Stories from Friday, October 2, 2009

Grant Strunk/McCook Daily Gazette McCook Community College sophomore Keenan "KG" Gaskin of Monroe, La. warms up the rim at True Hall gymnasium Thursday night during the MCC men's first basketball practice. Coach Brandon Lenhart and assistant Joe Reagan are preparing 16 athletes for the 2009-10 season. ...

Recently, I had the privilege of activating the first segment of Nebraska's new statewide radio network during an event held at Scotts Bluff National Monument. The network uses radio towers and upgraded communications equipment at the Nebraska State Patrol's Troop E dispatch center, along with radios installed in first responder vehicles to provide an enhanced radio network for the state's public safety officials in the Nebraska Panhandle...

June 19, 1922 - Oct. 1, 2009 Stanley S. Randel, 87, died Thursday (Oct. 1, 2009) at Community Hospital in McCook. He was born June 19, 1922, in Red Willow County, the son of the late Alfred Milton and Nettie Bell (Southwell) Randel. Stan grew up on the family farm northeast of McCook and graduated from McCook Senior High School in 1939. He began working for Consolidated Aircraft Company in San Diego, Calif., before entering the U.S. Army Air Corps on Oct. 17, 1942, serving during World War II...

Nov. 23, 1981 -- Sept. 30, 2009 TRENTON -- Douglas J. Anderson died Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009, upon arrival at Community Hospital in McCook, at the age of 27. He was born Nov. 23, 1981, at McCook, the son of Allen Dewayne and Verba Joyce (Scott) Anderson. Douglas grew up at Trenton where he graduated from Trenton High School in 2000. He had spent his life in Trenton where he worked as a general laborer...

　Sept. 16, 1914 - Oct. 1, 2009 NORTH PLATTE -- Lela Mae Frasier, 95, formerly of Benkelman, died Thursday (Oct. 1, 2009) at Linden Court in North Platte. She was born Sept. 16, 1914, to Walter J and Lula Ellen Wright Oliver at the Oliver Farm, Wauneta. ...

Premer knocks in winning run in bottom of seventh inning

STEVE KODAD Gazette Sports Editor NORTH PLATTE -- McCook High School's boys tennis team got blown away at North Platte Thursday. Heavy winds buffeted the players during the meet, and the Bison dropped a pair of varsity meet against the host Bulldogs and Hershey. McCook lost to Hershey 6-3, and North Platte 7-2...

GOTHENBURG -- McCook High School cross country coach Tom Sughroue had scripted changes in tactics for his runners during Thursday's Gothenburg Invitational. That script turned into "Gone With the Wind" with a bout of inclement weather. Competitors at Thursday's meet at the Wild Horse Golf Course faced tough conditions, including high winds and cold temperatures...

If you didn't stay up past David Letterman's monologue Thursday night, you missed a remarkable moment in television history. "I'm glad you're in such a pleasant mood, because I have a little story that I would like to tell you and the home viewers as well," the talk show host said from his desk...

We've all heard the old saying, "be careful what you wish for, you might just get it." This is a corollary to another saying, "The grass always looks greener on the other side of the fence." What we don't hear very often is that sometimes the grass IS greener on the other side of the fence. ...

With the bulk of the new fall series taking to the air in the last couple of weeks -- along with most of the returning shows too -- I thought it might be a good time to talk about what's working, what isn't and what really isn't around the dial (or what I've seen, anyway). Call it a stock report, if you will, of new shows to buy, hold or sell...

21st Century Systems Inc., which develops software programs for the military and businesses, will expand its initial scope of operations at the Keystone Hotel. The McCook City Council will be asked to approve an administrator to distribute a state grant to help fund the expansion, at the regular meeting Monday, 7:30 p.m. at City Council Chambers in Memorial Auditorium...

Red Willow County commissioners will review and consider changes to income guidelines for county general and medical assistance during their weekly meeting Monday morning. The meeting begins at 9 a.m., in the commissioners' room on the third floor of the courthouse in McCook...

Jennifer Julia Green of Lincoln and Matthew Thomas Musgrave of Lincoln announce their engagement and upcoming marriage. Parents of the couple are Julie and Gary Hornicek of Chappell and Thomas and Kristi Musgrave of McCook. The bride-to-be graduated from Chappell High School, McCook Community College with an Associate in general sciences and Palmer Chiropractic with Doctorate in Chiropractic. She is employed at Stover Chiropractic as an associate doctor...

Jay and Tina Hanna of Fisher, Ind., announce the birth of their daughter, Taylor Alexandra Hanna on Sept. 4, 2009. She weighed 7 pounds, 6 ounces and measured 20 inches. She has a 3-year-old brother, Will. Her grandparents are Kirk tenBensel of Curtis, Rod and Lory Cappel of McCook and Rex and Janice Hann of Cambridge. Great-grandparents are Pauline Hanna of McCook and Mae Groshong of Cambridge...

Andrew and Ginamarie McCarty of Covina, Calif., announce the birth of their daughter, Savannah Gloe McCarty on Aug. 25, 2009, at San Dimas Community Hospital in San Dimas, Calif. She weighed 8 pounds, 8 ounces and measured 20 1/2 inches. Her grandparents are Howard and Gloria Statum of Winter Haven, Fla., and Chris and Leeann McCarty of McCook...

Bryan and Megan Duckworth of North Platte announce the birth of their daughter, Ella Grace Duckworth on Sept. 26, 2009, at Great Plains Regional Medical Center in North Platte. She weighed 7 pounds and was measured 20 inches. Her grandparents are Mark Jacob of North Platte, Kurt and Michelle Proud of Bartley and Frank and Brenda Duckworth of Indianola. Great-grandparents are Sherry Hornkohl of McCook and Sam and Mary Jacob of Titusville Fla...

The family of Fred and Doris Jean (Bobinmyer) Wacker, formerly of McCook, now of Centerton, Ark., is requesting a card shower in honor of the couple's 60th wedding anniversary. They were married Oct. 9, 1949, at EUB parsonage in Culbertson with a breakfast reception at the former Chuckwagon Cafe west of McCook. ...

The children of Ben and Ginny Bortner of McCook are requesting a card shower in honor of the couple's 35th wedding anniversary on Oct. 4. Their family includes: daughter, Jill and husband, Carl Koenig, son Wayne and wife, Lisa Bortner and son, Blaine Bortner and six grandchildren. Cards of congratulations will reach the couple at 72142 Drive 388, McCook, NE 69001...

Jason and Laci Ingels of McCook announce the birth of their son, Marcus David Ingels on Sept. 17, 2009, at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. He weighed 5 pounds, 11 ounces and measured 18.5 inches. His grandparents are Cheryl Collins, Duane and Jan Collins and Bob and Kim Ingels, all of McCook...

It is an unfortunate reality: the world is a dangerous place. There are terrorist organizations and even entire countries which are enemies of freedom. It is our responsibility to provide an appropriate and timely defense against those who threaten our security, especially those who would use ballistic missile technology against America or our allies...

Firefighters hose down a smoldering couch while one young woman provides comfort to another outside a house at 1107 E. Third Friday afternoon. Firefighters were called to the smoky fire about 2:30 p.m., and soon hauled out the burning furniture. More information will be released as it becomes available. (Bruce Crosby/McCook Daily Gazette)...