Stories from Tuesday, January 6, 2026

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McCOOK, Neb. - The City took an important step toward the reopening of Karrer Park at Monday night’s meeting of the McCook City Council. The Council passed an ordinance setting standards for camping, usage and permissible activities at public properties to ensure “safety, order, and appropriate use of public spaces.”...

McCOOK, Neb. - The McCook Pantry, a non-profit organization that collects and distributes food to those in need, has issued its annual, end-of-year report. The report began by thanking contributors for assistance during the prior year and specifically noted that some of the smaller communities served had been “very supportive.”...

About all morning, your old columnist, with a military background, had been watching accounts of our special forces foray into Venezuela to capture dictator Nicolas Maduro and his equally terrible wife. President Trump offered Maduro a way out, but oh no, he insisted on going the hard way. The President and his staff explained the flawless event at a news conference a little before noon...

Virginia “Ginny” Bortner April 9, 1955 – January 2, 2026 McCOOK, Neb. - Virginia “Ginny” Bortner was surrounded by her family when she passed away at the homeplace north of McCook on Friday morning, January 2, 2026, after suffering from Alzheimer’s for ten years. She was 70 years of age...

Barbara Schneider October 22, 1934 – December 18, 2025 LAS VEGAS, Nev. - Barbara Ruth Andrijeski, age 91, was born in rural Hitchcock County to Francis (Frank) Andrijeski and Ida Miller Andrijeski. She was the third of four children and her mother, Ida, passed away when Barbara was five years old...

itchcock County girls were ready for a little Monday night basketball as they scored a 45-30 win at Southern Valley. The Falcons improved their season record to 4-5 though no individual stats were obtained. They were coming off a strong 50-35 victory over Cody-Kilgore at last week’s Brady Holiday Tournament...

CAMBRIDGE, Neb. — A well-earned sweep at Cambridge only ignited the Maywood-Hayes Center basketball teams through Sandhills-Thedford last weekend. The end result? Both May-Hay teams are rolling at 9-1 and 8-2, respectively, as basketball really heats up this week...

Gazette scribbler R.B. Headley would love to hunt down drug lords or at least some good drugs but instead will rank the 14 NFL teams entering playoffs this weekend. 14. Carolina Panthers “They’re 8-9 and not good. Just let the Vikings at 9-8 take that last spot and will trash everyone’s picks. Five-game win streak, baby! Waited until they were eliminated, of course.”...

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. — Southwest’s Rylan Custard returned from injury to join two other dominant Roughrider champs at the North Platte Invitational last weekend. Custard lost only once all last season while taking third at the Nebraska State Meet in Omaha...

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. — They covered all areas of the color medal spectrum as senior Alexis Steinbeck won gold, sophomore Eden McPherson earned silver and senior Peyton Cock bronze at last weekend’s North Platte Invite. The Bison featured seven other wrestling placers while totaling 124 points — fourth among 16 teams competing just after New Year’s...

McCOOK, Neb. — All the results from Saturday’s annual McCook Optimist Club “Mac Attack” basketball tournament. Fourth grade BOYS 1. Bison Ballers 2034 (4-0) won 37-6 over Colby, Kan., Eagles; won 46-5 over Perkins County; 32-13 over Holdrege Dusters Gold; and 43-9 over Western Warriors 2034...

McCOOK, Neb. — McCook High basketball teams have played three games in three days like the Topside Tournament at Goodland, Kan., last month. It’s ONLY three games in five nights this week against three traditionally tough western Nebraska opponents...