Stories from Monday, July 1, 2002

In recent years, the term intern has become synonymous with scandal. However, despite its negative connotations, interning plays an important role in the growth of communities such as McCook. Today's world of complex computer technology has created an even larger demand for job training. Training comes for many undergraduate students in the form of internships...

Andrea Verraneault and Matthew Mack, both of Kearney, announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the couple are Karen and Steve Verraneault and Gene and Cindy Mack all of Kearney. Grandparents of the couple are Lionel and Margaret Verraneault and Veldron Harmon, all of McCook and the late Clayton "Beenie" Harmon. ...

Amy Childers and Brandon Soden, both of Lincoln, announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the couple are Jim and Kris Childers of Alliance, Barb Langley of Cheyenne, Wyo., and Steve and Lynette Soden of McCook. The bride-to-be is a 2001 graduate of Chadron State College with a degree in biology. ...

Erin Tucker and Scott Johnson, both of Bellevue, announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the couple are Cliff and Trish Clapp of McCook, Ray and Pam Tucker of Stillwater, Pa., Mike and Marilynn Kunkel of McCook and Bruce and Sharla Johnson of Valentine. ...

My home phone rang at 6:55 Monday morning and the voice on the other end said, "Let me get your week off to a good start. Mihel resigned." I was shocked and surprised at the suddenness of the resignation because there had been no rumors circulating to that effect at all. ...

If you run across an oldtimer today, ask him (or her) what the cost of a stamp was in the good old days. They'll remember ... and they will be delighted to tell you. Some will recall the days of three-cent stamps. Others will talk about the time when there really was such a thing as a penny postcard...

The flag of the United States of America is reproduced in full color on page 12 of today's Gazette. We urge you to carefully clip it out of the newspaper and place it in a place of prominence in your home or business. The display of the Stars and Stripes is important to show the people of the world how much we love our country and how grateful we are for the privileges we enjoy in this great land...

What a shame the Gazette, potentially a voice of calming reason at times such as this, has instead fallen into the same knee-jerk reactionary trap that the majority of this nation and its elected leaders are mired in. Your call for altering the Constitution is both needless and ill-advised...

Your jingoistic editorial reaction to the 9th Circuit Court's decision was "Fundamentally" exciting but you failed to consider 9-11 events when the silly notion of a "god" brought down the Trade Towers and smashed up the Pentagon. On the other hand, it would be difficult to argue that results of such a notion -- Christians, Moslems, Jews, Hindus all happily butchering and blowing each other to bits -- are without merit and not refreshing...

Dear Editor, Many of our ancestors left Europe to come to the United States of America. As they approached New York harbor, at a distance they could make out the Statue of Liberty and some of the buildings vaguely but the closer they got the more distinctly they could see them. Finally they were in the harbor and they could see everything with distinct clarity...

The family of Lloyd and Mary Frederick of Trenton is hosting an open house in honor of the couple's 50th wedding anniversary July 6, 2 p.m., at St. James Church in Trenton. Cards of congratulations will reach the couple at Box 253, Trenton, NE 69044...

Courtney Houlden and Brandon Hardin, both of Cambridge, announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the couple Brad and Shirley Houlden of Cambridge and Dick and Debbie Hardin of Houston, Texas. The bride-to-be is employed at Community Hospital in McCook. The prospective bridegroom is employed by Houlden Contracting, Inc. in Cambridge. A July 5, 2002, ceremony is planned at Calvary Baptist Church in Cambridge...

Jill Ramsey and Jay Erickson, both of Lincoln, announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the couple are Linda and Bill Ramsey of Grand Island and Allen and Rita Erickson of Hayes Center. The bride-to-be is a medical dosimetrist at Bryan LGH Medical Center West and the prospective bridegroom is a lounge manager at Grandmother's Restaurant. The couple is planning a July 27, 2002, ceremony at First Plymouth Congregational Church in Lincoln...

He sat with his head in his hand, slumped against the hard wooden arm of the pew-like waiting bench in the deserted train depot. He looked like a lump of coal with a broken heart. Right off, I knew it was Joe Lewis. I don't know how I knew, but I did...

The race track at the Red Willow County Fairgrounds may be in violation of certain city laws, the McCook city attorney told the City Council in preparation for Monday night's meeting. However, City Attorney Daylene Bennett also speculated that the council isn't likely prohibit the county from permitting the races...

Austen Sis, 8, relaxes on the porch of what started out to be a tree house, and turned into the "mother of all treehouses." The 27-foot tall house has a 12 ft. by 12 ft. room that is equipped with air-conditioning, electricity and a hide-a-bed couch. The house, built by Marshell and Tracey Sis, is for their three children and 34 cousins. "It was suppose to be a tree house," said Tracy, "now it's a house by the tree."...

Vendor and volunteer response has persuaded McCook Main Street officials to offer the Farmers Market again this year, according to Ivan Schmid, project manager. The market will open Saturday, July 6, at 8 a.m., in the parking lot west of Petersen's Jewelry and Eakes Office Plus, and east of the alley by Farrell's Hallmark Shop...

LINCOLN -- As wheat harvest begins, yields for Nebraska's No. 3 crop could be the worst in 50 years in drought stricken areas, a University of Nebraska agronomist said. Drought conditions have left many fields with low yield potential, said Drew Lyon, dryland crops specialist at the NU's Panhandle Research and Extension Center in Scottsbluff. ...

Beginning Tuesday or Wednesday, the patient parking lot in front of McCook Clinic will be closed to begin the construction for the new Medical Office Building. Patients needing to be seen at McCook Clinic or the Medical Specialists Building (Community Hospital Orthopedic Clinic), will need to drive to the back of Community Hospital and park in the northeast parking lot...

A 3-year-old McCook boy is in an Omaha hospital following an accident on a personal water craft Friday evening at Hugh Butler Lake north of McCook. Surgeons set Justin Barenburg's broken left leg and put both legs in a cast from his chest to his toes Sunday, according to his grandmother, Faye Barenburg of McCook. Justin is the son of David and Joanne Barenburg...

BIRD CITY -- Some old-timers in the Bird City area are saying the Golden Plains are dryer now than in the '30s. That's what Stan Dorsch, treasurer of the Tri-State Antique Engine and Threshers Association, wrote in a newsletter promoting the 49th annual antique engine and thresher show Thursday through Sunday, July 25, 26, 27 and 28 in Bird City...

The children of Larry and Ruth Blank of McCook are hosting a card shower in honor of the couple's 25th anniversary on July 2. Children of the couple are Jennifer Nyp, Wendy and husband, Mike Eisenmenger and Megan Blank. Cards of congratulations will reach the couple at 312 Pawnee Drive, McCook, NE 69001...

SELDEN, Kan. -- Blanche L. Cheney, 78, died Thursday (June 27, 2002) at Presbyterian St. Lukes Hospital in Denver. She was born May 22, 1924, to Joseph and Avis (Phillips) Turrell in Rexford. She was raised on a farm north of Rexford and attended Hopewill Country School...

Richard "Jody" LeRoy Jordan passed away Friday (June 7, 2002) in Kimball. He was a resident of Salt Lake City, Utah. He was born April 22, 1930, in Kansas City, Mo. to Albert Henry and Elsie Gertrude (Childers) Jordan. He grew up in Wausa, Neb. and then joined the United States Navy to see the world. He was a Korean War Veteran...

GRAND ISLAND -- Betty Dean Linnemeyer Durham, 77, died Sunday (June 28, 2002) at Lincoln. She was born Feb. 26, 1925, at Brownsville to William Valentine and Ora Mae (Miheal Parker. She lived in Lincoln as a child before moving to Curtis and then to McCook, where she lived until 1986...

SELDEN, Kan. -- Blanche L. Cheney, 78, died Saturday (June 27, 2002) at Presbyterian St. Lukes Hospital in Denver, Colo. She was born May 22, 1924, to Joseph and Avis (Phillips) Turrell at Rexford. She was raised on a farm north of Rexford. She attended Hopewill Country School...

Who among you remembers when F.W. Woolworth's was located at 306 Main Street? It was located where My Favorite Things is now but no one whom I called today could remember it being there. The September 3, 1942, McCook Daily Gazette reported that the McCook Army Air Base architect and engineering staff would move into "the building on the west side of Main street in the 300 block, which formerly housed the Woolworth store". ...

Most of the planes and crews that were stationed at the McCook Air Base went to the European Theater of Operations when they left McCook. Mo Mosher was different. Though he was one of the first men to be assigned to the McCook Base, in 1943, he was never a part of any of the heavy bombardment groups that were assigned here. ...

ELLIOT, Iowa -- Joan Baumbach, 70, died Tuesday (May 21, 2002) at the Montgomery County Memorial Hospital in Iowa. She was born March 1, 1932, to Buck and Augusta (Cozior) McKern in Council Bluffs, Iowa. She attended school in Council Bluffs. On Aug. 21, 1970, she married Lee Baumbach in Fremont. The couple moved to Elliot in 1988. She worked at the Good Samaritan Care Center in Red Oak, Iowa, a nursery and she was a homemaker...