Stories from Tuesday, March 19, 2019

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. — Nebraska’s most dominant tennis team west of Lincoln returns today to wreak havoc on Hershey Panthers and Lexington Minutemaids. The McCook Bison will dual each team starting at noon on North Platte’s home courts. They’re aiming to repeat their 13-0 varsity dual record from a year ago...

An awesome day it was today — Sunday. Sixty degrees and almost spring. People out for walk on as sunshiny day. Mamas pushing baby carriages. A motorcycle cruising Norris. Hope is in the air. And yes this little corner of the state dodged a bullet. A cyclone named “Bomb” ravaged the rest of Nebraska but left us almost damage free. ...

Keith Lowell Hoagland Jr. PHOENIX, Ariz. — Keith (Hoagy) Hoagland passed away peacefully on Feb. 10, 2019, in Phoenix with family by his side. He was born January 1937 in McCook, Neb., the son of Keith and Stella Hoagland. Hoagy graduated McCook High School, Class of 1955. ...

Eugene Willard Witt April 20, 1932 - March 18, 2019 DANBURY, Neb. — Eugene Willard Witt, age 86, of Danbury, passed away at Cambridge Memorial Hospital on Monday, March 18, 2019. He was born near Cedar Bluffs, Kan., on April 20, 1932, to Clarence Willard and Sarah Opal (Monie) Witt. Eugene attended and graduated from Oberlin High School in 1951. He joined the U.S. Army on Jan. 8, 1954, and was stationed in Fort McClellan, Ala. He was honorably discharged on Jan. 6, 1956...

Patricia “Patty”Fetters BEAVER CITY, Neb. — Patricia “Patty”Fetters, formerly of Cambridge, Neb., died today (March 19, 2019) at the Beaver City Manor. Services are pending with Lockenour-Jones Mortuary in Cambridge, Neb.

McCOOK, Neb.— A new law that would have prohibited engine braking within McCook city limits came to an abrupt halt Monday night, with one City Councillor casting the deciding vote. The council has been discussing the measure since the beginning of the year, with Mayor Mike Gonzales in February reading a letter from a business owner on B Street complaining about the noise. A McCook citizen also spoke to the council about noise...

McCOOK, Neb. — A group of volunteers will leave from McCook Christian Church Friday morning, planning to distribute "Flood Buckets" and help feed clean-up crews in Plattsmouth. Coordinator Dawna Bates said they filled 24 5-gallon plastic buckets Monday, but they can get more buckets and they have more room in the trailers heading east. "So, if you'd still like to donate or help purchase supplies, we would gladly fill more buckets," Dawna said...

Pizza Hut manager Sarah Rowe cuts the ribbon on the new Wing Street franchise, adjoining Pizza Hut in McCook. The sports bar offers a variety of beers and wings, as well as the full Pizza Hut menu.

It’s encouraging to see the number of relief efforts that are being organized to help our Nebraska neighbors to the north and east who are suffering from floods that have destroyed their homes and disrupted their lives. Most of us personally know the people involved in organizing the relief efforts, and know that they’ll do their best to make sure the items get to where they’ll do the most good. Unfortunately, there are always those who will attempt to capitalize on other people’s suffering and generosity, and donation scams are sure to follow any major disaster. Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson sees one of his duties as helping citizens avoid such scams. His advice: -- Donate to organizations whose reputations you are familiar with and those having a local presence. -- Be cautious about fundraising efforts initiated on social media with no known ties to an established organization or local charity. -- Carefully evaluate the charity before making a donation. Check sites like Charity Navigator, GuideStar, IRS Select Check, the National Center for Charitable Statistics and the BBB Wise Giving Alliance to determine where to give. -- Designate the disaster so you can ensure your funds are going to disaster relief, rather than a general fund. -- Don’t fall for impsters with names that sound similar to sell-known organizations, and contact the charity directly if you have any doubts. -- Avoid cash donations. A credit card of check directly to the charity is better; not to an individual or money transfer. -- Be cautious of unsolicited emails with attachments or links, which may install malware onto your coputer. -- Be wary of newly-formed charities, which may mishandle donations even if they have good intentions. -- Ask specific questions and give elsewhere if you don’t receive answers. -- Use peer-to-peer fundraising platforms carefully to avoid identity theft and donation to a charitable organization rather than a specific person. -- Get permission and all details before raising money on behalf of a charity or individual. Contact the charity or individual beforehand to make sure you know how the money wll be used, so you will know how to answer donors’ questions. If yoususpect a charity scam, contact the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division at https://protectthegoodlife.nebraska.gov or (800) 727-6432.

BEATRICE, Neb. — The McCook Community College baseball team salvaged the final game of a three-game series against Southeast Community College Monday, 7-5. The Storm won the first two games of the series 3-2, and 11-9. “It was good to get back on the winning side of things,” MCC coach Jon Olsen said. “Getting walked off in the bottom of the 7th was a tough one to swallow yesterday, and then losing game two as well.”...

Besides today’s McCook High tennis season opener, here are some other events to mark on the area high school spring sports calendar: Wednesday, March 27: Many top golfers compete at Cross Creek in the annual Cambridge Golf Invitational. Returning state team qualifier Medicine Valley, Southern Valley, Arapahoe, Dundy County-Stratton and Hitchcock County are among the teams joining Cambridge with senior Preston Carbaugh...