Stories from Monday, May 22, 2017

McCook High tennis girls earned their first Class B history in team history on Friday at Woods Tennis Center in Lincoln. Senior Lauren Koetter lifts the trophy while seniors (both right) Kacee Samway and Katie Kjendal all show the elation of winning by one half-point over perennial tennis power Omaha Duchesene Academy. ...

OMAHA -- For the second-straight year, Greg Gaston is a state champion. The senior from Wauneta-Palisade and Doane College track-field recruit won the Class D high jump with a mark of 6’3 to successfully defend his state title. Last year, Gaston won the event with a jump of 6’4. Head coach Dawn Doetker said Gaston had his eyes set on 6’5 at this year’s meet, but wasn’t able to clear it on his final attempt...

OMAHA -- Dundy County-Stratton phenom Phalen Sanford highlighted a big weekend for the Tigers. Sanford came within one-tenth of the Class C state record to win Saturday’s 300-meter hurdles with a time of 38.6. No matter. That mark was still good enough to claim gold in the event...

OMAHA -- The Chase County girls successfully defended their Class C state track and field title with a convincing weekend performance at Burke Stadium. Headlined by three gold medal relay teams, the Longhorns posted 65.5 points to run away from Crofton and Ainsworth, which tied for second with 40.0 points each...

OMAHA, Neb. — McCook’s boys shook off adversity easier than the constant drizzle and rain while showing they still belonged among top Class B track-field teams last weekend. The Bison scored 31 points for sixth place overall, but they were only five points from catching No. 2 Wahoo (36 points)...

Stanley Wayne Martin April 30, 1928 - May 3, 2017 PARKER, Colo. — Stan Martin was born into a family of railroaders in McCook, Neb., on April 30, 1928.  He was the son of Fred and Katie Martin and the youngest of eight brothers and sisters.   He started dating his future wife, Erna Coady Martin, in junior high and they danced their way through high school, while he played football and basketball for the Cardinals.  After graduating from Oxford High School, he worked for the CB&Q railroad.  Stan and Erna were married in Oxford, Neb., on Oct. ...

Donald Jack Lowry May 4, 1933 - May 19, 2017 CAMBRIDGE, Neb. — Donald Jack Lowry, age 84, formerly of Cambridge, passed away at the Good Samaritan Village / Perkins Pavilion on Friday, May 19, 2017. He was born in Winfield, Kan., on May 4, 1933, to Donald James and Mary Louise (Mullenix) Lowry. He grew up and graduated from Bell Plaines High School in Kan. in 1951...

OMAHA, Neb. — A man who was found to have 240 pounds of marijuana in his car after a traffic stop last year was sentenced to three years in federal prison on Friday. Christopher I. Carrillo, 33, Phoenix, had pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute marijuana...

Jacqueline (“Jacque,” pronounced “Jackie”) Riener, left, is sworn in as Red Willow County District 3 commissioner by Clerk Magistrate Gretchen Wiebe, prior to the county commissioners’ weekly meeting in the courthouse in McCook this morning. Riener fills the vacancy created by the resignation of Vesta Dack, who left the board in April due to her husband’s health concerns. ...

McCOOK, Neb. — Long-time McCook Gazette columnist, Walt Sehnert, whose “From Days Gone By” is published each Monday, has written another book, this one about his experiences in Korea during the Korean War. A life-long baker, he used those skills during his Army service...

The first “Dennis Shannon Memorial” and fourth annual “Remember Our Vets” car and bike show will be Saturday, June 3, from 11 a.m until 5 p.m., in the Bartley city park. Dennis Shannon, the coordinator of the “Vets” car show for three years, died Jan. ...

McCOOK, Neb. — Prairie Plains CASA volunteers aren’t given much time to settle in these days. Five new advocates sworn in Wednesday afternoon received case assignments immediately after leaving the courthouse, according to Program Director Cathy McDowell...

McCook Pizza Hut general manager Sara Rowe, right, teaches second grade teacher Matt Berry and students, from the left, Josilin Miller, Zaely Pace, Brody Lytle, Cooper Soundy and Lily Gans how to make pizzas, during an end-of-the-school-year field trip for all McCook Elementary second-graders Thursday afternoon. ...

A Philadelphia court faces a formidable task today, finding 12 jurors and six alternates who believe they can deliver a fair verdict about the behavior of a man who was once America’s most beloved dad. They must do it while spending at least two weeks 300 miles from their homes in the Pittsburgh, Pa., area...

(Note: Perhaps the most important of the scientific innovations that were spawned by World War I was the development of the airplane. Just 11 years after the Wright Brothers proved to the world that powered flight was not only possible but even practical, most of the countries of the civilized world rushed to develop their own entry into the new air age. In doing so, they unleashed a most new, extremely effective killing machine that changed the nature of war forever.)...

As a Kentucian who visited McCook this past week, I would just like to take time to say a great big thank you to all that made it a special week. A wonderful friendly town that has so much for a visitor like me to enjoy. A great big shout out to Steve Lytle Guide Service and Aric Riggins for the wonderful fishing opportunities that I found on area lakes. A special thank you to Tourism Director Carol Schlegel for making us feel so welcome. I will return often...

OMAHA, Neb. — Class C top teams and all Gazette-area results from the Nebraska State Track and Field Meet. Medalists in boldy type: Girls Teams: 1. Chase County 65.5, 2. Crofton 40, 2. Ainsworth 40, 4. Stanton 38, 5. Johnson County-Central 31, 6. Dundy County-Stratton 30, 7. Mitchell 28, 8. Lincoln Lutheran 27, 9. Heartland 24.5, 10. Lincoln Christian 24. Cambridge was 15th with 19 points...

OMAHA, Neb. — Top 10 teams and all-Gazette area results from the Nebraska State Track-Field Meet last weekend. Medalists in bold type: Teams: 1. Norfolk Catholic 57.5, 2. Thayer Central 37, 2. Central City 37, 4. Battle Creek 28.5, 5. Bridgeport 28, 6. Heartland 26, 7. Mitchell 25, 8. Dundy County-Stratton 23, 9. Sutton 21, 10. Hastings St. Cecilia 20. Chase County was 23rd with 11 points and Southwest 31st with 7 points...

OMAHA, Neb. — McCook’s five medals added up to five points for the Bison girls in a tough and soggy Class B state track-field meet last weekend. McCook’s 400-meter relay ran through the slop on Saturday for a seventh-place Class B finish. Sophomore Laurel Schmidt ignited the quarter with juniors Jaden Bryant and Holli Thomas conquering those next two 100-meter legs...

OMAHA -- For the second-straight year, Greg Gaston is a state champion. The senior from Wauneta-Palisade and Doane College track-field recruit won the Class D high jump with a mark of 6’3 to successfully defend his state title. Last year, Gaston won the event with a jump of 6’4. Head coach Dawn Doetker said Gaston had his eyes set on 6’5 at this year’s meet, but wasn’t able to clear it on his final attempt...