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 51 - 71 of 71
It was difficult to squeeze through the main doors as the gym filled with former students. People paused for hugs and handshakes with friends that some had not seen in many years. Some 275 graduates and supporters converged on the old Gurley High School this weekend to reminisce about their days in class. In 1979 the Gurley and Dalton schools were combined to form Leyton schools. Alumni from 1932 through 1978—the last class to graduate from Gurley High—returned to celebrate the school, as wel...
The town of Gurley celebrated its centennial birthday on June 22. The town began life as a train stop for the Burlington Northern Railroad in 1913. The celebration started on an overcast morning, with some 20 participants hitting the road on a 5K run. People then lined the streets for the parade. watching as the Boy and Girl Scouts, with flags in hand, led the way. There were horse drawn wagons, antique cars, motorcycles, riders on horseback and fire trucks, bringing up the rear with their...
Several years ago the s tate closed then demolish ed a r est stop along I-80 n ear Kimball Since then , the only visitor 's center alon g t he In ter state corridor in Nebraska's panhandle has been Sidney's log cabin. That is about to ch ange. A n ew visitors center is set ot opening in early July on the south side of Kimball, thanks to frnancial assistance from Gering and Morrill County, along with funds from Kimball's hotel t ax. "Once we get up and running we will be the first stop for...
Sidney's wild west history of Sidney and the buildings that still stand from that and calmer eras serve downtown well these days, at least to some extent. “When they advertise like that, people stop—those that have some time,” said Tim Miller, owner of Miller Office Supply. Travelers on I-80 sometimes encounter Sidney's interesting story by accident. “They're at Cabela’s they hear or see the advertising about Historical Sidney and people who have some interest come down,” Miller continued. Dates...
As you pass through Gurley Driving to Dalton on Highway 385 the road is smooth. Vehicles zip along the route. Suddenly the road surface changes to a rough, worn and rutted highway. At the end of June the state will begin repairing this particular stretch, from the county line through Dalton to Gurley. Nebraska Department of Highways Doug Hovert said the state examines the condition of a road to determine if it should need repaving. And this means listening to ride quality complaints. Weather...
The days of the old west will flicker back to life for a moment when the Pony Express Re-ride gallops through Sidney on June 20. Riders began their living history trek in St. Joseph, Mo., heading to Sacramento, Calif.--just as in the storied past. Volunteers on horseback will complete a 1,966 mile route, handing off their mochila as the relay progresses. The mochila is a specially designed mail pouch with four compartments. It carries commemorative letters people can purchase along the way to...
Marking livestock is not new in the United States. Electronic tagging, however, is a new concept. Where old fashion brands identified the origin and ear tags added new information, electronic tagging allows access to age, disease history and more, tracking the animal from birth to destination. “The ear tags do fall off,” said Jeff Elsen, a local rancher. “The implantation of a micro chip would be more effective.” Small to medium livestock producers may not find electronic tagging cost effective but for livestock owners who want to sell their a...
Moving is the biggest and hardest thing one can do, but to move and change careers adds the thought of “what am I doing” on top of the heap. After attending school and achieving my degree in journalism the whole task of finding a place to work became reality. I had traveled to many different places with my parents, of course, and held a career in broadcasting. But this time seemed different. I guess it was leaving good friends to start a new life. Or maybe it was the whole packing thing. They say one mans trash can be another mans gold, so eit...
With continued development on the east side of Sidney, storm drainage has come under increased scrutiny. Development means more asphalt in the form of parking lots and roads—and these have a direct impact on the direction and energy of storm runoff. In the absence of planning, heavy rains can cause flooding, erosion and structural damage. The South Platte Natural Resource District held a recent meeting in conjunction with the city to hear the findings of an independent study, commissioned by Sidney and conducted by Olsson Associates. At the m...
Home is where your memories are stored, where your children are born and grow up, where you make friends. For Marvel Freudenberg Moore, Betty Kurth and Elain Weyerts, Gurley is more than just a town. The Burlington Railroad founded Gurley October 18, 1913, as a stop on their line. Trains still pass through Gurley, but the depot is gone. For longtime residents, the community's centennial celebration, scheduled for this weekend (June 22-23), will bring back memories of the town and its people, including those that moved away. Marvel Freudenberg...
Working nine to five—more likely eight to five—can have its draw backs in a small community, particularly when it comes to shopping. While grocery stores and national chains remain open, the unique retail shops that define downtown shopping districts often open after 10 a.m. or lock their doors around 6 p.m., leaving little time for residents to peruse their aisles during the work week. But, say Sidney retailers, there is always Saturday. The first day of the weekend counts as the busiest for...
The rumble of thunder, lighting flashing across the sky--what started as a beautiful day on the plains now has the potential of becoming a major storm. Rain begins to fall, followed shortly by chunks of hail. Roof drains, street gutters and surrounding hills are gushing with water. The torrent begins to surge to the center of town with such speeds and force that it could sweep adults off their feet. The 10th avenue viaduct is underwater and closed; Lodgepole Creek is full of water. It's a scenario city engineers and elected officials consider...
Building codes are up dated every three years, taking into consideration the load dynamics of wind shear, water tables, environmental problems that have an affect on building any type of structure. These codes are the guidelines for the official to use in making determinations for construction or repair. For much of daily life in Sidney, these instructions generally go unnoticed. But Chief Building Official Bradley Rowan has been trying to bring Sidney’s building codes up to current standards. “What happens is that it (the codes) affect the...
The Sidney City Council heard discussion about storm water drainage. Ordinance 1699 would insure that all subdivisions and land development are adequately designed with storm drainage facilities that would control storm surge and prevent flooding. In the discussion City Manager Gary Person said, “We might take a model project, a small commercial project and apply the ordinance to the project just to see the impact and the addional requirements that might be involved, then we’ll know if we’re on the right tack.” The council designated ordinan...
Tammie Stansbury of Sidney was sentenced June 11 in Cheyenne District Court for third degree assault, second degree trespassing, and obstructing a police office. Stansbury, who sat in a chair with a scowl on her face, received one year on count one of the charges assault, six months on count two for trespassing and one year on count three for obstructing a police officer. Judge Derek C. Weimer took into consideration 383 days time served and ordered the sentences to run consecutively. Stansbury spoke in her defense, alleging before Judge Weimer...
The price of gasoline may never be at $1.50 a gallon again. But midwestern corn is shaving the cost by a noticeable margin. Corn is changing the cars people drive and the type of fuel they choose in Sidney. Before the 1980s it was simple to fill up. Drivers just pulled in and selected the grade, measured by octane. Today the type of car often decides for its owner, because of ethanol blends. Some stations even offer E85 fuel, containing 85 percent ethanol. Older vehicles can burn 10 percent but prolonged use can cause difficulties with gaskets...
It's not easy finding an apartment to rent in Sidney, especially if your income falls between...well, that's where the difficulty starts. Since the 1940s, many apartment complexes developed in the city have been dependent upon tax credits to reduce rental cost to help ensure occupancy and provide opportunities for middle to low income dwellers. This process became especially important during periods of growth, such as the wartime Sioux Army Depot era and the past decade, when the city's buidling permit valuation crested above $10 million on...
As settlers took their place in the plains gold was discovered in the Black Hills of South Dakota, Sidney would become a jumping off point to the gold fields. The town—and its railroad—was considered the closest transportation link to Deadwood. “This was a modern gold rush, people could take a steamship to St Joseph, Missouri, traveling by train to Sidney then by foot, horse or wagon to the gold fields of the Black Hills on the Deadwood Trail,” said Sidney resident and historian Gordy Wilkins...
Hundreds of children in the United States face abuse at home or the loss of a parent, then face a system in which few people listen to their needs and fears. Children are considered the future, but the future of neglected children often rests in the hands of a system that is overburdened with too many cases and not enough people to take care of them. Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) gives a voice to those who do not have the means to speak about their lives and the abuse that they have endured. Since the first trained advocates in...
The need for housing is on the increase with the posibility interest of more companies moving to Sidney. Rentals are at a premium and the area has not built a new major apartment complex in the last 50 years. Existing apartment complexes in Sidney were built in the 1940s through the 60’s, and the majority of these are rent controlled. At a time when the city was in slow growth, developers were given assurances through government incentives that they would produce revenue from the project. One i...
On Saturday June 1, the Nebraska Antique Farming Association will take part in the 100-year celebration of the nations first coast-to-coast highway. Starting in Pine Bluffs, Wyo. they will follow the Lincoln Highway to Missouri Valley, Iowa traveling through Sidney on Saturday and stopping for the night. The tractor’s trek will start at 7 a.m. in Pine Bluffs and make its way to Sidney by 6 p.m. With a police escort through downtown Sidney, the tractors will make their way to Cabela’s then to the Tourism office's log cabin. Here the public is...
