Stories from Friday, March 1, 2013

Maybe it's the single serve proportions, perfect cake-to-icing ratio or approachability of this iconic treat, but America's love affair with cupcakes is holding strong. These tasty treats can be adapted to any occasion, and whether it's a favorite holiday, birthday bash, girl's night out or just because, the color, sweetness and fun of cupcakes makes people smile...

Declan is already more than a little suspicious that Dad and the "Tooth Fairy" are one in the same, but I am hanging on to the fantasy by a thread, simply by refusing to admit it. "Did you put this under my pillow?" he asked about a week ago with a curious grin, after finding a trio of dollar bills under his pillow...

Leroy Jussel WAUNETA, Nebraska -- Leroy Jussel, 86, longtime resident of Wauneta, died Wednesday (Feb.27, 2013), at the VA Hospital in Grand Island. Survivors include his wife. Bernadene "Bunnie" Jussel of Wauneta; son, David Jussel and wife, Vickie of Waddell, Arizona; brothers, Alfred "Cub" Jussel and wife, Beth of Penn Valley, California and Willard "Moe" Jussel of Grand Junction, Colorado; sister, Kay Frohardt and husband, Tom of Parker, Colorado; brother-in-law, James Birl Modrell and wife, Eloise of Algona, Iowa; five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.. ...

Melvin LaVerene Mays Oct. 10, 1924 - Jan. 2, 2011 LINCOLN, Nebraska -- Melvin LaVerene Mays, 86, formerly of Orleans, Nebraska, died Jan. 2, 2011, at the McKee Hospital in Loveland, Colorado. He was born Oct. 10, 1924, on a farm south of Alma, Nebraska, to George and Inez (Gildersleeve) Mays. He attended school in Alma for 11 years. His family moved to Orleans where he graduated from Orleans High School in 1942...

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...

Courtesy photo Dick and Ann Trail of McCook were the winners of Pinpoint Communications' $100 Amazon gift card from the 2013 Home and Leisure Show drawing. Pinpoint extends its thanks to everyone who stopped by the booth.

50th anniversary The family of Dale and Judy Beedle of Arapahoe, Nebraska, is requesting a card shower in honor of their 50th wedding anniversary. The couple was married March 3,1963. Cards of congratulations will reach them at PO Box 211, Arapahoe NE 68922 ...

68th anniversary The family of Robert "Bob" and Burdella Martin of Araphahoe, Nebraska, are hosting an open house in honor of the couple's 68th wedding anniversary. They were married March 10, 1945, at Norton, Kansas. The open house is Saturday, March 9, 2 to 4 p.m. ...

50th anniversary The family of Wayne and Loretta Heathers of Curtis, Nebraska, is requesting a card shower in honor of the couple's 50th wedding anniversary March 10. Their family includes children, Keith and wife, Joan Heathers of McCook, Nebraska, Gene and wife, Tracy Heathers of Champion, Nebraska and four grandchildren. Cards of congratulations will reach them at PO Box 217; Curtis NE 69025...

80th birthday The family of Mary Ellen (Wakefield) Monzon of McCook, Nebraska, is requesting a card shower in honor of her 80th birthday. She was born March 1, 1933, in McCook. Her family includes her husband, Victor Monzon; children, Debra Hayes of Kolof, Alaska, Pam Hartwell, Jeanne Moody, MIchelle Clapp and Greg Monzon, all of McCook and Vicki Pevoteaux of Pratt, Kansas; 21 grandchildren and 24 great grandchildren. Cards of congratulations will reach them at 1111 E. Fifth, McCook, NE 69001...

Adlee Lauren Plas Aaron and Laura Plas of York, Nebraska, announce the birth of their daughter, Adlee Lauren Plas. She was born February 4, 2013, at Lincoln, Nebraska and weighed 8 pounds, 7 ounces and measured 21 inches long. She has a brother, Cooper and sister, Kennedy, both 22 months. Grandparents are Phil and Diane Lyons and Jim and Patty Phinney, all of McCook, Nebraska and Jeff Plas of Lincoln...

Genesis Sterling White Aaron and Sarah White of Norton, Kansas, announce the birth of their daughter, Genesis Sterling White, who was born Feb. 24, 2013. She was born at the Norton County Hospital and weighed 5 pounds, 5 ounces and measured 18 inches long. ...

By Susan Doak SW Nebraska Genealogy Society McCOOK, Nebraska -- One of the many services SWNGS provides is saving historic documents and providing access to them online. Consequently, I am currently working on scanning the myriad of marriage certificates from Red Willow County. It makes me greatly appreciate all the hard work other members have done in the past...

Experience wins out as Warriors fall in first round

Wauneta-Palisade heads home after first-round loss

State tourney loss brings record-setting season to a close

Andy Warhol almost got it right. In 1968, he observed that "in the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes." If he could have forseen the Internet, he might have more correctly trimmed that to "15 seconds." This week, three McCook Community College freshmen enjoyed their time in the spotlight on the Tosh.0 Comedy Central "Sports or Consequences" feature, which broadcast a video of one of them forced to ride through a carwash on a windshield after losing a "spin-around-a-bat" challenge.. ...

The feature story in Time magazine this week, reportedly longer than any feature they have ever run, is the appalling financial burden imposed on most hospital patients who are unaware of what's being done to them. The only time I was ever in the hospital was when I was six years old to have my tonsils taken out so I know nothing personally about this situation except the horror stories I've heard from others. Nick Veasey's article confirmed those stories...

NORTH PLATTE, Nebraska -- Region IX Tournament games will be webcast from North Platte Community College, officials have announced. Visit the Tournament Website, Interactive Tournament Bracket or Live Webcasts NPCC's first game is Saturday at 4 p.m. CST against Dawson Community College...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The McCook City Council has a trio of discussion items scheduled for Monday evening, including downtown parking, the future use of Memorial Auditorium and the status of the city's 2012-13 Strategic Plan. The downtown parking discussion will include whether or not to increase enforcement efforts by the police department. ...

The new McCook Municipal Center is now complete, sans landscaping. The McCook Area Chamber of Commerce plans a ribbon cutting 3 p.m. Tuesday. City officials are still trying to decide what to do with the building it replaces, Memorial Auditorium, to the left...

IMPERIAL, Nebraska -- If you've noticed a recent uptick in Republican River flows, especially in its western reaches, it may be due to a new stream flow enhancement project that has begun operating in Dundy County. The Rock Creek Augmentation Project initiated by the Upper Republican Natural Resources District in Imperial began operations approximately one week ago...

Roxy Lang of Wilsonville, Nebraska, captured this shot just south of Wilsonville and commented, "It is so wonderful to see the snow lay on the drilled wheat rows." The McCook Daily Gazette would love to showcase your weather photos. Readers can contribute to our daily weather page, subject to space and color availability, by emailing photos to editor2@ocsmccook.com or bringing them into the Gazette offices at West First and E Streets. ...

HOLDREGE, Nebraska -- Please mark your calendars for March 20, 2013 at 6:30 p.m., at Mount Calvary Lutheran Church at Holdrege, Nebraska when Gary Theis will be speaking and showing his amazing Miracle Pictures, that you will long remember. Gary has traveled to 75 countries around the world, and spoken in more than 1300 congregations in the United States and Canada...

Dear Friend, INTRO There are so many indicators of the nearness of the Rapture, things I have shared with you previously, and now its like the planets are all in perfect alignment, screaming at us, "The Rapture is any day!" ESTABLISHING A PRECISE DATE...

The Bible is an epic five-week, 10 hour television mini-series premiering March 3, 2013 on the History Channel from Emmy Award winning husband and wife team, Mark Burnett and Roma Downey. For two hours each Sunday night millions of viewers will see the Bible come to life in a way never before seen. ...

"God said it, I believe it, and that settles it." This slogan is one of today's all too common bumper sticker defenses of the Bible. The phrase is sometimes amended to read, "God said it...and that settles it," to reflect that personal belief is inconsequential in the matter...

NORTH PLATTE, Nebraska -- Sanctus Real will perform at the North Platte Community Playhouse March 17 as a part of their Promises Tour. Sanctus Real's latest single "Promises" recently climbed to number one on the Christian Radio Chart. Other artists performing at the March 17 concert include JJ Heller, Unspoken and Bread of Stone...

School Violence School security and emergency preparedness is on a lot of people's minds because of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. PBS recently aired (Feb. 20th or Feb. 21st) a one hour program about school security, "After Newtown: The Path to Violence."...

William L. 'Bill' Saalfeld May 2, 1950 - March 1, 2013 McCOOK, Nebraska -- William L. "Bill" Saalfeld, age 62, of McCook, Nebraska, passed away at the UNMC in Omaha, Nebraska, on March 1, 2013. Bill was born in Columbus, Nebraska, on May 2, 1950, to Dennis and Betty (Wilch) Saalfeld. He grew up in Richland, Nebraska, and graduated from Schuyler High School in 1968, where he was an outstanding athlete in football, wrestling, track and field and American Legion Baseball...

The so-called "sequester" is the latest showdown to grip the attention of Washington and the nation. The House of Representatives voted twice to replace these arbitrary cuts before the March 1 deadline with commonsense reductions and reforms. However, these cuts are now in effect because the President and the Senate have yet to propose and pass a viable alternative...

50th anniversary The family of Ron and Sandy Harpham of McCook is hosting a reception in honor of the couple's 50th wedding anniversary. They were married March 14, 1963, in Hastings, Nebraska. The reception is Saturday, March 9, at the Knights of Columbus Hall in McCook from 2 to 5 p.m. ...