Stories from Monday, September 19, 2016

Local economic development efforts often concentrate on attracting young families back to small towns, and rightfully so. Young families are a vital component of any thriving community, filling classrooms and athletic teams with young people, providing dedicated employees and stepping in as leadership for local organizations, churches and government...

Note: For many years McCook High football was not the most popular pastime in the fall. That honor went to McCook JC football, The college had a series of good football coaches, who produced really fine football teams. Their games were wildly popular, to the extent that on a number of occasions extra bleachers were brought into Weiland Stadium to try to accommodate unusually large crowds. Among the best of these MJC coaches was Merle Confer. His best was the MJC Indians team of 1947...

Tommy Armstrong Jr.'s legs were so cramped up that when Nebraska's defense was on the field he would drink pickle juice, Gatorade, water and anything else he could find on the sideline...

The No. 1 Nebraska volleyball team bounced back from a first-set loss to defeat Creighton 3-1 (23-25, 25-13, 27-25, 25-18) Saturday night in front of 8,249 fans at the Bob Devaney Sports Center...

McCook High's varsity softball girls are now 10-7 this season after winning one of three games at the Hastings Invitational on Saturday...

Playing in their first tournament of the season on Saturday, the McCook Lady Bison fell just short of the title crown as they were beat by Chase County 2-0...

McCOOK, Neb. -- Red Willow County commissioners took care of their end-of-the-budget-cycle resolutions and paperwork required by the state's revenue department during their weekly meeting this morning. By a unanimous vote (required of a three-member board), commissioners approved an increase in the base of restricted funds (money raised through taxes) by an additional 1 percent (in addition to the allowable annual growth rate of 2 1/2 percent)...

McCook High School homecoming royalty, from left, includes Second Attendant to the King Cade Cappel, First Attendant to the King Sam Smith, King Taye Collicott, Queen Allison Tolliver, First Attendant to the Queen Lexi Gross, Second Attendant to the Queen Katie Kjendal. (Steve Towery/McCook Gazette)...

McCOOK, Neb. -- A Google-certified art educator who has presented a TEDx speech will be the keynote speaker at the Nebraska Art Teachers Association fall conference in McCook. Ken Shelton of Los Angeles, Calif., will present the keynote speech, "The Power of Voice in the Digital Age" on Saturday, Oct. ...

McCOOK, Neb. -- There are certain life skills expected as a young person becomes an adult, such as balancing a checkbook, doing laundry or changing a flat tire. But for some kids leaving foster care, these skills may not be in place and that is where Prairie Plains CASA -- Court Appointed Special Advocates -- has stepped up to the plate with an advisory program for older youths in the area...

RED CLOUD, Neb. -- The Tourism Director for McCook and Red Willow County, Carol Schlegel, wowed the crowd at the South Platte United Chambers of Commerce meeting in historic Red Cloud Tuesday evening, joining other speakers in urging Nebraskans "to toot our own tourism horn."...

A recap of Friday's area football games...

Charles James Rose, Jr. Jan. 31, 1954 - Sept. 17, 2016 PALISADE, Neb. -- Charles James Rose, Jr., also known as Charlie or Junior by family and friends, of Palisade, went to be with his Lord on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2016, at Great Plains Medical Center in North Platte, Neb...

Richard W. 'Dick' Linnemeyer Sept. 7, 1923 - Sept. 15, 2016 MCCOOK, Neb. -- Richard W. "Dick" Linnemeyer, age 93, of McCook, passed away at Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook on Thursday, Sept. 15, 2016. He was born near Curtis, Neb., on Sept. 7, 1923, to William and Lulu (Wells) Linnemeyer. Dick graduated from Curtis High School...

Walter Walkey Fortin July 22, 1939 - Sept. 17, 2016 ATWOOD, Kan. -- Walter Walkey Fortin, 77, died Saturday (Sept. 17, 2016), at the Rawlins County Health Complex in Atwood. He was born July 22, 1939, in Allison, Kan., to Fred John and Mary Emma (Walkey) Fortin. ...

McCOOK, Neb. -- A McCook man arrested in 2014 while attempting to break into a rural home was sentenced to jail time last week in Red Willow County District Court. The man, 19-year-old Colin R. McConnell-Vontz of 803 West 4th Street, was sentenced to 300 days in jail on a Class IV felony for attempted burglary with credit for 177 days already served...