Stories from Thursday, February 4, 2021

The National Collegiate Athletic Association announced on Wednesday that all rounds of the 2020-21 NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Championship will be held in Omaha, Nebraska in April. The University of Nebraska and Metropolitan Entertainment & Convention Authority were already set to host the NCAA Division I Volleyball semifinals and final at the CHI Health Center in Omaha from April 22-24, but the NCAA's Division I Competition Oversight Committee approved a proposal to have all 48 teams selected for this year's tournament play every round in Omaha.. ...

McCOOK, Neb. — The McCook Knights of Columbus Free Throw Competition took place on Sunday as youth from ages eight through 14 participated at St. Patrick’s School. Each contestant shot 15 free throws which determined who would advance to district competition in Wauneta...

Lyle Eugene Moskal April 29, 1929 - Feb. 3, 2021 McCOOK, Neb. — Lyle Eugene Moskal, 91, of McCook, passed away Wednesday morning, Feb. 3, 2021, at Highland Park Retirement Community. Lyle was born on April 29, 1929, in North Platte, Neb. He graduated from McCook High School in 1947, joined the Army and was a veteran of the Korean War. ...

Mary Ellen Dahnke Dec. 19, 1931 - Feb. 1, 2021 STRATTON, Neb. — Mary Ellen Dahnke was born Dec. 19, 1931, in the Eden Community, south of Wauneta, Neb., to Guy S. and Florence L. (Long) West. As a young girl, she attended rural country school and went on to attend Wauneta High School...

Leora Mae Messersmith Sept. 6, 1937 - Jan.31, 2021 FARNUM, Neb. — Leora Mae Messersmith, 83, of Farnam, died Jan. 31, 2021, at the Elwood Care Center. She was born Sept. 6, 1937, in North Platte, Neb., daughter of Mike and Sylvia Knoll. She attended rural school at the Knoll family ranch early on and then attended school just south of the family ranch on the “Booze place.” She was united in marriage to Garold “Keith” Messersmith on Aug. ...

Karen D. Verraneault Aug. 6, 1953 - Jan. 31, 2021 KEARNEY, Neb. — Karen D. Verraneault, 67, of Kearney, was welcomed into heaven Sunday, Jan. 31, 2021 at her home after a courageous journey with breast cancer. Memorial services will be 10:30 a.m., Feb. ...

Archie Wickizer Dec. 6, 1935 - Jan. 26, 2021 LINCOLN, Neb. — Archie Wickizer, 85, of Lincoln, died on Jan. 26, 2021. Archie was born Dec. 6, 1935, to Clarence and Ruth (Clements) Wickizer in Max, Neb. Archie was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Arlene (Scheneman) Wickizer; granddaughter, Rachelle Renee Wickizer; sisters, Leta (Wickizer) Gardner, Van Nuys, Calif., and Sally (Wickizer) Jenkins, Long Beach, Calif.; and brothers, Bernard Wickizer, Cambridge, Neb., and Lloyd Wickizer, Lewiston, Idaho.. ...

McCOOK, Neb. -- The McCook Chamber of Commerce is seeking nominations for a number of honors. Among them is the Educator of the Year Award, made possible by the Strunk family who founded the McCook Gazette. Educators in Dundy, Chase, Hitchcock, Hayes, Red Willow, Frontier and Furnas counties in Nebraska and Decatur, Cheyenne and Rawlins counties in Kansas are eligible...

Candidates for McCook High School color day royalty include, front from left, Narissa Fawver, daughter of Pat and Tacie Fawver, Liviya Wier, daughter of Andy and Melanie Wier, Richa Patel, daughter of Pankaj and Nita Patel, Olivia Koetter, daughter of Melissa and Doug Koetter,  Emily Kjendal, daughter of Nate and Sarah Scheider, Ashley Miller, daughter of Steve and Leannie Miller. ...

GOODLAND, Kan. -- The National Weather Service in Goodland, and local emergency managers, invite the public to free Storm Spotter training webinars that are open to everyone. This year’s training will be held once a week from early March through early April.  To register for the training, please visit https://www.weather.gov/gld/spottertraining.  Anyone can register for the training, we only ask that they register before that particular session begins.  ...

McCOOK, Neb. — First responders can have lifesaving information at their fingertips with a little help from the McCook residents they serve. Flyers went out with this month’s water bills encouraging residents to fill out Community Connect online profiles that will help first responders have valuable information before they ever arrive at the scene...

It has been an interesting first few weeks here at the capitol. Lincoln received the second-highest snowfall which brought most of the city to a stop but the Legislature kept on track. We also had complications this past week of some staff and senators having to quarantine due to exposure to Covid. We are doing all we can to keep everyone as safe as possible in the building. Testing is still ongoing on a weekly basis for those staff and senators who choose to get tested...

With school canceled and the snow piling up last week, my kids threw a half-dozen sleds into the back of our pickup truck. The sleds clattered as they landed on top of the ice skates, cross-country skis and snow-shoes already resting in the truck bed...

BERTRAND, Neb. — The Cambridge girls climbed to 10-9 with their 50-31 victory over Bertrand Tuesday night. Sophomore Breelle Miller stepped up to score 15 points as she hit both her three-point shots. Classmate Paige Klumpe added an excellent six-for-eight performance to totale 12 while freshman Jalen Kent sent another six points through the Viking nets...

MAYWOOD, Neb. — New RPAC champ Maywood-Hayes Center didn’t suffer any letdowns while downing rival Medicine Valley, 63-35, Tuesday night. Senior Jaycee Widener’s sizzling 26 points helped ensure the Wolves reached 19-1 this season. Widener’s 11 points in the second quarter highlighted a 22-point M-HC performance overall as the lead reached 32-15 by intermission...

MAYWOOD, Neb. — Medicine Valley’s boys gained a split of the neighborhood rivarly with their 68-51 win over Maywood-Hayes Center Tuesday night. M-HC girls ruled the first varsity game, and those dangerous Wolves (13-7 record) only trailed 14-13 through one quarter of game two...

Fullmomentum and Glass Express have nearly crashed at the top of Men’s League standings following competition last week: Men’s Major Fullmomentum 112.5-67.5 Glass Express 111.5-67.5 Burton Well Drilling 105-75 Quality Irrigation 94-86...

McCOOK, Neb. — The McCook Community College women overcame a slow start in both halves Wednesday night but were able to respond and out-pace Highland Community College 64-46 in the Peter and Dolores Graff Events Center. The Scotties took advantage of a struggling McCook offense to start the game and led 6-0 before the Lady Indians hit the accelerator...

McCOOK, Neb. — Yes, Groundhog Night brought some McCook Bison wrestlers down to earth Tuesday beneath the bright home lights. “It was a great humbling experience for a lot of our guys,” coach Nick Umscheid said following a 58-13 dual loss to Class C power Central City. “It brings them back to earth a little bit before the post-season. This (C.C.) team exposed some of our bad habits that maybe we had gotten away with.”...

McCOOK, Neb. — The McCook Community College men rode a swarming defense Wednesday to start the game hot and rode an early lead to an 84-61 win over Highland Community College at the Peter and Dolores Graff Events Center. The Scotties entered the game 4-0 but MCC forced 14 first-half turnovers, came up with six steals and hit 59.3 percent of its first-half shots to roll to a 44-22 lead at intermission...