Stories from Friday, December 2, 2011

The youngest of my four little brothers is in his mid-twenties and moved to McCook this past summer. He is single and has never had kids of his own, but being the youngest of six siblings has made him a very patient young man. He is great with kids in general and it has been both wonderful and entertaining seeing Declan and Uncle Casey bond over the last several months...

Family Features Whether you invite a few friends for cock­tails and snacks, or you're hosting the whole crowd for a holiday meal, add warmth and richness to special dishes with pure maple syrup from Canada. Maple syrup adds more than flavor and sweetness. All-natural pure maple syrup has been shown to be healthier for you than most other sweeteners...

Wynn and Angie Lafferty of Lincoln, Nebraska, announce the birth of their daughter, Braylyn Corinne Lafferty, who was born Aug. 19, 2011. Grandparents are Debby and Winston Lafferty, of McCook and Ted and Lori Hilger, of Lincoln.

The family of Virginia Lee Schaffert of Culberston is requsting a card shower in honor of her 80th birthday on Dec. 9. Cards of congratulations will reach her at P.O. Box 315, Culbertson, NE 69024

Jake and Lena (Kolbet) Koebel of Culbertson, Nebraska announce the birth of their daughter, Vivie Anna Koebel, who was born Oct. 10, 2011 at McCook Community Hospital. She weighed 7 pounds, 1 ounce and measured 21 1/2 inches long. Grandparents are Kenneth and Elaine Kolbet and Bud and Annie Kehle, all of Culbertson. Great-grandparents are Lillian Kehler and DeWanye and Gloria Kautz, also from Culbertson...

Brian Thomas and Kristina Rodgers of McCook announce the birth of their daughter, Serenity Yvonne Thomas, who was born Oct. 18, 2011 at Cambridge. She weighed 7 poounds, 2 ounces and measured 20 1/2 inches long. Grandparents are Julie Rogers of Trenton and Lynn and Angela Thomas of McCook. Great-grandparents are Joann and Wayne Daniel of Hamlet and Eleanor and Vern Dewey of Lake Havasu City, Arizona...

Toni Hopkins and Brent Carfield of McCook announce the birth of their daughter, Adrianna Nicole, who was born Nov. 18, 2011. She weighed 7 pounds, 5 ounces and measured 19 3/4 inches long. Grandparents are Janet and Gary Knappert and Adam and Charity Carfield, all of McCook...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The McCook City Council will meet Monday evening, 7:30 p.m., at Memorial Auditorium, but only as a formality to reschedule the meeting for 7:30 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 8. Mayor Dennis Berry will be unable to attend the Monday meeting and with Councilors Aaron Kircher and Shane Hilker abstaining from voting, the council will not have enough representation to take actions...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Two men have already been arrested in connection with break-ins at several area businesses. While those two were in custody this week, at least five other businesses were broken into. Four of which occurred Monday morning, including the McCook Humane Society, Stockman's Feed & Supply, Rick R Ruggles & Sons Trucking Company and Frontier Home Medical...

KEARNEY, Nebraska -- Nick and Kati Ladenburger of Stratton, Nebraska, were honored as Nebraska Farm Bureau's 2011 Young Farmers and Ranchers Achievement Award winners at the 2011 Nebraska Farm Bureau convention, on Monday, Dec. 5 in Kearney. Farm Bureau members 18 to 35 years of age apply for the award. The Ladenburgers were selected on the basis of performance in farm or ranch management, setting and achieving goals, overcoming obstacles, and service to the community and Farm Bureau...

You've probably heard the one about the guy in a suit who drives up in his fancy car and issues a challenge to a rancher. "If I tell you exactly how many cattle you have in that pasture, will you give me one?" Sure, says the rancher. The dude whips out his smart phone, uses GPS to pinpoint his exact location, logs onto a secret satellite and feeds the real-time image into a program which prints out the answer:...

Tom Hanks uttered this famous saying in his role as Forrest Gump. It means that if a person, even a smart person, does stupid things, they're stupid. In other words, you are what you do. My ex-wife Linda fought this battle with her parents her whole life. I remember hearing her mom tell her on many different occasions that she was just stupid. So she spent her whole life while they were alive trying to prove them wrong...

With our nation in the midst of the worst jobs crisis since the Great Depression, you would think policymakers would be focused on reducing barriers to job creation. Not so. High unemployment has many drivers, but one of the most obvious culprits is over-regulation...

The family of Carol Helm of McCook, Nebraska is requesting a card shower in honor of her 85th birthday. She was born Dec. 5, 1926 in Danbury,Nebraska. Her family includes Daniel Thomas, missing and declared dead from the Vietnam War, Eugene and Cathy Thomas of Albright, West Virginia, Edward and Linda Thomas, Carolyn and Darryl Lee and Danny Thomas, all of McCook, 9 grandchlldren and 12 great-grandchildren. Cards of congratulations will reach her at Willow Ridge, Apt. 317, McCook, NE 69001...

John Edward Brennan July 9, 1925 - Dec. 2, 2011 STRATTON, Nebraska -- John Edward Brennan, originally of Stratton, passed away Friday, Dec. 2, 2011, at El Dorado Manor in Trenton. He was 86 years old. John was born on July 9, 1925, in Manson, Iowa to Edward and Amy (Eccles) Brennan...

Kevin and Tera Boyd of Hastings, Nebraska announce the birth of their daughter, Raegan Ann Boyd, who was born Sept. 9, 2011, at Mary Lanning Memorial Hospital in Hastings. She weighed 7 pounds, 13 ounces and measured 21 inches long. Grandparents are Jerry and Ann Montey of McCook, Nebraska and the late Tim and Jennifer Boyd...