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 922 - 946 of 3090
A 4-H club project put a little spit and polish on a little-known private cemetery near Lorenzo last week, sprucing up the final resting place of a long-gone Cheyenne County family. The project, borne of the search for a project to serve the community, was founded in the minds of young 4-H and real-life sisters, Peyton and Taylor Sprenger. While they were brainstorming for a club project, the sisters spoke to a neighbor, who told them about the small cemetery just east of Lorenzo, suggesting a...
Agriculture in the Nebraska Panhandle offers many career opportunities besides being a farmer or rancher. An entire industry has developed to support farmers in the field as they grow food; to process the food they grow; and research the best ways to grow a safe, plentiful supply of food. Local Extension staff have created a unique camp to expose 4-H youth ages 8-12 to some of the not-so-well-known agricultural options available in the area. The Panhandle Ag 4-H Camp is scheduled for 9 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. Thursday, July 11, at the University...
The City of Sidney Parks Department will conduct initial mosquito spraying on Sunday evening, July 14. Weather permitting, spraying will continue 7:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. each Sunday into September. In the U.S., West Nile Virus has become a common mosquito borne disease affecting humans. Outbreaks frequently follow a surge in the mosquito population brought on by warm, wet weather. Mosquitos also transmit canine heartworm, fatal to dogs once contracted. Pet owners can purchase a preventative...
In August 2018, the City of Sidney approached voters to amend the LB840 program to accept private donations. On June 25, Economic Development Director Melissa Norgard announced the City was awarded a grant from an anonymous donor of $300,000 annually. The award is for four years with the potential of $1.2 million added to the LB840 fund. “This is a huge deal,” Norgard said to the Sidney City Council June 25. She said the funds will be for development of future new jobs. The funds can only be...
The desk and office are cleared. A few pictures still adorn the walls. The think-center of the office is a little quieter while the new director settles in to make the corner office his location. Stan Belieu was recently sworn in as the new director of the Nebraska Oil and Gas Commission, replacing Bill Sydow who retired. Sydow is closing the books on 26 years of work with the Nebraska Oil and Gas Commission. In the process Gov. Pete Ricketts also recognized "Bill Sydow Day" and commissioned he...
The City of Sidney Street Department will be conducting chip seal operations through July 11, weather permitting. The Street Department will be doing the final preparation for chip sealing this week through July 5. Chip sealing is expected to be conducted July 9-11. All vehicles, trailers and campers must be removed from streets prior to 6 a.m. Each morning to avoid being towed at the owner’s expense. The streets will be blocked off on the day of the chip sealing application. The Street Department will be preparing for and sealing the f...
The Cheyenne County Commissioners, acting as the Board of Equalization, approved the assessment of several properties brought before the board for protest. The commissioners met Monday as the Board of Equalization in the Cheyenne County Court Room. One property owner, Ron Studnicka, was present to defend his protest. He asked for a 10 percent reduction in valuation, based on the CRP contract ending and the tract becoming unimproved grassland. Studnicka also complained in his written statement ab...
The Cheyenne County School District No. 1 board of education discussed teacher assessment, student goals, substance use among students and student goals Monday. The board discussed how teachers are evaluated, the use of self-evaluation and the “collective efficacy” program. Collective efficacy is when teachers and administrators work together toward producing better teaching staff. Sheri Ehler, director of curriculum and assessment, said the self-assessment is not a casual effort for a teacher to evaluate his or her performance. It is cal...
A couple weeks ago I spent a day in a rubber raft with five young men ages 13-16 on a fun, yet challenging, whitewater rafting activity. Also in our raft was an experienced guide named Hunter, who told us this was the third summer he had been working as a rafting guide. I'll admit, I was apprehensive as we were given some safety instructions before getting in the bus to ride up the canyon to where we put in to the rushing river in Poudre Canyon west of Fort Collins, Colo. When we got to the...
MMP Enterprises Inc. of Toronto, Canada announces it has signed the purchase agreement to acquire the former Bass Pro Shops / Cabela’s distribution center at 3200 Rd 101 north of Sidney. Chosen because of the pool of talented people in Sidney and it central location, hiring and operations will begin in June, 2019. Mark Priemer, president of MMP, says the facility will be used to expand pick-and-pack order fulfillment and warehousing into the United States on behalf of company clients in C...
On Tuesday, June 18, bicyclists arrived in Sidney in preparation for the 2019 Tour De Nebraska. This year, the annual tour started and stopped at Sidney High School with host locations and several stops in between. About 467 riders took part in this year's event. "We had a very wonderful tour," said TDN director Charlie Schilling. He said some riders have already expressed interest in bringing the TDN back to the Panhandle area. Sidney Economic Development Director Melissa Norgard said she...
Potter's streets will be filled to the brim with activities this weekend as the 5th Annual Potter Car Bowl gets underway. For those who can't wait until Friday night's official kickoff, they can see the first of three melodrama productions of "The History of Dating," performed by thespians from across the southern Panhandle. The show will take a look at dating practices from cave men to the internet. The show begins at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Potter Legion building, with food available beginning...
The City of Sidney and Cheyenne County Economic Development Partnership are pleased to announce Sidney will be the host community for the 2020 Nebraska Economic Developers Association (NEDA) conference. The conference brings together economic development professionals from across Nebraska. Dates and additional details will be determined in the upcoming months. Melissa Norgard, Economic Development Director, presented to the board of directors at the 2019 NEDA Conference in Wayne on June 12th, and Sidney was selected as the host community. “We a...
With the approach of the Fourth of July and the fireworks fun that come with it, the Sidney Police Department reminds residents of tips to enjoy fireworks safely. The police department wants to remind people that fireworks may be shot off during the week prior to the 4th of July, until 10 p.m. each day. On the Fourth, fireworks can be shot until midnight, and then on July 5 until 10 p.m. Other safety tips from the department: - Know your fireworks; read the cautionary labels and follow...
SCOTTSBLUFF — The Western Community College Area (WCCA) Board of Governors has named former longtime Western Nebraska Community College president Dr. John Harms interim president of WNCC. WCCA Board Chair Lynne Klemke made the announcement during the June 19 board meeting. Harms takes the helm from Dr. Todd Holcomb, who will assume the same position at Hawkeye Community College in Iowa. “The Board of Governors is pleased that Dr. Harms has accepted the offer to serve as the interim president of Western Nebraska Community College,” said Klemk...
A City Electric Department worker manipulates electrical wires so the fire department can move in to extinguish a grass fire Monday. Workers said it appeared the fire was started when winds whipped the lines together, causing electrical sparks....
City of Sidney Water Department workers dig to find the spot of a water main break at 10th and Toledo Monday. They were able to make the repair and get traffic back running in a few hours....
A little more than a year ago, a new medical helicopter landed in Sidney, soon followed by an ambulance, staffed by black-uniformed Medical Air Rescue Company personnel. The company recently announced the effort to serve the Sidney area did not work as planned and the company is moving. The decision was made at the end of May, according to ground operations manager Chris Wells. "To function at a break even point, we need 14 revenue creating flights per month," Well said. "We were averaging six t...
County roads need a specific gravel to maintain integrity and withstand traffic, and landowners need a specific level of compensation to supply the gravel. Cheyenne County commissioners Monday met with county landowners on how to bring both issues together. “People don’t understand where we get our gravel,” said Cheyenne County Commissioner Philip Sanders. “We buy our gravel from landowners. That is where the conflict starts, according to Sanders. Presently, the gravel pits are valuated as a si...
The Sidney Airport Authority is seeking a new board member. The Airport Authority is a five-member board elected to six-year terms of service. The board is responsible for the operation of the airport under the authority of the Sidney City Council. Board members must reside within the city limits. Board member Scott Cowan recently submitted his resignation. He is resigning to move to Oklahoma with his family. He resigned in the May 9 meeting. He was appointed to fill a vacancy on the board in...
KEARNEY – Nathan Moore can tell you the exact number of tornadoes he's seen in his life. It's 216, including 15 this year. "That's like your trophy," Moore said. "It's your reward. You definitely keep track." Moore, who works in information technology services at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, has been recording thunderstorms and other natural phenomena for nearly three decades. What started as an on-and-off hobby is now a second profession for the 47-year-old. "I love seeing what M...
LINCOLN – Hunters have until July 5 to apply for a 2019-2020 multispecies lottery permit. Two types of permits are available: Super Tag and Combo. The Super Tag permit is valid in 2019 and 2020 for one elk of either sex, one antelope of either sex, one deer of either sex, and two turkeys (only toms and bearded hens may be taken in the spring). The permit is valid in open seasons with the appropriate weapons. One Super Tag permit is authorized for residents only, and one permit is authorized for residents/nonresidents. Persons may apply for the...
About a year ago, Vitalix was setting up shop in the Sidney area. They made the move after the Alliance facility was lost in a fire. The fire offered an unexpected opportunity in a way. The company relocated to Sidney in September 2018, acquiring a warehouse in the Industrial Park. The warehouse was outfitted according to the needs of the company rather than trying to upgrade an existing system. The Alliance location was about 30 years old when it was lost to the fire, according to Olson. The...
Some legacies develop not so much from design as from priorities, priorities that include what motivates a person to work long hours and weeks. In the early 1960s, Robert "Bob" Adams started "Bob's Water Service." It was a service supporting the oil industry during his boom days. Bob's Water Service supported drilling rigs throughout Colorado and Nebraska in the 1960s. His son Don started "Don's Trucking" in the early 1980s to support Bob's Water Service. The two companies merged and became...
Brandee Gillham has agreed to write columns for the agriculture section of the Sidney Sun-Telegraph. Gillham, of Peetz, married her cowboy sweetheart right after college. After a few bumps along the trail, they now enjoying serving as fourth generation ranchers on the family ranch in Peetz, Colorado. They are raising four lil' cowpokes to be the fifth generation living this western way of life and help with the cow-calf operation and raise quarter horses. Brandee spends her days homeschooling...
