Stories from Friday, February 8, 2019

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. — The B-7 girls’ basketball tournament is all set with McCook taking a No. 2 seed into playoff action Monday evening. Coach Amy Schiel’s team will take on No. 3 Lexington in a rematch of the two-point Bison thrilling home win last month...

Robert (Bob) Thomas April 16, 1931 - Feb. 5, 2019 BENKELMAN, Neb. — Robert Paul Thomas, born April 16, 1931, to Levi Thomas and Maggie (Sala) Thomas at Hollsopple, Pa., has completed his journey and is now with his Lord and Savior. He grew up in a Mennonite community, with his parents and four sisters. His first language was German...

Devin Lee Bolio Sept. 15, 1991 - Jan. 31, 2019 BENKELMAN, Neb. — Devin Lee Bolio, 27, passed away Thursday, Jan. 31, 2019, at Swedish Medical Center in Englewood, Colo. There will be no visitation. Devin was an organ donor and cremation was chosen. Services will be Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019, at the Zion Lutheran Church in Benkelman at 10:30 a.m. (MT) with Pastor Doug Hjelmstad officiating...

Emersyn Reese Berry Matt and Kayla Berry of Hays, Kan., announce the birth of their daughter, Emersyn Reese Berry, who was born Jan. 23, 2019, at Hays. She weighed 7 pounds, 12 ounces and measured 19.5 inches long. She has three sisters, Jayde, 8, Aubree, 6, and Brielle, 3. Grandparents are Steve and Kerry McConville of Bartley, Neb., and Jeff and Linda Berry of Grand Island, Neb...

50th anniversary The family of Ron and Donna Jacobs of McCook is requesting a card shower in honor of the couple’s 50th wedding anniversary on Friday, Feb. 15, 2019. Their family includes children, Shannon (Brett) Monnahan, Brandon (Jenifer) Jacobs and Alison (Eric) Ehrlich; and 8 grandchildren. Cards of congratulations will reach them at 1010 E. Fourth, McCook, NE 69001...

All this DNA information that people are gathering at times can be more confusing than helpful. How do you get to be fourth cousins, let alone cousins once removed? I must continually go back to a chart to figure it out, so maybe this column will help you with those questions!...

Many thought it couldn’t be done, but Brad and Sharleen Riemenschneider never doubted the abilities of Southwest Nebraska contractors. From the dirt work that began on July 9th, to the “completion” date of December 20, just 165 short days later and approximately four months ahead of schedule, the Edward Jones office of Sharleen Riemenschneider went from an empty lot to the beautiful 2,000 square foot structure it is today. ...

McCOOK, Neb. — The McCook Board of Education will be asked to approve a “Reduction in Force” resolution, eliminating four certified staff for the 2019-20 school year, at the regular meeting Monday, 6:30 p.m., at the conference room at the Junior High...

McCOOK, Neb. — It takes more than just lip service when it comes to property tax relief in the Nebraska Legislature, said Dist. 44 State Sen. Dan Hughes. Rather, it’s all about the art of the deal. Senators love to talk about property tax relief, Hughes said Thursday morning at the McCook Area Chamber of Commerce conference call, but “once you get right down to actual votes…it’s what you’re willing to negotiate.” Hughes related that one lobbyist once told him that a successful bill means getting “80 percent of what you want, and holding your nose at the 20 percent.”. ...

McCOOK, Neb. — In the wake of the unexpected death of McCook Community College Speech and Theater Instructor Clay Grizzle, the college has announced several opportunities to help his family, his college family, and the community, celebrate his life and the impact he made...

Under the hovering "toadstools" of the McCook Public Library early-early Wednesday morning, City of McCook employee Kirk Wilson brushes the light, dry snow off the sidewalks. The weather is expected to be breezy and warmer Saturday, but cold and possible snow are expected to return by Monday...

McCOOK, Neb. — The McCook Planning Commission will conduct public hearings regarding subdivisions, voluntary annexation and a zoning change, at its meeting Monday, Feb. 11, 5:15 p.m. at the City Council Chambers at the McCook Municipal Building. After the hearings, the McCook Planning Commission will be asked to approve the requests...

DENVER - Today the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is releasing the final environmental impact statement for the Nebraska Public Power District’s (NPPD) application for a permit for take of the endangered American burying beetle. The statement analyzes potential effects to the beetle and other factors to the human environment that would result from issuance of a take permit associated with the proposed R-Project transmission line...

Last Monday at lunch, the proprietor of one of the busiest restaurants in McCook came out to where I was sitting to congratulate me on my even-handed approach to understanding the airline service we have in McCook and the consequences of such. He told me that I did a masterful job of explaining the dilemmas we sometimes face when dealing with a small airline without putting the blame on anyone except maybe Boutique personnel in Denver. ...

First let me say, "Kudos to the young man from Stratton, who pointed out the great harm that is in store for Nebraskans if bills LB167, LB168, LB627 were to pass." The article was published in the Opinion section, Thursday, Feb. 7, 2019. The writer does a good job of pointing out the design of our Creator in deciding on a dual, male-female, not a male-female, homosexual, transgender, a sort of smorgasbord variety of human kinds or natures...

BROKEN BOW, Neb. — McCook Bison know about the top two teams confronting Cambridge, Chase County and Southern Valley at today’s C-4 wrestling tournament. The Valentine Badgers and Broken Bow Indians are familiar strong Southwest Conference foes. So strong they are ranked 1-2 among all Class C teams entering districts across Nebraska this weekend...

SUTHERLAND, Neb. — A full boat of 22 teams will invade the Sutherland Sailors’ home gym today to begin D-4 district wrestling competition. The Southwest Roughriders, Hitchcock County, Medicine Valley, Dundy County-Stratton and Wauneta-Palisade are Gazette-area squads battling for Class D state tournament spots...

ERING, Neb. — For about eight minutes, McCook was firing on all cylinders just like Saturday’s upset win over Class C-1 Top 10 contender Ainsworth. The Bison led Gering Thursday night 8-2 on senior Gabe Sehnert’s triple, then 15-6 when both junior Konor Rakes and senior James Mockry delivered quick baskets...

OGALLALA, Neb. — High rankings mean a mighty fall if the McCook Bison wrestlers have their way at today and Saturday’s B-4 district tournament. There are five Class B No. 1s in the first seven weight divisions who will likely have their spots tested when facing coach Nick Umscheid’s team...

GERING, Neb. — McCook High’s girls threw blankets all over the Gering Bulldog attack and brilliantly conquered game one of their Panhandle polar adventure Thursday evening. “We couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn tonight,” Gering coach Steve Land told the Scottsbluff Star-Herald following a 54-41 McCook victory...

WASHINGTON—Today, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) announced a $65,000 grant to be shared between two non-profit organizations—Cowboy Trail West and Northwest Nebraska Trails Association (NNTA)—working to move the Cowboy Recreation and Nature Trail (Cowboy Trail) closer to completion...

Services are pending with Herrmann-Jones Funeral Chapel in McCook.