Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
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Back in the day, a small, "trial balloon" would be sent aloft to discern wind speed and direction before a balloon carrying people was launched. Folks were rightly concerned about rising into the heavens blindly, without knowing if a catastrophic whirlwind was aloft. Right now, we're seeing plenty of trial balloons sent aloft by Gov. Jim Pillen to determine if a plan to dramatically reduce local property taxes might have a shot at success during his special session, scheduled to start July 25....
TAYLOR – Bailley Leibert walks into civics class and plops her sunflower-print backpack onto an empty table. The 15-year-old rummages for her notebook and colored pens. Around her are enough chairs to seat 10 students. But today, and every day, there are nine empty seats. It's just the ninth-grader and social studies teacher Ken Wright – an unintentional private lesson for the only freshman in this school. At Loup County High School, Bailley is the sole member of the class of 2027. The cla...
Cole Gaughenbaugh didn't always know he would become a teacher. The O'Neill St. Mary's graduate envisioned life as a chiropractor and enrolled in classes at Wayne State College in the fall 2019 semester. Seven months later, the pandemic struck. "The whole world got thrown for a loop," he said. Gaughenbaugh packed his bags and headed home, to O'Neill, to finish classes. He contemplated returning to college, deciding to seek a business degree. Call it divine intervention - or the Master's plan -...
KEARNEY – Nicole Strope loves to learn. She proved that last week by completing her third degree from the University of Nebraska at Kearney. "I can't stop going to school," the English language arts teacher joked. Strope first enrolled at UNK in 2011, back when she wanted to be a therapist. The Bridgeport native liked the university's location – not too far from home – as well as the size of the campus and community. "The class sizes at UNK are big enough that you're getting more of a chall...
Village of Orchard officials will continue talks with the Summerland School board of education regarding the sale of the former Orchard school building and grounds. After listening to input from community members for nearly an hour, Monday evening, during a community meeting, village chairperson Stephanie Cleveland said she and trustee John Ferguson will meet with the school's Building and Grounds Committee members again April 1. Video of the Orchard community meeting available on the SAM YouTub...
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...
As the 2020-2021 fiscal year neared its second month, Antelope County leaders started their annual budget work with a special workshop meeting last week at the courthouse in Neligh. The budget must be submitted to the state by Sept. 20, with a public hearing required prior to its adoption. Although values won't be certified until later in the month, Assessor Kelly Meuller-Oltjenbruns has unofficially reported about a 3% decrease in valuation countywide. Commissioners reviewed department's...
Mt. Vernon Chapter #84 members of the Order of Eastern Star, of Plainview, traveled to Orchard to present 50-year pins to Hoyt and Arlene Sirek. They joined Eastern Star at Orchard, July 16, 1970. Nebraska Grand Chapter issued the pins and certificates, presented by Joan Alexander, worthy matron, and Gale Retzlaff, worthy patron. Arlene served as worthy matron of Sunset Chapter #300 five times and held multiple offices at the local level. She served as a district grand supervisor and a grand...
The inaugural school board meeting of the new Summerland School District featured a flurry of firsts, when its six members gathered in Orchard, June 9. Since the passage of a consolidation bond issue in November, the oversight/board committee has been working behind the scenes, preparing for the district's first official day, which was Saturday, when the agreement for Nebraska Unified District #1 expired. After taking the oath of office, the group elected its first president. Ed Nordby, of...
Summerland Advocate-Messenger publisher, LuAnn Schindler, earned three awards and partnered with SAM designer Jenna Hemenway for a fourth honor, during the National Federation of Press Women's virtual Professional Communications Contest ceremony, Saturday, June 6. Usually the culminating activity of the organization's annual convention, this year's ceremony was held on Zoom, with approximately 200 members logging in. Schindler took top honors in personality profile, less than 500 words. Her...
Clearwater Public School's class of 2020 will graduate June 20. The original board of education approved the date, and set a second date as a back-up plan, at its May 5 meeting. If a traditional ceremony cannot be held in June, some type of ceremony will take place on that date, with July 25 as the alternate date for a traditional ceremony. If neither are permitted, due to regulations, no traditional ceremony will be held. The motion, made by Amy Thiele, and seconded by Duane Kester, passed on...
Resignation letters from two Clearwater elementary teachers were read during the Clearwater Public School Board of Education March 3 meeting. Lila Wondercheck, fourth grade teacher, and Jamie Turpin, fifth grade instructor, submitted their resignations, effective at the end of the current school year. Wondercheck, a Newman Grove native, has accepted a position at Boone Central Public Schools in Albion. In her letter, Wondercheck wrote, “I am excited to move closer to my family and for this n...
Orchard school board members took no official action, other than consent agenda items when they met in the high school business room Wednesday, Feb. 4. Orchard principal Cathy Cooper told board members negotiations with the teachers’ association had been completed, with the 2020-2021 base salary for Summerland teachers set at $35,000. Currently Unified teacher base is $34,700 and Ewing’s is $35,000. Cooper said it would basically be a raise for everybody. “The base went up or the salary schedule percentages increased,” she said. “One item that...
The Orchard advisory and original boards of education reorganized for the upcoming months, when they met in joint session last Monday, Jan. 6, at the school. Advisory board members Candace Hoke, DeAnna Clifton, Nathan Schwager and Kristi Schutt voted to retain the current officers for the remaining months, until the Summerland consolidation takes effect. Hoke will continue as president; with Schutt as vice president; Clifton, secretary; and Schwager, treasurer. Board committee members will also remain the same, including Clifton and Hoke on...
By Dale Martin | Superintendent I thought I would take some time to provide an update to what is currently happening with the Summerland District and the new school building project. There has been a lot of behind-the-scenes activity since the three communities all passed the bond measure. The State Reorganization Board officially approved the Summerland Public School consolidation plan on an 8-0 vote. This plan sets June 5 as the date for the dissolution of Clearwater District 02-0006, Ewing...
A program designed to give high school seniors practical work experience or college class credit wrapped its first semester when Clearwater Public Schools closed for the Christmas break, Dec. 20. Program managers Kendra Shrader and Amy Selting say the senior transition program has been a positive experience. "It's been a learning process (for all involved), but I think we're getting there and making progress," Shrader said. Nine of the 10 senior class members participate in the program, which in...
It's official. Thursday morning, the state committee for the reorganization of school districts approved dissolution of Clearwater, Ewing and Orchard Public School districts and the formation of the Summerland school district, effective June 6, during a 29-minute public hearing at the Nebraska Department of Education in Lincoln. The reorganization plan passed 4-0. Committee member Gerry Osborn was absent. Nebraska Unified School District #1 Superintendent Dale Martin told the committee...
Candice Hoke of Orchard will join Nate Schwager to represent Orchard on the board of education for the new Summerland school district. The boards of education from Orchard, Clearwater and Ewing each voted for two members for the new board of education that will convene in June. Orchard board members selected Schwager, but three votes for the second member each resulted in a tie between Terri Hergert of Royal and Kristi Schutt of Orchard, and selection of the second member was delayed until Monday night’s board meeting at the Orchard school. S...
Phase one: complete. With last week's successful passage of the Summerland school bond, board of education members from Clearwater, Ewing and Orchard planned to meet Wednesday, Nov. 20, in Ewing, to start phase two of the consolidation and building processes. Ewing Principal Greg Appleby said, "We have a lengthy agenda to discuss a number of items, including policy." Dale Martin, superintendent of Nebraska Unified District #1, which includes Clearwater and Orchard, said a number of items need...
Orchard Advisory Board of Education members, Candace Hoke, Kristi Schutt, DeAnna Clifton and Nate Schwager, will be joined by Original Orchard Board of Education members Terra Williby and Terri Hergert, beginning with the December meeting, as they work to dissolve Nebraska Unified District 1 and begin transition efforts to the new Summerland school. Hergert and Williby sat in the audience at the Nov. 13 Advisory Board meeting held at Orchard High School. Both Schutt and Cathy Cooper, Orchard principal, said they had fielded questions from...
Phase one: complete. With Tuesday's successful passage of the Summerland school bond, board of education members from Clearwater, Ewing and Orchard plan to meet Wednesday, Nov. 20, in Ewing, to start phase two of the consolidation and building processes. Ewing Principal Greg Appleby said, "We have a lengthy agenda to discuss a number of items, including policy." Dale Martin, superintendent of Nebraska Unified District #1, which includes Clearwater and Orchard, said a number of items need to be...
"Strong schools attract families and feed a town." The observation, made by Cross County Superintendent Brent Hollinger, showcases how the idea of a cornfield school benefits educational opportunities and provides financial efficiencies. Cross County Community Schools, located near the intersection of Nebraska Highway 66 and U.S. Highway 81, sits approximately three miles south of Stromsburg or five miles north of Benedict, a neutral location between two communities it serves. Hollinger did not...
Orchard’s advisory board of education faced a short agenda when they met in the high school business room last Wednesday, Oct. 9. Principal Cathy Cooper updated board members Candace Hoke, Kristi Schutt, DeAnna Clifton and Nate Schwager on recent parent-teacher conferences. She reported a 93% elementary parent turnout, with 71% participation at the high school level. “That’s a really good percentage and it probably went up, because a couple of parents and teachers got together and talked at an alternate time,” she said. “We probably were clos...
Three public informational meetings regarding the Clearwater/Ewing/Orchard reorganization and bond issue will be held. Meetings are scheduled as follows: Sunday, Oct. 13, Ewing Public Schools,in Ewing, 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 16, Clearwater Public Schools, 7 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 20, Orchard Public Schools A quorum of Board of Education members from each may be in attendance at these informational meetings. No official actions or board discussions regarding the issues inherent with this reorganization and bond effort will be taken at this...
County leaders spent about an hour mulling six “options” for managing Antelope County’s finances in the coming year, when they met last week at the courthouse in Neligh. Lisa Payne, county clerk, presented the commissioners with six scenarios for the annual budget, ranging from what she called the “golden egg” with its seven-cent levy increase, to one that called for no change in the county’s slice of a taxpayer’s pie. She cautioned that the figures were “very preliminary,” intended to give the commissioners a picture to work from. The high en...
