Stories from Thursday, December 5, 2019

OMAHA, Neb. — Pre-season glamour and fanfare has hit the Benkelman area again when it comes to Omaha World-Herald state basketball rankings. Few teams have proven more ready to handle the pressure than Dundy County-Stratton’s girls during recent hoops seasons...

KEARNEY, Neb. – Other collegiate volleyball coaches ask Rick Squiers about it all the time. “What’s with your crazy bench?” “His team’s over-the-top sideline antics have “definitely caught some attention,” according to Squiers, the longtime head coach at the University of Nebraska at Kearney...

McCOOK, Neb. — Like a fantastic 360-degree spin where some poor kid scores in the wrong basket, Tuesday’s Gazette sports page made one bad flip about McCook basketball season openers. The Bison are NOT traveling to Valentine for their varsity contests. They made that trip last December and nobly brought home a two-game split...

McCOOK, Neb. — McCook High School boys’ basketball will be featuring “White Out” shirts for home games and there is currently an on-line store where fans can make purchases. T-shirts with both short sleeves and long sleeves are available as well as heavy blend hoodies...

LINXOLN, Neb. -- During World War II, the residents of Indianola, Nebraska had a much closer encounter with the enemy than the average American did on the home front. Between 1943 and 1946, Camp Indianola, located just 1.5 miles north of town, housed prisoners captured in North Africa, Italy, and mainland Europe. ...

McCOOK, Neb. — The McCook Planning Commission will consider adding the designation of West Fifth and D Streets as blighted and substandard, along with creating two new areas with the designation, at its meeting Monday, Dec. 9, 5:15 p.m. at city council chambers at the city municipal building...

IMPERIAL, Neb. — Keonna Carter waived extradition in a Larimer County, Colo., courtroom Tuesday and is set appear in Chase County Court at 1 p.m. Dec. 11 charged with nine felonies and two misdemeanors in connection with the murder of Annika Swanson of Imperial...

McCOOK, Neb. — The Norris House plans an open house Friday, 5 to 6:30 p.m., preceding the Christmas Light Parade. The event will include decorations by two fourth-grade classes on display, as well as Judy Spomer’s quilted Christmas table runners. 308 Coffee of Culbertson will be giving out samples, cookies will be served, and Two Girls a Ukulele will be entertaining with Christmas carols...

Harper Ferneau checks out the toys at the set-up of the "McCook Christmas Toy Box," helping her mother, Heather, and a crew of volunteers prepare for the annual gift giveaway scheduled Sunday, Dec. 8, at 1 p.m., in McCook's Memorial Auditorium at the corner of West Fifth and C streets. ...

First responders attend the driver of a car at an accident about 3:45 p.m. Wednesday at West Second and B in McCook. The minivan apparently went out of control and struck a parked pickup truck, which was then pushed into another parked car. More information will be published when it becomes available...

Christmas is a favorite time of year for most of us, but for others, the holidays can be a real struggle. If you’ve lost a loved one, face financial or health issues in yourself or loved ones, cheery music and television specials can make you feel especially alone and hopeless...

Our democracy gives us the opportunity to elect our public officials at a local, state and national level. This is a powerful tool to help shape what we want to see happen politically in our country. Our free-market economy also gives us a chance to vote with our dollars when we make purchases. This is evident as we approach Christmas...