Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
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The Summerland school board unanimously approved a series of engineering changes July 1 that will reduce the cost of the district's wastewater lagoon replacement project by about $74,458 without compromising the system's long-term performance. Board members approved the project during a July 1 special meeting. Savings come primarily from redesigning the lift station, delaying construction of a second lagoon cell until it's needed, and simplifying pump controls after the engineer determined the...
After exiting an executive session, Ewing trustees voted Monday to purchase the former Ewing School playground, known as Tigerland, for $15,000. The purchase includes the area marked by white flags, with the village also covering surveying and legal costs. Tigerland has served local children since 2008, when it was installed at Ewing Public Schools. Created through fundraising efforts and grant writing spearheaded by Becky Kaczor, the orange-and-black playground features slides, climbing equipme...
Ewing Trustees finalized new playground equipment plans at Schmidt Park, located along Highway 275. After narrowing choices to two options last month, and asking for public input online, trustees approved the purchase of option two from Cunningham Recreation. The purchase price is $135,944.97, which includes installation fees. Trustee Kane Fry said the village is guaranteed one grant for the new equipment, which will cut between 40 to 50% from the final cost. Village Clerk Jennifer Ramold...
The Ashfall Fossil Beds State Historical Park near Royal will celebrate its 35th anniversary this year. It was 1991 when Ashfall Fossil Beds opened to public visitation for the first time, allowing people to watch paleontologists excavating Nebraska's precious fossil resources one scrape of the knife and one swish of the brush at a time. Since that first day, tens of thousands of visitors have watched as 70 complete or nearly complete skeletons have been uncovered (with the potential for many...
It's a busy month, personally and professionally. I have a "milestone" birthday, although it's just another trip around the sun. Daughter Lacey and her husband, Ross, will soon welcome a new family member. We'll make the trek to their home for a diaper shower. I have so many gift ideas, but Scott keeps telling me I need to spread them out over the first year instead of dropping a mammoth package on the doorstep. We'll see about that. SAM will begin its eighth year in business mid-month. (Oh gosh...
Get a jump start on this weekend's plans by celebrating the nation's 250th birthday in Ewing. Members of the Ewing Young Members Club have planned a July 3 community get-together that will feature fun for all ages. All events will be held at Schmidt Park, along US Highway 275 in Ewing. Registration for a cornhole tournament will begin at 5 p.m. Kids won't want to miss time jumping on inflatables. They will be in operation from 6 to 9 p.m. Kiddie train rides will also be available. EYMC members...
Dori Hollenbeck proved why she's the queen of barrel racing after completing a 15.92 run during Saturday's performance at Clearwater's Big Rodeo. The Winner, South Dakota, resident took home $1,365.73 for her efforts. Hollenbeck and fellow performers in all events pocketed more than $30,000 in prize money from the three-day event sponsored by the Clearwater Chamber of Commerce. Kyle Nall-Sillivan of St. Paul finished second in barrels, running 16.14. She received $1,130.26. Dianne Axman of Loup...
When Natalie Dolezal and her husband moved near Orchard last year, she admired the small salon on Main Street every time they drove by. Owning a salon in a close-knit community had long been one of her dreams, so she decided to take a chance. "I reached out to the previous owner and asked if she'd ever be willing to sell," Dolezal said. "She was, and I took the opportunity." That opportunity became Hello Beautiful Salon, located at 135 E. Second St, where Dolezal officially opened her doors...
A year ago, I wrote about why the July 4 holiday is one of my favorite times of the year. A week later, a reader told me I obviously didn't believe in freedom and America and democracy because of an immigration column printed on the same editorial page as my Fourth favorites. Opinions on the editorial page vary, as they should, representing individuals from all walks of life. The person questioning my choices didn't bother to ask if I agreed with the column. Instead, I was labeled a liberal...
After more than 100 days on the road, Camilo Ruiz has learned that America's highways tell only part of the story. The rest is written by the strangers who stop to offer a bottle of water, a meal, words of encouragement or simply a friendly conversation. "I think people over here are a lot nicer," Ruiz said while making his way through northeast Nebraska on Friday, June 26. "I've never really had people be mean anywhere, but places like Missouri rolled out the red carpet." Ruiz, 29, left...
Drivers did a double take. Some slowed down. Others smiled, pointed or reached for their phones. Parked beside a gas pump in Clearwater on June 19 sat what appeared to be a giant green pear on wheels. It wasn't a parade float or an art display. It was Andrew Glubbey's ride to Seattle. The Florida resident has traded the comforts of a car for a one-of-a-kind scooter wrapped inside a pear-shaped shell he built himself, traveling roughly 250 miles a day on a journey that has already carried him...
Despite hearing research supporting early childhood education programs and discussing ways to identify learning and behavioral needs earlier, Summerland Board of Education members voted 6-0 on June 17 not to accept a $50,000 Nebraska Department of Education grant that would have expanded preschool services to three-year-olds. The board spent significant time discussing the proposal before board member Jeremy Wagner made a motion to accept the grant. The motion ultimately failed on a 6-0 vote,...
When Tyler Braden takes the stage on Main Street during Clearwater's Big Rodeo on Saturday night, concertgoers can expect more than just a string of country hits. They can expect the same energy, emotion and connection that have helped propel the former firefighter from playing local shows to becoming one of country music's rising stars. Braden will headline the annual Clearwater's Big Rodeo concert on June 27, bringing a performance he describes as high-energy, personal and designed to take...
You've heard of "A Tale of Two Cities" by Charles Dickens, but have you heard of A Tale of Three Clearwaters? The communities of Clearwater, Minnesota; Clearwater, Kansas; and Clearwater, Nebraska, all share a name - as well as a love for rodeo. The Silver Bullet Saddle Club hosts an annual rodeo located between Clearwater, Minnesota, St. Cloud, and the Twin Cities. In an interview, Kari Wrobel, secretary of the club, said, "We were established in 1979 as a saddle club and started putting on...
Following a public hearing June 8, the Orchard Village Board upheld a determination that multiple structures on property owned by Earleen Jensen are dangerous buildings and must be demolished and removed. During the hearing, Earleen Jensen and Justin Jensen outlined efforts they have made to repair and secure the buildings. Justin Jensen told the board work has been completed on a weigh room portion and cleanup efforts have taken and will continue to take place between structures on the...
Garbage prices for Village of Clearwater residents will see a 75-cent increase, retroactive to June 1. During the June 13 monthly meeting, trustees learned Bud’s Sanitary Service notified Village Clerk Angie Hupp about a “temporary 75-cent per gallon fuel surcharge.” “We don’t have an amount when it will go away. She said until diesel is at least under $4 a gallon,” Hupp said. A week later, Bud’s management personnel asked if the village had renewed its contract with the company. It expired in...
Finally got around to eating the fortune cookie from my Saturday trip to Hastings. This little gem was inside: You are admired as a leader in your community. Aww, thanks, Panda Express. In reality, I’m just a small-town girl at heart, who grew up watching her parents volunteer for everything. Pitching in, helping out was, and is, expected. It’s part of who I am, like the other volunteers and leaders in our communities. Drive through any small town on a Saturday morning and pay attention. Som...
When Brett Kaczor walked into the Ewing football program as a freshman, longtime Ewing coach Ed Johnson didn't need much time to recognize what he had. "We (Coach Brock Eichelberger and I) made a decision to bring him right up right away," Johnson recalled. "We thought he was ready, and we used him right away and didn't waste any time at all. He proved us right, I guess." Nearly two decades later, that decision looks even more obvious. On June 20, Kaczor was inducted into the Nebraska Eight-Man...
After earning the Nebraska State Leadership and Skills Championship, first-year competitor Max Shrader and second-year competitors Dawson McLain and Corbin Schueth traveled to Atlanta, Georgia, to test their knowledge in engineering and problem-solving against teams from across the country. The Summerland Chapter team arrived in Atlanta on June 1 and competed June 2 to 5. For the national competition, the team had to build a machine that could go through obstacles, while also completing other...
Clearwater Chamber of Commerce's rodeo committee is busy putting the final touches on the group's 59th annual rodeo, which begins June 26 and continues through June 28 at Gene Snodgrass Arena located along West US Highway 275 in Clearwater. Chamber President Curt Thiele said planning for the 2026 event began last summer, and chamber members continue to make improvements to the three-day show. "We're a fan-friendly and family-friendly rodeo," Thiele said. A fun addition to this year's rodeo is...
The Advocate-Messenger welcomed a new reporter to its team this week. Tayler Huntley joined the staff as a general assignment reporter. Huntley received a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism and multi-media studies from Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado. Huntley served as an intern for the Delta County Independent. During college, she reported for the Fort Lewis College magazine, The Independent. In Fall 2024, Huntley served as editor of the college's literary magazine, Images. In 2026,...
The Advocate-Messenger has four summer interns who fill a variety of positions at the news office....
I've often said that rural people measure time differently. We don't always go by clocks. We go by seasons, weather, and whatever is happening outside the kitchen window. Summer, especially, has its own calendar. The day starts when the sun peeks over the trees and ends when the last streak of pink disappears from the western sky. Lunch isn't necessarily at noon. It's whenever you finish what you're doing. And evening plans are always subject to change depending on whether a thunderstorm is...
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....
PROCEEDINGS VILLAGE OF EWING BOARD OF TRUSTEES June 8, 2026 The Ewing Village Board of Trustees convened in regular session on June 8, 2026, at 7 p.m. Notice of the meeting was published May 27, 2026, in the Summerland Advocate. An agenda was kept current and on file at the village clerk’s office. Chairman, Jeremy Tuttle, called the meeting to order at 7 p.m. Notice was given to the posted location of the open meetings law. Board members present were Dustin Jorgensen, Jeremy Tuttle, Kane Fry, Katie Cunningham and Kent Stallbaum. Also present w...
