Stories from Tuesday, February 13, 2018

HASTINGS, Neb. -- With their season on the line, the McCook Lady Bison weren’t ready to go home...

Elizabeth A. Sis May 10, 1936 - Feb. 5, 2018 BENKELMAN, Neb. — Elizabeth (Betty) Ann Sis of Benkelman died at the age of 81 at the Dundy County Hospital on Feb. 5, 2018, after a short battle with COPD and influenza. Betty was born in Benkelman on May 10, 1936, to Leonard Tobias and Iva Daniella (O’Neal) Keim. Betty graduated from Benkelman High School with the class of 1953...

Isaac Griger, eighth grade student at McCook Junior High, recently won the local Scripps Spelling Bee.  This qualifies Isaac to compete in March at the state competition in Omaha, Neb. Isaac is the son of Doug and Alicia Griger. Courtesy photo

OXFORD, Neb. — Dundy County-Stratton’s girls avenged their RPAC finals loss while senior Phalen Sanford scored 27 points in a Tiger boys victory over Southern Valley on Friday. Sanford hit 10 of 17 shots as DC-S (16-5 record) dominated throughout a 60-39 road victory...

A rundown of all the girls’ district and subdistrict basketball tournaments involving Gazette-area teams tonight. All times are CST: B-7 final at Hastings High No. 2 McCook (11-13) vs. No. 1 Hastings (14-7), 7 p.m. C2-10 at McCook Comm. College No. 1 Dundy County-Stratton (17-4) vs. No 4 Southwest (4-15), 6 p.m.; No. 2 Cambridge (17-5) vs. No. 3 Southern Valley, 7:30 p.m. Final is Thursday at 7 p.m...

ATWOOD, Kan. — The board of directors of the chamber of commerce in Atwood voted Jan. 29 to disband its organization as of March 31. The Rawlins County Square Deal newspaper reports that the board’s unanimous decision to discontinue the chamber is the result of dropping membership, inadequate funds and decreasing interest...

McCOOK, Neb. — As of Feb. 28, Gary Dicenta will be the fourth Red Willow County elected official to resign since the last election. Red Willow County commissioners accepted Dicenta’s resignation as county surveyor at their weekly meeting Monday morning. Dicenta was last elected county surveyor, which includes the duties of floodplain administrator, in November 2014. His term expires the end of the year...

McCook’s relays keep hitting faster times and gaining momentum as they move toward next week’s Nebraska State Championship Swim Meet. The record-setting Bison 200-medley relay did it again on Saturday with a time of 1:59.21 — breaking their previous mark (1:59.27) set during last week’s home finale...

Arapahoe’s just as unbeaten as the UConn women when it counts most: D1-11 subdistrict tournament time. The “new season” tipped off brilliantly Monday night for all Warriors with senior Alayna Whipple igniting a 37-28 playoff victory over Medicine Valley...

McCOOK, Neb. — The days of students logging into unacceptable apps on school-issued laptops are coming to an end, starting next year. The McCook School Board voted unanimously Monday night at the regular meeting to purchase 550 Chromebooks for students at McCook High School, for $164,840.50. They will replace the current iPads currently at use for the past four years at the high school...

McCOOK, Neb. — The McCook School Board hired a new business manager Monday night for a contract of $120,000. John T. Brazell has prepared 20 school budgets in his career, said Superintendent Grant Norgaard. He’s also built houses, been a superintendent and started out as a music teacher, Norgaard said, which he said he liked as it was unusual for a teacher in the arts to move to administration...

LINCOLN, Neb. — On Feb. 12, the Nebraska Department of Transportation Highway Safety Office awarded the Red Willow County Sheriff’s Department four hand-held alcohol breath testing units. The traffic safety grant award is part of the state’s ongoing effort to prevent underage drinking and alcohol-related traffic crashes, injuries and fatalities. The units are valued at $1,180...

I really enjoyed fellow columnist Mike Hendrick’s “Mike at Night” column in last Friday’s Gazette. A thoughtful and insightful look back at growing up in a different society than we experience today. Very well written it prodded me look back at my own youthful experiences here in western Nebraska...

Nebraskans love to give lingerie for Valentine’s Day. Nebraskans hate to receive lingerie for Valentine’s Day. Perhaps it’s because of the genders involved, and the implied expectations, but offers.com lists the third-most unpopular gift from potential paramours – a bottle of alcohol...

A recent news announcement in various newspapers revealed that some of the judges for the skating events were biased. As a result, a Russian figure skater won a gold medal. Ann Romney, wife of Mitt Romney, who ran against Obama for president, owned a dressage horse called Baron...

I am a student at Cascade Christian Schools and I am writing a report on the state of Nebraska We are responsible for gathering as much information as we can about our state. If any of your readers would like to help me by spending any pictures, postcards, used license plates, facts, products, etc., from your state, it would be greatly appreciated!...