Stories from Friday, August 6, 2010

Loralee Smith and Levi Kautz, both of Bennett, Colorado, announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the couple are Brad and Eileen Johnson of Brigham City, Utah and Jerry and Nancy Kautz of Culbertson. Grandparents of the bride-to-be are Ruth Johnson of Sugar City, Idaho and the late Gordon Johnson. Grandparents of the prospective bridegroom are Bill and Eleanor Herman of Culbertson...

Tyler Jay Lauer and Natalee Jo Slingsby announce their engagement and upcoming wedding . Parents of the couple are Brett Lauer of McCook, Kathy Kerchal of Wauneta and Ken and Jody Slingsby of Ansley. The bride-to-be graduated from Ansley High School in 2007. She is attending Kaplan University in Lincoln majoring in business administration...

Ashley Nicole Watson of York, Nebraska, and Joshua James Seaberg of Stromsburg, Nebraska, announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the couple are Dann and Tresa Watson of McCook and Jim and Janese Seaberg of Stromsburg. Grandparents of the bride-to-be are Wilfred and Helen Hansen of Benkelman. Grandparent of the prospective bridegroom is Doris Seaberg of Stromsburg...

Lindsay Jo Steer of Indianola and Jeffrey Jon Higel of rural Kenesaw, Nebraska, announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the couple are Doug and Kaye Linner of Hendley, Nebraska and Jim and Cheryl Higel of Hebron, Nebraska. Grandparents of the bride-to-be are Wendell and Goldie Wentling of Hendley...

The family of Ann (Strang) Hart is requesting a card shower in honor of her 80th birthday, Aug. 16. Cards of congratulations will reach her at PO Box 195, Bartley, NE 69020.

The family of Frances Kettering Warner is requesting a card shower in honor of her 80th birthday. She was born Aug. 10, 1930. Her family includes Jay and Susan Wyatt of Lebanon, Bill and Jean Royer of Columbus, Nebraska and Lonnie and Cheryl Boring of Brule, Nebraska. Cards of congratulations will reach her at 134 North Center Avenue, Lebanon, NE 69036...

Ryan and Mary Hammond of rural Indianola announce the birth of a son, Brody Nathaniel Hammond. He was born July 1, 2010, at Cambridge Memorial Hospital weighing 7 pounds, 5 ounces and measuring 21 inches long. He has three brothers, 4-year-old Gavin, 3-year-old Braxten, and 2-year-old Gage. ...

Brian and Ashley Stehno of Stratton announce the birth of a daughter, Bailey Autumn Stehno. She was born July 23, 2010, at McCook Community Hospital weighing 5 pounds, 13 ounces and measuring 18 and 1/2 inches long. Grandparents of the newborn are Rosalind Kauffman of Trenton; Kelly Kauffman of McCook; and Frank and Pat Stehno of Stratton. Great-grandparents are Velda Hartman of McCook and Raymond Stehno of Stratton...

The family of Gene and Crystal Ward of McCook is hosting a surprise open house celebration in honor of the couple's 40th wedding anniversary. They were married April 13, 1970. Family of the couple includes their children, John Ward of Idaho; Lory and husband, Gary Power of McCook; John and wife, Jeanette Ward of Washington; Jeff and wife, Kris Melby of Minnesota; Dawn and husband, Clark Andrews of Holbrook; Peggy Ward of Idaho; and Luke and wife, Stacie of Colorado; 14 grandchildren and one great-grandchild. ...

Family Features Whether it's simple dinner for a few friends or a big bash for a crowd, taking the party outside takes enter­taining to a whole new level. If you're planning an outdoor get-together, don't spend all your time in the kitchen. These quick and easy tips will help...

Nicole Meyer and Joe Gordon of Lakewood, Colorado, announce the birth of a daughter, Alayna Nicole Gordon. She was born May 20, 2010, at Littleton, Colorado, weighing 8 pounds, 10 ounces and measuring 21 inches in length. Grandparents of the newborn are Jon and Annette Wacker of Murdock, Nebraska; Ron and Estela Meyer of Pittsford, New York; Patty Gordon and Mike Duffield of Pleasantville, Iowa; and Kenny Gordon and Shelly Duffield of Des Moines...

The family of Joe and Doris Vlasin is hosting a card shower and open house celebration in honor of the couple's 60th wedding anniversary. They were married Aug. 5, 1950. The celebration is scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 8, 2-4 p.m., in the Community Building at the Hayes Center Fairgrounds...

Kristy Osterman and Ryan Blake of McCook announce the birth of a son, Kacen Lee Blake. He was born July 13, 2010, at McCook Community Hospital weighing 7 pounds, 5 ounces, and measuring 19.5 inches long. He has a 2-year-old brother, Korbin Blake. Grandparents of the newborn are Steve Osterman of Lapeer, Michigan; Judy Coil of Hamlet, Nebraska; and Heather Blake of Cheyenne, Wyoming. Great-grandparents of the newborn are Mary Osterman and Maralee Mcbee, both of McCook...

The family of Paul and Delores Schneider of McCook is requesting a card shower in honor of the couple's 59th wedding anniversary. They were married Aug. 9, 1951, at Maranatha Bible Camp in Maxwell, Nebraska. Their family includes their children, Sherrilyn Shults of Denver, Colorado; Pamela Daum of Murdo, South Dakota; Paul Schneider, Jr of Newnan, Georgia; Carl Schneider of Luthersville, Georgia; Bob Schneider of Luquillo, Puerto Rico; 10 grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren. ...

Evan and Jenni Maynard announce the birth of a daughter, Kinsey Alexis Maynard. She was born Jan. 14, 2010, at Community Hospital in McCook weighing 8 pounds, 4 ounces and measuring 20 inches in length. She has a 2-year-old sister, Lily. Grandparents of the newborn are Dave and Angela McCarty of McCook and Dave and Andrea Maynard of Culbertson. ...

The family of Ed and Ruth Ruf of Wilsonville is requesting a card shower in honor of the couple's 50th wedding anniversary. They were married Aug. 14, 1960, at the Presbyterian Church in Lebanon, Nebraska. Family of the couple includes their children, Kevin and Barb Hitt of Long Island, Kansas, Bill and Bev Moorberg of El Dorado, Kansas, and Robert and Sherri Ruf of Oberlin; eight grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. ...

Brent and Melissa Nelms of Eagle, Nebraska, announce the birth of their daughter, Afton Ann Nelms. She was born July 25, 2010, weighing 8 pounds, 4 ounces and measuring 20 and 1/2 inches long. Grandparents of the newborn are Dann and Sue Nelms of Benkelman; and Tim and Cathy Nelson of Omaha. Great-grandparents are Richard and Yvonna Hayes of Cambridge; Don and Shirley Nelms of McCook; John and Catherine Weiss of Omaha; Dan Nelson of Omaha and the late Marilyn Nelson...

The family of Lucille Spaulding is requesting a card shower in honor of her 98th birthday, Aug. 10. Cards of congratulations will reach her at 122 Rainbow Ftn. Park, Benkelman, NE 69021.

RJ and Kelly Plas of Lincoln announce the birth of a daughter, Emily Elizabeth Plas. She was born June 19, 2010, at Lincoln weighing 7 pounds, 11 ounces and measuring 20 and 1/4 inches long. She has a 2-year-old sister, Samantha Plas. Grandparents of the newborn are Jim and Patty Phinney of McCook, Jeff Plas of Lincoln and Jim and Kay Hollmann of Quincy, Illinois...

Sept. 2, 1932--Aug. 4, 2010 ELWOOD, Nebraska -- Delma M. Sarr-Muldoon, 77, died on Wednesday (Aug. 4, 2010) at Phelps Memorial Hospital in Holdrege. She was born on Sept. 2, 1932 in Lexington to Ray and Ola (Wilson) Sarr. She grew up in the Lexington area. After her schooling, she moved to Chicago to be near family...

Sometimes the hardest path to take is the best.

Dear Editor, I recently received a copy of your paper for Wednesday, July 7, 2010, in which there was an obituary for Ms. Melba Herrmann, former Head Librarian for the McCook Carnegie Library and the McCook Public Library. My friend, Linda McGooden Hedges, who lives in McCook, mailed me a copy of the paper, knowing I would be interested in reading about the career of Mrs. ...

Dear Editor, These days we're seeing a lot of photo-ops and lip service being paid to American businesses by politicians. Don't be fooled. The White House and this Congress are waging war against the private sector. The latest evidence is New Jersey Sen. ...

Most people would like to win the lottery and why wouldn't they? An extra million dollars or so would help anybody's financial situation. But the statistical odds of winning a state run lottery are astronomically high. In fact, most of the people who play for a lifetime spend more money buying lottery tickets than they ever win. When I ask people why they do it, they all say essentially the same thing: "You can't win if you don't play so at least I have a chance."...

HAYES CENTER, Nebraska -- Little Camry Guthrie of Lincoln, Nebraska, wasn't shy at all about sharing her secrets for baking a prize-winning pie. "It's got apples and raspberries in it," she bubbled, after winning first place in the youngest age division of the Hayes County fair's sixth-annual pie baking contest in Hayes Center, Nebraska...

A concrete park bench in front of the Red Willow County, Nebraska, courthouse in McCook and the concrete base of the DAR flag pole at the corner of Norris Avenue and F show damages caused by a hit-and-run driver about 8:15 a.m., Thursday. Witnesses said the car -- a silverish-blue car -- drove slowly southbound down Norris Avenue, drove across the sidewalk in front of the courthouse and struck the park bench, then backed up Norris and struck the flag pole base a block north. ...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Prairie Plains CASA announced today that it will host a two-person scramble Disc Golf Tournament at Kelly Park in McCook on Saturday, Aug. 14. "This tournament will raise awareness and support for children in foster care in Southwest Nebraska," CASA director Cathy McDowell said. The public is invited to join in this fun event...

Curtis, Nebraska -- After a lengthy discussion, the board of directors of the Middle Republican NRD voted to adopt the Integrated Management Plan presented at a hearing on June 8, with minor changes. The Department of Natural Resources has concurred with the changes and also will adopt the plan...

I would reason a guess that ol' Hank Jr. is warming up, getting ready to belt out the musical question many football fans anxiously await about this same time every year. I'm ready -- are you? Ready or not, the pigskin season is fast approaching. The NFL teams have been at work already this week in their respective training camps. ...

A pair of McCook National Bank Seniors will get a couple more at-bats before the summer Legion baseball season comes to a close. Cody Broomfield and Shane Wallen have been selected to play for the South squad in the eighth annual Wahoo Area Kiwanis All-Star Classic. The Legion baseball all-star contest is scheduled Saturday, Aug. 7, at Sam Crawford Field in Wahoo, a small community located about a half-hour north of Lincoln...

The family of Francis and Jackie (Phinney) Friehe is hosting an open house celebration in honor of the couples 50th wedding anniversary. They were married Aug. 28, 1960, in McCook. Family of the couple includes their children, Mark and Donna Friehe of Council Bluffs, Iowa, Deb and Bruce Wilcox of McCook, Brad and Jennifer Friehe of Hayes Center and Brian Friehe of McCook; and 10 grandchildren. The celebration is planned for Saturday, Aug. 21, 2010, 2-5 p.m., at the Community Building at the Culbertson Fairgrounds. Cards of congratulations will reach the couple at 37681 Road 719, Culbertson, NE 69024

Tiffany Dawn Jacob and Owen Patrick Karre, both of Grand Island, announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the couple are Michelle and Kurt Proud of Bartley, Mark Jacob of McCook, Janet Karre of Lincoln and Richard Karre of Maywood. Grandparents of the bride-to-be are Sherry Hornkohl of Mccook, Sam and Mary Jacob of Florida and Jerry and Murietta Proud of Bartley...