Stories from Friday, July 1, 2011

Family Features While it's hard to resist the delicious aroma of food sizzling on the grill, few people associate the backyard barbecue with gourmet greatness. As the flames heat up this summer, you can single-handedly alter that perception by introducing a new element of flavor -- Italian sausage...

I had fun watching "Cars 2." And yes, in case you were wondering, I liked it better than the first one. Quite a bit more, to tell you the truth. I felt that the 2006 original was a beauty to look at, but felt oddly cold and distant. Even with its paean to life in small-town America, I never felt anything more than that I was watching a feature-length demonstration of Pixar's technical expertise. ...

Amanda Johnston of Wauneta, Nebraska and Jacob Pankonin of Imperial, Nebraska, announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the bride-to-be are Nancy Jaeger of Imperial and John Johnston of Wauneta. Parents of the prospective bridegroom are Mr. and Mrs. Jim Pankonin of Imperial...

Sara Hagemann of Culbertson, Nebraska, and Josh Ridder of West Point, Nebraska announce their engagement and upcoming marriage. Parents of the bride-to-be are Bill and Sue Hagemann of Culbertson. Parents of the prospective bridegroom are Dave and Terri Ridder of West Point...

Dr. Craig and Angie Nemechek of Altoona, Iowa announce the birth of a son, Eli Kyler Nemechek. He was born Jan. 6, 2011, in Des Moines, Iowa. Grandparents are Bob and Joann Nemechek of McCook, Nebraska, and John and Michelle Petersen of Fremont, Nebraska...

Mike and Kathryn Schroeder of Colby, Kansas announce the birth of a daughter, Maria Therese Schroeder. She was born June 13, 2011, at Hays Medical Center in Hays, Kansas, weighing 7 pounds, 14 ounces and measuring 21.25 inches long. She has five brothers, Dominic, 7, Gabriel, 6, Benjamin, 4, Jonathan, 3, and Joseph 1. Grandparents are Mike and Diane Sis of Atwood, Kansas, and Dan and Janet Schroeder of Colby, Kansas. Great-grandparents are John and Virginia Burk of Atwood...

JEWELL COUNTY, Kansas -- Lindsay (Linner) Steer, formerly of Indianola, Nebraska, now of Kenesaw, Nebraska and Jeffrey Jon Higel, also of Kenesaw, Nebraska, were united in marriage on Aug. 14, 2010, at Lovewell Lake in Jewell County, Kansas with the Rev. Art Phillips officiating...

The family of Travis and Lynn Gessleman of Culbertson, Nebraska is hosting a reception and card shower in honor of the couple's 25th wedding anniversary. They were married Jan. 18, 1986, at Covenant Church in Marquette, Kansas. Their family includes children, Austin "Opie" Gessleman of Culbertson and Justin "Bubba" Gessleman of Trenton, Nebraska. ...

The family of Merlin and Betty Krieger of McCook, Nebraska is requesting a card shower in honor of the couple's 65th wedding anniversary, July 10. Their family includes children, Linda and Jim Shaw of Yerington, Nevada, Betty and Roger Brush and Debbie and Jim Jenkins, all of McCook. Cards of congratulations will reach the couple at 1302 West J, McCook, NE 69001...

The family of John and Jane Fortin of Overton, Nebraska is requesting a card shower in honor of the couple's 45th wedding anniversary. They were married July 9, 1966 in Garden City, Kansas. Their family includes children, Mark and Stacy Chitwood of McCook, Nebraska, Tracie Fortin of Kearney, Nebraska, and Cathy Fortin of Kearney; and three grandchildren. Cards of congratulations will reach the couple at 75515 Road 446, Overton, NE 68863...

The family of Delbert and Peggy Olmsted of Lincoln, Nebraska, formerly of Beaver City, Nebraska, is requesting a card shower in honor of the couple's 60th wedding anniversary. They were married July 11, 1951, in Arapahoe, Nebraska. Their family includes children, Roger of Phillipsburg, Kansas, Roxanne and Russ Loewenstein of Orleans, Nebraska, and Rhonda Olmsted of Lincoln; two grandchildren; and one great-grandchild. ...

The family of Joyce Weyeneth of McCook, Nebraska is requesting a card shower in honor of her 90th birthday, July 4. She was born in 1921 in Danbury, Nebraska. Family includes children, Lonnie Weyeneth, Joe and Cheri Weyeneth, all of Danbury, and Bonnie and Ken Lomax of Hugoton, Kansas; nine grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. Cards of congratulations will reach her at Hillcrest Nursing Home, 307 W. Seventh, McCook, NE 69001...

The family of Bruce Hampton of McCook, Nebraska is requesting a card shower in honor of his 80th birthday, July 8. Cards of congratulations will reach him at 71788 U.S. Highway 83, McCook, NE 69001.

The family of Goldene Burton of Bartley, Nebraska is hosting an open house in honor of her 90th birthday. The open house is July 9, 2-4 p.m. at the Legion Hall in Bartley. Cards of congratulations will reach her at 421 W. Maple, Bartley, NE 69020.

The family of Zora Sailors of Trenton, Nebraska is hosting an open house in honor of her 100th birthday, July 18. She was born in 1911, in Hayes County, Nebraska. The open house is Sunday, July 10, at the Palisade United Methodist Church in Palisade, Nebraska from 2-4 p.m. ...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The McCook Housing Agency was turned down in February for a $252,000 grant that they had hoped would be the final funding piece for the East Ward Village housing project. When asked for an update on the project in May, Executive Director Rebecca Dutcher told the Gazette that, "financing had gotten a little more complicated with the federal budgets being cut." Financing of the project now appears to depend on the City of McCook, with council members to consider approval of an economic development revolving loan, Tuesday evening, 7:30 p.m., during their semi-monthly meeting at Memorial Auditorium.. ...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- It's December, 1943. America is embroiled in World War II, and her young men are leaving their homes, families and friends to preserve the freedoms guaranteed to all Americans, freedoms worth fighting for. As soldiers prepared to ship overseas, any touch of "home" became that much more poignant because they knew that they would soon come face-to-face with the realities of war...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Melvin Miller of Boston, Massachusetts, was one of 700,000 service men who met the people of McCook, Nebraska, when their troop trains stopped at the "McCook Canteen" during World War II. The Canteen was the home folks' heart-felt way of supporting the cause of freedom while their fellow Americans fought overseas to preserve the American way of life...

A story that borders on being unbelievable occurred last week involving a plane crash that critically injured a University of Michigan basketball recruit. According to the Associated Press, Austin Hatch, a 16 year old junior at Canterbury High School in Fort Wane, Indiana, suffered his injuries in a plane flown by his father, Dr. ...

In a recent opinion column by Curtis W. Ellis with the American Jobs Alliance and John K. Hansen with the Nebraska Farmers Union printed in The Gazette, the claim was made that the pending Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with South Korea, Colombia and Panama would send Nebraska jobs overseas and harm Nebraska's agricultural economy. The authors also claimed that numbers being used to tout the benefits of the FTAs seemed to be pulled out of thin air...

The reality of our freedom, prosperity and security being attacked is bothering a lot of Americans these days. Great Britain was in a terrible situation after it declared war against Germany on Sept. 3, 1939. (Hitler's army had marched into Poland Sept. 1, 1939.) Britain's Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain, was forced to resign because of his policy of appeasing the Nazi regime. King George VI asked Winston Churchill to form a new government in 1940...

We enjoy retired teacher Helen Ruth Arnold's occasional contributions, including the one on this page recalling England's resolve to "keep calm and carry on" during the dark days of World War II. On this 235th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, our nation is a far cry from facing threats like Hitler, but our fiscal and economic challenges will take a similar determination to resolve...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The McCook YMCA has two more sessions of swim lessons this summer, July 11-22 and July 25-Aug. 4. Each class is two weeks, Monday through Thursday, and there are several times to choose from, in mornings and afternoons. Class sizes are limited to no more than six in a class, for more individualized attention. To register, come to the YMCA, 901 West E Street, or online at http://www.mccookymca.org...

Here it is July and while Nebraskans are thinking about summer fun, family vacations, and record floods, in Washington, they're thinking about record deficits. I had planned to visit American troops in Afghanistan, including the many Nebraskans serving there, as well as U.S. military leaders, over the 4th of July break...

In two months, Nebraska will be hosting international business leaders and trade partners from several nations as they travel to our state for Nebraska's second Reverse Trade Mission. This event presents an opportunity to bring the world to Nebraska...

Law enforcement officers, medical emergency personnel and firefighters respond to a three-vehicle accident a mile east of McCook, Nebraska, on Highway 6 and 34 about 6:45 p.m., Friday. The accident resulted in one death, and EMTs and paramedics from McCook transported two victims to Community Hospital of McCook. More information will be released when the investigation by the Nebraska State Patrol is completed...

June 8, 1934-June 29, 2011 CULBERTSON, Nebraska -- Dwaine Dorsey Wilson, 77, passed away Wednesday, June 29, 2011, at the Golden Living Center in Grand Island, Nebraska. Dwaine was born June 8, 1934, to Dorsey and Lula (Gray) Wilson in Hayes County. He graduated from Hayes County High School...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Before we shared his amazing experiences in last year's Military Salute section, many of Billy Loop's family members were familiar with only one of his World War II tales. The emotion that overcame him when he recollected the sorrow-filled experiences is likely to blame, making his years of silence very easy to understand...