News

McCOOK, Neb. — Passenger traffic continued to trend upward during the first quarter of 2026 at McCook Ben Nelson Regional Airport, with notable gains in both monthly and year-over-year comparisons. Inbound flights increased by 10.9%. A total of 213 passengers boarded flights from McCook to Denver in March, according to the latest enplanement report. That figure represents a significant increase from 179 passengers in March of 2025...

McCOOK, Neb. — Slow and steady wins the race–or in this case, the pastry race. Three months in, Lucy’s Bakery and Cafe of McCook has been banking on that philosophy with the confidence that this post-Sehnert’s era bakery will stick around. “We try not to get too far ahead right now. It’s just about getting everything set up, getting everything in good rhythms and making sure we’re establishing that foundation,” said co-owner Cody Dame of McCook...

McCOOK, Neb. — Mildred Marie Weskamp, a cherished wife, mother, grandmother, and friend, passed away peacefully on March 31, 2026, at Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook, Nebraska...

McCOOK — Bryan Jones spent around three decades in the teaching profession, most of that in McCook, and has recently released the book “Adventures in the Teaching Trade” in hopes that some of his experiences will be useful for other teachers. The 340-page paperback doesn’t just chronicle his time as an educator. Jones also shared anecdotes — some humorous and some serious — that highlighted the methodology behind his teaching, noting what worked and what didn’t...

McCOOK, Neb. - The themes of renovation and expansion will likely dominate any headlines about Community Hospital in the weeks, months and years ahead. They should. The institution is as much an outward-facing point of pride in the community as it is an economic engine, but when Molly Smith addressed the March Coffee Talk gathering, her focus extended well beyond bricks and mortar. ...

Red Willow County Sheriff Kevin Darling, center-left with sash, received a grand send-off during his retirement party on Friday. Held at the sheriff’s office, well-wishers and family attended, thanking Darling for 40 years of service.

McCOOK, Neb. — Between watering the gardens, taking a hot shower and grabbing a cold drink from the faucet, sometimes water is taken for granted. Though it can be destructive in nature, it’s the cornerstone of human existence. It hydrates not just our bodies, but also the plants and animals that become our food...

McCOOK, Neb. – In close-knit communities like McCook, when there’s a need, people step up to take care of one another. Generosity and mutual aid can be seen in several fundraisers, programs and churches in the area, or simply through neighbors helping neighbors. McCook Cares Community Bread Giveaway, started by Rose Weskamp of McCook, is one of those ways...

cCook JV tennis girls made quick of Lexington with a 19-0 sweep feturing only six matches closer than 6-2 Tuesday. The complete scoring summaries: — Senior Lily Maynard and junior Kaela Hinz won 6-3 and 6-1 over two doubles foes; — Junior Alizah Reynolds and freshman Adalaide Miller were double winners by identical 6-4 scores;...

McCOOK, Neb. - On Saturday afternoon, the Gazette spoke with David Huebner, candidate for Nebraska’s Third District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. Huebner spoke with us by telephone as he traveled through the sandhills between stops in Alliance and Valentine. The dropouts in the call were frequent, but Huebner took it in stride...

It must be campaign season. I took a survey on my morning drive to the office, and the candidate-to-roofer yard sign ratio Norris Avenue was 48:10. Yard signs are the flower of the season, as are candidate forums. When I first moved to McCook in the mid-to-late 1990s, candidate forums were held at the McCook Senior Center and sponsored by the League of Women Voters, Business and Professional Women, or both. ...

McCOOK, Neb.-Sheriff Kevin Darling submitted his resignation to the Red Willow County Board of Commissioners on Monday morning, setting off a discussion among commissioners about how to handle an interim appointment in the middle of a contested election...

McCOOK, Neb. - Fortunately, losses were limited south of McCook over the weekend due to the efforts of the Red Willow Western Rural Fire Department and assisting mutual aid departments. Around 4:30 p.m. Saturday, the department was dispatched to a blaze three miles south of McCook. Winds were high, and the fire jumped east across U.S. Highway 83. Thick smoke created hazardous driving conditions, prompting the Red Willow County Sheriff’s Department to redirect traffic...

Mike O’Dell/McCook Gazette On March 20, Senator George Norris State Historic Site Manager Harold Callihan (center) and Norris Institute Chairman Bruce McDowell (right) welcomed Tim Doolittle of Oakdale, Minn. Doolittle, the great-grandson of Sen. George Norris, was making his first visit to McCook and the George Norris home...

McCOOK, Neb. - If listeners notice a subtle difference when turning on the radio, the cause is not a damaged broadcast tower from recent heavy winds. Instead, a change in the music format at a local station has left many pleasantly surprised. What once was a place for Top 40 hits, 93.9 The Zone now has a gentler sound with a brand new Contemporary Christian hits format as JETT FM...

McCOOK, Neb. - One community-minded McCook business has captured the attention of the McCook Chamber of Commerce. They weren’t looking for attention, but the Chamber has found Whitaker’s Furniture worthy of the Fourth Quarter Honor Business Award. “Nothing brings more pride as a Chamber Director than hearing how organizations and businesses in our community work together to help McCook thrive,” said Director Sarah Schneider. ...

Over the past weekend, McCook hosted the quarterly meeting of the Nebraska Commission on Latino Americans. Although the commission is based in Lincoln, it holds its quarterly meetings throughout the state to stay connected with local communities and better understand regional concerns. On the Thursday prior to the meeting, the Gazette reached out to Executive Director Maria Arriaga for a conversation...

McCOOK, Neb. - A looming federal mandate to identify and replace lead water service lines could require years of work in McCook, as the McCook City Council met in regular session Monday evening at City Council Chambers to review funding options that could help offset costs and extend into the 2040s...

It would take a considerable amount of courage for a seasoned politician with statewide name recognition and a substantial war chest to challenge a sitting governor, but Sheila Korth-Focken has none of those advantages, yet she is running for the Republican nomination for Governor of the State of Nebraska...

McCook, Neb. - Bill Lesko is a man with a palate designed for greatness. He zigs and zags through culinary styles with ease, finding new ways to refresh classics and inventing new dishes to please the palate. He is the culinary scientist behind the dishes at Citta’ Deli, which he began 11 years ago with his wife, Jade...

A McCook man, Glenn Morgan III, was recently arrested in Dawson County sting operation on suspicion of solicitation of prostitution as part of an ongoing prostitution ring investigation. A case status hearing is set for April 27. Morgan III, 51, was arrested on November 7, 2025, at Overton, Nebraska. He pled not guilty to the charge of Solicitation of Prostitution - Second Offense, a Class IV felony, and signed a waiver of preliminary hearing...

McCOOK, Neb. - The Red Willow County Board of Commissioners will not provide an extra $20,000 to the Red Willow County Health Department for vaccines, because for now, the department remains within budget. Rhea Hernandez, director of the Red Willow County Health Department, asked commissioners for an additional $20,000 to maintain the department’s vaccine supply. ...

McCOOK, Neb. - Future endeavors took center stage at the March 9 McCook School Board meeting, as board members discussed upcoming trips, facility repairs, school improvement goals and potential legislation. With the district entering its final quarter of the school year, attention shifted toward structural and academic needs that will shape the months ahead...

McCOOK, Neb. - As 2026 rings in the 100th anniversary of U.S. Highway 83, one man is celebrating the trek he made down the 1,885 miles running from the northern to southern U.S. borders and was fascinated enough by what he saw and experienced to tell the tale...

McCOOK, Neb. - Candidate filing for the 2026 municipal election has closed, setting the slate of candidates. Among the busier races of the season is the McCook City Council, where eight candidates are competing for three available seats. Those candidates include incumbent Gene Weedin and challengers Kaleb Taylor, Chelsey Eng, Nick Umscheid, Dean McCoy, Joel Arterburn, Rose Weskamp and Dennis Berry. ...