Stories from Friday, January 21, 2011

Family Features When there's a chill in the air, cozy up to the table with dishes that feed the soul as well as the stomach. This melt-in-your-mouth Slow Cooker Pot Roast with Onions is a complete dinner with very little fuss. A bowl of Broccoli, Bacon and Cheddar Chowder makes a hearty lunch or simple dinner in no time. And this recipe for Quick and Healthy Potato Casserole serves up a creamy, comforting side dish from the microwave in minutes...

Geoff and Brenda Gillen of McCook, Nebraska announce the birth of a daughter, Ellie Jo Gillen. She was born Jan. 11, 2011, in McCook, weighing 7 pounds, 11 ounces and measuring 19 inches long. She has three brothers, Matthew, 9, Brendan, 7, and Jackson, 20 months. Grandparents are Gene and Dixie Geihsler, Greg and Janet Hepp, and Clarence and Lexi Gillen, all of McCook. Great-grandparents are Max and Ruby Hallowell of Erie, Pennsylvania, and Betty Gillen of McCook...

Alexis Beitler and Brandon Fimple of North Platte, Nebraska announce the birth of a son, Carter David Fimple. He was born Jan. 8, 2011, in North Platte, weighing 6 pounds, 14 ounces and measuring 20.5 inches long. Grandparents are Jason and Emily Swanson, Rebecca Bible Steele, all of North Platte, and David and Catrina Fimple of McCook, Nebraska. ...

Brian and Becky (Hock) Friess of Cleveland, Ohio announce the birth of a daughter, Gwyneth Makayla Friess. She was born Dec. 15, 2010, at Hillcrest Hospital in Mayfield Heights, Ohio, weighing 6 pounds, 15 ounces and measuring 20.25 inches long. Grandparents are Carol Hock of Culbertson, Nebraska, the late Bernard Hock and Rick and Lorene Friess of Solon, Ohio. Great-grandparents are Mary Colling of McCook, Nebraska and John and Wanda Friess of Northfield, Ohio...

The family of Ron and Alana Hoyt of Culbertson, Nebraska is requesting a card shower in honor of the couple's 40th wedding anniversary. They were married on Jan. 23, 1971, at the United Methodist Church in Bladen, Nebraska. Their family includes their children Paul Hoyt and wife, Sarah of Culbertson; Anna Hoyt of Omaha, Nebraska, and Tammy Harders and husband, Ramsey of Norfolk, Nebraska; and four grandchildren. ...

The family of Larry "Joe" and Barbara Wolfe of Elwood, Nebraska is requesting a belated card shower in honor of the couple's 50th wedding anniversary, Jan. 6. Cards of congratulations will reach the couple at 68 Lakeview Acres Drive, Elwood, NE 68937-2224...

The family of Margaret 'Peg' Parker of Imperial, Nebraska is requesting a card shower in honor of her 80th birthday, Jan. 27. Family includes the late Roy Dean Parker; Linda Black and husband, Dave of Holdrege, Nebraska, Daniel Parker and wife, Mary of Benkelman, Nebraska, Marge Keiser of Hildreth, Nebraska, and Sally Nichols and husband, Nick of Neosho, Missouri; 10 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Cards of congratulations will reach her at 320 E. 12th Street, Imperial, NE 69033...

The family of Irene Neumann of McCook, Nebraska is requesting a card shower in honor of her 90th birthday, Jan. 31. Family includes her children Shirley Isaacson of Marysville, Washington, Roger and wife, Pam Neumann of Englewood, Colorado, and Nancy and husband, Carl Wolfe of Peoria, Arizona; six grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. Cards of congratulations will reach her at 908 East G Street, McCook, NE 69001...

The family of Art Hawkinson of Grove, Oklahoma is requesting a card shower in honor of his 80th birthday, Jan. 26. Family includes his children Dianne and Rick Schafer of McCook, Nebraska and Curt and Candyn Hawkinson of Oregon; four grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren. Cards of congratulations will reach him at 1330 Pathway Road, Grove, OK 74344...

Aug. 31, 1943--Jan. 18, 2011 BENKELMAN, Nebraska -- Larry Duane Clark, 67, died Tuesday (Jan. 18, 2011), at his home near Benkelman. He was born Aug. 31, 1943, in Benkelman to Charles L. and Virginia Mae (Evans) Clark. Larry attended country school near his home and continued his education at Benkelman High School where he was a member of the graduating class of 1961...

May 18, 1922--Jan. 17, 2011 BENKELMAN, Nebraska -- Arrina M. "Irene" Roose, 88, Independence, Kansas, formerly of Benkelman, died Monday (Jan. 17, 2011), at the Mercy Hospital in Independence. She was born May 18, 1922, in Laird, Colorado to Arthur A. and Gladys Pearl (Lovell) Hanshaw. In 1936, she and her family moved to Parks, Nebraska. She graduated from Parks High School in May of 1941...

Feb. 6, 1929--Jan. 19, 2011 OBERLIN, Kansas -- Dole Harold Metcalf, 81, died Wednesday (Jan. 19, 2011), at the Decatur County Hospital in Oberlin. He was born Feb. 6, 1929, in Decatur County, Kansas, to Elmer and Vida May (Berry) Metcalf. He was raised on the family farm in Harlan Township northeast of Oberlin. He attended country school and graduated from Decatur Community High School in 1946...

Our math and science scores continue to slip when compared to many other countries in the world. A generation ago we were at the top, now we find ourselves mired in the middle and it seems like there's almost as many reasons why that are offered by educational experts as there are experts...

EDITOR'S NOTE -- The following letter was sent to two Nebraska state senators in support of a repealing Daylight Saving Time: I agree with your proposal for Nebraska to end summer daylight saving (Bill LB 101). According to the standard UTC time zones most of Nebraska already has daylight saving in winter and does NOT need extra daylight saving in summer. This is very similar to the situation in Arizona where they have elected not to have extra daylight saving in summer...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Community Hospital of McCook, Nebraska, will celebrate the end of Phase I of its $29 million renovation and expansion project when patients are moved Jan. 29 and 30 into the new patient wing. Community Hospital CEO Jim Ulrich said the grand opening Jan. 9 for the new 25-bed patient wing was attended by "virtually all board members and medical staff members, a remarkable number of staff members and Nebraska Sen. Ben Nelson," despite cold, miserable winter weather...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Red Willow County, Nebraska, Sheriff Gene Mahon and county commissioners will discuss jail options available to the county during the commissioners' meeting Monday in the courthouse in downtown McCook. The meeting begins at 9 a.m. in the commissioners' room on the third floor...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- With wait time for housing assistance increasing and the closing of two apartment buildings compounding the problem, the East Ward Village project will provide much-needed housing when it is completed in the spring of 2012. City staff filed an application for a $252,000 grant on behalf of the McCook Housing Agency, which was presented to the City Council Monday evening and represents the final funding piece for the $4,132,030 project. ...

Many of us probably didn't know it was legal to have an open alcohol container in a boat. If State Sen. John Harms of Scottsbluff has his way, it won't be for long. Introduced Wednesday, his bill would make it unlawful for any person in or on a vessel, motorboat or personal watercraft to possess an open alcoholic beverage container on Nebraska waters while the vessel is underway...

January 21, 2011 -- Nebraska's Senator Ben Nelson announced today that Nebraska jobs will grow, the air will be cleaner and America will be less dependent on foreign oil as a result of a new decision by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency allowing higher blends of ethanol in all vehicles produced since 2001...

Often when you're traveling in the wrong direction, the most prudent action is to stop and change directions. In direct opposition to the wishes of the American people, last year Congress passed into law the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Despite promises to the contrary, the simple truth is this 2,800-page monstrosity is restraining our economic recovery and destroying jobs by burdening entrepreneurs and employers with tax increases, government mandates, and costly regulations...

Darin and July (Koetter) Newquist of Bothell, Washington, announce the birth of twin daughters, Elizabeth Sharon and Sidney Christine Newquist. They were born Dec. 10, 2010, at Northwest Hospital in Seattle, Washington. Elizabeth Sharon weighed 5 pounds, 9 ounces. Sidney Christine weighed 6 pounds, 1 ounce. Both girls measured 18 inches longs. Grandparents are Bernard and Sharon Koetter of McCook, Nebraska, Darlene Newquist of Edmonds, Washington and the late David Newquist...