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Articles written by Everett Johnson


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  • Annie's Project helps women develop farm management skills

    Everett Johnson|Jan 2, 2015

    The Nebraska Extension Office in Cheyenne County is offering a program aimed at local women farmers and ranch women called Annie’s Project. Annie’s Project starts Jan. 15 at Western Nebraska Community College. The program is designed to help women who have a passion for agriculture and want to be involved in their family operation. The six-week course is designed especially for farm and ranch women to help them develop their management and decision-making skills for their operations. Sessions include brief presentations, discussions foc...

  • Farewell, Sidney

    Everett Johnson|Dec 31, 2014

    The time has come for me to bid you all adieu. I'm leaving Sidney to take a job in Bristol, Conn., with ESPN as a program assistant with the radio department. Before a couple of weeks ago, I had full intentions on staying in Sidney for a year or two. But then I received a call from an 860 area code. For as long as I can remember, I've loved sports and loved watching ESPN. My mom was very protective of her son. The scope of mediated text I could consume was very very narrow. I couldn't listen to...

  • Planning Commission OKs Crossfit club in Sidney

    Everett Johnson|Dec 30, 2014

    Gary and Sonja Ehlers received permission from the Planning Commission on Monday night to utilize the former Freight Building at 1850 15th Ave. into a private workout gym to accommodate a Crossfit club. This project was halted previously because of several uncertainties within the project. The Ehlers also needed the property inspected to ensure that they followed certain building code requirements as well as meet American Disability Act standards. The Ehlers made all the necessary requirements to meet building code and ADA requirements. The...

  • Sledding in the Sidney snow

    Everett Johnson|Dec 26, 2014

    For nostalgic holiday fans hoping for a white Christmas, their wish was granted. Snow began in the late morning hours of Christmas Day in Sidney and surrounding towns and continued through the night and into midday Friday afternoon. It was expected to taper off by Friday night. The storm dumped about 5 inches of snow on Sidney, Lodgepole and Dalton. Kimball and Bushnell received about 6 inches, while Gering and Scottsbluff received between 12 and 15 inches. Chadron was hit with between 14 and...

  • Gas prices still dropping in Sidney

    Everett Johnson|Dec 26, 2014

    The price of gasoline is lower today than it has been in some time, and Sidney residents are benefiting from a bit of a "gas war" going on in town. In fact, according to GasBuddy.com, the prices here are about the best you'll find anywhere in Nebraska. Thrift's Gas and Liquor – located on Sidney Chase Drive just south of the I-80 overpass – has the lowest price in town as of Friday morning, charging $1.71 for a gallon of unleaded gas. Meanwhile, the Western Convenience store – located at the e...

  • Adopt-A-Senior program a big hit at Golden Living Center

    Everett Johnson|Dec 24, 2014

    Residents at the Golden Living Center were the recipients of a number of gifts Tuesday afternoon courtesy of the Adopt-A-Senior program sponsored by the Cheyenne County Community Center. Kierston Richards, the activity director at the center, and Scott Borcher, the center’s senior community director, assisted with the four-year-old program. Golden Living Center’s Activity Director Dawn Davis provides Richards and Borcher the names of each residents. The residents are given numbers and those numbers are then put on a bulletin board at the com...

  • City Council moves forward on proposed industrial park

    Everett Johnson|Dec 23, 2014

    Sidney has a new industrial park in the works as City Council reached an engineering agreement with Baker and Associates at its meeting on Monday night. The project will consist of preliminary and final platting for the Sidney Industrial Park, including 86 acres of land east of highway L17J and south of Highway 30. “We bought that tract of land years ago because of an industrial project we were working on,” said Sidney’s City Manager Gary Person. “We really liked that location. Because of all the construction and activity that was occurri...

  • King's Daughters group helps brighten holidays for local families

    Everett Johnson|Dec 22, 2014

    Tis the season for giving and the Wide Awake Circle of the King's Daughters are fully ingratiated in the holiday spirit as they provided a multitude of Christmas dinners for families in need last Friday. King's Daughters began to take up donations for this event in August. They used those funds to buy groceries from local stores. They fill boxes with all the ingredients to make a great holiday meal for a family such as a ham, eggs, cookies, fruits, vegetables, milk and bread. City street departm...

  • North students receive lessons in African culture

    Everett Johnson|Dec 19, 2014

    Throughout this week, fourth-grade students at North Elementary were taught African culture, history and choreography by Charles Ahovissi. Ahovissi worked with the students to prepare a program that they performed for their parents on Thursday afternoon. The students, dressed in traditional African Kente cloth, performed African dances, recited various knowledge they learned throughout the week and played African drums. "I started this program 23 years ago," Ahovissi said. "I've traveled all...

  • Sidney students continue to make progress, learn from Maple Street Project

    Everett Johnson|Dec 18, 2014

    Sidney High School students are receiving some valuable hands-on experience remodeling and improving a house on Maple Street. Beau McConnell, Sidney High's construction teacher, along with the school's design teacher Kim Castner are leading students in this project. The students are gaining first-hand knowledge on the demolition and reconstruction of this family home. The family of Kim and Ralph Castner donated the $28,000 home to the school for the project. Sidney High School Principal Christ...

  • Local police alert public about IRS phone scam

    Everett Johnson|Dec 17, 2014

    The Sidney Police Department is making residents aware of a scam that has come to light in Sidney as Christmas nears. The Sidney Police have received several calls from residents in the last few weeks stating that they had been allegedly contacted by the IRS. The caller indicates that they are calling from or on the behalf of the IRS, and it has been determined that they are in default on a particular payment or penalty to the IRS that needs to be rectified immediately. The caller goes on to say that if they make a payment now the issue will...

  • Ehlers' Crossfit Club delayed over ADA issues

    Everett Johnson|Dec 16, 2014

    Gary and Sonja Ehlers want to remodel the former Freight Building at 1850 15th Ave. into a private workout gym to accommodate a Crossfit Club. The building, which the Ehlers have leased from owner Simmons Cook, formerly housed the Nebraska Transport Company’s operation several years ago. According to the Sidney’s City Code, a recreational center or exercise gym is allowed in certain commercial or industrial zones, but does need a conditional use permit from the Planning Commission to operate in those zones. The public hearing on the req...

  • First winter storm of season brings reminders of driver safety

    Everett Johnson|Dec 16, 2014

    The time has come to bundle up, drive slow and take precautions when driving around the Nebraska roadways. Amidst a bevy of non-fatal incidents in recent days, Sidney residents are being warned to be cautious on the roads. "We've had a number of weather-related incidents," said Sidney Police Chief B.J. Wilkinson. "We've had a number of tractors jackknife on the roads. People should just slow down and allow themselves extra time before they leave. Residents should remember just because you can...

  • Edward Jones Christmas Luncheon

    Everett Johnson|Dec 16, 2014

    Left, Elvira Benson, Emily Benson and Sklyler Talamantes were on hand to serve food at the Edward Jones Christmas Luncheon on Monday afternoon. Right, Bill Benson, coordinator of this event, poses with Mr. and Mrs. Claus at the annual Edward Jones Christmas Luncheon on Monday afternoon....

  • Candle-lighting ceremony remembers children who have died

    Everett Johnson|Dec 15, 2014

    The group "Compassionate Friends" group held a candle-lighting ceremony Sunday night at Evangelical Free Church to honor children who have died. The Compassionate Friends Worldwide Candle Lighting unites family and friends around the globe in lighting candles for one hour to honor the memories of the sons, daughters, brothers, sisters and grandchildren who left too soon. Candles were lit at 7 p.m. local time. "The Compassionate Friends is a group for people and families who have lost children,"...

  • Sidney boys post pair of key victories

    Everett Johnson|Dec 15, 2014

    The Sidney High School boys' basketball team downed the Sterling Tigers on Saturday night, 47-31, to push its record to an impressive 4-1 to start the season. It was Sterling's first loss of the year, falling to 3-1. Sidney's suffocating defense and impressive rebounding helped them post the win.. Sidney held Sterling to a meager 31 points, which is 25 points under its season scoring average of 56 points per game. Six-foot, four-inch junior Tyler Wintholtz led all scorers with 14 points....

  • 5 sites up for designation as landmarks

    Everett Johnson|Dec 12, 2014

    Five local properties are being considered by the Sidney Historical Preservation Board and the Sidney city council for local landmarking designation. The Shelter House, Carnegie Library, Camp Lookout, Boot Hill Cemetery and Christ Episcopal Church are up for consideration. "These are great properties," said Megan McGown, director of the Sidney Historical Preservation Board. "The landmark designation is an honor to the properties to have that designation and to say they're deemed worthy of some...

  • Six local women reunite at local hair salon

    Everett Johnson|Dec 11, 2014

    Six local hair dressers – all who worked with each other years ago – have reunited at Transformations Salon. Tamara Vowers, Christy Riley, Sondra Thies, Jana Tarrell, Shelly Peckham and Kathy Solberg all met working for Tarrell there. Tarrell had bought the shop in 1985. One by one, the women flocked into the shop to form what they can now call a lasting friendship. In 1996, Vowers bought the salon from Tarrell. As time passed, various opportunities and circumstances took the women in dif...

  • Nienhueser selected new Sidney mayor

    Everett Johnson|Dec 10, 2014

    Mark Nienhueser was elected the new mayor of Sidney by his fellow City Council members at Tuesday night's meeting. Nienhueser takes over the post previously held by Wendall Gaston. "I think we should take advantage of the opportunities we have for strong economic growth here," Nienhueser said. "But, we need to provide the infrastructure needed so that the city can grow. We as the council will be proactive in putting the things in place such as we have and putting in place policies so the city...

  • Local bank putting on Tree of Lights program

    Everett Johnson|Dec 10, 2014

    Security First Bank is erecting a special tree again this Christmas that will help benefit patients at Sidney Regional Medical Center. Sidney Regional Medical Center will provide stars with patient’s names and gift ideas that are individually tailored. The stars are placed on a Christmas tree as part of the Tree of Lights program. Customers and Sidney residents can take a star and purchase a corresponding gift. The deadline for gifts to be turned in is Dec. 17. There will be a party at Extended Care on Dec. 19 where the patients will open t...

  • Annual "House Lighting" contest to be judged this week

    Everett Johnson|Dec 9, 2014

    The Cheyenne County Visitors Committee will hold its annual "House Lighting" contest this week, with four prizes on the line for local residents. This judges will drive by houses in Sidney this Thursday night and decide who's house has the most flare and pizazz. First place receives $100, second place receives $75 and the third-place winner will receive $50. The wild card prize is called the "Griswold Prize," named after the family in the movie, "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation." The...

  • School board weighs health coverage for employees not covered by district plan

    Everett Johnson|Dec 9, 2014

    The Sidney School Board discussed the possibility of implementing the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act or “Obamacare” for some of its employees at its meeting Monday night. The district is Conducting a study to discover how many of Sidney’s Public School Employees, who work over 30 hours a week and are not insured by the district, qualify for insurance under the provisions of Obamacare. Under the current insurance plan, Sidney Public Schools would have to offer some form of health insurance to those employees by September 1st, 2016....

  • County Commissioners Winkleman, McMillen stepping down in Jan.

    Everett Johnson|Dec 8, 2014

    Cheyenne County Commissioners Harold Winkleman and Ken McMillen are ending their long tenures in their respective posts effective Jan. 8. The pair have overseen a litany of projects for Cheyenne County. They have decades of work under their belt and seem to be at peace with the upcoming cease of their tenures. "I started 12 years ago in January of 2003," McMillen said. "I consider the position of county commissioner as an opportunity to take part in a public service to our community. The reason...

  • New coffee shop opens doors as Blue Rooster Cafe

    Everett Johnson|Dec 5, 2014

    The former coffee and book store at 10th Avenue and Jackson Street in Sidney has been transformed into The Blue Rooster Bakery and Cafe. Mary Katos and her son Jim are the owners of this warm and cozy cafe that just opened its doors. The space occupied by the former "Book Corner" will be turned into an art gallery that will focus on local artist. It's also a meeting room for groups who are looking for a quiet place to sit down and talk. The Katos' are both from Chicago. Jim has an extensive...

  • Christmas craft show slated to benefit Sunol Community Center

    Everett Johnson|Dec 4, 2014

    A Christmas craft show will be held at Lodgepole Valley Youth Camp on Saturday, Dec. 6 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event is a fundraiser for the upkeep of Sunol’s Community Center. “It’s a beautiful building,” event coordinator Brenda Stene said. “I want to see it kept up so citizens of this city can use it for years to come.” The event will have 15 vendors present such as Mary K make up, Freeburg Honey and Jamberry Nails. Individuals will be displaying items such as handmade gifts, wooden items, jelly, soaps and jewelry. “The purpose is to...

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