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 1795 - 1819 of 3064
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...
Sidney’s City Council is accepting applications to fill roles on two key advisory boards. There are three vacancies to be filled, one on the Sidney Airport Authority, two on the Sidney Planning Commission. The Airport Authority is responsible for the operation of the airport on behalf of the City Council. Members are normally elected for six year terms, but in the case of a vacancy, the city council may appoint a member to serve out a term. The current Airport Authority vacancy expires in 2020. Nine members, serving three-year terms, make up t...
Paving on U.S. Highway 30 should be wrapped up this week, and along with it, the end of a trying construction season through downtown Sidney. All that's left for this season, says Bucl Simmons, a construction tech inspector with the Nebraska Department of Transportation, is a little finish work prior to shutting down for winter. The only paving remaining is the completion of shoulders on east Illinois between the railroad tracks and Link 17J. After that, Simmons said, the contractor will have a...
LINCOLN — Despite a state budget crunch and a push to lower property taxes, Nebraska lawmakers will likely face another debate over income taxes in next year’s session. Key lawmakers say they’re hopeful they can reach a compromise on a package and overcome the sharp divide that kept them from passing any major tax measures earlier this year. A proposal to reduce income tax rates and slow the growth of property taxes stalled this year after rural senators argued that it didn’t provide enough benefit to agricultural landowners. Some urban l...
LINCOLN (AP) — Nebraska regulators plan to announce their decision next week on the proposed Keystone XL oil pipeline route across the state. The Nebraska Public Service Commission will announce its ruling on Monday after spending months evaluating arguments for and against the long-delayed project. TransCanada’s proposed 1,179-mile crude oil pipeline has faced persistent opposition from environmental groups and some landowners. But the project has received needed approvals in the other states between Alberta, Canada, and Nebraska. Tra...
LINCOLN – Nebraska has joined the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact, which is an agreement that recognizes the suspension of hunting, fishing, and trapping licenses in states that are members of the compact. Any person whose license privileges or rights are suspended in any compact member state may also be suspended in all other member states. Nebraska became the 46th compact member state in 2017. Suspensions on or after Nov. 7, 2017 are subject to the compact. Nebraska’s participation in the compact offers the following benefits: -- It all...
COLUMBUS (AP) — A Nebraska lawmaker says the state is struggling to offer mental health services as it moves from state-run regional centers to locally run operations. The state made the decision to switch from institution care to local programs more than a decade ago, The Columbus Telegram reported . While the state has saved money by closing regional centers, local programs haven’t received enough funding, said Sen. Paul Schumacher. That’s led to a “real deficiency” in mental health services, particularly in rural communities, Schumache...
An inflammatory headline and incomplete quotations this week led to a false indication about Cheyenne County Visitors Center Director Heather Hausmann. The headline, in Wednesday’s Sun-Telegraph, falsely stated that Hausmann was under the scrutiny of the Cheyenne County Commissioners. Hausmann’s part in the discussion at Monday’s Commissioner’s meeting was a side note in an agenda item looking at the Cheyenne County Tourism Board’s budget. The Commissioners, along with Tourism Board board member Hal Enevoldsen, were examining the board’s b...
After more than a week of pursuit, Elijah Mason Dunning, 21, was arrested in Broomfield, Colorado, on five charges: theft by receiving stolen property, a Class 2A felony; possession of a deadly weapon by a prohibited person, a Class 1D felony; possession of a firearm during commission of a felony, a Class 2 felony; and operating a motor vehicle to avoid arrest and possession of a controlled substance, both Class 4 felonies. Dunning had eluded law enforcement officers since Oct. 30. At about 11 p...
A new traffic light for the intersection of Illinois Street and 13th Avenue is scheduled to be shipped on Dec. 5, with installation to occur before the end of the year. "I would expect for us to see it sometime the second week of December, with installation shortly thereafter," Mike Palmer, Sidney electric superintendent, said. In August, the light pole was hit by a truck. Since then, the intersection has had flashing yield lights for east- and westbound traffic and stop signs for north- and...
With expenses increasing for Cheyenne County Visitors Center, County Commissioners Monday questioned the effectiveness of its director, Heather Hausmann. Promotions fund expenses have increased drastically, according to information provided by Diane Scott, county treasurer. From July 2016 through June 2017, expenses totaled $240,056, a difference over its revenue of $63,454. It is the greatest difference between revenue and expenses over the previous four years combined. Lodging tax dollars...
City of Sidney's dispute with energy-provider MEAN (Municipal Energy Agency of Nebraska) is going to the state supreme court, J. Leef, city attorney, informed the city council on Nov. 24. "This is not something that often comes up," Leef remarked. The city's dispute with MEAN is over increased transmission rates. Ed Sadler, city manager, said these increases will cost Sidney taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars per year. "We had an agreement," Sadler said. "You pay for two things. You're...
A male subject remains at large today after eluding law enforcement officers Monday evening. Just after 11 p.m. Monday, a Nebraska State Patrol trooper made a traffic stop on Hwy. 30 near Chappell. When the trooper approached the vehicle, the driver sped off. State Patrol Lt. Kevin Krzyzanowski said the trooper gave chase, but ended the pursuit after the driver made a u-turn and headed into the east side of Chappell at high speeds. Approximately 30 minutes later the trooper re-contacted the...
Cheyenne County Emergency Communication Center services could cost more than $110,000 for Deuel County, Heidi Gillespie, CCECC director, said. In August, Gillespie reported to the CCECC advisory board Deuel County was considering moving its dispatch services from Keith County to Cheyenne County. The cost, though, may be prohibitive for Deuel County, Gillespie said. “Initially I was asked for a ballpark figure, and the ballpark figure was off by quite a bit honestly from the research I found,” she said. In building a cost allocation model, Gil...
An upper level disturbance is expected to move through Montana and the northern Plains Tuesday night and Wednesday. The National Weather Service in Cheyenne reports the disturbance will cause strong winds to develop over the wind prone areas and Laramie late tonight with these strong winds spreading into the Wyoming Plains on Wednesday. For southeast Wyoming, confidence is increasing that a significant high wind event will take place across much of the state. The time frame of highest winds...
Law enforcement officers from the area searched into Tuesday for a suspect following a chase in which suspects eluded officers near the county line. According to unofficial reports, the Cheyenne County Sheriff’s Office and Nebraska State Patrol chased the suspects to near the Cheyenne-Kimball County line. After eluding officers, the suspects, believed to be armed, were reported to have stolen another vehicle. Because of the suspects remaining at-large, Kimball Schools were closed Tuesday. Potter-Dix schools were open, although school o...
LINCOLN- This summer, more people than ever before traveled the scenic roads of Nebraska to get stamps in their Nebraska Passport booklet. A record-setting 465 participants submitted Passports with all 80 stops stamped, compared to 168 in 2016 and 81 in 2015. "I thoroughly enjoyed each and every stop that I made in the process of getting all 80 stamps," said Kristen Andersen of Lincoln. "Once again the Nebraska Passport has proven how unique Nebraska is and how stopping in a small town and...
The Nebraska150 Celebration’s largest project, “Truckin’ Through Nebraska: A Mobile Children’s Museum,” has closed out its 42-community, 26-week tour of the state - logging close to 34,000 visitors, 6,000 miles and claiming the number one spot on the 2017 Nebraska Tourism Commission Digital Passport Program. The Mobile Children’s Museum received 1,688 Digital Passport Stamps, the most of 80 stops included the program. Total booklet stamp counts won’t be released for a few weeks. First Lady Susanne Shore said, “It was our privilege to br...
Tim Lindahl, Wheat Belt PPD CEO, protested Sidney's sign ordinance Tuesday after the company's 2104 Illinois St. facility was cited. The Wheat Belt building was used in promoting the ordinance, Lindahl claimed at the regular meeting of the City Council. "If I had known we were to be one of the intended targets for this code we would have voiced our concern at that time," he said. Wheat Belt continues to use the Illinois Street facility, Lindahl said. "We have ceased to use it as our daily...
Sidney native Tyler Miller has been chosen as a Heartland Escort at the AKSARBEN Coronation & Scholarship Ball for 2017. The ball will be held Saturday at the Omaha Baxter Arena in AKSARBEN Village. According to information from the AKSARBEN Foundation, the AKSARBEN Coronation & Scholarship Ball has a mission of promoting, recognizing and celebrating volunteerism, philanthropy and community pride. It serves as a fundraising vehicle for the AKSARBEN Scholars program and awards over 200 scholarships each year to deserving students in Nebraska...
A long-time Sidney business has announced it is closing. Foster Lumber Company sent out letters to customers this week announcing the closure. In the letter, Fosters gave its customers a chance to make purchases during its liquidation sale before opening to the general public. The sale commenced Thursday. "This sale is initiated only after careful consideration," the letter said to customers. "It is our way of thanking you for your business and friendship, while at the same time accomplishing...
CHADRON – Each year the Nebraska Section Society for Range Management (SRM) recognizes a rancher, or ranch family, who exemplifies a strong land ethic that is the heart of the Society's mission. RGM Corp, Randy, Gina, Beau and Kahla Mathewson, was recognized by the Society during their 2017 annual meeting. The Mathewson family has long been stewards of their land in Western Nebraska. They are conservation leaders and have implemented numerous changes to their cattle and farming operation. T...
South Platte Natural Resources District is now taking orders for conservation tree seedlings. The program benefits landowners and producers across the state of Nebraska, Galen Wittrock, SPNRD assistant manager, said. “It’s set up for conservation practices such as a farmstead windbreak, livestock windbreak, field shelter belt and so forth,” Wittrock said. Among their benefits, conservation trees help control wind erosion. “It’s been proven that trees in the right place with the right spacing c...
LINCOLN - Beginning November 1, the Nebraska Public Service Commission’s (PSC) cold weather rule will provide financially strapped customers of Nebraska’s jurisdictional natural gas utilities a little extra time to pay their bills. The PSC’s cold weather rule applies only to customers of the state’s jurisdictional utilities, Black Hills Energy, which now includes both Black Hills and legacy SourceGas Distribution service territories, and Northwestern Energy. From November 1-through-March 31, Black Hills and Northwestern may not shut off ser...
