Stories from Wednesday, December 5, 2012

For states like Nebraska that lead the nation in the production of ethanol and development of other bio fuels, there were some anxious moments in the Senate that would have limited the development and production of bio fuels by the military. Fortunately, calmer heads have prevailed...

Above, the city administration department's main room at the McCook Municipal Facility shows plenty of work yet to be done, Thursday afternoon. Cubicles are scheduled to be delivered to the building today and the remaining furniture next week. According to City Clerk Lea Ann Doak the majority of move-in remains scheduled for the third week in December. Several areas in the building are completed, such as the city staff conference room below, right...

"Skyfall" is not the best James Bond movie ever, but it is the best one in a long, long time. It's a sharp, nifty piece of modern action filmmaking that definitely respects the history of the character (and the franchise), yet also feels like a gust of fresh air being let in to the universe created by Ian Fleming more than a half-century ago...

Stanley Meints Aug. 5, 1953 - Nov. 29, 2012 FORT WORTH, Texas -- Stanley Meints of Fort Worth, Texas, passed away suddenly Nov. 29, 2012, at the age of 59. Memorial services were held Sunday, Dec. 2, 2012, in Fort Worth, Texas. He was born Aug. 5, 1953, in McCook, Nebraska to Donald E. ...

Carney L. 'Tom' Baker McCOOK, Nebraska -- Carney L. "Tom" Baker, 71, of McCook, died Monday (Dec. 3, 2012), at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. A Celebration of Life will be Friday, Dec. 7, 2012, at 2 p.m. at the Herrmann-Jones Funeral Chapel with Dr. Jason Blomstedt presiding...

Bonnie J. (Miles) Renna POMPTON PLAINS, New Jersey -- Bonnie J. (Miles) Renna, 86, of Pompton Plains, New Jersey, died Nov. 11, 2012. She is preceded in death by her husband, Anthony and her son, Anthony; her parents, F. Norris and Marjorie Miles; brother, Edgar Miles and sister, Yvonne (Mickey) Foster...

Loraine Osborn WAUNETA, Nebraska -- Loraine Osborn, 94, died Monday (Dec. 3, 2012), at the Chase County Community Hospital in Imperial. Survivors include her husband, Don, of Wauneta and two nieces. Funeral services are Friday, Dec. 7, 2012, 10:30 a.m. (MT) at the Zion Lutheran Church of Benkelman, with the Rev. George Matthews officiating. Interment will follow at the Benkelman Cemetery...

Lucy E. Schissler Oct. 20, 1923 - Dec. 3, 2012 OBERLIN, Kansas -- Lucy E. Schissler, 89, died Tuesday (Dec. 3, 2012), at Oberlin. She was born Oct. 20, 1923, in Traer, Kansas, to Alfred Preston and Mary M. (Brown) Elson. She married Edgar Pointer on July 29, 1943, and Clifford Schissler on June 5, 1987...

Marcia "Sue" Beithon July 26, 1927 - Dec. 1, 2012 FERGUS FALLS, Minnesota -- Marcia Suzanne "Sue" Beithon, age 85, died on Saturday, Dec. 1, 2012, at the Pioneer Care Center in Fergus Falls, surrounded by family. Sue was born on July 26, 1927, at St. Catherine's Hospital in McCook, Nebraska, the second daughter of Earl Francis Leininger and Eda Jane (Corley) Leininger...

BARTLEY, Nebraska -- Southwest Senior High's FFA chapter members accepted a $2,500 DuPont Pioneer grant during an awards presentation Tuesday morning at the school in Bartley, Nebraska. They plan to use the award to update their agricultural and science curriculum...

We haven't heard anything official for our area, but Douglas County has 27 confirmed cases of influenza and there has been no shortage here of people staying home from work or school because of the "flu." That number of confirmed cases is well above the normal five or fewer cases normally reported this time of year...

EDITOR'S NOTE: Native American activist Russell Means died Oct. 22 at his home near Porcupine, South Dakota. The 72-year-old was no stranger to Nebraskans and once said he thought it would be safer to be a dog in a Nebraska community that bordered the Indian reservation than to be a Native American. ...

Summery Saturday mornings in the 1980s were spent power-walking, with all three kids in tow, through a Denver flea market at 88th and I-76. It started small, but as the years went by, more and more vendors set up shop, hoping to turn trash into treasure...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The City of McCook invites the residents of McCook to participate in a series of Community "Housing Listening Sessions" to discuss housing trends, projections and needs during the next five years. The Listening Sessions will be Monday, Dec. 10, from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Keystone Business Center in downtown McCook, 402 Norris Ave...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The little boy whose sparkling brown eyes, dazzling smile and generous spirit could not be conquered by cancer will be remembered during funeral services Sunday. The memory of Isaiah Casillas, his love of hugs and dancing, his special-ness, will be cherished by everyone he met. The little guy touched a world that so often overlooks the ability of children ... of one small child ... to make a lasting, positive difference...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The board president of the Museum of the High Plains in McCook, Nebraska, recently unearthed a 1935 newspaper story that shows land upon which McCook Junior College will build its campus and the City of McCook plans a park, swimming pool and pool house...

McCook Daily Gazette McCOOK, Nebraska -- Donna P., (not her real name) thought she knew enough about skin cancer to get by. "It was always about a bleeding mole, or a mole changing appearance," the 50-year old said. "But in everything I've read, they never said anything about freckles."...

Clifford Leo Grube Feb. 12, 1919 - Dec. 4, 2012 INDIANOLA, Nebraska -- Clifford Leo Grube passed away at McCook Community Hospital on Thursday, Dec. 4, 2012, to rest in the Lord and wait for Jesus calling. Cliff was born and raised on a farm near New Salem, North Dakota, to Fred H. and Rena (Buckland) Grube on Feb. 12, 1919. He was the second of six children...