Stories from Tuesday, February 21, 2006

Next up for the Falcons: No. 6 Cambridge Trojans The Hitchcock County boys basketball team jumped out to a 15-2 lead in the first quarter en route to a 60-20 victory over Medicine Valley in a Nebraska Class D1-11 play-in round "bunny bracket" game Monday night at the McCook High School gymnasium...

GOODLAND, Kan. -- The season came to an end for the Cheylin boys Monday night with a 60-43 loss to Sharon Springs in a first-round game at the Kansas Class 1A boys regional at Goodland. Sharon Springs will play Weskan in the second round. Weskan defeated Triplains 76-24...

The McCook High School girls tennis team is having a benefit buffet at Pizza Hut in McCook from 5:30-8 p.m. Tuesday with the proceeds going towards the purchase of new uniforms for the MHS girls tennis team. For more information call MHS tennis coach Matt Wiemers at (308) 345-6940 or email at mwiemers@esu15.org...

CENTENNIAL, Colo. -- Meredith Joy Huff, 85, died Friday (Feb. 17, 2006), at Porter Hospice in Centennial, Colo. He was born April 5, 1920, at Decatur County to Jesse M. and Eunice N. (Barnett) Huff. He was raised in Decatur County and graduated from Jennings High School in 1938...

May 4, 1937-Feb. 18, 2006 LUDELL -- Donnie Lee Castens, 68, died Saturday (Feb. 18, 2006), at Kearney. He was born May 4, 1937, on a farm near Ludell to Henry and Lillie (Neuhart) Castens. He was baptized at Trinity Lutheran Church May 9, 1937, and was confirmed April 2, 1950. He attended Trinity Lutheran School, Rawlins County Public and Atwood High School, graduating in 1954...

Richard Lewis Bunstock, 78, died Sunday, Feb. 19, 2006, at McCook, Neb. He was preceded in death by three wives; Donna (Sullivan) Bunstock, Merry (Meints) Bunstock, and Deloras (Nickerson) Bunstock. He is survived by son James Bunstock and wife Kerin of Lincoln, Neb.; daughters Candice Arent and husband Paul of Loveland, Colo., Yolanda Weimer and husband Ron of Highlands Ranch, Colo., and Jackelyn Nickerson and husband Pete Palek of North Platte, Neb.; brother William Bunstock and wife Ursula of Chico, Calif.; stepsons Troy Erdman and wife Rita of McCook and Derek Erdman and wife Ginger of North Platte; 10 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.. ...

JOSHUA TREE, Calif. -- Jimmie L. Lawson, 85, passed away at his home at Joshua Tree, Calif., on Dec. 22, 2005. Jim was the youngest child of John and "Jennie" Melissa Jane (Mulford) Lawson. He was born Sept. 27, 1920. He grew up in the Cambridge-Bartley area and later lived in Hayes County before moving to California in the early 1940s. He married Dara Fowler on July s, 1943, at Los Angeles, Calif...

To paraphrase the late Sen. Everett Dirksen, a million here and a million there, and pretty soon we'll be talking real money. Dirksen actually was referring to the billions of dollars in the federal budget, but most of us can't even image the millions involved in Saturday's Powerball drawing...

Let's hear it for Lindsey Jacobellis and the true spirit of sport. In case you missed it Friday (I did, I was at work) the U.S. star was way ahead in the new snowboard cross event at the Olympics when she did what any self-respecting snowboarder would do:...

By LORRI SUGHROUE McCook Daily Gazette In a surprise decision, the McCook City Council sidestepped staff recommendations and voted 3-2 to join Red Willow County in plans for a new safety center. The City Council Chambers were packed Monday night, with extra chairs brought out to accommodate the crowd as the council decided to cooperate in creating a new facility for the county jail, sheriff's office, police and fire departments...

By LORRI SUGHROUE McCook Daily Gazette One cellular tower was approved Monday night, while another was denied, after Viaero Wireless came before the McCook City Council seeking special exceptions for towers they want to build in the city. With Councilman Bill Longnecker abstaining from the vote because of a conflict of interest, City Council members voted by 4-0 to approve the special exception for the proposed tower in the business commercial district at 1100 West B, but, again 4-0, denied the special exception for the tower in the residential area on West Third.. ...

McCook's water problems may finally be at an end, a city official indicated Monday night. Jesse Dutcher, McCook Public Utility Director, told the McCook City Council Monday night that the new water treatment plant is in operation ahead of schedule and under budget...

Auction ringman Bob Haag of rural Indianola sells irrigation pipe at Gordon Gessleman's annual farm equipment consignment sale in Culbertson Monday. Gessleman said aluminum prices are good, and most buyers were purchasing the gated pipe for scrap. "There ain't no water, and no irrigation," he said, referring to the ongoing drought that is restricting and/or suspending water releases from Southwest Nebraska lakes for irrigating cropland. ...