Stories from Friday, November 6, 2009

Sept. 29, 1974-Nov. 4, 2009 COLBY, Kan. -- Kim Allen Kathka, 35, died Wednesday (Nov. 4, 2009), at his home in Colby. He was born Sept. 29, 1974, at Oberlin, to Steve Kathka and Linda Huss. He was raised in Oberlin and Herndon and attended Oberlin Elementary School, Herndon High School, McCook Community College and Goodland Vo-Tech. He has lived in Colby since 2006...

Feb. 4, 1954-Nov. 3, 2009 Donna Marie Wickizer died Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2009, at Bryan LGH West in Lincoln, Nebraska. She was 55 years old. Donna was born Feb. 4, 1954, in McCook, Nebr. to Frederick G. and LaVerda A. (Payne) Karp. She graduated from McCook High School in 1972; McCook Community College in 1987 and was currently working on a Bachelor Degree from the Bellevue University...

The Bureau of Reclamation today announced that the road across Red Willow Dam will be temporarily closed beginning Saturday, Nov. 7, for 10 to 14 days. Drill crews and engineers will be conducting exploratory drilling from the crest of the dam, and the area below the dam also be limited from public access during this time...

As of Oct. 31, there were a total of 1,940 doses of H1N1 vaccine distributed by Southwest Nebraska Public Health Department and 1209 doses or 62.3 percent have been administered. Eighteen healthcare providers are vaccinating residents in Southwest Nebraska...

CURTIS -- Nebraska is considering shutting down irrigation in the Republican River Basin as a last resort, to make sure enough water gets to Kansas in dry years, but natural resources districts in the basin are considering strategies to avoid that option...

Pork producers have been unfairly paying for the bad rap pigs have been taking since the onset of H1N1 or "swine flu." Some countries have needlessly killed hogs, and China, the fastest growing market for U.S. pork exports, banned the meat because of the false fear that humans could contract H1N1 from consuming pork...

Hindsight is always 20-20, but the Army seems to have had plenty of warning something was amiss with Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, now hospitalized with four gunshot wounds after allegedly yelling "Allahu Akbar!" before opening fire inside Fort Hood, leaving 13 people dead and 30 wounded...

They walked around opposite corners one day and bumped into each other. She looked up at him, he looked down at her and their lips met. Their fates were sealed forevermore with that kiss; at least his was. That kiss started an almost four-year long relationship that promised to end in marriage one day because these two people were soulmates in every sense of the word...

This is information for customers of [a satellite TV company] from a very disgruntled [satellite TV company] customer. I have learned that effective Dec. 9, 2009, viewers in Red Willow and Hitchcock Counties and at least four other counties, I'm not sure what they are, will no longer be able to receive the signals for local network channels, including but not limited to NTV, KHAS, and KOLN-KGIN. ...

"In hard times (which eventually come to every community no matter what its size or wealth) what makes survival possible and desirable is not its archeological identity but its ability to continue, and it continues because some structures, some institutions and facilities provide continuity. ...

A colleague of mine who is currently deployed to Afghanistan has compiled a resume of accomplishments on his deployment that I believe are at a level to be recognized by our state and our city. 1st Lt. Russell Bartholow, a Lincoln native, is now the longest serving American soldier in Northern Afghanistan (ARSIC North) with two years...

Kate Ann Wolford of McCook and Jacob John Wawrzynkiewicz of Papillion were united in marriage on Aug. 8, 2009 at Memorial United Methodist Church in McCook. Officiants for the ceremony were the Rev. Lance Clay, the Rev. Dr. Jeffery Thurman and the Rev. Gary Brethour...

NORTH PLATTE -- Bridget Hammond and Jason Bryant, both of North Platte exchanged wedding vows on Sept. 26, 2009 at Holy Spirit Catholic Church with Rev.Jim Novakowski officiating. A dinner and dance followed the ceremony at the Holiday Inn Convention Center...

Cheyenne Micah Lacy and Cody Patrick Jeffers, both of Hayes Center, announce their engagement and upcoming marriage. Parents of the bride-to-be are Leanne Lacy of Cozad and Joe and Margaret Lacy of Garden City, Kan. Parents of the prospective bridgegroom are Beverly Brush of Bonney Lake, Wash. and Larry and Lynne Jeffers of Hayes Center...

The children and grandchildren of Kenneth and Myrna (Blobaum) Albert of Culbertson is hosting an open house and card shower in honor of the couple's 50th wedding anniversary. They were married Nov. 15, 1959, in Culbertson. Children of couple are Kimberly and husband, Larry Lorenzen of Kansas City, Mo., Kyle and wife, Paula Albert of West Bloomfield, Mich., and Korey and wife, Barbara Albert of Fort Collins, Colo. ...

Mike and Sheila Brodersen of Papillion announce the birth of their daughter, Althea Margaret Brodersen, who was born Oct. 14, 2009 at Midlands Hospital in Papillion. She weighed 8 pounds, 4 ounces and was 21 inches long. She has two sisters, Olivia, 4 and Evangeline, 2. Grandparents are Max and Carol Brodersen of McCook and Steve and Sharon Hollander of Sumner...

Friends and family are invited to a dance at the Eagles Club, Saturday, Nov. 14 at 7 p.m., in celebration of the 40th anniversary of Larry and Edna Brush.

McCook's ball-control game plan against top-ranked Aurora worked to perfection in the first half of Friday night's Class B state playoff quarterfinal contest. Unfortunately for the Bison, Aurora took a page from the McCook plan in the second half, using ball control plus several big plays to claim a 35-10 victory...