Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Sorted by date Results 26 - 50 of 224
Alarm bells are sounding over the lack of robust job growth in the state's two largest cities. A recent study commissioned by the Omaha-based Aksarben Foundation indicated that job growth in Omaha and Lincoln lagged behind its peer cities, such as Sioux Falls, Des Moines and Oklahoma City. An analysis by old buddy Henry Cordes in the Omaha World-Herald found that the number of jobs in Nebraska's top cities grew by 0.3% and 0.4%, respectively, from 2020-24. That's quite a bit less than the 1.8%...
Summerland finished 0-3, Saturday, at the West Holt volleyball Invite. The Lady Cats dropped the first match, 2-0, to West Holt. The Bobcats racked up 11 kills, including four from senior Caydence Schumacher. Kanyon Allemang led the squad with six digs. Leah Wiese: 3d Allemang: 3k, 6d, 5sa Charlee Wagner: 1d Schumacher: 4k, 1d Kaylee Thiele: 1k, 5d Belle Anson: 2d Taylen Nilson: 1k, 1bl Kenzie Sanne: 2k, 1d, 6sa Bobcats v Hartington-Newcastle: Schumacher continued having a strong day at the net against the Lady Wildcats. She landed seven kills...
Summerland dropped a road volleyball contest, Sept. 4, as Plainview defended its home court with a sweep. The Pirates won by scores of 25-17, 25-23 and 25-16. Kanyon Allemang paced the Bobcats' offense, pounding eight kills. Courtney Schumacher followed with four. From the service line, Leah Wiese, Allemang and Belle Anson each connected for an ace. At the net, Schumacher set the tone with four blocks, while Abryelle Kester tallied two and setter Kenzie Sanne added one. Defensively, Sanne...
When the first bell of the 2025-2026 school year rang on Aug. 14, Summerland students met eight new staff members. Several have ties to Summerland communities. Some are kicking off a new career. Filling teaching positions are Abby Bauer, sixth grade; Kristen Napier, special education; Ashley Koenig, math; Anna Mayes, English; Cierra Morten, social science; and Andrew Steskal, math. Dani Janke and Brenna Wagner join the district as paraeducators. Abby Bauer Position: Sixth grade College: Concordi...
The Summerland Bobcat volleyball team opened the season Thursday, Aug. 28, with a gritty home performance against Elkhorn Valley, battling through long rallies but falling short in a hard-fought match. The Falcons claimed the sweep, winning 25-16, 25-22, and 25-13. Caydence Schumacher led the Bobcat attack with nine kills, followed by Kanyon Allemang with five and Belle Anson with three. Abryelle Kester and Abbey Chipps added one kill apiece. On the service line, Paityn Wagner and Kaylee Thiele...
The summer driving season is rolling to a stop and the Nebraska State Patrol is working to keep roadways safe. Troopers throughout Nebraska will be working overtime for the next few weeks as part of the national Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign. The goal is to reduce the likelihood of serious injury or fatality crashes related to impaired driving or other dangerous driving behaviors. "The end of summer brings several high traffic events," said Col. Bryan Waugh, superintendent of the...
It’s a good thing I’m a clothing hoarder. Scott will definitely disagree with this statement, but since Y2K clothing is en vogue again, I’ve got it made. Camisoles with lace trim. Check. One dresser drawer full, in a rainbow of colors. Boot-cut jeans. Check. Four pairs in varying washes. Tiered skirts. Check. Several hanging in the closet. A certain pink skirt remains a favorite (even though I haven’t worn it for a hot minute) because it always brought good luck. Baby-doll tops and denim d...
The countdown for the first day of the 2025-2026 school year is underway, as Summerland Public School students will return to class, Thursday, Aug. 14. A 1:30 p.m. dismissal is scheduled that day. Staff members reported to work for staff development Aug. 12 and 13. Families of students in preschool through sixth grade are invited to an open house, Wednesday, Aug. 14, from 4 to 5:30 p.m. The Bobcat Booster Club will host a burger bash, Wednesday, from 5 to 6:30 p.m., at the school, with a...
This is probably speaking to the choir because if you're reading this, you already believe that maintaining a healthy media – with fact-checking editors instead of conspiracy spreading folks in pajama pants – is really important. It's even more important now because there's so much misinformation out there, and so much wrong information, mostly spread on social media. Recently, Congress – including every member of the Nebraska delegation – voted to claw back $1.1 billion in allocations over tw...
For Sarah Wiese, there's a first time for everything: first time to participate in FCCLA, first time to qualify for nationals, and first to finish fourth in the nation. Wiese competed at nationals in Orlando, July 5 to 10, earned a gold medal in nutrition and wellness, and closed out her career with the fourth-best project presented by competitors from across the nation. Wiese was recognized by the Summerland Board of Education during the July 14 meeting. The nutrition and wellness event tasks...
The next Miss Clearwater Rodeo will either be from Clearwater, Atkinson or Plainview. Kaylee Thiele, of Clearwater; Aubrey Blackburn, of Atkinson; and Jozlyn Anderson, of Plainview, will begin the journey toward the 2025 crown, Friday, June 27, at 2 p.m. Horsemanship competition will be held in the Gene Snodgrass Arena. Queen Coordinator Devon Baum said, "Horsemanship is a large part of obtaining and holding a rodeo queen title and holds a lot of weight with our judges." Contestants will...
The best weekend in June kicks of next weekend, as the 58th annual Clearwater's Big Rodeo takes center stage. Competition begins Friday, June 27, and continues through Sunday, June 29, at the Gene Snodgrass Arena, located along West US Highway 275 in Clearwater. Members of the Clearwater Chamber of Commerce have been preparing for the event for more than nine months. Chamber President Curt Thiele said rodeo committee members continue to make improvements at the arena, giving visitors and...
As temperatures soared into the 90s on Friday afternoon, high school volleyball action - the first ever played on an outdoor court - sizzled. Summerland grad Lydia Robertson added to the fire, leading the Dark Team to victory in the Northeast Nebraska All-Star Volleyball Match. Robertson recorded nine kills in the five-set extravaganza, with scores of 25-13, 13-25, 25-18, 27-25, and 15-9. The match, played at Norfolk's Memorial Field baseball diamond, featured an outdoor court between the...
Volleyball day in Norfolk will take place this Friday, June 13, at 4 p.m., at Veterans Memorial Baseball Field. The Northeast Nebraska All-Star Volleyball Match will be played on an outdoor court for the first time. Summerland graduate Lydia Robertson is slated to play on the NEN all-stars dark team. Admission will be collected at the entrance, with adults costing $7 and children $5. Anyone age five and under will be admitted for free. Other players joining Robertson will be Chloe Henn, Elgin...
The people waiting their turn to rappel down the 17-story Highline Apartments building had strict instructions: Don't come up to the roof until we come get you. Most of the group, assembled there for a fundraiser, seemed content to hang back in the designated waiting area half a flight of stairs below the roof, where they'd eventually step over the edge into the blue sky high above downtown Omaha. All but one person, actually. Sister Stephanie Matcha, age 81. The octogenarian nun who does her...
Alec Schindler and Lydia Robertson were named the boys and girls athlete of the year. The announcement was made Friday, May 2, during the school's athletic awards program. The two also received honors as four-year, three-sport letter winners. Schindler will continue his athletic career at Wayne State College, where he will be part of the Wildcats football program. Robertson will play volleyball for Hastings College. Recently, she was honored as a Scott Scholar at HC....
When it comes to the whys and hows of state tax policy, it's hard to beat public hearings of the Revenue Committee at the Nebraska Legislature. There's a fascinating mix of folks testifying, from dark-suited corporate lawyers and accountants asking for tax cuts, to blue jean-wearing farmers wondering why property taxes are so high. But you always heard a common refrain from the state's business community: Our income and property tax rates are so high, we've got to remain competitive with...
Sarah Wiese cooked up more than just a project-she's serving success on a national platter. The Summerland senior's interest in nutrition led her to create a standout FCCLA entry in nutrition and wellness, earning a gold medal and the state runner-up title at the Nebraska FCCLA Leadership Convention, held April 6 to 8 in Lincoln. Wiese will now become the first-ever Summerland student to qualify for FCCLA nationals. The nutrition and wellness event tasks participants with tracking food intake...
Locally-grown beef may soon be what's for dinner at Summerland Public Schools. During the Feb. 12 board of education meeting, FFA Advisor Jacob Goldfuss outlined programs at Sandy Creek and Thayer Central and suggested a similar setup could work here. "Parents who were interested or passionate about having locally-raised beef in their school lunches got together and agreed to seek donations," Goldfuss said. Each family in the district received a letter giving an overview of the program....
Nebraska, I'll bet, is the only state in the union where the retirement of the volleyball coach is front-page news. And where the installation of a new coach is covered live on television with the governor in attendance. But that's what happened after legendary coach and cowboy John Cook announced recently that he was riding into the sunset and leaving a team that he'd guided to four national titles over 25 years. "It's better to burn out than fade out," Cook said at his retirement press...
In what came as a surprise to many, Nebraska's head volleyball coach, John Cook, announced his retirement, via a Nebraska Athletics press release, after 25 seasons at the helm of the program on Jan. 29. On Thursday, at a press conference, Cook was a bit emotional. But he said he was at peace with who will succeed him. Dani Busboom-Kelly grew up not far from Lincoln, in Cortland, and starred first at setter, then libero, for the Huskers from 2003-06 and was part of the 2006 national championship...
LINCOLN - Be wary of unintended consequences. That's good advice for any endeavor, and appears to be the problem facing proposed retail/sports/entertainment developments called "Good Life Districts." The recent effort to create such districts was well intended. The idea was to lure out-of-state shoppers, visitors and youth sports teams to spend millions in Nebraska, rather than Kansas City, Des Moines or Minneapolis. Envisioned at Gretna's Nebraska Crossing mall were stores like Nordstroms,...
Summerland volleyball standout Lydia Robertson made it official Wednesday, Nov, 20, signing a letter of intent for volleyball at Hastings College. Robertson finished her Summerland career with more than 900 kills, 1,000 digs and 1,500 assists. She said she has always loved the game. She started playing in youth league, where her mom, Angie, coached. "She played a little bit in college and I was like, 'Man, I want to be just like you.' It's always been a dream of mine," Robertson said, moments...
Funeral services for Dwayne F. "Hike" Hobbs, 88 of Ewing, will be 10 a.m., Saturday, Nov. 30, at Ewing United Methodist Presbyterian Church in Ewing with Janine Reynolds officiating. Burial will be in Ewing City Cemetery with military rites conducted by Sanders American Post #214. Visitation will be 2 to 4 p.m., Friday, Nov. 29, at Snider Memorial Funeral Home in Clearwater. Dwayne passed away on Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, at Heritage Bel Air in Norfolk. Snider Memorial Funeral Home is handling the...
