Stories from Tuesday, September 19, 2017

MAYWOOD, Neb. -- Maywood-Hayes Center split two matches to finish second at its home tournament Monday in Maywood...

Alfred W. Melchert May 3, 1934 - Sept. 17, 2017 STRATTON, Neb. — Alfred W. Melchert was born in Stratton on May 3, 1934, to Anna (Bauerle) Melchert and Lawrence Melchert. He grew up in Stratton and graduated from Stratton High School in 1953. He joined the United States Navy in 1956 and served for two years. He married Burdean Geihsler in Oberlin, Kan., on May 26, 1956. The couple lived in Corpus Christi, Texas, for one year before settling in Stratton in 1957...

McCOOK, Neb. — Individuals, families and businesses wanting to leave a legacy set in stone still have time to do so. Bricks engraved with inscriptions, such as family or business names, are being sold for a new "Friendship" patio area that will be installed at Central Elementary. The area will be located near the grassy area by the playground and include a bench and brick patio...

McCOOK, Neb. — City leaders approved the upcoming fiscal year budget on final reading last night, as well as a bolstered employee pay plan and hikes to trash collection and sewer fees. The city is budgeted to receive an additional $185,972 in property taxes in the coming fiscal year, stemming from assessment increases and the city maintaining its levy at the same rate as last year...

TRENTON, Neb. — Valerie and David Paschall have restored the Hitchcock County Fairgrounds’ bunny building, and what “The Bunny Hutch” can be now is limited only by Val’s imagination and the creative fancy of visitors to the Blue Colonial Bed and Breakfast...

McCOOK, Neb. — While it has been almost 75 years since Sen. George W. Norris died, the legacy of his accomplishments and his character grows in relevance. This weekend, the momentum of the Norris legacy takes on a bigger role during McCook’s Heritage Days celebration...

BEAVER CITY, Neb. — Two car-hauler trailers purchased from Kaufman Trailers in Beaver City with what are believed to be fraudulent credit cards have turned up in Torrance and Anaheim, Calif. On Aug. 30, the management of Kaufman’s reported to a Furnas County sheriff’s deputy that someone purchased two trailers with apparently fraudulent credit cards, and that Kaufman’s had had money debited back out of its account...

BEAVER CITY, Neb. — An Oxford man is in jail on drug charges following the search of a home at 508 Central Street in Oxford Thursday evening. Robert E. Shafer, 49, was arrested after Furnas County sheriff’s officers located methamphetamine pipes, plastic storage bags with meth residue and drug paraphernalia in the house...

There’s good news and bad news, according to a study published Tuesday in the journal Child Development. The good news is fewer teens are engaging in risky behavior such as having sex and drinking alcohol. The bad news is they’re putting off other adult activities such as getting a job, a drivers license or developing skills they’ll need as independent adults...

Back when I was farming full-time, I used to laugh at my railroader friends. You see each was an “expert” on what farmers along the rail-right-of-way should be doing. When they should be planting, fertilizing, harvesting, what they should be growing and more. ...

The devastating hurricanes, Harvey and Irma have shown us how vulnerable we are. They have also shown us how we must build protections into our infrastructure to account for the 100-year events that nature can hurl at us. What is our current administration proposing to protect and preserve American lives? A border wall with a cost of $60 billion...

GIBBON, Neb. — The Southern Valley Eagles volleyball team’s now 9-3 and coach Jessi Thalheim offered theres remarks after Saturday’s Gibbon Invitational. Thursday night Eagles sweep Arapahoe “The girls did a great job shutting down Arapahoe in the front row. ...

KEARNEY, Neb. — Junior Trae Koetter followed his 43-yard field goal at Alliance Friday night with two more successful JV kicks for McCook against Kearney on Monday. Koetter didn’t have to go as long distance, booting footballs 22 and 31 yards through the goal posts at Kearney...

McCook High middle hitter Mackenzie Smith (34) pounds a point down against Arapahoe during the junior varsity volleyball match Monday afternoon in McCook. Among the Warrior defenders is freshman Diana Hanzlick (18). The Bison scored a two-set win to follow their varsity team’s McCook Invite title on Saturday...

McCOOK, Neb. — The McCook Community College athletes will be hosting a food booth for Heritage Days in Norris Park on Saturday starting around 11:30 a.m. Come enjoy a meal deal and visit with some athletes. The cost of the meals will be $7 each. The booth will only be there on Saturday until the food is gone, so come promptly after the parade...

McCOOK, Neb. — Heritage Days will hit full speed when the annual Parker/YMCA 5K Road Race begins at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday. Race day registration takes place from 6:30 to 7:15 a.m. at the Norris Park Bandshell. Fees are $15 or $25 which includes a race shirt...

RIVERTON, Wyo. — Signing for a wrong score doomed one team while a 1-2 finish powered McCook Community College’s golfers to the Central Wyoming Invite team title last weekend. Freshman Cameron Lampe shot a tournament best 73 on the first day, while Colton Zulkoski was two strokes behind with a 75 for second place overall...

McCOOK, Neb. — A likely huge district tournament preview takes place tonight when McCook’s softball team hosts North Platte at the Jaycees Complex. Varsity first pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. The Bison (9-9 record) and Bulldogs (13-11) have not played since North Platte knocked McCook out of last year’s district title chase...

TRENTON, Neb. — A man has been sentenced to at least 50 years in prison in connection with the death of another man who had been left in a rural area of southwest Nebraska and died of hypothermia. The Nebraska attorney general’s office said 25-year-old John R. Leahy was sentenced Monday in Hitchcock County District Court to 24 to 30 years for kidnapping, 18 to 20 years for manslaughter and 8 to 10 years of possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine...