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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LINCOLN — A school safety reporting system was approved April 6 in the second round after a long debate. Sen. Matt Williams of Gothenburg said he introduced LB 322 to reduce violent incidents in all K-12 schools in Nebraska by having a trained crisis team on staff 24/7. The reporting line, Safe2HelpNE, would allow students, school staff, parents and community members to anonymously share information about concerning behavior by phone, mobile app, website or email. Some examples of concerning behavior that may be reported include bullying, s...
The internet is an integral part of everyday life for most Americans. We use it to communicate with friends and family, stream our favorite television shows and shop from the comfort of our living rooms. More importantly, this technology connects health care providers with patients, teachers with students and businesses with a global marketplace. Affordable, high-speed internet is almost a necessity in today’s world, yet many people living in the U.S. still lack access. The Federal Communications Commission estimates that 19 million A...
In December 2020, Madison “Madi” Wilkinson and Ally Benzel presented an idea to the Sidney City Council. The concept was simple although the goal might seem a little lofty: redesign the play area to welcome children, and adults, with varying levels of mobility. In the December 8 meeting, Wilkinson and Benzel said the goal is to not use tax funds and to update the equipment for children of all ages. The concept is to make the play area safer for children and therefore less of a worry for par...
SIDNEY — A memorial service for Western Nebraska Community College students Yemin An and Zhaoxin Chen will be held at 3 p.m., Saturday, April 17, at the Elk's Lodge #1894 in Sidney. An and Chen died Thursday, April 1, in an accident during hands-on instruction at the WNCC Aviation Maintenance Facility in Sidney. Facial coverings will be required at the service and social distancing will be observed. Additionally, to honor the traditions and customs of the families, WNCC respectfully asks that i...
Sidney Economic Development Director Melissa Norgard announced in an email Tuesday, April 13, that she is resigning her position with the City. After working for Cabela’s for nearly 4 ½ years, she was hired by Sidney’s previous city manager Ed Sadler as the new economic development director. She maintained that position from March 2017. In her letter to the Sidney Sun-Telegraph, she said she will continue her position through the end of April and then transition to part-time for the month of M...
The Cheyenne County Board also approved changes to the Emergency Communications Center bylaws, and the Interlocal Cooperation Agreement. Emergency Communications Director Heidi Gillespie said the interlocal agreement will be adjusted as of July 1, reflecting the percent each agency serviced pays. Gillespie said the changes to the agreement include adding the Deuel County Sheriff to a voting member of the communications board. Previously, the Deuel County Sheriff served as an ex-oficio member of...
First Responders including Sidney Volunteer Fire Department, Nebraska State Patrol and the Cheyenne County Sheriff's Office responded to a report of a truck fire at the Cabela's parking lot shortly after 1 p.m. today, Wednesday April 7. The fire consumed the cab of the truck. Additional details are not available at this time. The driver of the truck was uninjured....
On Thursday, April 1, 2021, two Western Nebraska Community College (WNCC) students were fatally injured while working on an airplane engine while inside the Aviation Maintenance Facility in Sidney, Nebraska. The Cheyenne County Sheriff’s Office, Sidney Police Department and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are investigating. First responders included the Cheyenne County Sheriff’s Office, Sidney Police Department, Sidney Fire Department and Regional West Medical Center Emergency Medical Services (EMS). Autopsies were ordered. Those were...
Sometimes life changes in slow motion. Other times it is like erasing the whiteboard and surrendering the marker. The Cheyenne County Chamber of Commerce is losing its director to a new adventure, and Sidney High School is losing a coach and teacher. Eamonn and Hope Feeney are following new adventures and opportunities they didn't expect. They have both been accepted to teach in the Maxwell School District. Eamonn has been accepted to teach and coach at Maxwell High School. Hope will be...
No, seemed to be the message in the March 23 discussion on enhancing the medians in the 17J Link road project. The Sidney City Council meeting included a line item for public input on upgrading the center median of the Link 17J project. The Link 17J will be undergoing major work from Old Post Road north to Highway 30/Illinois Street, then west to where work ended in the last work project. Council members have been discussing the option of upgrading the new medians with red-stamped brick in the...
The Sidney City Council held a special meeting noon Wednesday, March 24, to discuss the Cabela's Occupation Tax Funds. In 2008, Cabela's started charging an Occupation Tax at the Sidney retail center. The tax was designed to fund the continued development of the bike and pedestrian trails and other public infrastructure projects within the “enhanced employment area.” A map of the area defines the enhanced employment area as generally from the17J Link west to 11th Avenue, including Glover Road. A pedestrian/bicycle path currently exists fro...
Work is beginning on the 17J Link and Highway 30 west toward Sidney. Signs are out cautioning drivers of the upcoming construction zone, including reduced speed zones on the 17J Link during construction. Work starts from just north of Old Post Road to north of the Highway 30 and 17J intersection....
The city of Sidney has several businesses projects within the Tax Incentive Financing (TIF) program totaling $11,640,600, according to a report presented by Sidney Finance Director Lane Kizzire. The City's 10 TIF projects with a total estimated cost of $11,640,600. Project maturity ranges from the Clausen Project completed in 2007 and maturing Dec. 3, 2022 to two Cabela's projects – the Corporate Project completed in 2015 and the Downtown Project completed in 2014, both with maturity dates of Dec. 15, 2029.The Corporate project has an a...
WASHINGTON, D.C. – On March 18, U.S. Senator Deb Fischer, a member of the Senate Commerce Committee and ranking member of the Subcommittee on Surface Transportation, Maritime, Freight, and Ports, announced she was joined by Senators Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Gary Peters (D-Mich.), all members of the Senate Commerce Committee, to reintroduce legislation to identify and address instances of blocked railroad crossings. “Railroads are a key part of our surface transportation system, but when trains blo...
The ceremony was small but the importance of the duties were just as clear. Two more people stood up for children in the court systems. Deanna Aurich and Jacobi Popp were sworn in by Judge Randin Roland Thursday, March 18, at the Cheyenne County District Court Room as the newest members of PlainsWest CASA. “I taught school for more than 30 years,” said Aurich. “I thought this is something I could do to help kids.” She said she has always had a soft spot for children who “had a strike against t...
Panhandle Public Health District continues to report the region's risk level at 1.67 for another week. As of March 22, there were four active hospitalizations. Cheyenne County is at a level of 1.5 on the risk dial, and Sidney is at a high risk level (2 to 2.99) with a risk level of 2.2 As of March 15, 36,180 tests were conducted with 8,867 returning positive. There have been 18,985 people vaccinated and 189 deaths since the coronavirus was first identified in the Panhandle. There have been 90 cases from March 8 to March 22 as of March 22. The...
GERING — Weather permitting, work will begin March 22 on L-17J, according to the Nebraska Department of Transportation. Paulsen, Inc., of Cozad, Neb., has the $12,700,000 contract. Work includes grading with soil stabilization, pavement replacement, median surfacing, new storm drains, bridge decking, guardrails, electric work, pavement markings and signs, and earth shouldering with seeding. Work will take place from L-17J/Old Post Road junction onto US-30 west and east to US-385. Traffic will be maintained with lane closures, flaggers, and r...
The weekend snowstorm closed Interstate 80 west to Wyoming. The closure moved continuously east as truck stops and rest stops became overwhelmed with stranded trucks and motorists. As of 12:30 p.m. Monday, I-80 was closed from Grand Island west to Wyoming....
The Sidney Airport Authority Board approved an agreement to locally fund concrete repair. “We're trying to do this on our own, save some money,” said Airport Authority Board Chairman Ron Meyer. In the March 11 meeting of the Airport Authority Board, George Lapaseotes, manager of Sidney Municipal Airport and partner in L & L Aviation, said he contacted three local companies for bids on repair work at the airport. The work will include about 25 feet of area in front of hangars, near the Wes...
Brook Wrage, Celena Shepherd and Madeleine Grant Nebraska News Service LINCOLN — The first week of floor debates kicked off the second week in March. Senators debated and advanced a handful of bills in the Nebraska Legislature. Read through to get a recap of the week. LB255: Provide compensation to families of deceased first responders Sen. Matt Hansen of Lincoln introduced LB255, which would establish the In-Line of Duty Compensation Act to provide a one-time death benefit for a family member of a first responder who dies while in the line o...
Natalie Stanley Nebraska News Service LINCOLN — The Judiciary Committee heard another bill regarding marijuana legislation this week with LB474, the Adopt the Medicinal Cannabis Act. So far, there are 14 bills regarding marijuana that have been proposed this year. Sen. Anna Wishart of Lincoln introduced LB474 to the Committee on Wednesday. Wishart has been working on marijuana legislation for the past five years. Most recently, she and Sen. Adam Morfeld of Lincoln led an effort to gather nearly 190,000 signatures in 2020 to add medicinal m...
The distance between electronic files and a responding officer just got shorter. Cheyenne County Sheriff Adam Frerichs met with the Cheyenne County Board of Commissioners on March 1. Part of his report updated the commissioners on a new computer system. Each department vehicle will have a mobile computer. There will also be a camera in each vehicle and deputies will be wearing body cams. The digital body cams will be linked to the in-car camera, Frerichs said. The car camera will automatically...
On Thursday, March 4, at approximately 4:45 pm, Cheyenne County Sheriff's Office Deputy Bobby B. Martinez was on regular duty conducting patrol operations traveling westbound on King Street in Sidney. Deputy Martinez observed a white four-door sedan traveling eastbound on King Street near 11th Avenue. He observed the sedan run the stop sign at the intersection of 10th Avenue and King Street at a high rate of speed. The sedan then turned and headed southbound on 10th Avenue. Deputy Martinez then observed the same white four-door sedan...
The Cheyenne County Courthouse is becoming increasingly computerized. Admittedly, some of it is a response to safety protocols related to the coronavirus. Court proceedings have become increasingly virtual in response to distancing requirements. Inmates could have visits by video conferencing and department websites are adding more features to their pages, allowing customers to do business from home. However, regardless the reason, technology, as with most things mechanical, eventually needs to...
LINCOLN — The Nebraska Legislature heard several COVID-related bills introduced by senators this session. With committee hearings wrapping up the second week in March, some bills will soon be debated on the floor of the Legislature. Here is a rundown of COVID bills ranging from expanding public meetings to opting out of mandatory vaccinations and more. LB637: Increase in local public health department authority On Feb. 19, Sen. Tony Vargas of Omaha discussed his bill to increase the authority of local public health departments regarding ...
