Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
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The extreme cold spell that Nebraska and other states experienced during the middle of February increased energy needs across the region, resulting in unprecedented short-term rolling blackouts. Public power districts were directed by the Southwest Power Pool to shed electricity usage immediately in order to prevent longer, more widespread power outages. The urgency of the situation, in which power demand exceeded generated power and minimum reserves were exhausted, prevented advance notice to...
Areas serviced by Elkhorn Rural Public Power District experienced service interruptions Monday, and more disruptions were expected Tuesday, as brisk temperatures and extreme wind chills led to an increased demand for electricity supplied by the Southwest Power Pool. The SPP is a regional transmission organization overseeing the bulk electric grid and wholesale power market in 14 states, including Nebraska. The SPP declared an Energy Emergency Alert level three Monday and again early Tuesday morn...
PROCEEDINGS Antelope County Board of Commissioners Neligh, Nebraska Feb. 9, 2021 Notice of meeting published as required by statute. A complete record of these minutes, as well as all resolutions and agreements, are on file at the County clerk’s office and are open to the public. Chairman opened meeting. Notice of meeting published as required by statute. Approved agenda. Approved payroll. Approved vendor claims: General: AMERICAN FAMILY LIFE ASSURANCE, ins 827.85; AMERITAS LIFE INS CORP, ins 13,955.98; APPEARA, ex 32.10; APPLIED CONNECTIVE T...
Nebraskans are fortunate to have ample access to natural resources. These resources have long supported agriculture in our state, and fairly recently, have allowed for the expansion of our renewable energy industry. As our homegrown renewable energy continues to grow, many communities and utilities have started to pursue goals to replace older generation with clean energy. Several utilities in Nebraska have already taken steps to either put goals into place or begin planning for a cleaner energy future. Notably in mid-November, the Lincoln...
The Antelope County results are in for the 2020 general election. County clerk and election commissioner Lisa Payne noted 3,615 voters out of the 4,570 registered in the county cast ballots before and on Tuesday, Nov. 3. The people who turned out for the election voted for candidates who were running for positions at the local, county, regional, state and federal levels. "We counted 1,340 early voters, leaving 2,275 voting in person on Election Day," Payne said. "I did not hear of any problems...
The voters of Holt County have spoken by casting ballots in the 2020 general election. Important local races, combined with a battle for the White House, brought 78.6% of the county's registered voters to select their choices for leadership positions. County clerk and election commissioner, Cathy Pavel, said of the county's 7,144 registered voters, 5,615 voted. "Early voters totaled 2,163 and 3,462 individuals voted at the polls. Very busy all day with voting," Pavel said. Vote counts for local...
Local races in the 2020 general election may pique voters' attention this year. Holt County voters have until Friday, Oct. 23, at 6 p.m., to request ballots by mail or fax a request to vote early in this year's election. Individuals may request a ballot in person by Nov. 2, at 5 p.m., at the Holt County Clerk's office in O'Neill. Holt County Clerk Cathy Pavel said 1,900 early voting requests have been received, as of Tuesday morning. All early voting ballots must be received by the county...
Antelope County residents who want to request ballots for early voting in the 2020 general election soon will run out of time to do so. The deadline for requesting ballots by mail or fax a request to vote early in this year's general election – scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 3 – is 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23. County residents who want to request ballots in person to vote early, must do so by 5 p.m. Monday, Nov. 2, at the county clerk's office inside the courthouse in Neligh. All ballots for early vot...
The Nebraska Auditor of Public Accounts released results of Holt County’s annual audit late last month. The report covers July 2019 through June 2020 and includes numerous areas of concern for internal control that were listed in a letter sent to the county board of supervisors Sept. 25. The report is a matter of public record and is posted on the APA’s website. Deann Haeffner, APA assistant deputy auditor, noted in the letter that the report is “critical in nature” as it addresses areas noted for improvement and does not include observa...
Current and future priorities for public utilities will be discussed with public power directors from Nebraska’s largest utilities during an upcoming virtual town hall, hosted by the Center for Rural Affairs. “We’re fortunate to live in a public power state, which provides Nebraskans with representation at our electric utilities,” said Lu Nelsen, policy associate at Center for Rural Affairs. “One of the benefits of public power is the ability our residents have to get involved in decisions related to how electricity is generated to power the...
An approximate 220-mile, 345,000 volt transmission line, known as the R-Project was unplugged last week. Wednesday's ruling by U.S. District Judge William J. Martinez, of Denver, overturns a 2019 "incidental take permit" issued to Nebraska Public Power District, regarding the project's potential impact on the environment. The route will begin at NPPD's Gerald Gentleman Station, near Sutherland, and run northeast to Thedford. There, it will connect to an expanded substation, before swerving east...
The Holt County supervisors approved purchase of a vehicle for the sheriff’s department, when they met at the courthouse in O’Neill on May 18. The lease-purchase through the Nebraska Association of Counties Leasing Corporation, was approved by resolution, in an amount not to exceed $26,900, with an interest rate of not more that 2.5%. The supervisors unanimously approved a $2,722,583 bid from Knife River Midwest from Sioux City, Iowa, for asphalt overlay projects near Page, Emmet and Stuart. Knife River was the only bidder. Proposals from 10...
The purchase of a refrigerated semi-trailer and the county fund it was paid from were among matters of contention at the Antelope County commissioners' meeting last week. All five commissioners, several other county officials and others were present in the courthouse meeting room May 5 and the meeting was shared electronically via Zoom. Some of those present were asked to step into the hall at one point, when more than 10 were observed in the room. Jared Reimers addressed the commissioners...
Holt County supervisors are considering the engagement of a human resources firm to help navigate employment issues. A telephone conference was held with Chad Thies from Zelle Human Resource Solutions in Lincoln during the March 16 meeting at the courthouse in O'Neill. After hearing what the firm offered in services, chairman Bill Tielke asked Thies to submit a proposal. Supervisor Steve Boshart estimated an annual cost of $36,000 to $40,000. "It will be high," Tielke said. "But the thing is, if...
Governor Pete Ricketts announced he is requesting $58.6 million of emergency funding from the Nebraska Legislature to support the state’s efforts to combat coronavirus 2019 disease. Dr. Gary Anthone, the state’s chief medical officer, joined the governor for Friday’s press conference. He overviewed the state’s procedures to test patients for COVID-19 and trace contacts of anyone testing positive for the disease. He also talked about how the state and the medical community are expanding capacity to perform tests. Ricketts was also joined...
The Nebraska Primary Election is May 12, 2020. Holt County received a lot of interest in filing for offices, but due to auto-advance rules, all local school board races, county supervisor district six, city races, airport authorities, Natural Resource Districts, Nebraska Public Power District and Northeast Community College races will not appear on the Primary Election ballot. These races will appear on the General Election ballot. Holt County voters will be voting on the president, Senate and Congress representatives. Local issues that will...
Six Holt County supervisors listened as nearly 50 citizens presented testimony last Friday afternoon. A public hearing regarding TC Energy's application for a pipeline construction permit was held in the district courtroom at the Holt County courthouse. Pipeline opponents, from elementary students to 90-year-old grandparents, packed the courtroom, filling approximately 100 seats, and spilled out to the second-floor hallway. Speakers were called in order of sign-up, which had begun in the morning...
The Holt County supervisors spent nearly two hours at a meeting last week, reviewing a road-haul agreement brought to the table by TC Energy representatives last October, paragraph by paragraph, despite having a new agreement drafted by Dave Domina in hand. The scrutiny came after Holt County attorney Brent Kelly presented a preliminary agreement drafted by the Omaha attorney who was hired by the county officials on a 4-2 vote Oct. 31, 2019, to negotiate a road-haul agreement with TC Energy. At Kelly’s suggestion, the supervisors held an execut...
Charlie Henery was elected as chair of the Antelope County commissioners for 2020, when they met last week. Henery takes the gavel from Dean Smith, who took on the chairman duties when the former chair was removed from office. Regina Krebs, who was appointed to the board in October 2019, was elected vice chair. Henery and Krebs were each the only nominee for their positions, nominated by commissioners Eli Jacob and Carolyn Pedersen, respectively. Reorganization of the board was delayed until...
Want to discover information about the village of Clearwater, its businesses and attractions? A newly updated website for the village was unveiled Tuesday, Dec. 3. Clearwater Economic Development Director Lauren Sheridan-Simonsen worked with Nebraska Public Power District personnel to design and finalize the website, https://www.clearwaterne.com....
An O'Neill woman is the newest member of the Northeast Community College Board of Governors. The board voted unanimously at its monthly meeting Thursday in Norfolk to appoint Nicole Sedlacek to an open District Two seat. Sedlacek, an economic development consultant with the Nebraska Public Power District, succeeds Keith Harvey, Creighton, who resigned in September. District Two covers Boyd, Brown, Holt, Keya Paha, Knox and Rock counties in their entirety and a portion of Cedar County. Sedlacek...
Dean Smith of Brunswick presided over his first meeting as chairman of the Antelope County commissioners last Tuesday, moving to the position from vice chairman after the former chair was removed from office. Two new commissioners had not yet been appointed, leaving Smith, Charlie Henery and Eli Jacob as seated board members to take care of business. The board addressed issues related to a road included in the Thunderhead wind farm road-use agreement. Listed on the agenda under the road...
Seats in the Holt County supervisor’s chamber at the courthouse in O’Neill were all occupied and additional chairs were taken in, when the leaders met Monday. Many audience members voiced concerns, during the 10 minutes set aside for public comment, regarding TransCanada’s route across the county, as well as a new transmission line that will also cross the county. Diane Steskal of Stuart presented a letter to the supervisors, signed by herself and her husband, Byron Steskal, regarding the proposed Keystone XL pipeline route. She read the letter...
