Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
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Effective Thursday, Dec. 5, the Bank of Orchard was merged into Cornerstone Bank. Bill Kester will serve as vice president and manager of the branch. Other Orchard employees include Heidi Blomenkamp, Mary Erb, Gage Clifton and Andrea Williby. "Cornerstone Bank is excited to become a part of the Orchard community and grow our banking operation in this region," stated Zac Holoch, president and chief executive officer of Cornerstone Bank. "Cornerstone is committed to serving the smaller...
“It is important to plan ahead when traveling or being exposed to extremely cold winter conditions,” said Dr. Troy Dawson of Antelope Memorial Hospital. “By taking a few precautions, the risk for frostbite injury may be prevented. Frostbite occurs when blood vessels and skin tissue are damaged after exposure to temperatures below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, added Dr. Dawson. "It can occur quickly or slowly. The speed of a frostbite injury depends upon how cold or windy the temperature conditions are and the length of exposure to those condi...
This month, Antelope Memorial Hospital received national and state awards for excellence. The hospital was first recognized for the 2024 Performance Leadership Award for excellence in Quality, Outcomes and Patient Perspective as part of the National Rural Health Day celebration. Compiled by The Chartis Center for Rural Health, the Performance Leadership Award honors top quartile performance (75th percentile or above) among rural hospitals across the United States in the categories of quality, ou...
Three new members – Keith White of Neligh, Bev Krutz of Orchard and Gary Arehart of Elgin – were elected to serve on the board of the Antelope County Historical Society at the organization's recent annual meeting. All three bring a strong interest in the county's history, with each having diverse experiences and interests. "We welcome these new members to our board," said Donna Hanson, Antelope County Museum executive director. "Their broad experience and love for Antelope County will go a lon...
Northeast Nebraska Telephone Company has been recognized as a 2024 Smart Rural Community Showcase Award winner. The announcement was made by The Rural Broadband Association Chief Executive Officer Shirley Bloomfield during a conference hosted by the NTCA on Sept. 30. The Smart Rural Community program is a network of more than 280 communities, supported by NTCA member providers, committed to driving growth through robust broadband service. The Showcase Awards are presented to providers in...
University of Nebraska-Lincoln students Carleigh Greene, Tilden, a 2022 high school graduate of Elkhorn Valley Schools, and Riley Martensen, a 2022 graduate of Neligh-Oakdale Public Schools, have been named winners of the Schuchardt Family Scholarship for the 2024-25 academic year. Greene, the daughter of Randy Greene of Tilden and Bobbi Jenkins of Oakdale, is a junior majoring in community health and wellness in the College of Education and Human Sciences. She is a member of the CEHS Student...
The Orchard Public Library started summer reading on May 22. "It was a whirlwind of fun and adventure for everyone," said library director Donna Hamilton. The library had received a grant through the Nebraska Library Commission for interns this year. Preslie Robertson and Lydia Robertson filled the intern role. The interns helped plan all the programing during the summer and helped during some of the programs. Attendees were split into three age groups: newborn to 5, 6-8 and 9 and older. The Ant...
ESU #8, based in Neligh, is a vital educational support hub across a seven-county region in northeast Nebraska. Working closely with local schools, it provides crucial services to students, educators, and families from birth to 21 years old. ESU #8's Eastern Learning Center in Norfolk and the Clearwater Learning Center offer comprehensive education for students aged 5-21 with significant disabilities. From academics to vocational training, these Level III schools promote holistic development and progress. The learning centers have been operatio...
Jewel Rodgers, an interdisciplinary poet and activist from Omaha, recently celebrated National Poetry Month with Summerland English classes. During the event, she shared some of her own poetry and led engaging activities to inspire students to develop their creativity. Jewel's passion extends beyond poetry; she is dedicated to fighting urban blight in her community. To achieve this, she has completed two notable projects in North Omaha: Tierra Park, a charming pocket park located at 2413...
On Friday, April 12, at approximately 7 p.m., the Holt County Sheriff’s Office, assisted by the Holt County Attorney’s Office, O’Neill Police Department, Atkinson Police Department, Nebraska State Patrol and Antelope County Sheriff’s Office served a search warrant in Ewing. The search warrant was served at a camper located at the northeast corner of Highway 20 and Highway 45B. Substances alleged to be controlled substances and several items believed to be drug paraphernalia were found during the execution of the search warrant. Torrey Peterso...
Nebraska’s new voter identification law, which takes effect in the May 14 statewide primary, requires Nebraska voters to present a photo ID before voting. In an effort to ensure all Nebraskans are prepared, the Nebraska Secretary of State’s office is mailing letters to voters who may not have an acceptable form of photo ID to vote. About 97% of registered voters in Nebraska already have a driver’s license or state ID, according to information from county election offices and the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles. The letters are a proac...
Carlee Livingston, a junior at Summerland Public Schools, is this year's school winner in the Poetry Out Loud national recitation competition. After submitting video recordings of two of her selections, she learned she had qualified to compete in the state competition, which will be held on Saturday, March 9, at the Sheldon Museum of Art in Lincoln. Poetry Out Loud got its start in 2005 when a generous donor left their estate to the Poetry Foundation with instructions to make quality poetry...
In February, Antelope Memorial Hospital was recognized as a 2024 Top 100 critical-access hospital by The Chartis Center for Rural Health. Chartis' annual Top 100 award program recognizes outstanding performance among the nation's 1,353 rural hospitals. Last fall, AMH was also the winner of Chartis' Performance Leadership Award for excellence and Rural Provider Excellence in Quality Award, reflecting AMH's status in the Top 10% in overall quality performance among Nebraska's 63 critical-access...
Six members of the Summerland speech team competed at Hartington on Saturday. Award winners in varsity competition in the Honors Division included Carlee Livingston, fourth persuasive speaking and Yuliana Olivan, Addisyn Fletcher, Owen Jefford and Brandon Pruden, fourth, oral interpretation of drama. In the junior varsity division, Fletcher finished fourth in oral interpretation of poetry finals. Jadyn Hobbs received fourth place in informative public speaking. Also competing were Olivan in entertainment speaking; Pruden, oral interpretation...
After a career spanning 46 years, Steve Niemeyer is retiring from Nebraska Extension in Garfield, Loup and Wheeler county office. Niemeyer began as an extension assistant in Boone and Nance counties before working his way up to extension educator and unit leader in Garfield, Loup and Wheeler counties in 1993. In a career that included more than 120 county fairs, Niemeyer has steadily created opportunities for 4-H members to grow their love for animal agriculture. His primary focus in his final...
It started with an Elgin family’s bathtub, one that had been in the family for decades, and it led to a major new exhibit at the Antelope County Museum in Neligh that spotlights the important role water plays in the lives of every county resident. Jane Schuchardt of Elgin said as she contemplated getting rid of the clawfoot bathtub that had been in her husband Rick Schuchardt’s family for years, it occurred to her that it could be the basis of an exhibit focusing on the importance of water. Her...
Harley Wright, a 2019 Ewing Public Schools graduate, recently joined the team at Northeast Nebraska Community Action Partnership as the family services advocate at the Norfolk office. Wright has lived in northeast Nebraska all her life and currently resides in Norfolk with her husband Tyler and daughter Theresa. When asked about the new position, Wright said, "I have always loved helping people. Since a young age helping people has been my thing. Now I get to do just that, helping people from a...
"On Jan. 8, our next 'Move It to Lose It' Contest begins at Antelope Memorial Hospital," said Vanessa Carpenter, AMH wellness director. "I look forward to offering a fresh start to area residents – in supporting their wellness goals. It's often helps to be more accountable when one teams up with friends or family to initiate healthier habits. This contest is an excellent way to kick off 2024 and reach their goals!" The contest has three categories for men, women and teams. It runs for 10 weeks f...
District 4 Leadership Development Events were held Dec. 6 at Lutheran High Northeast. Summerland FFA advisor Jacob Goldfuss said the local chapter took took 20 members and they all did very well. "There are 20 schools in our district and each chapter can send two individuals or teams for every contest, so to get top three and make it to state is quite hard," Goldfuss said. In addition to the two teams in the photos, several individuals qualifed or will be an alternate for state. Jenna Funk got...
This month, Antelope Memorial Hospital received both a national and state award for excellence. The hospital was first recognized for the 2023 Performance Leadership Award for excellence in quality and patient perspective as part of the National Rural Health Day celebration. Compiled by The Chartis Center for Rural Health, the Performance Leadership Award honors top quartile performance (75th percentile or above) among rural hospitals across the United States in quality, outcome and patient pers...
North Central Community Care Partnership Coalition, a local 501c3 non-profit organization whose fiscal agent is North Central District Health Department, successfully concluded its second annual winter coat drive, spreading warmth to local schools in need. Four area schools actively participated in the initiative, facilitated by the collaborative efforts of dedicated coalition partners. Val Wecker, representing Avera St. Anthony's, Bob Thomas from Building Blocks, Tonya Hytrek of CASA, and...
On Oct. 7, Savannah Henn, BSN, RN, certified rofessional in healthcare quality, of Antelope Memorial Hospital, was recognized at the Nebraska Nurses Association annual convention as a 40 Under 40 awardee at the Cornhusker Hotel in Lincoln. She has been employed at AMH for five years and currently serves as utilization review/HIPAA/quality coordinator and corporate compliance RN. As a joint recognition, the Nebraska Organization of Nursing Leadership and the Nebraska Nurses Association selected...
A total of five mosquito pools have now tested positive for West Nile Virus in Holt County, near O’Neill. West Nile Virus is still circulating in the environment. Residents not only in Holt County, but across Nebraska, should continue to take precautions to protect themselves until the first hard freeze, according to representatives from the North Central District Health Department. Limit time spent outdoors at dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active. Wear long-sleeved shirts and pants if outdoors at dusk or dawn. Apply an EPA-approved m...
One hundred sixty members of the Northeast Nebraska Telephone Company, representing all districts of the cooperative, attended the 66th annual meeting of members and directors on Thursday, Sept. 21, at NNTC facilities in Jackson. The membership re-elected Dave Armstrong of Newcastle as president (District #1), Tom Stranik of Morse Bluff as second vice president (District #4) and John Knievel of rural Antelope County as secretary (District #3). NNTC General Manager Pat McElroy told the crowd of...
Diabetic expertise, personalized care and fewer diabetic complications may all be found at Antelope Memorial Hospital. This month, the AMH Diabetes Education Program was awarded continued recognition and certification from the American Diabetes Association. AMH was originally certified for the award in May 2002. The education recognition status is awarded for four years. The ADA recognition signifies that Antelope Memorial Hospital meets national standards for diabetes patient education and has...