Stories from Friday, February 3, 2012

95th birthday The family of Eleanor M. Traphagan of Sterling, Colorado is requesting a card shower in honor of her 95th birthday. She was born Feb. 17, 1917 in Red Willow County. Cards of congratulations will reach her at c/o Greg Stelmach, 312 Cottonwood Lane, Sterling, CO 80751...

75th birthday The family of Don Schaaf of McCook is requesting a card shower in honor of his 75th birthday, He was born Feb. 5, 1937 in McCook. His family includes his wife, Kathy, Lisa (John) Lee of Fort Collins, Colorado, Lorri Sughroue of McCook and six grandchildren. Cards of congratulations will reach him at 1010 E. Second, McCook, NE 69001...

Grace Ann Ullman Leif and Bobbi (Zapp) Ullman of Colorado Springs, Colorado announce the birth of their daughter, Grace Ann Ullman, who was born Jan. 16, 2012. She weighed 6 pounds, 13 ounces and measured 20 inches long. She has one brother, Liam, 20 months. ...

Conley Dean Feeken 
Cody and Chelsey Feeken of Gibbon, Nebraska, announce the birth of their son, Conley Dean, who was born Dec. 29, 2011, at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. He weighed 9 pounds and measured 21 1/2 half inches. He has one brother, Cy. Grandparents are Dave and Cindy Dame of McCook, Nebraska and Dennis and Karen Feeken of Cambridge, Nebraska. Great-grandparents are Sandy Novak of McCook and Bob and Joy Feeken of Cambridge...

Meyer John Friedricksen Joel and Kristen Friedericksen of Omaha, Nebraska, announce the birth of their son, Meyer John Friedricksen, who was born Jan. 1, 2012, at Womens' Methodist in Omaha. He weighed seven pounds, 15 ounce sand has one brother, Grady, 2-years-old. Grandparents are John and Rhonda Kogl of Holdrege, Nebraska and Paul and Marsha Friedricksen of Aurora, Nebraska. Great-grandparents are Clemens and Rose Marie Kogl of Culbertson, Nebraska and the late Ernest and Hazel Musick...

AGRA, Kansas -- Krystal Jean Anderson of McCook, Nebraska and Wade Cecil Fitzgerald Haskett of Agra, Kansas were united in marriage Dec. 27, 2011, at Agra Lake House in Agra, with the Rev. Nancy Harris-Ott officiating. A reception for the couple will be Feb. 19, from 2-4 p.m. at the McCook First Assembly of God church's annex. For those unable to attend, cards may reach them at 119 4th Street, Agra, Kansas, 67621...

Rod McMinn WAUNETA, Nebraska -- Rod McMinn, 51, died Wednesday (Feb. 1, 2012), from a work related accident in Wauneta. Survivors include his wife, Patsy of Wauneta; sons, Chris Baker of North Platte, Nebraska, Jeremy Baker and Justin Baker, both of Wauneta, Kyle (McMinn) Baker and wife, Raelyn, of Wauneta; parents, Clark and Donna McMinn of Hamlet, Nebraska, Phyllis and Carl Osthoff, of Athol, Kansas; brothers, Dan McMinn and wife, Janice of Kearney, Nebraska, Ben McMinn of Hamlet, Nebraska, Kent McMinn and wife, Onista, of Hamlet, Carl Osthoff of Stockton, Kansas; sisters, Rebecca Weldon of Arvada, Colorado, Kathleen Boden and husband, John, of Smith Center, Kansas, Kristine Osthoff of Wichita, Kansas, Kayln Ritter and husband, Paul, of Colby, Kansas and seven grandchildren. ...

Hunting is getting a lot of attention in the Legislature this session, with committees considering a bill to allow hunting of mountain lions, one to allow farmers to kill one antlerless deer for every $1,000 in crop damage caused by deer and another bill to create a deer donation program to help feed low-income Nebraskans and prison inmates...

We've been under a winter storm watch for two days and a blizzard warning for one. Rain was supposed to change over to snow at midnight last night and accumulate 3 to 7 inches by daybreak but, as I write this at 5 a.m. on Friday morning, it's 37 degrees with light rain falling...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- "The Go To City of Southwest Nebraska!" is the new marketing slogan for McCook created by a group of local organizations. According to a release, the slogan is the result of months of work by a group of individuals representing organizations such as Community Hospital, the McCook Area Chamber of Commerce, City of McCook, Red Willow County Tourism and Visitors Committee, McCook Public Schools, Mid-Plains Community College, Heritage Square Committee and McCook Economic Development Corp.. ...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Nebraska Sen. Heath Mello issued a statement to the Gazette in response to an article covering last week's McCook Area Chamber of Commerce weekly legislative conference call. During the call with Sen. Mark Christensen LB 730, a bill introduced by Mello which intends to amend the Nebraska Criminal Code to include wage theft under the offense of theft of services, was pointed out by law enforcement officials as having the potential to turn them into debt collectors...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The McCook City Council will review items pertaining to the progress of the East Ward Village senior housing construction project, Monday evening during their semi-monthly meeting, 7:30 p.m., at Memorial Auditorium. Councilors will consider an amended agreement pertaining to the loan they committed to provide as the final financing piece for the project in addition to coordinating a public hearing to discuss an amendment to the East Ward Village development district...

We have a bold and strategic vision to make Nebraska the ideal place to create jobs and grow a business, the best place to obtain an education for students of all ages, and the perfect place to raise a family. We've made fundamental investments in education and the economic vitality of our state and as a result Nebraska has made significant progress and we have consistently ranked in the top 10 as a business-friendly state...

The final bill preserves EAS support for airports in Chadron, McCook and Alliance

When talking to residents in the Third District, issues of access are often discussed: access to health care, veteran services, and, certainly, transportation. One important initiative which facilitates transportation access is the Essential Air Service (EAS). ...

LINCOLN, Nebraska -- Judge David W. Urbom has been named District Court Presiding Judge of the 11th Judicial District (Arthur, Chase, Dawson, Dundy, Frontier, Furnas, Gosper, Hayes, Hitchcock, Hooker, Keith, Lincoln, Logan, McPherson, Perkins, Red Willow, and Thomas Counties) beginning January 2012. Judge Urbom was nominated by his fellow district court judges to fill the leadership position...

I drug myself out of bed at 6 a.m. this morning, peeking out the window hoping to find 12 inches of fresh snowfall, only to see a dark drizzly rainfall and wet, but otherwise clear roads. Drat, no snow day for me. I suddenly was too tired to jump in the shower just yet and crawled back into bed, pushing the snoring six-year-old that had invaded my sleeping space over to the proper side of the bed...