Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
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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...
istory, the Holt County Board of Adjustment held an organizational meeting, Sept. 24, to elect a chairman and set parameters for an Oct. 29 public hearing on the TC Energy pipeline construction permit application appeal. O’Neill resident Gene Kelly was selected chairman and presided over the meeting, which ran approximately two hours. Board members opted to hold the hearing at the O’Neill Community Center, scheduled to begin at 4 p.m., with sign-up scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. A list of cri...
A proposed sale of the Clearwater site building was okayed by the Summerland School board of education, contingent on approval of a sales agreement, during its Sept. 14 meeting. Principal Mike Sanne said talks with ESU 8 administrator Corey Dahl have led to a sales price of $58,000. With the Sept. 14 vote, school and ESU 8 officials will begin the process of drawing up a purchase agreement. Several items will remain in the building. “Some pieces of kitchen equipment, there will be some other equ...
Many voters have received applications for an early vote ballot. These applications may be returned by mail, dropped off in the drop box at the southeast corner of the courthouse or taken to the clerk’s office, according to Holt County Clerk Cathy Pavel. Ballots will be mailed out, starting Sept. 28. Early voting in the Holt County Clerk’s office starts Oct. 5. Most importantly, according to Pavel,the polls will be open Nov. 3 for individuals who choose to cast a ballot in person. COVID-19 safety precautions will be in place. Some hou...
The Niobrara Valley Conference may expand its membership. Ainsworth approached NVC schools, sending a formal request to join. Summerland’s board of education discussed the application during its Sept. 14 meeting. Superintendent Dale Martin said 75% of member schools would need to cast an affirmative vote for the measure to be approved. In the request, Ainsworth superintendent Dale Hafer and co-activities directors Jared Hansmeyer and Scott Steinhauser, wrote that while the school has enjoyed b...
Random thoughts ... a.k.a. I am multi-tasking and a million ideas are racing through my mind. I’ll number them to give this column some semblance of order. 1. Best quote I have read in a long time. “Left, right or center - facts have no party line.” Spot. On. Many times at our house, Scott and I get into heated political discussions. He tells me I am not paying attention to what is happening (uh no, I pay attention all day long). Then I explain he fails to fact check before sharing some talki...
In rural America, we understand the importance of postal mail to connecting our republic. Sites across Nebraska’s Third District on the Pony Express Historic Trail commemorate the value of this service back to our earliest days as a territory and state. However, the United States Postal Service has been in the news more than usual lately for two reasons – its financial troubles and the increase in mail-in voting due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our founders recognized the importance of postal mai...
Approximately 35 Holt County residents crowded the supervisor’s meeting room and adjoining hallway, Monday, to listen to discussion about whether the county should dissolve townships and move to a seven-member board of commissioners. A motion to the effect, made by Steve Boshart, would have placed the item on the November ballot, giving the people of Holt County the ultimate decision. Prior to the motion being made, supervisors spent more than 90 minutes hashing over the item, which was added t...
On the 100th anniversary of women earning the right to vote, I’ve been thinking about the long line of strong women in my family. I never had the opportunity to meet my paternal great-grandmothers. Great-grandma Larson died giving birth and Great-grandma Gropper died six years before I entered the world. I am a strong woman because a strong woman - Barbara Fields Larson - raised me. I imagine her strength came from role models - strong Oakdale women - she grew up watching: her mother, Neola; g...
Emotions ran high again this week, as legislators tried to complete their priorities during the last few days of this legislative session. As I had hoped, the Revenue Committee advanced a package that joined property tax relief, business tax incentives and a major project at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. This proposal was contained in a compromise amendment to LB 1107, a placeholder bill introduced by the Speaker of the Legislature, Sen. Jim Scheer of Norfolk. The current Property T...
Governor Pete Ricketts gathered with pro-life leaders on the steps of the State Capitol, Aug. 15, to sign new pro-life legislation into law. The governor signed LB 814, a bill that prohibits the brutal practice of dismemberment abortion in Nebraska. LB 814 makes it a felony crime to perform a dismemberment abortion anywhere in Nebraska, punishable by up to two years in prison and/or a fine of $10,000. "Nebraska is a pro-life state, and this week the Legislature took an important step to...
The Legislature passed the budget bills this past week, containing their recommendations for adjustments to the biennial budget that was passed last year. Now it will be up to the governor whether he signs the legislation or uses his line-item veto authority. Earlier in the week, senators gave second-round approval to the budget bills after a lengthy debate. An amendment to LB 1008 was offered by Omaha Senator Machaela Cavanaugh to direct how the remaining funding from the federal Coronavirus...
Luna Stephens and Katie Anderson Nebraska News Service During the Nebraska Legislature’s second week back in session, senators advanced the state’s budget to final reading. Senators also attempted to bring new pieces of legislation to address pandemic-related issues like evictions and regulations for meatpacking workers. State budget Senators advanced two state budget bills to final reading on July 28 including $55.2 million for damage from the 2019 floods, $10 million to the rural workforce housing investment fund and $3.7 million inc...
State senators resumed the legislative session July 20, after breaking for almost four months due to coronavirus. We are set to complete this 60-day session Aug. 13. During this first week back, we immediately began debating the major issues left pending. Senators voted 30-8 to pull LB 814 from the Judiciary Committee and place it on General File so it can be debated. LB 814 would prohibit live dismemberment abortion and provide for criminal penalties for physicians who perform such abortions....
The Antelope County commissioners voted, last week, to issue $3 million in bonds to repair county roads. All five commissioners voted aye to a motion made by commissioner Carolyn Pedersen, seconded by commissioner Eli Jacob, late in an eight-hour meeting at the courthouse in Neligh on July 14. Proceeds from bonds will allow county employees to complete projects totaling more than $2.5 million yet this calendar year, road superintendent Aaron Boggs told the Advocate-Messenger. "Big-money" overlay...
The Holt County supervisors finalized seating of a board of adjustment when they met at the courthouse in O’Neill last Tuesday, June 30. Vice chair Steve Boshart presided, due to the potential for board of adjustment action related to TC Energy matters, with which chairman Bill Tielke has a declared conflict of interest. Clayton Goeke of Atkinson was selected, by written ballot from a pool of three interested citizens, to serve as the alternate board member. Goeke garnered three votes, Cheri Frisch of Atkinson, two, and Tom Schaaf of Lynch, non...
Twenty-nine-forty – an accounting code that identifies an Antelope County Law Enforcement Center fund – has become a familiar term during Antelope County commissioner dialog, as well as a point of contention between county officials. The “special revenue” account was formed after the Law Enforcement Center went into operation in 2015. In the ensuing years, the balance in the account has grown to more than $400,000 from fees charged for housing prisoners from other counties and law enforcement services provided to several Antelope County...
The Holt County supervisors reviewed and set new parameters for daily meal reimbursement when they met at the courthouse in O’Neill last Tuesday, June 16. Staff working outside the county will be allowed $10 for breakfast, $12 for lunch and $16 for dinner/supper. The motion was made by supervisor Steve Boshart, seconded by supervisor Doug Frahm and carried on a 6-0 vote, with supervisor Don Hahlbeck absent. Mike Zakrzewski of O’Neill was appointed to the board of adjustments, with Jim Hubel of Ewing, Mark Rossman and Barb Steskal of Atk...
Angela Mortensen of Neligh has been appointed clerk of the district court in Antelope County, effective July 1. Mortensen, who has served as deputy clerk for more than 25 years, will serve the balance of the term of office, until January 2023, currently held by Judy Cole, who will retire June 30. Mortensen was appointed by a panel of four Antelope County commissioners Tuesday morning after applicants were interviewed. Questions were directed to three applicants, Mortensen, Tabitha Kerkman and...
Antelope County commissioners approved an upgrade to security technology at the Antelope County Jail when they met at the courthouse in Neligh last week. After hearing some security-sensitive information during an executive session called on the advice of county attorney Joe Abler, the board heard a presentation by Rick Scheer with Control Masters, an Omaha technology company. Scheer said Control Masters is one of just a few companies in the country that provide corrections’ electronic services and he was asked to resolve some security e...
Charlie Henery, chairman of the Antelope County board of commissioners, told his peers, when they met at the courthouse last Tuesday, June 2, that the condition of a road north of Clearwater embarrassed him. Discussion on 854 Road began as commissioner Eli Jacob asked the road superintendent his timeline for grinding a two mile stretch of 516 Avenue, from Clearwater north to the cemetery. Road boss Aaron Boggs said he first needed to know "where we're going with it." "Well, we either have to...
The days of a gentlemen’s handshake sealing a deal between county and village officials is over. Antelope County road superintendent Aaron Boggs, along with county commissioners Eli Jacob and Carolyn Pedersen, discussed signing an interlocal agreement for road repairs with the Clearwater Village Board of Trustees, Monday. The condition of 516 Avenue, which runs along the eastern edge of Clearwater, stemmed the discussion. Boggs said the road “has had problems in the past.” He suggested grind...
In what may well become Antelope County's first election by mail resulted in voter turnout of 47.62%, according to county clerk Lisa Payne. Of the 4,488 registered voters in the county, 2,137 individuals cast their choice for candidates, with 1,751 early voting ballots. Three hundred eighty-six were cast at polling sites across the county. Incumbent Eli Jacob, of Clearwater, received 153 votes for district two commissioner, while Bob Krutz, of Orchard, finished with 132 votes. Donald Lallier, of...
The Antelope County commissioners are considering a bond to finance extensive road repairs. “I think a big topic at this meeting will be what we will do with our oil roads, after our discussion last week,” commissioner Dean Smith said during the commissioners’ May 11 meeting at the courthouse in Neligh. He had contacted Tobin Buchanan with First National Capital Markets, who had previously worked with the county, to inquire about bond terms to finance potential major repair costs, “to look at options on how we are going to go forward with th...
