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 183 - 207 of 439
Sidney school students were met at the door by law enforcement officers and administrators as they went to school Wednesday, the result of a message found scribbled on a bathroom wall Tuesday. The message, "school shooting January 10, 2018," was found by a teacher just before the end of the school day and reported it to Middle School Principal Brandon Ross, who in turn called Sidney police. Police responded to the school "right away," Ross said. From there, school and law enforcement officials...
Sidney’s Aquatic Center will make some scheduling changes next summer as it works to become more efficient with employee time and associated costs. In November, council heard from Parks Superintendent Tom Von Seggern, who said after its second year of operation, the department would look at ways to cut expenses. Von Seggern wasn’t present at Tuesday’s City Council meeting, but Dawn Graves, assistant city manager, presented a plan that shifts or cuts hours of operation. Night lap swimming will...
At their season's halfway point the Sidney Red Raider wrestling team is going strong, topping the competition at the Western Trails Tournament Thursday, followed by taking first place honors at the Ogallala Duals Tournament Saturday. Sidney was led to the top team score at Western Trails, held in Morrill, by senior Kaden Vowers, who collected his 150th career win on the way to the top of the podium at 126 pounds. Vowers was also a standout in the Ogallala duals tournament where, wrestling a...
There will be a changing of the guard in some elected positions next year, with at least two current office holders choosing not to file for re-election this year. For 41 years, 42 by the end of her term, Dianne Scott has served Cheyenne County residents in the treasurer’s office, with four terms as County Treasurer. Scott began as a part-time clerk, pulling license plates in 1976 when all plates were purchased in the first two months of the year. Registrations, titles and other paperwork run t...
Thursday's snow ended up without serious problems for street crews or drivers, but the crews and others in charge of the city's snow removal plans were ready anyway. Hank Radtke, city street superintendent, says in some ways preparing for a snow storm is in some ways a guessing game. "Every storm is different," Ratdke said. But had it looked like this week's storm would have taken a turn for the worst, the city does have a plan. But, Ratdke said, that plan "changes" from storm to storm....
Beginning Jan. 1, Sidney will begin to play a role in providing tourism information to travelers with interest in western Nebraska. The Sidney Visitor's Center already plays a large role in promoting Cheyenne County and the area in general, but that role will expand when the Visitor's Center becomes the information and call center for the Western Nebraska Tourism Coalition. The Coalition, made up of tourism professionals from 22 western Nebraska, promotes and provides information on activities...
Winners were announced this week for the annual Christmas House Lighting Contest, sponsored by the Cheyenne County Tourism Board. Four winners were awarded. First place went to the Cook household with a display at 2044 Trail Rd., which covers many elements of Christmas, highlighted by this nativity scene....
Leyton’s school board will be wrestling with a difficult decision in the coming weeks. At its meeting Wednesday, the board was presented with information that could potentially see significant reorganization of staff and programs. The presentation drew heavy interest from the community, also, as more than 70 people packed the room to hear the report by Superintendent Lorrie Miller. The report and potential changes stem from a visit by a state accreditation team last year. After that visit, s...
Sidney schools are among the top in the state, according to recently released reports released by the Cheyenne County School District #1 (Sidney). The report shows Sidney test results are consistently higher than state averages. “We’re a little higher than the state, and Nebraska averages a little higher than the U.S. average,” Sidney Superintendent Jay Ehler said last week. Ehler shared the report with the School Board at its regular monthly meeting Monday. It shows in nearly all areas, Sidne...
Sarah-Kate Splichal joined city parks department workers to install the first bike Fixit station along the city's trail system last week, bringing to life an idea approved by the Sidney City Council last August. Splichal's project is part of work toward her Gold Award, the highest award for Girl Scouts and is equivalent to the Boy Scouts Eagle award. Splichal presented her project to city council in August, explaining she thought about the project after she wrecked her bike going up a hill on...
Sidney Regional Medical Center's Hospice Program hosted its annual Tree of Remembrance Ceremony last week. The program included a performance by The Glory Bells and others offering inspirational readings, singing and performances. The night was capped off with those attending singing "Silent Night" while the tree was lit outside the Legion Park shelter house....
Potter-Dix girls jumped out hard on Creek Valley Friday, then outlasted a late Lady Storm attempt at overcoming the large lead built by the Lady Coyotes early. Potter-Dix moved to 2-1 on the season by virtue of the 35-25 win. Creek Valley couldn't get anything to go its way in the early going, as the Lady Coyotes played with ferocious full court pressure, denying the Storm any unhurried look at the basket. Potter-Dix applied half and full court pressure through much of the game, but it was the...
Creek Valley's boys split contests over the weekend, man handling Potter-Dix Friday, then losing to Bayard Saturday. The Storm whirled around Potter-Dix, using its experience and a tough defense to log a 64-23 wire-to-wire win. The following evening, the Storm came up short on scoring in the first and fourth quarters, falling to Bayard 58-42. "We missed too many layups and point-blank shots," Creek Valley Coach Roger Behrends said of the Bayard game. "We just need to have some focus, and we...
When Gene Russell arrived for his first day of sixth grade at Sidney's West Elementary, he, like others before him, didn't quite know what to expect. But after a couple of hours, Russell's new classmates began to accept him and as the day wore on, drew him more and more into their fold. But young Russell is very different from others who come in to join the other West sixth graders. Even before he joined the class, he was familiar with its members, but from a very different perspective. It's...
The contestants assembled at the designated time. The officials took their places, making sure rules are followed and goals are met, or defined when missed. It was an afternoon of competing with each other, the knowledge of the contest and confidence. After the practice round, the day became an afternoon of "one and done" as contestants made it through a round, or were sent to their seat. It was the qualifying round for the Cheyenne County Spelling Bee. Elementary students recently completed...
Santa greets an excited young fan just prior to lighting the Christmas Tree in Hickory Square Saturday....
Sidney's Red Raider boys basketball team is off and running in its new season, and already the Raiders have shown a lot to Coach Austin Lewis. Like last year, the Raiders' opening games were in the Western Conference Tournament, where Sidney worked its way to a third place finish and a 2-1 record coming out of the weekend. "Last year we were 1-2 in the tournament," Lewis said. "We were in the third-place game, but lost." The Raiders opened play with a 78-34 win over Mitchell, then faced a famili...
In an abbreviated agenda, the Sidney City Council heard Tuesday that attendance for the Sidney Aquatic Center rose by nearly 300 in its second year. After approving minutes from its last meeting, Council's next action turned to discussion of December meetings. With its second scheduled meeting falling right after Christmas, council members agreed to hold just one meeting in December. In his report on the pool, Sidney Parks Superintendent Tom Von Seggern told council last summer 14,682 people...
Downtown Christmas activities kick into high gear this weekend with activities in Hickory Square and the Post Commanders Home. Sponsored by the Cheyenne County Chamber of Commerce and City of Sidney, Holidays in Hickory Square make the square headquarters for both the Christmas Kickoff and Parade of Lights. Activities begin at 4 p.m. with a cakewalk, ugly sweater contest and s'mores and hot chocolate. The parade of lights, which runs from 14th and Illinois to Hickory Square, promises to again...
What started out as a club experiment five years ago has turned into a popular class that is the envy of programs across the state. It started when Sidney High School teachers Matt McKay and Roger Gallaway found a high school program that broadcasted high school football games. As a "couple of old coaches who love to watch football," as Gallaway puts it, the pair decided to give the idea a whirl and SRTV was born. From the start, the pair wanted, as coaches do, be the best. The school tapes...
It was going to be the trip of a lifetime. A trio of friends, a motorcycle road trip with miles and miles of adventure - a "bucket list" trip through some of the most scenic areas of the western United States. For most of a day it went as planned before things went sideways, literally, in early evening that first day, ending the trip with a memory much different than the ones planned. Sidney's Roger Gallaway has ridden motorcycles for years. There's something about it, he says, that is each and...
Sidney volunteer firemen will qualify for a new tax break in coming years, thanks to a resolution passed by the Sidney City Council Tuesday. The break, which comes in the form of a tax credit against state income taxes, is available due to the Volunteer Emergency Responders Incentive Act passed by the Nebraska Legislature. The Act provides the tax credit for volunteers meeting certain criteria during the year. As firefighters attend training, respond to fires, serve as elected officials and...
Sidney’s school board continued work to update district policies when it met Monday evening, approving 10 measures so they are in line with state practices. The changes were largely in wording through “3,000 series” policies, of a number of series that will be updated over time. Board members looked four policies, on the School Activities Fund, Audit, Emergency Closings, and Sale of School Property for additional discussion. In the School Activities Fund, the changes meeting state prefe...
With Thanksgiving approaching, Sidney first graders learned about the Mayflower Wednesday, finding out what the pilgrims ate, took with them, and how they traveled to the new world. They also put their thinking caps on when their teacher queried: The pilgrims left England with 102 people, but arrived in the New World with 103. How is that possible?...
