Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 116
When Larry and Judy Parker moved to Clearwater in 1965, little did they know they would spark the idea for one of the hottest rodeo tickets in Nebraska. On Nov. 9, Clearwater Chamber of Commerce honored the Judy Parker, the late Larry Parker and Steve Patras, of Clearwater, for orchestrating the first Clearwater Rodeo in 1967 and named the new building on the grounds the Double P Tack Room. Larry Parker died in 2004, in an automobile accident near Mission, South Dakota. During Saturday's event,...
Clearwater Chamber of Commerce vice president, Jeremy Sanne, and president, Curt Thiele, display the 2024 Mid-States Rodeo Association Large Purse Rodeo of the Year award during Saturday's chamber appreciation and dedication dinner at the rodeo grounds....
At first glance, the Clearwater Veterans Park, located at the intersection of Main and Nebraska streets, pays homage to those who served this country. Flags recognizing each military branch of service wave on the eastern side of a concrete walkway. A bright mural decorates the south wall of the library. A plaque, defining the term "veteran," is installed. Benches supply a place for visitors to sit and reflect. As of Sept. 11, two more pieces have been added: a battlefield cross and a soldier bea...
For the 14th time, Clearwater's Big Rodeo, scheduled annually for the last full weekend in June, received the Mid-States Rodeo Association's award for large-purse rodeo of the year. Award recipients were announced Saturday, during the association's finale in Broken Bow. The chamber was tabbed as the top rodeo in 1978, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 2020, 2021 and 2022. Rodeo co-chairman Jeremy Kester attributes the event's success to a supportive community and large group...
Homecoming festivities for Summerland Public School kick off Sunday, Sept. 8, with a bonfire at the rodeo arena in Clearwater. Fun and games are scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Each class has been assigned a class color. Seniors will wear white; juniors, pink; sophomores, black; freshman, blue; and junior high, yellow. Dress-up days have been set and will be the same for all classes. Monday, Sept. 9 is 'Merica Day. Students are asked to dress in red, white and blue. On Tuesday, Sept. 10, grab a...
The Clearwater Rough Stock Challenge will add a few new features for its fourth-annual event, Saturday, Aug. 17. Competition is slated to begin at 7:30 p.m., in the Gene Snodgrass Arena, located along West Highway 275. A calcutta will be held at 7 p.m., prior to the first event. Elgin Livestock auctioneer, Ted Baum, will handle auction duties. Justin Rumford, 10-time PRCA Pro Rodeo Clown of the Year will entertain the crowd between riders. "He'll be a hit with the crowd," said chamber president...
REGULAR PROCEEDINGS VILLAGE OF CLEARWATER BOARD OF TRUSTEES July 15, 2024 The Board of Trustees of the Village of Clearwater met for a regular meeting Monday, July 15, at 7 p.m., in the fire hall meeting room. Meeting opened at 7:02 p.m. Notice of meeting was given in advance by publication in Summerland Advocate-Messenger, was posted at US Post Office in Clearwater, Clearwater Market and Cornerstone Bank-Clearwater and was given to board members prior to meeting. Public was informed of location of Open Meeting Act poster. Present: Kelly...
What a show! Overflow crowds watched nearly 300 cowboys and cowgirls provide thrills and spills over the weekend at Clearwater's Big Rodeo. In the process, competitors took home approximately $34,000 in prize money. "What an amazing three nights of rodeo," said Curt Thiele, Clearwater Chamber of Commerce president. "We were blessed with very good weather and competition was high, with a big number of competitors." Sutton Schrunk, of Valentine, scored 77 in bull riding to take home the top prize...
Since she was a young girl, Luci Koinzan has dreamed of the moment she would be named rodeo queen. The dream became reality, Friday, when the Neligh native was announced as Miss Clearwater Rodeo 2024. "It's going to be a journey," she said. "I'm excited to start." Koinzan's path to becoming rodeo royalty is dusted in the footprints of her grandmother, Sandi Stroheide Koinzan, the first Miss Clearwater Rodeo, crowned in 1976. "I'm proud of her. It's a dream she's had," Sandy Koinzan said. It's...
Country star Nate Smith knows a thing or two about fire. In 2018, he lost everything he owned in the wildfires which whipped through Paradise, California, the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California's history. Despite being safe, Smith found it difficult to adjust to the devastation and turned to music. He wrote "One of These Days," about his experiences, hoping it would resonate with others. The song caught on, going viral. Soon, Smith found himself singing at benefit concerts...
A new Miss Clearwater Rodeo Queen will reign over the 57th annual Clearwater Big Rodeo. Three contestants - Jozlyn Anderson, Luci Koinzan, and Aubrey Blackburn - will compete for the title. The three will start competition Friday, at 2 p.m., on rodeo grounds. Queen contest chairman Devon Baum said contestants will be judged in multiple areas, including personality, appearance and horsemanship. Contestants will compete in the horsemanship portion of the contest, which includes a reining pattern,...
Early on a hot, summer Monday morning, a string of cars line Nebraska Street in Clearwater. They slip out of their vehicles and trek across a driveway to a mint-green stand, complete with crock pots, mini fridge and drop box. The sign in front of it says it all: Self serve stand open. Welcome to Rollin' Farm Stand, the brainchild of Haily Schlecht. It's a little bit produce stand, a little bit grab-and-go food source. No matter how it's labeled, it's filling Clearwater residents' stomachs with...
It’s almost “the best weekend in June.” Are we having fun yet? With the exception of contestant pages, the rodeo program has been at the printer for almost two weeks. Hallelujah! There are plenty of noticable changes. At the rodeo grounds, the bull - formerly part of the old steakhouse sign - towers above the entrance, foreshadowing action visitors are about to view. The bull’s devilish facial expression may be a nod to Laredo, the infamous bull that reveled in jumping the fence in the early d...
The countdown is on for the best weekend in June as rough and tumble action will take center stage at the 57th annual Clearwater's Big Rodeo. Competition begins Friday, June 28 and continues through Sunday, June 30, at the Gene Snodgrass arena, located along U.S. Highway 275. Clearwater Chamber of Commerce sponsors the annual event. Rodeo visitors will see a few new additions on the grounds. Clearwater Chamber president Curt Thiele said the rodeo committee and chamber members continue to make...
Call-ins for mutton busting for the 56th annual Clearwater Rodeo will be Monday, June 24, from 6 to 7 p.m. To enter, call Elly Herley at 402-640-9738. Text messages will not be accepted. Participants must be 3 to 7 years of age. Each night, 15 spots will be reserved for call-ins. The remaining 10 spots will go to walk-in participants who register the night of the rodeo. Organizers suggest individuals wanting to register the evening of the rodeo should arrive early. Mutton busting will begin at...
Felycia Kerkman of Atkinson, Miss Clearwater Rodeo 2023, was crowned Nebraska High School Rodeo Association Queen, June 15, at the 2024 championships in Burwell. First runner-up was Claudia Rhodes from Big Springs. Kerkman won six of nine competition categories, including appearance, speech, horsemanship, modeling, personality and congeniality. Other categories in the contest include interview, test and impromptu question. Kerkman will advance to the queen competition at the National High...
Country music artist Tim Zach never imagined he would one day be sharing the stage with the greatest musicians in the industry. A Wisconsin native, Zach went to college to study policing science with the aspiration to become a police officer. However, he soon realized law enforcement was not for him so he made the move to retail sales. He worked in retail for another decade and didn't get his break until he was in his 30s, when he was named the "Best New Country Act in Nebraska." Years later, Za...
Young women ages 14 to 24 are invited to apply for the Miss Clearwater Rodeo contest. Applications are due by June 14 and are available by contacting Devon Baum, contest director, at [email protected] or texting or calling 402-843-0446. The queen contest will be held Friday, June 28. Candidates will take part in mutton bustin' activities as Clearwater's Big Rodeo kicks off its 57th annual event. According to Baum, contestants will vie for several awards, including horsemanship,...
When you think of the word "veteran," who comes to mind? For many Clearwater residents, the term may be associated with a family member, a next-door neighbor or a teacher who bravely served this great nation. These veterans have earned undying gratitude for the sacrifices made. Last summer, a group of civic-minded residents began discussions to create a spot honoring area veterans. The first step: painting a mural on the south wall of the library on Aug. 19. That task was followed with...
Summerland Advocate-Messenger personnel brought home 23 awards from the 2023 Better Newspaper Contest for the Nebraska Press Association. Awards were presented Saturday evening, at the awards banquet held at the Cornhusker Marriot Hotel in Lincoln. SAM finished second in Class A, which includes weekly newspapers with a circulation up to 699 subscriptions. The Stanton Register won the division. In advertising categories, publisher LuAnn Schindler won seven awards. An ad featuring financial services at Brunswick State Bank, promoting FFA Week,...
The 2024 headliner for the Clearwater Rodeo concert will "set Clearwater's world on fire." Nashville artist Nate Smith will perform at 10 p.m., June 29, on Clearwater's Main Street. Luke Mills will kick off the concert at 8 p.m., followed by Noah Hicks at 9. Tickets will be available online at clearwaterrodeo.com/tickets, for $25. Tickets may also be purchased for cash only, for $35, the evening of the event. Smith's popularity skyrocketed in 2020, after his song "Wildfire" went viral on...
Clearwater Chamber members Jeremy Sanne, Curt Thiele and Clay Thiele, (along with others not pictured) help with the removal of the L-Bar-B Steakhouse sign, Jan. 10, in Clearwater. New owners of the establishment, Brian Ferris and Mike Tabbert, said a new sign for Two Bills Steakhouse will be installed in the near future. The iconic bull won't move far as it will become part of the Clearwater Rodeo grounds....
Since we're writers, we, at SAM love lists. Trust us, we keep and use them every single day. But, how does one determine which articles should be at the top of the yearly list? In the past, we've based it by reader count from our website. This year, we're still relying on reader count, featuring the top-read article by month. We wrote nearly 2,000 articles in 2023 and, while some of our favorites don't appear on the list, we're sure these are a newsworthy representation of the Summerland region....
PROCEEDINGS FOR BUDGET HEARING, TAX REQUEST HEARING, REGULAR MEETING VILLAGE OF CLEARWATER BOARD OF TRUSTEES September 11, 2023 The board of trustees of the Village of Clearwater met for a budget hearing Monday, Sept. 11, at 7 p.m., in the fire hall meeting room. Hearing opened at 7 p.m. Notice of hearing was given in advance by publication in "Summerland Advocate-Messenger," was posted at US Post Office in Clearwater, Clearwater Market and Cornerstone Bank-Clearwater and was given to board members prior to meeting. Public was informed of...
Five of about a dozen area residents, who were cited for possessing open alcohol containers July 3, waived court appearances and have each paid a $50 fine and $49 costs. They include Neligh residents Jaryd L. Montgomery, 32, Jamie L. Montgomery, 31, Scott N. Jacob, 46, Cory Coover, 50, and Ewing resident Riley Funk, 27. They were cited by a Nebraska State Patrol officer in a Neligh neighborhood near the intersection of M and 9th streets. Several individuals remain on the Aug. 16 Antelope County court docket. Austin R. Bertschinger, 30, of...
