Stories from Friday, May 14, 2021

OGALLALA, Neb. — Thankfully, coach Tom Sughroue’s favorite “love-hate day of the year” featured more of that first emotion for his McCook Bison boys at Thursday’s B-6 district. “So easily you can have an athlete that has been having a great season stumble just a little and not qualify for the state meet,” Sughroue said after being named Southwest Conference co-Coach of The Year earlier this week. ...

OGALLALA, Neb. —McCook High’s amazing journey through the girls track-field season rolled on with 11 making Class B state during Thursday’s B-6 district meet. The Bison qualified for 12 state events overall following their GNAC and Southwest Conference team championships during these past two weeks...

45th anniversary The family of Jim and Sandi Pettera of McCook, Neb., is requesting a card shower in honor of the couple’s 45th wedding anniversary on Friday, May 14, 2021. They were married at St. Patrick Catholic Church in McCook. Their family includes children, Jami and Dave Reger, of Kalispell, Mont., KyLee and Mike Kime of Gordon, Neb., Dani and Jason Warner of Eagle, Neb., and 3 grandchildren. Cards of congratulations will reach them at 71403 Road 387, McCook, NE 69001...

McCOOK, Neb. – There have been some late nights at the Nebraska Legislature, and Sen. Dan Hughes told constituents that an upcoming long weekend was sorely needed as lawmakers were “kind of dragging” and that they were “starting to get a little testy with each other on the floor.” He is anticipating that the Legislature will be done in the next couple of weeks, three or four days ahead of schedule...

McCOOK, Neb. — All four regular agenda items for the McCook City Council meeting Monday night are discussion-only. Items the council is slated to examine include: options the city has in donating a city residential lot to Habitat for Humanity; allowing part of a building to be located on a city-owned easement; citizen’s concerns that don’t make it to the council meeting agenda and priority lists from each city department for next year’s budget...

Robert G. “Bob” Maag Oct. 31, 1935 – May 11, 2021 LINCOLN, Neb. — Robert G. “Bob” Maag was born on Oct. 31, 1935, in Denver, Colo., to Arthur and Edna (Willis) Maag. The family lived in Wray, Colo., before moving to McCook, Neb., where Bob started school, graduating from high school in 1953. ...

Iola June Egle May 3, 1928 - May 9, 2021 BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Iola June Egle, age 93, of Bentonville, died May 9, 2021. She was born May 3, 1928, to Edward and Esther (Heye) Rousselle in Max, Neb. Iola gave her heart to Jesus at the tender age of six years old. She graduated from Wauneta High School in 1945 and attended Fort Wayne Bible College in Indiana and Azusa Pacific Bible College in California. She married her “Love,” Donald Egle, on Aug.1, 1950.  Together they farmed near Stratton, Neb., and operated Egle Auction Service until 2001.  Don and Iola retired in 2002 in Bella Vista, Ark.. ...

50th anniversary The family of Thomas and Cindy Monnahan of Palisade, Neb., is requesting a card shower in honor of the couple’s 50th wedding anniversary on Saturday, May 22, 2021. They were married at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in McCook, Neb. Their family includes children, Brett (Shannon) Monnahan of Sloan, Iowa, Bethany Monnahan of McCook, Brian Monnahan of Palisade and Bart (Tanya) Monnahan of Palisade. ...

Quite often you hear of the Box Elder Cemetery, but few understand that the cemetery is all that is left of a community that had a general store, school, church and post office. The precinct of Box Elder, named for the community within its boundaries, lays directly north of Willow Grove (McCook’s precinct) and is between the Coleman (to the west) and the Fritsch (to the east) precincts. ...

A common theme among the pundit class these days is that our current national situation is somewhat reminiscent of the 1970s. That resonates with me quite a bit. The similarities are hard to ignore, but there are also differences. I am old enough to remember the energy crises of the 1970s. ...

Second- and 3rd-graders at McCook Elementary enjoyed a variety of outdoor learning opportunities Tuesday and Thursday, thanks to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and its Nebraska Outdoor Trailer. Activities ranged from birdwatching to GPS and GeoCaching, casting poles, turkey calls, fish printing, track stamps, mud ball planting. CSO (Critter Scene Investigations) as well as many other family-friendly outdoor and conservation activities...

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- A little girl lost in a story book and seated on a park bench with a 5-foot tall wise old owl watching over her are the new sculptures by Nebraska artist Sondra L. Jonson and Michigan artist Steve Anderson at the Cedar Springs Public Library outside Grand Rapids, Michigan...

LUBBOCK, Texas – The McCook Community College golf team wrapped up the National Junior College Athletic Association Division I Golf Championship Thursday with a 22nd-place finish. MCC fired back-to-back rounds of 312 on the final two days to finish the tournament with a score of 1,275. ...

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The McCook Community College baseball team took a 5-0 lead Thursday through six inning in the opening game of the second-round of the Region IX Empire League tournament, but Lamar erupted for six runs in the seventh and three more in the eighth and held on for a 9-8 win to send the Indians into the loser’s bracket of the double-elimination tournament Friday...

SUTHERLAND, Neb. — Chase County’s Jerzee Milner (above) helped the Longhorns sweep both Class C district team titles at Sutherland on Thursday. The Longhorns totaled 186 points for yet another girls’ team title. Meanwhile, the Chase boys scored 108 title-winning points. Many Chase County athletes qualified for Class C competition at Omaha Burke Stadium starting one week from today...

McCOOK, Neb. — A lot of new faces were among the runners and walkers at Community Hospital’s annual Just For Fun Run and Walk on Thursday night in McCook. More than 60 runners and walkers took to the McCook walking trail for a night dedicated to their health and to fun...

HOLDREGE, Neb. — Check out those McCook varsity and JV tennis girls sweeping through one more triangular in Holdrege Thursday. Both Bison teams finish with a 13-1 dual record this season. More details about the Bison players going into state next will be featured in an upcoming Gazette...

OGALLALA, Neb. — The McCook Bison golf team competed in the Ogallala Golf Invite at Crandall Creek and earned another team title Thursday afternoon. Coach Joe Vetrovsky provided these insights: “The McCook Bison golf team were the team champions of the invite with a team score of 325. Ogallala High School and Alliance High School tied for runner-up with team scores of 332. The Bison golfers competed very well...

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. -- During the evening hours of Wednesday, May 12, investigators with the Nebraska State Patrol conducted alcohol inspections in Red Willow County. In total, 12 businesses were inspected. Two of the businesses sold alcohol to a minor for a non-compliance rate of 17 percent. The two businesses that failed the inspections did not check the minor’s ID...

McCOOK, Neb. -- A local group called “Nebraska Speaks Out” will host national speaker Trent Loos next week in McCook. Loos will speak about President Joe Biden’s 30x30 executive order (https://bit.ly/2Q9QBtZ) of Jan. 27, more commonly called the 30x30 plan...

McCOOK, Neb. — Cambridge built an 8-2 lead and held off McCook Pinnacle Bank’s best rallies to win 11-7 in Legion baseball at the Jaycees Complex Thursday evening. Nolan Westadt drove home two runs through the windy conditions while Carter Hanes, Hodge Raburn and Braydon Miller scored two Cambridge runs apiece...