Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
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The Board of Trustees of the Village of Clearwater met for a regular meeting Mon., Jun. 8, at 7 p.m., in the fire hall meeting room. Meeting opened at 7 p.m. Notice of meeting was given in advance by publication in Summerland Advocate-Messenger, posted at US Post Office, Clearwater Market, and Cornerstone Bank and given to Board members prior to meeting. Public was informed of location of Open Meeting Act poster. Present: Kelly Kerkman, Marsha Hart, Cody Kester, Brian King, Jeff Schlecht. Others present: Angie Hupp, Michael See, Lauren Sheridan...
PROCEEDINGS VILLAGE OF CLEARWATER BOARD OF TRUSTEES May 11, 2026 The Board of Trustees of the Village of Clearwater met for a regular meeting Monday, May 11, 2026, at 7 p.m., in the fire hall meeting room. Meeting opened at 7 p.m. Notice of meeting was given in advance by publication in Summerland Advocate-Messenger, posted at US Post Office, Clearwater Market, and Cornerstone Bank and given to board members prior to meeting. Public was informed of location of Open Meeting Act poster. Present: Kelly Kerkman, Marsha Hart, Brian King, Jeff Schlec...
The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services announced last week that it is submitting a request to the U.S. Department of Agriculture to expand the state's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Healthy Choice Waiver to include candy as an ineligible purchase. Once approved, the restriction will take effect Nov. 1. "DHHS continues to strengthen our Healthy Choice Waiver by adding candy to the list of items ineligible for purchase with SNAP benefits," said Shannon Grotrian, director...
Despite this week's weather forecast of temperatures in the 30s and 40s, I've been thinking about gardening season. (I'm sure Scott will find this as a surprise, since he handles all of the gardening. I usually take care of canning and freezing detail.) In a typical summer, Scott and I make enough salsa and spaghetti sauce and freeze enough chopped tomatoes to get us through chili season, sometimes beyond. We usually freeze green beans and sweet corn, bag some freezer slaw, and candy enough jala...
Questions recently circulating on Facebook about Orchard's water quality prompted discussion at the Feb. 9 Orchard Village Board meeting, according to Village Chairman Stephanie Cleveland. "During our board meeting last night, it was brought to our attention that there have been some questions circulating on Facebook regarding the water in Orchard," Cleveland said in a statement released on social media. "After discussing the matter, the village board would like to clarify some issues."...
Regenerative agriculture is gaining real momentum in Nebraska as producers search for ways to stay profitable in a very tough economic environment. Farmers are facing a significant financial squeeze in 2025–2026, driven by high production costs, low commodity prices, and rising debt. At the same time, a growing number of ag producers and rural communities are recognizing another urgent priority: protecting the soil and water beneath our feet. Across the state, what was once considered a niche i...
STATEMENT OF NONDISCRIMINATION Northeast Nebraska Telephone Company In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public...
A U.S. Department of Agriculture program is helping producers turn raw commodities into value-added products, allowing more of the income to remain in rural communities. The Value-Added Producer Grant program, administered by USDA Rural Development, supports agricultural producers, as well as farmer and rancher cooperatives, that want to start or expand value-added activities. Producers can apply for up to $50,000 in planning grants or up to $200,000 in working capital grants. Applications are...
Late winter is a perfect time to prune the woody deciduous plants in your lawn and garden. Deciduous refers to the trees and shrubs that lose their leaves every winter, such as maples, hydrangeas, and oaks. Herbaceous plants have stems that will die back to the ground every winter. These can be cut back once the weather starts to warm. Winter pruning is ideal because of the lack of leaves, dormancy of the plant, and reduced risk of transmitting diseases between plants. Without leaves, the...
Potential increases to Clearwater's water and sewer rates dominated conversation during Monday's board of trustees meeting at the fire hall meeting room. A rate study conducted by the Nebraska Rural Water Association suggests increasing the base charge per month from $5 to $12, and adjust usage rates from $2 to $2.75 for up to 1,000 gallons of water, and $1.50 to $1.75 from 1,000 to 5,000 gallons. "It's still cheaper than everyone else," trustee Jeff Schlecht said. "If you're going from $5 to...
SILICON PRAIRIE NEWS Stone Pillar International is a software and intelligence company that uses drone-acquired data for actionable decision making. The company's official launch comes as Nebraskans face the threat of invasive eastern redcedar and the opportunities of new drone rules and advancements. Nebraska is on the front lines of both tech innovation and woody encroachment. As pilots and entrepreneurs look to the skies with new uses of drone technology, researchers and ranchers are looking...
Dr. L. Dale Van Vleck died Dec. 23, 2025, after a brief illness. Dale was born on June 11, 1933. He grew up near Clearwater on his family farm. Dale earned his bachelor’s (1954) and master’s (1955) degrees from the University of Nebraska prior to serving in the U.S. Army Chemical Corps. He then continued his education at Cornell University, where he earned his Ph.D. in 1960, working with Dr. Charles Henderson. Continuing his career at Cornell, he served as a research geneticist prior to a tenure-track position in which he was promoted thr...
PUBLIC NOTICE VILLAGE OF ORCHARD NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Village of Orchard intends to file an application to USDA Rural Development for grant assistance in the amount of $30,000 for a preliminary engineering report for the village water system. A meeting will be held on Jan. 12, at 7 p.m., at the Village of Orchard office, located in the Orchard Community Center, regarding the proposed project and to provide the opportunity for public comment. Published December 24, 2025 and December 31, 2025 ZNEZ...
A U.S. Department of Agriculture program is helping rural communities with resources for feasibility studies, preliminary design, and technical assistance on proposed water and waste disposal projects. USDA Rural Development’s Special Evaluation Assistance for Rural Communities and Households (SEARCH) program was designed for communities in rural areas of 2,500 or less with limited financial resources. By covering predevelopment costs, the program ensures that communities aren’t left behind simply because they can’t afford the first steps...
PROCEEDINGS VILLAGE OF CLEARWATER BOARD OF TRUSTEES The Board of Trustees of the Village of Clearwater met for a regular meeting Mon., Dec. 8, at 7 p.m., in the fire hall meeting room. Meeting opened at 7 p.m. Notice of meeting was given in advance by publication in Summerland Advocate-Messenger, was posted at US Post Office in Clearwater, Clearwater Market, and Cornerstone Bank-Clearwater and was given to board members prior to meeting. Public was informed of location of Open Meeting Act poster. Present: Kelly Kerkman, Marsha Hart, Cody...
PROCEEDINGS VILLAGE OF EWING BOARD OF TRUSTEES NOVEMBER 10, 2025 The Ewing Village Board of Trustees convened in regular session Nov. 10, 2025. Notice of the meeting was published Oct. 29, 2025, in the Summerland Advocate. An agenda was kept current and on file at the village clerk’s office. Chairman Kane Fry 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 Kane Fry, Dustin Jorgensen, Jeremy Tuttle, Katie Cunningham, and Kent Stallbaum. Also present were J...
PROCEEDINGS VILLAGE OF CLEARWATER BOARD OF TRUSTEES October 13, 2025 The Board of Trustees of the Village of Clearwater met for a regular meeting Mon., Oct. 13, at 7 p.m., in the fire hall meeting room. Meeting opened at 7 p.m. Notice of meeting was given in advance by publication in Summerland Advocate-Messenger, was posted at US Post Office in Clearwater, Clearwater Market, and Cornerstone Bank-Clearwater and was given to board members prior to meeting. Public was informed of location of Open Meeting Act poster. Present: Kelly Kerkman,...
Clearwater village trustees approved a number of bids for updates and services on village-owned properties during Monday's meeting at the fire hall meeting room. Two bids were submitted for a roofing project on the library, office and ambulance bay to replace a 48 foot by 47 foot flat roof with a mono-slope trussed roof. Ruterbories Construction submitted a cost of $28,966 to complete the project. Stearns Construction bid $29,600. Per the village's request for proposals, the project shall be...
This past week marked the transition from summer to fall, and as such, harvest season is almost here. Please be careful on the roads since more tractors, combines, and semi-trucks will be on the roads in the coming weeks. Activity at the Capitol is also picking up. Many committees hold public hearings related to study resolutions in the fall. The Agriculture Committee, of which I am the chairman, will be holding two interim public hearings this year. The first hearing will be on Tuesday, Oct. 7...
Thanks to the Trees for Nebraska Towns Initiative, an effort of the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum and the Nebraska Forest Service, Summerland Public School will be receiving 10 trees for the Summerland School project. "The obvious benefits of community trees are shade and beauty, but they give us so much more, including increased comfort, better health, energy savings and a wide range of other social, economic, and environmental benefits. Despite this, most Nebraska community forests have lost...
PROCEEDINGS VILLAGE OF PAGE, NEBRASKA SEPTEMBER 8, 2025 The regular monthly meeting of the Village Board of Page was held Monday, August 11, 2025, at the Village office. Notice was published in the Summerland Advocate and was also posted at three public places within the Village of Page. This meeting was conducted in compliance with the Nebraska Open Meetings Act and Open Meeting Laws posted at the village office. Linquist opened the meeting at 7:20 pm. Trustees Cunningham & Leichleiter present. Also present: Dennis VanEvery and Cora Calkins....
PROCEEDINGS VILLAGE OF PAGE, NEBRASKA The regular monthly meeting of the Village Board of Page was held Monday, Aug. 11, 2025, at the village office. Notice was published in the Summerland Advocate and was also posted at three public places within the Village of Page. This meeting was conducted in compliance with the Nebraska Open Meetings Act and Open Meeting Laws posted at the Village Office. Chair Linquist opened the meeting at 6:25 p.m. Trustees Cunningham, Tyrrell, Leichleiter present. Also present: Don Linquist Jr. and Cora Calkins....
During an Aug. 11 village trustees meeting, Clearwater maintenance man Troy Behnke said Rutjens Construction recently jetted the concrete box culvert located at Main and First streets. "It's coming apart. As he was sticking his jetter through there, his hired hand was watching on the other end and chunks of concrete were starting to come off," Behnke told trustees. "It's going to be something we look at in the future. I don't know how dire it is that it gets replaced." Chairman Kelly Kerkman...
PROCEEDINGS VILLAGE OF CLEARWATER BOARD OF TRUSTEES Aug. 11, 2025 The Board of Trustees of the Village of Clearwater met for a regular meeting Mon., Aug. 11, in the fire hall meeting room. Meeting opened at 7 p.m. after budget workshop. Notice of meeting was given in advance by publication in Summerland Advocate-Messenger, was posted at US Post Office in Clearwater, Clearwater Market and Cornerstone Bank-Clearwater and was given to Board members prior to meeting. Public was informed of location of Open Meeting Act poster. Present: Kelly...
REGULAR PROCEEDINGS VILLAGE OF CLEARWATER BOARD OF TRUSTEES July 14, 2025 The Board of Trustees of the Village of Clearwater met for a regular meeting Mon., July 14, at 7 p.m., in the fire hall meeting room. Meeting opened at 7 p.m. Notice of meeting was given in advance by publication in Summerland Advocate-Messenger, was posted at US Post Office in Clearwater, Clearwater Market and Cornerstone Bank-Clearwater and was given to Board members prior to meeting. Public was informed of location of Open Meeting Act poster. Present: Kelly Kerkman,...
