Stories from Friday, March 26, 2010

Good luck, Jamie. British reality chef Jamie Oliver stars in his new "Food Revolution" show on ABC Friday nights, aiming to change the way America eats. Like we said, good luck. We admire his effort, but we also have sympathy for the jaded lunch ladies in Huntington, W. Va. -- once called the "unhealthiest" city in America -- who watched him struggle to prepare acres of fresh food on budget only to see the vast majority of it dumped into the garbage after the lunch hour...

Last Thursday I headed for Arkansas for two reasons. The main one, of course, was to attend my son Will's Arkansas wedding reception for his friends who weren't able to make the trip to Lincoln for his wedding. The second reason was to go to a concert featuring The Doobie Brothers with my former wife at the Winstar Casino just south of Thackerville, Okla., about five miles north of the Oklahoma-Texas border...

Hitting fever continues to plague the McCook Community College men's baseball squad. The 'sick' Indians ran their win streak to five games Thursday with 7-3 and 10-3 victories over the Concordia College junior varsity. The double-header was played at the Jaycees Sports Complex baseball diamond...

McCook High School's girls won a pair of varsity tennis meets on the home courts Thursday afternoon. The Bison topped Hershey, 8-1, and beat North Platte, 7-2. The matches were contested at the McCook High School courts and the Elks courts located just east of the high school...

Health Care: Where do we go from here? We all know the story of Hansel and Gretel -- the two children who discover a house made of candy and other goodies only to find out it is a deception by a wicked witch and the truth is much more dangerous. In many ways the recently passed health care bill resembles the house made of candy. It too has unfortunate realities waiting to be discovered...

Nebraskans deserve a government that utilizes technology to better serve the people. As an elected official, I have always looked for ways to save money and to accomplish more with less. I firmly believe that use of technology goes hand-in-hand with government efficiency...

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is actively investigating the shooting death of a bald eagle that occurred on Jan. 3, 2010, on Valley Road in Fullerton, Neb. Agents were notified on Monday, Jan. 4, 2010, by the Nance County Sheriff's Office that a landowner had found a bald eagle in a field just off Valley Road near Fullerton. The eagle was alive when first observed, but died shortly afterward from a gunshot wound...

Those society has silenced -- the blind, the lame, the poor -- have the ear of God according to the Scriptures, said the Rev. Lance Clay at the annual Community Lenten service Friday at Memorial United Methodist Church. Clay, pastor at MUMC, read the account of "Blind Bar-timaeus" from the Gospel of Luke 18:35-43, giving strong voice to the blind man the people tried to silence on the trade route to Jerusalem on the outskirts of Jericho some 2,000 ago...

Sarah Loecker and Jordan Svoboda, both formerly of McCook and currently of Omaha, announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the couple are Don and Denise Loecker of McCook and Darrell and Brenda Svoboda of McCook. Grandparents are Carol Jueden, the late Robert Jueden, the late Emil and Vera Loecker, Earl and Letha Svoboda, Lois Hamilton and the late James Hamilton...

The family of Kenneth Malleck is requesting a card shower in honor of his 80th birthday March 30. His family includes wife, Nita, and their children, Jody and Allan Otter, Sam and Chantel Malleck, Scott and Debra Malleck, all of McCook, and Jan Rice of Arapahoe. He has nine grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Cards of congratulation will reach him at 301 S. Seventh St., McCook, NE 69001...

The family of Wilma Mishler is requesting a card shower in honor of her 90th birthday. She was born April 3, 1920. Cards of congratulations will reach her at 711 Mousel, No. 12, Cambridge, NE 69022.

The children and grandchildren of Lyle Hansen of Bartley are requesting a card shower in honor of his 80th birthday. He was born April 3, 1930. Cards of congratulations will reach him at PO Box 185, Bartley, NE 69020.

Natalie and Kevin Mock of Sandy, Utah, announce the birth of their daughter, Vivian Sophia. She was born Feb. 24, 2010, weighing 5 pounds, 14 ounces and measuring 19 inches long. She has a sister, Lucy. Grandparents are Eldon and Ann Mock of Holbrook, Laurel and Elena Telford of Randolph, Utah, and Kay and Bill Bell of Mt. View, Wyo. Great-grandmother is Marie Christensen of St. Paul...

Southwest Nebraska Public Health Department has moved its operations from the Masonic Temple to a newly remodeled building in McCook. SWNPHD purchased a church located at 404 West 10th in 2008. After extensive remodeling, SWNPHD moved into its new location in March. Signage and parking remain to be completed along with other small changes...

FAMILY FEATURES -- Hosting an Easter brunch is a great way to bring friends and family together. And it doesn't have to be hard or expensive. Here are some simple things you can do to ensure a memorable celebration without the hassle. Take Inventory. Pull out the dishes, platters, silverware and glassware to make sure you have what you need. If needed, spruce up any silver and table linens a few days before, so you can concentrate on other things the day-of the event...

Kylie Larae Tagtmeyer and Craig Wayne Wamsley announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the couple are Larry and Julie Tagtmeyer of Seibert, Colo., and Bryan and Shery Wamsley of Arapahoe, Colo. Grandparents of the bride-to-be are Hank and Alberta Tagtmeyer and Wayne and Fern McCaffrey, all of Seibert. ...

I saw the Crustless Quiche recipe and knew right away it was going on the weekend menu page. Declan had an absolute blast "helping" me cook it earlier this week, as I found myself unable to wait until Easter weekend to try it out. We substituted turkey sausage for the smoked sausage and did not regret it one bit...