Stories from Friday, February 3, 2017

Imagine yourself as a young black teenage boy living on the south side of Chicago. There has never been a dad in the family that you can remember. Your mom is a decent caring person but she started having babies when she herself was a child and is now working two or three low-paying jobs just to put food on the table and clothes on the backs of her three children because you have a younger sister and an older brother. ...

One of President Trump's first executive orders was to begin construction of a border wall with Mexico, but exactly how the relationship between the two countries plays out is anybody's guess. There's a near 100 percent consensus when it comes to one commodity from Mexico -- illegal drugs -- but a trade war with our neighbor to the south would affect all of us in ways we wouldn't like...

CURTIS, Neb. -- Foul shooting was not a forgotten skill during the Wauneta-Palisade girls' 48-32 win over Medicine Valley Thursday night. "Med Valley gave us trouble at times with their full-court pressure," Broncos coach Mat Cox said. "But our 17 for 24 (72 percent) shooting at the free-throw line was the difference by the end of the game."...

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. -- A first-half tie was one of the top highlights for McCook eighth-grade basketball against North Platte this week. "We got off to a good start in the A game, led by one after the first (quarter) and tied at halftime," coach Craig Dickes said. "The second half did not go well. They switched to a pick-and-roll offense and our help wasn't good enough."...

MCCOOK, Neb. -- Sophomore Lewis Diankulu's 24 points and 18 rebounds powered the McCook Community College men to an 83-77 win over Northeastern (Colo.) College Thursday night. The Indians took charge with a 36-31 first half wher they held Northeastern to less than 31 percent shooting...

ESTES PARK, Colo. -- Janette Neel of Colby, Kan., and Jeremiah Burbach of Collyer, Kan.,were united in marriage on Nov 26, 2016, in Estes Park, Colo., at Marys Lake Lodge with the Rev. Randy Gibbs officiating. Parents of the couple are Richard and Joyce Neel of McCook, Neb., and Rick and Laurita Burbach of Collyer. ...

Darling, Peterson Tristan Darling and Wyatt Peterson of Denver, Colo., announced their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the bride-to-be are Kevin and Tami Darling of McCook, Neb. Grandparents are Gene and Jan Mahon of McCook, the late Gary Shepherd, John Darling of Casa Grande, Ariz., and the late Shirley Darling...

70th birthday The family of Bob Nemechek of McCook is requesting a card shower in honor of his 70th birthday on Monday, Feb. 13, 2017. Cards can reach him at 404 W. Third, McCook NE 69001.

McCOOK, Neb. -- Finding a player who didn't contribute to another McCook Community College win was probably the biggest post-game challenge Thursday night. A test that coach Kellen Fernetti happily failed following McCook's 62-50 Region IX victory over Northeastern (Colo.) Junior College...

80th birthday The family of Don Schaaf of McCook is requesting a card shower in honor of his 80th birthday on Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017. He was born at St. Catherine's Hospital in McCook in 1937. His family includes wife, Kathy; children, Lorri Sughroue of McCook and Lisa (John) Lee of Fort Collins, Colo.; and six grandchildren, Naomi of Chadron, Neb., Jessa of LaVista, Neb., Molly of Stillwater, Okla., Trent of Benkelman, Neb., Noaa of Liberia, Africa, and Darby of Japan. ...

100th birthday The family of Eleanor Traphagan of Sterling, Colo., formerly of McCook, Neb., is hosting a reception and a card shower in honor of her 100th birthday on Friday, Feb. 17, 2017. She lived in Red Willow County for the majority of her 100 years and moved to Sterling seven years ago to be closer to her nephew. ...

Elaina Marlee Johnson Brad and Michelle Johnson of Colorado Springs, Colo., announce the birth of their daughter, Elaina Marlee Johnson, born Sept. 26, 2016 at Memorial Hospital in Colorado Springs. She weighed 5 pounds, 12 ounces and measured 19.5 inches long. ...

Every time I go to the store to get eggs, I'm astounded by the fact that there are at least 4 types of eggs to choose from: Eggs, Large Eggs, Extra Large Eggs and JUMBO Eggs each appropriately a little more expensive by the dozen than the first. My personal opinion is that the "Eggs" classification is made up of a product that a normal pullet would have been embarrassed to leave in a nest when I was growing up. ...

McCOOK, Neb. -- Broken leg? No big deal. Not for a McCook football freight train who's been going full speed since even coach Jeff Gross can remember. "What I remember first was the MFL -- our McCook youth football league -- and seeing Cade Cappel all over the field, running from sideline to sideline," Gross recalled about one of Bison's 2017 "National Signing Day" collegiate recruits. "And every drill we ran in high school, Cade was always the first one in line to run it."...

McCOOK, Neb. -- While other communities in the region have invested in their local swimming pool and attracted visitors with new aquatic amenities the City of McCook swimming pool has gone in the opposite direction and city leaders are renewing hints that plans to improve or build anew are unlikely without voters approving new taxes...

McCOOK, Neb. -- City leaders will coordinate a public hearing Monday evening to discuss which street repair projects will be prioritized in the coming years. The hearing will take place during a regularly scheduled meeting of the McCook City Council, 6:30 p.m., at the Municipal Center...

McCOOK, Neb. -- City leaders are scheduled Monday evening to discuss changes to McCook's annual occupation tax rates on liquor license holders which would impact the majority of local liquor establishments, causing fee increases for some and decreases for others...

OMAHA, Neb. -- U.S. Attorney Deborah R. Gilg announced today that Benedict T. Palen Jr., age 63, of Denver, Colo., waived indictment and entered a guilty plea to a one count Information which charged him with mail fraud. Sentencing has been set for May 5, 2017. Under the statute, Palen is subject to a maximum punishment of up to twenty years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release of up to three years...

Evelyn Elizabeth (McBride) Winters May 14, 1922 - Feb. 3, 2017 MCCOOK, Neb. -- On Feb. 3, 2017, Evelyn Elizabeth (McBride) Winters, with her beautiful "Smile," met her Lord and Savior at Highland Park in McCook. She was 94 years old. Evelyn was born on May 14, 1922, at Indianola, Neb., to Dale Sheldon and Mary Theresa (Colling) McBride. She graduated from Indianola High School in 1940...

McCOOK, Neb. -- Controversy over the county-owned Hillcrest Nursing Home promises to continue, with "consider removal of Hillcrest Board Members from Office" listed as one of the items on Monday's agenda for the Red Willow County Commissioners. A Hillcrest employee, who is also the husband of the administrator, has said he was improperly fired by the board...