Stories from Thursday, March 7, 2019

LINCOLN, Neb. — The Nebraska volleyball team will play its lone 2019 spring match against Colorado State at McCook Community College in McCook, Nebraska on Saturday, April 20 at 1 p.m. Approximately 1,300 tickets will go on sale Saturday, March 16 at 11 a.m. at the Graff Events Center on the McCook Community College campus...

Julie Preston BENKELMAN, Neb. — Julie Preston, 61, of Benkelman, died Monday (March 4, 2019), at her home in Benkelman. Survivors include her father, Jerry Preston of Benkelman; children, Heather Ramsey of Kenesaw, Neb., Matthew Reiman of Kenesaw, Nikki Farren and husband, Tim of Jacksonville, Fla., and Deanna Preston of Sterling, Colo.; brothers, Jeff Preston and significant other, Carolyn Graham and Jason Preston and wife, Cindy, all of Benkelman; 13 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren...

McCOOK, Neb. — It may seem like this winter will never end, but once it does, construction can begin on six street improvement projects scheduled for this summer. Here’s a look at the streets earmarked for improvements this year, starting with the most costly:...

Wet distillers mash spilled on the highway and a two-vehicle accident on Thursday, Feb. 28 disrupted traffic 11⁄2 miles east of McCook on Highway 6&34. According to an investigation of the accident completed by Red Willow County Sheriff's Department officers Chief Deputy Joe Koetter and Sgt. ...

JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii — Cmdr. Christopher J. Forch relieved Cmdr. Kevin T. Louis as commanding officer of the guided-missile destroyer USS Michael Murphy (DDG 112) in a ceremony held at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, on Friday. Forch served as Michael Murphy’s executive officer from June 2017 to December 2018. ...

McCOOK, Neb. — The Hastings College Mobile Glass Studio will be in McCook on Tuesday, March 12. in front of the Peter and Dolores Graff Event Center. If weather necessitates, it will be moved inside True Hall. The schedule includes a presentation with chemistry emphasis from 11 – 11:45, as well as art, focused presentations at 12:40, 1:40 and 2:40...

LINCOLN, Neb. — The Nebraskaland Foundation honored a McCook native with the designation of Distinguished Nebraskalander at the foundation’s annual Statehood Day Dinner held March 2nd at the State Capitol in Lincoln. Ernie Weyeneth, along with Sara Brandes Crook of Otoe County and Ray and Jennifer O’Connor of Grand Island, were all honored for their service to Nebraska...

This week has been a busy one, with the highlight being meeting with the McCook Senior Leadership class. Interacting with them gives me hope, knowing that those intelligent, respectful young men and women will be our future community leaders. I introduced LB144 to the Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee on Wednesday, February 27th and LB632 to the Natural Resources Committee on Thursday, February 28th. ...

A native of Canada and naturalized U.S. citizen, Alex Trebek once hosted three game shows at once, but he will forever be associated with “Jeopardy,” which he has hosted since 1984. With class and composure that surprised no one, Trebek, 78, announced in a YouTube video Tuesday that he has been diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer...