Stories from Tuesday, January 11, 2022

KEARNEY, Neb. — A Kansas man who was involved in a high-speed chase on Dec. 29 died Monday after being taken off life support in a Kearney hospital. An ambulance was dispatched to the Red Willow County Jail at 6:25 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 4, after Keaneu Depe, 23, was found hanging in his cell...

McCOOK, Neb. — Barely leading 49-47 with time ticking away, the McCook Bison were weaving everyone into sort of a daze until... Wham-bam-thank you fans! Drive home happy and safely! McCook literally slammed the door on one of its biggest wins in more than two basketball decades...

Delores Anne (Traphagen) Gettman June 29, 1931 - Jan. 9, 2022 McCOOK, Neb. — Delores Anne Gettman, age 90, of McCook, passed away at tCommunity Hospital of McCook, on Janu. 9, 2022. She was born at St. Ann, Neb., on June 29, 1931, to Robert and Mary (Braun) Traphagan. Delores was one of 13 children and the last one to pass away...

Bernard “Bernie” E Jones CAMBRIDGE, Neb. — Bernard “Bernie” E. Jones, 79, of Cambridge, died Sunday (Jan. 9, 2022), at his home. A Celebration of Life is planned at a future date. Online condolences can be left at lockenourfh.com. Lockenour-Jones Mortuary is in charge of the arrangements...

Charles “Chuck” Frederick Hedke Aug. 14, 1942  - Jan. 8, 2022 TRENTON, Neb. — Charles “Chuck” Frederick Hedke, 79, a longtime resident of Hitchcock County, Neb., passed away on Jan. 8, 2022, from natural causes. Chuck was born Aug. 14, 1942, to Elmer “Doc” and Leona Hedke. ...

Delores Yvonne (McKillip) Richards Aug. 28, 1929 - Jan. 6, 2022 HAYES CENTER, Neb. — Delores Yvonne (McKillip) Richards, age 92, passed away Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022, at her residence near Hayes Center, surrounded by her children.  Delores, the oldest daughter of Irwin “Fay” and Letha “Mae” (Gangwish) McKillip, was born Aug. ...

McCOOK, Neb. — Teachers in the McCook School District will get a 4.41% increase in their salaries, beginning the 2022-23 school year. The McCook Board of Education unanimously approved the agreement Monday night with the McCook Education Association, the local bargaining unit of Nebraska’s teachers' union, the Nebraska State Education Association,...

McCOOK, Neb. — McCook police are seeking information about telephone threats that disrupted shopping and a high school dance Saturday night. According to the McCook Police Department, telephone threats were received against Walmart, McDonald’s, the police department and an individual...

McCOOK, Neb. — McCook High School’s annual Color Day dance was abruptly canceled Saturday night, with the principal and assistant principal turning away students from the LIFT building where the dance was scheduled. “It was a hard decision but the right decision,” Superintendent Grant Norgaard said at the regular McCook School Board meeting Monday night about the decision of the high school administration team to cancel the dance. ...

McCOOK, Neb. — Two of three incumbents on the McCook Board of Education announced Monday night they will not file for re-election this year. Loretta Hauxwell and Dennis Berry made their announcements at the regular McCook School Board meeting Monday night. The third incumbent on the board is Mike Langan...

McCOOK, Neb. - Members of McCook Community Foundation Fund Advisory Committee, as well as some area business leaders, gathered Friday to honor and thank Jerome and Linda Knoll for the generous donation they gifted to the fund for the benefit of Discovery Center of Southwest Nebraska...

Quoting from President Lincoln’s Gettysburg address:…” that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom----and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” I’m a little afraid that with the current majority in Congress we may be veering a bit away from the ideal that Abe Lincoln had in mind. ...

Ho-Chunk CEO Lance Morgan expresses concern about new horse track casinos in Nebraska cannibalizing and weakening existing facilities. By facilities, he means several planned Ho-Chunk casinos at existing Nebraska horse tracks. Morgan’s cannibalization concern is exactly right but far too narrow...

McCOOK, Neb.. — Red Willow-Frontier County U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) Executive Director Kenneth Carriker reminds livestock producers of program resources to assist those impacted by 2021 drought conditions. The deadline to apply and complete paperwork for the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) and the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-raised Fish Program (ELAP) is Jan. 31, 2022...

McCOOK, Neb. — Southwest Nebraska Public Health Department has received confirmation that the Omicron variant is spreading in southwest Nebraska. Three cases from the end of December were confirmed as Omicron after genetic sequencing at the Nebraska Public Health Lab...

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Confetti rained down on Georgia. The Bulldogs fans chanted “Kir-by, Kir-by!” Four decades of pent-up emotion were unleashed Monday night as the Bulldogs snapped a frustrating national championship drought by vanquishing their nemesis...

GOTHENBURG, Neb. — McCook High’s girls nearly wiped out second-half deficits but Gothenburg pulled away to win 52-43 Friday evening. Trailing 29-22 at half, the Bison (6-6 record) closed within 29-26 when senior Emma Dutton banked in a shot off an assist from classmate Ainsley Taylor...

KEARNEY, Neb. — The McCook High School swimmers and divers returned to competition Saturday for the first time since mid-December. While a few improved their personal best times, most of the swimmers maintained their times from before Christmas break at the Kearney High School Swim and Dive Invite on Saturday...