Stories from Friday, March 22, 2013

Before arriving to Washington, I lived and worked on our family ranch for 41 years with my husband, Bruce, in the Sandhills of Nebraska. With daily chores and caking cattle around Sunny Slope Ranch, I quickly developed an appreciation for the lay of the land. ...

Family Features It's time to break out of your ordinary lunch routine and make boring turkey sandwiches a thing of the past. With a few innovative tricks, you can turn any regular sandwich into a delicious and satisfying meal. Versatile and delicious, a sandwich is perfect for any occasion, whether you're sitting down with the family or packing for a lunch on the go. And you don't have to be a professional chef...

I have been working on teaching Declan the proper name for each of our local parks, but he is about as interested in the knowledge as he is learning to tie his own shoes. "We're going to Norris Park," I said recently. "Where?" he replied, looking at me with more than a little confusion...

Shirley B. Hayward June 5, 1924 - March 21, 2013 OBERLIN, Kansas -- Shirley B. Hayward, 88, died Thursday March 21, 2013 at Decatur County Good Samaritan Center in Oberlin. Services are pending with Pauls Funeral Home in Oberlin.

Kaden Paul Brown Brett and Kelsy Brown of North Platte, Nebraska, announce the birth of their son, Kaden Paul Brown, born March 4, 2013, in North Platte. He weighed 7 pounds, 13.8 ounces and measured 20 inches long. Grandparents are Tim and Juanita Czarnick of North Platte and Dr. Rick and Carol Brown of Hayes Center, Nebraska. Great grandparents are Bill and Virginia Brown and Rex and Twyla Steinbrink, all of Trenton, Nebraska...

Christner, Scott Tabithia K. Christner and Michael J. Scott, both of Brookings, South Dakota, announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the bride-to-be are Wayne and Noreen Christner of Hamlet, Nebraska. Parents of the prospective bridegroom are Dean and Jane Youngkrantz of Lake Lillian, Minnesota and John Scott of Pennock, Minnesota...

75th birthday Caroline (Akey) Roedel of McCook, Nebraska, will celebrate her 75th birthday. She was born April 11, 1938, in Wray, Colorado. Her family includes husband, Willard, of McCook, Gina and Shane Hatch of Lincoln, Nebraska, Joni and Kevin Stimits of Larkspur, Colorado and four grandchildren. Cards of congratulations will reach her at Willow Ridge Assisted Living, 1500 East 11th Street, No. 36, McCook, NE 69001...

Andrew Christopher Oltmer Heather Hein Oltmer and Adam Oltmer Sr. announce the birth of their son, Andrew Christopher Oltmer, born March 8, 2013, at Butler County Health Care Center in David City, Nebraska. He weighed 7 pounds, 7 ounces. He has two brothers, AJ, 8- years-old and Anthony, 3 1/2- years-old. ...

84th birthday The family of Catherine Boyle VanArsdale of Grayslake, Illinois, is requesting a card shower in honor of her 84th birthday. She was born April 1, 1929, in Stratton, Nebraska and taught at McCook Elementary schools. Her family includes husband,Jim VanArsdale; children, Don, Elizabeth, Janet and Hugh of Grayslake and two grandchildren. She is the daughter of Pat and Winnie Boyle of Stratton. Cards of congratulations will reach her at 1102 Pegusus Ct., Grayslake, IL 60030...

85th birthday Elsie Grube of Indianola, Nebraska, will celebrate her 85th birthday April 4. Her family includes children, Judith Hollers of Indianola, Calvin Grube of Indianola, Ellen Jackson of Lincoln, Nebraska and six grandchildren. Cards of congratulations will reach her at P.O. Box 273, Indianola, NE 69034...

80th birthday The family of Louise Tucker Herron of McCook, is requesting a card shower in honor of her 80th birthday. She was born April 4, 1933. Cards of congratulations will reach her at 1406 East C Street, McCook, NE 69001.

90th birthday Helen (Hatcher) Holtze, formerly of Indianola and McCook, Nebraska, will celebrate her 90th birthday March 29 at the Cherry Creek Retirement Home in Aurora, Colorado. Cards of congratulations will reach her in care of her daughter, at A. Maureen Bowler, 13803 E. Lehigh Ave., No. A, Aurora, CO 80014...

80th birthday The family of Maxine Scott of Palisade, Nebraska is hosting a reception in honor of her 80th birthday. She was born March 31, 1933, in Hill City, Kansas. The reception will be Sunday, April 7, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Palisade United Methodist Church. Her family includes children, Linda Scott and Barbara Bruns Scott of Beatrice, Nebraska, three grandchildren and four great- grandchildren. Cards of congratulations will reach her at Box 133, Palisade, NE 69040...

By Susan Doak SW Nebraska Genealogy Society Have you ever wondered why a certain berry dish was saved all those generations even if it was cracked or chipped? After packing the homes of people I loved, and helping others organize the memories left in their parents or grandparents homes, I found that we actually know little about those people we loved...

The budget process is one of the most basic functions of government - to set priorities of how to best use tax dollars. Every year, Congress and the President are required by law to agree to a 10-year budget resolution to manage our nation's long-term finances. However, for too long we have not used the budget process to improve the fiscal condition of our country...

LINCOLN, Nebraska -- Two Omaha men recently won 2013 Toyota Tundra Rock Warrior CrewMax 4x4 Flex Fuel trucks in the 18th edition of the Nebraska Lottery's $2 Truck$ & Buck$ Scratch game. Andrew Pinneo of Omaha purchased the first truck-winning ticket at Casey's General Store, 422 Nasby Street in Cambridge. ...

CONNIE JO DISCOE Regional Editor McCOOK, Nebraska -- The McCook, Nebraska, Humane Society's 32nd annual rummage sale in April will include two new evening "bag sales," offering early-bird shoppers two additional opportunities to shop. Humane society president Anne Dowd and her corps of volunteers plan the two bag sales on Tuesday, April 16, and Thursday, April 18, from 5:30 p.m. until 8 p.m...

OBERLIN, Kansas -- Dylan Coryell told a Kansas Bureau of Investigation interrogator, "Someone tossed me a gun ... I just caught the gun, and it went off." Later in a 90-minute taped interview, Coryell said, quietly, "It was a freak accident. I regret every second of it."...

BRUCE BAKER City Editor McCOOK, Nebraska -- After engineers looked further into improvements to be made to crosswalks, at the intersection of Norris Avenue and B Street, it was determined that changes to the alignment and slope of the existing ADA ramps was too costly to proceed with. ...

The birds in McCook, Nebraska's Barnett Park play "Duck Duck Goose" in the warm sunshine Wednesday afternoon.

New spring chicks and ducklings obviously don't always trigger loving "ooh"s and "ahh"s or grins-and-giggles -- Cort Neben wasn't too sure about the peeping, fuzzy mass at Orscheln Farm and Home in McCook, Nebraska, Wednesday afternoon. And Maci Brush thought they were great at a distance, but Mommy, don't put one in my lap. Cort is the 11⁄2-year-old son of Tyler and Kristina Neben, and Maci is the 8-month-old daughter of Barry and Karmen Brush...

Children, teachers and farmers enjoyed relatively mild weather on their way to school Jan. 11, 1888, but by the end of the day, thousands of children and teachers were stranded, and of those caught outside, 235 died in what came to be known the School Children's Blizzard...

As we fast approach our Public Hearing date of Monday, March 25th we want to clarify a few items. We have had so many people asking us to explain all that is going on. Many people have not realized that there are two different Health Departments in Red Willow County. While we are both "Health Departments," each of us has had a different focus...

I laughed when I saw the bumper sticker that said "Don't cuss the farmer when your mouth is full." And that is a good point to be made this National Agriculture Week. As more and more American citizens are growing up away from rural environments (by that I mean agriculture environments where production agriculture exists, not suburbs where people raise a garden and a few chickens), it becomes more important for those of us in production agriculture to tell our consumers where and how their food is produced. ...

I was going to write today on the war threats that North Korea has made against the United States and Iran has made against Israel but a show I watched last night on Showtime changed my mind. It was a documentary about Dick Cheney, who served as vice president under George W. Bush...

Springtime hunger overcomes this squirrel's shyness as he remained in this hackberry tree in the backyard of Jeremy and Amy Blomstedt's McCook yard while Jeremy returned to the house three times to change lenses, thinking with each trip the squirrel would be long gone. ...

When the helpers failed to show up March 7, to load the Goodwill truck, the United Methodist Women sprang into action and had the truck loaded two scant hours later. Clockwise from top left are Donna Swanson, Glenis Discoe, Gwen Prell and Marilyn Funk. Not pictured was Patty Bennett. Last minute helpers were Kim Parde, Dustin Parde, Alisa Parde, Erynn Perkins, Barb Ostrum, John Swanson and the Rev. Clark Bates...

Dear Friend, INTRO Easter season brings great joy to the hearts of true Christians. An old hymn comes to mind..."HE LIVES" I serve a risen Savior, He's in the world today, I know that He is living, whatever men may say, I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer, And just the time I need Him, He's always near. ...

In the coming days the world's two billion Christians will begin celebrating Holy Week. This week, booked-ended by the festive days of Palm Sunday that honors Jesus' "triumphal entry" into Jerusalem, and Easter Sunday that celebrates Jesus' resurrection, contains some of the most significant events on the church calendar...

The day after I wrote that it does matter (even to a protestant pastor) who the College of Cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church elected as the next Pope -- the announcement of white smoke came quickly! What a surprise! It seemed a long shot that the next Holy Father would come from South America, but that is exactly where he came from, Argentina to be exact...

"A Full House" owner Gloria Homeier holds the wooden scissors during a ribbon cutting ceremony at the home furnishing store's Norris Avenue location, Friday morning. Homeier purchased the McCook store from her parents recently, increasing the number of A Full House locations she owns to six, which includes a Lexington, Nebraska, location and four locations in Kansas. A Full House sells furniture, appliances and home electronics on a cash sales, 90 day financing or rent to own basis...