Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Sorted by date Results 101 - 125 of 213
VILLAGE OF CLEARWATER ORDINANCE NO. 2022-8 AN ORDINANCE OF THE VILLAGE OF CLEARWATER, ANTELOPE COUNTY, NEBRASKA, SETTING WAGE FOR NEW AND RETURNING SUMMER HELP, BEGINNING MAY 9, 2022; REPEALING ALL ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CHAIRMAN AND VILLAGE BOARD OF THE VILLAGE OF CLEARWATER, NEBRASKA: SECTION 1. That there be and hereby is an established wage for new and returning summer maintenance help, as follows: New summer employees: $12.00 per hour Returning summer employees: $13.00 per hour...
JESSICA CAMPOS Center for Rural Affairs Women’s Business Center director Many small business owners wonder how cybersecurity pertains to their business or think they could never fall victim to cybercriminals. But, according to the Small Business Administration, cyber-attacks are a growing threat for entrepreneurs and the U.S. economy. In 2020 alone, the FBI reported that the cost of cybercrimes reached $2.7 billion. While some small businesses have little to no financial resources to devote t...
It took two motions and nearly an hour of discussion for the Summerland Board of Education to approve the sale of the Orchard site to the Village of Orchard. The sale, for $10,000, was approved April 12, during the board's monthly meeting. Per the motion, the village will retain all contents in the school building. The sale also includes the parking lot, across the street, to the south of the site. Prior to the meeting, Village of Orchard officials presented a proposal for the building purchase...
With their approval of several key pieces of legislation, Nebraska lawmakers solidified the importance of small entrepreneurs, local meat processors and family farms to our state’s economy and way of life. Their support also preserves a healthy future for rural Nebraska. Entering this legislative session, lawmakers faced tough decisions regarding how to spend the state’s allotment of recovery funds from the federal American Rescue Plan Act. For rural senators, priorities included support for...
1. Every county has a U.S. Department of Agriculture Service Center that houses Farm Service Agency and National Resource Conservation Services. This is where farmers and landowners go to access their programs. As a renter, you can still work with these agencies. 2. With FSA and NRCS, you can access financial assistance through conservation programs, farming loans and disaster assistance. 3. What are farm numbers? As a farmer, renter or landowner, you need a farm number to access NRCS or FSA pro...
The Legislature gave second-round approval to budget bills this past week, working late each evening. This will allow the budget to be read on Final Reading next week, meeting the requirement to have it passed by the 50th legislative day. The budget provides funding to cover salary increases recently negotiated with the union and the state for employees at correctional facilities and other 24/7 facilities that were experiencing dangerous staffing shortages. Worker shortages and competition also...
After existing for 42 years, Holt County's comprehensive plan will be updated. But, a proposed 18-month moratorium on industrial pipelines, wind and solar power, will not be in effect while updates take place. Supervisors voted 6-0, Wednesday, March 16, to deny the moratorium, following a public hearing in O'Neill. The moratorium request came from the county's planning and zoning commision, which voted 6-2 in favor of the moratorium, March 7, following a two-hour public hearing. At that time, la...
PROCEEDINGS SUMMERLAND PUBLIC SCHOOL BOARD OF EDUCATION March 15, 2022 Summerland Public School Board of Education met in regular session, Tuesday, March 15, 2022, at 5 p.m. at the school. President Ed Nordby called the meeting, which was advertised in the March 9 newspaper, to order at 5 p.m. Nordby noted the Open Meetings Act posted in the board room. Members present: Marty Kerkman, Nordby, Nate Schwager, Steve Thiele, Jeremy Wagner. Absent: Candice Hoke. Motion by Kerkman, seconded by Thiele, to approve absence of board member Candice Hoke....
On March 1, U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development announced the availability of $19.75 million in total funding for projects as part of the Value-Added Producer Grants program. Individual farmers and ranchers, as well as agricultural businesses and producer groups, may apply for the grants, which must be used to develop new products or expand existing markets for value-added products. The applicant must produce at least 50% of the raw agricultural product to which value is being added...
Editor’s note: In last week’s edition of SAM, the jump for this story was not included. We are running the article in its entirety and regret the error. After hearing public comment on a proposed moratorium, March 7, Holt County Planning and Zoning Commission members voted 6-2 to recommend an 18-month moratorium on all industrial pipeline, wind and solar power development to Holt County Supervisors. Commission member Mary Kaczor told an audience of more than 35 individuals, that the cou...
Temperatures soared near 75 degrees on Feb. 28, but that didn't stop Summerland students and staff from purchasing a warm beverage for a cause. Members of the sixth-grade class served a hot chocolate bar, offering flavored syrups, chocolate chips, mini marshmallows, sprinkles and whipped cream to top the drink, served during the school's Bobcat Academy. The project incorporated multiple disciplines and resulted in a service-learning experience students won't soon forget. Instructor Chantelle...
Owners of microbusinesses, sole proprietors, and farmers spend many hours developing plans and attending training sessions to educate themselves on operating a business and what to do in the face of adversity. A key component of their planning should include being prepared for a major weather event. As the seasons change, flooding becomes a concern in many parts of the country. The most common and costly natural disaster in the U.S., according to The Pew Charitable Trusts, flood-related...
The Legislature has passed the midway mark in this 60-day legislative session. The priority bill designation process is also complete. From this point on, generally only bills with priority status will be debated by the Legislature. Every senator gets to select one bill as their priority bill, every committee can pick two and the speaker is authorized to designate 25 bills as speaker priority bills. I selected LB 925 as my priority bill and it received first-round approval this past week on a...
Clearwater trustees amended the village's economic development plan, to include a workforce housing plan, during its Feb. 16 meeting. A 2017 housing study, conducted by Miller & Associates, of Kearney, rated housing stock available for sale or rent in Clearwater as deficient. Without adequate housing, businesses may not be able to recruit new employees. In simple terms, the workforce housing resolution will allow for a program to support construction or rehabilitation of single-family housing...
REGULAR PROCEEDINGS VILLAGE OF CLEARWATER BOARD OF TRUSTEES February 16, 2022 The Board of Trustees of the Village of Clearwater met in regular session Wednesday, Feb. 16, at 8 p.m., in the fire hall meeting room. Meeting opened at 8:01 p.m. Notice of meeting was given in advance by publication in Summerland Advocate-Messenger and notice was given to board members prior to meeting. Public was informed of location of Open Meeting Act poster. Present: Kevin Filsinger, Kelly Kerkman, Mike Klabenes, Steve Stearns. Others present: Kate Ahlers, Kyle...
ORDINANCE NO. 2022-2 VILLAGE OF CLEARWATER AN ORDINANCE OF THE VILLAGE OF CLEARWATER, NEBRASKA TO AMEND THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN TO ADOPT A WORKFORCE HOUSING PLAN; TO REPEAL ORDINANCES OR PARTS OF ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT HEREWITH; TO PROVIDE WHEN THIS ORDINANCE SHALL BE IN FULL FORCE AND EFFECT; AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE PUBLICATION OF THIS ORDINANCE IN PAMPHLET FORM. BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CHAIRPERSON AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE VILLAGE OF CLEARWATER, NEBRASKA: SECTION 1. That the Board of Trustees, has by Ordinance, adopted an Economic...
KALEE OLSON Policy associate Center for Rural Affairs The U.S. departments of Agriculture and Justice recently launched an online tool designed to help farmers and ranchers submit anonymous comments about anticompetitive behavior in the meat and poultry industries. The website–farmerfairness.gov–is part of an action plan developed by the Biden-Harris Administration to further investigate and address unfair practices that harm meat producers and consumers. The tool consists of a simple, fou...
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,...
After a three-month break, the Legislature convened Wednesday, Jan. 5, to begin the 107th legislative session, second session. Senators were called into special session in September to complete the redistricting process, based on new census data. Legislative District #40 no longer contains Boyd or Rock counties. Rock and Boyd counties are now part of Legislative District #43, represented by Sen. Tom Brewer. Legislative District #40 also lost the southern portion of Dixon County, which will be...
NOTICE OF MEETING SUMMERLAND PUBLIC SCHOOL BOARD OF EDUCATION January 18, 2022 NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Summerland Public School board of education will hold a regular meeting, Tuesday, Jan. 18, at 6:40 p.m. at Summerland School, 51293 857th Road, Ewing, Nebraska. An agenda for the regular meeting is kept continuously current and is available for public inspection at the administrative office at school. Except for items of an emergency nature, the agenda shall not be enlarged later than 24 hours before the scheduled commencement of the...
Based on the county's comprehensive plan, Holt County supervisors denied a perpetual wetland reserve easement, for Melvin Knox's Bar K Bar , LLC, during a Dec. 16 public hearing, at the courthouse in O'Neill. Supervisor Doug Frahm made the motion, which passed unanimously. Supervisor Dustin Breiner was absent. The hearing, which lasted more than an hour, was a required step, following a Dec. 13 public hearing in front of the county's planning and zoning board. That board voted 6-3 in favor of...
ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS Demolition of water storage facility Sealed bids will be received on behalf of the Village of Ewing at the engineer’s office, Miller & Associates, 1111 Central Avenue, Kearney, Nebraska on Jan. 6, 2022, until 2 p.m., local time, and then such bids shall be publicly opened and read aloud in the engineer’s conference room for furnishing all equipment, labor, materials and other such work as may be incidental to demolition of a water storage facility. The Village (owner) reserves the right to reject any or all bids; and to...
PROCEEDINGS SUMMERLAND PUBLIC SCHOOL BOARD OF EDUCATION December 14, 2021 Summerland Public School Board of Education held a regular meeting, Tuesday, Dec. 14, at 12 p.m., at the school. President Nordby called the meeting, which was advertised in the Dec. 8, 2021 newspapers, to order at 12:06 p.m. Present: Candice Hoke, Marty Kerkman, Ed Nordby, Nate Schwager, Steve Thiele, Jeremy Wagner. Nordby noted the Open Meetings Act, posted in the board room. Motion by Wagner, seconded by Kerkman, to approve the agenda. Voting aye: Hoke, Kerkman,...
REGULAR PROCEEDINGS VILLAGE OF CLEARWATER BOARD OF TRUSTEES December 13, 2021 The Board of Trustees of the Village of Clearwater met in regular session Monday, Dec. 13, at 8 p.m., in the fire hall meeting room. Meeting opened at 8 p.m. Notice of meeting was given in advance by publication in Summerland Advocate-Messenger and notice was given to board members prior to meeting. Public was informed of location of Open Meeting Act poster. Present: Kevin Filsinger, Kelly Kerkman, Mike Klabenes, Steve Hankla, Steve Stearns. Others present: Lauren...
The holiday season is upon us, and for many people that means making purchases for gift exchanges and planning the menu for family and work gatherings. But, for our nation's small business owners, preparing for the biggest and busiest time of the year can take months of hard work and involves more than just inventory on the shelves. While consumers make their lists and check them twice, entrepreneurs have been working behind the scenes to prepare. They've spent nights and weekends learning how...
