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 326 - 350 of 1200
The Cheyenne County Courthouse is becoming increasingly computerized. Admittedly, some of it is a response to safety protocols related to the coronavirus. Court proceedings have become increasingly virtual in response to distancing requirements. Inmates could have visits by video conferencing and department websites are adding more features to their pages, allowing customers to do business from home. However, regardless the reason, technology, as with most things mechanical, eventually needs to...
The numbers on the COVID Risk Dial continue to improve, maintaining the halfway point while reporting no hospitalizations as of March 1. The report of Friday, Feb. 26, include three hospitalizations in the Panhandle. The previous week's positivity rate was 7.5 percent. As of February 26, the COVID Risk Dial maintained by the Panhandle Public Health District shows a steady improvement. The dial has moved from 2.5 last week to 2.0, exactly the half-way point between low and severe risk of...
Prairie fires and floods are nothing new to the plains of western Nebraska, northeast Colorado and eastern Wyoming. Neither is a neighbor coming to the aid when nature strikes with a fury. Sidney Volunteer Fire Department Chief LaVern Bown presented the Sidney City Council a mutual aid agreement involving departments from Crook, CO., to as far northwest as Harrisburg, NE. The Tri-State Mutual Aid Association Interlocal Agreement is “for the purpose of better ensuring the safety of the lives a...
Last week I talked a little about the odd season, birthdays of my dad and my daughter, and the anniversary of my dad leaving this earth. I do need to clarify that even in the moments of remembering, sadness comes in moments, randomly, not in waves. What also happened recently is hearing of a friend, another father, who was struggling. Somewhere in the words spoken and implied was the quiet question of “am I doing enough?” It is a question that haunts a lot of parents, not just fathers. It is...
The Sidney City Council approved bids for street work during its Feb. 23 meeting. Bids were opened 2 p.m. Feb. 16 at City Hall with three bids received for each project. The City sought bids on the Elm Street water and street improvement project from 13th Avenue to 17th Avenue, and 13th Avenue from Illinois Street to Pine Street. The engineer's estimate for Elm Street water and street improvements from 13th Avenue to 17th Avenue included $150,250 for Schedule A Water, $675,925 for Schedule B...
Recovering from changes in the Sidney economy over the last few years requires promotion, teamwork and vision of community growth. It also includes a downtown business association, according to the updated Master Plan approved in 2020. The Master Plan includes a section on “Tactical Strategies.” “A complete downtown plan includes both tactical and development components. Tactical strategies are relatively low-cost actions that promote existing businesses and help attract customers through such...
The building at the corner of 12th Avenue and Illinois Street has a history dating almost a century in Sidney. The building has been the location of the latest Dodge automobiles, flags and aprons, home-cooked lunch and breakfast and the latest news. Soon the list will include servicing music lovers. The building at the corner of 12th Avenue and Illinois Street has been sold to Chris Dyson, owner of Aliens and Strangers Music Store in Sidney. Dyson and owner Gary Stevenson closed on the sale...
For whatever reason, this year is keeping some curtains open. Actually I’m in between days. February has become a month of emotions. I have birthdays, Valentines Day when guys are reminded to stay in touch with their emotions, and the day I had to say goodbye to my dad. By this time 15 years ago, he was in a hospital bed with a broken hip, and a list of other issues that made him look tired; the kind of tired I had never seen in him before. It is the kind of tired that stole his last breath t...
Congressman Don Bacon, Republican U.S. Representative representing Nebraska’s Second Congressional District, toured Western Nebraska recently. On the tour, he stopped in Sidney to meet with local Republicans and businesses, including the Sidney Sun-Telegraph newspaper. In his visit at the Sun-Telegraph, Bacon stressed the importance of diversity in agriculture, for example the difference between producing soybeans and and dry beans. He talked about issues in Nebraska including the workforce, i...
The Cheyenne County School District No.1 Board of Education announced the second Staff member of the Month in its Feb. 8 meeting. The meeting was held as a modified Zoom conference with board member Brenda Smith participating via computer. Anne Belieu is being recognized for her amazing service to students in the second grade. She has been at great leader for the staff and students at South Elementary, according to her nomination letter. She also meets the needs of every student, year after...
The Sidney Airport Authority Board is looking to tighten security at the airport. The focus follows a recent incident when a person was found on the premises without permission. Jon Leever, a partner in L & L Aviation, said while no vandalism or ill intent was found after the person left, “it is a wake-up call.” L & L Aviation presented two options with the board during the Feb. 11 meeting. One option includes keypad entry and is programmable. One option is wireless and the second will har...
The Sidney City Council met Feb. 9 with councilman Joe Arterburn meeting via Zoom. The agenda included a public hearing on the City's One and Six-year Street Improvement Plan. Street Superintendent Hank Radke said one of the projects is 13th Avenue from the new concrete south to north of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad crossing. The City's road plans also include the 17J link park of US Highway 385 work. The City's share of the cost is about $2.4 million, 20 percent of the cost. The...
Sidney's Historic Preservation Board met on Feb. 9 at the Sidney City Hall. The agenda included three projects: renovation of the apartment complex at 631 Illinois St, a Facade Enhancement Grant for Jerry Steffens at 1001 10th Ave., and a change of sign by UST Global at 812 13th Ave. JG Capital LLC , a husband and wife partnership of Gill, Colo., purchased the building at 631 Illinois St. with the goal of renovating it. The three-story building was originally built in 1925 and comprises of...
The second impeachment hearing of now former-President Trump is about a week old by now. I was immediately struck by a saying I heard many years ago from an attorney. It is so obvious most people don’t see it. “If you can’t pound the law, pound the table.” The message is clear, and being played out... with a difference. In Donald Trump’s five years in the political arena, counting the campaign leading to his election, he has been labeled or otherwise implied guilty on more issues than anyone in...
When a US flag has served its time, a decision has to be made. Will it be properly folded and saved as a keepsake, or will it be retired with the formality it deserves? The Cheyenne County Veterans Service Office , in conjunction with the American Legion, Disabled American Veterans and Veterans of Foreign Wars, will be hosting a Flag Retirement Ceremony 1 to 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 20, at the Cheyenne County Fairgrounds arena. Unservicable flags can be dropped off during business hours at the...
The COVID-19 Risk Dial, a summary of conditions in the Panhandle Public Health District, was updated Monday, Feb. 8, to reflect a slight increase in the coronavirus impact. In the February 1 report, the risk level was at 2.17. The number increased to 2.5 as of February 8. As of February 8, there were 14 active hospitalizations, a total of 33,765 tests completed with 8,486 returning positive, 7,090 people vaccinated and 180 deaths related to the coronavirus. As of Feb. 1, the COVID-19 positivity...
She didn’t expect a career in banking, although she grew up liking math and number challenges. She had another passion. Cooking. However, the intrigue of number equations and finding the missing factor never really left Susan Young. She was the name behind the Dalton cafe for several years “It was a good business,” Young said. The cafe was owned by a group of community members, and operated by Young. It was good for her, a person who loves spending time with people, and it was a part-time occup...
On any given highway, and even many country roads, there are standing images of the areas identity. They are silos with a history of storing harvested grain. Some of these are busy throughout the year and others are remnants of the past. What many have in common is their steel-silver appearance reflecting the sun. Artist Josephine Marie wants to add some color to silos in the county and approached the Cheyenne County Commissioners in their Feb. 1 meeting to share her vision. She talked about...
I frequently see the comment of "If God only gives you what you can handle, I must be a superhero," or something like that. The context of the discussion is worth another platform. But look at it from a slight variation. If all you can do is what you've always done..." If all you can do is what you've always done, you probably won't advance much. There will be no growth, no motivation and your system will likely atrophy on several levels. Muscles are not challenged physically, mentally,...
The Sidney City Council and City Manager David Scott discussed findings on a recent traffic study regarding the Fort Sidney Road and Pole Creek Crossing intersection recently. The City contracted with MC Schaff & Associates of Scottsbluff to conduct a traffic study of the intersection. The process started when the City received a request for traffic signals at the intersection in response to accidents that have occurred there. In a January 14 letter from Donald J. Dye, P.E., of MC. Schaff & Asso...
The Leyton Board of Education met before a packed house Friday. The agenda focused on filling the district superintendent’s seat, and making plans to fill to board positions. Leyton School District Superintendent Chris Leary was put on administrative leave recently. During the same period, two board members resigned. Friday’s meeting was held with four board members present: board chairman Susan Ernest, Dave Wiedeman, Ryan Borges and Roland Rushman. The board accepted a proposed contract for...
Growing a community's economy involves recruiting businesses from outside of the area, “selling” them on what the local downtown has to offer. It also involves supporting the entrepreneur whose name is not yet in a few states and several cities. The Cheyenne County Chamber of Commerce and the City of Sidney Economic Development Office are working together toward developing a Downtown Business Association. In the January 26 city council meeting, Sidney's Economic Development Director Melissa Nor...
The Sidney Public Library ended the 2019-2020 fiscal year 11.8 percent under the $494,811 budget, as presented by Head Librarian Richard Sandstrom. Sandstrom said the impact on the budget is mostly due to employee changes that impacted salaries and benefits. The Sidney Public Library serves a population of 8,910. Of those, 1,005 have active library cards. During the fiscal year, 21,159 people visited the library, including 2,235 who visited the bookmobile. The number of patrons has decline,...
I was recently reminded of the obvious, or at least it should be obvious. Life is not easy. If it is easy, be careful for the skies to change. I’m not being negative. I haven’t signed up for the Murphy’s Law Fan Club. I’m being candidly honest. There are athletes who count their body fat in ounces, not percentages. Some of these men and women have a better relationship with the gym manager than their spouse. Maybe not. But the point is the obsession makes them what people might call the perfect...
The railroad and Sidney have parallel histories to say the least. Sidney was a stopping point for the westward movement and the gold seekers west and north migration. The Union Pacific was part of that settling process. More than 150 years since the community and UP were helping each other grow, some Cheyenne County residents see the transportation company as more of a distant cousin, one that doesn't talk much. In the January 19 meeting of the Cheyenne County Commissioners, Jim Pelster, who...
