Stories from Monday, January 10, 2005

KEARNEY -- Holly Strasburg and Michael Gilbreath were united in marriage Aug. 21, 2004, at First Lutheran Church in Kearney with the Rev. Mark Price officiating. Parents of the couple are Barry and Betty Strasburg of Hayes Center and Jerry and Karen Gilbreath of Kearney...

Sonia Andrijeski and Don Harms of Mankato, Minn., exchanged wedding vows Oct. 16, 2004, at St. Ann's Catholic Church, northwest of McCook. The Rev. Gary Brethour officiated the ceremony. Parents of the couple are Margaret Andrijeski of rural McCook and the late Marvin Andrijeski and the late Ron Harms...

Mary Smith and Danny Kotschwar were united in marriage Dec. 31, 2004, at the home of Kent and Phyllis Kotschwar. The ceremony was officiated by Clerk Magistrate Kathy Clapp. The witnesses were Steve Kotschwar, brother of the bridegroom, and Danielle Kotschwar, daughter of the bridegroom...

The family of Harvey and June (Barger) Spickelmier is hosting a card shower in honor of the couple's 60th anniversary Jan. 12. The couple married in 1945 in Oberlin, Kan. Their family includes Russ Spickelmier of rural Culbertson, Carol and Rudy Alloway of Phillips, Merle Spickelmier of Hemmingford, Norma Rogers of McCook and Dennis and wife, Jules Spickelmier of Lincoln. ...

The family of Jerome and Viola Janousek of Atwood is hosting a card shower in honor of their 50th anniversary Jan. 17. The couple married in 1955 at Sacred Heart Church in Atwood. Their children are Colleen and Rex Smith of Goodland, Kan., Zita and Mark Mason of Wichita, Kan., Natalie and Mike Sieber of McCool Junction and Douglas Janousek of Lincoln. ...

The family of Ramona Hornkohl is hosting a card shower in honor of her 75th birthday Jan. 17. Cards of congratulation will reach her at 70273 Drive 392, Danbury, NE 69026.

SIDNEY -- The McCook High School varsity boys and girls basketball teams took it on the chin Saturday at Sidney. The Bison boys lost 65-54 to the Red Raiders and the Bison girls lost 62-41. The Bison junior varsity boys won 62-61 and the JV girls won 35-32...

CAMBRIDGE -- The Cambridge boys and the Southern Valley girls won the championship games at the Cambridge Basketball Tournament Saturday. In the title games, the Trojan boys defeated Southern Valley 65-58 and the Southern Valley girls downed Cambridge 55-52...

March 18, 1921-Jan. 8, 2005 Elaine Helen Schilz, 83, of McCook, died Saturday (Jan. 8, 2005) at Community Hospital of McCook. She was born March 18, 1921, in Herndon to Paul Louis and Anne Alice (Bobinmyer) Berger. She graduated from Herndon High School in 1939. ...

Feb. 9, 1947-Dec. 28, 2004 Marlene Ann Adair entered her eternal rest on Dec. 28, 2004, following a courageous battle with cancer. Throughout her illness, she showed amazing courage, spirit and determination. Marlene was born on Feb. 9, 1947, in Benkelman, to Bob and Marian (Jackson) Owens. Following her graduation in 1965, Marlene attended Kearney State College and then moved to Denver, Colo., where she lived until 1974, when she moved to California...

The City of McCook has received word that the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality has found that the city's proposed new treatment center and water wells will present "no significant impact" on the environment. The decision brings the city one step closer to receiving nearly $10 million in State Revolving Loan Funds to fund the city's new water treatment facility. The city will be eligible for $100,000 in loan forgiveness...

Snow emphasizes the unusual shape of concrete tiles stockpiled at Barnett Park as part of an ongoing improvement project. The blocks will be used for stabilization of the banks of ponds in the park. The project is funded by the Nebraska Environmental Trust Fund...

In his 1982 book, "McCook's First 100 Years," Gene O. Morris writes that two events, early in its existence, emerged to make McCook the hub town in Southwest Nebraska. Both events were initiated by the railroad. First, in 1882, the railroad declared that the new town of McCook would be the new division point on the Burlington Missouri Line. The second was the decision in 1888 to establish shops in the new town for the repair and maintenance of steam engines...