Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
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This past week marked the final full week of the 109th Legislature’s first session. Since the beginning of April, senators have been spending four days a week in session and also having debate go into the evening three days a week. Late-night debate can take its toll on senators who spend many hours trying to pass legislation or stop bills from reaching the governor’s desk. One such example occurred during Select File debate on LB306, a bill which would create the School Financing Review Commiss...
The start of summer brings a sense of excitement for many teens. Take a moment to reflect back to your teen years. As we reminisce, we can likely all say that our adolescent years were a unique and informative time of our life. Mental wellbeing habits are often formed during this time as teens strengthen their social and emotional skills, laying a foundation of habits for the rest of their life. Consider what habits you perhaps formed during this time and what supports you had or needed when...
What are you most proud of in your community? Civic pride consultant Jeff Siegler, known as the Revitalize or Die guru, recently posed the question on social media. Several responses could correspond with any of our villages - a mighty cadre of volunteers, appealing landscape in public places, entrepreneurs and mom and pop businesses, a strong school system, welcoming churches and locally-owned media that promotes and creates a sense of community. Sounds like home, right? Another comment resonated with me, prompting consideration about an...
"I am concerned your symptoms are due to Parkinson's disease," is something I have said to numerous patients over the years. This is a degenerative neurologic disease which is common enough that most patients have heard of it or even know someone living with it. Most commonly, the patient or their family might have noticed classic symptoms: a tremor, difficulty with movement like walking, or balance problems. Importantly, not all tremor is Parkinson's, though that is typically the biggest...
PROCEEDINGS SUMMERLAND PUBLIC SCHOOL BOARD OF EDUCATION MAY 12, 2025 Summerland Board of Education met in regular session, Monday, May 12, 2025, at 7 p.m. in the school board meeting room. President Nate Schwager called the meeting, which was advertised in the May 7, 2025, newspapers, to order at 7:03 p.m. President Schwager noted the Open Meetings Act posted in the board room. Roll call was taken. Present: Ryan Ahlers, Chelsi McLain, Nate Schwager, Scott Thiele, Austin Twibell, Jeremy Wagner. All board members were present. Motion by Wagner,...
Remember her name: Kiana Arellano. Jay Martin, director of school safety and security for the Nebraska Department of Education, shared Arellano's story with sixth- through 12th-grade students and a handful of parents and grandparents during a May 1 assembly at Summerland Public School. A victim of cyberbullying, Arellano attempted suicide in 2013 after receiving messages via social media that said, "You're pathetic. No one likes you." At school, the 14-year-old was verbally attacked and even enc...
As a school psychologist working for a small public school, I remember a teacher asking me to observe a student in her classroom. She expressed concerns about an elementary student's unusual behavior, lack of playing with classmates, lack of communication and even some unusual motor movements, including flapping her hands. This was in 2001, and I was experiencing my first referral for a student who would eventually receive an educational diagnosis of autism. At that time, autism was considered...
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...
Issues arising from digital platforms, apps and social media will be addressed Thursday, May 1, during an assembly at Summerland Public Schools. Jay Martin, school safety and security director for the Nebraska Department of Education, will speak to students in grades six to 12 about "Building a Better Digital Culture." Parents are invited to attend the assembly, scheduled for 10 to 11 a.m. Martin has spoken nationally on the topic. He has firsthand experience in school shootings prior to his...
Spring is finally here, and for many of us, that brings the joy of returning to outdoor activities, planning summer vacations, and … well, allergies. Depending on the allergen, people can suffer from allergies any time of year, but spring is a particularly common time in our part of the world to hear my patients complain of seasonal allergies. Allergic rhinitis most commonly manifests as runny nose, congestion, and sneezing. Other symptoms can include cough from postnasal drip or worsening a...
APPROVED CLAIMS SUMMERLAND PUBLIC SCHOOL Amazon Capital Services, Inc., sup, 2,127.00; Apptegy, Inc. Thrillshare media sub, 8.037.00; Aschoff, Molly A., Q3 mileage, 2,074.80; Auto Glass Solutions, windshield/window replacement and rock chip, 934.92; Black Hills Energy, nat gas, 672.53; Blick Art Materials, sup, 54.60; Bud’s Sanitary Service, LLC, trash service March/April, 2,222.00; Capital One Bk(USA), NA, meals for 8th-gr NECC, 280.50; Clearwater Market, sup, 144.80; ColdType Publishing, printing, 151.00; Crowne Plaza Hotel, conf hotel r...
Nebraska is seeing an increase in a type of scam tied to cryptocurrencies and social media called “pig butchering.” This has nothing to do agriculture; it’s a scam initially developed by criminal organizations in China in which scammers develop a relationship with their victims over a long period of time to repeatedly steal money. This form of fraud is also known as a relationship scam, financial grooming, or confidence scam. How Pig Butchering Works Scammers often initiate contact by sending a “wrong number” text, email, or social media mes...
Nebraska State Historical Society Foundation announced the 2025 WanderNebraska Travel Adventure Program will begin May 1. WanderNebraska was created to promote the work of local museums, historical societies and libraries and increase awareness of what is found in the local sites along Nebraska's backroads and in communities that are often overlooked by the typical tourist. This fourth year, running May 1 to Nov. 30, includes more than 210 sites across Nebraska, with more than 50 new locations....
Ed. note: This article originally appeared in the Insights section of the Norfolk Daily News. For eight years, O'Neill-area shoppers have relied on Blush Boutique & Tan for stylish finds and personalized service. Since opening in March 2016, Blush Boutique & Tan expanded from its initial location on Everett Street to a storefront on O'Neill's main drag. In 2023, owner Megan Heiss moved the popular clothing spot to its current home, in a new building constructed at 226 E. Douglas Street in...
The other day, I got a text from my uncle in California. He'd just watched a news report about the tumultuous, March 18 town hall held by U.S. Rep. Mike Flood, a Republican, in which shouts and boos dominated. "I thought Nebraskans were above this stuff," texted my uncle, who grew up across the river in northwest Iowa. Gotta admit, it wasn't a great look for "Nebraska Nice." But also gotta admit, I wasn't surprised - it wasn't the first time I'd seen an angry crowd in Nebraska confront a...
Mele Mason recalls the days when the newsroom at Omaha TV station KMTV had journalists covering city hall, the county courthouse, the statehouse and the “cop shop.” Reporters attended multiple other governmental meetings and community gatherings, said Mason, who worked as a news videographer at the station in the 1980s. But those days are gone, she said, with her old newsroom now about one-third the size. So when Mason saw that an effort was underway to address shrinking newsrooms by enl...
PROCEEDINGS SUMMERLAND PUBLIC SCHOOL BOARD OF EDUCATION March 10, 2025 Summerland Public School Board of Education met in regular session, Monday, March 10, 2025, at 7 p.m., in the school board meeting room. President Nate Schwager called the meeting, which was advertised in the March 5, 2025, newspapers, to order at 7 p.m. Schwager noted the Open Meeting Act posted in the boardroom. Roll call was taken. Board members present: Ryan Ahlers, Chelsi McLain, Schwager, Scott Thiele, Austin Twibell, Jeremy Wagner. Motion by Twibell, seconded by...
Summerland will make a return trip to the NSAA Boys State Basketball Championships. The Bobcats punched their ticket to the dance, Monday, after claiming the Class C2-6 district championship with a 62-32 win over Pender. While tournament play begins Wednesday, March 12, the Bobcats will take the court at The Bob on Thursday, March 13. As of press time on March 4, official pairings had not been released by NSAA. Unofficially, the Bobcats are slated to enter as the sixth seed, which would mean a...
The time comes when you know you’re ready to retire. No, I’m not making an announcement today, so don’t get the rumor mill started. I’m bringing up retirement because last week I had an opportunity to join newspaper folk from around the country to watch a 30-minute documentary, “For the Record.” The independent film chronicles The Canadian Record and its owner/publisher, Laurie Ezzell Brown. The newspaper, based in Canadian, Texas, is located in the state’s panhandle. It’s survived oil bo...
Nebraska Extension Antelope County is participating in the Nebraska Cancer Coalition's annual #DressInBlueNE campaign to raise awareness of colorectal cancer and the importance of lifesaving screening. This statewide effort coincides with Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month in March and culminates in Dress in Blue Day on Friday, March 7. Colorectal cancer remains the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in Nebraska, with incidence and mortality rates in the state exceeding national...
Atrial fibrillation is probably a diagnosis you have heard of, if not because a friend or family member has it, because it has been mentioned in a public advertisement or pharmaceutical commercial. Atrial fibrillation (or "A-fib") is the most common cardiac arrhythmia, a condition estimated by the American Heart Association to be present in more than five million Americans. A-fib happens when abnormal electrical signals occurring throughout the cardiac atria (upper chambers of the heart)...
If I had an extra $8 million tucked away, I’m not sure I would have spent it on a 30-second spot during Sunday’s big game. A couple caused chuckles, others left me scratching my head. The biggest takeaway: social awareness can be subtle and effective. Dove’s “Keep Her Confident” spot packed a strong message. At age three, a young girl running is unstoppable. By age 14, the same girl will think her legs are unbearable. “One in two girls who quit sports are criticized for their body type. Let’s ch...
I really enjoyed the film, "Groundhog Day." It starred Bill Murray – who is generally hilarious – as a TV weatherman covering Groundhog Day in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, home of the famous groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil. But Murray is caught in some kind of time warp in which the day's events, and mis-adventures, keep repeating themselves. I lost track of how many times Murray's alarm clock rang to start one more, identical day. You might be feeling the same way about a couple bills just int...
Great Plains State Bank has been named Best Regional Bank by Newsweek for 2025. Chief Executive Officer and president Rick Chochon said, "It is an honor to be recognized for our growth, as well as the success of the trust and partnerships we have established within the communities we serve." Plant-A Insights Group and Newsweek collaborated to identify America's Best Regional Banks and Credit Unions. The study examined all regional banks and credit unions across the US, accounting about 9,170...
The most recent survey of teen mental health by the Centers for Disease Control in 2023 revealed that 20.3% of adolescents in the United States have been diagnosed with a mental health condition. This reflects a 35% increase since 2016. The survey also found that 40% of teens reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, 20% seriously considered suicide, and, tragically, 9% attempted suicide. These statistics should alarm any parent or grandparent of a teenager. As the mother of a...
