Stories from Thursday, July 7, 2016

McCook Community College News Bureau Coordinator MCCOOK, Neb. -- For the sixth year in a row, a team of McCook Community College students has placed in the top 5 in the nation in technology and business skills competition. Competing against two-and-four-year schools across the nation in the Phi Beta Lambda national competition in Atlanta, MCC freshmen graphic design students Rebecca Lorens and Jessica Premer placed second in the desktop publishing competition...

CHICAGO -- Community Hospital in McCook, Neb., was named as a 2016 Most Wired hospital today, according to Lori Beeby, Director of Information Systems. The hospital was an award winner of the Most Improved category of the survey in 2013 and 2014. "For this year, we had improved in all aspects of the survey areas moving us to the highest designation, the Most Wired, this year," Beeby said...

HAYS, Kan. -- A McCook native and physician assistant has written a book that he will autograph during a book signing Saturday, July 16, from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m., at New Life Christian Bookstore at 212 Norris Ave. in downtown McCook. Sean Conroy, now of Hays, calls "Through the Eyes of a Young Physician Assistant" "the story of a young man, armed only with classroom instruction and books, who, through personal experiences, becomes a true medical professional." Conroy has practiced medicine in Kansas in primary care, including family practice and emergency medicine, since 2010. ...

McCOOK, Neb. -- City leaders approved increasing the fee to request a zoning variance from $25 to $75 earlier this week. The City of McCook processes approximately seven variance requests annually, according to City Manager Nate Schneider. During Tuesday's meeting of the McCook City Council, Schneider said the city was happy to provide the service but it made sense to bump the fee up to the higher amount when considering other application fees and the cost to the city. ...

TRENTON, Neb. -- A 19-year-old Brule man died of injuries suffered in a two-vehicle accident south of the Swanson Reservoir and west of Highway 25 at 6:05 p.m., Wednesday. A report by Nebraska State Patrol troopers Jeff Van Stelton and Neal Golden indicates that Zachery Schnabel died at Community Hospital of McCook after he was flown by a Great Plains Transport helicopter (from North Platte) from the accident scene at the intersection of county roads 360 and 706...

McCOOK, Neb. -- Contractors notified the City of McCook earlier this week they are ready to begin a resurfacing project which will require closing West D Street next week, between West 5th Street and West 7th Street. The section of roadway will be closed to traffic beginning Monday, July 11...

If you're disappointed that it's 2016 and you still don't have a jet pack, you might have consoled yourself by riding your hoverboard. Sorry about that, but you'd better pay attention to a notice from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Basically, if you've got a hoverboard more than a couple of months old, you should send it back, including those received as Christmas presents...

CULBERTSON, Neb. -- Beautiful weather greeted runners and walkers at the 14th annual Culbertson Freedom Run on Monday. More than a 100 runners took to the streets and country roads around Culbertson for the traditional Fourth of July road race, which also included a 1/3-mile and 1-mile fun runs...

Kaylee Samway scored a hole-in-one on hole No. 5 at Heritage Hills on Wednesday, witnesses by her sister, Kacee Samway. Kaylee scored an ace on the same hole in 2012.

MNB Seniors who will compete in the All-Star Game in Kearney at 7 p.m. tonight include, from left, Travis Wallen, Nick Fuchuck, Cole Peters and Kaden Sitzman. (Steve Towery/McCook Gazette)

McCOOK, Neb. -- The MNB Seniors split a double-header with Alma Wednesday night. All runs were scored in the first inning of the opener, which Alma won 3-1. In the nightcap, McCook had a 6-4 load going into the last inning when Alma scored twice to tie the game. McCook's Isaac Larson had the game-winning RBI as McCook escaped with a 7-6 win...