Stories from Monday, July 30, 2018

McCOOK, Neb. — Results of the Red Willow County Fair NSRA rodeo in McCook Saturday and Sunday are: Barebacks: No entries. Steer wrestling: 1. Taylor Davis, Erickson, Neb., 3.7 seconds, $1,162.32; 2. Cameron Fanning, Olivet, S.D., 3.8, $961.92; 3. Ben Robinson, 4.4, $761.52; 4. Justen Nokes, formerly of McCook, 4.8, $561.12; 5. Quade Potter, Cambridge, 4.9, $360.72...

MCCOOK, Neb. — McCook Community College men’s basketball officials have announced the signing of DeMarley Smith to their 2018 recruiting class. Smith, a 6’0 point guard from Kingston, Jamaica, played his senior year for coach Ryan Queen at The Eagle Academy for Young Men in Bronx, N.Y...

McCOOK, Neb. — Romey Grier from Stratton and Adam Brusoe from Culbertsonwill advance to the 2019 American Poolplayers Association’s (APA) 8-Ball Doubles Championship in Las Vegas after winning the 8-Ball Doubles tournament recently at TJ’s Family Fun Center...

McCOOK, Neb. — Two long-term volunteers at Hillcrest have notified board members of their imminent departure. Jim Howard, a member of the Hillcrest Board of Trustees for 17 1/2 years and Don Harpst, former Hillcrest administrator and after that, de facto landscaper for the facility, both announced via a letter their intent to step down from their roles, at the Hillcrest board meeting Friday...

WAYNE, Neb. — The nearly five-hour rain delay was worth McCook’s wait as those MNB Seniors scored a 1-0 Class B state tournament win over Bennington Saturday night. Trae Koetter led the victory by pitching 6 1/3 innings and season-long ace Clayton Stevens got those final two outs for McCook’s 25th win this season...

WAYNE, Neb. — They improved to 14 hits from two on Saturday, but three errors and three hit batters doomed McCook National Bank’s Seniors Sunday afternoon. “Our guys did everything we asked them to do. We just didn’t make some of the plays defensively,” coach Scott Smalley said after the 11-8 Class B state tournament loss to perennial powerhouse Hickman. “And it’s tough when you hit three batters in a row.”...

McCOOK, Neb. — A man formerly of McCook is being charged with four felony counts of sexual assault of a minor, stemming from incidents allegedly occuring in 2004. Mark Warburton, 65, now of New Mexico, pleaded not guilty July 6 in Red Willow County District Court to two counts of sexual assault of a minor, first degree, Class II felonies, sexual assault of a minor, a Class IIIA felony and commit child abuse intentionally, a Class IIIA felony...

There’s a general consensus that texting while driving is dangerous, but how about learning? Kids might not be in the physical danger caused by distracted driving, but their education may be in danger. Teachers face a dilemma; their students need “screens” to function in the modern world, but those cell phones and even school-issued computers can be a big distraction to young people already prone to daydreaming...

Note: In a new book (to me), This Blessed Earth, by Todd Genoways, Mr. Genoways tells a bit of the history of the pivot irrigation industry, including the involvement of my Dad, Walter, and I had with the fledgling Valley Irrigation Co. I’d like to say I recognized this as a historical event of worldwide proportions. ...