Stories from Friday, March 1, 2019

75th birthday The family of Jerry Beckenhauer of Papillion, Neb., formerly of McCook, Neb., is requesting a card shower in honor of 75th birthday on Friday, March 8, 2019. Jerry and his wife, Cheri, have three children, Lynette (Mike), Scott (Michalene), Lisa (Daniel) and nine grandchildren. Cards of congratulations will reach him at 204 Longwood Dr., Papillion, NE 68133.  ...

Perri Ann Vontz Calvin and Kimberlyn Vontz of Lexington, Neb., announce the birth of their daughter, Perri Ann Vontz, who was born Feb. 4, 2019. She weighed 5 pounds, 15 ounces and measured 18 inches long. Grandparents are Steve and Kerry McConville of Bartley, Neb., Stacy Phillips of Manhatten, Kan., and Randy Vontz of Indianola, Neb...

The SWNGS library has a large accumulation of McCook High School Annuals which I often go to for stories. Some of the annuals are very detailed and provide pictures of all the classes in McCook from Kindergarten on up. Others have pictures, but no names attached to them other than generic “Choir” or “Wrestling” underneath. ...

McCOOK, Neb. — Bette (Bean) Wurm, who retired from Hillcrest Nursing Home this week after working there 30 and 1/2 years, doesn’t want anyone to think she’s special. But Hillcrest residents and staff would beg to differ. “If there was a resident in need of something, Bette would always stop what she was doing and help, and if she couldn’t fix it, she’d find someone who could,” said Tamera Neel, Activities Director. “She always made time for the residents, she went above and beyond.”...

McCOOK, Neb. — The McCook City Council will discuss potentially vacating a street on the golf course as requested by a landowner and engine brake ordinances adopted by other Nebraska communities, at the regular meeting Monday, 6:30 p.m. at City Council Chambers at the Municipal Building...

McCOOK, Neb. — A meeting for all city ballfield users is set for 6 p.m. Monday, March 11, upstairs at the City Municipal Center in the training room. "We will be getting ideas as well as going over any issues you may have with the ballfields," said Kyle Potthoff, public works director...

McCOOK, Neb. — Groundhog’s Day has come and gone, but members of the Red Willow County Planning Commission may have felt they were part of the 1993 Bill Murray flick that featured the main character who lived the same day over and over again. The Monday meeting of the planning commission was a re-do of a Feb. ...

McCOOK, Neb. — Building activity remains strong in McCook, with commercial buildings estimated at over $400,000 topping new construction for last month. For February, grain bins estimated at $454,723 led new commercial building, according to the City of McCook’s building report...

Holly Olson, left, of the Southwest Nebraska Leadership Institute calls a ticket number for one of the door prizes at Thursday evening’s Southwest Nebraska Community Links activities fair. A steady stream of visitors explored interests and organizations involved in community service, hobbies and a wide variety of special interests...

I’ve lived in McCook since 1995 and this is the worst winter I can remember, at least in terms of cold temperatures, and the worst part of winter is bearing down on us this weekend. Snow is due to start falling sometime today and continue through Sunday with moderate to heavy snow falling Saturday night and Sunday morning which will count for more accumulating snow. ...

McCOOK, Neb. — The Brotherhood of Saint Andrew, affiliated with St. Alban’s Episcopal Church, will have the annual Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper, 5:30-7 p.m. Tuesday, March 5. The Brotherhood will be serving pancakes and sausage with homemade desserts. The pancake supper will be held in the Parish Hall of St. Albans Church, 108 West F Street in McCook. A free will offering is all that will be asked. Invite a friend or neighbor. Everyone is welcome!...

PUEBLO, Colo. – The McCook Community College Lady Indian softball team exploded for six runs in the third inning of Game 2 Thursday to gain a split in the opening series of Region IX play with Otero Junior College. MCC won the second game 13-5 after dropping the first game 7-4. The games were moved from La Junta, Colo. to Runyon Sports Complex (Salas Field) in Pueblo, because of field conditions...

INCOLN, Neb. — What does it say when two majestic McKinzie Baney running bank shots double a defending state champs’ point total? Answer: the Dundy County-Stratton girls were feeling right at home during Thursday’s Class D-1 state tournament. “We were a little nervous getting on the bus,” senior Grace Frederick said. “But when we got there, it was like ‘okay, we’ve been here before.’...

TIGERS (48) — Adalene Krutsinger 22 points, McKinzie Baney 10, Jessie Freeland 6, Maggie Lutz 6, Grace Frederick 2, Sable Lambley 2. Three-pointer: Baney. KNIGHTS (28) — Miah Wiebelhaus was the only Knight to reach double figures with 14 points. The defending Class D-1 champs finish their season at 21-3...

LINCOLN, Neb. — Junior Jessie Freeland’s steal led to a go-ahead Adalene Krutsinger basket and Dundy County-Stratton finished its 47-43 Class D-1 state semifinal win over Pleasanton this morning. The Tigers (24-2 record) took a 43-41 for this classic contest’s 13th lead change — several during those final few minutes at Bob Devaney Sports Center...

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. — Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol have arrested two people and seized two pounds of cocaine following a traffic stop near Hershey on Interstate 80. At approximately 9:00 a.m. Thursday, February 28, an eastbound Cadillac Escalade failed to move over while a trooper was finishing another traffic stop on I-80. The trooper performed a traffic stop on the Escalade near mile marker 163...

General Manager Daniel Eberg greets customers at the front desk of the McCook Holiday Inn Express Thursday morning, the hotel's first day open for business. At least one floor of the hotel is still closed as finishing touches are being completed. The last of the rooms, and the swimming pool, are expected to be finished in time for a March 15th formal announcement and grand opening...