Popular Stories

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...

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. - 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. - 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...

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...

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. - 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...

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;...

A teacher takes great pride in having a student do well in life. Possibly your old columnist might qualify as a teacher because over the past 62 years, I have taught both men and ladies to fly all sorts of aircraft. I have been privileged to help airline pilots, crop sprayers, instructors, Air Force pilots and those who simply wish to fly for enjoyment in their journey to learn...

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...