Stories from Monday, May 3, 2010

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Kendra Wallace and Scott Lafferty, both of McCook, were united in marriage on Feb. 13, 2010, at the United Methodist Church of McCook with the Rev. Lance Clay officiating. Parents of the couple are Donald Lafferty of McCook, the late Linda Lafferty, Ronald Wallace of Douglas, Nebraska, and Vera Wilson of McCook...

July 22, 1930-April 30, 2010 CAMBRIDGE, Nebraska -- Darlene was born July 22, 1930 on a farm northwest of Cambridge, Nebraska, in Frontier County to Carl and Lola (Toots) (Bridgeford) Max. She attended elementary school at Happy Hallow; District 15, south of the family farm in Frontier County. ...

WAUNETA, Nebraska -- Every 10 days or so since the end of February, Bruce and Larry Peterson of Enders have moved about 130 goats in two bunches, two LGDs (livestock guard dogs) and portable fencing along the banks of the Frenchman River from the west edge of Wauneta toward the eastern city limits...

Jan. 28, 1920-May 1, 2010 ARAPAHOE, Nebraska -- Maxine A. Mues, 90, died Saturday (May 1, 2010), at the C.A. Mues Good Samaritan Center, of Arapahoe, Nebraska. She was born on Jan. 28, 1920, at Hollinger, Nebraska to Lon and Maude E. (Oatman) VanMatre...

Aug. 27, 1925-April 30, 2010 BIRD CITY, Kansas -- Lewis Carl Sowers, 84, died Friday (April 30, 2010), at his residence in rural Bird City. He was born Augl. 27, 1925, at Thomas County, Kansas. He was a farmer. He was preceded in death by his wife, Audrey Maxine (Sims) Sowers in 2000...

Bob Brown of Indianola, Nebraska, backs the mariner blue Chevy 3100 pickup that his wife Deanna's grandfather, Lester Rhodes of Culbertson, Nebraska, purchased new in 1953 into a downtown McCook parking stall for the early-spring car show benefit for Baylie Simmonds of McCook, injured in a car accident Feb. ...

Where were the federal regulators when it counted? No, we're not talking about the regulators who were watching porn on the Internet while rogue bankers went wild; we're talking about the new probe by the Justice and Agriculture Departments into meat pricing...

For many years, McCook's annual celebration, now referred to as Heritage Days was known as German Heritage Days, and was instigated by descendants of some of the early settlers in our area. The celebration probably should have been known as Germans from Russia Heritage Days, and Catherine the Great, the Empress of Russia, should have been named the patron saint of the festival. ...

This will be my last Letter Back Home for a while. I would like to recap a few things from this session. The 101st Legislature 2nd Regular Session ended having passed 196 bills. An additional 55 bills were amended into the 196 bills. All, but five of the 101 priority bills advanced out of their committees and were debated on the floor. Many priorities did not make it to Final Reading...

May 3, 2010 -- Today, Nebraska's Senator Ben Nelson welcomed an announcement by the United States Department of Education that it will release $77,205,456 in stimulus funding to support education and other essential public services across the state. To date, Nebraska has received $471,635,192 in education-related funding through the Recovery Act...

We don't know who it will be yet but it's likely that in late spring or early summer we will see hearings for President Obama's choice to replace the retiring John Paul Stevens on the U.S. Supreme Court. According to the Constitution, the President makes the appointment with the advice and consent of the Senate. ...

ALLIANCE -- The McCook High School girls tennis team picked up a pair of important victories over district opponents during last Friday's road trip to the Nebraska panhandle. The Bison girls blanked Alliance, 9-0, and nipped Scottsbluff, 4-3. Both matches were played at Alliance High School...

HOLDREGE -- As the high school track and field season winds down, coaches are looking for peak performances from their respective athletes. The McCook teams registered many personal-best efforts at the Holdrege Invitational Friday, April 30, at Dusters Stadium. ...

CAMBRIDGE -- Dundy County-Stratton and Bertrand won team titles at the 2010 Republican Plains Activities Conference track and field meet. The RPAC meet was held last Friday at the Cambridge High School stadium. Dundy County-Stratton won a tight battle in the girls division. The Tigers scored 90 points, with Southern Valley second with 81 points. Bertrand was third with 72 points. Cambridge scored 55 points for fourth, and just 16 points separated the next seven teams...

BENKELMAN, Nebraska -- John Grant "Bear" Davis Jr., 51, died Friday (April 30, 2010) at his home in Benkelman. A memorial service to honor and celebrate his life will be Thursday, May 6, 2010 at 11 a.m. (MDT) at Forch Funeral Chapel in Benkelman. Services will conclude at the chapel. The family will gather for a private inurnment at a later date...