Stories from Monday, June 5, 2017

Vernice Shaffer July 15, 1924 - June 1, 2017 CURTIS, Neb. — Vernice Shaffer died June 1, 201,7 at Senior Living Choices in Curtis.. She was 92. Vernice was born July 15, 1924, in Maxwell, Neb.,, to Charles E. "Jake" Jacobs and LaVera Tridle Jacobs. She attended Maxwell schools and graduated from Maxwell High School in 1942. ...

Mary Louise (Mary Lou) Corrick Jan. 13, 1930 - June 1, 2017 LINCOLN, Nb. — Mary Louise (Mary Lou) Corrick, 87, of Lincoln, formerly of McCook, Neb., passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on Thursday, June 1, 2017, after a long battle with COPD...

A. M. Johnston Nov. 3, 1928 - June 2, 2017 MCCOOK, Neb. — A. M. Johnston died Friday, June 2, 2017, at McCook Community Hospital at the age of 88. A. M. Johnston was born Nov. 3, 1928, in Sudan, Texas, to Andrew Marion and Willie Lee (Hardcastle) Johnston. He graduated from Sudan High School...

KEARNEY, Neb. — Isaac Larson’s perfect pass breakup at the goal line nearly turned momentum North to South at Saturday’s Shrine Bowl Football Classic...

KEARNEY, Neb. — McCook’s First Central Bank Juniors blasted through Hastings, Grand Island and Omaha Skutt to start 3-0 at a Kearney Legion baseball tournament last weekend...

McCOOK, Neb. — Auditions for the fall play by Southwest Nebraska Community Theatre have been set for 5:30 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, June 12 and 13 at Sehnerts Bakery. Director Don Harpst said that he needs 9 adults — three women and six men — for “Opal Is A Diamond,” a comedy scheduled for Oct 14-19 at the Bieroc Cafe. All are evening shows except for the Sunday matinee. All ticket sales will be through Sehnerts...

McCOOK, Neb. — Some day, hopefully soon, Southwest Nebraska will be the home of a discovery center for youth. The plans are already in motion, with a 19-member advisory council meeting regularly for the past year to come up with ideas for a center which will stimulate imagination, spark creativity and inspire a passion for discovery among youth of all ages...

McCOOK, Neb. -- Imagine being invited to an event you’ve never been to and coming away with $700. That was Calvin Freeman’s weekend...

McCook Rotary Club awarded scholarships to four McCook High School graduates. From left, Katherine Kjendal, Camden Funk, McCook Rotary President Ann Barger, Cade Cappel, and Kyle Geisler. Katherine Kjendal, daughter of Sarah and Nate Schneider, plans to major in Biochemistry/Psychology at Nebraska Wesleyan University. ...

A Rodeo Rose Productions saddle bronc gets the best of Rob Keeney of Callaway during the 50th annual Wilsonville Rodeo Sunday afternoon, but the ride was great while it lasted. The Wilsonville Saddle Club hung up the spurs after the bull riding Sunday, ending a run of 50 years of hosting the annual rodeo. Look for more pictures to come in the Gazette from the final performance...

McCOOK, Neb. — A local fund-raiser by the Arby’s Restaurant in McCook meant that manager Dustin Dold could write a check for $2,151 to the McCook Educational Foundation, to help fund a McCook Public Schools “backpack program” that provides food for elementary students over the weekends and holidays breaks during the school year...

Teens have a lot on their minds this summer, whether it’s learning about their new job, thinking about school or college next fall, getting to know a new boyfriend or girlfriend, or that new drivers license and the freedom and responsibility that comes along with it...

To borrow the opening lines of Charles Dickens’ classic, “The Tale of Two Cities”, 1918 was the best of times---it was the worst of times. On the plus side, 1918 marked the end of World War I, the first of the world-wide wars, which had raged in Europe since 1914. That was good. But, on the minus side, 1918 marked the beginning of the outbreak of a flu epidemic, which by 1920 had become a flu pandemic, circling the globe, and reaching even to the Arctic and remote Pacific Islands...

McCOOK, Neb. -- Golf is known for its ‘Championship Sunday’ performances...