Good Old Days 07-31-15

Compiled By Delaney Uhrig

These stories from the past first appeared in The Sidney Telegraph. Original writing is preserved, though some stories were shortened for space reasons.

50 Years Ago

'Sidney Wins Hectic Trade School Battle'

July 30, 1965

The Sidney trade school bill (LB176) survived a motion to reconsider this afternoon, following a hot and protracted floor debate, and the measure stands as approved by the Nebraska Legislature.

The bill to establish a state-supported trade school at Sioux Army Depot won out when only 13 senators voted for the reconsideration motion. It would have taken 25 votes.

Almost as valuable was the fact that 17 senators abstained from voting – virtually equivalent to supporting Sidney measure.

Nineteen others voted against the motion to reconsider.

Now, with this hurdle accomplished, LB176 cannot face further challenge from the floor.

Only two obstacles remain, and both appear remote, according to Phil Gottschalk, publisher of The Sidney Telegraph, who was in the legislative chambers today helping to spearhead the desperate fight to preserve Sidney bill.

One is that the Legislature could amend the budget bill and remove the funds which are earmarked for the Sioux-Sidney trade school, and Mr. Gottschalk said several senators told them this is not likely to happen.

Even more remote, he said, is the possibility that Gov. Morrison might veto LB176. The governor is on record as saying the trade school should be at Sioux, if vast amount of equipment, buildings and facilities available there at no cost.

Mr. Gottschalk tabulated this afternoon's vote as follows:

Voting against the motion to reconsider (which was a vote for Sidney) : Baur, Burbach, Carpenter, Claussen, Crandall, Fleming, Hasebrook, Holmquist, Kjar, Kokes, Matzke, Nelson, Ira Paine, Eric Rasmussen, Ruhnke, Stromer, Stryker, Warner and Wylie.

Not voting (which was favorable to Sidney because it lessened the chances of opponents getting required 25 votes): Adamson, Bowen, Carstens, Gerdes, Harsh, Hughes, Klaver, Kremer, Liesinger, Marvel, Moylan, Nore, Paxton, Payne, R. Rasmussen, Wallwey and Whitney.

Voting for the motion to reconsider (which was opposition to Sidney's hopes): Batchelder, Brauer, Budd, Craft, Knight, Mahony, Moulton, Orme, Pedersen, Proud, Skarda and Syas.

25 Years Ago

'New SHS Principle 'Turned On' By Kids, Begins Duties Here'

Aug. 1, 1990

"Kids turn me on," asserts John McLane, the new principal at Sidney High School. "I genuinely like kids, and believe school decisions should be made on how they will affect students."

McLane is returning to public education after 15 years of owning and operating Olympic Athletic Services in Scottsbluff, and serving as president of the Bank of Keystone in Keystone for four years. He recently completed an administrative certification program with superintendent endorsement from Colorado State University in Fort Collins. He previously earned a B.S. and M.S. in education from Chadron State College, and taught business education and coached for eight years in the 1960s at high schools in Oshkosh, Morrill, and Mitchell. Most recently, he served a Principal's and Superintendent's Internship at Eaton, Colo., where he also coached.

McLane and his wife LaVon have five children. The oldest three are away from home, attending college and working at their own careers. the youngest two, Rebecca and Kent, will be in the 7th and 4th grades, respectively, in Sidney schools this autumn.

"Our kids are positive and excited about our move to Sidney," McLane says. "They're looking forward to living here and going to school here." LaVon, who worked in Fort Collins as business manager for a church, will devote her time to homemaking and motherhood, McLane said. They have rented a home on Pasadena Street for the time being.

10 Years Ago

'Permits Top $5 Million'

Aug. 2, 2005

Building permit value passed the $5 million mark in Sidney last month.

Twenty-one permits were issued with a value of $361,584 during July. That more than $5.2 million from 166 permits. That compares with slightly more than $4.3 million at the end of July 2004.

Included in the July total is one permit for a new home, located at 1195 Woodbridge Court. Permits have been issued for 12 new single family homes this year, according to the monthly report issued by City Inspector Jim Pelster.

Other permits issued last month were five for residential alterations; one for a residential addition, three for residential garage/carports/storage; and two for covered patio or decks.

Other permits were seven in the residential 'other' category, one for a commercial addition/alteration and one for commercial 'other'.

The 12 houses for which permits have been issued his year have a valuation of $2.2 million

5 Years Ago

'Cheyenne County Slowly Growing'

July 31, 2010

Sidney and Cheyenne County demographics appear to be bucking a decade-old trend of negative population swings in rural Nebraska communities. that's according to a Panhandle Area Development District in-depth report issued last week to the city's Planning Commission that stated growth is happening, albeit slowly.

Jerrod Haberman, PADD's executive director, reported that Sidney's rapid economic growth since 1990, fueled by Cabela's development and expansion efforts and increased activity in private sector businesses, has resulted in nearly 20 years of net in-migration of working-age persons in the area.

Despite Sidney's population growth of 372 persons between 1990 and 2009, Cheyenne County grew only 226 in the same time frame, the report states.

Recent growth pales in comparison to the explosion in population between 1950 and 1960. During that decade, Sidney's population leaped from 4,912 to 8,004. However, the report states that the Sioux Army Depot boom in that decade took place during a time of enormous natural change.

"By simply looking at those total numbers, one might assume the local economy must have been much stronger in the 1950s than it has been in the past two decades and one might assume more people were moving to Sidney in the 1950s than today," the report states. "However, by looking at the numbers below the surface, natural change was the primary driver of growth in the 1950s as the county had 3,562 more births than deaths, whereas in recent years there has only been around 16 more births than deaths annually, with some individual years having more deaths than births."