Stories from Friday, April 10, 2020

McCOOK, Neb. -- Two recent early-morning break-ins may have been related, according to McCook police. Three teenage-to-adult males broke into the high school early Friday morning April 3, and Joltin' Jo's coffee shop was burglarized early Thursday morning, April 9, according to reports...

McCOOK, Neb. — The McCook Community College has added three more players to go with an earlier first recruit of this 2020-2021 softball squad. Thursday featured signing a power-hitting corner infielder from Colorado, a pitcher from Wisconsin and an Iowa power hitter. Ashland Baca, Byers, Colo., signed her letter of intent to play softball and pursue a business degree when she comes to campus...

McCOOK, Neb. — McCook Community College sophomore and McCook High School graduate Trevor Oberg signed his letter of intent this week to continue his golf career this fall at Kansas Wesleyan in Salina. “I’m really proud of Trevor as he deserves to be rewarded for his hard work,” MCC golf coach Tyler Loop said. “He has come a long way in his two years at McCook and will continue to progress under his new coach.”...

Health care providers in the state are experiencing changing demands to deal with COVID-19. These changes are causing them to postpone most, if not all, non-essential wellness and maintenance visits. Most of them are planning changes to last until July...

Phyllis R. Grine TARENTUM, Pa. — Phyllis R. Grine, 93, formerly of Natrona Heights, died peacefully April 6, 2020, in the Hanna Healthcare Center at Longwood at Oakmont. Born in McCook, Neb., she was the only child of Frederick and Edith Rutt. Phyllis was a 1945 graduate of McCook High School and went on to become a registered medical technologist. ...

Marjorie E. Carter McCOOK, Neb. — Marjorie E. Carter, formerly of Stratton, Neb., died today (April 10, 2020), at Community Hospital in McCook. Services are pending with Carpenter Breland Funeral Home of McCook.

I used to have an abundance of tea towels…..you know, those wonderful white kitchen towels that often were embroidered with cute little “days of the week” sunbonnet girls. I always felt sorry for Wednesday’s girl: Full of Woe. While I never became a needlework expert, the void was filled by many others in the family, the last, my sister-in-law’s mother, Dora Wissler, who is no doubt stitching for the angels now. ...

Down to the “Elite Eight” of 64 greatest all-time Nebraska football moments as Gazette scribbler R.B. Headley quickly cuts that group in half today: The 1971 Thanksgiving Day 35-31 win over No. 2 Oklahoma vs... The famous “Kickerooski” touchdown catch for Matt Davidson against Missouri in 1997...

LINCOLN, Neb. — The Nebraska School Activities Association (NSAA) announced the individuals selected to the NSAA Student Advisory Committee for the 2020-21 school year with Wauneta-Palisade’s Alexa Sandman among this group. Alexa plays basketball, volleyball and competes in track/field for the Broncos...

McCOOK, Neb. — A $500,000 adjustment to the McCook Public School District 2019-20 budget will be the subject of a public hearing Monday, 6:30 p.m., at the junior high conference room. The budget is being amended to include the addition of $500,000 to the special building fund budget, the amount of a low-interest energy loan from MNB that the McCook School Board approved in November 2019...

You may be getting a little overwhelmed by the Covid-19 numbers update every day. So we thought we’d put together another set of numbers for you to keep track of. And unlike the Covid-19 numbers, these are numbers you want to see increase. Another contrast is that you can take an action today that will result in moving the number in the correct direction...

McCOOK, Neb. — It may not have been first class, but Barto and Tenielle Yelkouni, missionaries from Burkina Faso, West Africa, were thrilled just the same with the recent emergency flight they took to get to Nebraska. “They told us to bring ear plugs, blankets and snacks,” Tenielle said over the phone on the 21-hour flight on a stripped-down cargo plane. ...

McCOOK, Neb. -- A telephone conference with a bonding company is on the agenda for the Red Willow County Commissioners Monday. The county had planned to refinance jail construction debt before the market upheaval related to the coronavirus, but that has been put on hold until bond prices stabilize...

McCOOK, Neb. — The McCook Planning Commission will be asked to approve tax increment financing for a proposed gas station at a vacant lot at the intersection of U.S. Highways 83 and 6/34. The city received a redevelopment application from Smoker’s Outlet, doing business as N-Stant Convenience, for property it owns directly northeast of the intersection. ...

Well, forgive me for whistling past the graveyard. We all have our way of dealing with stress, and mine is to make fun of what scares me. So naturally, I’m finding no shortage of dark humor in Washington DC’s most recent assessment of our battle against the coronavirus...

Red Willow Western Rural Fire Department crews check for burning logs near the city rifle and pistol range Thursday night after an extensive grass fire at McCook Ben Nelson Regional Airport. Reported as a controlled burn that got out of control, the fire was brought under control with help of the McCook, Beaver Valley, Indianola, Culbertson and Maywood fire departments as well as Red Willow Western. There was no serious damage at the airport, according to officials...

McCOOK, Neb. -- A McCook bakery and cafe forced to close to diners has found a way to provide traditional hot Easter meals to customers isolated in their homes as well as free meals to hero healthcare workers and first responders on duty on Sunday. Sehnert's Bakery and Bieroc Cafe enlisted the help of sponsors such as Valmont, First Central Bank and Horizon Bank as well as many individual donors to purchase meals for first responders and staff members on duty Sunday at Community Hospital in McCook and Tri Valley Health Systems in Cambridge, the McCook Fire Department and Police Department and the Hillcrest, Brookdale and Highland Park retirement facilities.. ...