Stories from Friday, January 3, 2020

OGALLALA, Neb. — Though the Oakland Raiders will soon be in Las Vegas, Sidney Red Raider victory chances were clearly not a safe gamble Thursday night. Not with the McCook Bison still remembering and fuming from a one-point dual loss last season. “We had never beaten Sidney since we started dualing them,” coach Nick Umscheid explained. “We did lose by one point last year, so we wanted to prove a point this year.”...

COLUMBUS, Neb. — McCook’s hustling barrage of offensive rebounds showed the Bison should be ready to battle upcoming GNAC tournament opponents. “Credit to McCook. I thought they played their tails off,” Scottsbluff coach Scott Gullion said even though the undefeated Bearcats scored a 69-44 first-round win Thursday night. “Especially going for rebounds on the offensive end and loose balls. I thought they got to them better than we did.”...

Wayne Alan Zwickle Feb. 3, 1940 - Dec. 16, 2019 OBERLIN, Kan. — Wayne Alan Zwickle, Oberlin, 79, was born Feb. 3, 1940, in a farmhouse two miles west of Traer to Walter and Lora (Cox) Zwickle. Four years later the family bought and moved to the farm southwest of Oberlin, where Wayne developed his love for all things farm related – farm equipment, crops, livestock and hunting on the land. Through life experiences he became an expert in all those subjects...

Ruthelma J. Speicher July 11, 1930 - Dec. 31, 2019 CENTRAL CITY, Neb. — Ruthelma J. Speicher, 89, of Central City, formerly of Wauneta, Neb., passed away Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2019, at Cottonwood Estates in Central City. Memorial services are Tuesday, Jan. ...

How often do you use a facility, travel a road or enter a building and really appreciate the fact that someone in the past looked to the future and created a perfect solution to a need that still exists today? Have you ever given thought to the fact that the City of McCook has zero at grade railroad crossings? Can you name even one town in Nebraska that has that claim to fame? Probably not because I don’t believe that any other exists...

Larry J. Berls Aug. 30, 1952 - Dec. 24 2019 McCOOK, Neb. — Larry J. Berls, 67, of McCook, died Dec. 24 2019, at the Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, Neb. He was born Aug. 30, 1952, in Oberlin, Kan., to Joseph and Laura (Schroer) Berls. He graduated from Golden Plains High School in Rexford, Kan., in 1970. He attended Colby Community College. He married Sheila Peterson on Aug. 9, 1980, at St. Patrick Catholic Church in McCook, Neb...

er focusing on teams with Super Bowl hopes rather than the Dallas Cowboys’ coaching changes and soap opera. It’s amazing with Gazette sports scribbler R.B. (Rude Buggar) Headley ready to throw out his playoff picks without showing too much bias, of course:...

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. — The North Platte Area Sports Commission has teamed up once again with the American Cornhole Organization to bring you the ACO Master Series Major Cornhole Tournament this January 10-11 at the D&N Event Center in North Platte. Schedule for this two-day event is as follows:...

PAXTON, Neb. — The Maywood-Hayes Center girls tipped off 2020 by only allowing 20 points in a 59-20 win over Garden County at Thursday’s Paxton Holiday Tournament. Junior Jaycee Widener nearly matched the Eagles’ total with 19 points on a superb eight-for-13 shooting (62 percent)...

COLUMBUS, Neb. — Columbus High girls basketball held on for the victory after a 19-point lead was cut to just five during the first round of the Greater Nebraska Athletic Conference Tournament on Thursday at CHS. Despite the close call, the Discoverers defeated McCook 47-36 at CHS and will face Scottsbluff at 5:30 p.m. today at home...

McCOOK, Neb. — Repairs of the air conditioning system at the McCook City Library are estimated to be finished just in time for summer, on April 1. The McCook City Council will be asked to approve drawings and specifications for library air conditioning improvements, at the regular meeting Monday, 5:30 p.m., at city council chambers in the city municipal building...

McCOOK, Neb. -- Red Willow County Commissioners will elect officers and perform a number of annual activities for their first meeting of the new decade Monday. They will meet in the commissioners room of the Red Willow County Courthouse at 9 a.m. The consent agenda includes a recommendation that Jiles Bowman be appointed as new Fair Board manager...

As much as we might expect a lull in the news cycle during the holidays, it’s been a tough week. An incursion into our embassy in Iraq, a rash of antisemitic attacks in New York and a thwarted mass shooting in Texas have still failed to drown out continued bickering in the impeachment saga. The light spot in the news has been the unexplained drone show taking place in the midwest, but now that’s beginning to upset people too...

90th birthday The family of Roberta Werkmeister of Stratton, Neb., is requesting a card shower in honor of her 90th birthday on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2019. Cards of congratulations will reach her at 36151 U.S. Highway 6, Palisade, NE 69040