Stories from Friday, October 19, 2012

Family Features You want to bring out the best for your next holiday gathering, ensuring a memorable meal for family and friends. With a few simple tips and easier-than-you-think recipes, you can do just that. Entertaining Tips Each of these suggestions incorporates a delicious recipe using Smucker'sŪ Orchard's FinestŪ Preserves, a gourmet line of pre­serves made with the best fruit from the best places. ...

Declan has been testing the boundaries placed on "bad words" lately. Like a caged lion he pokes and prods at the barriers placed on his vocabulary, curiously testing for weak spots he can exploit. "Can I say the heh heh word?" he asked last night, carefully sounding out an H repeatedly...

A new system allows voters to make their choices earlier, but we hope they take time to study the entire sample ballot -- to be published in Monday's Gazette -- before marking the boxes. Among the votes many of us don't take much time to consider are four constitutional amendments on this year's ballot...

I'm aware of a situation that exists in our fair city that isn't unlike situations that exist in many cities and it's probably not the only one here either. It's just the one I happen to know about. This involves an employee of a corporation overseen by a Board of Directors. This person has been criticized off and on for the length of their appointment by different people who get their information mainly from gossip, rumors and innuendos. And most of us know that's a tough combination to beat...

CONNIE JO DISCOE Regional Editor My son, Nolan, is home only several days every couple weeks -- he's nine stories up in the derrick of a True Oil drilling rig in northeast Wyoming. He likes it -- it's his mother who's afraid of his heights. Anyway, his mail still comes to his home, my house. He gets neat magazines and catalogs; I get bills and junk mail...

LINCOLN, Nebraska -- The University of Nebraska's bass fishing team won the 2012 Big Ten Classic Sept. 29, on lakes near Madison, Wisconsin. One of the two championship anglers is a former Culbertson, Nebraska, resident and graduate of McCook, Nebraska, Senior High who practiced his fishing skills on Swanson Lake last summer...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Four amendments will be on the November General Election ballot, including raising the bar on prospective elected officials, in addition to raising the pay and term limits of seated legislators. Voters will also be asked to further solidify Nebraskan's right to hunt and fish by adding the activities to the Constitution of Nebraska...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Trail boss Terry Morris reminds horseback riders and diners not to miss the "Trail Ride for St. Jude" on the Hitch Willow Ranch south of Culbertson, Saturday. Terry's hoping really, really hard that the wind doesn't blow. All proceeds from the event will be donated to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- McCook area construction project costs were down more than $1.5 million combined during July, August and September, when compared to the same time period in 2011. The third quarter decline in activity pushes the 2012 year-to-date amount more than $5.2 million behind 2011 numbers, according to building permit information released by city staff...

TREVOR PREMER Special to the Gazette For me, very few things in life are as cleansing as a good laugh. You know the kind. Tears in your eyes, an un-wipeable grin plastered upon your face, snorting, giggling, belly busting, ribs hurting, all the while awaiting the next comedic moment to burst upon you. A real Guffaw! We should all enjoy more of these...

Mark Kool, left, and Lee Janssen of Janssen-Kool Honda were honored by the McCook Area Chamber of Commerce on Friday for five years in business. Visitors enjoyed a free pancake and sausage breakfast at the celebration.

HAYES CENTER, Nebraska -- Dorothy Mae Garrett of Hayes Center passed away Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2012, at Great Plains Regional Medical Center in North Platte. She was 75 years old. Dorothy was born on Feb. 17, 1937, at Stanford, Nebraska to parents, John Theodore and Elsie Mae (Warren) Chambers. She was baptized in the Baptist Church in Holbrook. She graduated from Hayes Center High School with the class of 1977...

OBERLIN, Kansas -- Roxie Ann Pomeroy was born July 21, 1942, in McCook, Nebraska, the daughter of Louis and Donna D. (Boggs) Pachner. She passed away Monday, Oct. 15, 2012, at the Decatur County Good Samaritan Society in Oberlin, Kansas, at the age of 70...

AKRON, Colorado -- Mary Margaret McGinley, 80, died Sept. 12, 2012, at the Washington County Nursing Home. She was born Dec. 2, 1931, to Homer and Helen Jaeger on a farm outside of Imperial, Nebraska, in Chase County. She graduated from McCook High School in 1949 and worked as a telephone operator...

CULBERTSON, Nebraska -- The Culbertson Woman's Club is sponsoring a meet and greet the candidates running for Hitchcock County School Board and Village of Culbertson Trustees. School Board candidates are incumbents; Aaron Kolbet, Gary Matson, candidates; John Walters, Shane Rippen, Larry Marks, and write-in candidates; Robin Jo Schaffert, Craig Scott...

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...

The Rev. Gary Brethour, pastor at St. Patrick's Catholic Church, shares the bishops' message

How to Decide? The elections are just a few weeks away. How can you sort out the worthy candidates from those not suitable for public office? Do not let the following booklet's title stop you from reading any further. The principles to be discussed apply to all. ...

Dear Friend, INTRO Living out here on an acreage along the highway, we have stray cats and dogs come to us. Delores is an animal lover from the word go. I have seen her tame wild cats with her love and concern for them. We had a small black and white kitten come into our garage to eat cat food from the feeder and drink water. ...

I heard humorist Jack Handey say that you should never criticize someone until you walk a mile in his or her shoes. Then, when you do criticize them, "You are a mile away and have their shoes." That's not bad advice, especially when it comes to telling others how to parent their children. If you want to kick over that notorious hornet's nest, do it from miles away, or at least make sure those shoes on your feet are running shoes...

INDIANOLA, Nebraska -- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is extending an invitation to the public to attend a special presentation about "The Mormons Next Door," at the former Republican Valley High School building just east of McCook, at 7 p.m., Tuesday...

WELLFLEET, Nebraska -- Let's talk turkey!! The Wellfleet United Methodist Church will serve its annual Turkey Dinner Sunday Oct. 28, at the Bethel Church Camp Fellowship Hall in Wellfleet, from 5-7 p.m. The menu includes of turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, beans, dinner roll, assorted salads and desserts and tea or coffee. A free will offering will be accepted at the door...

Country and gospel singer and FAME award winner as Entertainer of the Year, Keyboard Player of the Year, Gospel Artist of the Year, and Showman of the Year for 2012 and for 2011, Jerry Bennett, from Nashville will be singing on Monday, Oct. 22, at the McCook Christian Church in McCook, at 7 p.m. Come to the concert and let your hearts be touched by his music. Admission is a free will offering...

Supporters of the McCook Pantry donated 9,148 pounds of non-perishable foodstuffs during the Pantry's annual food drive Oct. 12 and 13. "We wouldn't even be here -- we would be nothing -- without the continued, generous support of the people, groups and businesses in our community and area," said Dorothy Henton, coordinator of the Pantry's annual food drive. ...

The family of Richard and Joyce Neel of McCook, Nebraska, is requesting a card shower in honor of the couple's 40th wedding anniversary. They were married Oct. 29, 1972, at McCook Christian Church. Their family includes children, Janette Neel of Denver, Colorado, Chris and Tamra Neel of McCook, Michelle and Brad Johnson of Colorado Springs, Colorado and two grandchildren. Cards of congratulations will reach them at 38790 Road 720, McCook NE 69001...

Shane and Amanda North of St. Libory, Nebraska, announce the birth of their son, Liam Austin, who was born Aug. 7, 2012, at Mary Lanning Hospital. He weighed 7 pounds, 14 ounces and measured 21 inches long. He has one brother, Quinten James, 2-1/2 years old. ...

Dean and Jennifer (Tines) Hampton of Hershey, Nebraska, announce the birth of their daughter, Delcey Rae Hampton, who was born Sept. 29, 2012, at Great Plains Regional Medical Center in North Platte. She weighed 6 pounds, 8 ounces and measured 19 inches long. ...

Tiffany Marie Quaduor and Nathaniel Jerome Herrman, both of Indianola, Nebraska, announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the couple are Rob and Kathy Quaduor and Travis and Kim Herrman, all of Indianola. The bride-to-be graduated from Central Community College with a AAS degree. She is employed as an Agronomist at Ag Valley Coop in Indianola...

EVERGREEN, Colorado -- Michelle Neel of McCook, Nebraska, and Bradley Johnson, of Omaha, Nebraska, were united in marriage June 8, 2012, at Evergreen Lakehouse in Evergreen, Colorado, with the Rev. Clark Bates officiating. Parents of the bride Richard and Joyce Neel of McCook. Grandparents are Margaret Neel of McCook and the late Stanley Neel, and the late Ruth and Harold Shields...

The national economy is bleak. Four years after a deep recession, unemployment remains stubbornly high at 7.8 percent, and economic growth has slowed to 1.3 percent. Families and small businesses are struggling to make ends meet. As wages and benefits have been cut, prices of electricity, gas, food, and health care continue to rise. Clearly, we are not headed in the right direction...

Washington, DC -- The Joint Task Force National Capital Region (JTF-NCR), which is responsible for coordinating the Inaugural Parade for the 57th Presidential Inauguration, has begun accepting applications from organizations wishing to participate in the parade. The Inaugural Parade will take place on January 21, 2013. Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) issued the following statement encouraging interested organizations in the Third District to apply:...

The State of Nebraska conducts statewide reading, math, science and writing assessments so that parents, citizens, school boards, superintendents, principals, teachers and elected officials can compare results from one district to another. This data can be very helpful in improving both student and school academic achievement performance...

A number of new faces will be joining the ranks in the nation's only one-house Legislature in January. They will have big shoes to fill as they try to become players quickly during a year that features the crafting of a new state budget and other routine business that might be overshadowed by on-going debate about pipelines and health care issues and the economy...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Lee Forrest Carter, age 84, of McCook, Nebraska, died at the Community Hospital in McCook on Thursday Oct. 18, 2012. He was born on Nov. 5, 1927, in Palisade, Nebraska, to Robert M. and Bernice (Finley) Carter. Lee served in World War II, enlisting in the U. ...

BENKELMAN, Nebraska -- The scrapmen didn't get this chunk of iron. The rare "southpaw plow" that Jim Baney sold at his auction of antique tractors and farm implements in Benkelman, Nebraska, on Oct. 13, is destined to spend the rest of its days on the farm, yes, but "planted" in a farm terrace surrounded by waist-high perennial flowers...