Stories from Friday, July 26, 2013

Last month, President Obama delivered a speech on climate change during which he announced his plans to increase regulations and impose a costly national tax on affordable energy sources. He intends to enact this proposal through executive action, avoiding Congress and the citizens they represent. Specifically, the president will authorize the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to issue new carbon emission standards for existing power plants...

Felker, Olsen Nicole Elizabeth Felker and Jonathan Mitchell Olsen, both of McCook, Nebraska, announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the bride-to-be are Don and Lisa Felker of McCook. Grandparents are Betty Davidson of Indianola, Nebraska, the late Lee Davidson and Gene and Cleta Baumfalk of McCook...

Watson, Steinbrink Amber Watson and Tyler Steinbrink, both of Grand Island, Nebraska, announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the bride-to-be are Dann and Tresa Watson of McCook, Nebraska. Parents of the prospective bridegroom are David and Jeannie Steinbrink of Holdrege, Nebraska...

George Bennett Nemechek Dr. Craig and Angie Nemechek announce the birth of their son, George Bennett Nemechek, born June 29, 2013, at Dakota Dunes, South Dakota. He has one brother, Eli, 2 /2 years old. Grandparents are Bob and Joann Nemechek of McCook, Nebraska and John and Michelle Peterson of Fremont, Nebraska...

50th anniversary The family of Dan and Mona Mousel are hosting a card shower for their 50th wedding anniversary on July 28, 2013. Their children are Kirby and Linda Mousel of Central City and Allison and Alan Jacquot of Anselmo. Grandchildren are Sarah, Lindsay, Janie, and Nate Mousel, Megan and husband, Nate Dubois, and Kaitlyn Jacquot. Their great-grandson is Vincent Dubois. Cards will reach them at 43275 RD 726, Edison, NE 68936...

50th anniversary Ben and Judy Hidy of Trenton, Nebraska, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary with an Open House celebration on Saturday, Aug.10, 2013, from 1-4 p.m. CT at the Church of God Family Life Center (located on East B St.) in Trenton. ...

99th birthday Zilah N. Powell of Stratton, Nebraska, will celebrate her 99th birthday. She was born July 27, 1914. She is the daughter of Seymour and Nola Pember Bailey. Her father was a baseball pitcher in the 20s and she and her brother, Earl Bailey, traveled with him in the summers. ...

By SUSAN DOAK SW Nebraska Genealogy Society McCOOK, Nebraska -- When Nebraska's heat index is turned up, I function at a five-year-old on gummy worms level and this column might just seem to fit the bill. I have three research requests that just aren't going anywhere and perhaps one of you might know the answers...

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...

Graduate Brandi Hilton-Hagemann received her Ph.D. in history, May 10, from the University of Oklahoma. Hilton-Hagemann is the wife of Josh Hagemann, formerly of Culbertson, Nebraska, and the daughter-in-law of Bill and Sue Hagemann of Culbertson. She has accepted a position as an assistant professor of history at Doane College in Crete, Nebraska...

80th birthday The family of Frank Huss of Herndon, Kansas, is requesting a card shower in honor of his 80th birthday. He was born Aug. 1, 1933. His family includes his wife, Norma Jean Huss of Herndon; children, Jeff and Deb Huss of Culbertson, Nebraska, Bob and Linda Huss, Arnetta Huss and Daryl Huss of Herndon, Brenda and Greg Peterson of Atwood, Kansas and Kent and Beth Huss of Hays, Kansas. Cards of congratulations will reach him at 5001 Road 29, Herndon, KS 67739...

Bobbie Lorene Miller Nov. 19, 1922 - July 25, 2013 ATWOOD, Kansas -- Bobbie Lorene Miller, 90, died Thursday (July 25, 2013), at the Good Samaritan Society in Atwood Kansas. She was born Nov. 19, 1922, at O'Donnell, Texas. She was a homemaker. She was preceded in death by her husband, Pastor Charles Miller in 1994, and daughter, Karen Miller...

Roxy and Mike Lang of Wilsonville, Nebraska, took a "photo jaunt" June 29, and Roxy captured this image of a windmill weight in Furnas County. She writes, "You don't see too many weights like this one anymore." She used these camera settings; f/5.6, 1/800, iso100, 70mm. ...

It may be hard to believe, but it is already that time of year when families start to say goodbye to summer and hello to the new school year. In preparation, attention shifts toward to-do lists filled with tasks such as buying school supplies, going clothes shopping and getting sports physical. ...

Dear Friend, INTRO Twenty five hundred years ago, mankind did not have the written word of God, the Bible, as we have it today and only the elite class could read and write. Therefore, God spoke to people in dreams and visions and also by appearing in human or angelic form. His communication came to unsaved mankind as well as saved. Such was the case of Nebuchadnezzar the great king over all the earth...

LINCOLN, Nebraska -- Nebraska Farm Service Agency (FSA) Director, Dan Steinkruger reminds Nebraska producers of the opportunity to enroll in the Direct and Counter-Cyclical Payment Program (DCP). The American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 extended the authorization of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (the 2008 Farm Bill) for DCP, among other Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) programs, through 2013. ...

The weekend after Declan's return from his summer visit with his mother I unexpectedly grew bored with my mustache and goatee. Shaving them seemed like a simple change at the time and I gave it no more thought than I would have when changing a shirt. My loving children, on the other hand, did not approve of my new look...

It was the early 1980s. It was Texas. It was December. It was a Southern Baptist church. It is customary in Southern Baptist churches to take up an offering during the Advent season to support missionaries overseas. This collection is called the "Lottie Moon Christmas Offering," named after a Baptist pioneer missionary to mainland China more than a century ago...

We all go through tribulations at times. It happens to all of us. The Bible in different versions uses different words for tribulations one of which is suffering. Jesus was very clear to us in John 16:33 that in this world we would have many troubles. ...

Members of Memorial United Methodist Church take a break from loading boxes of household items and clothing for Goodwill Industries. The newly arrived Rev. Dr. Doug Griger, senior pastor at MUMC and two of his sons, Caleb and Seth, helped Tyler Gray, Nick Wolvin, Alex Wolvin, Ben Bradley, Marcus Eckhardt, Kade Gray, Joel Gray, Brandean Eckhardt, Sami Carfield, Abby Johnson, Faith Hansen, Terry Gray, Anderson Gillespie, Sandra Gray (not pictured), and associate pastor Alisa Parde (not pictured), with the heavy lifting.. ...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The banging and clattering and clanging that echoes through an empty building in downtown McCook, Nebraska, will subside as the high school football team finishes building new shelves and an auto parts store relocates its inventory from its fire-damaged store a block south...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- A pair of McCook streets will be closed on occasion between today and Tuesday as part of construction work under way. The streets include West N Street from West 14th Street to North U.S. Highway 83 and West C Street from West Fourth Street to West Fifth Street...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Several projects that sales tax funds were set aside for during the 2012-13 budget process but were not completed are proposed to have funds committed again in the upcoming budget. Among those, $35,000 in improvements to the Karrer Park shower house from the one percent sales tax receipts will be budgeted for the second consecutive year and $80,000 will be committed for the second consecutive year for improvements to the Kelley Park restrooms...

The midway at the Red Willow County Fair is a colorful sight in a view from the Ferris wheel late Thursday afternoon. (Bruce Baker/McCook Gazette)

Two-and-one-half-year-old Kaelynn Smith catches raindrops and splashes in mud puddles on the Dundy County fairgrounds in Benkelman Thursday afternoon. The steady rain falling on the fairgrounds created mud puddles for little cowgirls, but the llama show under the big top continued on. Kaelynn and her mom, Torey Chapman of Hill City, Kansas, were visiting the Eversoles of Benkelman...

Four-year-old Annika Kaski of San Diego dances in a warm Nebraska rain falling on the Dundy County fair in Benkelman Thursday afternoon. Annika's mother, Lori, said that her husband and Annika's dad, Chad, is stationed with the U.S. Navy in San Diego. ...

Mattie Windholz and "St. Michael" win the grand championship llama showmanship rosette during competition Thursday afternoon at the Dundy County fair in Benkelman, Nebraska. Grace Powell and "Amazing Grace" competed in the llama showmanship obstacle course, coming away with a blue ribbon. Mattie also won the grand champ rosette in the obstacle course division. The judge was Jan Fuehrer of Lexington...

The Barenberg sisters, 11-year-old Elizabeth, showing "Joy," and 4-year-old Kate, showing "Pearl Snap," compete in the 4-H and pre-4-H llama obstacle course during the Dundy County fair Thursday afternoon in Benkelman. Eight-year-old Joe, the girls' brother, also showed in the pre-4-H division. ...

It's hard to believe that something we take for granted, the Americans With Disabilities Act, is only 23 years old as of Friday, July 26, 2013. We've gotten so used to talk of new buildings meeting "ADA requirements" that we forget the federal law was signed into law by President George H.W. Bush on this day in 1990...

I was talking to someone I've known since I moved here and a person I consider a friend earlier this week when he complimented me on last week's column, saying he especially enjoyed it because he thought I was in danger of becoming too prejudiced in the other direction. ...

CAMBRIDGE, Nebraska -- Tri Valley Health System in Cambridge is offering something fun and informational for children and their parents Saturday, 8-11 a.m. Information and education on Bullying, Healthy Snacks, Exercise and Computer and Cell Phone Safety will be available...

Justin Daffer, 18, gets his charlois steer -- named T-Bone perhaps? -- ready for the market beef show at the Red Willow County Fair. Under the big top, it's the moment of truth for entries in another category.

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Lynda Ruppert dominated the Best of Show category in the Open Class competition at the Red Willow County Fair, winning with her flowers, garden and food. Jim Suiter took first place in furniture with a rocking chair, Audrey Suiter took best of show in quilts, Carol Lashley won in crafts, Allison Rippe in photography, Pat Schaffert in art and Don Burton in home ec and clothes...

It's been a few years since McCook has been represented at the Class B State Seniors Legion Baseball Tournament. That drought ended July 23 when the McCook National Bank Seniors won the Class B Area 6 Tournament. The MNB Seniors beat host Holdrege, 7-1, in the Area 6 championship finals Tuesday evening...

Like many farm and ranch families in Southwest Nebraska, Bryan and Ami Hauxwell have had a life-long interest in 4-H and FFA. Ami, whose maiden name was Ruf, was involved in 4-H projects in Furnas County, while Bryan was active in 4-H in Red Willow County...