion! But the essence of religion -- how to get peace with God -- can be only one of two ways -- the works of man -- or -- the grace of God!...

This is a remarkable story and, yet, in one form or another, the same thing happens hundreds of times every year in McCook and the surrounding area of Southwest Nebraska and Northwest Kansas. What I'm talking about is the wonderful willingness of the people of this area to help out. It's about neighbors helping neighbors. It's about caring and cooperation...

Today's column title is what we used to yell at other kids in elementary school because lying wasn't a good thing. It was always better to tell the truth, accept the consequences for your actions and get on with you life. Not so today. We live in a country of liars. And it's not just a certain group of Americans, it's every group. It's not just in a particular place in our country, it's everyplace...

I want to highlight the work done by the Nebraska Department of Administrative Services (DAS), which plays an important role in organizing and maintaining the resources of state government. The department serves as a central point of contact supporting the work of state agencies...