Stories from Wednesday, November 3, 2004

Husker Nation, you have some "Thank Yous" that you need to hand out. I know it was Halloween season this past weekend, but it really felt like Christmas thanks to the Missouri Tigers. I'll get the ball rolling with a thank you note of my own. H All my thanks go out to Missouri coach Gary Pinkal...

Cambridge's Minnick selected as Nebraska Heisman finalist CAMBRIDGE -- Lisa Minnick of Cambridge was chosen from high schools throughout the state as on of 20 state finalists for the Wendy's High School Heisman Award. The finalists were honored at a banquet Saturday, Oct. 23 in Lincoln...

NORTH PLATTE -- The Southwest volleyball team won its subdistrict match with North Platte St. Pats last night 22-25, 25-17, 25-19, 25-18. Chelsey Quigley served a team high 19 points for Southwest. Brittany McConville added 11 points serving and Savannah Noyes chipped in 10...

Oct. 28, 1919-Nov. 1, 2004 HERNDON -- Chauncey Glenn Hafner, 85, died Monday (Nov. 1, 2004) at Rawlins County Hospital in Atwood. He was born Oct. 28, 1919, to Michael and Mary (Runyan) Hafner in Rawlins County. He was raised on the family farm southeast of Herndon. He attended Herndon Grade School and graduated from Herndon High School in 1937...

Dec. 21, 1915-Oct. 31, 2004 COLBY, Kan. -- Neva Elaine Rhamy, 88 of Lanter Park in Colby, Kan., died Sunday (Oct. 31, 2004) at Hays Medical Center in Hays, Kan. She was born Dec. 21, 1915, to Don and Lela Kyte near McDonald. She was a homemaker and retail sales clerk for Prideaux Liquor Store in Atwood for many years. She was a former resident of the McDonald and Atwood area...

The children of Dan and Mary Parker are hosting a card shower in honor of the couple's 25th wedding anniversary Nov. 3. Their children are Nathaniel and Josh. Cards of congratulations will reach them at 33951 Road 717, Benkelman, NE 69021-4534

Rawlins County voters turned out two commissioners and a sheriff, but approved a 13-mill tax levy to support its hospital. Meanwhile, Decatur County's sheriff withstood a write-in challenge, and Beaver City voters approved a sales tax for economic development...

One of the youngest people ever elected to the McCook City Council will begin serving his four year term beginning Dec. 6. Aaron Kircher, 23, received 25 percent of the vote for McCook City Council four-year term during Tuesday's general election. Following the final tally of votes Tuesday night, Kircher told the Gazette he was ready for the challenge. He said he plans to keep studying the issues and would like the council to begin looking at new ideas...

McCook dentist Don Blank said he was satisfied with his 18 years on the University of Nebraska Board of Regents and would be glad to be out of politics if it took negative campaigns to win. Blank was defeated 56-44 percent for the District 7 seat by David Hergert, 64, a Mitchell agribusinessman...

Andrew Messersmith emerges after voting in Diana Robinson's second grade class at North Ward. Andrew is the son of Rita and Darrel Messersmith of McCook. President Bush won the North Ward vote, 190 to 36.

As America's second straight presidential election goes down to the wire, we must think not of how we are divided, but how we can unite. It's amazing, really, how evenly split this nation is between Republican and Democrat and conservative and liberal causes...

OK, all the ballots are cast. Perhaps the outcome is known by the time you read this, perhaps not. A record turnout for this year's presidential election was forecast and by all reports, those predictions held true. An extremely close race was also forecast, too close to call for weeks in advance of the election. However, it is entirely possible that with the large turnout, a mandate of the people will immediately be made known with indisputable results...