Serving proudly since 1873 as the beautiful Nebraska Panhandle's first newspaper
Serving proudly since 1873 as the beautiful Nebraska Panhandle's first newspaper
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How does a bill become law in the state of Nebraska? What is the process for a citizen to be heard in the Legislature? A public meeting was held Thursday, Sept. 17, at Sidney High School's Performing Arts Center by the Nebraskans For Founders' Values to explain the process of government in Nebraska. The program was led by Mark Bonkiewicz, executive director of NFFV. The objective of the meeting was to explain the unicameral government process. Before the discussion started, Bonkiewicz stressed...
I ran across a book a few years ago called “Not A Fan.” The storyline is about getting up and being involved, not contently sitting in the bleachers. But to apply the words a little differently, we are fans. All but the chosen few know sports from the screen, the numbered seats in the stadium or arena, maybe even a box seat. We are not arriving hours before the start of the game, stretching and putting on the pads. We are not the ones running lines on the court to get the muscles nice and warm b...
Downtown Sidney woke early Saturday as the "Stronger Together" program participants opened their doors to shoppers. The event is designed to encourage shoppers to see what Sidney's small businesses have to offer. Businesses offered first looks as they had just opened their doors, and others offered event discounts and coupons to encourage people to try their offerings....
“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States.” -- Preamble to the United States Constitution, 1787 On Tuesday, Sept. 8, the Cheyenne County Commissioners signed a proclamation declaring Sept. 17-23 as Constitution Week, and Sept. 17 as Constitution Day. Constitution Day is observed eac...
The Sidney Airport Authority Board meet Sept. 10, approving its budget for the 2020-2021 fiscal year. The budget shows actual disbursements and transfers increasing from $335,485.51 for the 2018-2019 fiscal year to $720,912.76 for the 2019-2020 fiscal year and regressing a little more than $94,000 for the 2020-2021 fiscal year to $626,599.96. The proposed budget includes cash reserves of $1,873.89, funds from personal and real property tax of $159,449, carryover from the current fiscal year of...
The Sidney City Council recently it can receive a new public transportation bus through the CARES Act. "As part of the CARES Act, we're eligible to apply for a bus," said Sidney City Manager David Scott. The bus, a 12-passenger, with a handi-cap lift, is valued at $75,000. The bus has to replace a unit from the City's fleet that is at least 10 years old and has $100,000 miles. The grant covers the full cost of the bus. The City frequently purchases buses through a federal program at an 80-20...
In even the best experience, high school has a way of making a student feel like he’s passing through a blender. Don’t get me wrong. High School can be a fun experience. It is a fun and learning experience academically and socially. The books and now the tablets and iPads are only part of the bigger lessons, the social lessons. I call it a blender because students pass in and out of classes, some thinking of the next class, others stressed about the quiz they just bombed and others who can...
There is something “normal,” a little bit historic, about attending a summer camp. The concept is foreign to some families, however, because of the expense of attending a camp and of driving to the nearest camp. Since 1995, Sullivan Hills Camp near Lodgepole has offered a nearby place to get away, a place for summer camp, weekend and event activities of all ages. The camp depends on the support of donors to keep prices affordable for campers and their families. For several years, supporters of...
Several years ago, sometimes it feels like yesterday, my wife and I found ourselves in a script we didn’t write, we didn’t want and we couldn’t escape. In what seemed like a heartbeat of time, we went from parents of a teenager to parents who had lost a child. These are memories that cannot be erased from the mind’s memory. Sometimes all it takes is quietness in the far side of the room, the sound of a motorcycle on the highway, a clear night on the prairie. There are fond memories, but admitte...
The Sidney City Council approved a proposal that is expected to save the city thousands of dollars on loans. Paul Donna, managing director of public finance for Robert W. Baird & Co. Inc., addressed the city council Aug. 25 regarding options to lower the City's interest rate on bonds they are paying. “About a week ago (prior to the meeting), we hit historic lows again,” Donna said. He addressed three different bond obligations with interest rates expected as low as 1 percent. One of the Cit...
The Sidney City Council approved a SCADA (Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition) system for the City's water department. SCADA is a control system architecture that includes computers, networked data communications and graphical user interfaces for process management. The SCADA system also includes peripheral devices such as computer systems to interface with facility machinery. The Aug. 25 decision on a SCADA system is follow-up from the June 9 meeting when Water/Sewer Superintendent Rob...
The Panhandle Public Health District and Unified Command reported Aug. 27 eight new positive COVID-19 cases. All close contacts will be quarantined and actively monitored for symptoms by public health officials. The new cases include one child under 19 years of age in Dawes County by close contact. Seven adults were also tested positive: one in Box Butte County of unknown origin, one in Dawes County of Community Spread, two in Dawes County by close contact, one in Dawes County by unknown...
I went for a ride recently using a variation of my typical routes. That alone isn’t a big deal. It is like throwing a dart at the board and deciding “today I’m riding the bowtie route (bowtie because it is wide at both ends and crosses in the middle. Call it a figure-eight if you like),” or I’ll start on the bowtie and take a left instead of a right. That is effectively what happened on this ride. I went on a route that is reasonably quiet, traffic was mostly a half-mile away across the grass...
Work is underway for a new basketball court in Legion Park in memory of Alan Hartzler who was known for his commitment to youth sports and coaching. The plan is for a regulation-size basketball court constructed in Legion Park east of the Cheyenne County Community Center. When the project was first announced in February, John Phillips credited Hartzler for developing the travel basketball teams in the area. The travel basketball team program was developed before the Community Center was...
The village of Potter is celebrating its heritage next week with the 89th Annual Potter Days. The weekend celebration will include crowning of Miss Potter Days on 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 3, at Railroad Park. Candidates for Miss Potter 2020, are Ana Manning, daughter of Kim Manning, Kendal Nielsen, daughter of Dean and Tonia Nielsen and Hannah Reeve, daughter of Cory and Bobbie Reeve. All three candidates are juniors at Potter-Dix High School. In the event of rain, the crowning will be held at...
The name is a play on words from a movie script, two partners facing the bad guy with different but complimentary skills. However, this isn't a typical partner relationship, unless you understand the relationship between “a man and his dog.” The application to real life is that Riggs and his partner/handler, Deputy Collin Hauert, respond as a unit. “He and I got hooked up the beginning of July,” Dep. Hauert said. Aug. 19. Riggs is a little more than a year old and completing his trainin...
We watched a movie this weekend that puts a different spin on education. It is a little bit off center as far as a recognized title. However, it is based on a true story. As the story goes, a 20-something graduates from college in about everything that can define privilege. He worked very little to get his degree. Fast food is something he could have driven by in his 318i on the way to the Club. He could have had weekly manicures and pedicures, complaining he has to wait for his appointments....
The Potter area of Cheyenne County will be bustling next weekend as activities will be happening downtown and at a few miles away. Along with the food and entertainment scheduled for Main Street of Potter, there will be an off-road racing event at 3272 County Road 83. On Aug. 17, B.J. Juelfs met with the county commissioners regarding liquor licensing. Juelfs said Fly-Over Brewing of Scottsbluff will be onsite to provide food and beverages. The commissioners said the brewery needs to apply for...
There certain occupations in life that are defined as service, interactive with the community. Others, it takes a little looking outside of the box, or deeper in the heart. For some people, working in a service industry doesn't quite fill the niche. Filling that is about following the passion that involves passions outside of the business. When a cause is personal, it also become passionate. When the passion translates to community involvement, things get done, and sometimes people receive...
A Sidney High School student was identified recently as positive with the COVID-19 virus. The announcement was made in a press release issued by the Sidney School District 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 18. The press release states the Sidney Public Schools received confirmation of high school student positive with COVID-19. The press release says the student was last in the building on Monday, Aug. 17. Jessica Davies, Assistant Health Director and Wellness Coordinator of Panhandle Public Health...
The Sidney City Council approved increasing funding for the Sidney Municipal Airport. On Tuesday, Aug. 11, the Sidney City Council debated a proposal for reinstating funding for the airport. For the 2019-2020 fiscal year, the Sidney Airport Authority requested $169,350.44. Also during that period, the city's valuation decreased by 12 percent. The council approved reducing the airport authority's funding by the same rate as all other departments in the City, resulting in a decrease to...
We recently celebrated a nephew’s wedding. It required travel to a metro area, more than many COVID restrictions encourage. Fortunately, most everything I was led to believe about the weekend was in error. The experience reminded me of a another place and time when tunnel vision missed the real event of the night. Years ago in a different part of the region, I had a discussion with an editor about a previous reporter who was on his way to a high school sports game. He was late for the game b...
The annual county fair with the rodeos, craft fairs, and children's events was drastically trimmed this year in response to COVID-19. However, not everyone was satisfied with the lack of public interaction with the viewing of farm-raised animals. Since they couldn't take the children to the fair, they brought a fair to the children. Here We Grow Child Development Center in Sidney recently held their own variety of a county fair. Children did artwork displaying animals in pens, face-painting and...
If you want to get something done, find a busy person. That seems to be what earned Western Nebraska Community College Sidney Campus administrator Paula Abbot a new title. Abbot was appointed as WNCC's Executive Director of Partnerships and Inclusions. The title was made effective July 1. With the new title, Abbot will be visiting Panhandle communities, reaching out to community organizations. With the new duties, she will be spending less time in Sidney as campus director. WNCC President Dr....
Monday afternoon any rumors or hopes of the next business interest in Sidney became official as the CEO of Camping World RV & Outdoors announced plans to open a location in Sidney. Marcus Lemonis, chief executive officer of Camping World, announced Monday evening his intent to open and distribution center and a retail location in Sidney. The announcement was made at a reception at Beans & Steams Coffee House. Lemonis quickly said he is planting his flag in Sidney, metaphorically and as grand as...
