Stories from Wednesday, November 14, 2018

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. — McCook High’s Unified bowling teams rolled with the best and delivered a respectable performance at a Grand Island Northwest tournament last weekend. The Bison divided into six teams which took on talented squads from schools like Cambridge, Central Valley and host Northwest...

Long-time car dealer Howard Kool and retired teacher Gene Weedin are raising funds for a piece of emergency equipment we hope and pray is never needed. The “mobile ballistic barrier” would be deployed in shooter situations, such as protecting EMS crews responding to the scene...

Irene Caroline Vandament Nov.16, 1921 - Nov. 12, 2018 ARAPAHOE, Neb. — Irene Caroline Vandament, 96, of Arapahoe, died Monday (Nov. 12, 2018), at C.A. Mues Good Samaritan Center in Arapahoe. She was born Nov. 16, 1921, to William G. and Caroline A. (Schieber) Missing at Holdrege, Neb. She graduated from Arapahoe High School in 1940. She married Robert R. Vandament on Jan. 24, 1942. She owned a ladies apparel shop until 2001...

LINCOLN, Neb. — The Cambridge Trojans actually climbed up final state volleyball rankings following their Class D-1 tournament match against Johnson-Brock last week. Coach Margo Kent’s 25-6 team rose from No. 8 to No. 6 in the Lincoln Journal-Star Top 10. Cambridge took down both No. 8 North Platte St. Pat’s and No. 10 Central Valley twice. Champion Archbishop Bergan (33-4) finished No. 1 as expected following Saturday’s title sweep of No. 2 Humphrey-Lindsay Holy Family. Johnson-Brock (31-4) took third but saw its streak of three straight D-1 state titles end in Friday’s semifinals. Pleasanton (32-4) and Diller-Odell (26-8) were other teams to rank just in front of Cambridge. New senior starters Jenna Ebbers, Rylee Cross and Olivia Taylor helped Cambridge improve from 16-14 last season. No other Gazette-area volleyball team cracked a Top 10 this seasson.

McCOOK, Neb. — Kallie Cathcart, a 5-7 outside hitter/setter from Holly, Colo. signed a letter of intent Monday to play volleyball at McCook Community College next season. Cathcart was named a top-10 returner for Colorado’s top hitters in division 1A, and was named second team- all-state as a junior. This season she helped lead her Holly Wildcats to a 14-7 year and a berth in the Colorado state volleyball tournament for the third time in four years. S She led the team with 340 kills, 47 aces, was second in digs with 206 and assists (270) and third in blocks with 25. She also played in the all-state game following the season and was named the Colorado’s “Max Preps Player of the Week” back in September. “When I came here and visited with the team, saw the campus and went around town it, just felt like home here,” Cathcart said. She visited the campus in June when the team hosted open tryouts, came back and visited in August when the 2018 team was involved in pre-season workouts. She followed the Indians games on live-stream whenever she could and stayed up-to-date following them on the McCook Community College Indians Athletics web page and social media. She also attended MCC’s match at Lamar (about 30 miles away from her home town) in September. “Plus Coach Kobza and I have a similar backgrounds. We actually met in a sale barn,” Cathcart said. Her family is involved in the cattle/ranching industry in Colorado and Kobza said she pretty much grew up in the North Platte sale barn with her parents’ operation. “She has athleticism and the mentality I am looking for in all my 2019 freshmen,” MCC volleyball coach Hayley Kobza said. “Not only that, but she comes from a background that I know, and that is rodeo!” Kallie hopes to bring her strong work ethic and self-motivation to become an important part of the Lady Indians when she joins the team next summer. “I am excited to bring Kallie to our team next year,” Kobza said.

McCook High School’s gymnasium was filled with younger Bison as a junior high wrestling tournament took place on Tuesday. The Bison competed against Holdrege, Gothenburg, Minden and Cozad. McCook took charge of many matches even though Cadde Beeby (above) maybe can’t see real well while powering to a pin against this Holdrege Duster opponent...

McCOOK, Neb. — The year is speeding along just like a good Republican River Fitness Series race as only two remain in 2018. The annual Turkey Trot will take place on Saturday with next month’s Reindeer Run wrapping up another strong year for area running/walking enthusiasts...

McCOOK, Neb. — A $10,000 grant will go toward a greenhouse and related expenses for the McCook FFA chapter at McCook High School. The grant was announced Monday night by McCook Schools business manager John Brazell, at the regular McCook School Board meeting...

McCOOK, Neb. — The McCook School Board approved unanimously two new policies for McCook students, at its regular meeting Monday night. The policies, “Student Interviews” and “Search and Seizure” were first brought to the board for discussion at its October meeting...

McCOOK, Neb. — A retired McCook businessman and a recently re-elected city councilman are spearheading a fundraising drive for a mobile ballistic barrier. Howard Kool, long-time car dealership owner, now retired, and Gene Weedin of the McCook City Council, told the McCook School Board Monday night of their efforts to raise enough funds to buy a mobile ballistic barrier. With $1,000 already donated by a McCook business, they are hoping to raise at least $4,000 to purchase the barrier...

LINCOLN, Neb. — The Nebraska Statewide Arboretum will bestow its 2018 “Blazing Star” award on McCook arborist Bruce Hoffman, in part for his leadership in and contribution and dedication to McCook’s “Prairie Arboretum and Study Center” project. The “Blazing Star” is presented to “an individual or organization that has made a significant contribution toward advancing the horticultural use of native plants or the restoration of native plant communities in Nebraska.”...

McCOOK, Neb. — McCook police officers will issue citations after Thursday, Nov. 15, for campers, trailers and boats parked on the city streets in violation of city ordinances. Police chief Ike Brown said Tuesday that City Ordinance 113.02 allows these vehicles to be parked in front driveways from April 1 to Nov. 1 each year as long as they do not create a safety hazard; however, they are not allowed to be parked on the street longer than 72 hours...