Serving proudly since 1873 as the beautiful Nebraska Panhandle's first newspaper
Serving proudly since 1873 as the beautiful Nebraska Panhandle's first newspaper
Sorted by date Results 51 - 75 of 331
T.J. Garska completes an aggressive dive into second on a stolen base.... Full story
Jim Jenkins harbors no illusions. Going it alone as an independent in a U.S. Senate race where well-funded candidates backed by each party dominate the storylines is unlikely to make him a frontrunner—at least early on. “I have a healthy respect for what it takes,” he said during a visit to Sidney last week. But, he added, “It’s refreshing not to have a political label on my head. I’m not trying to cultivate Democrats or Republicans.” The Custer County rancher, restaurant owner and former chair of Nebraska's Ethanol Board insists that he share...
Wendall Gaston has served the people of Sidney for decades--not only as a pharmacist at Safeway, but also in city government. The current mayor of Sidney took the Safeway pharmacy position in 1999. Before that, he owned a place downtown, which he opened just after graduating from the University of Wyoming's pharmacy school in 1976. He also served on the city council for close to 13 years. During this time, Gaston also earned an MBA from the University of Nebraska and a doctorate from Kansas. He...
Frank LaBlotier remembers his first mission as a B-17 waist gunner. He was five miles over the submarine pens at St. Nazarre on the French coast, huffing oxygen from a bottle, wrapped badly against temperatures in the 50 degree range-below zero-watching German fighters line up to attack his bomber. "I thought 'what am I doing here?'" recalled the Denver native, then 19-years-old. On Monday afternoon, LeBlotier joined a group of journalists for a ride in a historic bomber decked out to resemble...
Does a bucket list consist of dreams or goals? I suppose it depends upon the person creating said list. I might reasonably say that one day I hope to see another 1970 Plymouth Roadrunner Superbird in passing on some rural highway. The last time it happened was a surprise—a big shark-nosed, big winged hemi-powered beast parked at a gas station in the wilds of a Chesapeake Bay peninsula. On the other hand, for me to jot “own a Superbird” on my bucket list … well, that defies reality. First I would have to claim several million in lottery winning...
Dave Collins arrived at KSID in October of 2004 and covered his first American Legion baseball season for the station the following summer. In addition to baseball, he calls football, basketball and volleyball games for schools across the region--some 900 games in his career. But Collins' voice is familiar to more than just panhandle sports fans. Each weekday on the radio station he serves as news reporter and disc jockey, as well. 1. This was an amazing school sports year, wasn't it? This was... Full story
Dan Fisher (left) and Jeremy Wonch work in the flower bed at the Sidney Public Library on Wednesday morning. The two are part of Cabela's Emerging Leaders program, which involves meetings, seminars and other business and community development projects. A dozen Emerging Leaders representing Cabela's locations from across the U.S. and Canada chose to improve the library's outdoor space as part of the program.... Full story
Most of us understand, deep down, that the presidency could hardly be called a cushy job. Most also know that national problems are never as easy to solve as television noisemakers would have us believe. Consider the intricacies of foreign policy, the personalities one must deal with across the globe, the various flash points, the unforeseen threats, the many worries on the domestic front, all that blather coming from Congress, the endless accusations from partisans ... To wrest command over all of this requires a rare combination of inner...
Sidney TeamMates held a fund day at West Elementary last week, drawing volunteers, students and even police chief B.J. Wilkinson for games, snacks and more.... Full story
Judi Roach's fourth grade class at Central Elementary unveiled their book "Animals of the Great Plains" on Monday, reading sections to their friends and family. The students researched animals and wrote sections on each, inspired by the photographs of Kansas doctor Dan Witt, who visited for the event. Here, Jackson Trost reads to Doc Witt.... Full story
I knew one of the two men. There was no way for me to have met the other. They were friends from grade school. They played together on the Esther, Missouri, high school basketball team—although, technically, both lived in a town then known as Flat River, a rough lead mining community, where Norman Rockwell images butted up against the reality of fistfights between teens from rival cities. They graduated into a world emerging from the Great Depression. Both men joined the Marines. One was my uncle, Harold Thomas. Unable to find steady work, h...
Students at North Elementary hosted a celebrity at their awards day on Friday. Bad Kitty passed out books and shook hands with those earnings awards.... Full story
Lanie Moench receives an emotional hug.... Full story
Sidney TeamMates held a fun day for mentors and middle school students on Tuesday. The crowd enjoyed games, a popcorn bar and other activities.... Full story
During the primary campaign a steady stream of Republican candidates turned our front door into something like a turnstile. We lost track of the number as visits increased toward the end. It was just a blur of future governors, Senators and attorney generals. To be honest, we were quite happy to meet with them and share their message with readers. A newspaper is, after all, a way for the people to learn of candidates and their ideas from snippets notably longer than the modern day television sound bite. Yet it is difficult for politicians to...
Creek Valley's 4x100 team (here anchor Summer Mueller takes the baton from Hannah Blackwelder) captures the top podium spot at the Bayard BCD.... Full story
At Leyton High School on Saturday, graduates followed commencement traditions, listened to speeches and thanked family members.... Full story
Potter-Dix swept the team competition, in part thanks to Alexus Rozelle's record-setting performance in the throwing events. Leyton's Jessica Houk again outraced everyone in the sprints. The Creek Valley 4x100 team scored an impressive victory, while Ryan Aurich of Sidney's JV squad set a new meet record in the 3200 meter run-all highlights of the Cheyenne County meet held in Sidney on Friday. Potter-Dix "I was hoping to PR," Alexus Rozelle said after throw 37 feet warming up for the shot put...
Bart McLeay believes that for Congress to work, its members must try to reach a consensus on issues. He also knows that the current body in Washington is notorious, at least in the public’s eye, for gridlock. The Republican candidate for Nebraska’s U.S. Senate seat is adamant that he will not be a part of any legislative standstill. “Nebraska clearly wants their representative in the Senate to advance conservative ideas, so we will have to vote no at times,” he said. “But I would never leave a successful business to go to Washington and sit i...
It is difficult to gauge the race for the Republican party's attorney general nod, particularly with so much attention directed toward the gubernatorial and Senate campaigns. Knowing the relevant concerns of the Nebraska voters, on the other hand, is much easier, according to attorney general candidate Brian Buescher. During a visit to Sidney on Thursday, he spoke of marijuana traffic resulting from Colorado's legalization of the drug, federal regulation affecting Nebraska's agricultural producers, water disputes and support for law...
A bit of disillusionment drives Doug Peterson’s campaign for the attorney general’s office. “I was a little frustrated over the years seeing the office utilized for personal political gain,” he explained. “When you serve the state of Nebraska, you have to be focused on what’s in the best interest of the state. There’s potential to be distracted if you factor in personal political ambition.” Early on in his campaign, Peterson issued a public pledge not to seek another office during his term as attorney general, should he win. He also shies away...
Jenny Myers admitted to being "a little nervous" as the Sidney high team faced judges at the Nebraska Envirothon State Championship on Saturday. But she did not let that interfere with the challenge at hand. Sidney's team of Myers, Ryan Birner, Jaide Wachtel, Jessica Campbell and Logan Uhlir finished second in the event, just 10 points behind Concordia. They won two of the seven events that make up Envirothon and placed second in two more. "It was fun researching the information and we...
To celebrate National Nurses Day, several of Sidney Regional Medical Center's caregivers gathered for a quick photo before returning to their duties. SRMC includes some 150 nurses on their staff. National Nurses Day opens a week honoring nurses for the care they provide.... Full story
I’m not sure what to make of commencement addresses. In the imagination of those hopeful for words that inspire a lifetime of achievement, they might equal John F. Kennedy’s “New Generation” speech, Ronald Reagan exhorting the Soviets to “tear down this wall” or—at the very least—a good old fashioned rousing halftime talk by the likes of Knute Rockne. Of course, I have no memory of my high school graduation address. I don’t even know who stood behind the microphone that day. The words presented at the end of my undergraduate years, from none...
Bryant Knigge of Potter-Dix burst out with a shout of triumph after clearing 13-10 in the pole vault, a personal best by almost a foot. The Coyotes Kate Woten bowed her head in disappointment after dominating the distance events, believing she could have run a few ticks faster. Creek Valley's Mason Low disappeared from the field after sweeping shot and discus, his teammates reporting the Storm thrower had not been well. Reactions varied as each event at Saturday's MAC track meet, hosted by...
