Stories from Friday, February 3, 2006

LEXINGTON -- The McCook High School junior varsity wrestling team competed at the Lexington JV tournament on Thursday night. Out of the 12 Bison wrestlers competing, six placed. Three Bison captured championships -- Alex Smith, Ahren Hays and Matt Bair...

WALLACE -- Southwest's girls triumphed against a tough Arapahoe team Thursday. The Roughriders won over the Warriors 62-51, giving them a chance at the championship. Wauneta-Palisade overpowered Dundy County 50-36. Southwest and Wauneta-Palisade will face off Saturday for the GPAC title. Dundy County and Arapahoe square off for third place...

May 14, 1926--Feb. 1, 2006 CULBERTSON -- Lloyd J. Ridgway died Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2006, at his home in Culbertson at the age of 79. He was born May 14, 1926, at Holyoke, Colo., the son of Ernest and Meta (Runge) Ridgway. He grew up around the Trenton area, where the family settled. He attended Trenton High School...

VIRGIN ISLANDS -- A McCook Marine injured in Iraq last year represented the U.S. Marines in ESPN2's "Billfishing Xtreme Release Tournament" last year in the Caribbean. The angling skills of Jesse Jordan, four other Marines and one Navy crewman -- each one a Purple Heart recipient -- will be televised in February and March, on Sundays, at 10 a.m. ET. Jesse is the son of Darla and Randy Jordan of rural McCook...

Six owners of restaurants or bars in McCook have been charged with possession of gambling devices and promoting gambling in the second degree, according to Nebraska Attorney General John Bruning. Those charged in Red Willow County include Carol Blackman, Benjamin Coburn, Candice Farr, Mary Badel, Larry Siebrandt, and Tilden Weber...

OMAHA -- U.S. District Judge Joseph F. Bataillon sentenced a Fontana, Calif., woman Thursday for her involvement in a conspiracy to forge endorsements on U.S. treasury checks that ended with arrests last summer in Cambridge. Giovanna Rita Stampella, 26, was sentenced Thursday to seven months in prison, three months of home confinement and three years of supervised release. She must also pay $6,298.30 in restitution...

By giving $1 million to Curtis for a community center, George F. Garlick did more than help out a worthy cause. Of equal importance, Garlick spotlighted what an excellent place this area is for raising children. The generous donor expressed the sentiment well in the gift announcement: "It is impossible to explain the impact of character, integrity and humility possessed by my father and other fine citizens of Curtis," Garlick said...

In response to the Gazette's editorial of 1/20, "Growth era beginning on Golden Plains" since 2001 and without my Rose Colored Glasses, I have observed the following for McCook. We have gone from three grocery stores to two, we had five new car dealers, now down to four. ...

Perhaps you're reading this from the comfy confines of your office chair. Perhaps you're lounging on the couch. Or, perhaps you're like the unfortunate few who are reading this while curled up in the fetal position on the bathroom floor, unable and unwilling to move more than three feet away from your current best friend, the toilet...

A bond company official will discuss a bond issue for Red Willow County's proposed jail with county commissioners on Monday. The representative, Al Eveland, of Ameritas, will be at Monday's regular commissioner meeting, starting at 9 a.m. in the commissioners' room in the courthouse...

FRANKLIN, Tenn. -- Relish, a new monthly food magazine dedicated to celebrating America's love of food, will debut in the McCook Daily Gazette on Tuesday as an insert in the newspaper. Each edition of Relish will include a broad range of timely and insightful articles about food, cooking, entertaining, and more. ...

This past Wednesday was the day college football fanatics eagerly await each year. For many, it's right up there with the Super Bowl and the National Championship game in order of importance. It's the day that high school seniors from across the country sign letters of intent to play college football. Fans everywhere are jumping from website to website, trying to get the latest news on who's going to be playing for their team and who's going to be playing for their opponents...

This past Wednesday was the day college football fanatics eagerly await each year. For many, it's right up there with the Super Bowl and the National Championship game in order of importance. It's the day that high school seniors from across the country sign letters of intent to play college football. Fans everywhere are jumping from website to website, trying to get the latest news on who's going to be playing for their team and who's going to be playing for their opponents...

The McCook High School varsity boys basketball team swept Ogallala 73-57 Friday night at the MHS gymnasium and improved to 8-11. "Tonight our kids bought in to our program a total team philosophy," said Bison coach Tim Garcia. I couldn't be prouder of our kids, they worked their tails off this week in practice and it paid off tonight."...

TRENTON -- Two ranked teams will go head to head for the GPAC boys basketball championship title Saturday. Arapahoe, 18-0, and Wauneta-Palisade, 12-2, will play for the GPAC crown. Arapahoe squeezed by Hayes Center 57-46 and Wauneta-Palisade blasted Wallace 69-53 in the semifinals Friday...