Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
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A Holt County supervisor recently traveled to Washington, D.C., to participate in the National Association of Counties Legislative Conference. Bill Tielke, chairman of the county supervisor board, was notified in January that he had been appointed to the association's Environment, Energy and Land Use Policy Steering Committee. The committee is responsible for matters pertaining to air, water, energy and land use – including such things as water resources/management; stormwater; pesticides; a...
The Clearwater Chamber of Commerce and Summerland Advocate-Messenger will host a cruise night event for the Clearwater Public School class of 2020. Join in the fun, Friday, May 8. Cruise down Main Street, beginning at 7 p.m. and continue until 9 p.m. At 8:30, cruisers are asked to park along Main Street. Senior introductions will take place at that time. Participants are asked to use social distance measures and stay in their vehicles. Activities community members may choose to participate in...
By now, all registered voters in Nebraska should have had the opportunity to fill out an application for an early (absentee) ballot. That application should be mailed to your county’s Election Commissioner, which for most folks reading this will be your county clerk. Once you have your ballot, please be sure that it is received by your county offices by May 12. I’d like to take this opportunity to encourage all of you reading to exercise your Constitutional right to vote. I won’t use this space...
The Holt County supervisors approved a road-use agreement for duration of potential construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline, despite the county leaders’ denial of a construction permit in February. Consideration of the road-haul agreement was on the agenda when the supervisors met in the courthouse for an in-person meeting April 30. The agreement had been drafted by Omaha attorney David Domina, with Brent Kelley, Holt County attorney, proceeding, at the request of the supervisors, to negotiate terms with TCE officials. Kelly was present in t...
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...
MATTHEW ADELMAN National Newspaper Association president We need to get through this time and tighten our belts, just as we have through two World Wars, terrorist attacks and other epidemics Newspapers in the United States have traveled rough seas to the First Amendment freedoms we enjoy today. From the colonial Stamp Act through wartime censorship to today, when thousands of newspapers were slammed with the public health emergency known as COVID-19, people who work for newspapers have never had completely smooth sailing. Now most of the...
Orchard principal Cathy Cooper told Orchard board members that graduation is still planned, when the original and advisory boards met recently. She said graduation will “definitely” take place, but factors regarding timing will have to be worked out. Cooper is consulting with other administrators in the Unified district regarding graduation and other end-of-year award ceremonies. “Safety is obviously the first priority,” she said. “We definitely want to recognize our seniors…We’re still planning for graduation…there are just so many things that...
The Holt County supervisors approved hiring a human resource firm when they met at the courthouse in O’Neill on April 16. With all seven supervisors in attendance at the meeting, the leaders voted 5-2 to contract with Zelle Human Resources of Lincoln to provide consulting services for an initial six-month term, after holding a phone conference with Zelle representative Chad Thies. Supervisors Bob Snyder and Don Butterfield voted nay. According to Thies, the firm would update the county’s employee handbook, making sure it is relevant and mak...
After seeking advice from county attorney Joe Abler, the Antelope County commissioners approved issuing a COVID-19 pandemic disaster declaration for Antelope County, beginning Jan. 31, and continuing, per recommendation of the Nebraska Association of County Officials. The attorney was called after county clerk, Lisa Payne, suggested the declaration be backdated to January. After further discussion and Abler's input, the declaration was approved unanimously and dated April 14, but covered...
June 30 retirement of longtime Antelope County clerk of the district court, Judy Cole was announced during the April 14 meeting of the Antelope County commissioners. The meeting was held via video conference, with commissioner Eli Jacob and chairman Charlie Henery present in the meeting room, along with clerk Lisa Payne. Commissioners Dean Smith, Regina Krebs and Carolyn Pedersen participated remotely via Zoom. Sheriff Bob Moore, county attorney Joe Abler, zoning administrator Liz Doerr and...
On May 12, vote yes twice to approve the LB840 Economic Development Program Plan and LB840 tax in Ewing. What is LB840? LB840 authorizes the village to collect and appropriate local sales tax dollars, if approved by the voters, for the community to use for economic development purposes. The LB840 program is locally controlled. It is run by a local citizens’ advisory committee that makes the decisions on where the funds should be spent and what businesses should be assisted. Who Benefits from LB840? LB840 provides numerous benefits to individual...
The process may be a little different for the May 12 Primary Election in Nebraska, but registered voters in the state will still have the opportunity for in-person voting. During a recent press conference, Governor Pete Ricketts announced the primary election will continue as scheduled. Ricketts emphasized that fulfilling the state's duty to carry out elections is vital to the health of the democratic republic. Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen confirmed polling sites will be open for...
How do we make our community better? That's a question many of our community leaders ask themselves every day. And most days that question goes unanswered. However, there is one program that rural Nebraskans are finding to be a useful tool in community development and that is the Local Option Municipal Economic Development Act, or what is more commonly referred to as LB 840. Most economic development projects are done using tools available in a community. Those tools are limited in many...
Ewing Board of Education will meet Thursday, April 16, at 7 p.m. The meeting will be available via Zoom at https://zoom.us/j/4023405842 Meeting ID: 402 340 5842. AGENDA 1. Open meeting 2. Open Meetings Act 3. Roll call 4. Consent agenda A. Approve minutes of March 16, 2020 regular meeting B. Approve April 16, 2020 agenda C. Approve financial report D. Approve board bills of April 16, 2020 E. Excuse absent member(s) 5. Correspondence 6. Recognize visitors 7. Superintendent’s report 8. Principal’s report DISCUSSION ITEMS: Board topics, Sum...
Antelope County Commissioners approved a motion during an emergency meeting, March 18, to limit access to the courthouse. Beginning March 19, individuals needing to conduct business with local officials will be required to make an appointment with a specific office. The change will be in effect until April 7, or as deemed necessary by Centers for Disease Control and/or state officials. A list of office phone numbers and email addresses will appear on all courthouse doors. Visitors will be met...
Aaron Boggs of Creighton, who has served as foreman of Antelope County's road department for about a year, was hired to head the department when the county commissioners met at the courthouse in Neligh on March 10. The commissioners entered closed session to consider applications, after an announcement by chairman Charlie Henery just before 11 a.m. "I have to leave by noon or so," he said. "So, we need to go into executive session to talk about personal employee stuff. We need a motion to do...
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...
Antelope County commissioners met March 3 in their meeting room at the courthouse in Neligh, with consideration of six driveway permits for the new Summerland school included on the meeting agenda. Steve Thiele of Clearwater was present, representing both the school district and the builder, Hausmann Construction. The county leaders gave unanimous approval for two of the applications, as temporary construction driveways and passed a motion to require a traffic study as part of the requirement for consideration of permanent permits. A 30-foot...
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...
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...
This past week, the Legislature hit the half way mark in this year’s 60-day legislation session. The public hearing process is complete and senators will now meet in full-day session. Discussion will focus on bills that have been given priority status either by a senator, a committee or the speaker. The Legislature is scheduled to adjourn April 23. LB 424, introduced by Grand Island Senator Dan Quick, proposes to allow municipalities throughout Nebraska to create a joint land bank with one or m...
The Antelope County commissioners were faced with issues arising from two recent road decisions when they met last Tuesday, Feb. 11, at the courthouse in Neligh. Working through the agenda, commissioners examined and approved payroll and vendor claims, all with an eye on the clock, completing their work before noon. A quorum for the afternoon was at risk, due to two commissioners indicating afternoon obligations elsewhere and commissioner Regina Krebs' absence. Casey Dittrich, who has served as Antelope County road boss for the last four...
One of the bills that I introduced this session was LB 770. It authorizes a free lifetime park permit for disabled veterans. This past week, LB 770 was advanced from the Natural Resources Committee on an 8-0 vote. I designated it as my priority bill and the Legislature gave it first-round approval on a 38-0 vote. Under LB 770, a veteran would be eligible for the free permit if they are a Nebraska resident, honorably discharged, and rated 50% or more service-connected disabled or 100% disabled, n...
The Revenue Committee’s property tax/education funding reform bill, LB 974, was brought out of committee on a 6-2 vote last week. LB 974 will inject additional state dollars into education funding. By the third year of implementation, it will provide more than $200 million per year in additional funding to our schools to provide property tax relief for hard working Nebraskans. It will accomplish this by requiring the state to provide over $2,000 per student in foundation aid by that third y...
