Stories from Tuesday, July 8, 2025

Sherri Lea (Lotker) Shuler, born March 2, 1950, in Oberlin, KS to Floyd Lee and Helen Dorothea (Forrester) Lotker, Jr. and started her journey on June 17, 2025 at the age of 75, in Goodland, KS at Topside Manor. Sherri grew up on the family homestead west of Oberlin alongside her three siblings Floyd Lee III (Skipper), Laurie and Jackie. ...

Myrna Kircher, 86, Minot, passed away peacefully on Sunday, July 6th at home, surrounded by her loving family, after a hard fought 13-year battle with cancer. Her determination to beat this disease earned her the nickname “Wonder Woman.” She was awarded, by her family, with a Wonder Woman pin, which she proudly wore and requested it be pinned on her burial dress...

January 27, 1946 – June 12, 2025 Douglas Glen Hoschouer, 79, of McCook, NE, passed away peacefully on June 12, 2025, after a courageous battle with COPD. Doug was born January 27, 1946, to Julian Sr. and Lois Hoschouer. He grew up on a farm outside Wellfleet, NE, with his siblings, Julian Jr. ...

Gary Joe Hastings, 79, of Gering, Nebraska, passed away peacefully on Saturday, July 5, 2025. Gary was born on September 27, 1945, in Sutherland, Nebraska, to Robert and Irene (Derra) Hastings. He grew up in Hayes County alongside his siblings, attending school there and graduating with the Hayes County High School Class of 1964. Following high school, Gary continued his education at McCook Community College, Chadron State College, and Kearney State College...

CULBERTSON, Neb. - The approach of the Fourth of July is marked by the appearance of duck boards around town—a familiar and cherished sign of the season. What might seem quirky to outsiders is a long-standing tradition in this small Nebraska community, where ducks have become a beloved symbol of Independence Day. Residents eagerly purchase numbered squares, claim their ducks, and hope their chosen entry—numbered anywhere from 1 to 1,200—will be the first to cross the finish line...

Joy Farr McCook Gazette McCOOK, Neb. - On Thursday night, hundreds of McCook residents gathered at the Red Willow County Fairgrounds to celebrate as a community. The atmosphere was light and festive as kids of all ages lined up to play games and enjoy the rides brought in by RockIT Event Pros out of Kearney. Both professionals and volunteers worked together to ensure the rides were safe, secure, and fun...

McCOOK, Neb. - Moody’s Investors Service has assigned its highest short-term rating, MiG 1, to the City of McCook’s proposed $16 million Series 2025 Municipal Improvement Bond Anticipation Notes, while also affirming the city’s Aa3 long-term issuer rating. That and more were discussed at Monday night’s meeting of the McCook City Council...

Independence Day has come and gone with a wonderful set of activities in this corner of Southwest Nebraska. Bicycle riders stopping through, kids’ things at the Fair Grounds and grand community fireworks displays. All day long and late into the evening, youngsters (and maybe those not so young) set off fireworks. For me, that is what the 4th of July should be and that is celebrating the birth of this wonderful country in which we are lucky enough to live...

Wednesday, July 9, 2025, will be one of the shortest days ever recorded—at least in the precise, scientific sense. That’s not because we’re losing hours on the clock or that the universe is conspiring to rob us of our summer. Rather, the Earth itself will be spinning just a little faster than usual, trimming about 1.5 milliseconds off the standard 86,400 seconds that define a day. ...

Dear Editor, On behalf of our 350 cyclists and crew, we want to express our sincere gratitude to your entire community for the kind welcome and warm hospitality. Literally, a group of McCookies (a riding team of women from McCook) invited me to consider McCook in at Tour de Nebraska in Kearney, NE in 2021. ...