Stories from Thursday, September 18, 2025

KEARNEY, Neb. — Coach tennis? That sounded crazy. Matt Weimers had no plans to coach McCook Bison boys or girls tennis. “I was planning on being a basketball or a volleyball coach,” Wiemers admitted Wednesday afternoon.

McCOOK, Neb. — Official records from the National Weather Service at McCook Municipal Airport (KMCK) show the city was pounded Tuesday by more than five inches of rain along with destructive hail. The deluge, logged in six-hour totals that peaked overnight, far exceeded the norm for a single late-summer storm...

With so much going on, it is time for a “This, That and the Other Thing” column, where we will cover several topics, not very deeply, but hopefully with a sense of humor as we clean up and prepare for a busy week in McCook. McCook again made state and national news this week for ice. This time, it was in the form of hail that pounded the community for hours upon hours. Conversations this week begin with “where were you….?” or “how many windows did you lose?”...

It was a small story tucked into the news this month, but it caught my attention. In Weld, Maine, the sexton of the Mountain View Cemetery hosts an annual reception for those who have purchased plots there. The idea is as simple as it is unusual: prospective “neighbors in the hereafter” gather at his home for an evening of introduction and conversation. ...

Rednecks continued rolling through frames just like Big Red has rolled in collegiate football games so far this season. The Men’s League leaders remain just ahead of Lickity Splitz following week four at TJ’s Family Fun Center. Men’s Major Rednecks 90.5-29.5...

Junior Jacob Barber caught six passes for 182 yards and three touchdowns to fuel a 42-18 Southwest victory over Arthur County Friday. This game recap was missed in the last McCook Gazette, but there were certainly highlights to mention as Southwest has two dominating victories...

Wauneta-Palisade’s Lilly Dinnel (3) tips the volleyball just over Maywood-Hayes Center Wolves like senior Karissa Stengel (10) during the championship match of Saturday’s Hitchcock County Invitational. The May-Hay girls did prevail 25-23, 19-25, 25-13. ...

McCOOK, Neb. — Coach Joe Vetrovsky certainly has his McCook Bison focused on a tougher challenge from the Crete Cardinals Friday evening. “Crete is an improved team from last season. They are led by QB #12 Nick Wendt who can definitely sling the ball around. His favorite target is WR #2 Peyton Steuer who has half of their total receptions on the season. Solid route runner and catcher of the football...

Gary D. Bradney, 72, of Kearney passed away on September 6, 2025 at CHI Health in Kearney. Gary was born on October 30, 1952 in Yuma, CO to parents Ronald Dean and Mary (Ebbers) Bradney. The family lived in Yuma, Otis and Akron, Colorado areas until settling in Sterling, CO where Gary graduated with the class of 1970. Following high school Gary enlisted in the Army National Guard which he served for six years attaining the rank of Staff Sergeant E-6...

Kathryn “Kathy” Rae (Burton) McConville, a wife, mother, grandmother, and friend, passed away on September 16, 2025, at Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook, NE, at the age of 90. Kathy was born in McCook, NE on October 6, 1934, to Loyd and Gladys (Mayo) Burton. She grew up on a farm just south of Bartley. She graduated from Bartley public school in 1952...

Richard Jerome Budig, age 88, Lincoln, passed away September 9, 2025 at Oxbow Living Center in Ashland from complications from C.O.P.D. He was born November 30, 1936 in Omaha to Arthur and Angela (Schaaf) Budig. He graduated from McCook High School in 1955 and was a United States Air Force veteran. ...

It is with great sadness that we announce the death of our husband and father, Dwayne Brunswick who passed away in McCook on September 16, 2025, at the age of 69, from Melanoma after cancer firmly took the upper hand. Dwayne was born to parents Richard Brunswick and Ellen Raburn on March 25, 1956, in McCook. Dwayne graduated from McCook Senior High School with the class of 1974...