Stories from Friday, September 28, 2012

NORTH PLATTE, Nebraska -- Mid-Plains Community College nursing student Morgan Chitwood Bryant of McCook was awarded the Josephine C. Fritz Memorial Scholarship. Carman Sizer of Ogallala was the other recipient. Each student received $650. The Josephine C. Fritz Memorial Scholarship was given by family and friends to honor Mrs. Fritz (1913-2011) and to encourage MPCC students working toward the Registered Nurse certification...

This information is gathered at the McCook Public Safety Center, the McCook office of the Nebraska State Patrol, the Red Willow County Courthouse, the Red Willow County Sheriff's Office and the McCook Humane Society. Police activity Activity log...

Connie Jo Discoe/McCook Daily Gazette Dr. Wayne Watkins DVM, owner of Red Willow Animal Clinic in McCook, Nebraska, would present a $272 check to the McCook Senior High School FFA Chapter -- but first, he needed to help vice president Collin Messersmith tie his tie properly for the check presentation picture. ...

85th birthday The family of Norma Gardner of McCook is requesting a card shower in honor of her 85th birthday Oct. 2. Her family includes children, Janet and Ron McClain of Beaver City, Nebraska, Clark and Dawna Bates of McCook, six grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. Cards of congratulations will reach her at 1500 East 11th, Apt. 118, McCook, NE 69001...

Myles Dominic Heimann Dominic and Kimberly Heimann of McCook, Nebraska, announce the birth of their son, Myles Dominic Heimann, who was born Aug. 7, 2012, in McCook. He weighed 6 pounds, 12 ounces and measured 20 inches long. Grandparents are Mark Brown of McCook, Patty Brown of Lincoln, Nebraska and John and Julie Heimann of Columbus, Nebraska. Great-grandparents are Harvey and Clara Dunn of Indianola, Nebraska, and Ed and Joan Heimann of Columbus...

85th birthday The family of Nila Murrain of McCook, Nebraska, is requesting a card shower in honor of her 85th birthday. She was born Oct. 8, 1927, in Norcatur, Kansas. Her family includes children, Jolene Stalker of Grand Island, Nebraska, James Melchert and wife, Janet, of Yucca Valley, California, John Melchert of New York, New York, two grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Cards of congratulations will reach her at 712 W. Fifth Street, McCook, NE 69001...

40th anniversary The family of Terry and LuAnn Wortman of Hayes Center, Nebraska, is requesting a card shower in honor of their 40th wedding anniversary. They were married Oct. 6, 1972, at Tekamah, Nebraska. Their family includes children, Amie and husband, Jeff Ohlmann of Iowa City, Iowa, Tess and husband, Shawn Poppert of Cozad, Nebraska, Collin Wortman of Kearney, Nebraska, Derek Wortman, Juliette Wortman and two grandchildren. ...

NORTH PLATTE, Nebraska -- Hollie Elisabeth Hansen of Wellfleet, Nebraska, and Marshall Dean Fischer of Maywood, Nebraska, were united in marriage June 22, 2012, at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in North Platte, Nebraska with the Rev. Harlan Waskowiak officiating...

WAUNETA, Nebraska -- Fortkamp descendants of Henry E. Fortkamp (Jan. 23,1830-Oct. 22, 1927), and Margarethe Bucholz Fortkamp (Jan. 30, 1849-March 2, 1920), gathered Aug. 5, 2012, at the American Legion Hall in Wauneta for their tri-annual reunion. Henry E. and Margarethe were married in 1868 in Germany. This reunion is 144 years of Fortkamp families history...

I am already practicing my "when I was your age" lines that I plan to bombard Declan and Shawn with when they reach adulthood. It is part of my self-imposed therapy for all the typical youth havoc that they have unleashed upon me. Like a savings account for my revenge, I have promised myself I will be the goofiest grandfather any of their friends have ever known...

Makes 6 servings Prep Time: 15 minutes Refrigerate: 30 minutes Cook Time: 14 minutes Mix tomato, onion, cilantro, green onion and 1/2 teaspoon of the Seasoning in medium bowl until well blended. Cover. Refrigerate 30 minutes to allow flavors to blend...

'The food was rico and deliciosa!' McCOOK, Nebraska -- Just shy of 20 students from Mrs. Carol Brown's Spanish II class at Decatur Community High School in Oberlin, Kansas, participated in a field trip Thursday that offered an opportunity to hone their Spanish speaking skills. The students travelled to McCook to have lunch at El Puerto Mexican Restaurant on Norris Avenue and order their meals speaking only in Spanish...

KEARNEY, Neb. -- The McCook High School girls softball team split a double-header at Kearney Thursday, Sept. 27, in a final tune-up for the Greater Nebraska Athletic Conference tournament. The Bison girls lost a 11-7 decision in the opening game Thursday in Kearney, as both teams combined for 26 hits. McCook came back in the nightcap to blank the Bearcats, 5-0...

The McCook Community College women's volleyball team hasn't learned to hold momentum on its side of the court for an entire match. The Indians battled with Trinidad State (Colo.) Junior College Thursday, Sept. 27, at the MCC Events Center. After an exciting 29-27 MCC win in the opening set, Trinidad won the next three sets by scores of 25-15, 25-18 and 25-15 to claim the match victory...

KEARNEY, Neb. -- The University of Nebraska-Kearney football roster has become a popular spot for former McCook High School players. Three standouts from the McCook graduating class of 2009 are playing key roles for the Lopers this fall. Another former Bison standout is redshirted this season with plans to get on the field next season...

Fans, players, and especially crabby sports reporters have been protesting for the last three weeks as the regular NFL officials were locked out of games and inexperienced replacements were left to make the calls. In a few situations, including when the Seattle Seahawks defeated the Green Bay Packers 14-12 on Sept. 24, a questionable call ended up deciding the winner of the game...

Editor, Wednesday began the international 40 Days for Life campaign -- the 10th since it first started in 2007. For 40 days, private citizens in 440 cities across the U.S., Canada, and 13 other countries, will join an 18-hour-a-day, 7-day-a-week peaceful prayer presence in front of abortion clinics, praying for the lives of unborn children...

Editor, Our president, Barack Obama, calls millions of radical terrorists from 30 different countries, who want to wipe Israel off the map, and chant, "Death to Americans," a "bump in the road." Our president resents Israel and does not plan to meet with any heads of state that would indicate that he intends to deal with this growing crisis...

Bill Clinton is the greatest politician I've ever known and I've been active in politics since I was 18 years old. Bill never forgot a name or a face and when he shook your hand and looked you in the eye, which he always did, you felt like you were the only person in the room. ...

Dear Friend, INTRO Although we sing "God Bless America," we know that God cannot bless that which He despises and hates. When you read the O.T, the book of Judges for instance, you see when the Israelites turned away from God, He caused their enemies in the surrounding nations to conquer them and put them in servitude, UNTIL they cried out to God in repentance and then God raised up a judgea leader, to deliver them. ...

Many years ago I wrote an article that one of my newspaper editors entitled, "The Beautiful, Blended Family of God." It was a delightful little piece that I scribbled down while watching my two young sons play together. My boys are adopted and are as different as can be - in personality and physicality - but in their younger years they hardly noticed their differences; that one of them is blonde-haired and blue-eyed, and one's skin is the color of a well-stirred mocha latte with ebony hair and eyes. ...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The youth at McCook Evangelical Free Church are conducting a fundraiser to provide funds for the upcoming Spring Retreat and the summer mission trip to Tijuana, Mexico next summer. They will be cutting and delivering firewood Oct. 13, for the suggested donation of $55 per half-cord...

Students participate in the 2012 See You At The Pole event Wednesday at McCook High School. Front from left are Ashley Laurie, Emily Laurie, McKenzie Crowe, Samantha Bridgmon and Megan Siebrant. Back, Christian Hoffman, Kelsey Siebrant, Stephen Hoffman...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- A Bartley man who was sentenced to probation in 2011 after being convicted of a felony offense of attempted distribution of a controlled substance, stemming from a half ounce of marijuana he sold to an informant under the surveillance of the Nebraska State Patrol at Kelley Park, was sentenced to an additional 12 months probation for his continued marijuana use...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The McCook Civil Service Commission affirmed the decision of City Manager Jeff Hancock to terminate the employment of McCook Police Officer Donald L. Smith, Jr. last month, finding that his termination was made in good faith and "not motivated by political or religious reasons."...

Norris Park was full for Thursday night's "Southwest Nebraska's Got Talent" talent contest. First place went to Courtney Quint, left, winning $100 in Chamber Gift Certificates. Second place went to Walt and Gabe Sehnert, center, winning $75 in Chamber Gift Certificates and third place went to Logan Gomez with DGB, winning $50 in Chamber Gift Certificates. ...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Event coordinators for the McCook Balloon Fest are working full swing on one of Nebraska's leading family events taking place Saturday and Sunday at the Red Willow County Fairgrounds during McCook's Heritage Days Festival. Joining the ranks of great ballooning events such as the Colorado Balloon Classic, McCook Balloon Fest has drawn significant attention to Southwest Nebraska. ...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The decisions we make today have the power to shape what happens tomorrow and after, the keynote speaker said at the McCook Heritage Days Prayer breakfast this morning. The Rev. Bruce Lester, of the McCook Evangelical Free Church, told the crowd of almost 100 at the Heritage Senior Center that to live wisely, decisions should be based on the experiences of the past, the current circumstances today and the hopes and dreams of the future...

City trash hauler unable to keep up, transfer station nearly shut down

Dear Fellow Nebraskans: When the State of Nebraska launched the wellness program, called wellnessoptions to its employees and spouses, we became one of the first states to offer an integrated wellness program that is tied to health plan coverage. As a result of successful wellness program efforts and outcomes, the State of Nebraska is demonstrating a strong example for others to follow by earning prestigious national awards - the 2011 Gold Well Workplace by the Wellness Councils of America and the 2011 Innovations Award from The Council of State Governments.. ...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The 40th reunion for the McCook High School class of 1972 is Sept. 28-30. Classmates will meet at 6:30 p.m., Friday, at Heritage Hills Clubhouse. On Saturday, they will march in the Heritage Days parade, lining up on the east side of Norris and N Street at 9:30 a.m...

ALLIANCE, Neb. -- The McCook Bison flexed their football muscles before the start of district play with a 45-14 romp past host Alliance Friday, Sept. 28. The Bison improved to 4-2 overall with the victory over Alliance at Bulldog Stadium. McCook capitalized on three Alliance turnovers -- three fumbles all recovered by senior linebacker Javier Beltran -- to run to a 28-0 lead in the second quarter...