Stories from Friday, August 17, 2012

The family of Freda Leffler is requesting a card shower in honor of her 100th birthday. She was born Aug. 11, 1912 in Hayes Center, Nebraska. She lived and taught in Hayes Center until her retirement, spent her retirement years in Mesa, Arizona and at the age of 90, moved to Highland Park in McCook. ...

Patricia A. 'Pat' Lynch April 3, 1932 - Aug. 16, 2012 HOLDREGE, Nebraska -- Funeral services for Patricia A. "Pat" Lynch will be conducted on Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2012, at 1 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church in Holdrege, Nebraska with Reverend Dale Lambert officiating. Interment will be held in the Prairie Home Cemetery at Holdrege...

This information is gathered at the McCook Public Safety Center, the McCook office of the Nebraska State Patrol, the Red Willow County Courthouse, the Red Willow County Sheriff's Office and the McCook Humane Society. Police activity Activity log...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The Piecemakers' Quilt Guide met at Our Savior's Lutheran Church on Aug. 10, 2012. There were 17 members present. The morning session was Open Sew. Working on their own projects at guild gives members the opportunity to ask for help if needed...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- McCook FOE Eagles Auxiliary 2769 held their regular meeting Tuesday evening Aug. 14 at the Eagles Hall, the agenda was a discussion of the upcoming events to be held this fall. In August they will be selling raffle tickets for a custom made pool cue made by Kelly Doyle. ...

McCOOK, Nebraska --The McCook Art Guild is coordinating a fund-raising raffle of a bronze sculpture by noted artist Gary Lee Ginther. The sale of raffle tickets began in June and will continue until the winning ticket is pulled on Sept. 30, 2012, during a Heritage Days celebration...

LINCOLN, Nebraska -- Jessica Long and Ben Johnson, both of Lincoln, Nebraska, were united in marriage April 28, 2012, at Messiah Lutheran Church in Lincoln with the Rev. John Kunze officiating. Parents of the bride are Jim and Annette Long of Wauneta, Nebraska. Grandparent is Violet Long of Wauneta...

80th birthday The family of Betty (Evans) Brown of Maywood is requesting a card shower in honor of her 80th birthday Aug. 22. Cards of congratulations will reach her at 37686 Road 745A, Maywood NE 69038

Zander Douglas Stewart Chad and Lindsey Stewart of Indianola, Nebraska, announce the birth of their son, Zander Douglas Stewart, who was born July 17, 2012, in Cambridge, Nebraska. He weighed 7 pounds, 11 ounces and measured 21 inches long. Grandparents are Mike and Barb Esch of McCook, Nebraska, Doug Stewart of Indianola and Joyce and Lennie Deaver of Cambridge. ...

Spicka, Vontz Ashley Spicka and Chris Vontz, both of Friend, Nebraska, announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the bride-to-be are Kevin and Kathy Spicka of Friend. Grandparents are Elaine Spicka of Friend, the late Alvin Spicka, Grace Roth of Crete and the late DeWayne Roth...

25th anniversary Tom and Kim (Ziemann) Sughroue of Indianola, Nebraska, will celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary Aug. 22. Their children are Thomas, Devin and Kayleigh. Cards of congratulations will reach them at 71602 Road 397, Indianola, NE 69034...

40th anniversary Bob and Joann Nemechek will celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary Aug. 19. Cards of congratulations will reach them at 404 W. Third, McCook, NE 69001

Kali Ann Werkmeister Sheila and Travis Werkmeister of McCook announce the birth of their daughter, Kali Ann Werkmeister, who was born July 17, 2012, at McCook Community Hospital. She weighed 7 pounds, 12 ounces and measured 20 inches long. She has three sisters, Hayley, 14, Erin, 13 and Riley, 8. ...

Caitlyn Marie Wasia Rebecca Wasia of Stratton, Nebraska and Doug Wasia of McCook, Nebraska,announce the birth of their daughter, Caitlyn Marie Wasia, who was born Aug. 2, 2012 at Cambridge Memorial Hospital. She weighed 7 pounds, 2.5 ounces and measured 20 inches long. She has one brother, Carter, 13 months. Grandparents are Dean and Andrea Biberstein of Stratton. Great grandparents are Carol Kline of Stratton and the late Rev. Philip Kline and Stanley and Delilah Biberstein of Decatur, Indiana...

90th birthday The family of Evelyn (Frank) Morgan is requesting a card shower in honor of her 90th birthday Aug. 25. Her family includes children, Jackie and Don, five grandchildren and one great-grandchildren. Cards of congratulations will reach her at 1526 Centennial Drive, McCook, NE 69001...

30th anniversary The family of Steve and Cathy Bryant of McCook is requesting a card shower in honor of the couple's 30th wedding anniversary. They were married Aug. 20, 1982, in McCook. Their family includes children, Jason and Bridget Bryant, Jon and Morgan Bryant, Jillian, Joanna, Jarod and Jaden Bryant and two grandchildren. Cards of congratulations will reach them at 510 West 10th, McCook, NE 69001...

Local families do their part to reach global goal of helping 9 million children in 2012 and more than 100 million since 1993.

OBERLIN, Kansas -- The United Church of Oberlin, 109 N. Griffith, is composed of three denominations: American Baptists Churches of the USA, Christian (Disciples of Christ) and the United Presbyterian Church. All three denominations have a long history in Oberlin, each starting there in the late 1880s. ...

The Stratton Community United Methodist Church will be celebrating its 125th Anniversary, Sunday, Aug. 19, beginning with a special worship service at 10:30 CDT. The District Superintendent, Kay Alnor, will be there to give a special message. The worship service will be followed with a dinner at the Veteran's Memorial Hall across the street. ...

Dear Friend, INTRO For our 61st wedding anniversary, Delores and I decided to go to Maranatha Bible Camp just East of North Platte, along I-80, where we met and were married so many years ago. We married on August 9, 1951, and immediately went to Denver, where we attended Rocky Mountain Bible Institute. ...

As a child I rode my bicycle without a helmet or elbow pads. I would leave home on that same bicycle on summer mornings and not return until dinner, never once checking in by cell phone. It was fun -- and acceptable -- to jump on a trampoline, talk to strangers, climb trees far too flimsy to support my weight, play in the street, light fire crackers without adult supervision, to go all day without using hand sanitizer, and yes, it was fun to run with a sharp stick in my hand...

Living in the Orient was a marvelous and wonderful experience. At first, it seemed strange to live in a compound surrounded by a high wall with a watchman on duty. Yet, how comforting is was to know the watchman was there, providing safety 7/24/365...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The McCook City Council will consider authorizing a 3.5 percent water rate increase in addition to a 3.5 percent sewer rate increase Monday evening. If approved residential rates are anticipated to increase on average by $10 annually for sewer and $16 annually for water...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Exercise comes second nature for Stephanie Miller of McCook. As a kid, she grew up in a household with a father who was a coach and athletic director, so Miller watched ESPN Sports on Saturday morning instead of cartoons, she laughed...

The McCook Sertoma Club presented a $3,100 check to the McCook College Foundation on Tuesday as its third installment towards the purchase of a Hearing Loop System for the new Events Center at McCook Community College. Through the use of a telecoil (t-coil) built into an individual's hearing aid and a conductive wire looped around the Events Center gymnasium, a hearing aid wearer will be able to pick up crystal-clear sounds and speech broadcast through the gym's public address system or any microphone by simply pressing a button built into the hearing aid.. ...

Caleb Hawley and the Awkward Silence perform Thursday at Norris Park, the final performance in this summer's Hot Summer Nights series sponsored by McCook National Bank and MNB Insurance. Hawley, who gained American Idol fame after his first appearance in McCook, lives in Harlem, N.Y. More information is available here...

It's easy to think of things more important for Congress to do than designate a U.S. National Mammal, but McCook residents should take more than a passing interest in a proposal that is gaining speed. Make that, as proponents describe it, turning into a stampede...

Fellow Americans, there's been a proposal before Congress for over a decade that would put America on track to a swift and permanent economic recovery. Congress won't pass it unless we demand it. Its adoption would drastically reduce elected politicians' power and control over US citizens. It's called the Fair Tax...

Will got in late last Thursday night and, after we talked for a bit, he tried connecting his laptop to my PC because he had to work the next day. After trying several different connections with none of them working, he decided he would have to go check into a hotel with wireless accommodations so that's what he did. ...

As I have been traveling through Nebraska's Third District during the August work period, I am reminded about the fiscal situation facing our country. I hear from Nebraskans concerned about the future of Medicare and whether it will continue to be effective in the future...

With the 143rd Nebraska State Fair set to kick off next week, I would like to invite all Nebraskans to join in the tradition and fun of the State Fair. The staff has worked very hard to prepare for the State Fair that will run from August 24 through September 3...