Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
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The 11-year-old version of LuAnn was enthralled with studying the globe in our sixth-grade classroom. Pastel blue denoted water on the curved, glossy sphere. Continents lifted from the surface, outlining rugged terrain. Each country was color-coded, some purple, some red, others green. I’d spin the globe and, as the air movement slowed to stillness, would place a finger on the surface, open my eyes to discover what country I’d investigate next. In social studies class that year, my cla...
The 2024 Orchard AAU Powerlifting Meet was held last Friday and Saturday, April 5 and 6. Organizer Jeff Shabram said "an awesome lineup of 170-plus registered lifters from across the Midwest competed." "This year's meet was a national meet, so two days of competition were required to accommodate the crowd of lifters striving for state, American and even world records," Shabram said. "It was the 17th year for the Orchard meet and the largest one ever." Eleven Summerland powerlifters competed...
Jacob Birch will serve as junior/senior high principal, beginning in the 2024-2025 school year. The announcement was made Tuesday, April 2, after Summerland Public School faculty were notified of his hiring. Candidates for the position went through the interview process last week, according to school officials. The board of education will approve the offer when they meet April 15. Birch, a Burwell native, received his undergraduate degree in mathematics education at the University of...
The District 6 shop, located in Stuart, will eventually have a new home. Holt County Supervisors approved the purchase of eight acres, from the village of Stuart, for the project. The county will pay $6,400 per acre. The motion, presented by Darrin Paxton, and seconded by Duane Neiman, passed unanimously, Friday, during the board's regularly-scheduled meeting. Chairman Bill Tielke said the property is located on the north edge of the village, across from the rodeo grounds. A project timeline...
Summerland-area residents won't be in total darkness, Monday, during the solar eclipse. Mark Urwiller, director of Honey Creek Observatory, in O'Neill, said the eclipse will have 70% coverage in this area. Areas in southeast Nebraska, as well as the Omaha metro area, may have up to 85% coverage. According to National Weather Service officials, partly-cloudy skies may play spoiler for the April 8 celestial event. The region has a 50 to 60% chance of cloud cover. While a total eclipse will cut a...
The annual Orchard Amateur Athletic Union Powerlifting Meet will have a new look this year. Organizer Jeff Shabram said the event is now a national meet, with competition spread over two days. Lifters from across the U.S., including members of the Summerland powerlifting squad, will compete in squat, bench press and dead lift events, beginning this Friday at the Orchard Community Center gym, at 4th and Rusk. Lifting will begin at 1 p.m., on April 5, while Saturday's competition will start at 9...
I saw a quote recently and it’s been on my mind since then: “The nice part about being a pessimist is that you are constantly being either proven right or pleasantly surprised.” I like surprises, that’s the optimist in me shining through, looking for a lesson worth learning or a silver lining. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of pessimism in the world today. I see and hear it often in casual conversations and on social media. Its tentacles are permeating society, pulling us farther apart, creating...
Summerland School Board of Education will hold a workshop session, Tuesday, April 2, in Norfolk. The lone agenda item currently listed is discussion on the transition to the new superintendent. The workshop will be held at the board room at Elkhorn Valley Bank, 404 S. 25th Street, and will start at 4:30 p.m. The agenda is tentative and may be adjusted, up to 24 hours before the beginning of the workshop. A current agenda is available for public inspection at the school's administrative...
Individuals who have Optum or United Healthcare insurance will have a new option for filling prescriptions. Optum and United Healthcare no longer cover prescription costs at Blood Pharmacy locations. Hilltop Drugs, Etc., closed its doors in January. Both situations have caused a gap in local care, according to Ashley Dendinger, owner of Plainview Family Pharmacy. Her business will continue to offer services to Optum and UH customers who rely on Neligh-based pharmacies. "We're offering a solution...
A one-vehicle rollover accident occurred Monday, March 18, at approximately 7:30 a.m., on 508 Avenue, south of Ewing. According to a report from chief deputy Ed Nordby, a 2014 Freightliner, driven by Connor Bentley and owned by Central Valley Ag, was southbound when it toppled over on the curve. The truck was loaded with fertlizer at the time of the accident. Bentley and an unidentified passenger were transported to Antelope Memorial Hospital by personal vehicle. "The truck and trailer...
Either it’s irony or a divine sign that SPS English instructor Katie Schneider shared a blog post on social media last week about the teacher shortage. I’ve been gathering data on the topic for nearly a month, hoping to pull a story together. I’m sharing Schneider’s post with her permission, on this page, under the op-ed label. Schneider addresses parents in her open letter, talking about respect or the lack thereof, about technology and its effects on a child’s brain and behavior, about letting...
Lydia Robertson and Bailey Ahlers kicked off the 2024 girls' track campaign with medals at the Dan Lennon Class B Invitational, held March 18, in the Dakota Dome on the University of South Dakota campus in Vermillion. The two Bobcat junior jumpers tied for third place in high jump, clearing 4' 11 inches. Robertson ended in sixth place in triple jump, reaching 30' 11.25 inches. Lenora Kester finished eighth in triple jump, landing at 30' 4.75 inches. She also competed in the 60m hurdles, running...
Ethan Kester, Ryan Rifer, Alec Schindler and Gavin Whiting picked up the first medals of the 2024 Bobcat boys' track season, March 18, at the Dan Lennon Invitational. The annual University of South Dakota indoor meet was held in the Dakota Dome, attracting 45 Class B schools. Kester picked up a bronze medal in pole vault. He cleared 10' 6 inches. Rifer, competing in high jump, ended in third. He cleared 6' 3 inches. Rifer also ran the 800m in 2:37.56, finishing 37th. Schindler placed fourth in...
Adyson Mlnarik will trade her Carolina blue uniform for Hastings College crimson. The Summerland High girls' basketball standout signed a letter of intent, in front of family, coaches and teammates, March 13, on the SPS basketball court. Mlnarik told the "Advocate-Messenger" she chose HC "because it was a place where I felt I would fit in great." The 5-foot-eight point guard averaged 23.1 points, 7.6 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game during her senior campaign. The Bobcats finished 17-7, just...
Should a person whose burial is paid for by the county need to be a resident? “It’s not necessarily what the amount is. I’m more concerned if we’re paying for Antelope County residents or if we’re paying for people applying because the county next door isn’t paying as much,” said Jay Snider, owner of Snider Memorial Funeral Home. Snider, a Clearwater resident, opened discussion with Antelope County Commissioners during the March 12 meeting in Neligh. Snider said it’s been approximately 1...
That's where a 12-foot windmill, designed by Summerland art student Caydence Schumacher and constructed by advanced welding students Garrett Napier and Mike Umphress, finished in voting at the Norfolk Home and Garden Show. Summerland industrial technology instructor Michael Odell announced how the project fared on Monday. The competition honors the legacy of Ken Iverson, former president of Nucor Steel. The windmill will be displayed at Johnson Park in Norfolk for a year. Odell said the IT...
Holt County’s coffers have an extra jingle following the March 4 tax sale, held at the courthouse annex in O’Neill. County supervisors learned the results at the board's March 18 meeting. “We actually had a lot less on the sale then we typically do,” said Shelly Ross, county treasurer. “I don’t know if that’s because of the names being in the paper, that people came in.” A new state statue requires property owners’ names to be included in the delinquent tax list, which is printed in the co...
Coming to a TV or social media channel soon: “How To Survive Cooking With Your Spouse.” You no doubt think I’m joking, but Scott and I have talked about it for years. It might not be like the Food Network’s “Down Home With the Neelys” or “Extra Virgin” on the Cooking Channel. No, not at all like these examples. Obviously, we joke about it, too. I’m afraid our cooking adventures would include some old-fashioned ribbing, a few unappreciative glares, a stolen kiss or two and multiple instance...
Ewing Village Board of Trustees heard updates about the duplex project, under construction by Thramer Construction. Carla Kimball, executive director of the Central Nebraska Economic Development District, said items were being gathered for the rental of the property. "To make it cash flow, rental will need to be $625 per month, per unit," Kimball said. "More may be charged, but it depends on their income." Insurance estimates run $4,500. Kimball anticipates taxes on the units will be $2,500...
One of the most iconic symbols of Nebraska and its history still dots the state's landscape, blades circling in the air, pumping clean clear water from the ground. Three Summerland students believe a windmill designed and constructed at the school will pay homage to Nebraska's roots - and be a visitor favorite - at this week's Norfolk Home and Garden Show at the Chuck M. Pohlman Agriculture Complex in Norfolk. The 12-foot windmill, designed by Summerland sophomore Caydence Schumacher, and...
Summerland Public Schools will be searching for a new junior/senior high school principal. Zach Rosenboom, who joined SPS this school year, submitted his resignation, Tuesday, during the board of education's monthly meeting. In his resignation letter to the board, Rosenboom said he has accepted a position as the 7-12 principal and athletic director at Howells-Dodge. "This move allows my family and I to be closer to my aging mother who has health issues," Rosenboom wrote. He said Summerland commu...
With Lenten fish fries in full swing, Summerland-area residents will have plenty of events to choose from. This Friday, March 15, the Orchard Community Center is the place to be as the Orchard Community Club hosts its annual fish fry. Serving will begin at 5:30 and continue until 7:30 p.m. Proceeds from the fish fry will go toward the purchase of new kitchen countertops for the community center. Two fish fries are planned for March 22. The Page Community Day Committee will host an...
When we turn on a faucet, we expect the water filling the glass to be safe; however, a 2022 Gallup Poll reports that 57% of American adults worry about safe drinking water. Nebraskans are no different. According to Laura Nagengast, UNL Extension educator, 85% of Nebraskans rely on groundwater for drinking water. Since most of the state's groundwater comes from the Ogallala Aquifer, more people need to be aware of the role groundwater plays in their daily routines. Amy Latzel, environmental...
Casey Dittrich, of rural Tilden, recites the oath of office, administered by Antelope County Clerk Magistrate Linda Mitchell. He will represent District 5 as county commissioner. Dittrich was sworn into office, Tuesday, March 5, prior to the commissioners' meeting in Neligh. He fills the position that opened following the resignation of Keith Heithoff, who resigned from the position, effective Feb. 14. A trio of county officials interviewed candidates to fill the position and selected...
Typically, at the end of the legal notices that run in the paper, I add the phrase, "The public has the right to know." You do. The premise is etched into our statehouse's north wall, "The Salvation of the State is Watchfulness in the Citizen." Now, more than ever, you should educate yourselves on the ins and outs of freedom of information laws. Now, more than ever, there's a need for citizens to become involved. This is Sunshine Week, a time to highlight the necessity of open government. In...
