Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
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An accident on 508 Avenue, approximately two and one-half miles south of Ewing, on Friday, Jan. 2, has resulted in two fatalities. According to the Holt County Sheriff's Office, Boyd-Holt E911 Dispatch received a call at approximately 9:18 p.m., about an injury accident. Holt County Sheriff's Office personnel responded and determined that an individual driving a 2020 RAM pickup, northbound on 508 Avenue, lost control on the icy curve, left the roadway, and rolled onto its top into a pond. The...
I remember the night by the way the air tasted, sharp with frost, heavy with waiting. My hooves ached from pulling, my breath rose in pale ghosts, and the town called Bethlehem pressed tight with people and noise. Every doorway was full. Every stable already held something warmer than hope. I was tied near the edge of the road, waiting for my owner's return, when I saw them pause. The man walked with the careful steps of someone trying not to show fear. The woman leaned into him, one hand at...
Things are heating up at Old School Thrift Store in Orchard. Village trustees approved adding heat to the area leased by the thrift store during the board's Dec. 8 meeting at the Orchard Community Center. A furnace was installed in early December. Trustees also approved a new policy regarding utility payment return fees. Following discussion, Tyson Schutt made a motion to give customers a courtesy call and seven days to take care of the return. If not paid within seven days, a $35 fee will be...
Aiden McAllister scored 10 points and Ryan Rifer pitched in another 10 in Summerland's 62-49 loss to O'Neill. The teams met Dec. 18 on the Bobcat's home court. Summerland jumped out to a 15-8 lead at the end of the first quarter and extended the margin to 30-21 at the break. But the second half belonged to the Eagles. They pumped in 24 points in the third quarter, while holding the home team to eight points. Statistics v O'Neill Mason Schwager: 8p, 2r, 5a, 4to McAllister: 10p, 4r, 1a, 4s, 2to...
After writing news articles for the past dozen years, it felt good to flex my creative writing skills and create the story on the front page of this week’s edition. When I taught, I spent considerable time fine-tuning my creative writing craft alongside my students. My preferred genre: poetry, although I did begin a young adult novel during that time. Some may think writing is writing. While the process remains the same, creative writing taps a different part of the brain, pulls from d...
A new runner-up plaque will grace the SPS trophy case. Summerland's girls' wrestling team finished second, Friday, at the EPPJ Invite, scoring 133 points. Wayne claimed the top spot in the 23-team tournament. Seven Bobcats earned medals, including Abbey Chipps, 120; Ava Cleveland, 115; Claire Kester, 135; Kyah Bruhn, 190; Abby Arroyo, 140; and Lilly Kester, 130. Chipps struck gold by working her way through the championship bracket with a wins by fall, in :28, over Tae Settje, Laurel-Concord-Col...
Austin Mendoza and Ethan Kester led Bobcat wrestlers, Saturday, at the EPPJ Invite. Mendoza took top honors in the 138 class, while Kester dominated the 150 division. Other medalists included Stacy Snodgrass, 126; Trenton Mendoza, 113; and Isaac Mendoza, 144. Overall, the Bobcats scored 78.5 points and placed fourth in the field of 15 teams. Plainview won the meet, followed by Pender and Twin River. Mendoza won a quarterfinal match over Bobby Chism, Wauneta-Palisade, by tech fall in 1:26. In...
Santa Claus visited two Summerland-area communities over the weekend, spending time listening to wish lists, taking Christmas card-worthy photos, and sharing the joy of the season. On Sunday, Santa stopped by the Orchard Community Center. Later that evening, he took part in the Ewing Light Parade and stopped by the Ewing United Methodist-Presbyterian Church to meet area youngsters....
Heartbroken. Almost 24 hours have passed since Husker volleyball’s season ended a week earlier than hoped for. I still feel the sting today, especially for the players and coaches who dedicate their time and talents to our state’s cherished treasure. On any given day, an undefeated team may lose. The loss hurts -- it requires peeking into windows dotted with unanswered questions -- but it does not diminish the spark and grit we fans have witnessed throughout the season. I’ve listened to comme...
Despite two players hitting double figures in Friday night's home contest, the Lady Bobcats found themselves on the losing end, as Niobrara/Verdigre took home a 55-52 win. Senior Jenna Funk scored 18 points and Kanyon Allemang added 16 in the loss. Funk ended with a double-double, as she collected 13 rebounds in the contest. Belle Anson dished out five assists. Statistics v N/V: Isabella Kester: 2p, 4r, 1a, 1s, 6to Anson: 8p, 5r, 5a, 3s, 1to Jayde Bazelman: 1r, 1s, 1to Allemang: 16p, 6r, 2a,...
Summerland boys basketball coach Brett Kaczor thought his team got off to a "fantastic start" against Niobrara/Verdigre last Friday. And then? "You could almost see us relax and let them back into it. We got away from our tempo and defense, which led to us being down late," Kaczor said. The Bobcats narrowly escaped with a 51-49 win. "Credit to our guys though, they kept fighting and never showed any real panic. They made some really nice plays down the stretch and locked in on the defensive...
Summerland School's music department presented two holiday concerts, Monday, Dec. 15. Kindergarten though sixth-grade students performed, "Lights! Camera! Christmas!" The musical featured caricatures of famous movie directors, who then "directed" various genres Christmas. Ms. Sarah Kesting directed the performance. Prior to the musical, fifth- and sixth-grade bands performed a variety of holiday tunes. The junior high and senior high choirs and bands presented a concert featuring holiday tunes,...
Several Clearwater zoning proposals cleared their first hurdle Dec. 2, as the local zoning commission held a public hearing at the Clearwater Public Library. The first request involved Parcel #000660500, 800 Montana St., shifting the property from R-1 single-family residential to A-1 agriculture. The change would allow consideration of a conditional use permit for a 194-foot U.S. Cellular tower. Resident Brian King sought clarification, noting he and his aunt, Joy Knapp, own adjacent property....
I think my days of being super woman may be drawing near. After having knee replacement surgery on Dec. 4, and returning home on Dec. 6, I had a couple days to put this week's edition together. I'm not going to lie: it was a struggle. And here I thought I was invincible, could tackle any obstacle thrown in my path. I probably still can ... just at a slower pace. Working from a recliner is not like working at a desk. And, trying to stay awake between scheduled medicine intervals was tricky, but I...
Emma King knew she wanted to step into a larger leadership role in Summerland's Future Business Leaders of America chapter. As a freshman, she volunteered at the organization's annual blood drive. Now, as a senior, she's a blood program leader - helping recruit donors in Clearwater and working a summer drive in Orchard. For King, the effort is more than giving time; it's learning to lead. "Having the FBLA run the fall blood drive gives members the opportunity to build valuable leadership skills...
The Summerland Board of Education will consider several action items when they meet in regular session, Wednesday, Dec. 10, at 7 p.m. at Summerland Public School. The board will discuss and possibly take action on an engineering contract, tied to a Buildings and Grounds Committee report. A negotiated agreement for certificated staff, for the 2026-2027 school year, as well as the superintendent's contract will also be discussed. A Celebration of Excellence segment will highlight staff and...
A Tilden-based company requested extra funds to complete a sewer extension on the southwestern edge of Clearwater during the village's Nov. 10 board of trustees meeting. Officials from Rutjens Construction submitted a change order for the project at 515 1/2 Road. "The water table did not go down like they expected it to this summer. They think they'll have to do a couple temporary wells to draw the water away from project," said Angie Hupp, village clerk. If the change order wasn't approved,...
Oh, the weather outside is … too damn cold. I don’t know how you cold-weather fans do it. Sixty degrees year-round? Fine by me. Sunny and seventy-five? Perfection. Ninety with clear, cerulean skies? I’d thrive. But this? As I get older — and as arthritis settles into places it has no business being — this is for the birds. You know it’s cold when I bail on a Husker football game early. In the past 20 years, I’ve left exactly one before the final seconds ticked away — a USC game during the Bill...
Holt County officials received good news regarding health insurance costs for county employees. During the Nov. 17 meeting, County Clerk Cathy Pavel said she received "a bit of a joy" regarding renewal costs. "The renewal will be 18.9%, not the 28% that had been anticipated," she said. During discussion, board chairman Bill Tielke asked if the increase includes a change in deductible. According to Pavel, a change to the deductible will have to wait until next year since officials accepted the...
The 2025-2026 Bobcat winter sports season will begin play next week, with basketball scrimmages planned for Monday at home. Tipoff for girls will begin at 6, with boys to follow at 7:30 p.m. On Thursday, the girls and boys wrestling teams will travel to Wisner-Pilger for a triangular. Girls and boys basketball teams will begin regular season play, Dec. 4, at Neligh-Oakdale....
A group of enthusiastic student pacesetters shared their vision of leadership with the Summerland Public School Board of Education on Nov. 12. Elementary student council members Makenna Bergman, Shayla Horstmann, Jamie Miller, and LeAnna Mast provided an overview of the organization, what the group has accomplished, and goals for the future. According to Bergman, 12 elementary students, in grades five and six, comprise the student council. "Our mission is to make our school a better place by...
This December, Clearwater will step back in time to create a family-friendly holiday event. The Old-fashioned Christmas, sponsored by the Clearwater Chamber of Commercee, will be held Sunday, Dec. 7, at the Clearwater American Legion. Soups, sandwiches and desserts will be served between 5 and 7:30 p.m. Freewill donations to the Antelope County Food Pantry, or canned items, will be acceepted. Sleigh rides will be available on Main Street through the event. Santa Claus will make an appearance,...
Summerland's football team will face a lineup of new challengers during the 2026 and 2027 seasons as the squad makes the move to an 11-man format. Declarations must be submitted to the Nebraska School Activities Association by Nov. 30. Classifications and district assignments for the 2026 and 2027 seasons will be released in December, according to NSAA officials. Schedules for both seasons will be set by NSAA officials after the first of the year, with schedules expected to be released on Feb....
Concerns over stray cats - and enforcement of village ordinances addressing the feral population - dominated discussion at the Nov. 10 Page board of trustees meeting. The board reviewed current ordinances and agreed to consult village attorney Ashley Boettcher about potential wording changes. Under the ordinance, a resident who feeds cats for ten or more days is considered the owner. "The question is, what time do we want to spend or do we want to eliminate that?" village clerk Cora Calkins...
State officials requested a sign in Ewing, located along Highway 275, either be moved or repainted due to its "shabby condition." The black and orange steel sign, notating accomplishments of Ewing Tigers activities teams, will need to move to a new home. The sign was donated in 2009 by the Ewing Young Members Club. Hubel Iron, Inc., designed the tribute board. "It can't be read from the road," village clerk Jen Ramold told trustees at the Nov. 10 meeting at city hall. "Are we on a timeline?"...
