Stories from Monday, August 5, 2002

Kansas voters will begin the process of choosing their elected officials Tuesday when voters go to the polls for the primary election. Decatur County has one contested race, where Republican incumbent Pat Glenn will be going up against Republican Doyle Fredrickson for Decatur County Commissioner...

The family of Dale and Ola Yauk of McCook are hosting a card shower in honor of the couple's 60th anniversary on Aug. 8. They have one daughter, Dee Swanson of Hastings, one grandchild and two great-grandchildren. Cards of congratulations will reach the couple at 503 West M, McCook, NE 69001...

The family of Ronald and Gloria Warren is hosting an open house in honor of the couple's 40th anniversary, Aug. 5, 1-4 p.m., at 1106 West Fifth. Children of the couple are Kellie and Ron Soden of McCook, Toby Warren of Littleton, Colo., Corey and Laura Warren of Parker, Colo., Brett Warren of McCook and Brian and Amanda Warren of Culbertson. Cards of congratulations will reach the couple at 307 East Third, McCook, NE 69001...

The family of Ethel Ball, formerly of Culbertson, is hosting an open house in honor of her 85th birthday Saturday, Aug. 10, from 1:30-4 p.m. at the Bertrand City Hall. Cards of congratulations will reach her at 205 Bailey Drive, Bertrand, NE 68927.

Wendy Gayle Blank and Michael Joseph Eisenmenger, both of Omaha, were united in marriage on June 15, 2002, at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in McCook with the Rev. Gary Brethour officiating. Parents of the couple are Larry and Ruth Blank and Larry and Mary Beth Eisenmenger, all of McCook...

Julie Youngquist and Michael Jorgensen, both of Kearney, announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the couple are Lynn and Sharon Youngquist of Beaver City and Francis and Betty Jorgensen of Cambridge. The bride-to-be is employed at Kearney State Bank and the prospective bridegroom is employed with Marshall Engines. The couple is planning an Aug. 10, 2002, ceremony at First United Methodist Church in Kearney...

The family of Dick and Yvonna Hayes is hosting an open house in honor of the couple's 50th anniversary Aug. 10, at the Cambridge Community Hall, 722 Patterson. The buffet supper will begin at 6 p.m. with a dance at 7 p.m. Cards of congratulations will reach the couple at 819 Penn, Cambridge, NE 69022...

The family of Luella McConville is hosting a card shower in honor of her 80th birthday Aug. 10. Cards of congratulation will reach her at Box 14C, Indianola, NE 69034.

Since joining the news staff of the Gazette in 1975, Connie Jo Discoe has covered scores of fires in southwest Nebraska and Northwest Kansas. Throughout that time, she has been in awe of the tremendous dedication of firefighters. "It's unbelievable," she said. ...

Dear Editor: A group of about 35 people met on Tuesday, July 23, to select three well field sites from the six sites that were recommended by Olsson Associates. At the meeting, each water committee member and each resident who is served by the City of McCook water system was given a ballot and asked to choose three sites. ...

Dear Editor: I want to give a great big "THANK YOU" to Leila at the McCook Public Library for all these special activities she had for children this summer. They started off the month of June with street games, crafts, movies and more. My girls enjoyed the Karate demonstration, learning how to bowl (this was a treat for Momma to see too!)and even skating in the 200 degree weather(okay, okay, so it only felt like 200 degrees in there)!! In July, each Wednesday afternoon our girls were treated to a movie. ...

Through his friendship with "Cactus Chris," Walt Sehnert of McCook has developed a strong interest in cowboy poetry and song. Sehnert, the author of the "From Days Gone By" column in the Gazette, brought Cactus to McCook for the first Buffalo Commons Storytelling Festival five years ago, and now Walt is hooking up with Chris again to bring Cowboy Poets to McCook during Heritage Days...

Randy and Margene Hayes of Imperial announce the engagement and upcoming wedding of their daughter, Janelle Kaye Hayes to Dustin Darrick Corman, the son of Marla Corman of Omaha and the late Vern Corman. Grandparents of the couple are Zelda Maret of Bartley, the late Roy and Margaret Hayes, the late Merle Maret, Ellen Prior of Hastings, formerly of Wauneta and the late Gordon Prior. ...

BEAVER CITY -- Marla Noel Earlley and Daniel Lawrence Brown were united in marriage June 15, 2002 at the Presbyterian Church in Beaver City in a medieval theme ceremony with the Rev. Darin Bentzinger officiating. Parents of the couple are Elden and Mariann Earlley of Wilsonville and David and Nancy Brown of Beaver City...

LINCOLN -- Until temperatures cool down, brown patch and summer patch turf diseases will continue to be problems in Nebraska lawns. However, homeowners can prevent more infection and patches from spreading with proper treatment, a University of Nebraska plant pathologist said...

The public is invited to tour the home and gardens of Ken and Karen Hartman at 1701 East H Street in McCook Saturday or Sunday from 3 to 5 p.m. The Hartmans are charging $5 per person to tour their home filled with antiques and decorated with a country and Victorian theme...

August SHARES are on sale now, as the organization celebrated nine years in McCook. For $14 and one hour and volunteering, the August special includes 11/2 pounds of boneless pork roads, a pound of pork chops, two 10-oz. T-bones, two 6-oz. rib eye steaks...

A free farm and ranch financial and legal clinic is set for Tuesday, Aug. 13 in North Platte. Call (800) 464-0258 for more information.

Tiffany Teter of Bartley makes a scoring serve for her team during the co-ed mud volleyball tournament at the Bartley Summer Sensation celebration Saturday. Other events included a parade, a hog roast, a Kiss the Llama Contest sponsored by the Llamas R Us 4-H Club and a street dance sponsored by Mark Fuller of the Bartley Cafe...

The McCook Army Air Base Historical Society is planning its 16th annual reunion Sept. 27-29 in McCook. The schedule includes: Friday, Sept. 27, 2002 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Registration, High Plains Museum, 413 Norris Ave. 1 p.m.-3 p.m. Displays of donated items can be viewed at the Air Base. Hangar will be open. Free to the public...

BIRD CITY -- Forrest Burr of Bird City rocked the old washing machine back-and-forth, back-and-forth, sloshing the dust and dirt out of her denim jeans as if it was 100 years ago. Forrest volunteered her time to demonstrate a 100-year-old hand-operated washing machine during the 49th annual Tri-State Antique Engine and Thresher Show July 25-28 in Bird City...

At Monday night's regular meeting, the McCook City Council will face the controversial issues of higher-priced water and where to get it. One of the agenda items for the meeting, set for 7 p.m. in the Council Chambers of Memorial Auditorium, will be a request to approve a 10 percent increase in water rates for city water users...

The theme of some of Hollywood's most memorable "B" movies has come to the shores of Swanson Lake and the Republican River channel. Like the invasion movies of the past, a plant has invaded the beaches along the shore line of the Southwestern Nebraska lake and river, threatening wild life, vegetation and precious water resources. The shrub, known as the salt cedar or tamarisk plant has found a new home near Macklin Bay west of Trenton...

Our emotional and mental well-being is just as important as physical health. But too often we tend to ignore this part of ourselves especially during stressful times. What gets our attention is when physical symptoms occur, and even then we may fail to give these warning signs proper attention reports Mary K. Warner, Extension Educator. Have you heard the saying, 'everybody needs somebody?'...

Seven 4-H youth from Red Willow, Furnas and Frontier Counties participated in the 4-H Family and Consumer Science Career Exploration Tour, July 30 and 31 to Lincoln. The tour is a recognition trip for the youth who had high scores at their local Family and Consumer Science Judging contests held earlier this summer, reports Mary K. ...

CULBERTSON -- Virgil D. "Red" Hagan, 80, Culbertson died Friday (Aug. 2, 2002) at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. He was born Feb. 22, 1922, to Frank and Cora (Wilson) Hagan in Eddyville. He grew up in the Eddyville area. He served in the U. S. Army during World War II. He served under Genral Patton as a tank commander and earned the Purple Heart and Bronze and Silver Stars...

North Platte had its canteen during the war and it served thousands of soldiers, but McCook had its Canteen too and it also served thousands of soldiers as they passed through on the troop trains. It started before I pick up the first mention of the thank you notes being received from soldiers for the magazines they had been given while passing through McCook on troop trains. ...

STOP THE WAR This was a popular phrase among the anti-war protestors during the Vietnam War and it is time for the phrase to be uttered again. I'm not talking about the War on Terrorism; I'm talking about the War on Drugs. It has been an utter and dismal failure since Richard Nixon first used the phrase in 1971...

Before World War II there were a number of Greek restaurants across Nebraska. Trano's, in Norfolk, was my favorite. Petro's, in Fremont, was my wife's favorite. But there were others in Grand Island, Kearney, and McCook as well. And in the '50s, Indianola had its Greek restaurant, too, run by two brothers, George and Jim Theros...

CULBERTSON -- Linda I. Gleason, 56, died Sunday (Aug. 4, 2002) at St. Elizabeth Hospital in Lincoln. She was born July 30, 1946, to Leroy and Ilo (Cottingham) Wilkinson in Hitchcock County. She attended Culbertson High School and later received her General Equivalency Diploma. She was employed at Larry's Cafe in McCook and the McCook Elks Lodge...