Stories from Friday, November 26, 2010

KEARNEY, Nebraska -- Jenny Marie Hamilton of Hayes Center, Nebraska and Bryan Robert Gibbs of Garden City, Kansas were united in marriage on July 10, 2010, at St. James Catholic Church in Kearney with the Rev. Joe Hannappel officiating. Parents of the bride are James and Lesa Johnson of Hayes Center and Dave and Kerry Hamilton of Wauneta, Nebraska. Parents of the bridegroom are Steve and Terri Nutt of Garden City, Kansas and Michael Gibbs of Haxtun, Colorado...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Taryn Rachelle Placzek and Joel Thomas Arterburn, both of McCook were united in marriage on Aug. 14, 2010, at McCook Evangelical Free Church in McCook with the Rev. Bruce Lester officiating. Parents of the couple are Rich and Tonya Placzek of McCook and Tom and Cindi Arterburn of McCook. ...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Anita Propes and John Foley, both of McCook were united in marriage on July 24, 2010, outside at the Republican River Valley Event Center in McCook with the Rev. Mike Roth officiating. Parents of the couple are Robert and Deanna Propes of McCook, Marie Foley of McCook, and the late Mike Foley. Grandmother of the bride is Margaret Brown of Wilsonville, Nebraska...

Nick and Heather Cox of North Platte, Nebraska announce the birth of a daughter, Hadlei Nicole Cox. She was born Nov. 16, 2010, in North Platte, weighing 6 pounds, 4 ounces and measuring 20 inches long. Grandparents are Maury and Debra Cox of Hayes Center, Nebraska, and Tony and Sherri Goff of Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, formerly of McCook, Nebraska...

Bart and Tanya Monnahan announce the birth of a daughter, Amelia Marie Monnahan. She was born Oct. 4, 2010, at McCook Community Hospital, weighing 5 pounds, 12 ounces and measuring 18.25 inches long. Grandparents are Tom and Cindy Monnahan of Palisade, Nebraska, Robert and Gail Scheitz of Loganville, Wisconsin, and Jess Arias of Reedsburg, Wisconsin. Great-grandparents are Joann Ward of Palisade, Jess and Viola Arias of Newark, California, and Ken and Eileen Scheitz of Loganville, Wisconsin...

The family of Stephen Kelsey of McCook, Nebraska is requesting a card shower in honor of his 90th birthday, Dec. 2. Cards of congratulations will reach him at 38917 Road 731, McCook, NE 69001.

April 28, 1923--Nov. 27, 2010 ORD, Nebraska -- William B. "Bill" McIlravy, 87, died Tuesday (Nov. 23, 2010), at his home in Ord. William Brown McIlravy was born April 28, 1923, in Santa Monica, California to Thomas William and Edith Elinor (Brown) McIlravy. ...

Retailers near and far are glad that Black Friday was a big event again this year, with shoppers slightly more free with their wallets and purses than they were last year or the year before. There were the usual big rushes early this morning at the largr stores, but thanks to new marketing strategies, the crush was spread out some, with midnight specials in addition to 4 or 5 a.m., and some stores were even open on Thanksgiving day...

I remember the holidays from my childhood fondly. They were exciting, magical times when my whole family would gather together to celebrate the day and enjoy each other's company. On Thanksgiving, we would all sit at the big table in the dining room and eat for what seemed like hours while we talked about everything imaginable. ...

"Alcohol was not involved." That line seems to end each accident report; so and so said no alcohol was involved. Why do we need to know that? Over breakfast the other day my wife, daughter and in-laws were talking about just that and someone said that we need to know. I said, "Why? it's none of our business." In today's world the need to know outweighs the respect we should show people that have just lost a loved one...

Today I want to provide an update on Nebraska's P-16 Initiative that is working to strengthen our education system in Nebraska from preschool through high school and four years of college. I serve as chair of the P-16 Initiative with four key state education leaders serving as co-chairs, including: State Sen. ...