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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Tony Christensen, 23, was sentenced on Tuesday to a total of 2-6 years in prison on a pair of attempted first-degree forgery convictions. Cheyenne County District Court Judge Derek Weimer sentenced him to 1-3 years for each of the counts and ordered the terms be carried out consecutively – meaning back-to-back. Weimer said Christensen would be eligible for release in 12 months. Last month, Christensen pleaded no contest to both charges. He was arrested on Jan. 29 following a joint law enforcement investigation into counterfeit money being u...
As fundraising efforts continue for a new livestock building at the Cheyenne County Fairgrounds, County Commissioners unanimously approved submitting an application for a $75,000 grant this week. At a special meeting Monday, Susan Narjes, a member of the fair building committee, presented commissioners with a copy of the grant application that had been prepared for submission to the Peter Kiewit Foundation. Commissioners reviewed the 48-page application, which included a question-and-answer section, literature and an audit. Cheyenne County...
The City of Sidney Street Department will begin chip sealing selected roads throughout the city this week. Work will be conducted during three separate strings of days: July 15-17, July 20-24 and July 27-29. Hank Radtke, city street superintendent, said chip sealing is a maintenance program that entails spraying a layer of oil, laying down chip rock and then rolling over top of the material. “We try to get to every street every seven years,” he said. The amount of streets to be chip sealed this year is comparable to previous years, he add...
The Sidney Public School District Board met on Tuesday night for a work session. Unlike a regular board meeting, no action was taken during the gathering. Instead, board members and district superintendent Jay Ehler discussed the upcoming school year and district policies. Progress on goals identified last year by the school board was also evaluated. “I think the administration has done very well,” board member Randy Miller said. Last year’s goals included expanding the district’s integration of technology into classrooms and necessary infrast...
The Cheyenne County Fair Board met earlier this week to discuss preparations for the 2015 Cheyenne County Fair and Rodeo, which kicks off next week. Some of this year's big events include a truck and tractor pull, bull riding, monster truck races, ranch rodeo and demolition derby. At Monday night's meeting, board members provided updates on the status of the planned activities and said arrangements are on track. This will mark the first year the fair will include monster truck racing, and...
Prairie dogs contributed to a loss of more than 2,000 acres of pasture and rangeland in Cheyenne County in the past year, according to Matt Anderson, a U.S. Department of Agriculture wildlife specialist. Cheyenne County contracts with the USDA to help control the populations of prairie dogs and other pests that can cause significant damage to the environment. Anderson, who works for the department’s animal and plant health inspection service, presented an annual report the Cheyenne County Commissioners earlier this week. “We worked a total of...
Cheyenne County Commissioners had a full day Monday, discussing routine county business in the morning followed by conducting property valuation protest hearings through the afternoon and early evening. The morning agenda contained a mix of old and new business, with some initiatives moved forward and others tabled while more information is sought. County resident Tyson Narjes, who is leading an effort for Cheyenne County to attain a livestock-friendly designation, was at the meeting to discuss the application process. The status is awarded by...
Cheyenne County Commissioners gave the OK on Monday for a team of consultants to redefine a feasibility study examining what a new county jail could look like. The initial study, released earlier this year, was based on a proposed combined law enforcement complex that included space for the sheriff's office, police department and a new jail. A rough estimate of such a facility was pegged around $16 million. Last month, commissioners discussed limiting the project to the highest priority – a n...
A Cheyenne County grand jury has determined Sidney police officers were justified in the fatal shooting of the man who stabbed his wife and confronted responding officers with a knife in April. "The use of deadly force against Dana Hlavinka by officers of the Sidney Police Department was reasonable under the circumstances and were justified by Nebraska's applicable self-defense/self-protection statutes," reads the grand jury report that was released Wednesday evening. Police were called to a...
A 36-year-old Sidney woman appeared in Cheyenne County Court on Wednesday for a status hearing on charges of conducting a string of residential burglaries throughout Sidney and surrounding communities. Mindy Richmond is charged with six counts of burglary. However, law enforcement officials have said she may be connected to more than 100 burglaries in Cheyenne County within the past two years. "A list of over 70 residences were identified as targets in the burglaries just in the Sidney city...
For her role in what the judge called "rank, terrible crimes against children," Brandee Christensen, 31, was sentenced Wednesday to 15-25 years in prison. Christensen, of Sterling, Colo., appeared before Judge Derek Weimer for sentencing in Cheyenne County District Court. In May, she pleaded no contest to one count of attempted violation of visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct, a class two felony. In exchange for her plea, three other felony counts she faced were dropped, including two...
Two criminal cases involving a 50-year-old Logmont, Colo., man were combined at a Wednesday hearing in Cheyenne County District Court. In one case, Martinez is charged with violation of visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct, a class 1D felony. In the second case, he is charged with enticement by electronic communication device, a class 4 felony. In a motion submitted May 7 requesting the consolidation, the prosecution argued Martinez is alleged to have participated in the same act or transaction constituting the offenses charged in...
Cheyenne County is poised to update some language used in planning and zoning regulations, including replacing references to building permits with notices of intent to build. Planning and Zoning Commissioners met Monday to discuss the proposed changes. While the Commission makes recommendations, all action is ultimately up to the County Commissioners. Nan Mull, Planning Commission chairwoman, said because the county doesn’t have building regulations, it shouldn’t be issuing building permits. Currently, the county issues the permits on con...
A local motorcycle group recently made a donation to Kyra's Kisses to help purchase toys for children staying at area hospitals. Kevin Kurth said the Junkyard Dogs started up in 2008 when Mullen Widdowson, an 8-year-old Chappell resident who has battling brain cancer, wanted to go for a ride on a motorcycle. "So 100 guys showed up and took him out," Kurth said. The next year, Widdowson lost his fight. At his funeral, more than 150 motorcyclists joined the procession. "Since then, everyone just...
Firework stands throughout Nebraska – including Cheyenne County – opened up shop last week. Since then, the Sidney Police Department has been fielding calls from some residents complaining about the noise, smell and smoke emitted from the combusting devices. Sidney has a few city regulations regarding fireworks, but largely follows state statutes. Within city boundaries, setting off fireworks is prohibited after 10 p.m. – except for the Fourth of July when that time is extended to midni...
More than 100 cyclists stopped in Sidney on Sunday as part of the Nebraska Methodist Bike Ride for Hunger. The cyclists had started the day in Ogallala, and after setting up a temporary camp outside the First United Methodist Church in Sidney, departed for Haxton, Colo. on Monday morning. The annual event, in its 20th year, raises money to help alleviate hunger in Nebraska and abroad. This year, the 245-mile tour begins and ends in Ogallala.... Full story
Storm clouds rolled over Cheyenne County on Thursday evening. The brief thunderstorm brought a downpour of rain and high wind gusts. According to the National Weather Service, Sidney received more than a half-inch of rain and wind gusts reached as high as 56 mph. John Hehnke, City of Sidney public services director and emergency manager, said the storm didn't cause any major damage in the city, and workers were able to quickly clear debris from storm water inlets.... Full story
A staggering $300 million worth of development projects are taking place throughout Sidney. While the recent rains have caused some delays, work is underway at numerous sites. At a city council meeting earlier this week, John Hehnke, the city's public services director, provided an update on the projects. Crews are finishing storm drain installation along Seventh Avenue, with only one block – between Jackson and King streets – remaining, he said. Storm drains are being installed along the str...
Councilors discuss priorities as budget time nears As the City of Sidney looks toward drafting its budget for fiscal year 2015-'16, city councilors recently announced their goals and priorities to help guide city staff in the process. At a city council meeting Tuesday, each councilor was given an opportunity to highlight their priorities. Many councilors said the city is already in the process of completing numerous projects and they were hesitant to begin more until the current ones are...
Steps to reduce the risk of becoming a victim of a household burglary range from common sense precautions around the home to thinking twice before sharing personal information online, according to experts and police. Last week, the Sidney Police Department announced law enforcement officers are investigating two Sidney women for allegedly burglarizing more than 100 homes in Cheyenne County. According to police, at least some of the homes burglarized were selected because of information posted on the Internet. As social media websites, such as F...
A draft of new mathematics state standards for students in kindergarten to 12th grade has been released for public comment. Betty VanDeventer, Nebraska Department of Education public information officer, said every five years, the state is mandated to update standards for all academic disciplines. Proposed changes will make the current math standards more rigorous, she said. In April, a draft of the standards was presented to the Nebraska State Board of Education. Currently, representatives from the business community are reviewing the...
"Exit 125" kicked off the Downtown Sounds–Music in the Square summer concert series at Hickory Street Square on Friday evening. The next Downtown Sounds concert, on Friday, July 17, will include music from "New Wave Time Machine."... Full story
Two practicing lawyers and a non-attorney are being sought for a new county board to determine if Cheyenne County should create a public defender position. If that job is created, the board would be the group to review applications and make a hiring recommendation to the board of commissioners. Cheyenne County Attorney Paul Schaub said last week that in the past, commissioners had the authority to appoint a public defender by a resolution. However, a state statue now requires a more formal process. “There’s only two ways to get it done,” he ex...
A week ago, trial dates were being discussed for the man involved in a fatal traffic crash near Dalton in April. On Friday morning, a plea agreement was instead announced in Cheyenne County District Court. Abel Domingo Jeronimo, who turns 39 on Tuesday, pleaded guilty to a single charge of failing to stop, disclose information and render assistance in an accident involving death. Jeronimo, of Sidney, originally faced a class three felony. As part of the plea deal, the charge was lowered to a...
Summer officially begins this weekend, but for the past few weeks – since the school year ended and as temperatures warmed – downtown sidewalks and walking paths have seen increased use. Students, now out of school, are biking, walking and skating to summer camps, afternoons at the pool and other adventures. Combined with the regular pedestrian traffic in and around town, Sidney Police Chief B.J. Wilkinson said those behind the wheel and those on foot need to pay attention to their sur...
