Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
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Alonzo Denney sets his phone on the conference table, pulls up a family photo and starts counting. There are 11 living relatives, including him, now sharing ownership of 80 acres along the Bazile Creek in Knox County, land originally allotted to their ancestor by the federal government. Then Denney does some quick math. He might, he says, be paid around $25,000 if this land, now mostly flooded and unusable, was placed into a flowage easement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Denney,...
Hard to imagine, but in our deep-red state we now have a competitive race for the U.S. Senate. It's been a while since a Republican had to break a sweat to get re-elected to the Senate in Nebraska. Even former governor and U.S. Sen. Bob Kerrey – a widely known Democrat nationally – couldn't crack the GOP's grip on the state's two Senate seats. But here comes a regular guy and nonpartisan from Omaha, Dan Osborn. His long-shot run against two-term incumbent Sen. Deb Fischer has caught fire, ins...
As winter storm warnings have been issued for counties throughout the state, the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services urges Nebraskans to take steps to reduce risk of injury or illness. There has been a notable increase in emergency department visits for cold-exposure illnesses, such as frostbite and hypothermia across the state, according to the DHHS. Outdoor falls due to slippery surfaces and ice have also resulted in over 140 emergency department visits in the last two weeks. Additionally, winter storms create a higher risk of ca...
The double glass doors at Clearwater's Hi-Way Mart have seen a lot of traffic. Through flooding and severe weather, holidays and ordinary days, the convenience store, located at 303 Highway 275, has been a community mainstay. When owners Joe and Carol Thiele locked the doors for the final time on Aug. 31, it was bittersweet. For nearly 25 years, the Clearwater couple spent early morning hours opening the shop. Late-night hours were involved, too, keeping the "well-oiled machine" running on a...
SUBMITTED ARTICLE Biologists are continuing to tag and track walleye and sauger in the Missouri River and Lewis and Clark Lake between Fort Randall and Gavins Point dams as part of an effort to understand declines in the fishery following historic flooding in 2011. Since 2021, 201 fish have been tagged in the river and reservoir as part of a study of fish movement. The fish sport metal jaw tags, but also have acoustic transmitters implanted in their abdomens. Fifteen receivers spaced every 5...
Imagine how just over 100 years ago, nearly one-third of people in the upper Great Lakes and upper Midwest regions walked around with a goiter on their neck. A goiter is a lump on the throat, which could be as big as an orange, a grapefruit or larger. Actually an enlargement of the thyroid gland, a goiter can come from an overactive thyroid gland, an under-active thyroid gland or an autoimmune condition, but in the United States before the 1920s, the reason was almost always deficiency of...
The Legislature is now halfway through the current Legislative session. Public hearings were held this past week on two bills that I introduced in the Appropriations Committee. As amended, LB 766 would appropriate $1.625 million annually in American Rescue Plan Act dollars, over the next two fiscal years, to the Department of Environment and Energy as a follow-up to the reverse osmosis grant program created by the Legislature with last year's LB 1014. Under LB 766, NDEE would award a grant to an...
“They’re trying to build a prison They’re trying to build a prison For you and me to live in Another prison system Another prison system For you and me.” --The Prison Song by System of a Down (2001) To the surprise of none and the consternation of many, me included, a new report says that before 2030, Nebraska will need another 1,500 prison beds, even after building a $350-million, 1,500-bed replacement for the aging State Penitentiary in Lincoln. We have been expecting the facility master plan for the Nebraska Department of Correct...
Garrett Dwyer runs about 500 head of Hereford and Angus cattle on his Bartlett ranch on the east edge of the Sandhills. The land he's on today has been in his family since 1894, when his great-great grandfather homesteaded it. Dwyer, who grew up there, is now the fifth generation in his family to ranch this land. But Dwyer didn't take over the family ranch until he did something far from home. For five years, he served in the U.S. Marine Corps, including two combat tours in Iraq. Now he's...
Lantanas are blooming their little hearts out. They love the hot, humid days of July in Nebraska. Humidity occasionally fogs over the view out my kitchen window but, as it slides off, we are delighted to again see mama turkey by the flower garden. She was standing as if on guard this wet morning. On guard she was, as to our delight, we spotted a young turkey nearby, busily pecking away for bugs in the grass. Summer out the kitchen window includes, not only the turkeys, but also bright bursts of...
Even though weather changes daily (and sometimes, minute to minute), it is a constant discussion point. It’s usually one of the few television channels I will tune into while working. Weather has been in the news a lot lately: the May 12 dust and rain storm that caused damage in the area, the nearly month-long days of strong winds this spring, the weekend storms. Sometimes, it feels like I am constantly checking weather notices and sharing updates on the SAM website and our social media c...
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...
After a two-year hiatus, due to flooding and a pandemic, Bargain Buyway returns to northeast and north central Nebraska, April 23, 24 and 25. The 250-mile loop, consisting of 24 communities and backroad stops, features vendors and businesses offering new and used items and specialty products. For more information, visit bargainbuyway.com....
Camryn Prall Nebraska News Service Marty Matlock, chairman of the Cherokee Nation Environmental Protection Commission, talked about Native American natural resource rights in a presentation as part of the Nebraska Water Center's annual Spring Seminar Series on March 3. The series is in partnership with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s School of Natural Resources. This year, local, national and international speakers are connecting water issues with race, justice, and the environment over Zoom every other week. Jesse Starita, the public r...
Antelope County remains in a flood watch through Monday. Ice jams may cause flooding along the Elkhorn River, according to the National Weather Service, based in Valley. Areas along the Loup and Platte River basins may also experience flooding. Counties listed in the watch include Antelope, Madison, Stanton, Cuming, Platte, Colfax, Dodge, Washington, Butler, Saunders, Douglas, Sarpy and Cass. According to the NWS, rising temperatures predicted through the weekend will continue to melt snow....
After representing District one as a Holt County Supervisor for 18 years, Don Hahlbeck has made a final motion: retirement. Hahlbeck was scheduled to leave for Texas, Saturday. Hahlbeck submitted a letter announcing his retirement during the supervisors' Aug. 17 meeting. Holt County Clerk Cathy Pavel placed notice announcing the vacancy in the county's official publications. Applications were accepted, with eight individuals showing interest. Pavel, along with Holt County Treasurer Connie Krotte...
KAYLA BERGMAN Policy associate Center for Rural Affairs A bipartisan committee in the U.S. House of Representatives recently released a comprehensive plan outlining the policy steps needed to address climate change. The report, “Solving the Climate Crisis: The Congressional Action Plan for a Clean Energy Economy and a Healthy, Resilient, and Just America,” lays out detailed, actionable climate solutions legislation that the committee believes Congress should enact. Rural America has seen the effects of climate change, with increased extreme wea...
MADELEINE GRANT Nebraska News Service More than 90,000 additional Nebraskans are now eligible to apply for Medicaid, the government’s health insurance program for low-income individuals, the governor has announced. Nebraska residents can begin applying Aug. 1 at ACCESSNebraska.ne.gov and the coverage will take effect on Oct 1. The expansion was first approved in 2018 by Nebraska voters via Initiative 427. The department's Medicaid division submitted state plan amendments to the federal government in April 2019 and made preparations, such as sta...
The Appropriations Committee presented its recommendations for the budget to the Legislature this past week. Budget bills were also given first-round approval from the Legislature. Over the interim, the financial status of the current biennium has improved significantly. The variance from the minimum General Fund reserve was estimated at only $0.2 million when we adjourned last year, but has since grown to $133.8 million. Furthermore, the rainy day fund increased from $322.4 million to $731...
Despite ongoing concerns about the outbreak of COVID-19, the Nebraska Legislature stayed in session March 9 through March 12 and had all-day floor debates. However, concerns about the coronavirus outbreak may force the Nebraska Legislature to suspend the session, according to Patrick O’Donnell, clerk of the Legislature. Speaker of the Legislature Jim Scheer made the decision to halt the session, March 16. For now, O’Donnell said everyone at the Nebraska State Capitol is doing what they can to prevent the virus from spreading among leg...
The Ewing FCCLA chapter joined more than 450 other Nebraska FCCLA members and advisers at the state peer education conference, in Kearney, Feb. 24. Freshmen Olga Mendoza and Emma Hoffman, along with their adviser, Chelsey Greene, participated in the conference. The theme of the meeting was “SPOT The Difference Peer Education is Making.” The state peer officer team has joined state officers to promote the Live Like Lisa kindness challenge. Members are encouraged to nominate other chapter members or advisers who go above and beyond to be the kin...
Holt County citizens filled the county supervisors’ meeting room in the courthouse last Friday morning as the county leaders took care of business. Bryan Steskal of Steskal read a letter penned by his wife, Diana Steskal, who was unable to attend the meeting. In the letter, Steskal wrote the Holt County zoning board members denied TransCanada’s conditional use permit until two conditions are met, including one that requires obtaining easements. Many, she said will most likely be appealed. She also cited three federal court cases filed aga...
On Wednesday, Jan. 15, Governor Ricketts presented his State of the State Address to the Nebraska Legislature. The beginning of his speech focused on the events of last year. Although there was much devastation, he emphasized how Nebraskans responded with determination and generosity. A recent federal report pegged the losses stemming from last year’s weather at more than $3.4 billion. This figure does not include all the damages to the private sector, creating hardship for many homeowners, busi...
On Wednesday, Jan. 15, Governor Ricketts presented his State of the State Address to the Nebraska Legislature. The beginning of his speech focused on the events of last year. Although there was much devastation, he emphasized how Nebraskans responded with determination and generosity. A recent federal report pegged the losses stemming from last year’s weather at more than $3.4 billion. This figure does not include all the damages to the private sector, creating hardship for many homeowners, busi...
The Nebraska Department of Transportation announced the opening of the N-121 bridge south of Yankton, just west of US-81, Dec. 20, ahead of the scheduled Dec. 31 completion date. The Gavins Point East project was the final contract to be awarded on a bridge reconstruction project in the State of Nebraska as a result of damage sustained from the March 2019 flooding event. NDOT partnered with contractor, Dixon Construction Co., of Correctionville, Iowa, who received the $5,598,342 emergency contract for the project. This included $1,607,162 to...
