Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
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PROCEEDINGS HOLT COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OCTOBER 15, 2025 The Holt County Board of Supervisors met in regular session as per adjournment with all members present. This meeting publicized pursuant to Section 84-1411 R.R.S. 1943. Notice of meeting given in advance thereof by publication in paper as shown by Affidavit of Publication on Oct. 8, 2025, in the Summerland Advocate. Chairman Tielke convened the meeting at 9:45 a.m., and informed the public of the location of the Open Meeting Poster. Motion by Paxton, second by Breiner, to approve...
PROCEEDINGS HOLT COUNTY BOARD OF EQUALIZATION AND BOARD OF SUPERVISORS SEPTEMBER 16, 2025 The Holt County Board of Supervisors met as a Board of Equalization with all members present. Deputy County Assessor Montana DeVries, Deputy County Treasurer Cathy Fuhrer and County Clerk Cathy Pavel were also in attendance. This meeting publicized pursuant to Section 84-1411 R.R.S. 1943. Notice of meeting given in advance thereof by publication in paper as shown by Affidavit of Publication on Sept. 10, 2025, in the Summerland Advocate. Chairman Frahm...
PROCEEDINGS HOLT COUNTY BOARD OF EQUALIZATION AND BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AUGUST 18, 2025 Board meetings are held on the first working day after the 15th and the last working day of the month. Meetings are held at the Holt County Courthouse meeting room. Board of Equalization at 9 a.m., and Board of Supervisors at 9:15 a.m. Notice of meeting given in advance thereof by publication in paper as shown by Affidavit of Publication on Aug. 14, 2025, in the Summerland Advocate. The agenda for all meetings are kept continuously current and is available fo...
Representatives from the North Central District Health Department recently provided an overview of the Miles of Smiles program at the July 31 Holt County Supervisors meeting, and on Aug. 5, at the Antelope County Commissioners meeting. Program coordinator Mindy Spencer said the program is a voluntary school-based dental screening and fluoride varnish program available to preschool to middle school-age children in the nine-county district. Participants receive a toothbrush, toothpaste, dental...
PROCEEDINGS HOLT COUNTY BOARD OF EQUALIZATION AND BOARD OF SUPERVISORS JULY 16, 2025 Board meetings are held on the first working day after the 15th and the last working day of the month. Meetings are held at the Holt County Courthouse meeting room. Board of Equalization at 9 a.m., and Board of Supervisors at 9:15 a.m. Notice of meeting given in advance thereof by publication in paper as shown by Affidavit of Publication on July 9, 2025, in the Summerland Advocate. The agenda for all meetings are kept continuously current and is available for...
The Department of Health and Human Services has sent out its fourth issuance of Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer benefits. Throughout the 2025 summer EBT period, households with eligible school-age children can receive assistance in buying groceries with the program’s second year of operation. A one-time payment of $120 will be issued for each eligible child, intended to cover the three summer months at $40 a month. The fourth issuance was sent to eligible students as reported by school districts and any new eligibility determinations t...
PROCEEDINGS HOLT COUNTY BOARD OF EQUALIZATION AND SUPERVISORS JUNE 16, 2025 Board Meetings are held on the first working day after the 15th and the last working day of the month. Meetings are held at the Holt County Courthouse meeting room. Board of Equalization at 9 a.m., and Board of Supervisors at 9:15 a.m. Notice of meeting given in advance thereof by publication in paper as shown by Affidavit of Publication on June 12, 2025, in the Summerland Advocate. The agenda for all meetings are kept continuously current and is available for public...
This past week marked the final full week of the 109th Legislature’s first session. Since the beginning of April, senators have been spending four days a week in session and also having debate go into the evening three days a week. Late-night debate can take its toll on senators who spend many hours trying to pass legislation or stop bills from reaching the governor’s desk. One such example occurred during Select File debate on LB306, a bill which would create the School Financing Review Commiss...
A confirmed measles case in Sheridan County has been reported to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. The patient is an appropriately vaccinated child with no out-of-state travel history. Due to privacy, no further individual information will be provided. Individuals present at the following public locations at the indicated date and times may have been exposed to measles and should visit and fill out the risk assessment survey at the following link: https://...
PROCEEDINGS HOLT COUNTY BOARD OF EQUALIZATION AND BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MAY 16, 2025 Board Meetings are held on the first working day after the 15th and the last working day of the month. Meetings are held at the Holt County Courthouse meeting room. Board of Equalization at 9:30 a.m., and Board of Supervisors at 9:45 a.m. Notice of meeting given in advance thereof by publication in paper as shown by Affidavit of Publication on May 7, 2025, in the Summerland Advocate. The agenda for all meetings are kept continuously current and is available for...
As a school psychologist working for a small public school, I remember a teacher asking me to observe a student in her classroom. She expressed concerns about an elementary student's unusual behavior, lack of playing with classmates, lack of communication and even some unusual motor movements, including flapping her hands. This was in 2001, and I was experiencing my first referral for a student who would eventually receive an educational diagnosis of autism. At that time, autism was considered...
Molly Pofahl had big plans for the $370,000 in federal money awarded to the East Central District Health Department in March. They would use the money to provide cleanup for homes with high lead levels in Boone, Colfax, Nance and Platte counties, said Pofahl, the department’s chief public health officer. They could make it easier for people living in the district’s rural areas to get vaccinated. She planned to get training for her staff to better teach central Nebraskans about preventing infections. Lessons learned during COVID-19 informed the...
PROCEEDINGS HOLT COUNTY BOARD OF EQUALIZATION AND BOARD OF SUPERVISORS April 17, 2025 Board meetings are held on the first working day after the 15th and the last working day of the month. Meetings are held at the Holt County Courthouse meeting room. Board of Equalization at 9:30 a.m., and Board of Supervisors at 9:45 a.m. Notice of meeting given in advance thereof by publication in paper as shown by Affidavit of Publication on April 9, 2025, in the Summerland Advocate. The agenda for all meetings are kept continuously current and is available...
On April 2, 2025, the first child since the expansion of Nebraska's Safe Haven law, Nebraska Revised Statute § 43-4903, was surrendered. A healthy baby was surrendered to a safe haven location in the Northeastern part of the state and is under the care of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). Due to HIPAA laws, no further details can be provided. Effective July 19, 2024, Nebraska Revised Statute § 43-4903 which allows a baby up to 90 days old to be left with an employee on duty at one of the following locations: A hospi...
This past week, the Judiciary Committee heard testimony on my bill, LB73, relating to law enforcement continuing education requirements. This legislation is the result of conversations I had with area sheriffs last year regarding law enforcement staffing shortages. In 2021, the Legislature passed LB51 which increased the amount of continuing education each law enforcement officer across the state must take each calendar year from 20 hours to 32 hours. LB51 was brought to improve law enforcement...
When the new Trump administration directed a temporary freeze on federal grants and loans last month, Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen's office offered a calm public-facing reaction. But emails and text messages show that many Nebraska state agencies - like organizations across the U.S. - were simmering with questions and concern. The federal directive had thrown into question if and when governments and organizations would get billions they use for everything from housing programs to highway constructi...
Entrepreneurs interested in starting or improving their child care businesses are invited to attend a free conference presented in Spanish. “Growing Together: Spanish Child Care Educators Conference” is scheduled for Saturday, April 5, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at Central Community College in Grand Island. English interpretation is available upon request. “This year's conference has been carefully curated to provide valuable insights and resources for early child care professionals,” said Brissa Borjas Esparza, senior business develop...
LINCOLN - The Nebraska Legislature wrapped up bill introductions and began committee hearings in the third week of its 2025 session, including proposals to display the Ten Commandments in public schools, end tenure for state university faculty and eliminate online voter registration. Lawmakers can introduce bills during the first 10 days of the legislative session, which ended Jan. 22. In total, senators introduced 715 bills and 29 resolutions. Bill introductions on Jan. 21 and 22 included legislation dealing with several controversial issues....
So far, during the 2024-2025 flu season, the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services has reported three pediatric deaths attributed to influenza. One of these deaths occurred within the North Central District Health Department service area. "NCDHD shares our deepest condolences with the families impacted," said Heidi Kuklis, director of the NCDHD. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that, so far for this season, there have been approximately 3.1 million flu cases,...
In the summer of 2002, Margaret Stamp returned home to Sarpy County from college four weeks after her 74-year-old grandmother, Phyllis Behm, had died from a short battle with colorectal cancer. Stamp found her dad, Mark Behm, a former northeast Nebraska county attorney and private practice lawyer, wincing in pain on the living room floor. Stamp described him as in shape and thin. She said he looked healthy and didn't drink or smoke. But that weekend, Stamp's father was doubled over, and he told...
The first pediatric influenza-related death in Nebraska has been reported to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, as of Dec. 18. Nationally, two additional pediatric flu-related deaths have been reported this season according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There have been two flu-related deaths in Nebraska this season. Antiviral drugs like oseltamivir - Tamiflu - should be used as early as possible in people with flu-like illnesses. For those who are not sick, common preventive measures along with flu...
I first want to start this week’s update by expressing my gratitude to our state’s congressional delegation with regards to the recent passage of Senate Bill 1478 in Congress. This bill would designate U.S. Hwy 20 in the states of Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York and Massachusetts as the “National Medal of Honor Highway.” While then-Governor Ricketts approved the renaming of U.S. Hwy 20 in Nebraska as the “Nebraska Medal of Honor Hi...
The envelope didn't surprise Dru McMillan. But when she opened the letter and read the number, she felt sick. "If you agree with the determination, please submit a draft in the amount of $21,042.73 within 30 days," it read. McMillan is a Lincoln therapist. She has long served a majority of patients who use Medicaid, the government-funded cheap or free insurance, to pay for mental health care. The letter came from an auditor working for one of three massive insurance companies the State of...
This month, Antelope Memorial Hospital received national and state awards for excellence. The hospital was first recognized for the 2024 Performance Leadership Award for excellence in Quality, Outcomes and Patient Perspective as part of the National Rural Health Day celebration. Compiled by The Chartis Center for Rural Health, the Performance Leadership Award honors top quartile performance (75th percentile or above) among rural hospitals across the United States in the categories of quality, ou...
In the past three weeks, I outlined all six ballot initiatives and referendum measures that will be on this year’s general election ballot. This editorial is dedicated to my personal perspective on two ballot measures: Initiative Measures 434 (Protect Women and Children) and 439 (Protect Our Rights) relating to abortion. In my mind, we should strive to do the most good and preserve human life. This is why I am encouraging pro-life voters in Nebraska to consider voting for Initiative Measure 4...
