Stories from Thursday, January 3, 2008

GRAND ISLAND -- The Trinity Lutheran and Heartland Lutheran Boosters Clubs will host the 12th annual Hoops Classic basketball tournament March 7-9 in Grand Island. The registration deadline is Feb. 15. The tournament is open to girls and boys teams in grades 4-8. The entry fee is $75 and each team is guaranteed three games with no split courts...

LINCOLN -- Freshman guard Dominique Kelley scored nine points in the first six minutes to help the Nebraska women's basketball jump out to a 15-1 lead before cruising to a 67-39 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff at the Bob Devaney Sports Center on Wednesday night...

Well, it's official; the election season begins today with the Iowa caucus. Where will it end? Will it be with the first black man, the first woman, the first Mormon, or the second former governor from Hope, Ark., in the White House? Only time will tell...

McCook Daily Gazette Composite schedule for Jan. 3-6 Basketball Jan. 3 MCC men, women @ Brown Mackie Jan. 4 Wauneta-Palisade at Hitchcock County Hayes Center at Dundy County-Stratton Medicine Valley at Arapahoe Oberlin at Atwood Cambridge at Southwest...

Aug. 27, 1936 - Jan. 1, 2008 Eugene Frederick "Del" Deleplancque of McCook died Jan. 1, 2008, at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. He was 71 years old. Del was born on Aug. 27, 1936, in Dacona, Colo., to Eugene and Helen (Dieck) Deleplancque. He graduated from Longmont High School in 1954...

Aug. 20, 1921 - Dec. 29, 2007 DUBUQUE, Iowa -- Gladys M. Sterr, 86, died Saturday, Dec. 29, 2007, at the ManorCare Heath Services in Dubuque, Iowa. She was born in Indianola to Omar H. and Grace (Hartley) Harned on Aug. 20, 1921. She married Leland D. Sterr on Aug. 16, 1948, in North Platte. He preceded her in death on Jan. 6, 1995.
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Oct. 30, 1917 - Jan. 1, 2008 CAMBRIDGE -- Ruth M. Childers, 90, died Tuesday (Jan. 1, 2008) at the Tri Valley Health Systems Cambridge Manor. She was born in Doniphan on Oct. 30, 1917, to Eddie W. and Clara 
(Fry) Harshfield. She graduated from Cambridge High School in 1935, then attended Kearney State Teachers College receiving her teaching certificate. She taught in rural schools at the Blue Top and Mount Zion country schools...

Dec. 2, 1922-Dec. 1, 2007 ARVADA, Colo. -- Mary Ellen Real Smith, 84, died Dec. 1, 2007, in Arvada, Colo., after a long battle with cancer. She was born Dec. 2, 1922, in Edgar, to John E. Real and Amy Z. Real-Mack. She later moved to McCook with her family...

Oct. 25, 1947 - Dec. 12, 2007 DENVER, Colo. -- Gary Gerdes, 60, died Dec. 12, 2007, after a long battle with cancer. He was born Oct. 25, 1947, to Chester and Helen Gerdes of Max. He was raised on a farm south of Max and attended school in Max and later in Stratton. He graduated from Stratton High School in 1965...

WRAY, Colo. -- Forty-four McCook Junior High students, along with seven teachers and volunteers, learned about practical economics on a trip to Wray, Colo., on Dec. 18, to participate in Rural AmeriTowne. Gene Weedin, Social Studies teacher at McCook Junior High, came across the program after meeting with Shanon Stults, who serves as director. ...

CULBERTSON -- The Gazette's New Years Baby of 2008 is Blake Alan Hagan, born at 2:08 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 1, to Dawn and Bruce Hagan Jr. of Culbertson. As of the deadline, at 9 a.m., today, Blake is the earliest baby born in 2008 in Southwest Nebraska and Northwest Kansas...

Red Willow County emergency and health officials are updating their registry of county residents who may have special health concerns and/or transportation needs during disaster, weather emergency or evacuation. The county's "Special Needs Registration Program," started in April 2004, ensures that the needs of every citizen are known and addressed by emergency responders throughout the county...