Stories from Friday, May 27, 2022

Check out all the area boys track and field leaders at left for 2002 as this season concluded with Nebraska State competition in Omaha Saturday. BOYS 100 meters 1. Grant Walker, Wauneta-Palisade, 11.02 2. Jackson Kerchal, Dundy County-Stratton, 11.22 3. Jacob Gomez-Wilson, McCook, 11.24 4. Lucas Gomez-Wilson, McCook, 11.27 5. Dawson Mollendor, Chase County, 11.33 110-meter hurdles 1. Easton Fries, Chase County, 15.09...

Once again, the time has come for us to celebrate the traditional kick-off of spring. Although the spring equinox took place two months ago, the Memorial Day weekend provides an opportunity, for those who have not already done so, to haul the boat out of mothballs, spruce up the lawn, and fire up the grill. At last glance, the weather forecast looked favorable in our region with high temperatures in the low 90s and our beloved Nebraska winds ranging between ten and twenty miles per hour...

Dennis Lee Riener March 23, 1942 - May 25, 2022 PALISADE, Neb. — Dennis Lee Riener, age 80 years, two months and two days, of Palisade, passed away on Wednesday, May 25, 2022, at Community Hospital in McCook, Neb. Dennis was born March 23, 1942, in Oberlin, Kan., to parents, Harry J. and Margaret (Ketterl) Riener. He was the second of four children who attended school in Herndon, Kan., graduating from Herndon High School with the Class of 1960...

Roland Wesch June 10, 1946 - May 24, 2022 LINCOLN, Neb. — Roland Wesch, age 75, of Lincoln and formerly of McCook, was surrounded by his family when he passed away on Tuesday, May 24, 2022, at the Journey House in Lincoln. Roland was born on June 10, 1946, in McCook to Edward Roland and Josephine Almira (McMains) Wesch. ...

Twila Lou Miller July 22, 1943 - May 21, 2022 MCDONALD, Kan. — Twila Lou Miller, 78, of McDonald, died Saturday, May 21, 2022. She was born on July 22, 1943, to Kenneth and Gladys (Compton) Miller, at the family home in Thomas County, Kan. She attended school in McDonald, until her parents moved to Kanorado, Kan., where she continued her schooling. ...

Shirley Ann Phillips Aug. 7, 1932 - Dec. 3, 2021 CAMBRIDGE, Neb. — Shirley Ann Phillips, age 89, of Cambridge, passed away at the CHI St. Elizabeth Hospital in Lincoln, Neb., on Dec. 3, 2021. She was born near Curtis, Neb., on Aug. 7, 1932, to Donald and Violetta (Petersen) Wood. She attended high School at UNSA in Curtis, graduating in 1950. She attended Kearney State Teachers College and attained a Certificate of Normal Training. Shirley taught country school for two years near Curtis...

50th anniversary The family of Mike and Linda Nielsen of McCook is requesting a card shower in honor of the couple’s 50th wedding anniversary on Friday, June 3, 2022. They were married at St. John Evangelical Church near Auburn, Neb., in 1972. Mike grew up in McCook and after college, came back and started Nielsen Chiropractic Center with his late brother, Gary Nielsen. ...

50th anniversary The family of Ron and Kathy Ruppert of McCook is requesting a card shower in honor of the couple’s wedding anniversary on Friday, June 3, 2022. Cards of congratulations will reach them at 38151 Road 732, McCook, NE 69001.

Albert Barnett is a well-known name in these parts. A builder, a businessman, a statesman and a promoter of McCook, Mr. Barnett was also the benefactor who built the beautiful Methodist Church whose bells ring out over our town each day. A. Barnett apparently took the time to write down some memories of the early days in approximately 1906. ...

McCOOK, Neb. — A retired teacher in McCook recently caught up with some former sixth-grade students she taught more than 60 years ago. Jean Wilcox, 96, keeps in touch with many of her former students and three of them, whom she taught in 1958-59, came to visit her in McCook earlier this month...

McCOOK, Neb. — Team Pollmann smacked two home runs with Brody S. blasting a grand slam in the 7-3 win over Deveny Motors Minors Thursday night. Landn D struck out six through two innings on the mound for this visiting team. Jordan P also hit a first-inning home run over the Felling Fieldfence...

McCOOK, Neb. — Coach Ben Vetrovsky offered some final remarks about his first McCook Bison golf varsity team on Thursday. The Bison qualified for state where they competed at Scottsbluff Tuesday and Wednesday. They finished 11th among 12 teams after winning a Southwest Conference title and taking third in B-4 district...

The camping season kicks off this weekend with area campgrounds booked to capacity, many of them filled days before the holiday weekend even arrived. The recreation areas will be teeming with locals and out-of-towners, everyone enjoying the warmer weather and celebrating the arrival of summer...

McCOOK, Neb. — The McCook Circle 5 Enterprise Legion baseball team edged Cambridge, 8-7, Thursday night in an exra-inning contest Thursday evening. No other details were obtained.

Just a reminder that McCook High alum Cole Cappel (above left) and many area players are set to compete in tonight’s Cambridge CSO All-Star Basketball Games at Cambridge High School. Cappel was part of an amazing 20-7 Bison team last winner which knocked off Southwest Conference nemesis Ogallala (shown above)...

Man’s choice is not always God’s choice. Jacob chose Rachael. God chose Leah. The people chose the tall handsome man Saul; God chose David. God chose Solomon, but he followed after the idols of his 300 wives & 700 concubines. God put him down & raised up Nathan to usher in the Christ lineage...

The 2022 McCook Community College alumni/community golf tournament is set for July 9 at Heritage Hills Golf Course with a 10 a.m. shotgun start. Cost is $75 per person or $300 per team for this four-person scramble. Participation will be limited to the first 26 teams. Cost includes 18 holes of golf, a cart a sleeve of balls, and a post-tournament meal. Hole sponsorships are also available at $100 per hole...

A rundown of the final Gazette-area track and field leaders including two-time defending Class C champion Chase County’s girls following Nebraska state competition. All times and marks on athletic.net. 100 meters 1. Kiley Hejtmanek, Maywood-Hayes Center, 12.71...

EDITOR’S NOTE: After reading an Open Forum tribute to Sgt.Randy Matheny on the 15th anniversary of his death in Iraq, Robert Esterle of Bowling Green, Ky, recently shared his memories of Matheny. You can read Sean Cappel’s original tribute, published Feb. 4 2022, here: https://bit.ly/3lNiwM...