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 2065 - 2089 of 3067
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 “It’s outdated by today’s standards,” said city manager Gary Person of the existing regulation.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
After seven hours of deliberation on Thursday a jury found Nancy Gipfert guilty of negligent child abuse, a lesser charge than the one initially lodged against her. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 8, 2014. Gipfert was originally charged with one count of child abuse causing serious bodily injury, a felony, for her part in the incidences leading up the hospitalization of a two-month-old who was at her daycare prior to suffering seizures and brain injuries. Both the defense and prosecution delivered closing arguments Thursday morning, following...
Representatives from the chamber and the city watch as Safeway store manager Mike Senior cuts the ribbon during Friday morning's ceremony.... Full story
Safeway's Jay Gomez, Kevin Wehrly and Mike Senior present a $3,000 donation to Sidney Public Schools, represented by Steve Mattoon.... Full story
“I was going to lunch in Rapid City, South Dakota. I was in college. We walked across the street to the Court House and it was on the radio, and I thought ‘Oh, no, this can’t be the same person we’ve seen on TV.’ It was just – and there was just a bunch of us college people. We were all in our freshman year and it was just, just unreal. Really unreal.” -Marcia Morrison “I was getting off work. I worked at the telephone office. My dad was picking me up and we heard it on the radio. And of course, we couldn’t believe that this had happened. Not... Full story
After five days of testimony in the State of Nebraska vs. Nancy Gipfert, both the defense and the prosecution presented the remainder of their cases and rested. Gipfert is charged with one count of child abuse causing serious bodily injury, a felony for her alleged part in the incidences leading up the hospitalization of an infant who was in her care prior to suffering seizures and brain injuries. Megan Gipfert, Nancy Gipfert’s daughter, testified for the defense Wednesday morning. She told the jury that her mother opened the day care 21 y...
A California man was arrested in Sidney over the weekend for allegedly driving a stolen car. A trooper with the Nebraska State Patrol received a radio transmission from NSP Dispatch on Sunday that a possible drunk driver was traveling eastbound on I-80. The grey Toyota had reportedly been swerving between lanes since spotted near the Wyoming line. The car exited at Sidney and was reportedly headed toward Sapp Brothers. The trooper found the vehicle parked in the McDonalds parking lot. He stopped next to the car and walked to the driver’s s...
LINCOLN – Dirt flew in Kevin Atterberg's eighth grade class as the kids prepared basil, chives and other plants to grow in water, known as a hydroponic system of agriculture. The Nebraska Farm Bureau named the Lincoln teacher as one of two Ag Teachers of the Year last year for his innovative new curriculum called Ag in the City, an advanced eighth grade science class exploring various aspects of the field of agriculture. The Culler Middle School teacher attended the Summer Soybean Institute in 2012, where he was supposed to come away with m...
Central Elementary School 4th grader Daniel Johnson sits quietly as Rotary Club member Tom Hyde explains how to use his new dictionary. The Rotary donated more than 100 dictionaries to the 4th graders at Central Elementary School.... Full story
Kaelea Hart, Kaela Hart volunteers a word from her new dictionary.... Full story
The Cheyenne County Community Fund Advisory Committee members met at the end of October to elect the following officers: Jim Ernest – Chair; Beau Mathewson - Vice Chair; Susan Narjes - Secretary; Mary Katos- Treasurer; and Megan McGown - Communications Coordinator. The fund was created as an avenue for individuals, groups, and businesses to "give back" to Cheyenne County and receive charitable giving tax credit. The fund is an affiliation of the Nebraska Community Foundation, and established w... Full story
On day five of the State of Nebraska vs. Nancy Gipfert, the alleged victim’s mother testified that her two-month-old son was healthy and normal until the events of Sept. 13, 2011. Gipfert is charged with one count of child abuse causing serious bodily injury, a felony, for her alleged part in the incidences leading up the hospitalization of an infant who was in her care prior to suffering seizures and brain injuries. The mother of the victim, who grew up in Sidney but now lives in Peetz took the witness stand yesterday afternoon. Her p...
Brent Joyce of Sidney High School celebrates winning at $50 certificate to Dude's Steakhouse during Tuesday night's business after hours event honoring local teachers. The ceremony was sponsored by American National Bank and hosted at the Holiday Inn.... Full story
This is American Education Week. North Elementary School invited parents to eat lunch with their kids in order to spend more time with their children and get more involved in their educational environment.... Full story
