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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The Sidney City Council approved a SCADA (Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition) system for the City's water department. SCADA is a control system architecture that includes computers, networked data communications and graphical user interfaces for process management. The SCADA system also includes peripheral devices such as computer systems to interface with facility machinery. The Aug. 25 decision on a SCADA system is follow-up from the June 9 meeting when Water/Sewer Superintendent Rob...
Work is underway for a new basketball court in Legion Park in memory of Alan Hartzler who was known for his commitment to youth sports and coaching. The plan is for a regulation-size basketball court constructed in Legion Park east of the Cheyenne County Community Center. When the project was first announced in February, John Phillips credited Hartzler for developing the travel basketball teams in the area. The travel basketball team program was developed before the Community Center was...
The name is a play on words from a movie script, two partners facing the bad guy with different but complimentary skills. However, this isn't a typical partner relationship, unless you understand the relationship between “a man and his dog.” The application to real life is that Riggs and his partner/handler, Deputy Collin Hauert, respond as a unit. “He and I got hooked up the beginning of July,” Dep. Hauert said. Aug. 19. Riggs is a little more than a year old and completing his trainin...
The Potter area of Cheyenne County will be bustling next weekend as activities will be happening downtown and at a few miles away. Along with the food and entertainment scheduled for Main Street of Potter, there will be an off-road racing event at 3272 County Road 83. On Aug. 17, B.J. Juelfs met with the county commissioners regarding liquor licensing. Juelfs said Fly-Over Brewing of Scottsbluff will be onsite to provide food and beverages. The commissioners said the brewery needs to apply for...
There certain occupations in life that are defined as service, interactive with the community. Others, it takes a little looking outside of the box, or deeper in the heart. For some people, working in a service industry doesn't quite fill the niche. Filling that is about following the passion that involves passions outside of the business. When a cause is personal, it also become passionate. When the passion translates to community involvement, things get done, and sometimes people receive...
Today, Friday, August 21, the South Platte Natural Resources District (SPNRD) was notified by the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy (NDEE) that the water sample for Oliver Reservoir meets or exceeds the threshold of the toxin, Microcystin, which is associated with the presence of harmful algal blooms. Oliver Reservoir will remain on Health Alert until a new sample tests below 8 parts-per-billion (ppb). Samples are taken weekly. When a health alert is issued, signs are posted to advise the public to use caution. Swimming beaches are...
A Sidney High School student was identified recently as positive with the COVID-19 virus. The announcement was made in a press release issued by the Sidney School District 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 18. The press release states the Sidney Public Schools received confirmation of high school student positive with COVID-19. The press release says the student was last in the building on Monday, Aug. 17. Jessica Davies, Assistant Health Director and Wellness Coordinator of Panhandle Public Health...
The Sidney City Council approved increasing funding for the Sidney Municipal Airport. On Tuesday, Aug. 11, the Sidney City Council debated a proposal for reinstating funding for the airport. For the 2019-2020 fiscal year, the Sidney Airport Authority requested $169,350.44. Also during that period, the city's valuation decreased by 12 percent. The council approved reducing the airport authority's funding by the same rate as all other departments in the City, resulting in a decrease to...
Monday afternoon any rumors or hopes of the next business interest in Sidney became official as the CEO of Camping World RV & Outdoors announced plans to open a location in Sidney. Marcus Lemonis, chief executive officer of Camping World, announced Monday evening his intent to open and distribution center and a retail location in Sidney. The announcement was made at a reception at Beans & Steams Coffee House. Lemonis quickly said he is planting his flag in Sidney, metaphorically and as grand as...
The Panhandle Public Health District recently reported an improvement in the region's response to COVID-19. From March 2 to Aug. 4, the Panhandle area has conducted 8,320 tests. Of that number, 444 tests were returned positive for the coronavirus for a 5.3 percent cumulative positivity rate. Of the 444 positive cases, 384 have recovered and 54 are active. There are six COVID-related deaths, one active hospitalization and 45 cumulative hospitalizations. PPHD publishes a chart, a dial, explaining...
The Sidney City Council agreed July 28 to continue its contract with the Cheyenne County Chamber of Commerce. The contract is for the Chamber to execute "services and deliverables" for the City each fiscal year, according to the summary presented to council members. "I think we put as many results and checks and balances in it as we could," said Economic Development Director Melissa Norgard. In the contract, the Chamber is to work with the city's Economic Development office on projects...
“Enough is enough” was the chant Thursday morning when residents of Western Heritage Apartments in Sidney took to the street to present their case. Residents are complaining of his prices for maintenance services, when work is completed, and long waits for service. “My toilet has been clogged since Friday,” said Bette Castle. Castle has lived at Western Heritage Apartments for about six years. A shower unit was installed in another resident's apartment. She reported a gap in the unit and was...
The Cheyenne County Emergency Communications Center (CCECC) logged 21,325 calls from all the agencies it dispatches in fiscal year 2019-2020. CCECC Manager Heidi Gillespie presented her annual report to the Sidney City Council on Tuesday, July 28. The dispatch center dispatches Sidney Police Department, Sidney Fire Department, Cheyenne County Sheriff's Office, Deuel County Sheriff's Office and Regional West EMS. Most of the dispatch service is for the Sidney Police Department at 8,053 calls for...
OMAHA – The Drug Enforcement Administration urges its DEA-registered practitioners and members of the public to be cautious of telephone calls by scammers posing as DEA employees attempting to defraud and extort victims. The schemers call the victims, spoofing DEA phone numbers in order to appear legitimate, and threaten arrest, prosecution, and imprisonment for supposed violations of federal drug laws or involvement in drug-trafficking activities unless victims pay a “fine” over the phone, via wire transfer, or through a gift card. The reporte...
On Friday, July 31, the South Platte Natural Resources District (SPNRD) was notified by the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy (NDEE) that the water sample for Oliver Reservoir meets or exceeds the threshold of the toxin, Microcystin, which is associated with the presence of harmful algal blooms. Oliver Reservoir will remain on Health Alert until a new sample tests below 8 parts-per-billion (ppb). Samples are taken weekly. On Aug. 7, the South Platte Natural Resources District was...
Caution, communication and environmental awareness appear to be the keywords for Sidney Public Schools bringing students back to the classroom. District Superintendent Jay Ehler released a statement Monday morning on how the District plans to move toward reopening schools this fall. "We know that there is no way to please everyone in this situation. We gathered as much information as we could and attempted to put together a plan good for kids and staff," Ehler said. The anticipated date for stud...
Farmers and ranchers in Cheyenne County who want to apply for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) are encouraged to do so by the August 28, 2020 deadline according to Farm Service Agency Cheyenne County Executive Director, Brad Fraass. The Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) is available to farmers and ranchers whose operations have been directly impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. CFAP provides direct relief to producers who faced price declines and additional marketing costs due to COVID-19. To find the latest information...
When an adult breaks the law, depending on the infraction, he earns a period of time away from society. If a juvenile is found guilty of a crime requiring incarceration, the process quickly gets complicated. There is specific housing, separation from adult population and possible therapy programs. The process is further complicated by the lack of available residential facilities, according to Cheyenne County Attorney Paul Schaub. In the July 20 meeting of the Cheyenne County Commissioners, the commissioners renewed a contract with Lancaster...
The tradition of 4-H members walking their sheep, goats or cattle before potential buyers continued this year, although with some noticeable changes. This year's 4-H Livestock Sale, the key point of 4-H events at the Cheyenne County Fair, was conducted this year virtually and before a crowd of supporters. It was most-notably done without the presence of the club members' animals. Each 4-H member displayed a framed picture of their entry before the video feed and the audience before bids were...
The Night of Hope Board of Directors met Tuesday night, July 28, to discuss this year's event and whether or not it should be cancelled. It is with a heavy heart that we share the news that this year's walk has been CANCELLED! It was a difficult decision, but the board felt that it was the right one to make considering the risks surrounding the COVID -19 virus. The event has some of the highest risk people in attendance and we felt the the risk was too great to leave to chance. The board encourages everyone to continue to form your teams and...
It isn't often an insurance carrier approaches a client with the words “Here's a check.” More often it is facing the challenge of minimizing claims and related increases. But that was not the case in the July 14 Sidney City Council meeting when the City was presented with a check for about $146,000. The return was presented by Rob Robinson of Points West Insurance. “What its based on is your loss ratio,” Robinson told the city council. He said in addition to safety, company also stresse...
The Sidney School District approved an agreement with Education Service Unit (ESU) 13 for the Valley Alternative Learning Transitioning School (VALTS). VALTS is a program designed “to provide alternative ways for students to achieve high school graduation." The program includes methods to ensure students have reached or surpassed the district and/or state performance assessments. The mission of VALTS is to empower students to meet the challenges of a changing world. The philosophy is based u...
• Unified Command Confirms more COVID-19 Cases The Unified Command announced there are four more confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the Panhandle area. The four include a woman in her 50s in Deuel County (Community Spread), a man in his 60s in Morrill County (Community Spread), a woman in her 50s in Scotts Bluff (unknown origin) and a man in his 20s (unknown origin). The Panhandle Public Health Department also announced a community exposure site at Cedar Lanes in Sidney. The PPHD encourages anyone who was at the business between 7:30 p.m. and 1...
There were tears, smiles, laughter and quiet memories as local farmers gathered for one last chance to return a favor to one known to give to anyone who had a need. Life seldom ends on a schedule. Too often family get that phone call no parent wants to answer. From that point, life changes. The son or daughter is no longer walking among the living. Conversations become like retrieving memories from a shelf. In the course of moving forward, there comes addressing the details of when everyone...
