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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Although some Nebraska school districts are being asked to pay for ambulance standby services at sporting events, there are no planned changes for local schools. At Cheyenne County school districts, ambulances are present at home football games as a safety precaution in case of injuries. Officials from all four school districts within Cheyenne County said the services are provided for free and there’s been no discussion of a charge being implemented. Sidney School District Activities Director Mike Brockhaus said for home Raider football games,...
Nearly 70 employees in Cabela's corporate operations were laid off Wednesday. "The majority of the people were in Sidney, but there were people affected in Denver and Lincoln," said Doug Means, executive vice president and chief supply chain and IT director. Means was in Prairie du Chien, Wisc., on Thursday at one of the company's distribution centers with CEO Tommy Millner when reached on his cell phone. In a media release, Millner said, "This was a sad day for us at Cabela's. "These are not... Full story
Cabela’s has reached a settlement with a federal agency after the Sidney-based retailer was alleged to have failed to adequately recruit and hire minorities. The company has entered into a nationwide agreement to strengthen and improve its hiring and recruiting practices of minorities, a media release issued by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on Wednesday states. “Those actions are based on a settlement agreement with the federal agency that resolves an EEOC Commissioner’s Charge of Discrimination alleging that Cabel... Full story
Robert Thurow Jr. reached a last-minute deal with prosecutors just before his trial was set to begin on Wednesday. The 50-year-old Sidney man pleaded guilty to child abuse, a class I misdemeanor, in Cheyenne County District Court. Thurow was initially charged with third-degree child sexual assault. According to court documents, Thurow entered an Alford plea – meaning he maintains his innocence but admits there is enough evidence to find him guilty. Thurow was sentenced to 147 days in jail, w...
A search is on for an executive search firm to assist the City of Sidney recruit a new city manager. The position became vacant after long-time City Manager Gary Person resigned in August. Geri Anthony, Sidney’s city clerk, has taken over the duties until a permanent replacement is hired. On Tuesday night, city councilors unanimously approved a motion to put out a call for interested firms. Proposals will be accepted until Oct. 8. The council will then select a firm to help the city identify qualified candidates. The request for proposals a...
Several state senators were in Sidney on Tuesday to listen to testimony from experts and members of the public about the state's oil and gas industry and regulations. The Natural Resources Committee interim hearing was held as part of two studies prompted by legislation passed last session. Sen. Ken Haar drafted a resolution to examine a process for shuttering the Sidney-based Nebraska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission and transferring its duties to other state agencies. Sen. John Stinner, in...
Several state senators were in Sidney on Tuesday for a Natural Resources Committee interim hearing. The hearing was part of two studies prompted by Legislative resolutions passed last session. A resolution introduced by Sen. Ken Haar seeks to examine a process for shuttering the Sidney-based Nebraska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission and transferring its duties to other agencies. A separate resolution, introduced by Sen. John Stinner, calls for a study into the oil and gas commission’s a...
An initiative to replace Cheyenne's County aging jail took a step forward Monday afternoon as conceptual drawings of what a new facility could look like were presented. Sheriff John Jenson prefaced Monday's presentation by saying the designs of a possible new jail were preliminary. The architects were tasked with examining whether the new jail could be incorporated in an expanded courthouse using the existing site – and it can, he said. While the specific locations of offices and hallways c...
A pair of proposed projects that call for a detour of a section of Interstate 80 traffic onto U.S. Highway 30 could cause traffic snarls, the Cheyenne County Board of Commissioners warned. At a regular meeting on Monday, commissioners unanimously approved submitting a letter outlining their concerns regarding the proposed projects to the Nebraska Department of Roads. The projects, planned for three, seven-month construction seasons between 2018-’20, would occur between Potter and Brownson. A portion of County Road 99 would be closed for five w...
DALTON – Hundreds of residents and visitors turned out last weekend for the 88th annual Dalton Fall Festival. "It went really well," Paul Parker, chairwoman of the organizing committee, said on Monday morning. "Overall, it was a great weekend." The sun was shining and the weather pleasant throughout the weekend as participants competed in various competitions, enjoyed community meals and listened to live music. This year, the area used for the car show was expanded by a block, Parker said. "...
Members of the Nebraska Legislature's Natural Resources Committee will be in Sidney on Tuesday as part of an ongoing study into how the oil and gas industry is regulated in the state. A Legislative fact-finding hearing will be held in the Sidney High School Performing Arts Center from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for a pair of reviews examining the Nebraska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission. The Commission, based in Sidney since its creation in 1959, approved an application for a commercial wastewater...
The Sidney School District Board of Education unanimously passed a $17.9 million general budget for 2015-’16 earlier this week. The vote was held after no comments were offered at a public hearing earlier in the meeting on Monday night. In an interview, Superintendent Jay Ehler said overall, the district is in good financial shape. “We have about that three month cash reserve that [the auditors] ask for, and we’ve stayed steady for past five or six years,” he said. “And that’s despite having to hire more staff because of more kids.” As t...
Dalton will celebrate the changing seasons this weekend as the village hosts the Dalton Fall Festival. This year marks the 88th anniversary of the celebration. Jessica Hurt, a member of the organizing committee, said the event is held to bring the community together – and this year, that means food, games, music, contests and a parade. The festival kicks off Saturday morning with a senior citizens' coffee and rolls, and is scheduled to conclude with the Dalton Volunteer Fire Department feed o...
Last year's seniors at Sidney High School topped the national average and tied with their peers throughout Nebraska on scores received on the ACT. The ACT is a test that measures college readiness, and at most schools, only college-bound students complete the assessment. At Sidney, however, the ACT is administered to the entire junior class – meaning Sidney's scores are compared with many schools and states where only students planning on pursuing post-secondary education take the test. The l...
Two school board polices were modified and another tabled at the Sidney School District Board of Education meeting on Monday night. The district's student illness policy was updated to conform with changes passed during the past state legislative session. Changes to the policy include a section explaining accommodations and supports the district will provide if a student suffers from a significant illness that is expected, or does, last six months. When needed, the district will create an...
LODGEPOLE – Months of preparations and the efforts of countless volunteers were on display in Lodgepole last weekend as the 91st Old Settlers' Days took place. Tammy Sherman, Lodgepole village clerk, said community groups and residents worked for eight months planning the four-day celebration. This year's event had the theme, "An old fashioned welcome to classmates and friends." The annual festivities went well, Sherman added. "The weather was good and it was just a really nice weekend," she s...
POTTER – The streets of Potter were bustling last weekend as residents and visitors turned out for the annual Potter Days event. Festivities began on Thursday when Brooke Glass was crowned Miss Potter 2015 along with her attendants Cortney Lewis and Alana Thies. Throughout four days, the community hosted more than a dozen activities, including competitions, a free barbecue, parade and a street dance. On Sunday, the event concluded with a golf tournament at Prairie Pines Golf Course. Erika R...
Despite pleading no contest to a misdemeanor charge of obstructing government operations, Sidney Police Chief B.J. Wilkinson is challenging his conviction. In a court document filed last month, Wilkinson’s attorney Thomas Sonntag argued that the Cheyenne County Court committed three errors in finding Wilkinson guilty of the alleged crime and sentencing him to 30 days in jail. Wilkinson has filed an appeal in the case. At a hearing on Aug. 7, special appointed Cheyenne County District Court Judge Travis O’Gorman gave Wilkinson until next wee...
The trial for an 18-year-old Alliance man accused of burglarizing a Sidney residence is scheduled to begin later this month. Troy Christofferson, 18, is facing a felony charge of burglary. He has pleaded not guilty. In court documents, police allege Christofferson participated in a burglary in May along with at least four other individuals. More than $6,000 was taken from the residence and nearly $2,000 of damage was done to the property. The house was burglarized while the residents were out of town. Authorities identified the alleged...
A plea deal was reached this week in a Cheyenne County District Court case involving a Colorado man accused of sexual misconduct. Gabriel Martinez, 50, pleaded no contest to enticement by an electronic communication device, a class IV felony. As part of the agreement, an additional charge of violation of visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct was dismissed. The court has sealed documents relating to Martinez's arrest. He is represented by court-appointed attorney Michael Snyder, who at a...
A Potter woman who robbed a Sidney bank in 2014 was sentenced this week to five years imprisonment by a federal court. Janetta Lenstrom's sentence was reduced from 68 months to account for time she's already served in custody, according to court documents. Following her prison sentence, she will be subject to four years of supervised release. A plea agreement in the case was reached in June when Lenstrom pleaded guilty to a single count of felony burglary. An additional charge for using a...
With nine decades of experience, residents in Lodgepole know how to make the most of Labor Day Weekend. On Friday, the community will kick off the 91st annual Old Settlers' Days – a four-day celebration full of family activities, food and competitions. Lodgepole Village Clerk Tammy Sherman said the weekend gathering began as a reunion for the community. "And it blossomed from there," she said. A turkey softball tournament – where competitors run the bases in reverse – will begin the festi...
After 16 years as the city manager of Sidney, Gary Person tendered his resignation at Tuesday night's City Council meeting. Person's resignation comes amid a controversy that in recent months enveloped two other high-ranking city employees. City Clerk Geri Anthony, who has been employed with the city for nearly 50 years, was appointed the interim city manager while a long-term plan is drafted. Person's tenure as the chief executive of the city, which began in 1999, was the longest since Sidney...
Three agenda items at Tuesday’s Sidney City Council meeting – which have all been topics of discussion in recent months – moved closer to a final resolution. A proposed ordinance to rezone three lots at the Sidney Business Park to allow commercial activities and another proposed ordinance to enact citywide landscaping regulations received second readings. The council also reviewed a draft of the upcoming fiscal year’s budget. Two budget hearings are set to take place next month to finalize the numbers. Those for and against changing three p...
After 16 years as the city manager of Sidney, Gary Person tendered his resignation at Tuesday night's City Council meeting. Person's resignation comes amid a controversy that in recent months enveloped two other high-ranking city employees. City Clerk Geri Anthony, who has been employed with the city for nearly 50 years, was appointed the interim city manager while a long-term plan is drafted. Person's tenure as the chief executive of the city, which began in 1999, was the longest since Sidney... Full story
