Serving proudly since 1873 as the beautiful Nebraska Panhandle's first newspaper
Serving proudly since 1873 as the beautiful Nebraska Panhandle's first newspaper
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LODGEPOLE – Laid out in 1913, the Lincoln Highway was the first transcontinental highway in the country. The route travels through more than a dozen Nebraska counties and nearly 50 communities. Historically known for its great promotion, a state organization is working to highlight landmarks along the path through Nebraska and give motorists a reason to divert from the interstate. Locally, the Lincoln Highway travels through Cheyenne, Deuel and Kimball counties. Earlier this week, the N...
A comprehensive agreement between the Sidney Public School District and its teachers for the next school year has been approved. At a school board meeting on Monday, a motion to accept the 2016-17 agreement passed unanimously. Superintendent Jay Ehler told the board the Sidney Educators Association had recently given its approval to the comprehensive agreement. After negotiations, only minor changes were made to the document over last year, he added. The base salary for teachers increased slight...
Numerous Sidney Public School District students were honored at a school board meeting on Tuesday night for their recent accomplishments, whether in the classroom or on the stage, field, court or course. Fall academic all-state performers commended in a resolution passed unanimously included: Megan Neal and Rachel Blauert, girls’ golf; Emily Mahr and Annalise Lecher, volleyball; Mia Hernandez and Abby Heller; girls’ cross county; Brenner Keane and Jacob Schaub, boys’ cross country; Hunter Secrest and Alex Linneman, football; and Mitch Verhu...
CHAPPELL – With less than two weeks until Christmas, communities throughout the region are celebrating the holiday season. On Sunday evening in Chappell, the community choir performed its third performance of the day and offered a festive hour-long concert to cap a weekend full of events. The choir, celebrating its 40th anniversary, presented "Night of Miracles." At the conclusion of the cantata at Chappell United Methodist Church, former members of the group were invited to the alter to join i...
While the official start of winter is still a week away, snow, dropping temperatures and wind is in the forecast this week. The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for Cheyenne County – and the region – effective Tuesday morning through Wednesday evening. "It looks like the southern Panhandle is probably the area most under the gun with the storm system," said Jerry Claycomb, lead forecaster at the National Weather Service office in Cheyenne. The storm will also track int...
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Western Nebraska and beyond is rallying behind a Deuel County deputy who was shot four times in the line of duty last week. Michael Hutchinson, a 25-year law enforcement veteran, was shot in Big Springs on Thursday, Dec. 3, while attempting to serve warrants on a 66-year-old Big Springs man. The suspect was shot and later pronounced dead at a hospital. Hutchinson initially underwent surgery at Ogallala Community Hospital and Medical Center before being flown to North Colorado Medical Center in...
Santa Claus had a special escort last weekend: Firefighters from the Sidney Volunteer Fire Department. Continuing a nearly 20-year tradition, Kris Cringle was escorted through town in a decorated fire engine. He will be making more deliveries this weekend....
With temperatures beginning to drop again this weekend, tasting unique craft brewed beer outdoors in the heart of downtown Sidney on a warm June afternoon is a pleasant daydream. A local group is hoping to turn that vision into reality – with live entrainment, food vendors and art performances. The Cheyenne County Young Professionals have been looking for an event with a strong community impact, and Christian Johnson told the Sidney City Council they think they've found it. At a council m...
The state of Nebraska is rolling out new license plates in January to honor veterans and activity duty members of the U.S. Armed Forces. Applications for the plates are available at county treasure's offices throughout the state or on the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles website. "It is for any veteran or anyone serving in the armed forces," Cheyenne County Treasurer Diane Scott said. License plates are available for the Army, Air Force, Coast Guard, Marines, National Guard and Navy. Each d...
Mylissa Pennington was sentenced on Tuesday to a 3-year probation term and 50 hours of community service. The 18-year-old Sidney woman initially faced multiple felony drug charges when she was arrested in May. Last month, however, a plea deal with the Cheyenne County Attorney's Office was announced. The charges against Pennington were reduced to four class one misdemeanors – two counts of attempted possession of illegal mushrooms, attempted possession of more than 1 pound of marijuana and o...
With the holiday season now in full swing, law enforcement is on an increased lookout for impaired drivers. While gatherings with coworkers, friends and family are opportunities to spread the season's cheer, some partygoers drive home after drinking too much. Impaired drivers are caught by law enforcement agencies in Cheyenne County throughout the year, but that number can increase from Thanksgiving to the New Year. Last year, there were nine DUI arrests in the county spanning that time period,...
The ambulance service in Cheyenne County responded to 960 calls in 2014, up 40 over the previous year. Randy Meininger, manager of ground ambulance services at Regional West – which operates Emergency Response Care in Sidney – delivered an annual report to the Cheyenne County Board of Commissioners this week. Regional West first began operating the service in Cheyenne County in 2002, Meininger explained. The current agreement, inked in 2005, continues until 2018. ERC has a staff of 11.5 ful...
The trial set to begin next week for a 40-year-old Wyoming man arrested last fall following a two-state car chase has been called off. On Friday, Joseph Mladenik pleaded no contest to three offenses: operating a motor vehicle to avoid arrest and attempted possession of a deadly weapon while committing a felony, both felonies, and refusal to submit a chemical test, a misdemeanor. Two additional charges Mladenik had faced were dropped, and the Kimball County Attorney's Office agreed not to file...
Cheyenne County first responders were able to train in a live fire scenario last weekend. A house along U.S. Hwy. 385, south of Gurley, was donated by Adams Industries for crews to conduct training in. Firefighters from departments in Sidney, Potter, Gurley and Dalton, along with Region 21 Emergency Management personnel and a medic and ambulance from Emergency Response Care in Sidney, were on site for most of the day Saturday. Keith Stone, Sidney Volunteer Fire Department chief, said teams confr...
Students at Leyton Elementary School welcomed the holiday season on Thursday evening with their annual Christmas program. Nearly every seat in the school's gymnasium was full as kindergarten through 6th graders performed numerous songs....
The Nebraska Department of Education released the results of its new accountability model on Friday, and every school in Cheyenne County ranked "Good" or above. AQuESTT – or accountability for a quality education system, today and tomorrow – was created following a bill passed by the state Legislature in 2014. The program classifies each district and school in the state among four categories: excellent, great, good or needs improvement. Six tenants are examined when determining cla...
CHAPPELL – As part of a tour throughout the state, Nebraska's chief law enforcement officer met with Creek Valley High School students this week. Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson, who was elected to the position about a year ago, spoke to the students for 45 minutes on Wednesday afternoon. He explained the functions of his office, discussed the Constitution and talked about current events affecting teenagers before taking questions. "We are basically the law firm for the State of N...
The trial has been set for a Wyoming man accused of leading law enforcement officers on a two-state car chase that ended near Sidney. Joseph Mladenik, 40, of Cheyenne, Wyo., is scheduled to appear Dec. 14-15 in Cheyenne County District Court for a jury trial. He is facing four felony charges: three counts of possessing a firearm while committing a felony and operating a motor vehicle to avoid arrest. Mladenik is represented by Sidney attorney Steven Elmshaeuser and has pleaded not guilty to all...
Cabela's announced Wednesday that the company's board of directors is beginning a process to "explore and evaluate a wide range of strategic alternatives to further enhance shareholder value." There is no timeframe for the process, and the company said it wouldn't necessarily lead to a transition of ownership or any other changes. "The board of directors and management team, working with advisers, plan to proceed in a timely and orderly manner, but have not set a definitive timetable for...
A team of researchers is set to document and catalog historic buildings in Sidney. "On-the-ground work for a historical and architectural survey of 175 buildings in downtown Sidney will begin in December, weather permitting," a release from the City of Sidney states. The project includes commercial, governmental and non-residential buildings from Elm Street, on the north, to King Street, on the south. It also goes from 14th Avenue, on the west, to 7th Avenue, on the east. "Researchers will be...
The search for a new Sidney police chief will likely wait until spring, after a city manager is hired. Both positions became vacant in recent months after Gary Person stepped down as city manager in August, followed by B.J. Wilkinson as police chief in October. Assistant chief Joe Aikens is now the ranking officer in charge, said Jo Houser, the city's human resources director. "Right now, the plan, because it seems to be working, is to wait until a city manager is hired," she explained. An execu...
The Christmas season has begun in Sidney. On Saturday night, Santa Claus rode into town and helped illuminate the city's Christmas tree in Hickory Street Square. With more than a 100 residents braving the cold weather to watch, festive floats travelled along 10th Street spreading the season's cheer. A half-dozen floats participated in the Sidney Parade of Lights, sponsored by the Sidney Jaycees. "This is the second year that we have been asked to direct the parade and it is definitely fun to...
As Sidney's electric utility has faced steep rate increases from its power providers, the city is undertaking a financial review to determine how to limit rate increases passed on to its customers. At a Sidney City Council meeting on Tuesday, Andrew Ross, of the Nebraska Municipal Power Pool, presented an overview of the public utility's current financial status and projected what future growth could entail. Sidney Interim City Manager Geri Anthony said the study would help the council...
POTTER – The Potter-Dix High one-act team earned first place at the Minuteman Activities Conference Play Production Contest on Monday. The conference's eight schools had teams competing in Potter, where three judges scored each production. Leyton High took home second place and Banner County rounded out the top three. Creek Valley finished in fourth place. In individual awards, Dawson Sharman, from Potter-Dix, and Jaedon Wann, from Leyton, were named the competition's best actors. Justice P...
