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Nathan Arneal and Jason Futch of the North Bend Eagle visit LuAnn and Scott Schindler, publishers of the Advocate-Messenger. Arneal and Futch shared a copy of the North Bend Eagle with SAM staff and discussed newspaper industry trends. Arneal and Futch also visited newspaper offices in Springview, Mullen, Stapleton and St. Paul....


A complete surprise. That's how SAM co-publisher Scott Schindler described the moment his name was announced as the winner of the Feature Photo of the Year from the Nebraska Press Association. "You entered my picture?" He asked wife and co-publisher LuAnn, before making his way to the podium to accept the award during the Nebraska Press Association's Better Newspaper Contest awards banquet, Saturday, at The Cornhusker in Lincoln. "He sent me two photos that made the paper throughout the year,"...

Blueprints don't always come with studs, bricks and beams. Sometimes they click together, one LEGO at a time. That was the challenge facing the Summerland SkillsUSA TeamWorks crew: take a photograph and build a miniature version, using plastic bricks instead of plywood and nails. On Sunday, the crew showcased their finished model during an open house celebrating their next big build: a trip to Nationals in Atlanta. Organized by SAM publishers Scott and LuAnn Schindler, the combination pep... Full story

The Advocate-Messenger earned 31 awards in the 2025 Better Newspaper Competition and ended in second place for the Allen & Linda Beerman Community Newspaper Sweepstakes Award, which includes weekly newspapers from all classes. The Stanton Register took top honors and the Aurora News-Register ended in third. SAM finished second in Division A, based on circulation and, in the digital sweepstakes division, SAM placed third. The paper picked nine first-place awards in categories, including building...

Whew! I’m still trying to recover from the 2025 Nebraska Press Association Convention, held in Kearney. I enjoy the annual conference for multiple reasons: great educational sessions, networking with fellow newspaper folk, meeting new vendors, great (but too much) food and an overall fantastic time celebrating the written word. It’s not all fun and games ... except for trivia night. That was a blast. I never thought I would hear “God Bless America” sung a beat box rhythm. Sessions begin early a...
Summerland Advocate-Messenger personnel brought home 23 awards from the 2023 Better Newspaper Contest for the Nebraska Press Association. Awards were presented Saturday evening, at the awards banquet held at the Cornhusker Marriot Hotel in Lincoln. SAM finished second in Class A, which includes weekly newspapers with a circulation up to 699 subscriptions. The Stanton Register won the division. In advertising categories, publisher LuAnn Schindler won seven awards. An ad featuring financial services at Brunswick State Bank, promoting FFA Week,...

Whether or not Antelope County Planning and Zoning Commission approves a conditional use permit for a proposed carbon-capture pipeline will wait until Thursday, at the earliest. The group is set to reconvene, Oct. 12, at 3 p.m., in the commissioners' meeting room, to discuss approval or to deny the permit. Public comment will not be heard since that portion of the process closed when the commission met Sept. 14. Chairman Greg Wortman said he had been contacted by a member of the public who...

A proposed carbon-capture pipeline, scheduled to cross Antelope and Holt counties, is an example of "environmentalism gone amok," according to an Iowa resident who addressed Antelope County Commissioners, May 9. Tammy Kobza, a Nebraska native who serves as a field representative for The John Birch Society, said Nebraskans can learn a lot about landowner rights and eminent domain by watching their eastern neighbors battle Summit Carbon Solutions. The Iowa-based company seeks to construct a...

A Clearwater mobile home is uninhabitable following a Thursday morning fire. The mobile home, located at 207 Colorado Street, is considered a complete loss. The property is owned by Antonio Mendez, according to Antelope County Gworks data. She and three other individuals resided at the property. They all were able to exit the structure without injury. Clearwater fire chief Steve Hankla said approximately a dozen fire fighters responded to the call. "We had two tankers, two grass rigs and one...

The "Summerland Advocate-Messenger" brought home 17 awards from the Nebraska Better Newspaper Contest. Recipients were announced Saturday, during the Nebraska Press Association awards banquet at the Cornhusker Marriott Hotel in Lincoln. SAM competed in Class A, which features weekly newspapers with circulation up to 699. Entries were published in 2022. The paper took top honors in five categories, including agriculture advertisement, featuring Automated Dairy Specialists; signature page,...

The sign on the backpack explains it all. Walking across America. Stephen Ashworth, a Terrell, Texas, native, estimates he's traveled more than 26,000 miles by foot. "I'm a traveler," he said. Ashworth ventured through the Summerland region last week, stopping in Clearwater, Wednesday. He dropped his gear at the village's park, pulled out his super cat stove - a well-worn cat food can - added fuel - HEET gas-line antifreeze works best - and placed a titanium pot on it to heat water for a Cup of...

NFPW Communicator of Achievement director Karen Stensrud and NPW COA director Ruth Brown contributed to this article. LuAnn Schindler of Clearwater received the 2022 Communicator of Achievement Award from the National Federation of Press Women. This prestigious award has been given for 65 years. Schindler received the honor during a celebration at the organization's annual conference, held June 23 to 25, in Fargo, North Dakota. Now in its 85th year, NFPW is a nationwide organization of... Full story

David Lee Schindler 1946 - 2021 A mass of Christian burial for David Lee Schindler, 74, of Odell, will be Friday, July 9, at 10:30 a.m., at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Elgin, with Father Kevin Vogel presiding. Inurnment will follow in the St. Boniface Catholic Cemetery. David died July 2, 2021, at CHI Health Nebraska Heart in Lincoln. Memorials are suggested to the family's choice, in care of the mortuary. Condolences may be left online at www.harmanwrightmortuary.com. Harman-Wright...

Clearwater Public Library is hosting its annual summer reading program. Live programs will be held weekly and smaller programs will be scheduled. Programs, open to only fifth grade students and younger, include a pet adoption and stuffed animal sleepover. The Pet Adoption allows youngsters to pick a reading buddy from a selection of stuffed animals. Each pet comes with adoption papers to officially make the pet their own. The stuffed animal sleepover allows kids to bring their favorite stuffed...

The Summerland Advocate-Messenger finished third in the Class A digital sweepstakes of the Nebraska Press Association's Better Newspaper Contest. Awards were announced June 17, via video presentation. SAM staff members submitted entires in 58 categories focusing on writing, photography, advertising, digital, design and creativity. According to the Nebraska Press Association, which sponsors the contest, more than 3,100 separate entries, representing nine dailies and 66 weeklies, were judged by...

This Sunday, May 9th, children will honor their mothers. The holiday came about because of the persistence of a daughter wanting to honor mothers, including her own, for the sacrifices they make every day of the year. In the mid-19th century, Ann Reeves Jarvis of West Virginia organized sessions called Mother's Day Work Clubs. The purpose was to educate mothers about proper hygiene and nutrition aimed at giving children a better chance of surviving the ongoing typhoid outbreak. During the Civil...

Since its origin in 1981, when Congress passed Pub. L. 97-28, Women's History Week and Month honors the important role women play and the accomplishments they have made. This week, SAM staff members talk about qualities we look for in a role model and share who inspires us. ERIN SCHWAGER: Dolly Parton once said, "If your actions create a legacy that inspires others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, then, you are an excellent leader." Like Dolly says, actions speak louder than w...

A leap of faith and a desire to meet community needs has led to a new business opening on Clearwater's Main Street. The Sidebar, a mix of handmade crafts and locally produced items, fills a spot in The Office, located at 522 Main Street and will be accessible on the west side of the building. The business, a division of ColdType Publishing, will have a soft opening, Nov. 19. The Sidebar is a take on the journalism term. Merriam-Webster's definition of sidebar reads: "A short news story or...

The honeybee’s contribution to humankind is worth it’s weight in gold, liquid gold. References to beekeeping have been found near Spain in archaic cave paintings, hieroglyphics in an Egyptian temple and at an Israeli archeological excavation, where an ancient apiary was uncovered, containing over 100 straw and clay hives. But it wasn’t until the early 1600s that European settlers introduced bees and beekeeping to the New England colonies. The immigrant honeybee that makes the Americas it’s home...

When I pitched this idea, only one reporter balked at spending time at a thrift store with his co-workers. It’s okay, Mark. I understand. Even Scott gets tired when I drag him to a resale shop in whatever town we happen to drive through. The premise for this story was simple: I will give each of you $10 to spend on an outfit or outfits. Who can get the most number of quality items at a low price and put together an outfit for work or a night out on the town. Basically, I wanted to know which o...

The formation of clay into functioning vessels dates back thousands of years. Add a present-day artist’s interest in fossils and an archaic collaboration is created. For Kaci Schacht, the 23 year-old artist/owner of Mug Schacht’s, inspiration is found close to home. “Dinosaurs have always fascinated me and maybe growing up near Ashfall (Ashfall Fossil Beds State Historical Park, located near Royal) had something to do with that,” reflected Schacht, “and having a mom who loves art.” Her mom, Te...

Clearwater Insurance Agency hosted an open house, Friday, in Clearwater. Chamber of Commerce members held a ribbon cutting. Attending the ceremony were Lauren Sheridan-Simonsen, Clearwater economic development director, Ashleigh Nelson, Miss Clearwater Rodeo, Kaylee Thiele, Aaron Kruger, Dane Nielsen, Debb Pofahl, Tori Kester, Wendi Flenniken, Tammy Bearinger, LuAnn Schindler, Curt Thiele, Kevin Filsinger, Dennis Herley, Jarod Bearinger, Steve Hankla, Jeremy Sanne, Marty Kerkman, Taryl...

Gail and Connie Cronin, of Clearwater, held a recommitment ceremony, June 8, celebrating 35 years of marriage. Father John Norman officiated....

Over 10,000 years ago, goats provided hair, hide, meat and milk for the nomadic tribesmen who domesticated the animal. In addition to those purposes, present day goats serve as pack animals, companion pets and 4-H/FFA projects for youth. Their unique browsing habits control unwanted vegetation, plus the pelleted droppings are an excellent fertilizer. Goats also offer a feasible option for hobby farm enthusiasts. Current breeds are varied in size and color, with docile personalities and...