News

Mariquit “Kit” Ellis, a longtime resident of Stratton, passed away on March 17, 2026, in Kearney, Nebraska...

Bernita Reiners, of McCook, passed away on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, at Highland Park Retirement Home in McCook...

McCOOK, Neb. - One community-minded McCook business has captured the attention of the McCook Chamber of Commerce. They weren’t looking for attention, but the Chamber has found Whitaker’s Furniture worthy of the Fourth Quarter Honor Business Award. “Nothing brings more pride as a Chamber Director than hearing how organizations and businesses in our community work together to help McCook thrive,” said Director Sarah Schneider. ...

Over the past weekend, McCook hosted the quarterly meeting of the Nebraska Commission on Latino Americans. Although the commission is based in Lincoln, it holds its quarterly meetings throughout the state to stay connected with local communities and better understand regional concerns. On the Thursday prior to the meeting, the Gazette reached out to Executive Director Maria Arriaga for a conversation...

McCOOK, Neb. - A looming federal mandate to identify and replace lead water service lines could require years of work in McCook, as the McCook City Council met in regular session Monday evening at City Council Chambers to review funding options that could help offset costs and extend into the 2040s...

It would take a considerable amount of courage for a seasoned politician with statewide name recognition and a substantial war chest to challenge a sitting governor, but Sheila Korth-Focken has none of those advantages, yet she is running for the Republican nomination for Governor of the State of Nebraska...

McCook, Neb. - Bill Lesko is a man with a palate designed for greatness. He zigs and zags through culinary styles with ease, finding new ways to refresh classics and inventing new dishes to please the palate. He is the culinary scientist behind the dishes at Citta’ Deli, which he began 11 years ago with his wife, Jade...

A McCook man, Glenn Morgan III, was recently arrested in Dawson County sting operation on suspicion of solicitation of prostitution as part of an ongoing prostitution ring investigation. A case status hearing is set for April 27. Morgan III, 51, was arrested on November 7, 2025, at Overton, Nebraska. He pled not guilty to the charge of Solicitation of Prostitution - Second Offense, a Class IV felony, and signed a waiver of preliminary hearing...

McCOOK, Neb. - The Red Willow County Board of Commissioners will not provide an extra $20,000 to the Red Willow County Health Department for vaccines, because for now, the department remains within budget. Rhea Hernandez, director of the Red Willow County Health Department, asked commissioners for an additional $20,000 to maintain the department’s vaccine supply. ...

McCOOK, Neb. - Future endeavors took center stage at the March 9 McCook School Board meeting, as board members discussed upcoming trips, facility repairs, school improvement goals and potential legislation. With the district entering its final quarter of the school year, attention shifted toward structural and academic needs that will shape the months ahead...

McCOOK, Neb. - As 2026 rings in the 100th anniversary of U.S. Highway 83, one man is celebrating the trek he made down the 1,885 miles running from the northern to southern U.S. borders and was fascinated enough by what he saw and experienced to tell the tale...

McCOOK, Neb. - Candidate filing for the 2026 municipal election has closed, setting the slate of candidates. Among the busier races of the season is the McCook City Council, where eight candidates are competing for three available seats. Those candidates include incumbent Gene Weedin and challengers Kaleb Taylor, Chelsey Eng, Nick Umscheid, Dean McCoy, Joel Arterburn, Rose Weskamp and Dennis Berry. ...

On Tuesday, the Pentagon announced the death of four U.S. Army Reserve soldiers who were supporting Operation Epic Fury. The soldiers died on March 1, in Kuwait at the Port of Shuaiba, during an unmanned aircraft system attack. All Soldiers were assigned to the 103rd Sustainment Command, Des Moines, Iowa. The incident is under investigation...

McCOOK, Neb. - Southwest Nebraska Community Theater Association (SWNCTA) rehearsed their spring play, Clue, on Tuesday night in preparation for this weekend’s performances. The local, all-star cast is presenting the cult-classic murder mystery at Fox Theatre, 412 Norris...

McCOOK, Neb. - Yesterday was the last day for candidates to file for the May 12 primary election. The two most contested fields in Southwest Nebraska’s upcoming elections are those in the McCook City Council and in the Nebraska Legislature’s 38th District...

McCOOK, Neb. - After being away from government for over a decade, Dennis Berry of McCook filed for a seat on the city council on Monday. “I really love McCook, and I think that McCook is on the right path. There’s been a lot of progress in the last four years, and I’d like to see that it continues,” Berry said. “And I do feel I have a lot of experience, being a past mayor and in a lot of other different organizations and leadership posts.”...

McCOOK, Neb. - It was a relatively short evening for the McCook City Council as it met in regular session Monday night. Mayor Linda Taylor called the meeting to order and noted that all members were present. During the announcements and recognitions portion of the meeting, City Manager Nate Schneider reminded council members of a planning committee meeting scheduled for Monday, March 9, at 5:15 p.m. ...

McCOOK, Neb. - For the Gazette’s most recent Coffee Talk discussion, the Gazette and guests spoke with ISA Certified Arborist Bruce Hoffman. Many readers will know Bruce and his wife, Deb, from Common Scents, a family-owned greenhouse and nursery located immediately south of McCook that sells trees and other landscape plants, and also provides landscaping and arborist/tree-care services for Southwest Nebraska...

McCOOK, Neb. - For the Gazette’s most recent Coffee Talk discussion, the Gazette and guests spoke with ISA Certified Arborist Bruce Hoffman. Many readers will know Bruce and his wife, Deb, from Common Scents, a family-owned greenhouse and nursery located immediately south of McCook that sells trees and other landscape plants, and also provides landscaping and arborist/tree-care services for Southwest Nebraska...

McCOOK, Neb. - The deadline to file as an incumbent for the primary election in May has come and gone, and there is an expected name that won’t be found on the ballot. Red Willow County Sheriff Kevin Darling has decided that after serving in law enforcement for over 40 years, he’s ready to spend some much-needed time with his wife of 42 years, Tami, and their family...

McCOOK, Neb.– The City of McCook was recently awarded a $300,000.00 Community Forestry Infrastructure grant from PlantNebraska. The grant was part of $10 million in grant funds awarded to PlantNebraska in 2024 by the USDA Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry program...

McCOOK, Neb. - In a little more than a week, on March 8, Americans will “spring forward” with the return of daylight saving time. Most people grumble about the switch, and lawmakers in Nebraska and elsewhere have shown interest in abandoning the twice-yearly change. The remaining questions are which time would be adopted permanently—standard or daylight saving—and whether enough surrounding states would make the change at the same time...

McCOOK, Neb. - Nebraska State Senator Geno Thomas (Tom) Vickers passed away on February 20, 202,6 at McCook Community Hospital in McCook. He was 89 years old. Vickers served two terms in the Nebraska Legislature, representing the 38th District from 1979 to 1987. During that time, he chaired the Education Committee and was selected as chair of a joint committee that included both the Education Committee and the Legislature’s Executive Board...

McCOOK, Neb. - The Red Willow County Board of Commissioners met Monday morning, Feb. 23, 2026, at the Red Willow County Courthouse, convening in regular session at 8:30 a.m. Chairman Gans called the meeting to order. Commissioners Dean and Fritsche were present. The agenda was approved as presented, and the board reviewed accounts payable and payroll claims before opening the floor to public comment at 9 a.m...

McCOOK, Neb. - Thomas and Nancy Corey, McCook, have been married 50 years and one of the things they share an interest in is genealogy. These two aren’t just amateur “name collectors”. They are determined to find out who came before them, their accomplishments, their struggles, and how they fit into prominent events in history...