Stories from Tuesday, September 12, 2023

McCOOK, Neb. — The McCook Optimist Club’s annual Punt, Pass and Kick competition is set for Sunday, Sept. 17 at Weiland Field. The event is open to all youth from ages six through 15 years old. Competition is set to begin at 1 p.m.

A bit of perspective to COVID here. As you dear readers know your old columnist is no medical doctor but here is a brief sketch of what it was like to experience the modern version of the disease, the virus we call COVID 19. The first symptoms of our experience, as Grannie Annie followed me a couple of days later, was a listless feeling of runny nose and uncomfortable chest and lungs. ...

McCOOK, Neb. — Monday night’s school board meeting closed with a heartfelt tribute to a school employee and volunteer who passed away last week following a “good long hard fight” against cancer. Business Manager Jeff Gross called the late Lori Dack-Pearson a “rock star” in serving the community and school, particularly at-risk students in alternative education...

McCOOK, Neb. - Elevate Wellness and Physical Therapy is planning to construct a new facility just west of Southwest Nebraska Dental Center on West J Street with the help of tax increment financing. Elevate opened in February 2021, and has grown “exponentially” owner Emily Young, PT, DPT, CLC told the McCook Planning Commission during a hearing on Monday night. ...

Virginia Lee Niblack Oct. 17, 1945 – Sept. 10, 2023 NORTH PLATTE, Neb. - On Oct. 17, 1945, in Ransom, Kan., Virginia Lee Niblack was the first-born child of Emery Lee and Louise Amy (Swartz) Niblack. In 1948, Virginia moved with her parents and sister, Patsy, to Benkelman, Neb...

Gerald D. “Jerry” Bryant GRAND ISLAND, Neb. -Gerald D. “Jerry” Bryant, 98, of Grand Island died Sat., Sept. 9, 2023 in Grand Island from COVID complications. Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at St. Pauls Lutheran Church in Grand Island. Visitation will be from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday at the church...

Carol Ann Brown April 7, 1961 - Sept. 8, 2023, GRANT, Neb. - Carol Ann Brown, 62, of Grant, Neb., passed away on Fri., Sept. 8, 2023, at her home in Grant, surrounded by her loving family. Carol was born on April 7, 1961, in Sutherland, Neb., to the late Cleith and Evelyn (Swanson) Sines. She graduated from Imperial High School with the Class of 1979...

Estella Fayann (Ridpath) Shedd March 30, 1934 - Aug. 17, 2023 McCOOK, Neb. - Estella Fayann (Ridpath) Shedd passed away at the Hillcrest Care Center in McCook on Aug. 17, 2023 at the age of 89. She was born in Cambridge on March 30, 1934, to Leon and Berniece (Higgins) Ridpath. Fay Ann attended and graduated from Cambridge High School in 1952. She moved to Colorado where she attended and graduated from the Colorado Women’s College with a degree in Library Science...

McCOOK, Neb. – Red Willow County Commissioners have a plan for the future of Household Hazardous Waste collection, although discrepancies in inventory are a cause for concern. Commissioners approved the appointment of Billie Cole as the HHW manager, and she will be added to the county’s payroll on a part-time basis. ...

LINCOLN,Neb. — The Nebraska Public Service Commission has opened separate investigations into recent 911 outages involving telecommunication carriers Lumen (911-075/PI 248) and Windstream (911-076/PI 249). “The disruptions in 911 service that occurred in these two separate incidents is unacceptable,” said Commission Chair Dan Watermeier. “The Commission expects 911 service providers to maintain diverse and redundant connections between 911 centers and their networks.”...

LINCOLN,Neb. — The Nebraska State Patrol is investigating a crash that involved a school bus this morning on Highway 2 east of Palmyra. Several students were injured in the crash. At approximately 7:35 a.m. Tuesday, NSP received a report of a crash involving a school bus approximately one mile east of Palmyra. Troopers, Otoe County Sheriff’s Deputies, and rescue crews from Palmyra, Douglas, Syracuse, and Nebraska City all responded...

McCOOK, Neb. — Central Elementary officials are asking whoever is flying their drone over the school to stop. “There are enough distractions in our world today for our kids,” the school posted on Facebook today. “Please help keep our kids safe!” Principal Joel Bednar said he was most concerned about students distracted by the drone while crossing the street...

TRENTON, Neb. — The Maywood-Hayes Center volleyball team reached Saturday’s Hitchcock County Invitational title match before losing to champion Axtell. Host Hitchcock placed third with a final win over Wauneta-Palisade, who settled for fourth. Alma topped Arapahoe in a fifth-place match between two talented teams...

NORTON, Kan. — Neither Cowboys nor Bluejays were friendly when McCook’s varsity volleyball team visited Kansas courts Monday evening. The Bison battled Goodland Cowboys (4-3 record) through three sets but fell short 19-25, 25-10, 25-17 to start this Norton Triangular...

BROKEN BOW, Neb. — A little happy Homecoming spirit is just what the McCook Bison could use this week. Super spirit and a 2-2 record would be even better after the Bison took their second frustrating loss, 14-10, at Broken Bow Friday. “We have to learn how to finish these games,” coach Joe Vetrovsky told his team immediately after the Bison were basically one play from stealing this rematch of last year’s Class C-1 state playoffs...

LEXINGTON, Neb. — Sophomore Kapri Loop shot 101 and Lainey Peters carded 103 to lead the McCook varsity golf girls at Friday’s Lexington Invitational. Hailey Biedeck totaled 114 as the Bison dropped some scores from other early-season tournaments. Natalie Ruggles’ 126 capped the 444 McCook team score. The Bison did finish 12 strokes ahead of Southwest, where Elizabeth Towsend’s 116 and 120 from Ella Cure paced those Roughriders...

McCOOK, Neb. — McCook Community College coach Hayley Kobza was notified Monday that sophomore libero Greta Bolognini, Bergamo, Italy was selected the National Junior College Athletic Association Division 1 volleyball player of the week for Aug. 30-Sept 5...

Aaron Rodgers has a torn left Achilles tendon, according to a person familiar with the diagnosis, and the 39-year-old quarterback likely will miss the rest of the New York Jets’ season. An MRI on Tuesday confirmed the four-time NFL MVP’s injury, the person told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity because the team didn’t announce it. Coach Robert Saleh was scheduled to speak to reporters on a video call later Tuesday...