Stories from Friday, November 16, 2007

LINCOLN -- The McCook Bison and Crete Cardinals are the two winningest high school football teams in Nebraska Class B with 37 playoff appearances between them, including this season. Saturday night McCook and Crete, both 12-0 and ranked No. 1 in two polls each, will play for the 2007 Nebraska Class B state championship...

TUCSON, Ariz. -- Gary Winston Hedges, 55, died at his home in Tucson, Ariz., on Nov. 10, 2007. Gary was born in McCook to Winston and Evelyn (Oades) Hedges. He graduated from McCook High School in 1971. He was a proud member of the elite "Schocker" squad on the high school basketball team. In 1975, he graduated from the University of Nebraska in Lincoln with a degree in microbiology, continuing his post-graduate education at Colorado State University in Fort Collins...

The McCook Junior High School's 7th and 8th grade girls basketball teams battled it out with Ogallala, Lexington and North Platte last week. The eighth grade girls played North Platte St. Pats Thursday, going 1-2. The Bison lost 32-16 in the A game and 10-5 in the C game. The Bison took the B game 13-12...

A lot of things have to come together for a successful football season -- a good supply of talented players who are healthy enough to play, competent coaching staff, the support of parents, fans and school. McCook has had all of them over the past few years, and looks to have them again next year and beyond...

I thought it was about time for a Norris sculpture update. As readers know, the life-size sculpture of Sen. Norris was placed on the front lawn of the Norris Home, 706 Norris Ave. during Heritage Days. This project was supported by people buying a replica ("Little George") for $125...

Feb. 6, 1909-Nov. 15, 2007 ST. FRANCIS -- Eva Ann (Pyle) Murray, 98, died Thursday (Nov. 15, 2007), at Cheyenne County Hospital in St. Francis. She was born Feb. 6, 1909, in Cheyenne County Hospital in St. Francis. She was married to John Murray who preceded her in death in 1987. She was a homemaker...

Michael Biegler rakes crunchy, golden-colored leaves into piles in his front yard in McCook. Southwest Nebraska and Northwest Kansas have had plenty of the bright sunlight that is essential for the production of the red (anthocyanin) pigment in the fall leaves...