Stories from Friday, January 13, 2017

Due to an expected winter storm, McCook High's varsity games on Saturday are now scheduled for the girls at 3:30 p.m. with the boys likely starting around 5 p.m. The games were earlier scheduled at 4:30 and 6 p.m. in McCook High School's gymnasium. Both McCook teams played at Hastings Friday night with the Tigers winning. More details on these games and Saturday's contests can be seen in the Monday Gazette...

After a pretty dry winter so far, it looks like that's about to change this weekend. The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Watch for McCook, all of southwest Nebraska, northwest Kansas and South Central Nebraska for a mixture of freezing rain, sleet and snow beginning during the day on Saturday and continuing through Monday. ...

Gov. Pete Ricketts' budget proposals were just as predictable as the response. Faced with a projected $267 million shortfall in the current budget and the potential for a $900 million gap through 2019, Ricketts did what most of us do when our paychecks won't make it to the end of the month...

Farmers are the experts when it comes to enjoying the fruits of the land in the best way possible. Learn to eat like a farmer, and your taste buds will be sure to thank you later. Across the United States, farmers are working hard to bring high-quality foods from their fields and groves to grocery store shelves and, ultimately, to your pantry. Sometimes foods you may not even think about coming from a farm have been grown with the most tender, loving care...

DENVER, Colo. -- Jerry Wendland, age 69, of Denver passed away on Wednesday (Jan. 11, 2017) at the Cambridge Memorial Hospital in Cambridge, Nebraska. Jerry was born in Oxford, Nebraska on May 1, 1947 to Theodore & Phyllis (Wieland) Wendland. He grew up in Arapahoe and graduated from Arapahoe High School in 1965. ...

HOLDREGE, Neb. --Winnie M. Mussman, age 95, of Holdrege, Nebraska, formerly of Arapahoe, Nebraska, passed away on Wednesday (Jan. 11, 2017) at Holdrege Memorial Homes in Holdrege. She was born on Dec. 20, 1921, at Oxford, Nebraska, to Fred and Maggie (DeVries) Knipschild...

CAMBRIDGE, Neb. --Beverley "Brown" Smith of Cambridge passed away peacefully with family by her side on Thursday (Jan. 12, 2017) at the Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha at the age of 68. She was born in Denver, Colorado, on Dec. 19, 1948, and was adopted at 9 days old by John and Lola Trina Brown, and later gained a stepmom, Hazel Brown. Bev attended school in Yuma and Wray, Colorado, and graduated in 1966. She married Philip Cruse on Nov. 8, 1966. To this union three children were born...

McCOOK, Neb. -- Gregory Dankleff, 59, of McCook, died Wednesday (Jan. 11, 2017) at Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook. Visitation will be Saturday (Jan. 14, 2017) from 2-6 p.m. and Sunday (Jan. 15, 2017) from 4--8 p.m. at Carpenter Breland Funeral Home...

RIVERTON, Neb. -- Hazel Jameson, 71, died Monday, Jan. 9, 2017, at the Franklin Nursing Home in Franklin, Neb. Survivors include nephew, Robert (Anna) Degener of McCook, Neb.

Medicine Valley features two top four state-rated wrestlers as the season moves into its most important meets. R.J. Tutlem-Hazen has earned the No. 4 spot at Class D 132 pounds, according to this week's Nebraska Wrestling Coaches Assocaition state rankings...

IMPERIAL, Neb. -- The Chase County Longhorns stormed to a 22-2 lead and 41-7 by halftime of their girls' 60-14 win over visiting Perkins County Thursday evening. It was quite a comeback after Tuesday's tough loss at McCook Community College against Southern Valley...

McCOOK, Neb. -- McCook High senior Taylor Ford became the newest softball signee with coach Josh Barnes' McCook Community College team this week. "The 2018 softball class has me really excited for the future of MCC softball. We add another great local player in Taylor Ford," Barnes remarked...

The first step to state and perhaps even international basketball success begins in McCook on Sunday. Jan. 22. That's when the McCook Kinghts of Columus will conduct their annual free-throw shooting contest in the St. Patrick's school gymnasium. Doors will open at noon, organizer Bob Burns announced...

LINCOLN, Neb. -- The Nebraska Catholic Conference strongly objects to a proposal advanced yesterday by several districts of the Nebraska School Activities Association (NSAA) that would unjustly punish success and discriminate against private religious schools...

McCOOK, Neb. -- A new class for aviation enthusiasts is being offered at McCook Community College this spring. This course was added after the spring schedule of classes was published. This fundamentals of aviation class ("Basic Ground Training" AVIA 1210) is offered Tuesday nights starting Jan. 17. The instructor is Barry Turner an FAA (Federal Aviation) Certified Advanced and Instrument Ground Instructor...

ARAPAHOE, Neb. -- He's really close to talking himself out of selling. So, if you're interested in trying out the newest trend in the housing industry -- condensing life into a "tiny house" -- you'd better not procrastinate very much longer. Scott Breinig of rural Arapahoe has two homes on wheels that are tiny and for sale. "If we were closer to retirement ... " Scott muses, wondering if he and his wife, Pam, ought to keep one of the two little houses he has for sale...

McCOOK, Neb. -- City leaders will receive a $1,500 donation from the McCook Community Foundation next week to assist with the installation of street lights at the Bolles Canyon Skatepark. "The goal is to provide lighting at the skatepark to allow its users the opportunity to skate/bike after dark. Special thanks are in order for Al Gunther and Kirk Dixon, who have spearheaded the lighting effort," according to city staff...

CAMBRIDGE, Neb. -- The prestigious annual Merle Jane Harpst Awards were presented to one licensed and one non-licensed Tri Valley Health System employee at the annual recognition event on Saturday, January 7, 2017 at the Heritage Plaza. The award was established in 1998 to honor the late Merle Jane Harpst, and her 20-plus years as employee and administrator at Cambridge Memorial Hospital and Tri Valley Health System...

BEAVER CITY, Neb. -- Law enforcement officers tracked a Tennessee fugitive and his cell phone to the airport north of Arapahoe on Thursday, arresting the man after finding him inside a locked airport office. Furnas County Sheriff Kurt Kapperman said this morning that 55-year-old Michael Parsons of Tipton County, Tn., was wanted on charges of failure to appear and possession of a weapon by a felon. ...