Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
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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...
Economic development is often measured by new businesses, housing projects, and grant awards, but the work extends far beyond any single project. Since 2018, coordinated economic development efforts in Neligh and Clearwater have focused on strengthening local businesses, expanding housing opportunities, securing grant funding, preserving historic assets, and building partnerships that support long-term community growth. Over the past eight years, local economic development initiatives have...
ASHTON CLEVELAND Old School Thrift Store Scholarship KARLEY DAWKINS The Susan T Buffet Foundation Scholarship WSC Dean's Commitment Scholarship Red Cross Scholarship Summerland Booster Club Scholarship The Sunset Store Scholarship JENNA FUNK WSC President's Commitment Scholarship WSC Growing Together Scholarship WSC Leadership Award Scholarship Mitchell Equipment Scholarship Farmers Pride Scholarship NECC Parenting & Child Development Scholastic Contest PEO Chapter CQ Scholarship Central Valley...
Northeast Nebraska Telephone Company and The Foundation for Rural Service announce a $2,500 national scholarship has been awarded to Ethan Kester of Clearwater. The FRS Scholarship Program awards one-time scholarships to students from rural communities for their first year of college, university, or vocational-technical school. Each student is sponsored by an NTCA member company, like NNTC. "Providing opportunities for young people in rural communities is a core mission for FRS. We are proud to...
A new Flatwater analysis shows the state has fallen behind its neighbors. Business leaders are diagnosing why - and hoping new efforts will reverse the troubling trend. Not long ago, Nebraska's growth was quite literally a national cover story. Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts soared through the air wearing skis and goggles on the Olympic-themed March 2018 cover of Site Selection, an economic development industry magazine. The cartoon image illustrated Nebraska's high-flying, three-year run as...
Hundreds of FFA members and advisors from all over Nebraska gathered in Lincoln last week for the 2026 Nebraska State FFA Convention. During the event, the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation recognized two advisors whose work stands out in their schools and communities with its annual FFA Advisor of the Year award. This year's honors went to Jacob Goldfuss of Summerland Public Schools and Jessica Evans of Osmond Community Schools. They were recognized during Thursday's ceremony, each receiving a...
The Lawrence Goscha Scholarship Fund, an affiliated fund of the Nebraska Community Foundation, has established scholarship opportunities for area high schools and their graduates. These schools include Summerland, Elgin Public, Neligh-Oakdale, Pope John XXIII Central Catholic, and Wheeler Central. Scholarships in the amount of $5,000 will be awarded to successful applicants. Graduating seniors and those graduates in his/her second or subsequent year of post-secondary education are encouraged to...
LuAnn Schindler, publisher at the Summerland Advocate-Messenger, recently donated $100 to the Nebraska FBLA Foundation Trust. Schindler and her husband Scott also have a popular podcast featuring news from the Summerland Advocate-Messenger. Future Business Leaders of America is a national association for students in middle school and high school who are interested in business or business education careers. In Nebraska, more than 5,900 students in more than 150 high schools participate in the...
A number of scholarships are available to high school seniors with Northeast Nebraska Telephone Company services at home thanks to the Foundation for Rural Service. The FRS is the non-profit arm of the National Rural Broadband Association. The NTCA is a national membership association with the goal of improving communication services, like broadband, in rural America by advocating for rural providers in Washington, D.C. Northeast Nebraska Telephone Company is a proud supporting member of both organizations. NNTC supports the FRS mission by...
Every day, Laura Gamble sees the importance of Pender Community Hospital in the lives of her neighbors. The woman who drove an hour to deliver her first baby. The man in a mental health crisis. They rely on her northeast Nebraska hospital. "It's like an oasis on the hill," said Gamble, who grew up in the area and practiced as a nurse before becoming the hospital's CEO. The hospital is one of the largest employers in the 1,115-person town of Pender, Gamble said. It delivers more than 120 babies...
The Neligh Economic Development Office and Huntrex announce the launch of NebraskaChildcare.org, a new statewide website designed to make it easier for Nebraska families to find quality child care and for providers to connect with essential resources and the families who need their services. This initiative was made possible through a collaborative partnership between Huntrex, the Neligh Economic Development Office, the Nebraska Community Foundation, and the Neligh Area Community Fund. Together, these organizations have combined resources and...
The Nebraska chapter of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers presented its inaugural Public Lands Hero Award to Adam Kester, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission access program manager, Aug. 13 in North Platte. The Hero Award, which will be presented annually, recognizes those who make outstanding efforts to improve public access for hunters and anglers in Nebraska. Kester has been with Game and Parks since 2011 and served many roles in its Wildlife Division. Loren Smith of North Platte, Backcountry...
Nebraska is slipping into a "two steps forward, one step back" trend when it comes to supporting women in science, technology, engineering and math fields. In 2023, women held a little over a quarter of STEM jobs in the state. That's a slight increase since 2015 and puts Nebraska marginally ahead of neighbors like Iowa, South Dakota, Colorado and Kansas. But the improvement came with bad news: In 2015, Nebraska women in STEM earned around 86 cents to every dollar made by a man. In 2023, that dro...
Author's note: This article couldn't have been written without the players who brought the game of baseball to life. I'm especially grateful to Eric Snyder, Wayne and Julia Schacht, Shirley Erb, Jim and Kristi Schutt, Jeff Shabram, Jamie Curtis, and members of American Legion Post 136. Your memories, stories, and support meant the world-thank you for helping keep this history alive. Baseball has long been known as America's pastime, and in Orchard, it was no different. Warm Sunday afternoons...
Over the past 25 years, Dollar General stores have become a fixture of the retail landscape in rural Nebraska. Now, there are 142 chain "dollar" stores - 115 of them Dollar Generals - in Nebraska towns with a population smaller than 10,000. OAKLAND - If you drive down U.S. Highway 77, you won't see the grocery store that has managed to keep afloat in this town for more than 100 years. It's five blocks off the highway, on Oakland's main drag. What you will see is a bright yellow sign, beckoning...
The Genoa U.S. Indian School Foundation invites the public to the 35th Annual Recognition and Remembrance Day, a day of reflection, education, and cultural celebration, on Saturday, Aug. 9, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the St. Rose of Lima Community Center in Genoa. This annual event honors the students who attended the Genoa U.S. Indian Industrial School and recognizes the enduring strength and resilience of Native communities. The day will feature a rich program of speakers, cultural presentations, and community sharing. Among the events will...
On June 18, Gov. Jim Pillen appointed Jason S. Doele, of Norfolk, as district court judge in the Fifth Judicial District, which consists of Boone, Butler, Colfax, Hamilton, Merrick, Nance, Platte, Polk, Saunders, Seward, and York counties. Doele has been a partner in the law firm of Stratton, DeLay, Doele, Carlson, Stover & Stratton in Norfolk since February 2010. Before that, he was with the firm of Jewell, Collins, DeLay, Gray and Flood, also in Norfolk. Doele is licensed to practice in both...
PROCEEDINGS ANTELOPE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Neligh, Nebraska June 10, 2025 Chairman opened the meeting. Notice of meeting published as required by statute. Approved agenda. Approved payroll. Approved vendor claims. General: AKRS ex 2,550.00; AMAZON CAPITAL SVCS ex 143.60; AMERITAS ins 21,213.51; APPEARA ex 34.22; APPLIED CONN TECH ex 7,346.22; BLACK HILLS ENERGY ut 351.00; BLACKBURN MFG ex 47.20; BCBS ins 71,266.40; BOYD'S ELECTRICAL SVC ex 657.05; CASEYS ex 100.64; CITY OF NELIGH ut 2,190.23; CITY OF NELIGH-RECY ut 1,000.00; CLEARFLY...
If the walls could talk at 250 East Second Street in Orchard, Nebraska, they'd have more than 100 years worth of stories to share. Built in 1910, the building has housed a cafe, a liquor store, a Gambles retail store, and many things in between. Most of its life, it's been a general/hardware store of some kind. With some help from friends, the previous owners, and the Center for Rural Affairs, Heather Blackmore opened Corner Hardware and More Orchard Fudge & Candy Shop in October 2022. Getting...
At the Antelope County Fair, the chickens and rabbits started multiplying faster than, well, chickens and rabbits - and the barns just couldn't keep up. With pens spilling into the gaps between aging buildings and critters eyeing each other across overcrowded aisles, 4-H leaders decided it was time to hatch a new plan. "Chicken and rabbits were expanding," said longtime poultry superintendent Rhonda Meyer, "so Tessa and I said, 'We need to do something.'" That "something" turned into a...
The next generation of business leaders took center stage at the North Central Nebraska Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge, where students from across the region pitched their innovative business ideas to a panel of judges. The competition, held to inspire and support young entrepreneurs, showcased creative and ambitious ventures from high school students eager to make their mark in the business world. Kidz Klubhouse from West Holt High School claimed first place, impressing the judges with their...
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...
Gov. Jim Pillen testified before the Nebraska Legislature's Education Committee, Monday, in favor of LB303, which aims to provide Nebraskans with additional property tax relief by altering the Tax Equity and Educational Opportunities Support Act. Sen. Jana Hughes introduced LB303 at the governor's request. TEEOSA has been Nebraska's school funding formula since 1990. Its primary function is to provide state equalization aid to those schools where the needs exceed budget resources. During his...
If you’ve lived in Nebraska for any amount of time, you know that Nebraskans give back. The rest of the country is still discovering our penchant for generosity. Though our state may not have the largest population or the most nonprofits, Nebraska consistently ranks among the top five states for charitable dollars received per capita, according to new research released by Candid, GivingTuesday and Network for Good. These findings intrigued researchers, prompting them to investigate N...
EducationQuest Foundation has awarded 53 Nebraska schools and community agencies $31,500 in Do The FAFSA Nebraska Completion Grants. Summerland Public School is a grant recipient. The grant’s intent is to support schools and community agencies as they host events to assist high school seniors and their families in completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Funds can be used to cover promotional and food expenses. Vice president of grants and scholarships, Eric Drumheller, said, “This grant program is designed to promote FAFSA com...
