Stories from Friday, December 16, 2022

LINCOLN, Neb. — A K-9 finally forced a semi driver from the cab of his truck after he struck a state trooper and led officers on a 2 1/2-hour pursuit. Kasey Martinson, 56, Sanborn, N.D., was taken into custody after an hour-long standoff on Intestate 80...

McCOOK, Neb. —McCook High’s girls brought lots of bear hugs and three championships in six classes at their annual home invite on Thursday. The Bison rested 9-0 freshman Peyton Cock following her Sandhills Valley Invite title on Saturday. They’ll also be wrestling again in Cambridge this weekend...

McCOOK, Neb. — Senior Evan Humphrey scored 21 points and McCook made seven late free throws to turn a tight 48-44 contest into Friday's 55-44 victory over visiting Kearney Catholic. Senior guard Jacob Gomez-Wilson added 15 points with eight during the first quarter...

Have you been following Elon Musk and the Twitter saga? If the new House majority keeps its promises, a whole bunch of people are going to get dragged into Congress for some rather intense hearings. What will result from those hearings? It’s hard to say, but if partisan posturing doesn’t steal the show, we could see some serious discussions about the nature of the internet and the news media in general; issues that have been lurking in the shadows for quite a while...

McCOOK, Neb. — The McCook Food Pantry is trying to keep ahead of the game when it comes to serving the community. This year, usage has increased by about 19%, according to a press release from the pantry. The McCook Pantry gets its food from the Food Bank of the Heartland and Walmart (Feeding America), along with local purchases and donations. But even these sources are feeling the pinch, with the Food Bank of the Heartland supplying 12% less this year...

McCOOK, Neb. — If all goes according to plan, the City of McCook will have a new swimming pool by June 2024. The McCook City Council will be asked to approve an agreement with Lamp Rynearson Inc. for professional engineering services for the construction of a new swimming pool, Monday, 5:30 p.m. at the city council chambers at the Municipal Building...

Now to St. Catherine’s hospital. McCook also had several “hospitals” over the years, the first noted to be in the space now occupied by the new art park next to the Keystone. In the early 1900s, there was a surgical hospital and a general hospital. At the same time that the Keystone Hotel was being proposed, the McCook Commercial Club (soon to be come the McCook Chamber of Commerce) was instrumental in launching both projects, though the hospital was supposedly taking a back seat to the new hotel!. ...

Nebraskans cherish our communities and want to see them thrive. We invest our time, talent and treasure into building a brighter future for everyone, not just ourselves. Research confirms that sentiment. AmeriCorps’ 2019 Volunteering in America survey notes that 589,714 volunteers in our state contributed 53.8 million hours of service to the places and projects they are passionate about. ...

EDITOR’S NOTE: Columnist Dick Trail wrote the following open letter to 3rd Congressional District U.S. Rep. Adrian Smith: Congressman Smith I am Richard L. Trail Constituent and McCook Daily Gazette Columnist Dear Sir, HELP! There is a Group from Grand Island that is hell bent on establishing a 1000 acre Solar (Electricity producing) farm a few miles west of McCook...

McCOOK, Neb. — McCook Community College sophomore golfer Cayden Wynne has signed a letter of intent to golf at Bellevue University next year. “Bellevue is a great school and has a terrific golf program that is always among the topped ranked teams in NAIA,” said MCC Coach Tyler Loop...

TRENTON, Neb. — Medicine Valley’s girls held Hitchcock County to a free throw in overtime of their 37-34 road win Thursday evening. The Raiders (2-4 record) survived a see-saw battle with those Falcons, seeing a 21-18 halftime lead turn into trailing 30-25 through three periods...

McCOOK, Neb. — Top four area placers Thursday at McCook. 106 pounds: Bob Chism, Wauneta-Palisade, placed second after a :31 pin from champion J. Lopez, Lexington. 113: Cole Chisum, W-P placed third with a :48 pin of Hunter Bland, McCook, who was fourth...

McCOOK, Neb. — McCook High boys coach Joe Imus offered some insights about tonight’s home game vs. Kearney Catholic and trip to Holdrege on Saturday. Remember, the boys will begin tonight’s varsity doubleheader. “Kearney Catholic and Holdrege are very similar teams...

McCOOK, Neb. — Winter weather put a damper on McCook’s home swim meet Thursday evening, with Scottsbluff unable to make the road trip because of a blizzard in the panhandle. But North Platte and the Bison plowed on, holding a dual at the McCook YMCA for their final meet before Christmas break. In a close matchup, the McCook men prevailed 51-49 as a team, while the Bulldogs took the girls’ title, 54-48...

McCOOK, Neb. — The McCook Community College volleyball team has added two more players for the 2023-2024 roster according to Coach Hayley Kobza. MCC’s latest commitments are Lexi Schaefer of Fleming, Colo., and Kenzie Waggoner of Kit Carson High School, also in Colorado. Schaefer is a 5-3 defensive specialist/libero and Waggoner is a 5-9 outside hitter...

LIBERAL, Kan. – The Seward County Community College Lady Saints downed McCook Community College Friday 87-51 in the Seward Community College Classic. Seward County took command of the game early and led 26-11 after the first quarter and 49-18 at the half...

All the scores available at 11:40 p.m. Friday evening for area teams and others of interest: BOYS Arapahoe 57, Southwest 49 South Loup 77, Medicine Valley 38 Gothenburg 61, Holdrege 55 Lexington 44, Northwest 42 GIRLS Southwest 44, Arapahoe 31 Southern Valley 62, Superior 55...

A total of 12 current and former Nebraska football players make up half of Nebraska's 24 student-athletes across all sports who will receive degrees during UNL December Commencement ceremonies Friday and Saturday at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Graduate commencement will occur on Friday, Dec. 16, at 3 p.m., before undergraduate commencement on Saturday, Dec. 17, at 9 a.m...

NORFOLK, Neb. — The wife of a man facing charges in connection with a quadruple murder in August has been arrested. Nebraska State Patrol investigators arrested the woman, Carrie Jones, 43, Friday morning at her home without incident. Her husband, Jason Jones, is accused of killing Gene Twiford, 86, his wife, Janet, 85, and their daughter, Dana, 55 in their home at 503 Elm Street in Laurel, Neb., early Aug. ...

LINCOLN, Neb. – A pediatric influenza related death in Douglas County has been confirmed by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). According to state health officials, Nebraska is experiencing a severe flu season. Nationally, 30 children have died from flu this season according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention...