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  • SPS ready for Library makerspace

    Brandon L. Summers|Sep 13, 2017

    Sidney Public Schools will benefit from Sidney Public Library’s permanent makerspace, Chris Arent, Sidney High School principal, told the SPS board Monday. The library has received a $300,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to establish a “teaching telepresence” with University of Nebraska-Lincoln. “Makerspace is basically where you’re able to come in and there’s different tools and different items available for you to use to create things,” Arent explained. “We were the first commu...

  • Presbyterian church celebrates 100 years in Sidney

    Brandon L. Summers|Sep 8, 2017

    Light Memorial Presbyterian Church is celebrating its 100th anniversary Sunday. The Sidney church was formed Aug. 17, 1917, but wasn't voted into the Presbytery of Box Butte until Sept. 11, 1917, Jane Easterly, church board member, said. The event will be celebrated with a worship service featuring additional music and a piano duet, and a catered luncheon for members and volunteers. "We have some members who have moved out of town coming back to celebrate," Easterly said. "During that time we...

  • SHS, Chamber partner for student job shadowing

    Brandon L. Summers|Sep 8, 2017

    Sidney High School and Cheyenne Area Chamber of Commerce are partnering to provide students with job shadowing and internship opportunities. The opportunities are based mutually on the student’s interest and the willingness of local businesses to host students. As many as 15 junior and seniors participate in the program yearly, Chris Arent, SHS principal, said. “We start with the job shadowing experience. That way, (students) can go follow and be able to ask questions, and see if it’s a good...

  • Sidney's Feddersen charged with robbery, assault

    Brandon L. Summers|Sep 8, 2017

    Jackson G. Feddersen, 18, was arrested Sept. 1 and charged with robbery, first degree assault, use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony, second degree assault and burglary, all Class II felonies, and strangulation and terroristic threats, both Class III felonies. Feddersen is being held on $250,000 bond. Sidney Police Department was dispatched on Aug. 31 at 1:42 a.m. to Spruce Street in response to a reported assault, according to an affidavit released by the Cheyenne County Attorney's Office....

  • Aquatic Center ends season on high note

    Brandon L. Summers|Sep 6, 2017

    Sidney Aquatic Center concluded its summer season on a high note. “This seems to be quite a popular place to be,” Director Kiersten Richards said. “The kids love it. Everybody’s sad that we’re closing for the season, but with school starting we don’t have many lifeguards left.” More than 300 family passes were sold, Richards said, ranging from single adult and youth passes to seniors, as well. “Our biggest day, I believe we had not quite 350 people. Not at the same time. Our capacity only holds...

  • High Plains Arts Council readies for new season

    Brandon L. Summers|Sep 6, 2017

    Sidney’s High Plains Art Council is ready for its 2017-18 season. The season begins with the Gulizia Brothers on Sept. 14. “Their speciality is the classics, and they’ve written their own music. Kind of a blues sound,” Carrie Brown, HPAC executive director, said. In addition to an evening performance, the Gulizia Brothers will lead an outreach program at North Elementary. “They typically just talk to the students about music, how music can improve the quality of life,” Brown said. “They talk abo...

  • Community Shepherds aim to help Dalton-Gurley area

    Brandon L. Summers|Sep 6, 2017

    DALTON - A new non-profit group has formed to help the Dalton and Gurley communities, and the surrounding area, in whatever way they need help. The Dalton Community Shepherds gather in Dalton's former Presbyterian Church, at 404 Francis St., in Dalton, and while they are personally motivated by their Christian faith, are a non-denominational entity. "We're here to do things like a church does, but we are not a church," Jim Larson, group president, said, adding, "Whatever the community has a need...

  • Community gathers supplies for hurricane victims

    Brandon L. Summers|Sep 1, 2017

    Hurricane Harvey struck southeast Texas Friday and historic flooding has displaced thousands. In response, Sidney VFW Post 610, Adams Trucking and Sidney Public Schools, along with Sidney’s businesses, are working together to send needed supplies to the storm victims. “We are doing a cooperation of gathering supplies,” VFW Cmdr. Stephanie Dadgostar said. “(Adams is) going to do the transportation for us. The school is going to do a food drive and then Tuesday we will start collecting it.” Adams...

  • Library digital archive available online

    Brandon L. Summers|Sep 1, 2017

    Sidney Public Library’s online digital newspaper archive is now available. Sidney and Cheyenne County area newspapers from as far back as 1875 can now be searched from the comfort of home. “We get a lot of requests from people to find information in the old local newspapers we have on microfilm,” Andrew Sherman, library director, said, “and the issue we have is, if the person doesn’t have a good idea of the date or a fairly limited date range for us to search, with our staff, it’s just not pr...

  • Michelle Pastor, Tri-State Generation & Transmission, teaches North Elementary's fourth graders Wednesday about all the ways electricity is made, how it works and how it gets to their homes. The program was presented by Wheat Belt Power District.

    Brandon L. Summers|Sep 1, 2017

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  • Old Settlers' Days starts Friday

    Brandon L. Summers|Aug 30, 2017

    LODGEPOLE - Lodgepole’s annual Old Settlers’ Days starts Friday. “It’s a celebration that was started 93 years ago,” Dianne Borm, event chairperson, said. “A group of people decided to get together down in the meadow to have a picnic and a playtime activity, following their harvest and everything.” She added, “I don’t know that they ever thought it was going to develop into what it has now.” This year’s event will also celebrate Lodgepole’s sesquicentennial. “We’re 150 years old, as well as t...

  • Landfill pursues $1M grant for new system

    Brandon L. Summers|Aug 30, 2017

    Sidney Landfill is pursuing two grants for $1 million to replace outmoded equipment. The city is applying for a Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality solid waste reduction grant and a Nebraska Environment Trust waste management grant to purchase of a shredder, compactor and tarp system. Waste delivered to the landfill is pushed onto a conveyor belt that runs the waste through a bailer, which compresses the waste into bails. The bails are moved into the landfill cell and stacked three...

  • Mill Levy will increase for one year

    Brandon L. Summers|Aug 25, 2017

    Sidney’s mill levy will increase from 0.43 to 0.53, Ed Sadler, Sidney city manager, reported to the city council Tuesday at their regular meeting. “If you look at where your mill levy is going to be for operations budgets, the general fund and for the debt service, you’re talking slightly over 0.5 for the mill levy,” he said. “It’s currently about 0.4.” The increase is only for one year, and due to payments being made on two bonds. “It’s going up,” Sadler said. “The following year it’s g...

  • Library getting permanent makerspace

    Brandon L. Summers|Aug 25, 2017

    Sidney Public Library is getting a permanent maker-space workshop. A $300,000 grant from the National Science Foundation will allow the library to purchase equipment and establish a telepresence with University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Innovation Studio. “We’ll have microphones and web cameras set up at the individual work stations and the expert from Lincoln will be able to come in and see what you’re working on,” Andrew Sherman, library director, said. “Our Smith room is a classroom environment...

  • Annual Potter Days coming soon

    Brandon L. Summers|Aug 25, 2017

    POTTER - The 86th annual Potter Days kicks off Thursday. The four-day event features many community activities, Erika Revord, Potter Days committee treasurer, said. "We're trying to bring back the old Potter Days, because it seems like there were more activities back then," Revord said. The town celebration begins with the crowing of Miss Potter, and continues Friday with a home game against Hyannis Following the football game is a glow run. "We call it a fun run," Revord said. "It's not...

  • Solar Eclipse

    Brandon L. Summers|Aug 23, 2017

    Students and faculty at Sidney High School's Weymouth Field watched as the moon began to cross in front of the sun, using their protective glasses over their phones to capture the celestial event. A viewing event was also held at Sidney Public Library, and across Sidney people sat on porches and in front of businesses to watch. At roughly 11:45, the moon covered about 95 percent of the sun. In the dimness, the temperature dropped and strong winds delivered a chill....

  • Commissioners to get pay increase

    Brandon L. Summers|Aug 23, 2017

    Cheyenne County Commissioners will receive a 20 percent pay increase for the 2017-18 budget year. The combined salary for all three officials in 2016 was $63,798.12, and will increase to an estimated $80,000 for the new budget year. “The board has to set official salary by January of the election year so that people know what they’re going to pay their 1 percent filing fee on,” Beth Fiegenschuh, county clerk, said. Resolution 2015-36, signed December 2015, established salaries for the commission...

  • County Fair loses money

    Brandon L. Summers|Aug 23, 2017

    The Cheyenne County Fair and Rodeo lost money this year. The event had $110,604 in expenses, Anita Pennel, fair board treasurer told County Commissioners Monday at their regular meeting, and earned only $41,726 in ticket sales. The event, though, had a budget of $110,000 in levied funds from the county, as well as donations. “We are levied in X amount of dollars. That’s the money we have to work with,” Pennel said. “Doing it this way, we know what events are actually covering their own expense...

  • Fischer hears constituent concerns

    Brandon L. Summers|Aug 23, 2017

    Sen. Deb Fischer visited Sidney Thursday to hear constituent concerns and provide an update on committee efforts. Speaking to roughly 20 citizens at Best Western Plus Inn & Suites, Fischer wanted people to better understand that senators from both sides of the aisle do work together. "You don't always hear that," she said. "Most of the time you hear that we are stuck in gridlock, we don't get anything done, we hate each other, and some of that is true, but I like to get the message out that...

  • SPS starts 2017-18 year

    Brandon L. Summers|Aug 18, 2017

    Sidney Public Schools began its 2017-18 year Thursday. Superintendent Jay Ehler said faculty and staff alike are excited for the new year. A challenge faced by the district remains the community's economic uncertainty. "There's been less stressful times in Sidney, for sure, but when I was in the buildings all through last year it was amazing that the instruction was as high a level as it's ever been," he said. "That shows with the amount of growth the kids have had. In comparison across the...

  • Illinois, 13th not a four-way stop

    Brandon L. Summers|Aug 18, 2017

    Traffic lights are being replaced at the intersection of Illinois Avenue and 13th Street. “There was an accident where a truck ran over the traffic light pole, and destroyed it and put a dent in it,” Hank Radtke, Sidney streets superintendent, said. “The state came in and checked it, and if we had a four mile an hour wind the pole would come down.” The pole has been removed, Radtke said, and another has been ordered, to be installed by Sidney Electrical Department. It should arrive in two to...

  • Morgan is new Christian Life Center reverend

    Brandon L. Summers|Aug 18, 2017

    Pete Morgan is the new reverend at Sidney's Christian Life Center. Morgan has served in the role since July 2, and previously served as an associate for the church. "Every pastor is different. I preach a little differently than Jim Gerhold," Morgan said. "We're more aggressively reaching out, we're really encouraging people to invite their friends, get kids in here. Just trying to help the church grow and move forward." Ordained by an independent organization, Morgan first had to receive...

  • Solar Eclipse to bring thousands of people to Sidney

    Brandon L. Summers|Aug 16, 2017

    As many as 20,000 people are expected to travel into Sidney for Monday's solar eclipse event. With Sidney's hotels "all booked up for the event," Ed Sadler, city manager, said, the event should be a boon for the city. "There will be people coming that day that will come through here, gas up on the way to the optimum viewing spot," he said. While it is a large number of visitors for the city, "I don't think it's more than we can handle," Sadler said. "There are places out there that are giving...

  • Agri-Plastics and Lukjan near deal on Greenwood facility

    Brandon L. Summers|Aug 16, 2017

    Agri-Plastics, an Ontario-based plastics manufacturer, has "reached an agreement" with Lukjan Metal Products LLC to acquire roughly half of its Greenwood Drive facility, Herb Gibson, Lukjan midwest regional director, said. A contract has not been signed. Sidney Planning Commission must first agree to dividing the facility into two spaces. A recommendation must be approved by the Sidney City Council. If approved, Agri-Plastics would occupy the back half of the Greenwood Drive facility, a space...

  • Night of Hope raises $39,000

    Brandon L. Summers|Aug 16, 2017

    Night of Hope's Walk for Cancer raised $38,993.70 for Sidney's cancer patients. The event Friday attracted more than 250 participants to Legion Park. Brenda Noel, NOH Foundation president, described the 14th annual event as "great." "Despite the weather we've had the last week, we had a wonderful turnout," Noel said. Walk for Cancer had an average, but smaller, turnout compared to previous years, Noel said, having to compete with other events in Sidney. "We usually get closer to 300 and 350,...

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