Stories from Tuesday, March 28, 2017

GRANT, Neb. — Chase County Longhorns are leading a fast early charge to top of the Nebraska track and field state leaders board this spring. The Longhorns conquered Thursday’s Perkins County meet with 178 points, 50 more than closest contender Perkins County...

McCook senior Sam Smith’s winning 400-meter time of 50.4 currently ranks first in Nebraska on today’s milesplit.com leader boards. Smith achieved that time while winning the Sidney Invitational on Saturday. The Bison are hosting their annual LeRoy Hoehner Invitational on Friday. More details appear later this week...

McCook’s quest for more dominating tennis dual wins will have to wait a couple of days. Today’s drizzly weather with more rain expected has caused a postponement of the home tennis dual against Hastings. However, fans won’t have to wait long as Thursday has been selected for a rescheduled date...

The McCook High School tennis team and local Modern Woodmen of America fraternal organization will be sponsoring an educational event for all ages Sunday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. syt the McCook High School tennis courts. Participants will get a chance to learn the rules of the game of tennis and then get out and play...

Who knew toe tapping would be connected with an all-state basketball duo’s talents? Junior Phalen Sanford would probably never mention it when chatting with the Dundy County-Stratton junior. “He’s the kind of kid who can pick up about anything and be good at it,” Tiger boys coach Kris Freeland said. “But he’s not a braggart. He’s a quiet leader. He leads by example.”...

McCOOK, Neb. —McCook Legion Baseball will be holding try-outs for Seniors, Juniors and Junior B this weekend. Players will need to attend both try-out sessions at the McCook Jaycee Complex. On Saturday, Junior B try-outs take place from noon to 2 p.m. with juniors and seniors following from 2 to 4 p.m...

McCOOK, Neb. — Red Willow County commissioners and county roads superintendent Gary Dicenta talked about summer armor coating projects during the commissioners’ weekly meeting this morning. Commissioners discussed armor-coating about six miles of the Lebanon-Bartley road and/or two miles of the Marion/Danbury Cemetery road. ...

City of McCook fire chief Marc Harpham, police chief Ike Brown and utilities director Jesse Dutcher describe how the city prepares for and responds to a major winter storm, during a community table top training session hosted by Community Hospital of McCook Tuesday morning. ...

BENKELMAN, Neb. — A Dundy County sheriff’s deputy has been charged with kidnapping in an ongoing investigation by the Nebraska State Patrol and a special prosecutor appointed by the Nebraska Attorney General’s office. Dep. Charles Thibedeau of Benkelman, 37 years old, is in custody in the Yuma County, Colo., jail, following his arrest in Benkelman late Wednesday, March 22...

McCOOK, Neb. — The Norris Park Bandshell was more colorful than usual Saturday afternoon thanks to a variety of rainbow flags and flamboyant attire worn by advocates for the LGBTQ community. The park served as the staging ground for a “March for Love” walk around town in support of the group, equal rights and acceptance in general...

CURTIS, Neb. – Frontier County farmer Terry Welch directed her winnings of $2,500 from the “America’s Farmers Grow Communities” program, sponsored by the Monsanto Fund, to the Frontier County EMS. Frontier County EMS will use the funds to purchase and upgrade equipment...

McCook Central Elementary fourth graders Braeden Gale, left, and Tyler Travis knock an Easter egg from a tree on the playground Monday afternoon. Julie Rippen’s students were preparing for a state test in reading, and she stuffed plastic eggs with reading questions. ...

March 13 turned out to be an unlucky day for a group of Eagle, Neb., third-grade students and staff. Besides being inspired by the airplanes and rockets at the Strategic Air Command and Aerospace Museum in Ashland, they brought home the risk of contracting measles...

Mary Ann Amack July 4, 1938 - March 26, 2017 OBERLIN, Kan. - Mary Amack, 78, of Oberlin, died March 26, 2017 at Sheridan County Hospital in Hoxie, Kan. She was born in Decatur County, Kan. on July 4, 1938 to Willie Shimek and Ellen Cilek. She was raised in Jennings, Kan. on an area farm where she attended Jennings High School and graduated in 1956. After high school she attended Fort Hayes State University where she received a degree in Secretarial Business...

Don’t you just love it? A man buys the neighboring deteriorating alley house with the intent of demolishing it. Good that will help the look of the neighborhood. Then he applies for a permit to build a nice garage to replace the neighborhood eye sore. “No you can’t do that — not permitted in your area which is designated ‘Residential Medium Density.’”...

Enjoyed Mr. Sehnert’s article last week about the late Sen. Carl Curtis, and his teaching in Danbury in the Grammar Room in 1923-24. In working with the Danbury Depot Museum files, I knew we had a picture of Mr. Curtis and his students, so would like to share it with your readers. Also, the names of the boys and girls, as some of them still have relatives in the area...

Don Majors Aug. 5, 1928 - MARCH 24, 2017 Imperial, Neb. — Donald Leroy Majors was born at his Parents’ home on Aug. 5, 1928.  He was the 5th of 6 children born into the family of William Harrison Majors and Cora Etta Dukes in Imperial Nebraska, Chase County...

Burton Beard IMPERIAL, Neb. — Burton Beard, 73, a longtime Chase County resident, died Thursday (March 23, 2017), at Chase County Community Hospital in Imperial. Visitation is today until 6 p.m (MT) at Liewer Funeral Home in Imperial. Services are Wednesday, March 29, 2017, 11 a.m. (MT) at the Champion Community Building in Champion, Neb., with the Rev. Robby Clay and Kent Swing officiating. Interment will follow services at Lakeview Cemetery in rural Champion...

Pilot extraordinaire passes away SAN ANTONIO, Texas — A military pilot originally of Southwest Nebraska who set three new world speed records passed away earlier this month. Brigadier General Harold Earl Confer, 92, died Monday, March 6, 2017 at his home in San Antonio, Texas, of complications due to illness...