Stories from Friday, December 7, 2018

McCOOK, Neb. — Turn off the big lamp and run while you can! Who would dispute that gameplan when seeing the caged beast from summer camp unleashed Thursday night? “I was kind of liking it (the break) for awhile,” McCook senior Colin Giron said about missing all of last wrestling season due to an injury. “But camp last summer, I really started missing it. I wanted to get back and wrestle again.”...

O'NEILL, Neb. — Chandra Spangler, a member of the O'Neill, Neb., FFA Chapter, is working on a project for a state level competition. "I am doing a social sciences research project on the perceptions of the public on organic farming in the state of Nebraska," she writes...

RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. — The climate experts agree that the earth underwent a cooling down period from the 1940s through the 1970s. Part of that period was when I was in public schools in Atkins, Ark., and during that time, I remember several snowfalls each winter with some of them being significant. The kids always loved those because not only was school canceled, we got to play in the snow all day long as well as having snow ice cream to eat during our breaks...

On Sunday, various churches in Southwest Nebraska come to El Dorado Manor in Trenton and conduct brief inter-faith church services. Dec. 2, 2018, Elmer and Tallie Case of the Christian Union Church came. Elmer sang a brief arrangement of Handel’s Messiah. (I found myself singing along with him.) In years past, I was involved in singing in the Community Choir in McCook and I reflected on that experience...

90th birthday The family of Irene (Bauer) Schneider of McCook is requesting a card shower in honor of her 90th birthday on Saturday, Dec. 15, 2018. Cards of congratulations will reach her at 803 West J Street, McCook, NE 69001.

Marvin “Mert” A. Banzhaf March 28, 1942 - Dec. 5, 2018 CAMBRIDGE, Neb. — Marvin “Mert” A. Banzhaf, age 76, of Cambridge, passed away Dec. 5, 2018, at the Bertrand Nursing Home in Bertrand, Neb. He recently moved to the nursing home on Nov. 27, 2018, when living alone was not safe...

CURTIS, Neb. — Medicine Valley Raiders earned several spots throughout the D-1 District 8 football team announced this week. Senior offensive lineman Austin Wolfe, junior tight end Quade Potter and junior “athlete” Sam Heapy were all named to the D1-8 first team...

GOTHENBURG, Neb. — Southern Valley’s boys are now 3-1 thanks to their 60-56 overtime victory over the Gothenburg Swedes Thursday evening. Junior Jaden Quinn put in 23 points that powered the tough Eagle victory. Southern Valley built a 32-25 lead through three quarters only to see Gothenburg suddenly heat up with 25 fourth-period points...

McCook’s Emalee Garcia (left) pursues Holdrege Duster Laikin Sadd (3) downcourt during the seventh-grade girls action at McCook on Thursday.

McCOOK, Neb. — McCook Community College sophomore Ashley Carson, Ord, signed a letter of intent Thursday to continue her volleyball career next year at NCAA Division 2 Coker College in Hartsville, South Carolina. “She is always ready to go, always puts in the effort whether it is in the gym or in the classroom, she was never an issue,” MCC coach Hayley Kobza said. “She is someone everyone should look up to as a leader and has been a great role model.”...

GOODLAND, Kan. — The McCook High girls will happily move from game one to game two following a 42-13 opener against Colby, Kan., Eagles late Thursday night. Colby (2-0 record) connected on eight three-pointers while McCook went about six minutes before scoring its first points of the season in this Topside Tipoff Tournament first-round game...

GOODLAND, Kan. — McCook’s engine caught fire a little too late against those fast-starting Colby, Kan., Eagles Thursday night. The Bison tallied an awesome 27 fourth-quarter points, but Colby led by 21 through those first three periods in a 64=54 victory...

McCOOK, Neb. — The McCook Board of Education will officially accept donations to the school district totaling $16,000 and discuss two items in closed session, at its regular meeting Monday, 6:30 p.m., at the junior high conference room. Donations the board will recognize is $15,000 from Dollar General, given in $5,000 increments on Nov. 15 in surprise presentations to McCook Elementary, McCook Junior High and McCook Senior High, and a $1,000 donation from Farm Credit Services for the ag program...

McCOOK, Neb. — The McCook Planning Commission will meet Monday, 5:15 p.m., at the McCook Municipal building for a public hearing for the creation of a minor subdivision. Marshall D. Tucker and Randy and Carol Lashley are requesting the creation of a minor subdivision on Drive 716, north of Cappel Industrial Park. ...

Emergency crews work at the scene in Danbury where a grain truck rolled onto its side about 3:47 p.m.Thursday. Information was not immediately available on any injuries to the driver, Kevin Fischer, 50, Holbrook, but he was reported to be wearing his seat belt. Beaver Valley Fire & Rescue, McCook ambulance crews and the Nebraska State Patrol were called to the scene. The road was blocked for about three hours...

EDITOR’S NOTE: Jim Wesch submitted the following story for his church newsletter, and we decided to share it for the benefit of newcomers and long-time residents of McCook, home to Santa Claus Lane: The first Christmas I can remember was when I was just 4 years old. ...

Plains Equipment Group staff with mechanic Jimmy Ralph donning the ceremonial wooden scissors during a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the McCook location Wednesday morning. The longtime McCook business and agricultural implement dealer and service provider joined the McCook Area Chamber of Commerce earlier this year, leading to the event. Approximately 40 area business and community leaders attended the gathering and thanked Plains for their commitment to the region...

McCOOK, Neb. — The McCook City and Volunteer Fire Department will conduct a training burn in the 1400 block of West J Street in McCook on Saturday The training is scheduled to begin at 9:00 a.m. A vacant residential structure located on the lot next to Master Carts LLC, the former Propes Golf Carts Sales & Service, will be involved. ...

LINCOLN, Neb. — United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that Michael Wayne Parsons, age 57, formerly of Arlington, Tennessee, was sentenced today to 84 months inprison followed by three years of supervised release following his conviction by a United States District Court jury of being a felon in possession of a firearm. ...

LINCOLN, Neb. — Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol have arrested two men and seized more than 240 pounds of marijuana, methamphetamine, and controlled substances following two traffic stops on Interstate 80 Thursday. The first stop occurred at approximately 12:30 p.m. when a trooper observed an eastbound Ford Fusion following too closely near Grand Island at mile marker 313. During the traffic stop, an NSP K9 detected the odor of a controlled substance coming from the trunk of the vehicle...