Stories from Friday, April 1, 2005

Marine Lance Cpl. Jesse Jordan of McCook suffered shrapnel wounds in his left leg and burns on his left arm March 26 when Iraqi insurgents ambushed Jordan and his fellow Marines somewhere inside Iraq. Jordan is the 22-year-old son of Darla and Randy Jordan of rural McCook. He is a 2001 graduate of McCook Senior High and a 2003 graduate of Northwest Kansas Technical College in Goodland. He was deployed to Iraq Feb. 12...

"Agritourism" is a growing travel trend in Kansas, a state that has inventoried the farms, ranches, beds-and- breakfast and wineries that tourists can make destinations of their vacations. Janna Dunbar of Topeka, agritourism program manager for the Kansas Department of Commerce, told participants at the "Republican River Valley" Living on the Edge" conference in McCook Wednesday and Thursday that agritourism is "one of the travel industry's fastest-growing trends."...

The construction project on East 11th Street between B Street and J Street is slated to begin April 18. The project, expected to be completed July 1, will be finished in three phases. The first phase, between East B and H Street, is expected to begin April 18 and last through May 20...

Even though the Nebraska Community Foundation has only been in existence for 11 years, it has already built a reputation as one of most outstanding state community foundations in the nation. That is why it is such an honor to have two bankers from Southwest Nebraska as the top-ranking officers on the statewide Nebraska Community Foundation Board of Directors...

The time has come to give up your jobs, to give up your hobbies, to give up any thoughts of keeping your house clean. (OK the last one I gave up a long time ago.) Why? Because you're going to be spending more time exercising. While the government still recommends 30 minutes of exercise each day, a recent study gives as much weight to 60 minutes and 90 minutes of exercise each and every day...

**Dear Editor, As chairperson of the newly-formed George W. Bush Society, I am pleased to announce plans for a life-sized statue of the president being placed in the center of Norris Park. As we all know, George W. is, without question, the greatest president in U.S. history...

July 7, 1929-March 31, 2005 Joyce Jean Sevier, 75, died Thursday, March 31, with her husband, Dwaine, and her family by her side. She was born July 7, 1929, in Omaha to Irene Wright. She grew up in Auburn and graduated from Auburn High School in 1947...

Aug. 22, 1919-March 31, 2005 IMPERIAL -- Lottie Gengenbach, 85, died Thursday (March 31, 2005) at Chase County Community Hospital following a hip surgery. She was born Aug. 22, 1919, to Walter and Emma Greinke in Imperial. She attended country school and later graduated from Chase County High School in 1937. She furthered her education at Hastings Business College...

July 4, 1914-March 31, 2005 BIRD CITY, Kan. -- Vivian Averl Curry, 89, died Thursday (March 31, 2005) at Hays Medical Center in Hays, Kan. She was born July 4, 1914, in Bird City. She was a teacher. She was preceded in death by her husband, Dallas Lyle Curry in 1987...

June 2, 1923-April 1, 2005 TRENTON -- Bernard R. "Ben" Baker, 81, died today (April 1, 2005) at Bryan LGH East Hospital in Lincoln. He was born June 2, 1923, to Ralph and Anna (Frank) Baker in Hitchcock County. He grew up in Trenton and graduate from Trenton High School in 1940...

The family of Allan and Betty (Zimmer) Lehmkuhl is hosting a card shower in honor of the couple's 58th anniversary. The couple married April 3, 1947, and are former residents of McCook. Their family includes Barb Estes and the late Kent Estes and three grandsons. Cards of congratulations will reach them at 9725 Linden Drive, Kearney, NE 68847...

A fork in the road, life- changing decisions, taking the road less traveled -- the decision is up to the individual. That message was delivered to students of McCook Senior High during an hour- long presentation by U.S. Rep. Tom Osborne. A lesson from Robert Frost's "The Road Not Taken," Osborne told the students while "most of the forks in the road of my life are behind me; in your case there's a lot of forks ahead of you."...

If you have ever sat through a concert, or barbershop singing show, or cooking school at the McCook Memorial Auditorium, you know how hard those long board bleachers can become. It's not too bad for the first few minutes, but when a show stretches to an hour and a half or more, your backside begins to feel the aching effects of prolonged sitting...

Three years ago my mom, who was 73 at the time, had a debilitating stroke that stripped her of most of her functions. After she was stabilized at the hospital, her doctor said long term care was the only real option for her and she was placed in a total care nursing home facility. ...

**Dear Editor, I'm sure glad Steve Stramel is chairing the newly formed George W. Bush Society. It's obvious he has nothing better to do with his time. Although I like the evil- doer statement to be placed on the statue I think a better idea would be to ask one of about 50 million people that are living in the free democratic countries of Af-ghanistan or Iraq for suggestions...

Upon reaching Day 54 of the legislative session, members of the legislature continue to move forward with full-day deliberations. The status of legislation approved by the Governor now exceeds ninety bills with approximately two hundred bills currently on General File awaiting an opportunity for debate. ...