Stories from Friday, January 31, 2020

TRENTON, Neb. — The Dundy County-Stratton Tigers ended Paxton's 14-game win streak with a 54-51 RPAC semifinals win Friday night at Hitchcock County High School. Paxton (14-2 record) had not lost since a Dec. 7 season opener to Anselmo-Merna. The Tigers could have tied Friday's contest after DC-S missed its final free throw with six seconds remaining...

McCook senior Drew Daum (center seated) was certainly the engine that helped power Bison defense throughout the recent 2019 football season. Colleges took notice, and Daum decided to sign with the Dordt College Defenders in Sioux Center, Iowa, Friday morning during a special ceremony at McCook High School. ...

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. — McCook High's boys took a quick 9-0 lead and trounced Minden again, 57-32, to cap Southwest Conference semifinal play on Friday. The Bison (9-7 record) have won both their tournament games by 25 points after Monday's 75-50 quarterfinal conquest of Valentine...

Kenneth H. Albert CULBERTSTON, Neb. — Kenneth H. Albert, 89, of Culbertson, died Thursday (Jan. 30, 2020), at Community Hospital in McCook. Visitation is Monday, Feb. 3, 2020, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., at Herrmann Jones Funeral Chapel in McCook. Funeral services are Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2020, 11 a.m., at the United Methodist Church in Culbertson with the Rev. Alisa Parde officiating. Interment will be in the Culbertson Cemetery...

Erma L. Pfeiffer July 19, 1948 - Jan. 30, 2020 ARAPAHOE, Neb. —Erma L. Pfeiffer, 71, of Arapahoe, died Thursday (Jan. 30, 2020) at Lexington Regional Center, Lexington, Neb. She was born on July 19, 1948, to Jay Thomas and Glady Lillian (Reitz) Utterback...

95th birthday The family of Keith Arterburn of McCook is requesting a card shower in honor of his 95th birthday on Feb. 5, 2020. He was born in Holyoke, Colo. He graduated from Chase County High School and from the University of Nebraska. His family includes children, Ann Morrill and husband, Bruce of Stilwell, Kan., David Arterburn and wife, Cindy of Papillion, Neb.; five grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and his late wife, Hazel (Ibsen) Arterburn. ...

70th birthday The family of Dick Witt of Hastings, Neb., is requesting a card shower in honor of his 70th birthday that was Jan. 25, 2020. He was born in McCook to Bill and Elaine Witt in 1950. He attended grade school in Imperial and graduated from Cambridge in 1968. ...

Webster, Almanza Miakayla Webster and David Almanza, both of Gretna, Neb., announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the bride-to-be are Marc and Dalette Webster of Alma, Neb. Parents of the prospective bridegroom are Omar and Gloria Almanza of Imperial, Neb...

90th birthday The family of Kathleen (nee Adams) Krumme of Fairbury, Neb., is requesting a card shower in honor of her 90th birthday on Saturday, Feb 8, 2020. She was born in rural Culbertson, Neb., where she grew up. Her family includes son, Allan Krumme of Aurora, Neb. Cards of congratulations will reach her at 720 J St., Apt. 204, Fairbury, NE 68352...

When my parents moved us to McCook from Indianola, I found myself in the middle of a “neighborhood”. Of course, we had neighbors down the lane when we lived on the acreage out of town, 2 families to be exact, but living on Sunset Road meant we had neighbors everywhere. It was a new experience for my brother and I, actually having people our own age within a few steps and for myself the girl on the block ended up being my lifelong best friend...

McCOOK, Neb. — The McCook City Council will be asked to approve on second reading turning six residential lots into 12, at is regular meeting Monday, 5:30 p.m. at city council chambers at the City Municipal Building. The re-platting is being requested Jay and Susan Hancock, for vacant property they own south of Cheyenne Road, between Pawnee Drive and Seminole Drive, directly behind Our Savior’s Lutheran Church. ...

There has been much discussion in the business press lately about “Fintech,” or the rapidly emerging financial technology sector. Fintech describes a broad, loosely defined spectrum of financial services, all of which are offered over the Internet. Basic banking services like loans, credit, and debit card accounts and peer-to-peer point-of-sale payment processing are offered along with traditional ancillaries like insurance products, brokerage accounts, and advisors. ...

There’s good news about the opioid crisis in the most current data available -- overdose deaths were down by over 13% in 2018. Drug overdose deaths declined over 4% overall, reported Uttam Dhillon, acting administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration...

SNYDER, Texas – The McCook Community College softball team opened up the season Thursday with a pair of losses to Western Texas College. The Westerners won the opener 19-1 and took the second game 10-3. In the first game, the Westerners scored in every inning and pounded out 16 hits in the five-inning game...

Gazette sports editor, writer and photographer R.B. Headley thanks Maywood-Hayes Center school leaders for saving him from a potential huge setback Tuesday night. After covering two RPAC basketball games in Hayes Center, the rapidly-growing senile R.B. forgot a vital piece of his own purchased equipment...

TRENTON, Neb. — The Wallace Wildcats pulled down 59 rebounds and hit enough shots to beat Wauneta-Palisade, 51-37, in RPAC consolation play Thursday afternoon. W-P (7-11 record) stayed within 20-15 at halftime despite the Wildcats cleaning both backboards...

TRENTON, Neb. — A 15-2 fourth quarter decided Maxwell’s 55-44 RPAC consolation comeback win over Hitchcock County on Thursday. The Falcons (9-6 record) matched Maxwell shot for shot through a fast-paced 33-31 first half. With senior Kass Kisker scoring 19 points, Hitchcock moved into a 42-20 lead through three periods...

BARTLEY, Neb. — Senior Johanna Sughroue’s first three-pointer of her high school career was one of many Southwest highlights during a 39-31 RPAC tourney win over Medicine Valley Thursday. Freshman Bailey Truksa got the Roughriders rolling with eight of her 10 points in the first quarter...

TRENTON, Neb. — Junior McKinzie Baney scored 24 points while Dundy County-Stratton held Maywood-Hayes Center to 23 percent shooting in a 55-39 RPAC West Finals win Thursday night. Experience clearly fueled the Tigers as they can repeat their RPAC championship Saturday night in McCook Community College’s Graff Events Center...

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. — The McCook High School swim and dive team competes against North Platte at every meet so a friendly rivalry develops over the season. This means that at the North Platte/ McCook dual Thursday in North Platte, the atmosphere was both competitive yet festive...

BARTLEY, Neb. — At first glance, one could say senior Korynn Clason’s 21 points were all the difference in a 48-27 Cambridge RPAC East finals win over Southern Valley Thursday night. Anyone who watched this league semifinal knew there was so much more to this eighth straight Trojan victory...

GOTHENBURG, Neb. — An 8-0 deficit didn’t bother the McCook girls for one moment as they won by eight, 42-34, over Valentine in Thursday’s Southwest Conference fifth-place game. Freshman Shawna Wilkinson lit up the evening with four three-pointers and 17 points total...

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Three Nebraska based John Deere dealerships announced plans to merge their businesses. Green Line Equipment, Stutheit Implement, and Plains Equipment Group are combining forces to provide leading service, support, and product solutions to farmers, ranchers, and landowners. ...