Stories from Friday, December 6, 2019

BARTLEY, Neb. — All those early dawn practice jumpers paid off late for the Southwest Roughriders Thursday night. “I unlock the gym around 7:30 a.m. for anyone,” coach Dennis Hengen said. “And these girls have shown up.” The three fab freshmen fueled a Roughrider rally with 27 combined points, but it was one steady senior who stepped up when it counted most in Thursday’s basketball opener...

Prellwitz. Owens Elaine Prellwitz and Peter Owens, both of Breckenridge, Colo., announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the bride-to-be are Andy and Debbie Prellwitz of Hoisington, Kan. Grandparents are Darlene Bayes of Salina, Kan., and the late William Bayes and Leroy and Betty Prellwitz of Morrowville, Kan...

Before I get to the point, I want to clear up something I wrote about a while back. When McCook became the county seat of Red Willow County, the courthouse had not been built yet, but the records had to go somewhere. I thought that they were housed in the building on the corner of Norris and West C Street, but when researching an entirely different subject, I referred back to the 1889 Sanborn Map of McCook and found that the Phillips-Meeker building was what I now refer to as the Hansen bldg., and has also been known as the Kelly bldg., now housing in the north section, McCook Abstract. ...

McCOOK, Neb. — The McCook Board of Education will hear a presentation on “Bison Days,” at the regular meeting Monday, 6:30 p.m., at the conference room at the McCook Junior High. There are no regular agenda items requiring a vote, except for the possibility of a resignation if one is tendered by Monday’s meeting...

McCOOK, Neb. — McCook Central Elementary was in lock-out for about a hour Thursday. Joel Bednar, Central Elementary principal, said a concerned citizen called the school around 10 a.m. about a suspicious person on Norris Avenue. McCook City Police did a sweep of Norris Avenue and following an investigation, determined there was no threat, Bednar said...

LINCOLN, Neb. -- A portion of more than $284,000 in Community Development Block Grant funding will go to Benkelman, according to the Nebraska Department of Economic Development. Benkelman will receive $27,214 to create a downtown revitalization plan focused on business and infrastructure improvements...

McCOOK, Neb. — The number of Boutique Air passengers who deplaned last month at McCook Airport jumped, while the number of passengers flying out slightly decreased. In November, a total of 207 Boutique Air passengers flew in from Denver to McCook Ben Nelson Regional Airport, a 12.5% increase from November of last year with 184 passengers...

ARAPAHOE, Neb. — The Overton Eagles were tough opening visitors who took both games from Arapahoe’s basketball teams Thursday night. Junior Haley Fleischman hit eight of nine shots for 16 points in the Overton girls’ 44-22 victory. Senior Terri Hilker’s 10 points led the Warriors (0-1) while freshman Gentry Warner added five points on 50 percent shooting (two for four)...

WAUNETA, Neb. — The Wauneta-Palisade Broncos dropped two and four-point openers against visiting Wallace Thursday evening. Coach Matt Cox’s Bronco girls fell just short, 36-34, as they nearly erased a 24-12 halftime deficit. Alexa Sandman’s 13 points ignited the Broncos with senior Michaela Dukes and junior Haylee Sandman scoring seven apiece...

MAXWELL, Neb. — Hitchcock County’s 192 points placed second and led a strong trio of area wrestling teams debuting at the Maxwell Invitational on Thursday. Dundy County-Stratton finished fourth among eight teams with 104 points and Medicine Valley scored a respectable 80 to place sixth...

BARTLEY, Neb. — The Cambridge Trojans conquered two of three foes to finish second at Thursday’s season-opening Southwest wrestling quadrangular. Only the Wolfkings from Loomis-Bertrand were stronger with four consecutive dual wins. The Trojans conquered tough duals over host Southwest, 47-33, and a solid Arapahoe squad, 46-36...

BARTLEY, Neb. — The Medicine Valley Raiders delivered their first win since 2018 in super style with a 50-26 triumph over Southwest Thursday evening. Junior Sam Heapy’s 24 points fueled a relentless Raider whether they were driving to the hoop or applying full-court defensive pressure...

CAMBRIDGE, Neb. — Hitchcock County’s awesome 1-2-3 combination of seniors Shaye Porter, Kass Kisker and Neleigh Hauxwell during a 76-42 victory over Cambridge Thursday evening. Porter hit two “triples” but powered to 10 more baskets while totaling 28 points against some former Trojan teammates...

CAMBRIDGE, Neb. — Cambridge senior Paxton Ross topped 1,000 points for his career and powered a thrilling 56-52 double-overtime win over Hitchcock County Thursday night. Ross hit four three-pointers as the Trojans (1-0) needed every basket to fight off a Falcon team returning from it own state football playoff appearance...

As Christmas nears, and we prepare for the flurry of activity that surrounds it, a couple of random, holiday thoughts come to mind. Gift giving is both a joy and a burden. In some cases, budgetary restraints prevent us from giving as much as we would like and at other times, we find that the loved ones we value the most want for nothing. Sometimes, the selection of an appropriate gift at any price can present a challenge...

Dear Editor, Here at the Christmas season, we take time to reflect on how blessed we are and embrace the spirit of giving more than at any other time of the year. I always enjoy Dickens' wonderful story, 'A Christmas Carol,' which tells of a sad, lonely, greedy, wealthy man, Scrooge, who learns that it is better to give than to receive, and that we owe each other a measure of kindness...

Dear Editor, I want people to know why I am becoming a "liberal/progressive" REPUBLICAN: 1. Too many national Democrats who are women come across to me as being "anti-men" and as disliking men. 2. Because research indicates that by around the year 2030 over 50% of the USA will be "non-white," too many national Democrats are now going overboard and are PANDERING in a big way to get the votes of all minority groups including the future votes of legal and illegal immigrants...

McCOOK, Neb. — A recent national romaine lettuce recall was no problem for a local restaurant, thanks to the McCook High School FFA chapter. Adam Siegfried, owner of Coppermill Steakhouse in McCook, has been buying fresh produce, including kale, lettuce and herbs like basil, that FFA and horticulture students grow in a new high-tech indoor garden...