Stories from Monday, April 30, 2007

Kinsey DeBoer of Smithfield and Krae Dutoit of McCook announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the couple are Byron and Jolene DeBoer of Smithfield, Gary and Robin Reh of McCook and Kurt and Diane Dutoit of Pratt, Kan. The prospective bridegroom is the grandson of Don Brown of McCook and the late Gerry Brown, and Delores Dutoit of Dighton, Kan., and the late Don "Buck" Dutoit...

HERINGTON, Kan. -- Jeff and Amy Mortensen announce the birth of a son, Mason Scott Mortensen. He was born April 18, 2007, weighed 9 pounds, 15 ounces and measured 21.5 inches in length. He has a 3-year-old sister, Megan. His grandparents are Dennis and Joanne Weichel of Plymouth and Ken and Marcia Mortensen of Junction City, Kan. Great-grandparents are Eve Felzeien of McCook, Virginia Hunt of Beaver City and Delmar Weichel of Plymouth...

Maleah Hodson and Corey Johnson of Pittsburg, Kan., announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the couple are Scott and Carol Hodson of Kearney and Allen and Marcy Johnson of Belleville. The bride-to-be's grandparents are Don and Karen Hodson of McCook and Mary Lemman of Oberlin...

Amanda Kay Hock of Culbertson and Billy Lee Davidson of McCook were united in marriage Jan. 6, 2007, at Saint Patrick's Catholic Church in McCook with the Rev. Paul Colling of Lexington, uncle of the bride and the Rev. Vince Parsons, of Grand Island, officiating. The Rev. Gary Brethour and the Rev. Lawrence Ejiofo, both of McCook, celebrated the Mass...

The family of Allen and Lovara (Shumway) Rein of Johnstown, Colo., is hosting a card shower and family gathering in honor of the couple's 60th wedding anniversary. They were married on Mother's Day, May 11, 1947, at St. John Lutheran Church in Russell, Kan. ...

Kalyn Byers of Clarinda, Iowa and Spencer Doyle of Lincoln announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the couple are Philip and Starlene Byers and Randy and Dee Doyle, formerly of McCook. The prospective bridegroom is the grandson of Gerry and Bess Gilliland of Cambridge, Floyd and Carla Bales of Holbrook and the Ray Doyle and Ruth Doyle of West Va...

Amy Portschy of McCook and Erik Schlimmer of Volga, S.D. announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the couple are Leon and Marita Portschy of Herndon, Kan. and Leland and Virginia Schlimmer of Volga. The bride-to-be is a 2000 gradulate of Herndon High School, a 2002 graduate of McCook Community College and a 2004 graduate of Fort Hays State University. She teaches at St. Patrick's School in McCook...

Kari Lynn Rich and John Wayne Sheffield, both of McCook, announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the couple are Harry and Liane Rich of McCook and Herschel and Edna Sheffield of Wilcox. The bride-to-be is employed by the U.S. Postal Service as a city carrier and the prospective bridegroom is a U.S. Postal Service clerk...

The family of Viola Koerperich is requesting a card shower in honor of her 80th birthday, May 2. Cards of congratulations will reach her at 502 Missouri Ave Circle No.25, McCook, NE 69001.

Jennifer (Heble) and Roger Taylor of Spring, Texas announce the birth of their son, Spencer Steven Taylor, born April 5, 2007 at Memorial Hermann Hospital in Spring. He weighed 7 pounds, 15 ounces and was 21 1/2 long inches long. Grandparents are Charlie and Patricia Powers of McCook, the late Steve Heble and Marsha Taylor of Brownsville, Texas. Great grandparents are the late Sylvia and Adolph Altman...

CAMBRIDGE -- Dundy County's boys and Southern Valley's girls won the Republican Valley League track meet Friday. Dundy County and Cambridge's girls tied for second with 85 total team points each. Bertrand took fourth and Southwest was fifth. Cambridge's boys took second, Arapahoe was third and Bertrand was fourth...

HOLDREGE -- The McCook High School boys and girls track teams posted solid efforts at the Holdrege Invitational Friday. The McCook boys placed third with 112 points and the girls tied for third with 104. Grand Island Northwest won the boys title with 164 points, followed by York with 120. Lexington was fourth with 86, followed by Holdrege 23, Kearney Junior Varsity 14 and Holdrege JV 14...

The McCook High School girls tennis team defeated Alliance 6-3 and Scottsbluff 8-1 Friday at the Bison/Elks Courts in McCook. McCook will play a makeup date at 1:30 p.m. today at Kearney against Kearney High School and Kearney Catholic and will host Lexington at 4 p.m. Tuesday...

June 1, 1932 - April 29, 2007 ELWOOD?-- Eldon Lee Houlden, 74, died Sunday (April 29, 2007) at Elwood Care Center. He was born on June 1, 1932, in northwest Gosper County, to Benjamin and Helen (Bragg) Houlden. He grew up in the Elwood area helping his dad with the farm work. He graduated from Elwood High School in 1950...

July 29, 1922 - April 28, 2007 Dorothe Jane Robertson 84, died Saturday (April 28, 2007) at the Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook at the age of 84. She was born July 29, 1922, in Franklin County the daughter of the late James and Hulda (Johnson) Nielsen, At age six the family moved to Trenton where she grew up and graduated from Trenton High School in 1940. She attended McCook Jr. College and at age 19 moved to Denver, Colo...

Gov. Dave Heineman is correct in being concerned about government interference with parental authority, and he's right that personal responsibility is more important than more government regulation. But the Legislature had a point, too, when it overrode Heineman's veto of LB415 which requires drivers with only provisional driving permits -- ages 16 and 17 -- to stay off cell phones while driving...

Many years ago my grandmother, a newspaper publisher, told me it was not true about the saying: "Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never harm me." The right word can give heart to a person or tear it out. In the 20 years of reading "The Gazette," other publications or radio, we learn to make decisions about intake...

Let me be the first to say; I have made many poor decisions in my life. But today, I look at my daughters, my wife, and my life and I am compelled to smile. I have to smile! I smile because I made it through my teenage years and early twenties without guidance. I smile, because today, I have the right to vote, as well as the right to bear arms. Today, I can apply to any job I desire, and I do not have to say, "yes, I am a felon."...

I would like to address the letter written by Ronald Cumming (27th April '07); at least I assume it is me who should be responding, as there don't appear to be many "ladies from England" writing to you! I understand that history is important as a reference point to help us learn and grow, but I don't include it in my considerations of what is just or otherwise right now. ...

Even if it is not your land, you can buy tree seedlings and plant them. Every farmer has some unused land he will gladly allow you to plant some trees on, for the next generation to enjoy while cleaning the air and holding the soil. I?challenge all the elected, from the school board to the president, to each plant half the trees I do yearly...

Through their long lives, members of the Loomis family have been one of this area's many close links to the settlement and development of Red Willow County. Helen Loomis Meyers, who lives near Red Willow, celebrated her 100th birthday on March 13. While asking about her century of life, I learned that one of Helen's prized possessions is a book called "Prairie Schooner Days," written by her aunt, Mary Loomis McDonald...

Hiram C. Clapp, of Allegan, Mich., needed to get out of town. He suffered from asthma, which threatened to leave him an invalid. On the advice of his physician, he felt that his health might be improved by moving to a higher altitude in the west. In 1902, he and his wife, Cora Belle (Cody) moved to Stewart, Iowa, where Hiram got a job in a general merchandise store...

Couples arriving for the the McCook High School prom promenade Saturday night at the McCook High School auditorium came in a variety of vehicles, including limousines, horse and carriage and tractors. Taryn Placzek and John Swanhorst, above, step out of a John Deere tractor, while John Hubert, below, plays chaueffer to his grandson Brock Hubert, his date and four other couples in his 1947 fire truck, which used to be owned by the city. ...

June 27, 1924 - April 28, 2007 NORTH PLATTE -- Evelyn Ruth Arnold died Saturday (April 28, 2007) at Great Plains Regional Medical Center in North Platte, at the age of 82, She was born June 27, 1924, in Frontier County, the daughter of the late Harvey E. and Elizabeth (Rice) Klooz. She grew up in Frontier County and graduated from High School at Curtis in 1940...

Feb. 25, 1909 - April 28, 2007 E. Alberta Wolf, 98, died Saturday (April 28, 2007) at Hillcrest Nursing home in McCook. She was born on the family farm north of Bartley in Red Willow County on Feb. 25, 1909, to Richard and Harriet Martha Phoebe "Mattie" (Jennings) Burton.  She attended rural school, traveling by riding on horseback.  She graduated from Bartley High School in 1927.  She went to Kearney State Teachers College for one year.  She returned to the Bartley area and taught two years at North Freedom District rural school. . ...