Stories from Friday, September 10, 2010

Family Features This fall, create a menu to remember by incorporating fresh, seasonal flavors into the traditional, comforting dishes of the season. As the air becomes crisp and the sun sets a little earlier each day, it's the ideal time to warm up your kitchen while experimenting with fresh ingredients. Plus, matching each dish with a corresponding wine is a simple technique for enhancing the flavors in the food and wine...

Oct. 7, 1943--Sept. 3, 2010 FORT COLLINS, Colorado -- Richard Hatcher Hotze was born Oct. 7, 1943, in McCook, Nebraska, to Helen and Clarence Hotze. He passed away Sept. 3, 2010, after a courageous year long battle with heart failure. He leaves behind his beloved wife, Margaret; their three daughters and families: Kathryn and Michael Greiner, Rachel, Katie and Joshua; Patricia and Doug Carmichael, Hannah, Nate, and Aaron; Elizabeth and Joe Bartell, Jake, Mira, and Ava; his mother, Helen Hotze; sisters, Maureen Bowles and Joelene Hotze; nieces, Colleen Rodin and Susan Dahir and their families; and Joelene's family, Gabrielle, Michael, and Sascha; and special long-time friends Bill Lentz, Henry Krous, Don Yohan, and Dave Witham; and many others who will miss him.. ...

Dear Editor, I wish to respond to the opinion expressed in your Sept. 9 piece entitled "Independent Faces Uphill Battle." Your paper stated that "a vote for the independent candidate, Dan Hill of Grand Island, will actually benefit the candidate farthest from the voter's preference."...

Final of a series

I noticed a story in the paper this week about a person who left his job. The reasons given for him leaving were not accurate. I know that because I know the person and the situation. They were, in fact, a lie. Because that's what we do anymore. My golfing buddy this past summer and I used to talk about this a lot as we played. On the one hand, as I wrote last week, the only truth we accept anymore is our own truth, whether it's supported by the facts and the evidence or not...

Friday is World Suicide Prevention Day.

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The McCook Housing Authority has taken one step closer to purchasing and beginning construction of their East Ward Village project. The organization was recently awarded an allocation of housing tax credits from the Nebraska Investment Finance Authority (NIFA) in the amount of $410,004 for the purpose of acquiring and rehabilitating the former East Ward Elementary school in McCook...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- McCook Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors chose Linda Maiden State Farm Insurance as the fourth quarter honor business during their meeting on Wednesday. The award will be presented on Thursday, Oct. 7 at 10:00 a.m. The board also received updates on the successful move of the Chamber office to the Keystone Business Center. Special recognition was given to the Work Ethic Camp for their help, and to Matt Stebbins of 21st Century Systems...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The McCook School Board of Education will meet Monday night at 6 p.m. in the Junior High Conference Room. The agenda includes a budget hearing where patrons can voice public support or opposition to the district's total proposed tax requirement of a little more than $5.6 million for the 2010-11 budget year...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Natural gas is delivered to homes and businesses throughout the city of McCook with little thought given to the process, as long as the water is hot and the furnace is providing the needed warmth. Thursday's tragedy in California, as reported by the Associated Press on page two of today's paper, brings forward some important questions about the behind-the-scenes events that keep the water hot and the furnace running...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Racheal Taylor of Panama City, Florida and Justin Pollmann of McCook were united in marriage on July 10, 2010, at Memorial United Methodist Church in McCook with the Rev. Lance Clay officiating. Parents of the couple are Denise and Lawrence Taylor of Panama City and Valorie and Jarry Pollmann of McCook. The grandparent of the couple is Louise Pollmann of McCook...

Kristina Marie Strom of Loveland, Colorado and Brian Paul Prochaska of Wellfeet, Nebraska, together with their parents, announce their engagement and upcoming marriage. The bride-to-be graduated from Thompson Valley High School in 1999 and from Front Range Community College with an associate degree in veterinary technology in 2009. She is employed at Safeway, Inc. as a district bookkeeper...

The family of Russell and Fern (Cassel) Dowling of McCook, Nebraska is requesting a card shower in honor of the couple's 74th wedding anniversary. They were married in 1936 in Oberlin, Kansas. Their family includes children Sharon and husband, Jerry Felker of McCook, Carrol and husband, Warren Barnell of Lincoln, Nebraska, and Roger Dowling and wife, Maureen of Squim, Washington; 12 grandchildren; 36 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren. ...

The family of Rex and Avis Morell of McCook, Nebraska is requesting a card shower in honor of the couple's 60th wedding anniversary. They were married on Sept. 15, 1950. Their family includes Janet and husband, Tom Gardner of Denver, Colorado, Steve Morell and wife, Brenda of McCook, Karen Poindexter of Columbus, Nebraska, Mary and husband, Steve Cuellar of Culbertson, Nebraska, Donna and husband, Tim Cuellar of Denver, Jim Morell of Cleveland, Ohio; 14 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. ...

The family of Earl D. Ommert of Cambridge, Nebraska is requesting a card shower in honor of his 90th birthday, Sept. 17. He was born in Orafino, Nebraska in 1920. Family includes his wife, of 63 years, Naomi Ommert of Cambridge Manor; two sons, Larry Ommert and wife, Carol of Cambridge and John ommert of Asheville, North Carolina; daughter Christine Hartman of Bradenton, Florida; seven grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren. ...

Elliot and Stefanie Hoefs of Arapahoe announce the birth of son, Ethan August Hoefs. He was born on Aug. 9, 2010, at 8:51 a.m. He weighed 6 pounds, 15 ounces and measuring 20.5 inches long. He has two siblings, Landen and Adellyn. Grandparents are Larry and Connie Hoefs of Arapahoe, Nebraska and Lynn Becker of Beaver City, Nebraska and the late Laura Becker. Great-grandmothers are Lynn Nelson of Norton, Kansas, Dolores Hoefs of Arapahoe, and Jeanine Wragge of Pierce, Nebraska...

Ashley Walkington and Eric Reeder of McCook, Nebraska announce the birth of a daughter, Ellyana Lyn Walkington-Reeder. She was born Sept. 3, 2010, at Great Plains Regional Medical Center in North Platte, Nebraska, weighing 6 pounds, 11 ounces and measuring 19.75 inches long. ...

Sean and Jenna (Winder) Bottorff of Kearney, Nebraska announce the birth of a son, Miles Brady Bottorff. He was born July 21, 2010, at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney, weighing 7 pounds, 14 ounces and measuring 20.25 inches long. He has a brother, Michael, 10. Grandparents are Dan and Cathy Winder of Kearney and Pam Bottorff of La Vista, Nebraska. Great-grandparents are Dale and Norma Crocker and Ardess Cappel, all of McCook, Nebraska...

HOLDREGE -- McCook High School had a tough night at the Holdrege volleyball triangular meet Thursday, Sept. 9. The Bison varsity girls lost a 25-14, 25-13 decision to Grand Island Northwest, then McCook lost 25-10, 25-15 to Holdrege. "We were extremely disappointed in our performance," McCook head coach Kristen Weber said. ...

Gothenburg has a solid girls softball program, and the Swedes probably consider McCook a rival even though the two schools compete in different Nebraska School Activities Association classifications. The Thursday, Sept. 9 battle of the two southwest Nebraska teams went to the host team, as McCook claimed a 9-2 victory in the varsity contest at the Jaycees Sports Complex...

IMPERIAL, Nebraska -- McCook High School's girls were tough on the cross-country course Thursday, Sept. 9. The Bison girls had six girls finish in the top 13 individuals as McCook ran away with the team championship at the Chase County Invitational at the Imperial Country Club...

KEARNEY, Nebraska -- NTV Television out of Kearney will feature the 2002-03 Class B state champion McCook Bison football team in a segment on the Sports Extra program Friday night, Sept. 10. NTV will air a five-minute segment on the 2002-03 Bison teams as one of the greatest ever in the NTV viewing area. The special will air during NTV's sports program from 10:30 to 11 p.m. Friday...

After the opening drive, the McCook Bison probably thought Friday night's game with Alliance would be easy. It wasn't. The visiting Bulldogs gave McCook all they could handle, but a tough Bison defense tightened up in the second half to key a 35-21 McCook win...

Kris and Kristyn Clapp of Culbertson, Nebraska announce the birth of a daughter, Kloey Jayde Clapp. She was born July 19, 2010, at Community Hospital in McCook, Nebraska, weighing 5 pounds, 14.6 ounces and measuring 20 inches long. She has a 3-year-old sister, Kamryn. Grandparents are Kent Grafel of Culbertson, Mary and Jeff Whitaker of Owatonna, Minnesota, and Robert and Debra Henthorn of Culbertson. Great-grandparents are Don and Joan Grafel of Herndon, Kansas, Sam and Ilene Haller of Culbertson and the late Marlus Binderup.