Stories from Tuesday, March 20, 2018

McCOOK, Neb. -- After a historic season in 2017, the McCook Lady Bison tennis team is ready to start another successful campaign...

McCOOK, Neb. — The McCook City Council is asking for public input on future projects in the city. The council set Monday, April 9, 6:30 p.m. in the council chambers, for the first “town hall” meeting to discuss projects in the city. The meeting will be the first of several, City Manager Nate Schneider said at the regular council meeting Monday night, in finding out “the best way to establish what our priorities are.”...

McCOOK, Neb. — The McCook City Council mulled over Monday night the best way to handle a damaged, abandoned alley house damaged by fire. The owner of the home at 1107 W. Fourth has been difficult to locate recently, said city attorney Nate Mustion. Based on prior conversations, family representatives do not have the funds to demolish the structure and the owner is not willing to sell, said City Manager, Nate Schneider...

ARAPAHOE, Neb. — They’re not all avid hunters. They’re not even all outdoorsmen. The biggest misconception about the new “Republican Valley Pheasants Forever Youth Council,” Arapahoe High School junior Hunter Swanson says, “is that we’re a hunting group. We’re not. Some of us are hunters and outdoorsmen, yes, but many of us aren’t. Our common focus is wildlife habitat conservation, youth activities and education.”...

CULBERTSON, Neb. — Preschool registration for all parents living in the Hitchcock County School District who want to register their 4-year-old child for the 2018-2019 preschool class in Culbertson. is Friday, April 6, 2018, at 9 a.m. Only children who have turned four prior to July 31, 2018, will be accepted. Any 5-year-olds will be sent on to kindergarten...

McCOOK, Neb. — Land near the airport the City of McCook will continue to be leased to the same renter. Before the McCook City Council unanimously extended the contract at the regular council meeting Monday night, council member Janet Hepp pulled the item from consent agenda for discussion...

McCOOK, Neb. — A trio of McCook Community College basketball players have earned post-season honors from both the region and the conference. MCC sophomores D’Von Moore (Statesboro, Ga.), Chinedu Okonkwo (Nigeria) and freshman Peanut Cunningham (Louisville, Kent.) were named to the Nebraska Community College Athletic Conference team...

KEARNEY, Neb. — Dundy County-Stratton Tigers were ready to run on Saturday as they took home several top places at the annual UNK Indoor season opener. Senior Phalen Sanford did his usual tape breaking in the 55-meter hurdles. The dominator of both jumps and hurdles scored a winning time of 7.88 — almost a full second faster than closest challenger Jake Fleischer from Hastings Adams Central...

KEARNEY, Neb. — Running laps almost seemed llike a blast considering how fast Maywood-Hayes Center girls circled the UNK Indoor track on Saturday. No B or C runner finished one mile faster than senior Kayla Minary, whose all-time best effort of 6:10.46 earned the championship...

This week finds your columnist and Grannie Annie at the Air Force Academy beautifully sited at the foot of the majestic snowcapped Rocky Mountains. The time of drudgery that I spent here as a student has paid off in a lifetime of appreciation for the place and its product of well-trained men and women dedicated to service to country that are turned out each year...

March 20 is National Agriculture Day – a day designated each year by the Agriculture Council of America to celebrate the accomplishments of agriculture. The Farm Service Agency joins the council in thanking American agricultural producers, especially in Nebraska, for their contributions to the nation’s outstanding quality of life...

Kathryn Ann Hileman Sept. 2, 1923 - Feb. 15, 2018 CEDAR HILL, TEXAS — Kathryn Ann Hileman of Cedar Hill, died Feb.15, 2018.  She was born in Beaver City, Neb., on Sept. 2, 1923 to Wade and Flora Stevens.  She was preceded in death by her parents; son, Kris Andrew; sister, Marilyn Stevens Shepherd; and brother, Warner Stevens...

Joya Sheryl (Weems) Neville June 5, 1957 - March 16, 2018 GRANT, Neb. -- Joya Sheryl (Weems) Neville, 60, of Grant, died Friday, March 16, 2018. Neville was born June 5, 1957, in Hays, Kan. Survivors include parents Bryan Weems of Thorton, Colo., and Norma Weems of St. ...

Joanne Marie Wesch Aug. 27, 1933 - March 9, 2018 COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Joanne Marie Wesch, 84, died March 9, 2018, at Colorado Springs. She married Floyd H (FH) Wesch on June 16, 1957. She was an English teacher at McCook Public Schools from 1967-1994. She was a member of Peace Lutheran Church and NEA...

Sometimes the appearance of safety is more dangerous than no safety at all. One example is car seats — strapping a child into a car seat may meet the letter of the law, but it may not be enough if you’re in a serious accident and the seat is improperly secured...