Stories from Friday, November 4, 2011

Family Features This holiday, serve an inspired meal bursting with the rich flavors of Tuscany. With these recipes -- a moist and tender turkey along with savory sides -- you can create an unforgettable experience with family and friends. These Tuscan-inspired recipes from Carapelli Olive Oil will enhance and...

Richard Dean Cline BENKELMAN, Nebraska -- Richard Dean Cline, 64, died Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2011 at his home in Benkelman, Nebraska. Memorial services are Saturday, Nov. 12, 11 a.m. MT, at the United Methodist Church in Benkelman. Services will conclude at the church. A private inurnment will take place at a later date...

The family of Helen Allen is hosting an open house and card shower in honor of her 90th birthday. The open house will be Friday, Nov. 11, from 12:30-2:30 p.m. at Willow Ridge Retirement Center. A time of sharing will also be at Ron Allen's home in McCook, 71149 Road 377, on Saturday, Nov. ...

Josh and Tracy Crocker of McCook, Nebraska announce the birth of their daughter, Jaycee Lynn Crocker. She was born Oct. 5, 2011 in McCook and weighed 7 pounds, 12 ounces and measured 20 1/2 inches long. She has one brother, Collin, 5. Grandparents are Lee and Teresa Shields of McCook, Paula and Danny Butler of Moline, Illinois and Richie and Jody Crocker of McCook. Great-grandparents are Varlan and Catherine Neal of Oberlin, Kansas and Vera Veith of North Platte, Nebraska...

The family of Irene Vandament will host an open house to celebrate her 90th birthday, Saturday, Nov. 19, from 2-4 p.m. at the Arapahoe Senior Center. Cards of congratulations will reach her at P.O. Box 576, Arapahoe, NE 68922.

Hadley Mae and Benjamin Steele Kohtz Craig and Jamie (Confer) Kohtz of Lincoln, Nebraska, announce the birth of their twins, Hadley Mae, 5 pounds, 9 ounces and Benjamin Steele, five pounds, 13 ounces. They were born July 20, 2011. They have one brother, Conner, 15 and a sister, Abby, 14. Grandparents are Kent and Anne Confer of McCook and Jim Jeannie Kohtz of Columbus. Great-grandparents are the late Merle and Dorothy Confer and the late John and Florence Unger...

BLAIR, Nebraska -- Pamela Jo Hein of Omaha, Nebraska and Boyd Keith Adams of Santa Monica, California were united in marriage Oct. 28, 2011, at the Washington County Courthouse of Blair, Nebraska with County Clerk, Vicki Kuhlmann, officiating. The bride's parents are Ronald and Patsy Hein of Papillion, Nebraska...

HASTINGS, Nebraska -- Chandra Jo Criss Lewis of Sargent, Nebraska and Austin James Lewis of Culbertson, Nebraska, were united in marriage June 25, 2011, at French Memorial Chapel in Hastings, Nebraska with the Rev. Joel Remmers officiating. Parents of the bride are Mike and Carolyn Criss of Sargent. Grandparents are the late Sandie and Bessie Schultz, the late Shirley Criss and the late Harlan Criss...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Having witnessed on numerous occasions a working smoke detector being the difference between life and death, the McCook fire department has asked that residents changing their clocks back this weekend, in accordance with daylight savings time, also take the time to change the batteries in their smoke detectors...

Veterans Day is November 11th and it is an opportunity to honor and remember those who have served our state and our country in uniform. As we observe Veterans Day, I want to express my sincere gratitude to our veterans for their service. We're proud of these men and women and their families for what they have done for us...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Red Willow County, Nebraska, commissioners are expected to accept an anonymous $150,000 donation and go into a closed session to discuss a real estate purchase during their regular weekly meeting Monday morning. The meeting begins at 9 a.m., in the commissioners' room on the third floor of the courthouse in McCook. The public is encouraged to attend...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The McCook Police Department has requested councilors declare as surplus city property, one police vehicle that is being taken out of service due to age and condition, as well as 15 other vehicles that were impounded for various violations. The request also includes 64 unclaimed and abandoned bicycles, four DVDs, a duffle bag, one Rubbermaid cooler and a Sony microcassette recorder...

CONNIE JO DISCOE Regional Editor McCOOK, Nebraska -- The gun wasn't real. The stand-off wasn't real. But the possibility was. McCook police officers and McCook Public Schools officials participated in drills at the schools this week, staging "an intruder" or "intruders" who threatened staff and students...

A cult in the NBC comedy "Parks and Recreation" took over one of the town's parks for an "end of the world" party in Thursday night's episode, but, of course, had to reserve another day when "Zorp" refused to appear. A group of scientists is holding its own end of the world party this weekend, but they not expecting an actual cataclysm, only planning to watch one go by...

Nobody should be surprised at what's happening in many of the major cities across the country. People who call themselves the 99 percent are protesting the financial greed displayed by the 1 percent of Americans who control 80 percent of the assets in this country. ...

It seems there has been a lot of information on concussions in the news in the past year. Some wonder what all the fuss is about. First, we are taking concussions more seriously. We are even eliminating the euphemisms we used to use such as "getting your bell rung" or "getting dinged" because they diminish the fact that someone actually received a mild traumatic brain injury...

Last month's jobs report did not offer much to feel good about the state of the American economy. October marked the 33rd straight month of joblessness above eight percent, a post-World War II record and job growth slowed to a four month low. Unemployment remains at nine percent. ...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Considering all the times that Declan has informed me that he "learned nothing today," I am enjoying witnessing his academic progress. It is pretty incredible when you consider just a few months ago he had practically no reading ability, yet now I regularly catch him sitting on the floor of his room sounding out portions of words in books...

BENKELMAN, Nebraska -- General manager Randall J. Raile explained a small segment of the complex wiring systems that support the telecommunications, Internet, cable television and computer sales, support and wiring services provided by BWTelcom, "a small mom-and-pop company" that started with telephone services in Benkelman (Nebraska) in 1944...