Stories from Tuesday, January 26, 2021

McCOOK, Neb. — The McCook High School swim and dive team returned to their home pool Friday for the firsttime in 2021 versus familiar foes North Platte and Scottsbluff. And it was a very successful evening at the McCook YMCA for both the divers and swimmers with several qualifying for the state championships...

Nancy Vera Felker Oct. 18, 1953 - Jan. 21, 2021 OMAHA, Neb. — Nancy Vera Felker, 67, was born Oct. 18, 1953, and raised in McCook, Neb. Nancy spent her remaining years in Lincoln and Omaha before passing on to her forever home on Jan. 21, 2021. She graduated with her class in 1972...

Galen G. Todd June 10, 1953 - Jan. 20, 2021 WAUNETA, Neb. — Galen Todd passed away unexpectedly on Jan. 20, 2021. Galen Gene Todd was born June 10, 1953, to Duaine and Bonnie (Behlke) Todd. He grew up in Benkelman and graduated with the Class of 1972. He attended Western Nebraska Technical College to study Auto Body in Sidney, Neb., and graduated in 1974. After graduation, Galen started working for Sinner’s Paint & Body Shop in Wauneta, Neb., where he worked until his passing...

Elaine L. Frank June 18, 1932 -Jan. 23, 2021 McCOOK, Neb. — Elaine L. Frank, age 88, of McCook, died peacefully at Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2021. She was born June 18, 1932, to Harry E. Sr. and Opal (McCord) Smith in Cambridge, Neb. She grew up on the farm near Cambridge and graduated from Cambridge High School in 1949...

Kenneth Kunnemann Dec. 1, 1931 - Jan. 20, 2021 IMPERIAL, Neb. — Kenneth Henry Kunnemann was born northwest of Imperial, on Dec. 1, 1931, to George and Rosa (Haarberg) Kunnemann. Ken was baptized on Dec. 20, 1931, and confirmed on May 20, 1945, at the Lutheran Church in Imperial. ...

Sharon Maree Mills Dec. 27, 1956 - Jan. 21, 2021 ADAMS, Neb. — Sharon Maree Mills, 64, of Adams, died Thursday, Jan. 21, 2021, at a Lincoln Hospital. She was born on Dec. 27, 1956, in McCook, Neb., to Donald and Shirley (Hatcher) Nelms. She graduated from Republican Valley High School and Hastings College. She married Mike Klein and they were blessed with two children, Jeremy and Kelsey. She later married Rex Mills on July 30, 2005 in Ansley...

Georgia Nell Hector Dec. 12, 1930 - Jan. 24, 2021 ARAPAHOE, Neb. — Georgia Nell Hector, 90, of Arapahoe, died Sunday (Jan. 24, 2021), at her home. She was born Dec. 12, 1930, in Metropolis, Ill.,to Vernie T. and Nell (Kennedy) Barnett. She married Howard Hector on Feb. 7, 1954, in Metropolis...

Thomas Jensen Jr. CARSON CITY, Nev. — Thomas Jensen Jr., 41, of Carson City, died Oct. 11, 2020, in Carson City. Services are Friday, Jan. 29, 2021, 10:30 a.m., at Herrmann-Jones Funeral Chapel in McCook. Memorials are suggested to the family for future designation. Herrmann-Jones Funeral Chapel is entrusted with arrangements...

Richard Fisher McCOOK, Neb. — Richard Fisher, 60, of McCook, died Dec. 21, 2020, at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. Memorial services are Friday, Jan. 29, 2021, 10:30 a.m., at Herrmann-Jones Funeral Chapel in McCook. Memorials can be given to the family for future designation. Online condolences may be left at herrmannfh.com...

McCOOK, Neb. - The McCook Chamber of Commerce board of directors chose McCook Clinic as Honor Business for the first quarter of 2021. According to Chamber President Dawson Brunswick, “They have been such an asset to our community and we just wanted to recognize the excellence in what they have been doing and the partners they are. We’re just so excited that they were able to step up in these crazy times.”...

OXFORD, Neb. — Southwest Roughriders flexed their wrestling muscles all day with 236.5 points to win Friday’s RPAC team championship at Southern Valley High School. Undefeated senior Matthew Van Pelt (35-0) was one of four champions for a Southwest lineup filled with top three finishers...

GRANT, Neb. -- Southwest Nebraska Community Betterment Corp., a non-profit organization located in Grant, Nebraska, is leading a cooperative effort to provide down payment/closing cost assistance with rehabilitation to homebuyers using funding through the Nebraska Affordable Housing Trust Fund, provided by the Nebraska Department of Economic Development...

What an insult to have our National Guard troops “vetted” before they could go on guard duty at the inauguration! Being a military veteran it hit my heart because I consider all military as family. Unjustifiably insult my kinfolk and I will respond in retaliation. Evidently, the Governor of Texas feels the same way...

TORRINGTON, Wyo. – The Eastern Wyoming Lancers doubled up on the Lady Indians Saturday in the second quarter and went on to post a 92-56 win. “We didn’t execute today and we struggled to finish plays again,” MCC coach Brandon Pritchett said. The Lady Lancers outscored MCC 30-14 in the second quarter to take an 18-point lead at the half and held the Lady Indians to 11 points in the third and fourth quarters including a 26-11 edge in the final stanza...

Dear Editor, I recently read about the passing on January 23rd, of the longtime Television host, Larry King, who hosted “Larry King Live” on CNN for many years. Although I live in Texas, I regularly drove up to Kansas and Nebraska to visit relatives. Ironically, I didn’t have cable television at my home, but if I stopped at a motel along my journey, I’d sometimes tune-in Larry King’s show...

McCOOK, Neb. — North Platte Bulldogs who were about to beat Class B No. 1 warmed up with a 64-27 triumph over the McCook High girls Friday evening. North Platte unleashed a 26-10 second quarter before 21-5 in the third while breaking away from those Bison...

Dear Editor, “Put a beggar on horseback, and he'll drive you to your grave.” -- this is an old Irish axiom that my mother taught me as a very young boy That our new president is on his way to fulfilling the truth of this axiom by becoming the perfect example of such a “beggar” -- there can be no doubt...

VALENTINE, Neb. — Class B No. 1 Alec Langan reached 30-1 and won a championship while leading the McCook Bison in Southwest Conference wrestling action on Saturday. Langan didn’t continue his McCook High record of consecutive pins, but still domainted Class B No. 4 Keifer Anderson by a 9-2 finals count at 220 pounds...

McCOOK, Neb. — When McCook’s boys happily bounced and dashed into the halftime locker room, someone should have shouted Friday night: “Snow’s coming! Time to shut out the lights! Go start your bus, North Platte.” Some nights just feel like that, especially because North Platte’s River ruined everything after the break...

CHADRON, Neb. — Morgan Fawver, a freshman from McCook, got his indoor track and field career off to a strong start for the Chadron State Eagles on Saturday. Competing at the Myrle Hanson Open Meet at Black Hills State in Spearfish. S.D., Fawver won the 60-meter dash in 6.86 seconds and the 200 meters at 22.51 seconds...

LINCOLN, Neb. -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has selected 31 priority areas to receive $13 million in Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) funding as part of the WaterSMART Initiative (WSI). These investments will help producers on private working lands better conserve water resources in coordination with investments made by water suppliers...