Stories from Monday, June 16, 2003

LINCOLN -- Mildred J. "Millie" (Rice) Yamamoto, 73, died Thursday (June 12, 2003) in Lincoln. She was born Oct. 24, 1929, in Randolph to Leander and Esther (Johnson) Rice. She graduated from Lincoln High School in 1947, and from the University of Nebraska in 1951...

Not all sports stories are positive. Friday's front sports page of the McCook Daily Gazette is a perfect example. The headline story Friday was the firing of Western Nebraska Community College head men's basketball coach Trace Bevell, who guided the McCook CC program from 1991-2000...

Kevin Janousek and Brenda Peterson of McCook announce the birth of a daughter, Bree Noelle Janousek, born Friday (June 6, 2003). She weighed 7 pounds, 13 ounces. She has one sister, Korey. Grandparents are Gary and Nancy Janousek of McCook and Rick and Luci Naber of Lincoln...

AMITY, Ark. -- Joe and Lori Wolfe of Amity, Ark., announce the birth of a son, Reid Joseph Wolfe. He was born Wednesday (June 11, 2003) and weighed 8 pounds. Grandparents are Greg and Diane Wolfe of Indianola.

The family of Lois Holliday is hosting an open house in honor of her 90th birthday, June 21, 2-5 p.m., at the Baptist church basement in Wilsonville. There is a program planned for 3 p.m. Cards of congratulations will reach her at PO Box 173, Wilsonville, NE 69046...

The family of Lee and Marjorie Carter are hosting an open house in honor of the couple's 50th anniversary June 21 from 1:30-4 p.m., at the Grandview Senior Center in Stratton. The couple married June 21, 1953, at the United Methodist Church in Stratton. They have two sons, Robin and the late Jon Carter and two grandchildren. Cards of congratulations will reach them at 402 Apollo Road, McCook, NE 69001...

The children of LeRoy Leibrandt are hosting a card shower in honor of his 85th birthday June 19. Cards of congratulations will reach him at 814 West J, McCook, NE 69001.

Mr. and Mrs. David Urbom of Arapahoe announce the engagement of their daughter, Erin Michelle, to Eric Karmazin, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Ron Karmazin of Blue Hill. The bride-to-be is a 2002 graduate of Nebraska Wesleyan University and is attending the University of Nebraska College of Law in Lincoln. The prospective bridegroom is a 2002 graduate of Hastings College and is working at American HealthNet in Omaha. The couple is planning a July wedding...

The family of Phillip and Marilyn Fornoff is hosting an open house buffet June 21, from 6-9 p.m., at the Hayes Center 4-H Building on the Hayes County Fairgrounds, in honor of the couple's 50th anniversary. They were married June 16, 1953. Their children are Chris Fornoff and wife, Leta and Kim and husband, Bill Mruz of Fremont, Kevin Fornoff and wife, Ann of Hayes Center, Cynthia and husband, Kirt Ross of Wasilla, Alaska, Laurie and husband, Larry Goforth of Cayucas, Calif., and Brad Fornoff and wife, Cheryl of Worthington, Minn. ...

The family and friends of Raymond Gugelman are hosting a card shower in honor of his 90th birthday June 22. Cards of congratulations will reach him at 208 Sixth Street, Apt. 9, Arapahoe, NE 68922.

I suppose that in every family there is one member who is recalled at every family reunion. In our family it is Uncle Emmons. He was not the most powerful member of the family, or the richest, or even the best liked -- but he was colorful. Emmons was my Mother's uncle, the youngest brother on her Mother's side, the boy who stayed in Wisconsin when his sister left for South Dakota, and the one who eventually ended up on the family farm. ...

The clouds looked pretty bad around McCook on Wednesday night, but on June 10, 1943, the beautiful Victory Gardens really got pounded. The weather really was the news of the day. Harry Strunk's editorial started out, "McCook is sad today...but not so sad as she was 15 years ago this same day. ...

OBERLIN -- Melba L. Anderson, 94, died Friday (June 13, 2003) at the Cedar Living Center in Oberlin. She was born March 21, 1909, in Traer, to Wade and Maude (Claussen) Waldo. She attended grade school in Traer and graduated from Decatur Community High School in 1926. She attended one year of college at the University of Colorado at Boulder in Boulder, Colo...

ANSON, Texas -- Vivian Arlene Cain Hockman, 84, formerly of McCook, died Saturday (June 14, 2003) at a local nursing home. She was born Sept. 2, 1918, in Red Willow County, to George Edward and Dorothy (Doyle) Cain. On Oct. 3, 1936, she married Kenneth Hockman in Oberlin. She was a homemaker and a founding member of the Berean Fundamental Church in McCook in 1952. She moved to Jones County in 1991, and was a member of Bethel Baptist Church...

Delbert Leroy Olsson, 74, died Friday (June 13, 2003) at his home in McCook. He was born Sept. 24, 1928, to Carl W. and Katie E. (Jensen) Olsson at Curtis. He received his education in Curtis and graduated from the Nebraska School of Agriculture. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II from February 1946 to December of 1947...

Dear Editor, On Monday, June 2 at 11:30 a.m., I found out what a great community we live in. As I watched my house burn and the fire department doing their job (risking their lives to save every thing they could for practically no money at all) neighbors started offering assistance with whatever they could do. The biggest thing that was going through my mind was where were my wife and three kids and myself were going to stay...

Editors note: The following letter, addressed to former Gov. Frank Morrison, was received in the Gazette office from his friend Dan Williams of Lincoln. Dear Frank Morrison: Several days ago I had a good talk with Dick Herman. Most of that talk was about you, Governor Morrison, and the storytelling program at the High Plains Museum. Dick had a wonderful time and I'm sure you did too...

McCook Community College is onto something, and it could be big ... really big. The exciting opportunity -- which has the potential to attract hundreds of youngsters to the campus and generate thousands of dollars for the college -- is expansion of the summer camp program...

Dear Editor: At last the "Preview," featuring local arts and entertainment and TV is here. Thank you very much. As in my olden days of working, when a Gazette edition was especially good, a plate of cookies went to the newsroom to be shared by all the good boys (Roger, usually) and girls. ...

"Sold," "Sale Pending" and "Accepted Offer" signs are starting to pop up around town, giving renewed encouragement to McCook's real estate agents. Unexpectedly, home sales had been slow in the early months of 2003, perhaps as a result of the unsettled national economy and the after-effects of the severe drought of 2001 and 2002...

My ex-wife always thought doctors were just a little this side of being divine, other-worldly, supernatural, almost God-like. Whatever her doctor told her to do, she did. Whatever he prescribed, she took. Although he was wrong as often as he was right, her confidence in him was never shaken...

April Carter of Shelby and Matthew Hock of Culbertson announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the couple are Jack and Mary Ann Carter of Shelby and George and Kathy Hock of Culbertson. The bride-to-be graduated from Southeast Community College in Milford with her associates degree in architecture. ...

Dana Marsh and Kevin Fraser, both of Marionville, Mo., announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the couple are Barry and Anna Marsh of Lebanon, Mo., Charles Fraser of Springfield, Mo., and Laura Fraser of Norfolk. The bride-to-be is a service coordinator for Missouri Division of Youth Services. ...

People, Pets and Places photo contest winners for May include "Sunset," Jani Barger, Culbertson, First Place, May; "Quiet Moment," Rhonda Jochim, Rockport, Mo., Second Place, May; "Working Hard," Yule Dorwart, McCook, Third Place, May. First place wins $50, second $35 and third place, $15...

The McCook City Council will be asked to authorize the use of $90,000 in sales tax funds to complete two street projects, with the remaining sales tax funds applied to the next B Street project. Meeting at 7:30 p.m. Monday in the Council Chambers, the council also will hear a recommendation that Paulsen Inc. of Cozad be awarded a $748,720 bid for the Heritage Senior Center Expansion...

Bob Horn (above) drives a 1961 Cushman carrying the 2003 Palisade Pioneer Days theme, "We're At it Again." Nocolas Owens (left), 2, of Denver waves to McCook National Bank's "Sparky" character on a passing float. Myra Brown (below) of Palisade takes the plunge Saturday at the Wauneta-Palisade cheerleaders' dunk tank...

TRENTON -- Gov. Mike Johanns will speak at the groundbreaking ceremonies for the Trenton Agri Products Ethanol Facility on Tuesday. The event, one mile west of the Massacre Canyon Visitor Center and 1.5 miles east of Trenton on U.S. Highway 34, begins at 10 a.m...

Construction on a new $1.5 million office building for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is expected to begin later this summer. Marv Swanda, office manager at the McCook office said the new 11,000 square foot building will provide room for 30 employees. The new office will be built north of the current building at 1706 W. Third...

McCook American Legion Juniors baseball players (from left) Alex Sughroue, Kendall Foster, Brad Potthoff, Mark Rogers and Michael Sinclair sprint during a bunting drill at the University of Nebraska-Kearney Lopers Camp Thursday at Jaycees Sports Complex. ...

CAMBRIDGE -- The 19th annual Cambridge CSO All-Star Basketball Classic takes place Saturday, June 21, at the Cambridge High School gym. The girls' game starts at 6 p.m. with the boys' game to follow at 8 p.m. The 2003 girls' East Team includes Shawna Banzhaf of Eustis-Farnam; Celeste Bauer and Chelsea Richards, both of Alma; Kayla Brooks and Danielle Stritt, both of Republican Valley; Ann McClelland of Southern Valley; Lacie Freeland of Loomis; Christina Houghtelling of Cambridge; Heather McCoy of Arapahoe; and Kristy Robison of Bertrand.. ...

McCook Speedway was racing under what was nearly a full moon on Friday the 13th of June, however, the races were finished well before midnight. Kenny McCarty of North Platte, Bob Chalupa and Jason Stephens of McCook, John Werner of Palisade, Bud Wasson of Palisade, and Greg Billings of Frederick, Colo., overcame all circumstances and superstitions to take home the six A Feature victories...

The East All-Stars captured the 12th Annual Sertoma All-Star Classic by defeating the West All-Stars Saturday night at the McCook High School gymnasium. The East All-Stars won in four sets 8-15, 15-4, 15-3, 15-8. A fifth set was also played in rally scoring format. The East won 25-23...

Downtown Cambridge shook with the joyful cheers of proud Americans as hundreds of red, white and blue balloons burst from the Jones and Cope Dental Offices parade float during Medicine Creek Days. The theme of the parade was, "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue;" Drs. ...

Two-year-old Aubree Warner shares a laugh with Grandma, Patty Kier of Oxford, on the merry-go-round in downtown Oxford during Turkey Days. Aubree, Grandma and Aubree's parents, Darren and Amy Warner of Edison, and hundreds of others took in the parade and carnival Friday. Other Turkey Day activities included a hot dog-eating contest, soap box derby, free swimming, a community-wide church service and father son/daughter golf tournament...

Jamie Naeve of Norfolk, formerly of Cambridge, and Brent Christensen of Arapahoe announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the couple are James and Linda Naeve of Norfolk, formerly of Cambridge, and Mel and Ruth Christensen of Arapahoe. ...

Elizabeth Reicks and Devin Eschliman of McCook announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the couple are Dean and Cathy Reicks and Randy and Carmen Eschliman, all of McCook. Grandparents of the couple are Duane and Dorothy Reicks of Fort Morgan, Colo., Marian Meyer of Grand Island, Roger and June Eschliman of McCook and the late Wayne Matson. ...

Larissa Ann Ward and Shane Anthony Gerhartz of Palisade announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the couple are Bill and Nancy Ward and Sandy Ferguson, all of Palisade. Grandparents are Elaine Peterson, JoAnn and Harley Ward, Bill and Beth Smith and great-grandmother Geraldine Smith, all of Palisade. ...

People, Pets and Places photo contest winners include "Grandpa's Pig," Clara Uerling, Indianola, First Place, April; The Family Knife Sharpener," Bonnie Brenning, Culbertson, Third Place, April; "Kitty," Shirley Ruda, Atwood, Second Place, April...

John Hunter, production manager at Valmont Industries, leads a group of visitors past welded pipe, waiting to be galvanized before being shipped from the Valmont Plant. The tours were part of an open house being conducted by the irrigation plant Friday, as an opportunity for the public to see the inner workings of the plant, according to Plant Manager Kenneth Bracht. ...

Curtis -- The Middle Republican Natural Resources District Board of Directors issued cease-and- desist orders to district irrigators who are in noncompliance with the district's Ground Water Management Area's Rules and Regulations. Following a hearing and upon direction from General Manager Daniel Smith, the board issued three cease-and-desist orders to Doug McDermott and one order to Bruce McDermott, both from Lincoln County...

OBERLIN -- The warm Kansas sunshine danced off the chrome, and rumbling engines echoed off the storefronts in downtown Oberlin as car buffs showed off collectible vehicles during the second annual Decatur County Museum Summerfest and Car Show May 31...

NORTH PLATTE -- The McCook Rebels 16 and under girls fastpitch softball team posted a 1-2-1 record at the Buffalo Bill Day Tournament Saturday and Sunday in North Platte. After playing their last pool game Saturday night at 10:30, the McCook girls had the early game at 8 a.m. the next morning...

Aircraft of many types turned out for the 21st annual Stearman Fly-In Saturday and Sunday at the Cheyenne County Airport in St. Francis. It was the Stearman biplane that was the star of the show, however, whether in custom colors (above) or the "Yellow Peril" scheme of World War II (right). Other aerial adventures were provided by hot-air balloons, tandem skydives, home-built aircraft, other former military airplanes and an appearance by Amelia Earhart impersonator Ann Birney...

The foursome of Darrin Samway, Larry Newcomb, Jim Hager and Andy Bunger captured the local title of the Buick Scramble Sunday at Heritage Hills Golf Course. Samway, Newcomb, Hager and Bunger carded a nine-hole score of 55. The group combined for a seven handicap...