Stories from Thursday, September 14, 2023

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. — Buffalo Bill State Historical Park and State Recreation Area in North Platte are closed until further notice; a train car fire in Bailey Yard along U.S. Highway 30 is producing toxic smoke in the area. Authorities are evacuating between Splinter and Front roads along U.S. Highway 30 north of the Union Pacific Railroad tracks. The two Nebraska Game and Parks Commission parks are located in this zone...

McCOOK, Neb. — Yup, a familiar foe that always seems filthy is bringing more than dust tornadoes to McCook’s house Friday evening. The Holdrege Dusters own a little more muscle this fall: big boys who aren’t even allowing 62 rushing yards per game. Plus these boys usually don’t like McCook much considering all the skirmishes year after year after year...

It is official. McCook and Southwest Nebraska is the recipient of one of the largest financial gifts in recent memory. Jim Lee, a 1954 McCook High School graduate, left $5 million in donations to several non-profit organizations including the McCook Community Foundation Fund, the Community Hospital Health Foundation, the McCook YMCA, the McCook Educational Foundation and the Overland Trails Council, which oversees the Boy Scouts in Southwest Nebraska...

Michael “Mike” Lee Harrison June 6, 1955 - Sept. 7, 2023 GOODLAND, Kan. - After a great day of fishing at Swanson Reservoir, Trenton, Neb., on Thur., Sept. 7, 2023, Michael “Mike” Lee Harrison, 68, docked his boat one last time. A 46-year resident of Sherman County, Kansas, Mike was born in McCook, Neb. ...

Joyce Joylea Fischer March 20, 1957 - Sept, 10, 2023 NORTON, Kan. - Joyce Joylea Fischer, age 66, passed away at her home on Sept, 10, 2023. She was born to Alfred (Dale) and Donna (Gilliland) Hazen on March 20, 1957 in McCook, Neb. Joyce grew up in Maywood, Neb. and graduated from Medicine Valley High School in 1975. She married Duane James Fischer on March 12, 1978. They celebrated their 45th anniversary this year. They had three children from this union: Rikki, Crystal, and Shine...

90th birthday INDIANOLA, Neb. - The family of Janet Bamesberger of Indianola is requesting a card shower in honor of her 90th birthday on Friday, Sept. 22, 2023. She was born at St. Catherine’s Hospital in McCook, Neb on Sept. 22, 1933. Janet’s family includes children, Joann Perea and husband Steve; Phil Bamesberger and wife Janice; Marcie Barnes and husband Todd; and Matt Bamesberger and wife Barbara. Janet has 11 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren...

90th birthday McCOOK, Neb. - The family of Jean Evans of McCook, Neb. is hosting a birthday celebration in honor of her 90th birthday. The celebration will be held in the dining hall at Kinship Pointe, 1500 East 11th Street, McCook on Saturday, Sept. 16 from 1 to 3 p.m...

100th birthday CURTIS, Neb. - The family of Marian Davis of Curtis, Neb., is planning a celebration in honor of her 100th birthday. Marian was born on Sept. 23, 1923 in Palmyra, Neb. Her family includes: the late Roy Davis; Cathrine Dumont of Olathe, Kan.; Arletta Lipparelli and Lorry of Elko, Nev.; Kenneth Davis and Cathy of McCook, Neb.; the late Diane Towery and Mike of McCook, Neb.; Scott Davis and Linda of Maywood, Neb.; and Doug Davis and Sue ofCeresco, Neb...

KEARNEY, Neb. — McCook tennis players dropped just two games during an 11-0 JV dual sweep of Kearney Catholic Tuesday afternoon. A recap of all the Bison victories: Landon Kmoch/Sutton LaBrie won 6-0; Maxt Proehl/Carter Hartwell won 6-0; Kmoch won 6-0;...

RIVER FALLS, Wisc. — If the first rodeo is any indication, it’s going to be a fun year for the Mid-Plains Community College rodeo team. The team came away with three individual championships, a team win and a reserve all-around title over the weekend at the first competition of the season – the 58th annual Falcon Frontier Days Rodeo in River Falls, Wis...

TRENTON, Neb. — Hitchcock County tuned up for a big match tonight with Tuesday’s 25-12, 26-24, 22-25, 25-16 victory over Maywood-Hayes Center. The Falcons are now 7-5 and visit 7-5 Medicine Valley tonight in Curtis. Riley Hagan ripped 12 kills to lead the Falcons on Tuesday while senior Byanka Tyan blasted down 10...

McCOOK, Neb. — The McCook Community College volleyball team lost in five sets to Central Community College Wednesday in the Peter and Dolores Graff Events Center. Central, ranked No. 13 in the NJCAA DII rankings, picked up their fifth straight win topping MCC 25-13, 26-24, 13-25, 20-25, 15-11...

McCOOK, Neb. — A brilliant ground game and pulverizing Bison defense powered McCook’s 41-6 JV football win over Cozad Monday. McCook built a 21-0 halftime lead which reached 28-0 through three periods. Tate Shafer and Blake Rodewald both rushed for more than 100 yards to help McCook maintain control...

KANSAS CITY, Kan — Air Force veteran Hunter Uhland from Atwood, Kan., was handed the keys to a new Kubota tractor by NASCAR Cup Series driver Ross Chastain Sunday during a special ceremony at the Kansas Speedway before the start of the Hollywood Casino 400...

INDIANOLA, Neb. — I’ve always told our kids that I should write a book someday because it seems that things happen to us that never happen to anyone else.  I attribute this to not ever having the correct equipment or supplies needed to do the things that we need to do every day. ...

Flooding in China, Libya and Brazil, fire in Hawaii, an earthquake in Morocco — they’re all happening somewhere else, but those of us living in Southwest Nebraska know they can quickly become a reality. Even an earthquake isn’t completely out of the question, and neither is any other man-made or natural disaster in our area...

McCOOK, Neb. — A McCook native’s $5 million dollar estate gift served as a happy surprise for the community earlier this year and empowered local organizations to dream bigger than ever before through the generosity of a man who kept to himself while going above and beyond for the place he loved...

We can all agree the climate changes. We call this the change of seasons and they happen every year, to one degree or another. We can expect cold and snow in the winter, heat and severe thunderstorms in the summer and a wider variety of weather in the spring and fall. Some things rarely change yet many whip up a frenzy when natural disasters inevitably occur...