Stories from Friday, May 27, 2011

Patty Michelle Ciarla and Jeff Allen Tidyman, both of McCook, Nebraska announce their engagement and upcoming marriage. Parents of the bride-to-be are Derek and Paula Sheffer of Hutchinson, Kansas. Parents of the prospective bridegroom are Larry and Carla Tidyman of Benkelman, Nebraska. Grandmother of the prospective bridegroom is Bertha Burnett of Arkansas City, Kansas...

Megan Dawn Cole and Thomas DeWayne Lewis, both of Trenton, Nebraska announce their engagement and upcoming marriage. Parents of the bride-to-be are William and Kimberly Cole of Trenton. Parents of the prospective bridegroom are Pat Ed and Ronda Lewis of Trenton...

Adrian Michelle Lambing and Dylan John Clabaugh, both of McCook, Nebraska announce their engagement and upcoming marriage. Parents of the bride-to-be are Thomas and Mary Lambing of McCook. Parents of the prospective bridegroom are James and Annette Gruhn of McCook...

Shala May Parrish and Paul Daniel Reitz, both of Wellington, Kansas, announce their engagement and upcoming marriage. Parents of the bride-to-be are Eugene and Tammy Parrish of Wellington. Parents of the prospective bridegroom are Richard and Diane Reitz of Wellington...

Alesa Jeanne Paulsen and Adam Tyler Haussler, both of Omaha, Nebraska announce their engagement and upcoming marriage. Parents of the bride-to-be are John and Jeanne Paulsen of Arapahoe, Nebraska. Parents of the prospective bridegroom are Scott and Cindy Haussler of Arapahoe...

Kaitlin Anne Powell of McCook, Nebraska and Buckley Emerson Haag of Bartley, Nebraska, announce their engagement and upcoming marriage. Parents of the bride-to-be are Vicki League of McCook and Keith Powell of Malcolm, Nebraska. Parents of the prospective bridegroom are Gayle and Elaine Haag of Bartley...

Amanda Ruzicka of Trenton, Nebraska, and Wade Felker of McCook, Nebraska, announce their engagement and upcoming marriage. Parents of the bride-to-be are Albin and Linda Ruzicka of Stratton, Nebraska. Parents of the prospective bridegroom are Don and Lisa Felker of McCook...

The family of Burdell Thurston of McCook, Nebraska is requesting a card shower in honor of his 88th birthday, May 29. Cards of congratulations will reach him at 109 Sioux Road, McCook, NE 69001.

Travis and Megan Soundy of Hayes Center, Nebraska announce the birth of a daughter, Lanie Belle Soundy. She was born May 5, 2011, in North Platte, Nebraska, weighing 8 pounds, 1 ounces and measuring 20 inches long. She has a brother, Cooper, 3. Grandparents are Jerry and Kate Repass of Hayes Center and Steve and Linda Soundy of Minden, Nebraska...

Tyler and Kayelon (Easterday) Schurr of Eustis, Nebraska announce the birth of a daughter, Coralee Joy Schurr. She was born April 7, 2011, at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney, Nebraska, weighing 6 pounds, 7 ounces and measuring 18.75 inches long. Grandparents are Rod and Kim LaRae Easterday of Eustis, Arlo Schurr of Eustis and Alisa Schurr and Gary Krejci of Dallas, Texas. ...

Jeff and Ashley Jackson of Clinton, Oklahoma announce the birth of a son, Korbin Douglas Jackson. He was born May 10, 2011, in Weatherford, Oklahoma, weighing 8 pounds, 7.9 ounces and measuring 20.5 inches long. He has a brother, Wyatt, 5. Grandparents are Mary Shadley of Holdrege, Nebraska, Doug Shadley of Indianola, Nebraska, and Jim and Judy Jackson of Cambridge, Nebraska...

The family of Elmore and Beverley (Young) Grafel of Culbertson, Nebraska is hosting an open house in honor of the couple's 50th wedding anniversary. They were married June 4, 1961. Their family includes their children Scott Grafel, the late Tim Grafel and Tina and Alan Aschoff; and two grandchildren. The open house is June 4, 2-4 p.m. at the Culbertson Fairgrounds. Cards of congratulations will reach the couple at 70367 Driftwood Drive, Culbertson, NE 69024...

Family Features There's a reason for the adage, "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day." It's because breakfast provides an opportunity to get important nutrients that are difficult to make up over the course of the day. In addition, children and adults who eat breakfast regularly tend to have healthier body weights than breakfast skippers. ...

Sept. 25, 1945-May 25, 2011 HAYES CENTER, Nebraska -- Johnny R. Scott, 65, passed away Wednesday, May 25, 2011, at Great Plains Regional Medical Center in North Platte, Nebraska. Johnny was born Sept. 25, 1945, to parents Reese Raymond and Jessie Mae (Jones) Scott. He was one of three children. In 1963, Johnny graduated from Bradford High School in Starke, Florida where the family made their home...

WAUNETA, Nebraska -- Marjorie (Gregory) Engell, 93, died Wednesday (May 25, 2011) at Heritage of Wauneta. Preceding her in death were her parents; husband; four brothers; and one sister. Survivors include her daughter, Jody and husband, Larry Potthoff of Hastings, Nebraska; son, Kip and wife, Terry Engell of Wauneta; sister, Vera Winters of Amarillo, Texas; four grandchildren; and one great-grandchild...

Listen close, and you may be able to hear the pop-tops and twist-offs opening up already. That's because this Memorial Day weekend is the first major holiday when drinking will be allowed in all state parks, state historical parks and state recreation areas -- except for Lake McConaughy near Ogallala and state wildlife management areas...

In this bipolar world we live in today, teachers have become the new whipping boys for everything that's wrong with society. The critics say teachers make too much money and get too many benefits for only working nine months out of the year so they're attacking the professional organizations that represent teachers by alleging they're the source of our financial woes...

THOMAS CLARK Special to the Gazette One hundred years ago, on the morning of May 29, a grievous accident struck east of McCook. Two passenger trains were barreling toward one other sharing a single track with neither engineer realizing these were their last earthly moments. ...