Stories from Monday, August 26, 2002

Officials from the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality, Lincoln, praise Red Willow County, Resource Conservation and Development and Educational Service Unit No. 15 for their efforts to protect the state's environment. DEQ officials toured the county's new household waste collection facility on South Street in McCook, and DEQ Director Mike Linder (right) presented County Commissioner Earl McNutt and HWC co-coordinator Jacqueline Hughes with a sign for the building. ...

Gordon and Ruth Sather of Blair and Ron and Vicki Bauer of Ord announce the engagement and upcoming wedding of their children, Elizabeth Bromert Sather and Michael Shawn Bauer, both of Omaha. The prospective bridegroom is the grandson of Don and Norma Sitzman and Clarice Bauer, all of Culbertson. ...

John and Debra Glasco of Stratton announce the engagement and upcoming wedding of their daughter, Stacey Anne to J.R. Little, son of Commie and Candy Little of Sheridan, Wyo. The bride-to-be is the granddaughter of John and Julia Diehl of Stratton and Mary Glasco of Benkelman and the late Harold Glasco. ...

The family and friends of Iva McNutt are hosting a card shower in honor of her 95th birthday, Aug. 30. Cards of congratulations will reach her at 811 West Second, McCook, NE 69001.

The family of Clark and Dawna Bates of McCook is hosting a card shower in honor of the couple's 25th anniversary, Sept. 3. Children of the couple are Bryson Bates of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, Seth Bates of Norfolk, Bethany Bates of Manhattan, Kan., and Kendra Bates of McCook. Cards of congratulations will reach the couple at 1206 West 6th Street, McCook, NE 69001...

The family of Frances Trail is hosting a card shower in honor of her 90th birthday Aug. 28. Cards of congratulations will reach her at Hillcrest Nursing Home, Room 402, P.O. Box 1087, McCook, NE 69001.

The family of Doris Green is hosting a card shower in honor of her 92nd birthday Aug. 28. Cards of congratulations will reach her at Hillcrest Nursing Home, Room 110, 309 West 7th, McCook, NE 69001.

Nebraskans should have the opportunity to decide whether or not gambling should be legalized, but the way we're going about it in 2002 is wrong. The slot machine initiative is unacceptable because it tries to write too much into the law at one time...

Dear Editor, Tonight, Aug. 23, 2002, as I was surfing through the TV programs, I came upon an interview being held of two old gentlemen and two equally elderly ladies. They were recounting their adventures at the railroad station in North Platte, Neb., during the war. ...

After our long, hot summer, it's hard to believe any of us would do anything but welcome its end. Already, many of us have already ended the first week of school, and the high school sports season is ready to shift into high gear. Labor Day is only a week away, but before then, another traditional season-marker has arrived...

Jami Lynn Brennemann and Adam Donald Helmbrecht, both of Alliance, announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the couple are Sharon Brennemann of Alliance, Will Brennemann of Fairbanks, Alaska and Don and Shirley Helmbrecht of McCook. ...

Dawn Marie Grassia of North Platte and Jason R. Tuller of McCook announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the couple are Geoff and Pam Burks of North Platte and Ray and Pat Tuller of McCook. The prospective bridegroom is the grandson of Roxie Tuller of McCook, the late Dane Tuller, Darlene Stanley of McCook and the late Paul Stanley. ...

IMPERIAL -- Erica Jo Maris of Wauneta and Aaron Patric Greene of Imperial were united in marriage June 29, 2002, at Imperial Bible Church in Imperial with the Rev. Matt Hoffman of Hamlet Union Church officiating. Bill Murphy was co-officiant. Parents of the couple are Roger and Elizabeth Maris of Wauneta and Tim and Jacqueline Greene of Imperial...

Tuesday's meeting of the McCook Water Advisory Committee will include discussion on ways to address McCook's water woes through innovative technology and conservation ideas brought forward by McCook citizens. The meeting is set for 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Heritage Senior Center...

Ashley Collins (left) and Kayla Tobey, of North Platte move into the dorms at McCook Community College on Sunday. Students were welcomed to the college Sunday by the MCC Indians Boosters Club. Van Korell and Jim O'dea of Amfirst financial services provided the meat cooker for the event. Classes begin today...

New teachers from around the area enjoy a breakfast at the Wal-Mart conference room, sponsored by the McCook Chamber of Commerce and Wal-Mart. Teachers from around the area enjoyed the annual event.

No bomb was found, but a wire stretched across an alley Sunday afternoon could have caused a serious accident, according to the McCook chief of police. Officers responded to a bomb scare Sunday in the 700 block alley between West Second and Third. A call came in at 4:39 p.m., that a wire was stretched across the alley and placed into a trash dumpster...

The McCook City and Volunteer Fire Departments have been awarded a grant in the amount of $48,420 from the 2002 Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program. The award will be used by local firefighters to purchase firefighter bunker turnout gear and Personal Alert Safety System devices...

A debit-like card will replace Nebraska's food stamp coupons Sept. 1. The Nebraska EBT (electronic benefits transfer) card will be used at card-reader machines in eligible grocery stores across Nebraska and the United States. The card can be swiped through the card reader during the checkout process and the total of the grocery purchases is automatically deducted from the person's personal food benefit balance...

Lincoln -- Officials with the Nebraska Health and Human Services System announced today that the state has its first presumptive positive human case of West Nile virus. A blood sample from a 55-year-old female from Hall County who went to a hospital emergency room with body aches and fever tested positive for the virus. ...

High school musicians around the area can now receive college credits from McCook Community College for doing what they like to do best. McCook Community College is offering dual credits to high school students around the area who are interested in joining the college band and choir...

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. -- Brenda Kay Burkey and Matthew Thomas Manteufel were united in marriage June 1, 2002, at Bethany Lutheran Church in Overland Park, Kan., with the Rev. Thomas Manteufel, father of the bridegroom, officiating. Dan Rayer, cousin of the bride, served as the lector...

ST. FRANCIS -- Donnie Ray Voeller, 51, died Friday (Aug. 23, 2002) at St. Luke Presbyterian Hospital in Denver. He was born Oct. 9, 1950, in St. Francis to Kenneth and Ellen (Follett) Voeller. He was a lineman for the City of St. Francis. He was preceded in death by his sister, Nancy Blair...

MESA, Ariz. -- Elmer "Sarge" Brehm, 85, died Saturday (Aug. 24, 2002) in Mesa, Ariz. Elmer was born Aug. 23, 1917, to John and Katie (Willmann) Brehm of Culbertson. He married Doris Perfect on Jan. 23, 1946. He spent four years in the U. S. Air Force as a mechanic, then worked as a contractor in Missoula, Mont., until he retired and moved to Mesa in 1979...

"The quickest way to a man's heart is through his stomach." The girls and women working at the McCook Canteen Service during World War II could attest as to the truth in that statement. The June 6, 1942, McCook Daily Gazette described what happens ... "When a train pulls in, the boys are somewhat bashful and wary of what may happen with so many local people on station platform...

If the powers that be have it their way, this may be one of the last times you see the oldest Community College in the state referred to as McCook Community College. The "name" issue will be brought before the Board of Governors this Wednesday, Aug. 28, at the monthly Board meeting in North Platte...

It's not often that one has a chance to spend a few days in Paradise and then gets to write about it. Therefore, when we were invited to spend a few days with relatives at their vacation home at Paradise Point on beautiful Lake of the Woods, in Canada, we jumped at the chance...

OBERLIN -- Vada Lucile Shaw, 97, died Thursday (Aug. 22, 2002) at Cedar Living Center in Oberlin. She was born June 5, 1905, in Decatur County to Harry Lewis and Lizzie (Wolley) Armstrong. She attended West Liberty School District No. 20 and graduated from Decatur Community High School in 1924...