Stories from Thursday, May 14, 2020

With NFL schedules released last week and sports action looking very spotty through the summer, here’s a look at the area high school football 2020 schedules. Official dates were not obtained though teams hope to stay on schedule: Class B McCOOK The Aurora Huskies return to McCook’s schedule after missing since 2017. ...

John Raymond Burk June 13, 1928 - May 12, 2020 ATWOOD, Kan. — John Raymond Burk, 91, of Atwood, left this world on May 12, 2020.  He was born on June 13, 1928, on the family farm north of McDonald, Kan., where he lived until his retirement years.  He was the youngest child of John Stephen and Helena Anna (Deyle) Burk. ...

Illa Jo Zysset Nov. 24, 1935 - May 12, 2020 FARNAM, Neb. — Illa Jo Zysset, 84, of Farnam, went to dance in Heaven on May 12, 2020, at Senior Living Choices in Curtis, Neb. Jo was born in Curtis on Nov. 24, 1935, to Woodrow and Helen (McLaughlin) Hosick. She was the oldest of six children. She attended grade school in Curtis and graduated in 1953 from the University of Nebraska School of Agriculture. After graduation she moved to Denver, Colo., for a short time and worked for General Electric...

McCOOK, Neb. -- Legislative work goes on with virtual meetings, individual and conference calls until lawmakers can meet in person, State Sen. Dan Hughes told the McCook Rotary Club via Zoom on Tuesday. Sporting a brand new haircut thanks to loosened restrictions, the senator had been scheduled to speak at the Gazette’s Coffee With A Cop Tuesday morning, but because of social distancing guidelines, the meeting was moved online and facilitated by the Rotary...

Lorri Sughroue Associate Editor McCOOK, Neb. — Despite the lack of a classroom, students at McCook Public Schools haven’t been slacking, with an e-learning participation rate between 80 to 92%. Superintendent Grant Norgaard said Tuesday the highest online percentage is coming from McCook High School seniors. “They’re doing an outstanding job,” he said...

McCOOK, Neb. —The massive economic hemorrhage in April across the nation due to the coronavirus was reflected at McCook Ben Nelson Regional Airport, with an almost 90% drop in passengers compared to April last year. For a federal subsidy, the essential air service at the McCook airport, Boutique Air, provides passenger flights daily to and from Denver. ...

When the novel coronavirus swept the globe and made its way to the communities across Nebraska, community newspaper publishers like Kurt Johnson of the Aurora News-Register, witnessed how the global pandemic became a challenge much closer to home. As businesses shut down and positive cases were confirmed in the Aurora area, Johnson said he felt the public angst grow...

McCOOK, Neb. -- The Coalition on Adult Education states, “The return on investment into adult education is undeniable. “The GED graduate can typically earn close to $10,000 more per year once they get their diploma!”  If this is something you have been considering, don’t let the restrictions of COVID19 stop you!...

If you are like me, there are events and activities on your calendar which you wrote down or typed in months or even years ago. While the birthday reminders are still applicable, nearly everything else has been cancelled or moved online. Just yesterday, I removed the reminder on my phone about the high school band trip to New York City, scheduled for later this month. ...

We’re grateful coronavirus cases are relatively rare in Southwest Nebraska, and we know of no deaths as of yet. There are more important reasons to be sad and disappointed, but one that hurt was the SWNCTA production of the Hunchback of Notre Dame, performances cut short over fears of spreading the COVID-19 virus...

These requirements must be followed when conducting high school voluntary strength and conditioning sessions acording to the "guidelines" from Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts this week: Maintain social distance by being 6 feet apart Follow gathering guidelines of groups of 10 or less students...

One year ago today, McCook High’s varsity golfers appeared in the Gazette today after clinching a trip to the following week’s Class B state golf tournament. McCook placed No. 3 overall among 10 Class B-4 district teams competing at North Platte’s Lake Maloney Golf Course. The Bison totaled 339 to finish only one stroke behind district runner-up Cozad. Bison leader Brady Esch fired 48 for his B-4 top six finish...

McCOOK, Neb. — McCook tennis received even better news this week than the Bison girls’ virtual 12-1 dual record during 2020. With the governor’s guidelines, Bison tennis camps will be able to place this summer. Coach Matt Wiemers confirmed he’s planning a girls’ tennis camp in June and a boys’ camp during July...

LINCOLN, Nebraska – Thanks to record-shattering vote-by-mail participation, Nebraskans set a new standard for primary election voting this spring. Election officials received more than 400,000 completed early mail-in ballots for the 2020 Nebraska Primary. Coupled with day-of in-person voting – conducted today amid physical distancing, mask-wearing, and regular sanitizing – the total number of Nebraska voters is certain to surpass 1972's all-time primary high of 413,000 votes...

McCOOK, Neb. -- Randy Dean received 351 votes to Tim Burke's 217 to represent Red Willow County Commissioner District 2 in the only local race to be decided in Tuesday's election. In another race of interest, Hayes Center voters approved keno on a vote of 47-19...