Stories from Friday, September 6, 2013

The days just keep getting busier and busier. Schedules are more hectic and, too often, meals take a backseat to family chaos. Instead of opting for delivery or carry-out, build a repertoire of nutritious, delicious and quick recipes that can be prepared at home for the entire family to enjoy...

As Declan has grown physically, so too has his comfort zone. More and more he pesters me to play outside with his friends or go across the street to the park without me. My comfort zone with his independence is not growing proportionally. Declan and I bumped into one of his fellow second-grade classmates recently at the park, whom we discovered had rode his bike a couple of blocks to the park by himself...

80th birthday The family of Jean Evans is hosting a card shower in honor of her 80th birthday Sept. 14. Her children are Linda Cole of Curtis,Nebraska, Steve Evans of McCook and Pam Miner of Henderson, Nevada. Cards of congratulations will reach her at 910 West 10th Street, McCook, NE 69001...

Despite school being in session for only two weeks, several McCook Elementary students managed to earn five points in the Accelerated Reader program. In the program, students read books and are tested on their comprehension, then are awarded points based on the grade level of the book. ...

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...

JOHNSON CITY, Tennessee -- Katie Jean Guthrie of McCook, Nebraska, and Tyler Coles Selby of Columbia, Maryland, were united in marriage June 15, 2013, in Johnson City, Tennessee, with Gary Selby, father of the bridegroom, officiating. Parents of the bride are Marty and Jane Guthrie of McCook. Grandparents are Grace Hanthorn of McCook and Beverly Guthrie of Holbrook, Nebraska...

INDIANOLA, Nebraska -- Darcie Hayes of Bartley, Nebraska and Josh Keenportz of McCook, Nebraska, were united in marriage June 15, 2013, at St. Catherine's Catholic Church in Indianola, Nebraska, with the Rev. Dan Rayer officiating. Parents of the bride are Mark and Brenda Hayes of Bartley. Grandparents are Albert and Mary Hayes of Bartley and Gene and Marilyn Anderson of McCook...

Nix, Deuscher Shannon Leigh Nix of Chattanooga, Tennessee and Alexander Rene Deuscher of Berlin, Germany, announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the bride-to-be are Dr. Chris and Karen Nix McCook, Nebraska. Parents of the prospective bridegroom are Theo and Lydia Deuscher of Wössingen, Germany...

Courtesy photo Four generations of the Korell family of Culbertson, Nebraska, include, from left, Kenny Korell of Hayes Center, Nebraska, Jane Korell of Culbertson and Keven Korell of Hayes Center, holding his son, Jesse James Korell.

85th birthday The family of Marvin Frank of McCook is requesting a card shower in honor of his 85th birthday on Sept. 11th. Cards of congratulations will reach him at 1019 Country Club Drive, McCook, NE 69001.

85th birthday The family of Shirley Wallen is requesting a card shower in honor of her 85th birthday. She was born Sept. 10, 1928, in Galesburg, Illinois. Her family includes Marcia and Peter Fisher of San Diego, California, Janet and Fred Rabinowitz of Redlands, California, and Craig and Linda Wallen of McCook. Her grandchildren are Milia and Michaela Fischer, Karina and Jared Rabinowitz and Shane and Travis Wallen. Cards of congratulations will reach her at 1006 W. Third, McCook, NE 69001...

50th anniversary Marvin and Dixie (Springer) Lorentz of McCook, Nebraska, will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary. Sept. 13. They were married Sept. 13, 1953, in Herndon, Kansas. Their family includes their daughter Kathy of McCook and their son, Scott in their heart. Cards of congratulations will reach them at: 1103 West 6th...

Breckyn Michael Jackson Adam and Amy Jackson of Ord, Nebraska, announce the birth of their son, Breckyn Michael Jackson, born Aug. 20, 2013 at Good Samaritan Health systems in Kearney, Nebraska. He weighed 8 pounds, 7 ounces and measured 21 inches long. ...

Dear Friend, INTRO There are many signs given to us (believers) that help us to identify the soon coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, in the clouds, for His church, the ones who have trusted in Him as THEIR SAVIOR. To ACCEPT Christ as your Savior, requires you to turn away from your sin and embrace Jesus Christ as your Savior. ...

"Maybe it's time for you to settle down." Those were my words to a friend who was seeking a bit of help with his unhappy life. It's not that his life was an out-and-out disaster. He had all the trappings of contentment: A good job, a beautiful wife and family, a comfortable home, and a bright future. Still, he wasn't happy...

MAYWOOD, Nebraska -- The Maywood Youth Club will resume meeting Wednesday, Sept. 11, following the theme, "Walking with Jesus." The club, comprised of students kindergarten through sixth-grade, meets after school on Wednesdays until 5 p.m., at Maywood Christian Church, 202 South Plum. Snacks, songs, Bible stories, games and more are part of each meeting...

WALLACE, Nebraska -- Don't miss the annual "Cowboy Church" in Wallace as part of their Fall Festival Celebration. On Sunday, Sept. 22, at the Wallace Town Park all are welcome to join Peter Lewis Whitebird for a very special "Cowboy Church" celebration. ...

Bill Coe of Max, Nebraska, shared this chilly photo earlier this year, and with the high temperatures continuing to plague both man and beast, it now serves to remind us that "this too shall pass." Share your favorite Whisker photo with readers of the McCook Daily Gazette. Bring photo and information to the Gazette offices at West First and E Streets, mail them to PO Box 1268, McCook, NE 69001, or email them to editor2@ocsmccook.com...

When the sunflowers are blooming, the promise of autumn draws nigh. Roxy Lang of Wilsonville, Nebraska, captured this image along a pasture fence using these settings: f/9, 1/400, iso200, 183mm. The McCook Gazette would love to showcase your weather photos. ...

MCCOOK, Nebraska -- Members of the Community Hospital Board of Directors learned some heavyweight facts about construction of the new Radiation Oncology Project which began this summer and will continue into the early part of 2014. At the Aug. 21 meeting of the board, Jim Ulrich, Community Hospital President and CEO said the lead door to the linear accelerator vault weighs 15,000 pounds. ...

Enrollment at McCook Community College and Mid-Plains Community College is down this year, following a national trend that shows college enrollment down across the country. There are a variety of reasons for that, one being the publicity we've seen lately of students graduating from college with a degree, only to move back in with their parents because they can't find a job...

Triple-digit temperatures belie the fact we're already in the second week of football practice and school children are busy exposing each other to all sorts of illnesses. Yes, it still feels like summertime, but there's no reason to put off getting flu vaccinations as soon as possible, experts say...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- They do windows. And a whole lot more. With bright red shirts, tennis shoes and plenty of elbow grease, employees from the McCook and North Platte offices of Farm Credit Services of America spent Thursday pulling weeds, washing windows, fixing doors, trimming bushes, and washing more windows in McCook and Culbertson, Nebraska...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- A community analysis recently completed indicates McCook has an excessive amount of land within city limits, yet falls short of acreage devoted to residential neighborhoods. The land use analysis states McCook has more than 820 acres of additional land than the typical city its size, when compared to national planning standards...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The McCook School Board will get its first look at the 2013-14 budget, at the budget hearing Monday night, 6:30 p.m. at the Junior High conference room. The regular meeting of the school board will convene after the budget hearing...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The McCook High School Senior Class Parents will meet in the high school commons area on Sunday at 7 p.m. Please enter the building from the south doors. The senior parents will be planning meals for the upcoming football games, as well as other fund raisers, with proceeds to go to the Senior Celebration to take place in the spring. Any parent or guardian of a MHS Senior is encouraged to attend the meeting and become involved...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Plans for a skate park have hit a curve for now. Due to legal constraints, a request to donate school property for a skate park, owned by McCook Public Schools in an area west of the high school and the YMCA, has been removed from the McCook School Board's Monday night meeting...

This week, representatives from the Nebraska Department of Agriculture and the Nebraska Department of Economic Development joined Lt. Governor Lavon Heidemann on a trade mission to Taiwan and Japan. As Governor, I have focused on international trade, direct investment and the creation of new export opportunities. This is the 12th foreign or reverse trade mission of my administration. Each trade mission has allowed us to explore agriculture and business development in key markets...