Stories from Friday, October 28, 2011

Family Features Year after year, saving money and eating healthier rank high on the list of New Year's resolutions, but as many know all too well, busy schedules can make it hard to keep these resolutions up. "Pretty Delicious" author and "Top Chef" alum Candice Kumai has partnered with The Glad Products Company to create delicious recipes that help bring healthy food out of the kitchen, and in turn, help to...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- As challenging as parenting is, it amazes me sometimes how quickly our batteries can be recharged. It just takes one precious moment to wipe out weeks of seemingly fruitless efforts. I received one of those moments earlier this week and of course it occurred at the most stressful of all parenting locations, the dinner table...

Dorothy Belle (Traphagan) Bortner Nov. 9, 1907 - Oct. 27, 2011 McCOOK, Nebraska -- Dorothy Belle (Traphagan) Bortner died Thursday, Oct.27, 2011, at Community Hospital of McCook at the age of 103 years. She was born on November 9, 1907, in Frontier County, Nebraska, the daughter of Fred and Mattie (Simmerman) Traphagan. The family moved to a farm in Red Willow County, with Dorothy attending rural school in Red Willow County and later McCook High School...

Talana S. Chamberlain Aug. 9, 1957 - Oct. 26, 2011 GRAND ISLAND, Nebraska --Talana S. Chamberlain, 54, of St. Paul, died Wednesday, Oct.26, 2011, at St. Francis Medical Center. Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m., Monday at St. Mark's Lutheran Church in St. Paul. Caroline Hellerich will officitate...

Robert V. Chambers McCOOK, Nebraska -- Robert V. Chambers, 82, died Thursday (Oct. 27, 2011), at Community Hospital. Visitation will be Monday, Oct. 31, from 1-8 p.m. at Carpenter Funeral Home. The family will greet friends from 6-8 p.m. Services will be Tuesday, Nov. 1, at 10:30 a.m., at Carpenter Breland, with the Rev. Richard Karr officiating. Burial will follow at the Oberlin Cemetery...

40th anniversary The family of Joyce and Larry Peterson is requesting a card shower in honor of the couple's 40th wedding anniversary. They were married Nov. 5, 1971, in Imperial, Nebraska.Their family includes Melodie and Gary Curnutt of Silverton Colorado, Troy Reed of Kearney, Nebraska, Blaine and Tycha Peterson of Papillion, Nebraska, Stephen and Jenny Peterson of McCook. Nebraska, and 12 grandchildren. Cards of congratulation will reach them at 1710 West 2nd St, McCook NE 69001...

90th birthday The family of Earla Jimenez of Ogallala, Nebraska, is requesting a card shower in honor of her 90th birthday. She was born Nov. 6, 1921 in Lewellen, Nebraska. She and her husband, Sam, lived in McCook for approximately 20 years before moving. ...

Hudson Leland Schlimmer Erik and Amy Schlimmer of Volga, South Dakota, announce the birth of their son, Hudson Leland Schlimmer, who was born Oct. 4, 2011 at Brookings, South Dakota. He weighed 7 pounds, 13 ounces and was 19.25 inches long. He has one brother, Jackson, 2 1/2 years old. Grandparents are Leon and Marita Portschy of Herndon, Kansas and Leland and Virginia Schlimmer of Volga...

Ansley Emerson Mcdonald Matthew Mcdonald and Brooke Rife of Stratton, Nebraska, announce the birth of their daughter, Ansley Emerson Mcdonald, who was born Sept. 8, 2011 at McCook Community Hospital. She weighed 7 pounds, 1 ounce and measured 20 inches long. Grandparents are Don and Melba Rife, Scott and Peggy Mcdonald, all of Stratton. Great-grandparents are Daniel Rife and Doris Mcdonald, both of Stratton and Zola Melichar of Lincoln, Nebraska...

Aiyana Dalia Lafferty Scott Lafferty and Kendra Lafferty of McCook announce the birth of their daughter, Aiyana Dalia Lafferty, who was born Oct. 6, 2011 at the Dundy County Hospital. She weighed 8 pounds, 8.8 ounces and measured 20 and 1/2 inches long. Grandparents are Vera Wilson of McCook, Ron Wallace of Douglas, Nebraska,...

For several months now, our state has had an ongoing conversation and discussion about the proposed Keystone XL Pipeline, currently planned to cross Nebraska's most precious water resource, the Ogallala Aquifer. As you can imagine, Nebraskans have very strong opinions on this issue, and I appreciate Nebraskans willingness to share their opinions with me...

The pheasant season opener is always a big event in Southwest Nebraska, but don't be surprised if you see more out-of-town vehicles in town than usual. That's because man and Mother Nature have joined forces to make it that way. For one, the last couple of winters have been rough in eastern Nebraska, followed by wet springs, which makes it harder for baby pheasant and quail to be produced and to survive...

In regard to the article about the low supply of rental units in McCook: I suspect the problem is in the rules limiting your selection of tenants. A recent landlord in McCook never advertises his rentals, as he has acquired a list of people who might be interested in renting one if it became available...

I hope our county commissioners have the courage to build a much-needed jail without going to a public vote. Folks in McCook were fooled into spending $5,000,000 for a new municipal facility and may not wish to incur another large debt. In their half-truths, the city told us "taxes will not be raised and there would be no new taxes" if we approved their facility. ...

Birds migrate each year to a warmer climate and an adequate food supply. This is a common sight in Nebraska. Survival for human beings is important, too, but it is more complicated. They are busy evaluating natural resources, political situations, personal equality and religious issues. They endure wars, conquests, change of climate and worry about economic security...

When I was in grade school, there was a boy in our class who played jacks and jumped rope with the girls instead of playing ball with the rest of the guys. At that age, we didn't think anything about his sexual orientation at all. We just thought he was a sissy...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Lyndsi and John Smith see their carved Halloween pumpkins as an "anti-typical-Halloween" statement, carving fun and meaningful designs rather than dark and sinister images. The front yard of the Smith home, two houses north of the junior high in McCook, Nebraska on West Seventh, is dotted with 40-50 jack-o-lanterns whose flickering candle-light illuminates designs that range from extremely intricate to deceptively simple. ...

COMMERCE CITY, Colorado -- Two teenagers suspected of the armed robbery of a Cambridge, Nebraska, liquor store are in custody in Colorado. They were apprehended early Wednesday morning in Commerce City, according to the Furnas County (Nebraska) sheriff's office...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The second phase of the Community Hospital construction project continues to progress nicely, according to Hospital President Jim Ulrich. Ulrich said the overall project was looking as if it would have the finishing touches put on by the end of February or early March...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The Community Hospital Health Foundation has already granted several scholarships to area students in the health field and they are likely not done yet. Hospital President Jim Ulrich told the Gazette Wednesday that the foundation currently has nine students receiving funds to aid in tuition costs and that funds are still available for more awards...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- A "Morning Coffee" is set for Thursday, Nov. 3, at McCook Ben Nelson Regional Airport, hosted by Great Lakes Airline. The event will include free coffee and cinnamon rolls, with a call in by Sen. Ben Nelson at 7:45 a.m. Two round-trip tickets to Denver will be given away as a door prize...

March 25, 1933-Oct. 26, 2011 OBERLIN, Kansas -- Bill Gene Goss, 78, died Wednesday (Oct. 26, 2011), at Porter Hospice in Centennial, Colorado. He was born March 25, 1933, at Norton, Kansas, to Leland and Anna K. (Loper) Goss. He grew up in the Norton and Oberlin communities, attending school in Oberlin...

McCook beat Alliance in the third week of the football season, but the Bison had to rally in the fourth quarter to pull off the 31-20 win in Alliance Sept. 9. The two teams drew a rematch in the first round of the 2011 Class B state high school playoffs, and the rematch proved basically no match. McCook stormed to a 24-0 first half lead en route to a 37-14 victory...

OBERLIN, Kansas -- Decatur County, Kansas, District Judge John E. Bremer on Wednesday approved the continuance of the preliminary hearing scheduled Friday for Dylan Robert Coryell of Oberlin, Kansas, accused of murdering U.S. Air Force Airman First Class Corey Robert Cook at a rural Jennings, Kansas, home on Oct. 16...