Stories from Friday, January 25, 2013

Submitted by Doris Craig and Evelyn Madison WAUNETA, Nebraska -- Elsie Emma Sophie Bartels Becker, sixth living child and second daughter of Carl and Doris (Fortkamp) Bartels, was born on Jan. 24, 1912, on the parents' home site (NE 1/4 7437) on the Ough Divide, Dundy County, south of Enders, Nebraska. She was the first child born on this farm...

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...

Margaret L. (Bennett) Skraback April 20, 1938 - Jan. 23, 2013 NORTH PLATTE, Nebraska -- Margaret L. (Bennett) Skraback, 74, of North Platte, passed away Jan. 23, 2013, at her home with her family. She was born April 20, 1938, to Arthur O. and Rose M. ...

Ivalee (Spaulding) Margaret Mears Sept 21, 1935 - Jan. 22, 2013 FAIRPLAY, Missouri -- Ivalee (Spaulding) Margaret Mears, 77, of Fairplay, formerly of McDonald, Kansas, died Tuesday (Jan. 22, 2013). She was born Sept 21, 1935 in Denver. She was a homemaker...

Susan Doak SW Nebraska Genealogical Society The last few articles have been about researching the SWNGS website's postings for the McCook Republican, McCook Democrat and McCook Tribune papers that society members have extracted for the births, marriages and deaths in these papers during the late 1800s and early 1900s. Those extractions are just a part of what can be found or is researchable from the website...

Hadley Quinn Park Brandon and Emily Park of Springfield, Nebraska, announce the birth of their daughter, Hadley Quinn Park, who was born Dec. 31, 2012, at Bellevue Medical Center. She weighed 9 pounds and measured 20 1/2 inches long. Grandparents are Roger and Nancy Berry of Lincoln, Nebraska and Rusty and Jackie Park of McCook, Nebraska. Great-grandparents are Leon and Sarah Wright of Indianola, Nebraska and Irvin and Ruth Ann Hess of Farnam, Nebraska...

Reid Julian Wandrey Mark and Kacey Wandrey of Omaha, Nebraska, announce the birth of their son, Reid Julian Wandrey, who was born Nov. 18, 2012 in Omaha. He weighed 7 pounds, 7 ounces and measured 21 inches long. He has one sister, Lillian Lea Wandrey, 3 years old. ...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The United States is the world's largest producer of sorghum as animal feed, but the growing interest in "gluten-free" foods for humans is making it popular for baking as well. Bakers are finding more and more uses and recipes for "sweet" sorghum kernels, sorghum berries and sorghum flour...

Dear Editor, On Dec. 17, 2012, the Director of the Red Willow County Health Department submitted her resignation to the Red Willow County Board of Commissioners. Her resignation was to be effective January 31, 2013 in order that she would be able to train the new Director that was to be hired...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Red Willow County Commissioners will consider appointment of an interim director of the Red Willow County Health Department at their regular meeting Monday. The action came after a previous decision not to seek a replacement for the director, who resigned in December...

The U.S. military took another step forward -- or backward, depending on your point of view -- with President Obama's announcement that combat units would be henceforth open to women. "As Commander in Chief, I am absolutely confident that -- as with the repeal of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell,' -- the professionalism of our armed forces will ensure a smooth transition and keep our military the very best in the world," Obama said...

I wish to comment on the downtown redevelopment project that has been designed and proposed for McCook. I have practiced in downtown McCook for the past 39 years and have had growing concerns that McCook is out of touch with downtown to its detriment. Time and again surveys show the greatest concern for downtown is parking...

At the meeting of the Frenchman Cambridge Irrigation District, the Bureau of Reclamation gave notice to all surface water users that they will withhold 20,000 acre feet of water (one acre, one foot deep) to pay Kansas for Nebraska's overpumping. During the last drought (2001 to 2007) there was not enough water in Trenton Dam to supply the meeker system canals. ...

There are basically three kinds of people in the world. I call them the doers, the get-byers, and the slackers. And they're as different from each other as daylight is from dark. The doers are constantly striving forward, searching and usually finding every ounce of promise they have to offer to themselves and the world. ...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- City Manager Jeff Hancock repeated a call for an effective method to tax Internet sales during the Chamber of Commerce legislative conference call, Thursday morning. Hancock voiced a similar message to Lt. Gov. Rick Sheehy last week during his visit to the McCook airport and this week spoke to Sen. Mark Christensen via the conference call...

LINCOLN, Nebraska -- UNL Extension is teaming up with Monsanto/DEKALB and the four Natural Resources Districts in the Republican Basin to offer a free educational program to help producers cope with limited water supplies. The meetings will be held at three locations: Feb. 11 at the Fairgrounds in Imperial; Feb. 12 at the Fairgrounds in McCook; and Feb. 13 at the Ag Center in Holdrege...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Charlie Powers of McCook is grateful that someone in Oregon took the time and effort to track him down, rather than just tossing an old box and some Powers family history. "She could have just thrown it out," Charlie said. "But, she evidently wanted to give it to someone from the Powers family," and she found Charlie's name on on-line genealogy sites. She and Charlie e-mailed back-and-forth, and a small maroon-colored cardboard box arrived in McCook...

LINCOLN, Nebraska -- As agri- and eco-tourism continue to grow in popularity, new niches are constantly developing. Keep on top of these hot trends at the 2013 Nebraska Agri/Eco-Tourism Workshop on Feb. 5-6 at the Sandhills Convention Center in North Platte...

Who says pizza is just for dinner? With these recipes, you can get the family together and make pizza for dinner -- and breakfast, lunch or snacks. By making it yourself, you can save money and make it healthier. "It's easy to turn pizza into a healthy meal. Use a whole wheat crust, garden fresh toppings like tomatoes from Florida, and serve it with a salad," said Chef Justin Timineri, Executive Chef and Culinary Ambassador, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services...

Typically Declan bathes in the evening, just before bed time, directly related to our efforts to minimize the morning madness. On rare occasions I have made the decision to scramble the little monster through a shower before school, usually related to a less-than-pleasant scent emanating from his unruly morning hair...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- February in Southwest Nebraska brings short days, long nights, cold temperatures and the McCook Daily Gazette's annual Progress Edition. This year's theme, "Embracing Change," provides an opportunity for the family of faith to showcase changes embraced throughout the year, whether in personnel, programs or buildings...

Dear friend, INTRO There are so many indicators, if you know your Bible and keep current on world news, that tell us the Rapture is literally ANY DAY now. The rapture occurs AT LEAST seven years BEFORE the second coming of Jesus Christ. Again, I am excerpting this from the book HOW CLOSE ARE WE...

When my friend Scott was young, he began to experience a stirring deep in his heart that some Christians refer to as "a divine calling." How could Scott ignore such a thing, conditioned as he had been to hear God's quiet voice? Scott, in the words of Feroll Sams, had been "Raised Right" in the Baptist tradition, which meant he "was not only Saved but had spent a large part of his formative years in the House of the Lord...and while Methodists probably could be Saved, there was a question whether any of them really had been Raised Right.". ...

Recent events that were big in the sports news got me thinking about good old human nature. Three headlines that all happened within a few days of each other and I find a correlation between them. Lance Armstrong came clean about his doping. Armstrong's years of denial regarding the use of steroids in his bike racing career was one headline that the sports talking heads made a big fuss about...

If dust is a protective coating for furniture, as some insist, then this thin layer of dry, powdery snow must be a protective coating for nature. The McCook Daily Gazette would love to showcase your weather photos. Readers can contribute to our daily weather page, subject to space and color availability, by emailing photos to editor2@ocsmccook.com or bringing them into the Gazette offices at West First and E Streets. ...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The McCook Board of Zoning Adjustment will coordinate a public hearing, Monday evening, to discuss a request from McCook Public Schools for a variance from the yard setback requirements. The school district is seeking the variance to allow for the construction of a 88' by 52' metal building at 404 W. Seventh Street, the former National Guard Armory location...

LINCOLN, Nebraska -- Southwest Nebraska native Justin Haag is among three new public information officers for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. Haag will join the agency in the Panhandle beginning Jan. 28. His duties include community and media relations, public information, and photography and writing for NEBRASKAland Magazine and all agency media...

Susan T. Cafferty McCOOK, Nebraska -- Susan T. Cafferty, 73, died Thursday (Jan. 24, 2013), at Community Hospital in McCook. Funeral Mass is Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2013, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in McCook with the Rev. Gary Brethour officiating...

Services are pending with Carpenter Breland Funeral Home in McCook.

Recently, members of my state staff and I visited Offutt Air Force Base, which serves as home to the U.S. Strategic Command (STRATCOM). We began the visit to Offutt with a discussion of the 55th Wing with Colonel John Rauch. The "Fightin' Fifty-Fifth" operates a variety of aircraft to conduct operations from Offutt and other locations around the world. I was very impressed with the fine work they do and I am grateful for their service...