Stories from Friday, May 15, 2020

LINCOLN, Neb. - A Air National Guard flyover canceled because of bad weather earlier this week has been rescheduled for Monday and now includes Cambridge and McCook hospitals. The flyover is a salute to healthcare professionals and all Nebraskans responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. It now includes more than 30 Nebraska hospitals spanning nearly the entire state...

McCOOK, Neb. — Crying?! There’s no crying in softball especially when you already can’t see the first big moment of your McCook High softball career. “I was playing third base and the sun was in my eyes,” she said while most recent all-conference third baseman Trinity Raburn clearly recognized this blind moment. “We were playing GICC in our home tournament and I know they hit one at me. I put my glove up and caught it. It was right at my face. Pure self-defense.”...

Marvin Colson BARTLEY, Neb. — Marvin Colson, 81, of Bartley, died today (May 15, 2020), at his home. Services are pending with Lockenour-Jones Mortuary of Cambridge.

One way to learn more about an era that your ancestors lived in is to check out the advertisements in the paper. As I have mentioned before, www.chroniclingamerica.gov has several years of the McCook Tribune and the McCook Weekly Tribune that can be researched online using the Advanced Search tab and then selecting the McCook Tribune and placing the word or words in the search boxes below. ...

McCOOK, Neb. — More than 20 players had already enrolled in McCook Bison summer tennis camps when: “After being given clearance (from school and health official), I learned the NSAA turned the other direction and decided to hold off camps and leagues until further notice,” tennis coach Matt Wiemers reported. “How frustrating.”...

McCOOK, Neb. — Despite the official race being canceled, more than 120 people signed up for the Community Hospital Wellness Run. As the third event in the Republican River Fitness Series, the Wellness Run was supposed to take place Thursday evening but was changed to a virtual run because of the pandemic...

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. -- The Mid-Plains Community College board of governors will discuss a real estate purchase in executive session and then vote on whether to purchase property connecting the North Platte Community College South Campus to Highway 83...

McCOOK, Neb. -- The Nebraska Extension office for Red Willow County has issued the following in connection with activities this summer: 'In light of the announcement that the 2020 Red Willow County Fair has been canceled, we would like to let our 4-H community know what is being planned in regard to the 4-H events. ...

McCOOK, Neb. -- While it is impossible to predict the scale of this Covid-19 pandemic and for our concerns for the health and safety of our community, the Red Willow County Fair Board has decided to cancel all public events for the 2020 fair including any vendors, entertainment and carnival. The...

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. -- National Police Week concludes today with National Peace Officers Memorial Day, a day in which law enforcement agencies across the country pay tribute to officers who have fallen in the line of duty. This week has also marked the official addition of Trooper Jerry Smith’s name to both the Nebraska and National Law Enforcement Memorials...

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. -- Nebraska State Fair Board approved to hire William “Bill” Ogg, CFE, to lead the Nebraska State Fair and the Askarben Livestock Show as the executive director during the scheduled board meeting on Friday, May 15. “Of the candidates we interviewed, Bill is the most seasoned, experienced Fair person,” said Beth Smith, board chair for the Nebraska State Fair. “His management skills have proven to successfully execute Fairs and large nationally-sanctioned events.”...

McCOOK, Neb. — The McCook Senior High School
virtual military graduation and Class of 2020 senior recognition program is scheduled for Sunday, May 17, at 2 p.m. The Youtube link to watch the program is: https://youtu.be/j-VIZgNfetI Today, a recognition is planned at the high school as part of “Cruise Night.” Yard signs of each graduating senior will be displayed at the McCook High School, so students, parents and the community can drive by and honk their horns in honor of the grads...

McCOOK, Neb. -- Southwest Nebraska Public Health Department (SWNPHD) has received all the results from the Nebraska National Guard testing events on May 6th in McCook and on May 8th in Ogallala. All test results were negative, and no new COVID-19 cases were identified. ...

While June 20th this year marks the first day of summer, Memorial Day has long been the holiday more eagerly associated with the start of the season. Memorial Day is the time to recount the sacrifice of all America’s warriors, honor the memory of America’s fighting men and women who died defending our nation and honor our family heritage. The observance usually includes the decoration of veteran’s and family graves, and in fact was originally known as “Decoration Day”...

McCOOK, Neb. -- McCook Public Schools will be receiving $40,000 to address technological needs and hopefully bridge the homework gap, which has become every more apparent during this COVID crisis. The homework gap refers to the difficulty students experience completing homework remotely...

CAMBRIDGE, Neb. -- Tri Valley Health System will be resuming elective surgeries beginning Monday, May 18, 2020 after Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts announced that the State of Nebraska relaxed existing Directed Health Measure requirements in order to allow elective surgical procedures to resume. Elective surgeries were initially suspended by the federal government to prioritize the use of personal protective equipment, ventilators, and other equipment for COVID-19...

Members of the K9-Korner Dog Park committee gathered with Ace Hardware Store Manager Rick Sinner for a check presentation as part of Ace’s Round-up program for April. Almost $1,200 was raised for the project and with the Ace donation the fund-raising balance is currently a little over half way to goal. ...

McCOOK, Neb. -- Community Hospital has introduced a structured outpatient behavioral health program offering medication management and senior services to people age 55 and older. Called Generational Guidance, the program was launched to help seniors cope with life transitions, management of medications, and issues like depression, anxiety, loss and grief...

I went to church on Sunday, sort of. I have admitted within these pages that I’m not the most religious guy you’ll ever meet, but I had a chance to sit in on a service, my first in two about two years, under circumstances that would not have taken place, but for the COVID-19 Virus...

Firefighters monitor a gas leak from a safe distance Friday night in north McCook while they wait for the gas company to reach the scene of a major leak, which could be heard hissing for blocks around. A skid loader was being used to move railroad ties in a back yard when it slipped over a ledge and broke off a gas meter. Black Hills Energy personnel were expected to have to dig down to the line to shut off the lead...

LINCOLN, Neb. - The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is on track to begin offering benefits through Medicaid Heritage Health Adult Expansion on October 1, 2020. The state will begin accepting applications on August 1, 2020, through AccessNebraska.ne.gov or at the nearest DHHS office...

Decorated cars, cheerful honks, waves and shouts and signs of congratulations greeted the McCook High School Glass of 2020 on a special Cruise Night Friday. B Street was bumper-to-bumper at times, signs honoring each senior adorned the senior high lawn all the way over to the junior high, and Principal Jeff Gross greeted each graduate with a goodie bag and congratulations as they drove through. ...

McCOOK, Neb. — The McCook City Council will consider when and how to open up the city’s baseball and softball fields, as well as other city buildings, at its regular meeting Monday, 5:30 p.m. at the city council chambers at the city municipal building...

McCOOK, Neb. -- Southwest Nebraska Public Health Department has been notified of an additional person from SWNPHD’s health district that has tested positive for COVID-19. This positive case is a female in her 50s in Furnas County, and it is related to travel outside the health district. She is currently self-isolating at home. All identified close contacts will be self-quarantined. This case brings the total to fourteen positive COVID-19 cases in SWNPHD...