Stories from Friday, June 11, 2010

March 30, 1916-June 10, 2010 McCOOK, Nebraska -- Opal Lorance, 94, died at Highland Park in McCook on Thursday (June 10, 2010). She was born March 30, 1916 to Ernest Allen and Daisy Pearl (Boston) Admire. She attended grade school in Benkelman and high school in Stratton...

I once asked Declan, during one of our afternoon car rides home, "What would you like for dinner tonight?" He shrugged his shoulders at me as I watched him through the rear-view-mirror and said "I don't know, you think it around in your head and let me know." I chuckled and then asked "Does that mean I can pick whatever I want and you won't tell me it's yucky food?" He nodded his head in agreement at me and said "yep, as long as it's not yucky food."...

Family Features When a trip to the ice cream parlor isn't in the cards, bring the ice cream parlor home with DIY sundaes! Making the perfect sundae might look like a hefty task, yet with a little creativity this all-American dessert is one of the easiest to make. By offering an assortment of ice cream flavors and toppings, everyone in the family can concoct their own personalized combinations...

Tracy Shields and Joshua Crocker, both of McCook, announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the couple are Lee and Teresa Shields of McCook, Danny and Paula Butler of Moline and Richie and Jodie Crocker of McCook. Grandparents of the bride-to-be are Catherine and Varlan Neal of Oberlin, the late Delbert Shields, Vera Veith of North Platte and the late Herman Veith. Grandparents of the prospective bridegroom are the late Bob and Elva Backer and the late Robert and Doris Crocker...

Abbee Alece Haney and Michael Jay James announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the couple are Rick and Cassa Haney of McCook, and John and Jayne James of Nebraska City. Grandparents of the bride-to-be are Bill and Sandie Roth of Cheyenne Wells, Colorado, Glenn and Judi Haney of McCook. Great grandparents are Ruth and Wendell Hull of Cheyenne Wells, Colorado...

The family of Don and Korrine Rowland of McCook is requesting a card shower in honor of the couples 45th wedding anniversary. They were married June 13th, 1965, at McCook. Family of the couple includes Josh and Sheri Rowland of Gretna; Lynn Rowland of McCook; Tom and Tina Rowland of Hickman; and 9 grandchildren. Cards of congratulations will reach the couple at #8 Georgia Court, McCook, NE 69001...

The family of Fred and Ardie Pinkal is requesting a card shower in honor of the couple's 60th wedding anniversary, June 11. Family of the couple includes their children, Denise and Steve Bales, Fred and Heidi Pinkal, Terry and Lynn Pinkal, Rob and Barb Pinkal, and Shari and Joe Goodenberger. Cards of congratulations will reach the couple at 410 East 5th, McCook, NE 69001...

The family and friends of Opal Dunn, formerly of McCook, are requesting a card shower in honor of her 98th birthday. She was born June 24, 1912, at Rowitz, Nebraska. Cards of congratulations will reach her at Eskaton Lodge, 450 John Muir Parkway, Apt. 202, Brentwood, CA 94513...

The family of Mabel Pettler is requesting a card shower in honor of her 90th birthday, June 12. Cards of congratulations will reach her at 2308 N. 3rd Street, Garden City, KS 67846.

Brooklynn Ann Tidyman James and Daphne Tidyman of Hayes Center announce the birth of a daughter, Brooklynn Ann Tidyman. She was born April 23, 2010, at Community Hospital in McCook weighing 7 pounds, 14.8 ounces and measuring 19.75 inches in length. ...

Tayton Ray Phillips Jason and Megan Phillips of North Platte announce the birth of a son, Tayton Ray Phillips. He was born April 28, 2010, at North Platte weighing 8 pounds, 11.5 ounces and measuring 21.5 inches long. He has a 7-year-old brother, Landon. Grandparents of the newborn are Gary and Donna Olson of Culbertson, Arlin Phillips of Casper, Wyoming and Larry and Ruth Blank of McCook...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- City Councilman Aaron Kircher championed hosting city council meetings at the Heritage Senior Center but was in the minority, with the City Council voting 4-1 to return to Memorial Auditorium. Kircher reiterated his stance that it should be a top priority of City Council to accommodate handicapped members of the public who wished to attend City Council meetings and the senior center was the best location with that in mind...

Giro de Simone and Jennifer Nyp of New York, New York, announce the birth of a daughter, Lola Nyp de Simone. She was born on March 28, 2010, at New York weighing 6 pounds, 6 ounces and measuring 19 inches long. Grandparents of the newborn are Maria de Simone of New York and Larry and Ruth Blank of McCook...

We were all relieved to learn the 16-year-old California girl was alive and well in the wintery southern Indian Ocean after her 40-foot boat was dismasted in a storm. Talk about sibling rivalry; Abby Sunderland was attempting to break a record set by her brother, Zac, who completed the voyage last year...

The whole idea of privacy has gone through a sea change over the past couple of generations. People in general used to be much more private that we are today about practically everything. The phrase I used to hear the most when I was growing up was "It's nobody else's business."...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- June 1, 2010, marked the one year anniversary of the Nebraska Clean Indoor Air Act. The staff at Southwest Nebraska Public Health Department is very happy with the new smoke free law, according to a news release. The SWNPHD environmental department is responsible for handling complaints and inspections in the eight county health district which includes Chase, Dundy, Hayes, Hitchcock, Frontier, Furnas, Perkins, and Red Willow Counties...

The family of Terry and Evelyn Pettit is hosting an Open House in honor of the couple's 40th wedding anniversary on June 19th, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., at the McCook Evangelical Free Church at 602 East 14th Street in McCook.

Walt Sehnert, from left, "Cactus" Chris Buethe and Gabe Sehnert sing "I Love Nebraska" as Jean Sehnert plays piano. The group and other storyteller/cowboy poets entertained diners to kickoff the {http://www.buffalocommons.org/ 2010 Buffalo Commons Storytelling Festival} at the Bieroc Cafe in McCook Thursday night. The festival continues Friday and Saturday at McCook Community College, the Fox Theatre, High Plains Museum and Norris Park...

McCook National Bank Seniors Legion baseball coach Mike Broomfield had a couple of mysteries to solve after an 11-6 loss to Gothenburg Wednesday, June 9. Broomfield's squad could not come up with timely hits with runners aboard, while Gothenburg did...

Josh Cherry loves to give a little bit back to the community and to the football program that helped shape him into the young man he is now. Cherry, a 2007 McCook High School graduate and former Bison standout athlete, is the starting kicker for the Kansas State University football team. Cherry was back in McCook last week, helping conduct the annual KSU Kicking Camp...

HOLDREGE -- The McCook Community Hospital Junior B teams split a Legion baseball double-header at Holdrege Thursday, June 10. The Juniors B Blacks dropped a 15-5 decision in four innings to the Holdrege Rotary, while the Juniors B Reds beat Holdrege, 17-6 in four innings...

Husker football fans will likely mark this day, Friday, June 11, 2010, as a day in infamy. For better or worst. The scenarios, the speculation, rumors have been flying all around the Cornhusker State this week with the likelihood that Nebraska will bolt from the Big 12 Conference to join the Big Ten. ...

LINCOLN, Nebraska -- The Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED) has awarded $16,100 in 2009 Community Development Block Grant third cycle and 191,200 in 2010 CDBG first cycle funding to six communities and two counties for Planning efforts, and $1.140 million in 2010 CDBG funding to three communities for Phase I and II Downtown Revitalization efforts...

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Our nation faces unprecedented economic challenges, and rural communities are not immune. From environmental policies like the Clean Water Act, to economic policies such as languishing trade agreements, the Death Tax, and our skyrocketing federal debt, farmers and ranchers have concerns...

LINCOLN, Neb. (June 11, 2010) -- Nebraska is fighting again over the Republican River, which stretches 200 miles between the southwest corner of the state to south of Grand Island. Tune in to NET Radio Monday, June 21, through Thursday, June 24, for a series of NET News reports which will explore the controversy. ...

I want to highlight a great tradition that takes place each year in June in our capital city as hundreds of our state's most distinguished young leaders meet on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus for an exercise in democracy. The annual meeting of Cornhusker Boys State and Cornhusker Girls State were held this week. These programs are sponsored by The American Legion to provide young leaders with the first hand experience of forming and governing in a democracy...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Tyler Ray Loop and his wife, Tyler Sue Loop won over the judges in the 2010 Hormel Business Plan Competition with their plan for a brew pub and restaurant. The Loop Brewery Co. will receive a $25,000 investment and other support, and, if all goes as planned, could be open in an A Street location in McCook by November...

LINCOLN, Nebraska -- Big Ten Conference Commissioner James E. Delany today confirmed that the Big Ten Conference Council of Presidents/Chancellors voted to approve the application from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln for Big Ten membership. Earlier today the University of Nebraska Board of Regents voted to allow UNL Chancellor Harvey Perlman to apply for membership in the Big Ten...