Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
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Antelope County’s primary election resulted in only 1,080 ballots being cast. The structure of the party-line election, and lack of multiple candidates in many of the races, may have led to the low turnout. Only one county race took place, which was for the District 4 commissioner seat. Incumbent Charlie Henery advances to the general election after receiving 123 votes. Challenger Harlan Brandt, a former Antelope County supervisor, ended the night with 58 votes. President Joe Biden received 54 v...
PROCEEDINGS ANTELOPE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS Neligh, Nebraska May 13, 2024 Chairman opened the meeting. Notice of meeting published as required by statute. Approved agenda. Tabled minutes of the 5-7-2024 BOC Meeting. Approved payroll. Approved vendor claims. General: AMERITAS LIFE INS CORP ins 20,729.45; ANTELOPE CO COURT ex 89.00; ANTELOPE CO CLERK-REGISTER ex 46.00; APPEARA ex 35.82; APPLIED CONN TECH ex 5,611.30; BLACK HILLS ENERGY ut 1,129.62; BLACKBURN MFG ex 720.00; BCBS ins 66,227.56; BOMGAARS ex 202.96; BROGAN & GRAY ex 1,494.85; CARNEY LA...
Term limits claim 13 Nebraska state senators while two are leaving for other reasons. That'll mean 15 new faces in the nation's only one-house nonpartisan legislature come January. I've made it clear before how I feel about term limits. I don't like them. This isn't the Washington, DC, swamp. This is Nebraska, one of those mostly square states out west where it's not that hard to vote somebody out of office. It has worked for years. Then along came the two-term limit, eight years, and...
On Thursday of this past week, Governor Pillen delivered his State of the State address. The governor began his speech by thanking members of law enforcement, first responders and road crews who have worked countless hours in recent days in the brutal winter weather conditions across the state. He next touched on his priorities for this year, which included property tax relief, reducing the regulatory burden of state government and protecting Nebraska from foreign adversaries. He lent support to...
Antelope County PRIMARY 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 2024 Primary Election Ballot to be held May 14, 2024, in Antelope County, Nebraska, as per State Statute 32-601. Notice is also given that the filing deadline for such offices are: Feb. 15, 2024, for incumbents and March 1, 2024, for non-incumbents. An incumbent is anyone serving in an elective office, even...
Governor Jim Pillen wants all state government employees at their desks in their assigned departments beginning next month. He said the pandemic-era remote is over, although both empirical and anecdotal evidence nationwide show a workplace change that was pandemic caused has become the new normal. Oh, and never mind the fact that some state agencies have remote and telework policies that have been in place for 15 years. And, of course, not every department has the physical space available for...
Grassroots government is thriving in Nebraska. There are eight petitions circulating with hopes of making the 2024 General Election ballot, according to Secretary of State Bob Evnen. The action is guaranteed by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which gives people the right to “petition the government for a redress of grievances.” From the old familiar legalizing medical marijuana to an exemption of grocery items from sales tax, various groups or individuals are seeking the signatures of registered voters to support their cau...
The voter ID measure, a solution in search of a problem, has been thankfully watered down in legislative action that clearly indicates the wheels on the Republican juggernaut are wobbly, if not ready to come off. Turns out the chief opponent to the bill and an amendment that came from the Government Committee was Republican Sen. Julie Slama, who was the poster child for a ballot initiative that got the topic before lawmakers. The initiative was largely funded by recent-Governor Pete Ricketts'...
Just one more term. Yes, lawmakers are once again considering giving themselves 12 years instead of eight to figure out how things work and try to do something for their constituents. On a good day, I think term limits should be eliminated as they were until 2006. On a bad day, I think a monthly contract seems too gracious for some of the babbling, bumbling idiotic things that state senators do. Norfolk Sen. Robert Dover has offered LR22CA, a proposed constitutional amendment that potentially...
PROCEEDINGS ANTELOPE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Neligh, Nebraska March 14, 2023 Chairman opened the meeting. Notice of meeting published as required by statute. Approved agenda. Approved payroll. Approved vendor claims. General: AMERITAS LIFE INS CORP ins 17,547.81; ANTELOPE CO COURT ex 384.00; APPEARA ex 34.70; APPLIED CONNECTIVE TECH ex 7,795.69; BLACK HILLS ENERGY ut 2,678.24; BCBS ins 64,742.94; OLTJENBRUNS INC ex 4,610.43; BOMGAARS ex 35.96; BUTCH'S BODY SHOP ex 259.00; CARHART LUMBER ex 45.99; CARNEY LAW ex 6,123.00; CITY OF NELIGH ut...
Three proposals to cover the solution looking for a problem -- voter ID -- have proven to be about as confusing as the proponent’s explanation as to why the idea was necessary. After a lot of listening and a bunch of head scratching, I’m still not convinced. The only thing I know for sure, in Sen. Steve Erdman’s world there would be no mail-in ballots. Tell that to the 11 Nebraska counties that hold mail-only elections right now. Better yet, convince my 85-year -old neighbors that it’s a good idea. I’ve been voting by mail since Covid and...
PROCEEDINGS VILLAGE OF EWING BOARD OF TRUSTEES Feb. 13, 2023 The Ewing Village Board of Trustees convened in regular session on Feb. 13, 2023, at 7 p.m., at the city hall. Notice of the meeting was published Feb. 8, 2023, in the “Summerland Advocate-Messenger.” An agenda was kept current and on file at the village clerk’s office. Chairman, James Ramold, called the meeting to order at 7 p.m. Notice was given to the posted location of the open meetings law. Board members present were Dustin Jorgensen, Dustin Wright, Kane Fry, Katie Cunni...
On Wednesday, Jan. 25, Gov.Jim Pillen delivered his first State of the State address to the Legislature. The beginning of his speech focused on his team’s transition since the November general election and the strong state of Nebraska today. He emphasized how our state’s greatest asset - people - continually show perseverance, grit and determination to solve tough problems and overcome difficult obstacles. Although the state is strong and growing, Pillen argued more needs to be done to ret...
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...
PROCEEDINGS ANTELOPE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Neligh, Nebraska Dec. 13, 2022 Chairman opened meeting. Notice of meeting published as required by statute. Open meeting. Met in executive session regarding legal issues. Approved agenda and minutes of 11-07-2022 BOC meeting. Correspondence was reviewed. Approve payroll claims. Pledge collateral was reviewed. Approved the following vendor claims: General: MELVIN AHLERS ret 24.00; AMERITAS LIFE INSURANCE CORP ins 17,558.78; ANTELOPE CO COURT ex 157.00; ANTELOPE CO NEWS ex 30.56; APPEARA ex...
Clearwater Village Board of Trustees will have a new look, following Monday's reorganization meeting held in the fire hall meeting room. Longtime trustees Steve Hankla and Kevin Filsinger made their final motions prior to the board concluding business sine die. They, along with Steve Stearns, who stepped away from the board earlier this year, were recognized for their years of service. Hankla, who served as chairman, said he had served "the past 10 or 11 years." Filsinger filled the position...
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...
Two initiative measures - one requiring photographic identification, one increasing minimum wage - were passed by Nebraska voters during the Nov. 8 General Election. Initiative 432 amends Nebraska's constitution, to require voters to "present valid photographic identification" prior to voting. Nebraska's Legislature will hammer out the details, according to language in the measure. Voters also approved Initiative 433, which will gradually raise the state's minimum wage from the current rate of...
PROCEEDINGS ANTELOPE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Nov. 7, 2022 Neligh, Nebraska Chairman opened meeting. Notice of meeting published as required by statute. Open meeting. Approved agenda and minutes of 11-01-2022 BOC meeting. Correspondence was reviewed. Sheriff fee report, clerk of the district court Report, treasurer fund balance report and treasurer miscellaneous revenue report for September were reviewed. Approve payroll claims. Pledge collateral was reviewed. Approved the following vendor claims: General: JOSEPH ABLER ex 42.28; AMERITAS...
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,...
Dear editor: Education is the key, and the fix is local. We the people have the power to control our elections at the county level as stated in Nebraska Legislature Article 3, Sec 18 of the Nebraska Constitution states: The Legislature shall not pass local or special laws in any of the following cases: Regulating county and township offices. Providing for the election of officers in townships, incorporated towns or cities. The opening and conducting of any election or designating the place of voting. Our county clerk states it’s unlawful to m...
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...
