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 2073 - 2097 of 3088
Late Thursday night, the White House notified States of a Presidential Proclamation to fly flags at half-staff through sunset on Monday, Dec. 9, as, according to the Presidential Proclamation, “a mark of respect for the memory of Nelson Mandela.” During this time, Gov. Heineman reminds Nebraskans to the flag at half-staff this Sat., Dec. 7 for the annual National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day in honor of those American patriots who died as a result of their service at Pearl Harbor. Gov. Dave Heineman is reminding Nebraskans that flags at all... Full story
SIDNEY (AP) — Prosecutors have made a deal with a Nebraska Panhandle man who accused a woman of extorting him over the molestation of her daughter. Jason Frei, 55, of Potter, pleaded no contest Wednesday to negligent child abuse and attempted witness tampering, according to online court records. Prosecutors lowered the original charge he faced, sexually assaulting a child, in exchange for Frei's pleas. He's scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 11. Authorities say Frei groped the girl while giving her mother a massage at his home in August. The A... Full story
Rita Stinner of Western Nebraska Community College (WNCC) is Nebraska’s 2013-14 National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Outstanding Music Educator of the Year Award Recipient. Ms. Stinner was nominated for the NFHS award by the Nebraska School Activities Association (NSAA) with the collaboration of the Nebraska Music Educators Association (NMEA). Nominations are based upon outstanding service and unselfish devotion to interscholastic music by high school or college music directors. Stinner is recognized as an outstanding m... Full story
Sidney’s residents were already working toward making the city healthier when officials decided to enroll the town in the Let’s Move! program. “Let’s Move! is a comprehensive initiative, launched by the First Lady, dedicated to solving the challenge of childhood obesity within a generation, so that children born today will grow up healthier and able to pursue their dreams,” according to the organization’s website. While attending national meetings, Sidney mayor Wendall Gaston heard about the opportunity for cities to participate in the program...
A preliminary hearing concerning the alleged crimes of 23-year-old Theodore Medina of Sidney was held Tuesday afternoon in Cheyenne County district court. Medina is charged with first degree assault and manslaughter after an alleged altercation between he and Ernest Ward, 51, reportedly resulted in Ward’s death. Local law enforcement from both the city of Sidney and Cheyenne County testified at the hearing. The court found that the charged offenses likely took place and that there is probable cause to believe that the defendant committed t...
USDA Nebraska Farm Service Agency (FSA) State Executive Director, Dan Steinkruger, reminds farmers and ranchers that Farm Storage Facility Loans (FSFL) are available through FSA. The Farm Service Agency offers low-interest loans to grain producers to build new or upgrade existing storage facilities and permanent drying and handling equipment. Loan opportunities include, but are not limited to: New conventional-type cribs or bins, oxygen-limiting and other upright silo-type structures, and flat-type storage structures designed for whole grain...
The only Independent currently running for a Nebraska seat in the U.S. Senate race thinks the two party system is hobbled by partisanship. Jim Jenkins is a 5th generation Nebraska rancher who believes he can better relate to Nebraskans than anyone running for either major party. "I've had the great opportunity to work from one end of the state to the other," said Jenkins, who stopped in Sidney on a campaign swing Tuesday. Jenkins served on various statewide organizations including the Nebraska E...
Photo credit: Shelly Peckham A bald eagle tarried for several days at a pond outside of Sidney. Here the bird pauses for a snack.... Full story
HELENA, Mont. (AP) — A wintry storm pushing through the Rockies and Midwest is bringing bitterly cold temperatures and treacherous driving conditions blamed in at least six deaths as it threatens crops as far south as California. The wind chill could drop to 30 degrees below zero in parts of Montana Wednesday while wind chills of minus 20 have already been recorded in the Nebraska Panhandle. Low temperatures in the Denver area were expected to drop below zero over the next several days. The jet stream is much farther south than normal, a... Full story
Craig Johnson, 48, is scheduled to stand trial for murder in Cheyenne County District Court next week. Jury selection will take place Monday, Dec. 9, while the trial is set to begin Dec. 10 with the possibility of running through December 17. Johnson faces charges of first-degree murder, a class IA felony, use of a weapon to commit a felony, a class II felony, possession of a deadly weapon by a felon, a class III felony, and habitual criminality. The charges are in connection with the Dec. 11, 2011 death of 42-year-old April Smith. Johnson...
At last week’s meeting, the city council approved the final numbers for the funding mechanism to finance work at Hillside Golf Course. Marc Munford of Ameritas Investment informed the council about the Recreational Facilities Public Infrastructure Bonds that will pay for the project. The closing date for these bonds is Jan. 2, 2014. “The city’s request was to net $1.5 million for the project, so in order to do that we have a bond issue size of $1.520,” Munford said. While $1.5 million is allocated for construction, the additional money will go...
The Cheyenne County Board of Commissioners held the first December meeting on Monday, approving one funding resolution and postponing another. County Treasurer Diane Scott appeared before the Board to urge a yes vote on a resolution authorizing her to transfer money to the County Road/Bridge Fund to provide adequate finances. “We always have a resolution, but I did ask that it be changed a little bit this year,” Scott said. “What we’ve always done is I transfer half of the December collections on December 31. Through the end of the month, I tra...
The city will receive additional funds from the state for the long awaited trail project. After the council made a request during its last meeting, public services director John Hehnke contacted the department of roads regarding additional funding for the Sidney trail extension project. He also worked on a cost estimate for the project with Baker and Associates. “NDOR (Nebraska Department of Roads) has been true to their word, previously given to Gary, that they would be willing to increase their funding for this project if we were able to a...
The city moved forward on plans to raise the maximum building height allowed in a commercial zone to 80 feet at last week’s city council meeting. The planning commission voted to forward this suggestion to the council at its Nov. 18 meeting. The current maximum height allowed is 50 feet. “It’s outdated by today’s standards,” said city manager Gary Person of the existing regulation. “C3 zones in proper planning are never near residential areas.” Most of the new projects zoned for commercial uses are near the interstate, Person said. One of...
Parking spaces may soon get a little bit tighter in Sidney. The city took steps toward narrowing the minimum required off-street parking space width at last week’s meeting. Sidney now requires 10 foot width on 90 and 60 degree parking spaces. Public services director John Hehnke did some research and found that many other communities have a 9 foot minimum. “This was an issue that was brought to us by the private sector,” said city manager Gary Person. “When you have national franchise companies that do projects throughout the United States,... Full story
The possibility of a name change for Toledo Street when the road is extended from Fort Sidney to link 17J as part of the East Sidney Development was the topic of some debate at the last two city council meetings. The city invited the public to submit name suggestions for the road through both social media and traditional means. “The whole idea behind this was to come up with a name that was more representative of the Sidney area, the Sidney community, Western Nebraska, which you can make the argument Toledo Street doesn’t fit that description,...
The Christmas season in Sidney will kick off this weekend with lamplight tours Friday at the Fort Sidney Museum and a tree lighting ceremony at Hickory Street Square on Saturday. The tree lighting events will take place from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the downtown area. Santa will arrive via fire truck to light the tree officially and then he'll head over to the Book & Corner to meet Sidney's youth. "All the local kids are invited to bring their letters and wish lists and there will be photos... Full story
Superintendent, Jay Ehler led a meeting on Tuesday evening to discuss the public's concerns over building a new elementary school in Sidney. The proposal for a bond issue to support construction of such a facility was voted down by a narrow margin in September's special election, but the idea has since resurfaced. It is no secret that the current schools are rapidly aging. North was built in 1929 and had an addition constructed in the 1950s, Central in 1953, South in 1955 and West in 1960s....
At Tuesday night’s meeting, the city council took the first steps toward accepting new approved uses in agriculture and agriculture/residential zoned areas. These changes were initially approved unanimously at the planning commission’s meeting Nov. 18. As city staff reviews various projects, they discover items that they believe should be allowed in certain zones, said city manager Gary Person. “For one, mobile homes had previously only been allowed in mobile home parks,” Person said. The planning commission decided it would be accepta...
Baker and Associates-Studio 120 Architecture hosted an open house to celebrate the opening of their Sidney office on Tuesday evening. Guests got to spend the evening playing various games such as ski ball, street ball and motorcycle video games.... Full story
The Kimball Event Center was filled with excitement the afternoon of Saturday, Nov. 23, as local residents waited in anticipation of the arrival of Caroljo Nagel and the presentation of her new car. News crews and photographers scattered around the ballroom of the Event Center as the side doors opened illuminating the back of the room with sunlight as the silhouette of Nagel passed through the threshold. As she walked towards Blain Schilreff, who has spent the past 35 days collecting donations...
Gene Howard, 40 of Colorado, was charged with a list of violations following a tip, an investigation and a stop in Big Springs. Law enforcement officials charged Howard with possession of a firearm during a felony, possession of a firearm by a felon, possession of marijuana with intent to deliver or distribute, possession of more than one pound of marijuana, possession of marijuana without tax stamps and possession of methamphetamine—all felonies—in Deuel County last week. On Nov. 21 an informant made law enforcement aware that Howard pla...
At a meeting earlier this month, the city council approved a bid for the Fort Sidney Road federal aid project. The bids for the mill and overlay project on Fort Sidney from Highway 30 to 11th Ave. were opened Oct. 24. The state received two bids, one from Simon Contractors and one from Werner construction. “The bids were very competitive,” said public services director John Hehnke. Simon Contractors offered the lower bid in the amount of around $740,000 while Werner bid around $760,000. Hehnke requested council approval of the Simon bid so the... Full story
Neither the prosecution or the defense achieved the verdict it hoped for at the onset of the State of Nebraska vs. Nancy Gipfert. Last week a jury of six men and six women found the defendant guilty of negligent child abuse, a misdemeanor. This is a lesser conviction than the original charge of child abuse causing serious bodily injury, a felony. The two-month-old victim in this case became seriously ill after his first visit to Gipfert’s daycare on Sept. 13, 2011. It was later confirmed that he suffered from bleeding around his brain, brain d...
The collection of gifts and toys for children in need through Operation Christmas Child is nearing its deadline. The process is again going smoothly this year. Cheryl McKenzy took over Operation Christmas Child in Sidney for Cindi Perry this time around and points out there are a few days left for those who wish to donate. Operation Christmas Child is an international program put on by Samaritan’s Purse, and has given shoeboxes filled with clothes, school supplies, toys and/or toiletries to over 100 million children in 130 other countries in n... Full story
