Stories from Friday, April 12, 2013

It is mid-April which means the Huskers' spring game has been played, warmer weather should be upon us soon, baseball has resumed, and of course -- tax season. Every year, American families and businesses work to compile all the necessary documents, receipts, and records to file their taxes before the April 15th deadline. ...

Donze, Reiner Dr. Teresa Jo Donze and and Benjamin Charles Reiner, both of Omaha,Nebraska, announce their engagement and upcoming marriage. Parents of the prospective bride to be are William and Kathy Donze of McCook. Parents of the prospective bridegroom are Jeff and Janet Reiner of Omaha...

Ezri Anne Waddle Clayton and Keri Waddle of Bartley, Nebraska, announce the birth of their daughter, Ezri Anne Waddle, born Feb. 14, 2013, at Mary Lanning Memorial Hospital in Hastings, Nebraska. She weighed 7 pounds, 12 ounces and measured 20.5 inches. Grandparents are Jim and Karen Steinke of Lexington, Nebraska (formerly of McCook, Nebraska) and Duane and Georgia Waddle of Ericson, Nebraska. Great-grandparents are Dorothy Keim and Lewis and Bertha Waddle, all of Lincoln...

Zayden Jay Dorothy Aaron and Kylee Dorothy of McCook, Nebraska, announce the birth of their son, Zayden Jay Dorothy, born March 11, 2013, at  Cambridge, Nebraska. He weighed 7 pounds, 2 ounces and measured 20 inches long. Grandparents are David and Krystal Downing and Ray and Pamela Dorothy, all of McCook. ...

Matthew Richard Klug Sara and Jeff Klug of Waverly, Nebraska, announce the birth of their son, Matthew Richard Klug, born March 26, 2013, at Lincoln, Nebraska. He weighed 8 pounds, 15 ounces and measured 22 inches long. Grandparents are Steve and Sue Kluver of Fairfield, Nebraska, and Rick and Pam Klug of McCook, Nebraska...

80th birthday The family of Everett Stute of Parks, Nebraska, is requesting a card shower in honor of his 80th birthday April 30. He grew up in the Benkleman/Parks area. Cards of congratulations will reach him at 33004 River Road, Parks, NE 69041.

Crouse, Reynolds Ruth Ann Crouse of Cambridge, Iowa, and Grant Allyn Reynolds of Stella, Nebraska, announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the bride-to-be are JF and Kathleen Crouse of Cambridge, Iowa. Parents of the prospective bridegroom are Lyn and Marci Reynolds of Cedar Bluffs Kansas. Grandparents are Stan and Jeannine Reynolds and the late Albert and Louise Coburn...

90th birthday The family of Alfred Hinton of Cambridge, Nebraska, is hosting an open house in honor of his 90th birthday. The open house is Saturday, April 20 from 2-4 p.m. at the Cambridge Senior Center.

By Susan Doak SW Nebraska Genealogy Society McCOOK, Nebraska -- Lately, I have been reviewing family histories that others have shared with me, some have become parts of articles I have done. Each one holds keys to not only that particular family, but often to their neighbors and friends...

Top left photo, Annette Irwin of Omaha, Nebraska, the daughter of the late Otto Nilsson, founder of Automotive Sales and Services in McCook, Nebraska, helps McCook Public Schools maintenance personnel load the hundreds of pounds of new alternators and starters that she donated to the school's FFA organization on Thursday, April 4. ...

LINCOLN, Nebraska -- Awards were presented to 23 FFA members, including a bronze medal for Rachel Towne, a student at Medicine Valley High School in Curtis; and a gold medal for McKenzie Nielsen, a student at Southern Valley, for their speaking skills and knowledge of cooperatives during the 85th annual Nebraska FFA Convention on April 5, 2013...

Connie Jo Discoe/McCook Daily Gazette Edward Jones financial advisor Sharleen Riemenschneider and her husband, Brad, daughters McKenzie and Madison Crowe, and son, Grady, accept the second quarter "Honor Business" award from the McCook, Nebraska, Area Chamber of Commerce Thursday morning. ...

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...

You might have a favorite cookie or brownie recipe -- but did you know you could make it even better by adding a simple, familiar ingredient? With a few expert tips from Buddy Valastro, author and star of TLC's "Cake Boss," you can take your sweet treats from good to great...

I made the mistake of getting excited about putting together a costume for Declan's first grade music program this week. To be more specific, my mistake really pertained more to underestimating Declan's resistance to my costume ideas. Declan was one of many weeds in a "How does your garden grow?" performance, which of course was a joy to watch, regardless of our pre-stage drama...

By the year 2018, it is estimated that nearly 70 percent of jobs in Nebraska will require some type of postsecondary education? To meet that need, Nebraska must increase the number of its citizens who have a college education. I am devoting this week's column to the segment of Nebraska's population that could help our state meet future job needs--adults aged 25-64 who went to college but left without finishing a degree. This group of individuals represents over 236,000 Nebraskans...

HASTINGS, Nebraska -- The Rawlins County Square Deal reports that an Atwood, Kansas, man has started a soap factory in Hastings, Nebraska, whose goal is to make a profit and to share it with those in need. Andrew Vrbas, the son of Jerry and Kathy Vrbas of Atwood, started "Pacha Soap" in May 2012 in a renovated bank in downtown Hastings after a trip to Peru and his graduation from Hastings College with degrees in construction management and Spanish...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Signs of spring abound in Southwest Nebraska. The robins are singing, tender green shoots are more plentiful every day and it's time for the annual {http://www.kngn.org/ KNGN 1360 AM} Share-A-Thon, April 17-19. Although the theme of the 2013 fund-raiser is, "Ripe Unto Harvest" from John 4:35, the spring share-a-thon is appropriate because, as any farmer worth his salt knows, without the sowing of the seed, there can be no harvest...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- McCook Junior High plans an informational program on the new ALICE safety procedures used across the district as part of the crisis teams researched and tested active shooter response. The event will begin at 10 a.m. Wednesday and will last about an hour...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Red Willow County Commissioners will decide whether to accept an endowment to maintain and operate several buildings at the fairgrounds. A decision on the "Tom and Alice Kiplinger Endowment Fund Agreement" is slated for 9:30 a.m. Monday...

IMPERIAL, Nebraska -- The Upper Republican Natural Resources District, based in Imperial, Nebraska, has purchased additional irrigated farmland to offset additional pumping on its Rock Creek augmentation project. The Imperial Republican reports that URNRD officials knew they would need to retire more irrigated acres after increasing the number of wells on the Rock Creek project, and the board has now purchased 1,900 acres from Wilder Farms in southwest Dundy County for $8.25 million...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- A request for proposals pertaining to the future use of Memorial Auditorium will be considered by the McCook City Council, Monday evening, 7:30 p.m., during their regularly scheduled meeting at the Municipal Center. According to the meeting agenda, the city will accept proposals until 4 p.m., Friday May, 17, 2013, and five copies of any proposal or expressions of interest shall be submitted to City Manager Jeff Hancock...

If you have a refund coming, you probably already have it spent. If you think you will owe money, that may be the reason you've waited this long to file. Or, perhaps you're just a procrastinator, waiting until the last minute to do the work. Regardless the reason, filing at the last minute doesn't mean you have to make errors and and can't take every legal deduction you have coming before filing Monday...

Do certain states or counties own lakes, rivers or streams? "No clear path on water problems" in the April 4, 2013 Gazette stirred up a lot of questions in my mind. Worldwide, there are 81 major rivers. This includes Egypt's Nile River, which covers 4,160 miles. I traveled a short distance on it by barge in 1995. It is the longest river in the world...

I was driving through Wagoner, Oklahoma, on the way to Northeastern State University where I was already late for class with less than a month to go before graduation. I knew I was going to be late and there was nothing I hated worse than walking into class after it had already started...

These dark clouds barely loosed a sprinkle of rain Sunday morning, but according to the photographer, Roxy Lang of Wilsonville, at 4:10 that afternoon, they received .30 of straight down rain. She writes, "It smelled so good!! Roxy used these settings: f/4; 1/640; iso125; 70mm. ...

MAYWOOD, Nebraska -- The Maywood Youth Club, which met at the Maywood Christian Church, concluded its program for this year on Wednesday, April 3, 2013. A total of 23 different elementary students attended sometime during the year with two having perfect attendance including: Paige & Alexis Wood. ...

INDIANOLA, Nebraska -- St. Catherine's Church, 815 D Street, Indianola, is promising fun for the entire community at the annual Spring Fling Festival, Sunday, April 21. With games, a silent auction, raffle drawings, bingo, pitch and the money grid, there is something for everyone...

Dear Friend, INTRO Lest you think I mean the Tribulation has begun, the answer is NO! THE GREAT AND TERRIBLE DAY OF THE LORD will ensue the Rapture. The devastation we are seeing across our country and globally is just a precursor of what is going to take place AFTER the Rapture. ...

Now that Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio has been installed as Pope Francis, I must say that I could not be happier with the papal conclave's choice. Not that the College of Cardinals would bother to ask my opinion on the matter -- I'm not even Catholic -- but as a student of religion, one who stumbles along trying to follow Jesus, and a lover of startling, historic moments, I am ecstatic...

Perhaps you have heard that Roger Ebert, the famous movie critic passed away last week. The brief epitaph on the Internet stated that he had written 7,202 movie reviews, three screen plays and had won one Pulitzer prize. Ebert was obviously a talented man but what catches my attention is that he made his living as a critic. ...

First responders from McCook, Indianola, Red Willow Western, the Red Willow County Sheriff's Department and the Nebraska State Patrol work at the scene of a two-vehicle accident about four miles east of McCook Friday evening.