Stories from Wednesday, January 23, 2019

McCOOK, Neb. — A look at all champions in the annual Mac Attack basketball tournament featuring about 50 teams from three states on Saturday: 7th/8th Grade Boys Champions – DCS 8th Grade 7th/8th Grade Girls Champions – MHC Wolves 6th Grade Boys Champions – McCook Renegades...

McCOOK, Neb. — With 11 events in the books, the Republican River Fitness Series wrapped up the 2018 season with an award banquet Saturday night. The awards recognized those who placed in the top five of their age divisions, which range from 19 and under to those 60 and over for both men and women’s divisions...

During the debate — including a government shutdown — that led up to the passage of the Affordable Care Act, we remember hearing a millennial’s plaintive cry about the unfairness of the “individual mandate.” “Why should I pay for something I don’t need?” That palm-to-the-forehead realization of a basic misunderstanding of the term “insurance” is bound to be repeated this election cycle, as the “Medicare-for-all” plank is inevitably nailed into the platform of the Democratic Party...

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. — Chase County drilled 10 three-pointers while pounding North Platte St. Patrick’s, 69-48, in the SPVA boys consolation final on Saturday. Sophomore Cedric Maxwell went three-for-three from long distance while fellow soph Mason Nordhausen put down another pair as this pair didn’t miss once...

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. — Junior Mallie McNair’s 25 points helped the Chase County girls rally for a 50-38 victory over Bridgeport in their SPVA consolation finale on Saturday. The Longhorns (10-6 record) trailed 12-5 through one quarter and 24-20 at halftime before a 13-3 third period turned momentum...

McCOOK, Neb — The sewer department of the City of McCook needs a new camera. Bid specifications for a new camera that inspects sewer mains were approved by the McCook City Council Monday night, along with other consent agenda items. The camera is used to assess mains and collects information from service taps, low areas in the main, cracks in the pipe joints, deposits of grit and the detection of tree roots, the “nemesis” of any sewer system, according to Utilities Director Jesse Dutcher in the city staff report.. ...

McCOOK, Neb. — The state pays the City of McCook $16,789 annually for maintaining highways inside city limits. As a consent agenda item, the McCook City Council Monday night approved the renewal of Maintenance Agreement No. 17 between the Nebraska Department of Transportation and the Municipality of McCook...

McCOOK, Neb. — The McCook City Council unanimously approved a $50,000 loan from the McCook LB840 McCook Economic Development Plan, toward the purchase of an existing laundromat in McCook. Because real estate is involved, council approval was needed for a loan already approved and reviewed by the McCook LB840 McCook Economic Development Plan loan committee, for Scott Repass and Margaret Repass. ...

McCOOK, Neb. — What’s better to warm the soul after several days of frosty weather than a variety of soups? The McCook Rotary Club, in cooperation with 15 participating organizations, plans its fourth annual Soup-R-Bowl lunch on Friday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Organizations have volunteered to prepare a pot of soup to be served to the public in exchange for a free will donation of cash or food products for the McCook Food Pantry...

The January/February 2019 edition of NebraskaLife magazine features a story on "Chuck's Woodbarn" in Bartley. The story details how Chuck "Charlie" and Sherry Zeller build handmade heirloom steamer trunks, infusing the design of antique trunks with original Zeller touches. ...

SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb. – The Western Nebraska women’s basketball team took control of the Region IX South Sub Region Tuesday night with a 98-63 win over McCook Community College. The two teams entered Tuesday play tied for first place in the standings but it was the Lady Cougars that kept the perfect mark alive improving to 4-0 in sub-region play...

SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb – The Western Nebraska Community College men rolled to a 123-86 win over McCook Community College Tuesday at Cougar Palace. The Cougars made 19 of 33 shots (57.6 percent) from beyond the 3-point line and out-scored MCC 57-24 from the 3-point line. For the game Western Nebraska shot 60 percent from the field, dished out 27 assists and committed nine turnovers...

LINCOLN, Neb. — The Nebraska Department of Transportation wants drivers to know there now is another resource during winter events to view road conditions. Thanks to NDOT’s online Plow Tracker, drivers will be able to get a view of the roadway from plows actively working to remove snow going online at: https://plows.nebraska.gov/index.html...

BENKELMAN, Neb. — Mykuh Hanson’s 14 points helped the McCook seventh-grade boys stay within range of a 33-30 loss at Dundy County-Stratton on Monday. In the “B-C” contest, Coy Swanson scored all four Bison points during a 35-4 DC-S Tiger victory.

SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb. — McCook High’s swim and dive team made a strong showing with 542 points to reach the top two at last weekend’s Twin Cities Invitational. Bison divers took four of the top five boys’ places while others produced numerous top two or three finishes...

LINCOLN, Neb. — Gov. Pete Ricketts laid out his 2019 budget proposal in front of government employees and the public in his annual State of the State address, Jan. 15. The proposal, which focused heavily on limiting property taxes and projects a 3.1 percent state spending increase each year, has received various reactions from state senators...

McCOOK, Neb. — The McCook Chamber of Commerce has announced that the First Quarter Honor Business of 2019 voted on by their Board of Directors is Schmick's Market. The Chamber recognizes those businesses who have displayed good business ethics and integrity in line with the ideals and goals of the Chamber. These businesses are those who have gone the extra mile to have a positive impact on the Chamber, our community or our area...

McCOOK, Neb. — The Young Professionals Group wants to remind area senior students who are interested in attending Mid Plains Community College - McCook Campus, Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture in Curtis, or the McCook Beauty Academy in 2019-2020, that they are offering $500 scholarships...

McCOOK, Neb. — Area poolplayers earned cash prizes for their top performances in recent tournaments held by the APA Pool League. Madelyn McKain and Don Daub, both from McCook, teamed up to take third place in the APA Jack & Jill 8-Ball Doubles tournament at North Platte...

TRENTON, Neb. — The Stratton man dogged by charges after having his dogs taken away from him has been found guilty of criminal mischief after he and another Stratton man scuffled over the man's dog in March last year. Fred Hamilton still faces charges of felony possession of a destructive device and threatening to use explosives after the Nebraska State Patrol found what appeared to be an improvised explosive device in his house in April 2018...