Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
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This week saw the Legislature begin the first of two weeks of all-day committee hearings. Traditionally, senators would meet as a body in the morning and split into different committees in the afternoons. However, Speaker Arch wanted to try to front-load the session with hearings so there will be more time for debate later in the session. Therefore, senators will not have an opportunity for floor debate until the week of Feb. 13. Two of my bills are scheduled for a public hearing later this...
PROCEEDINGS SUMMERLAND PUBLIC SCHOOL BOARD OF EDUCATION Summerland Public School Board of Education met in regular session, Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2023, in the school’s board room. President Ed Nordby called the meeting to order at 6:32 p.m. Nordby noted the Open Meetings Act poster in the board room. Members present: Nordby, Nate Schwager, Scott Thiele, Steve Thiele, Austin Twibell and Jeremy Wagner. Nordby turned the meeting over to Superintendent Finke for election of officers. All board members took the oath of office. Discuss, consider and t...
There’s been a lot of talk about preserving the officially nonpartisan nature of the Nebraska Legislature. But there is another issue, occasionally discussed with similar zeal in years past, that’s creeping up again. (Gasp!) It’s the urban-rural split. While the focus has been on party loyalty – there are 32 Republicans and 17 Democrats in the officially nonpartisan Legislature – there are also 26 “urban” lawmakers (18 from Omaha and 8 from Lincoln) to just 23 “rural” senators. That reflects the shift of two rural districts, 49 and 36) to the O...
“A manual count of 48,292 ballots from 132 voting precincts across all 93 Nebraska counties verifies that the equipment utilized to count ballots is secure and accurate,” Secretary of State Bob Evnen announced Dec. 16. Following each statewide election since 2008, a manual audit has been conducted for 2 to 3% of precincts across the state. This year’s audit was expanded to 10%. Nebraska continues to use paper ballots, which allows for post-election audits. The manual audit verifies that the equipment properly functioned on Election Day and w...
The farmer was growing impatient. He and dozens of other central Nebraska farmers had gathered for mandatory training in Columbus a few weeks before last Christmas. In response to high nitrate levels, the Lower Loup Natural Resources District had designated a "Phase 3 area." That led to new requirements – like this training to help farmers manage their nitrogen fertilizer use. The farmer didn't like this. He told NRD leaders he had been drinking water containing nitrate at 40 parts per m...
By the time this edition of SAM hits your mailbox, election results should be completed and canvassing boards will have or will be scheduled to meet to verify results. I did my civic duty and cast a ballot. Did you? I haven’t missed an election since I hit that magic age of 18. I also perfomed a second civic duty prior to the election and it’s an experience I encourage any registered voter to undertake. After several discussions, over multiple years, about election processes, with Antelope Cou...
Polls open at 8 a.m., Tuesday, Nov. 8, for voters to cast ballots in the 2022 general election. Summerland-area precincts include the American Legion, Clearwater precinct; city hall, Ewing precinct; fire hall, Orchard precinct; fire hall, Page precinct and Royal Auditorium, Royal precinct. Races on the midterm ballot include local and state offices. On the state level, area voters will select a representative for the third district, governor and lieutenant governor, secretary of state,...
LINCOLN — Nebraska does not require people to present a photo ID at a poll booth on Election Day. Ballot Initiative 432, a bill that caused contention for members of Nebraska’s 1st Congressional District, is designed to change that. The last of three hearings for this initiative took place Tuesday, Oct. 16, when seven proponents and 11 opponents testified in front of Secretary of State Bob Evnen. Appearing on Nebraska’s ballot in the Nov. 8 election, this initiative would require a physical ID, with photo identification, to cast a vote, which...
NOTICE OF MEETINGS COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ANTELOPE COUNTY, NEBRASKA, FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER 2022 NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the county board of commissioners of Antelope County, Nebraska, will hold meetings in the county commissioners’ meeting room in the Antelope County Courthouse Annex, Neligh, Nebraska, on the following dates and times: November 1 at 9 a.m. November 7 at 8 a.m. (Nov. 8 is General Election Day) Meetings will be open to the public. An agenda, kept continuously current, is available for public inspection at the A...
The following sample ballots list all candidates and issues throughout Antelope County. They may not reflect the order or rotation of candidates on the official ballot for your voting precinct; only candidates and issues that pertain to your voting precinct will appear on your official ballot. Polling sites: Tilden Precinct -Tilden Public Library; Oakdale Precinct-Oakdale Community Center; Neligh Precinct, -American Legion Post 172, Neligh; Brunswick Precinct-Brunswick Community Room; Elgin...
Dialogue between Antelope County Commissioners and members of the Antelope County Patriot group became contentious, at times, during the Oct. 11 commissioners’ meeting in Neligh. Prior to the Patriots’ presentation, county attorney Joe Abler suggested the board enter executive session to review a letter from Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson, regarding clarification of terms in the state’s election statutes. Following executive session, which lasted approximately 15 minutes, audie...
Discussion and debate has always been a part of rural America. From coffee shops to the local co-op, rural residents aren’t afraid to show their loyalty for one candidate or another, share their thoughts on the issues of the day and voice their distrust of the government. Sometimes opinions can spur disagreement and raise tensions. But, in the end, most of us will agree to disagree, shake hands and go about our day. Lately, this seems to have changed. The divisive politics of Washington have mad...
Should ballots cast in Antelope County elections be counted by hand instead of by machine? Members of the Antelope County Patriots filled the Antelope County commissioners' meeting room, Aug 9, to discuss those questions and other election procedures. Sheryl Baker approached the board and yielded her time to Professor David Clements, of New Mexico, and Connie Reinke with the Nebraska Voter Accuracy Project. Clements introduced himself as a former law professor at New Mexico State University, a...
Back-to-school season begins next week for Summerland students. For students, the 2022-2023 school year begins Tuesday, Aug 16. A 1:30 p.m. dismissal is scheduled that day. Staff members reported for in-service training, Aug. 8, will participate in Marzano training, Aug. 11 and 12 and finalize classrooms, Aug. 15. Families of students in preschool through sixth grade are invited to an open house, Monday, Aug. 15. Classrooms will be open at 5 to 6:30 p.m. The Bobcat Booster Club will host a...
Antelope County will continue to provide an opportunity for in-person voting at countywide precincts and offer mail-in ballots as an option, following a vote of Antelope County Commissioners, Tuesday morning. The motion, made by Dean Smith, and seconded by Carolyn Pederson, followed nearly 45 minutes of discussion with Antelope County residents regarding election integrity. Antelope County Patriots member Sheryl Baker told commissioners while she and other group members have "total confidence"...
NFPW Communicator of Achievement director Karen Stensrud and NPW COA director Ruth Brown contributed to this article. LuAnn Schindler of Clearwater received the 2022 Communicator of Achievement Award from the National Federation of Press Women. This prestigious award has been given for 65 years. Schindler received the honor during a celebration at the organization's annual conference, held June 23 to 25, in Fargo, North Dakota. Now in its 85th year, NFPW is a nationwide organization of...
GENERAL ELECTION NOTICE & OFFICES TO BE FILLED BY ELECTION AND FILING DEADLINES I, Lisa Payne, Antelope County Clerk/Election Commissioner, hereby give notice of the offices to be filled by election that will appear on the 2022 General Election Ballot to be held November 8, 2022, in Antelope County, Nebraska, as per State Statute 32-601. Notice is also given that the filing deadline for such offices are: July 15, 2022, for incumbents and Aug. 1, 2022. for non-incumbents. An incumbent is anyone serving in an elective office, even if they are...
A purchase agreement for the Ewing School property was presented to Summerland Board of Education members and discussed briefly, in open session, at the June 14 meeting. Superintendent Kyle Finke said the agreement, for $10,000 for all property and contents, contains a contingency that a 1% sales tax would need to be passed by Ewing voters in November’s general election. Finke left it to the board’s discretion whether to enter executive session regarding the agreement. “I think we shoul...
One day after listening to community comment about a potential purchase of Ewing School property, Village of Ewing Board of Trustees voted to offer the Summerland School District, $10,000 for all Ewing school property and contents, contingent on passage of a 1% sales tax in this November's election. The motion was made following a short executive session and passed 4-0. Trustee Dustin Jorgensen was absent. Summerland School Board of Education approved a sale of the Orchard School property at...
Is it good or bad that between 40 and 50% of voters turned out for the May primary election? While the number seems above average for a mid-term election, it’s still concerning that more than half of our state’s residents did not vote. When you consider options voters have to check the box before or on election day, whether via an early-voting ballot or at the poll, the number is disheartening. According to the Nebraska Secretary of State’s office, 396,000 Nebraskans voted. Overall, that...
NOTICE OF MEETINGS COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS, ANTELOPE COUNTY, NEBRASKA, FOR THE MONTH OF MAY 2022 Notice is hereby given that the county board of commissioners of Antelope County, Nebraska, will hold meetings in the county commissioners’ meeting room in the Antelope County Courthouse annex, Neligh, Nebraska, on the following dates and times: May 3, 2022 at 9 a.m. May 9, 2022 at 8 a.m. (10th is Primary Election Day) Meetings will be open to the public. An agenda, kept continuously current, is available for public inspection at the A...
The Legislature gave final approval to the budget bills. During the 90-day legislative session, the biennial budget is crafted. During the 60-day session, adjustments are made. This was a much more demanding task this year due to the increased revenue projections and the influx of federal money due to the pandemic. The budget was filibustered at every stage of debate, not because of what was in it, but due to possible amendments that could have been added. The budget sets aside $175 million for...
Summerland Public School Board of Education met in regular session, Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2022, at the school. President Ed Nordby opened the meeting, which was advertised in the Jan. 12, 2022, newspapers, to order at 7:02 p.m. Visitors were welcomed. Nordby noted the Open Meetings Act posted in the boardroom. All board members were present: Candice Hoke, Marty Kerkman, Nordby, Nate Schwager, Steve Thiele, Jeremy Wagner. Motion by Hoke, seconded by Kerkman, to approve the agenda as presented. Voting aye: Hoke, Kerkman, Nordby, Schwager, Thiele,...
PRIMARY ELECTION NOTICE AND OFFICES TO BE FILLED BY ELECTION AND FILING DEADLINES I, Lisa Payne, Antelope County Clerk/Election Commissioner, hereby give notice of the offices to be filled by election that will appear on the 2022 Primary Election Ballot to be held May 10th, 2022, in Antelope County, Nebraska, as per State Statute 32-601. Notice is also given that the filing deadline for such offices are: Feb. 15, 2022, for incumbents and March 1, 2022 for non-incumbents. An incumbent is anyone serving in an elective office, even if they are...
Late in the week of Sept. 6, and after considerable debate and negotiation, the redistricting committee introduced its bills outlining proposed new districts for the election of Congressional, Legislative, Supreme Court, Public Service Commission, Board of Regents and State Board of Education members. Our special session relative to redistricting commenced on Sept. 13. That same day, we began three days of hearings on those bills in Grand Island, Lincoln and Omaha, where many Nebraskans weighed...
