Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Sorted by date Results 251 - 275 of 302
An ice cream machine purchased for inmates at the Antelope County Law Enforcement Center has left one county commissioner feeling a little frosty. The board of commissioners approved a resolution regarding the commissary fee schedule for the county jail during their meeting Tuesday, Dec. 8, in Neligh, but the vote was not unanimous. The commissary fee schedule was on the meeting agenda due to the results of the county's annual audit report that were released last month by the Nebraska Auditor...
Antelope County has decided not to permanently close a one-mile stretch of a rural road – for now. The board of commissioners held a public hearing Tuesday, Dec. 1, in Neligh, on Invenergy's request to have 841 Road abandoned between 510 and 511 avenues in the southwest part of the county. That stretch of road is located just east of the Antelope County-Wheeler County border within the renewable energy company's Thunderhead wind project. Before voting 5-0 in favor of not closing the road, the c...
Antelope County has put a stop to an issue involving "Engine Brakes Prohibited" signs near Orchard. The board of commissioners on Tuesday, Nov. 10, in Neligh, unanimously approved an updated resolution regarding engine braking on a roughly one-mile stretch of 513 Avenue, which also is known as the Orchard Road. The segment of 513 Avenue covered by the resolution runs by the property of Terry and Patricia Hemenway, who live about a mile south of Orchard near 862 Road. The resolution stems back...
Antelope County has not decided yet whether to install new security windows inside its courthouse in Neligh. The board of commissioners heard a presentation Tuesday, Nov. 10, from Aaron Kinnan of Kinnan Construction near Oakdale about a potential project. Kinnan noted in a follow-up interview that the commissioners are split on whether to have more expensive bullet-resistant – more commonly known as bulletproof – glass or cheaper shatterproof safety glass installed for certain county off...
The Antelope County results are in for the 2020 general election. County clerk and election commissioner Lisa Payne noted 3,615 voters out of the 4,570 registered in the county cast ballots before and on Tuesday, Nov. 3. The people who turned out for the election voted for candidates who were running for positions at the local, county, regional, state and federal levels. "We counted 1,340 early voters, leaving 2,275 voting in person on Election Day," Payne said. "I did not hear of any problems...
Antelope County is looking into improving courthouse security to better protect its employees. County treasurer Deb Branstiter spoke to the board of commissioners Tuesday, Oct. 13, about purchasing and installing new security windows and related items for various offices inside the courthouse in Neligh. "I recently traveled to Cedar County and Knox County," Branstiter said. "In June, I called six different contractors and got varying responses." Representatives from Glass Edge Inc. of Norfolk...
General election results, from Nov. 3, 2020, for Antelope County, include: President Tilden 1st: Trump/Pence: 87 Biden/Harris: 15 Jorgensen/Cohen: 0 Write-in: 1 Tilden Precinct: Trump/Pence: 101 Biden/Harris: 9 Jorgensen/Cohen: 1 Oakdale: Trump/Pence: 152 Biden/Harris: 18 Jorgensen/Cohen: 3 Neligh P: Trump/Pence: 154 Biden/Harris: 10 Jorgensen/Cohen: 2 Neligh 1: Trump/Pence: 234 Biden/Harris: 21 Jorgensen/Cohen: 2 Neligh 2: Trump/Pence: 163 Biden/Harris: 21 Jorgensen/Cohen: 6 Brunswick:...
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...
Antelope County may need to weed out candidates depending on how many applications it receives from people wanting to replace a longtime employee. The board of commissioners received a letter of resignation from county weed superintendent Bruce Ofe during its meeting Tuesday, Oct. 13, in Neligh. The Oakdale man plans to retire from the full-time position Dec. 31 after more than 40 years of working for the county. "I'd be willing to stay that long so that if you get somebody hired, I could help...
Invenergy has requested the permanent closure of a stretch of road near its Thunderhead wind project in southwest Antelope County. County highway superintendent Brian McDonald spoke to the board of commissioners Tuesday, Oct. 6, in Neligh about the renewable energy company's request to close 841 Road between 510 and 511 avenues. "There are two wind tower driveways at the very west end of this," McDonald said. "I think they're probably on the Wheeler side of the county line. "There's also an...
An Antelope County commissioner had several questions about an annual agenda item during the board’s meeting Tuesday, Sept. 8, in Neligh. Commissioner Dean Smith was curious about the 2020 inventories of county personal property, which had been presented to the board the previous week. However, due to the absence of the inventory of the county sheriff’s office at the time, the commissioners delayed acting on the agenda item. “How thoroughly have they been reviewed?” Smith asked about the inv...
Fred Thiele wants to make sure part of a gravel road located near Clearwater is not forgotten by Antelope County. The rural Clearwater resident was the only member of the public to speak up on the county’s one-year and six-year road improvement plan during the commissioners’ meeting Tuesday, Sept. 1, in Neligh. Before Thiele gave his input, county highway superintendent Brian McDonald spoke to the commissioners about the road improvement plan and its corresponding map of projects. “This is pa...
A rural Orchard couple have submitted a complaint to Antelope County about an “Engine Braking Prohibited” sign located near their property. The board of commissioners discussed a letter Tuesday, Sept. 1, in Neligh from the Galyen Boettcher Baier PC law firm on behalf of Terry and Patricia Hemenway. According to the letter, dated Aug. 21 and filed Aug. 25 with the county clerk’s office, “It has come to our attention that the Antelope County Road Superintendent is threatening the removal of an ...
The selection of a jury for an upcoming trial in an Antelope County civil case will have to be moved from its usual location due to the COVID-19 pandemic. District court clerk Angela Mortensen and county attorney Joe Abler met with the board of commissioners Tuesday, Aug. 11, at the courthouse in Neligh regarding a change in venue for the jury selection. Mortensen requested the board’s permission to rent a facility for the jury selection, which will be scheduled to take one day on Oct. 5. ...
Antelope County has raised its annual financial contribution to the county library association for the first time in three years. The board of commissioners approved an increase for each of the county’s six public libraries during its meeting Tuesday, Aug. 11, at the courthouse in Neligh.Board chair Charlie Henery, vice board chair Regina Krebs and commissioner Carolyn Pedersen voted in favor of the raise, while commissioner Dean Smith voted against it. Commissioner Eli Jacob was absent from the...
Antelope County still is looking for a new emergency manager. Part-time county road foreman Casey Dittrich had applied for the position, but he withdrew his application during the board of commissioners’ meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 4, at the courthouse in Neligh. County clerk Lisa Payne noted other than Dittrich’s application, which had been discussed at one of the board’s previous meetings in July, she had no new ones to present to the commissioners for consideration. “We advertised and did not...
The Antelope County Board of Commissioners has approved a road-use agreement for the duration of potential construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline. However, the board’s decision was neither quick nor unanimous, as the commissioners discussed the agreement for about an hour and 40 minutes during their nearly five-hour meeting, Tuesday, Aug. 4, at the courthouse in Neligh. Board chair Charlie Henery and commissioners Eli Jacob and Carolyn Pedersen approved the agreement as presented, while v...
Fred Thiele wants to make sure part of a gravel road located near Clearwater is not forgotten by Antelope County. The rural Clearwater resident was the only member of the public to speak up on the county’s one-year and six-year road improvement plan during the commissioners’ meeting Tuesday, Sept. 1, in Neligh. Before Thiele gave his input, county highway superintendent Brian McDonald spoke to the commissioners about the road improvement plan and its corresponding map of projects. “This is pa...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Antelope County’s rural residents, who hoped for answers to deteriorating paved roads at a special meeting of the county commissioners last week, will have to wait a while longer. After spending nearly four hours of dialog with road superintendent Aaron Boggs, part-time foreman and former superintendent Casey Dittrich and engineer Brian McDonald, the five commissioners tabled action to borrow funds for repairs. The May 22 meeting at the courthouse in Neligh was transmitted via Zoom to the basement meeting room to accommodate an excess of 10 a...
