Stories from Monday, August 27, 2007

Michael and Heather Bethke of San Diego, Calif., announce the birth of a son, Dillon James Bethke. He was born June 8, 2007, at the Navy Medical Center in San Diego. He weighed 7 pounds, 13 ounces and measured 20 inches. He has a 3-year-old sister, Alyssa. ...

Mr. and Mrs. Charles and Kristin Lawrence of Beloit, Kan., announce the engagement of their daughter, Tiffany Renée to T.J. Nix, son of Dr. and Mrs. Chris and Karen Nix of McCook. The bride-to-be will graduate in May 2008 from Fort Hays State University with a B.S. in Psychology and a B.A. in Music. She plans to attend graduate school to obtain a degree in School Psychology...

Nathaniel and Sara Frank of McCook announce the birth of a son, Aaron Micah Frank, born Aug. 10, 2007 at Community Hospital in McCook. He weighed 7 pounds, 2 ounces and measured 20 inches. He has a 2-year-old brother, Jonathan. His grandparents are Rob and Cherri Putz of McCook and Arnold and Mary Frank of Phoenix, Ariz. His great-grandparents are Emory and Lucy Putz of McCook and LaVonne Buxton, also of McCook...

The family of Leona Haller is hosting an open house Sunday, Sept. 2, 2-4 p.m., at the senior center in Stratton. She was born Sept. 2, 1907. Her children include Dolores McKain of Trenton, Marjorie Grimm of McCook, Pat Glebe of Stratton, A.J. Haller of Grand Island and Midge Forbes of McCook. Her son, Frank, is deceased. She has 38 grandchildren; 82 great-grandchildren; and 34 great-great-grandchildren. Cards of congratulation will reach her at PO Box 343, Stratton, NE 69043...

Mike and Tiffany Gapp of McCook, announce the birth of their daughter, Sheridan Lee Gapp. She was born Aug. 2, 2007, at Methodist Hospital in Omaha. She weighed 6 pounds, 1 ounce and measured 19 1/2 inches. She has a 4-year-old sister, Samantha Stahl. ...

Kerry Abercrombie and Steve Kotschwar, both of McCook, announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the couple are Max and Suzanne Abercrombie of McCook and Ron and Sheryl Kotschwar, also of McCook. The bride-to-be is a 2002 graduate of McCook High School, a 2004 graduate of McCook Community College and a 2007 graduate of the Bellevue University. She is employed by the Nebraska Department of Corrections at the Work Ethic Camp...

Wayne and Vonda Doak, of McCook, will celebrate their 58th wedding anniversary Aug. 30. Their children are Sandy and Mike Budzinski and Spencer and Tammy Doak, all of Lincoln, Sid and Susan Doak of McCook, Steve Doak of Aurora, Colo, and Shonda and Stu Grant of Culver City, Calif. They have 12 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren. Cards of congratulations can be sent to c/o Ambassador, 4405 Normal Blvd., Lincoln, NE 68506-5551...

Gary and Kay Kapustka, formerly of Cambridge, celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary Aug. 19. Cards of congratulations will reach the couple at 16889 Oakmont Dr. No. 13, Omaha, NE 68136.

Robert and Sherri Ruf of Oberlin, announce the engagement of their daughter, Sarah Ruf to Brett Smith of Eudora, Kan., the son of Eric and Judy Smith. The bride-to-be is a 2004 graduate of Decatur Community High School. She is a student at Kansas University and is employed by Boston Financial Data Services...

Aaron and Misty Guthrie of Lincoln announce the birth of a daughter, Dailee Sue Guthrie. She was born July 18, 2007, weighing 6 pounds, 15 ounces. Grandparents are Sue and Don Sallinger of Lincoln and Marty and Jane Guthrie of McCook. Great-grandparents include Grace Hanthorn of McCook and the late Moe Hanthorn, Lewis and Beverly Guthrie of Holbrook and Ralph and Donna Buss of Beatrice...

The family of Marian (Burhman) Roberts is requesting a card shower in honor of her 80th birthday. She was born Aug. 31, 1927. Her children are Sandra and Bill George of Lincoln, Linda Fisher of Sterling, Colo., Peggy and Ron Niebur of McCook, Earl and Cindy Roberts of McCook, David and Mary Ann Roberts of Littleton, Colo., Nancy and David Low of Lakewood, Colo., Diane Cubbon of Golden, Colo., Duane and Connie Roberts of Lakewood and Debbie and Ed Douglas of McCook. ...

"Books by Jim Butcher. I like how his heroes are strong, but flawed." Terry Kelly --- "Cookbooks Count. We were looking for a good peanut butter cookie recipe." Jamie Lawless --- ""Angels Trilogy" by Lurlene McDaniel. I had to undergo surgery and this taught me a lot about faith."...

Todd and Angela Shield of Waverly, announce the birth of a daughter, Delaney Alexis Shield, on June 1, 2007. She was born at Bryan Hospital in Lincoln, weighing 7 pounds, 7 1/2 ounces and measuring 20 inches. She has a 12-year-old sister, Brittany Lester. Grandparents are Jane Shield of McCook, Ruth Stewart of Lake Andes, S.D., and Roger and Michelle Shield of North Carolina. Her great-grandmother is Helen Shield of Sterling...

HOLDREGE -- The McCook Bison softball team capitalized on some strong pitching and late hitting to capture the Holdrege Invitational Tournament championship. In the championship game, Austin Wilson reached on an error, then stole 2nd and 3rd. The next two batters struck out, followed by a base on balls by Marissa Wallace...

March 1, 1922 - Aug. 24, 2007 OBERLIN -- Bernadine R. Fred, 85, died Friday (Aug. 24, 2007) at Hays Medical Center in Hays, Kan. She was born March 1, 1922, Silvis, Ill., to Fred Groene and Florence Hauser. She grew up in Council Bluffs, Iowa and received her education there...

Obituary Ann Uerling Sughroue LINCOLN?-- Ann Uerling Sughroue, 75. Ann was born June 20, 1932, in Indianola, to Joseph and Helen (Ten Voorde) Uerling. Ann graduated from Indianola High School, attended McCook College and afterward taught grade school in Kansas...

The family of Pat and Peggy (Peck) Roach, formerly of McCook, is requesting a card shower in honor of the couple's 25th wedding anniversary Sept. 4. Cards of congratulation will reach them at 701 Tibbles, Holdrege, NE 68949.

The George Norris Home will again be hosting a quilt show during the month of September to lead up to Heritage Days. A new twist this year is to display quilts with a patriotic theme or an historical format to help celebrate McCook's 125th birthday. This will tie in appropriately with the dedication of the George W. Norris sculpture on Saturday, Sept. 29...

(I've) had enough of second class water. We were told why our water was reddish brown. It's OK?to drink it, though, they said. Now when we think we are getting a break on our water bill because of all the rain, they want to raise our bill because we have not used enough of their brown water...

The good news.  We just finished a police station this last week.  Just in my small province recently, we've turned over a new police station, three electrical substations, new power grids for seven neighborhoods, and soon we will complete several hospitals. ...

School doesn't have to start in the second or third week in August. That just happens to be the trend in Nebraska. I found that out this summer while visiting with a teacher from Wisconsin. "Michigan just passed a law," he said. "Starting with this school year, public school classes can't begin until after Labor Day." As a skeptical newspaperman, I had to check that out. ...

The story won't go away, so maybe we should capitalize on it. Roswell, N. M., home of a famous UFO incident in 1947 that officially was attributed to a radar experiment, is home to a yearly UFO festival and numerous other activities. But Southwest Nebraska was the site of a similar incident more than a half-century earlier -- the first recorded "UFO crash" in modern history...

These days, when the name John A. True is mentioned, most folks think of True Hall, which was one of the first buildings on the McCook College Campus. This memorial to Mr. True is certainly justified. John True was the Superintendent of Schools from 1918 until 1930, when he left McCook to take the position of Superintendent of the Council Bluffs, Iowa School System. During his tenure in McCook there were a great many changes made in the School System...

A Kansas man charged with motor vehicle homicide pleaded no contest in District Court Aug. 22. Kyle Serocki, 25, of Olathe, Kan., was originally charged with manslaughter, a Class III felony and leaving the scene of of a injury or fatal accident, a Class IIIA felony. In a plea agreement, he pleaded no contest to the amended charges of felony motor vehicle homicide with the second count remaining the same...

COLUMBUS -- A total of seven proposals for wind-powered generation projects are in the initial stages of review by the Nebraska Public Power District. In mid-July, NPPD issued an invitation to various developers interested in constructing and operating more wind-powered generation in Nebraska, asking that the proposals be returned by Aug. ...

Chelsey L. Tiller of Curtis and Lee M. Benes of Valparaiso were united in marriage June 2, 2007, at the United Methodist Church in McCook with the Rev. Dr. Jeff Thurman officiating. Parents of the couple are Jim and Theresa Tiller of Curtis and Lona Benes of Valparaiso and the late Melvin Benes...