Stories from Monday, December 18, 2006

KEARNEY -- Regina Zaruba and Joshua Lewis were united in marriage June 16, 2006, at St. James Catholic Church in Kearney with the Rev. Mike McDonald officiating. Parents of the couple are Robert and Ruth Zaruba of Bennington and Pat and Ronda Lewis of Trenton. Grandparents of the bridegroom are Noel and Claudie Schnabel, and Dessie and the late Roy Lewis. His great-grandmother is Iva Schnabel...

The family of James and Gwen Lee is hosting a card shower in honor of the couple's 50th wedding anniversary. They were married Dec. 22, 1956, in the Danbury Presbyterian Church. Cards of congratulations will reach them at 607 West G Street, McCook NE 69001...

The family of Orlan Cole and Norma Jeanne (Walters) is hosting a card shower in honor of their 65th anniversary. They were married Dec. 19, 1941 in Trenton. Their children are Marjorie Brown and husband Cermit of Culbertson, Joyce Channell and husband Al of Ford, Kan., Richard Cole and wife Anita of Hastings, Linda Qualls and husband Dave of Choctaw, Okla., and Bill Cole and wife Kim of Trenton. ...

Barry and Joy Williams of Indianola announce the birth of a son, Trenton Reed Williams. He was born Nov. 5, 2006, at Great Plains Regional Medical Center in North Platte. He weighed 5 pounds, 15 ounces and measured 19 inches in length. He has a 6-year-old brother, Blake. ...

Kari Newcomb of Stratton and Timothy Vacek of Fargo, N.D. announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the couple are Kathy Reid and Doug Newcomb of Stratton and Alan and Patricia Vacek of Fargo, N.D. The bride-to-be is a 2003 graduate of McCook Community College and a 2005 graduate of the Nebraska Medical Center College of Dentistry in Lincoln with a Bachelor of Science degree in Dental Hygiene. She is employed with Oakwood Dental in Hudson, Wis...

Chelsey Dame of McCook and Cody Feeken of Cambridge announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the couple are David and Cindy Dame of McCook and Dennis and Karen Feeken of Cambridge. Grandparents of the couple are Bob and Verna Dame and Sandy Novak of McCook, Robert and Joy Feeken of Cambridge and Ola Mae Grote of Harrison...

HOLDREGE -- The McCook High School varsity boys and girls basketball teams both lost at Holdrege Saturday. The Bison boys (3--3) lost to the Dusters 59-39 and the Bison girls (2-5) lost 77-44. The McCook girls were paced by three players with 7 points each -- Joanna Bryant, Austin Wilson and Kelsee Meissner. Melissa Lyster and Taryn Placzek each scored 6...

VALENTINE -- The Valentine tournament lived up to its tradition as being one of the toughest tournaments in the state once again on Saturday. There were more than 50 rated wrestlers from Nebraska and South Dakota. McCook sent six wrestlers and came away with three medalists on the day. Alex Smith at 125 pounds really stepped up his level of wrestling on Saturday...

WAUNETA -- Wauneta-Palisade showed Hayes Center what the top-ranked boys basketball team in Nebraska Class D-1 looked like Saturday night beating the Cardinals 96-45. Russell Ridlen lit up the board with a game-high 31 points. Marc Klima added 21, Andrew Isom 15 and Taylor Dixon 11...

McCook High School choir students, from right, Carson Kain, Athena Parde and Cheney Solomon practice their songs for their upcoming holiday concert, set for Tuesday, 7:30 p.m., at Memorial Auditorium. Choir students from grades six through 12 will present "Sounds of the Season" that will feature traditional and contemporary Christmas music. If tubas and drums are more your thing, band students will present their program Monday night at 7 p.m. at the MHS auditorium...

March 23, 1936-Dec. 16, 2006 CULBERTSON -- Donald LaVerne Jumps of Culbertson died Saturday (Dec. 16, 2006), at his home.  He was 70 years old. He was born on March 23, 1936, in Hayes County, to Benjamin Harrison and Freda (Behrendsen) Jumps.  He graduated from Culbertson High School in 1954. ...

For a number of years the people of McCook have taken great pride in their brick streets. A few years ago, when the sidewalks downtown were redone it was even decided to put decorative brick inserts in the sidewalks at intervals on Norris Avenue in downtown McCook -- to further the idea of "The City on the Bricks."...

June 25, 1951-Dec. 13, 2006 Bruce Gerald Carlson, 55, died Wednesday (Dec. 13, 2006), at his home in McCook. He was born June 25, 1951, in Clarinda, Iowa to Donald and Betty (Eggers) Stone. On Sept. 22, 1957, Betty married Kenneth Verner Carlson in Atwood. Bruce and his siblings were adopted by Kenneth on June 21, 1958...

July 24, 1914-Dec. 16, 2006 Genevieve "Gen" Greta Wagner, 92, died Saturday (Dec. 16, 2006), at Hillcrest Nursing Home. She was born July 24, 1914, in Red Willow County to Cecil Louis and Sarah Almeda (Myers) Ike.  She graduated from McCook High School in 1931...

What was the Star of Bethlehem? That question has been around for centuries and just about everyone has tried to get a handle on this enigmatic question. There are only two biblical reference to the star. In Matthew 2:2, the Magi who had come from the east said, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him." Then again in verse nine, " ... ...

Feb. 14, 1923 - Dec. 15, 2006 BEAVER?CITY?--?Alma Rose Cass, 83 died Friday, (Dec. 15, 2006) at her farm home. She was born Feb. 14, 1923, in Furnas County to Eugene and Maude (Traxler) Babcock. She was raised on a farm two miles from the farm home where she died. She attended Beaver City Schools...

Nov. 8, 1911 - Dec. 15, 2006 COLBY, Kan. -- Erik P. Erickson 95, died Friday (Dec. 15, 2006) at Citizen Medical Center in Colby. He was born Nov. 8, 1911, in Herndon to Olaf and Christina (Westman) Erickson. He grew up in rural Herndon and attended Laing Township School and graduated from Decatur Community High School in 1930...

May 5, 1924 - Dec. 16, 2006 OBERLIN -- Karolyn Dorothea Muirhead, 82, died Thursday (Dec. 16, 2006) at Decatur County Hospital. She was born May 5, 1924, in Oberlin to Herman and Helena (Roetter) May. She grew up on the family farm west of Oberlin. She attended St. John's Parochial School and graduated from Decatur Community High School in 1942...

Kansas doesn't really want our money, Gov. Dave Heineman told local water interests Friday, it just wants the water it is owed. If the water isn't forthcoming, however, we doubt the Sunflower State would turn down a big check. "Most Nebraskans don't think the state should have to pay it," Heineman told members of the Natural Resources District board members from along the Republican River. "Many believe it's a local problem requiring a local solution."...

One of McCook's finest traditions is in need of tender loving care. I'm talking, of course, about Santa Claus Lane, the dated but beloved assortment of Christmas scenes which adorn the islands in the midst of Norris Avenue. Even at their advanced age -- now in excess of half a century -- the picture boards on Santa Lane still serve their purpose, reminding young and old of the glorious story of Christ's birth and Santa's gift-giving...

Dec. 28, 1945-Dec. 14, 2006 PALISADE -- Lester Eugene Daniel "Butch" died Thursday (Dec. 14, 2006), at Community Hospital in McCook.  He was 60 years old. He was born Dec. 28, 1945, to Orval R. and Goldie M. (Reeder) Daniel in Ogallala.  He spent his childhood growing up in western Nebraska and Colorado...

CLEAR LAKE, Iowa --Lisa Diane Wellman of McCook and Jared Charles Ringus of Clear Lake, Iowa, were united in marriage on July 8, 2006, in Lincoln with the Rev. Liam Barr officiating. Parents of the couple are Kenneth and Mary Wellman of Lincoln and Charles and Lana Ringus of Clear Lake, Iowa. Grandparents of the bridegroom are Gladys Ringus of Mason City, Iowa and Dawn Cheney of Greene, Iowa...