After its third straight trip to the playoffs in eight-man football, Neligh-Oakdale will not have a chance at a fourth straight next year as the team becomes ineligible due to having too many students in grades nine through 11.
Neligh-Oakdale’s options were moving up to 11 man and being eligible for the playoffs, although not guaranteed the a spot in the 16-team bracket, or to play 8 man and not be eligible for the post-season. For those in the very competitive junior class, it was a tough decision to hear but one that didn’t shock Angie Belitz, whose son Tyson is a receiver for the Warriors. “I guess I’m not surprised they chose to stay eight-man and probably for the safety of our kids, it’s probably the best decision. It’s just heartbreaking there’s not that opportunity to go four years in a row for the particular class,” she said. “I’m behind the administration with that decision. They’ll have to find some creative ways to motivate the kids, and you know, maybe district champs, 8-0 season, maybe they can pull it off that way.” Although Neligh-Oakdale has 84 students in ninth through 11th grade, they have a small football team. Neligh-Oakdale suited up just 16 players in its final game last week and spent many practices not being able to scrimmage due to low numbers. Principal George Loofe told the board Monday said safety is a concern for the players and didn’t want to put them in a situation they weren’t prepared for. “I’m not being negative here, but Neligh has had multiple black eyes for the past year or so,” he said. “To me, what’s going to be a worse black eye for us - electing to play down in eight-man football or to play 11-man and half way through the season, have to forfeit the rest of your games because of injuries?"
A simple haircut changed the life of one Vietnam War veteran. Fifty years later, he's hoping to reconnect with the woman who gave him money for a haircut.
Tom Jameson of North Platte was severely wounded by a sniper while serving his country in Vietnam in 1966. During Jameson’s recovery, he was moved to Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines and remained in the hospital there for a period of time. During the move from Vietnam to the base, none of his personal possessions made the trip. One of the nurses who cared for him was an Air Force nurse from the Norfolk, Nebraska area. "Just knowing there was someone from Nebraska helped brighten the days," Jameson said. "The nurses were so busy and the slightest attention was so welcome." During his care, this nurse asked if he needed anything. Jameson said he would simply like a hair cut. However, with no money or belongings, he could not afford one, so she gave him the money for the hair cut. After completing his service, Jameson - a 1962 graduate of Tryon High School - returned to North Platte and began working for Northwestern Bell. He retired after 32 years and owns some ranch land near his home town, where his brother still ranches and also owns a construction business. Yet after all these years, Jameson has not forgotten the kindness this nurse showed to him. "As a kid you take those acts of kindness for granted," he said. "Over the years, those acts grow larger and larger and are appreciated so much more, and I continue to appreciate her kindness every day." He says it has always been in the back of his mind to find her, but recently the ball got rolling with the help of his friend, Steve Evans, who sent letters to American Legions all across Northeast Nebraska, including one to Neligh. That letter found its way to the Antelope County News. "I have known Tom for only a couple of years," Evans said. "But once you meet Tom, you always have a friend." Evans and Jameson met through Rod Wright, the owner of Wright Livestock of North Platte. "A few of us were sitting around talking one day and Tom told his story about the nurse and said he would some day like to find her," Evans said. "Others encouraged him, but being shy, he thought he would never get around to it. So I volunteered and we got things moving." Calling it "a long shot," Evans began writing letters to American Legion posts around the Norfolk area, asking if they could help in finding this nurse. "It may work out or it may not," Evans said. "But I can feel that lump in my throat already if they would ever get a chance to shake hands or share a hug." What would Jameson say to this woman? Despite having 50 years to prepare, he's still a little uncertain. "I am not sure what I would say to her," Jameson said. "Other than, 'It has been a long time and I have never forgotten how kind you were to me.' " Neligh-Oakdale’s FCCLA Chapter and volleyball girls teamed up to raise more than $300 at a breast cancer awareness event last month.
The Pink Out on October 20 raised $329.50, which will be split between Antelope Memorial Hospital and Brie (Schrader) Epke, a 1998 graduate of Neligh-Oakdale battling breast cancer. Money was raised in awareness of breast cancer with activities such as “Kick Cancer to the Curb” (fill the boots), door prizes, and a bake sale. "The FCCLA Chapter and the volleyball girls would like to thank all of the local business and people who donated door prizes, cookies and other baked goods, and also the people who donated to the “Kick Cancer to the Curb” (fill the boots)," said FCCLA sponsor Kimberly Scarborough. "We hope to see you all at next year’s Pink Out game!" A Neligh man was recommended Monday night to be appointed to help guide the City of Neligh's economic development plan.
Brian Funk of Neligh was unanimously approved by both boards to fill the vacant position created by the resignation of Ryan Koinzan. Pending official appointment by the Neligh City Council, Funk will serve there remained of Koinzan’s terms of Oct. 2016 for the Economic Development Board and Sept. 2018 for the CRA . Terry Jensen was also unanimously approved for recommendation for another three-year term on the Economic Development Board. Both appointments are on the City Council’s agenda for Tuesday’s meeting. Economic Development Director Greg Ptacek told board members that he is working with two new businesses that are considering applying for LB 840 loans. Ptacek discussed Neligh’s Downtown Revitalization process. He said although the nine-month clock started Oct. 1 for Phase I, he said work will not begin on the planning state until paperwork from the Nebraska Department of Economic Development is complete. Ptacek said he hopes to receive that in December or January. Neligh was one of eight Nebraska communities granted Phase I funding to develop a potential revitalization plan for its downtown business community. Should Neligh be selected, about $350,000 would be granted to the community to implement the state-approved plan.
Read more about Sunday's award winners:
Karissa Dicke Karissa is the 18-year-old daughter of Paul and Diane Dicke and is a senior at Elgin Pope John Central Catholic High School. Karissa is a 10 year 4-H member where she has gained leadership skills by serving as vice president and secretary of the Way Out West 4-H Club. Karissa also serves on the 4-H committee as a junior member, where she has more responsibilities in helping to make decisions about the Antelope County 4-H program and the fair. Club community service activities Karissa has been involved in include highway trash pickup, pre-school story hour at the Elgin Public Library and making posters to promote 4-H. She also helps at the Antelope County Fair getting the livestock building ready for the fair and works during our clubs shift in the food stand. Karissa has a kind personality and is enthusiastic about 4-H which motivates younger 4-H members. This year Karissa is in a new ‘leadership’ roll as her family is hosting a foreign exchange student. She will have many opportunities to ‘lead’ her new friend to new experiences here in Nebraska at home, school, church and throughout the community. Karissa has attended Youth energy camp, has been a junior counselor there and was also chosen to attend the Youth Energy event in Washington DC. 4-H has given Karissa the opportunity to explore a wide variety of projects and experiences and she has taken full advantage of that. Some of the projects that Karissa has exhibited in are: shooting sports, leather craft, quilting, sewing, photography, child development, beef, horse, foods and food preservation, horticulture, style revue, home environment – and so many projects within those categories. Many of Karissa’s exhibits at the county fair have earned championships including winning the sewing machine for clothing and the dehydrator and canner for food. Karissa has also been chosen to represent our county in the State Fair style review. Many of Karissa’s exhibits have gone on to the state fair. Karissa is very active in the Elgin FFA chapter where she has earned her chapter degree, was runner up at the district cooperative speaking and placed second at the State FFA convention in Cooperative Speaking in the spring of 2015. She also participates in FFA Career Development and Leadership Skills events, Natural Resources speaking and has qualified for state Range and Livestock judging. Trey Baum Trey is the 18-year-old son of Chris and Jeanine Baum and is a senior at Elgin Pope John Central Catholic High School. Trey is developing his leadership skills through his involvement in 4-H. He is a 10 year member of the Way Out West 4-H Club and currently serves as vice president. Trey also serves on the Antelope County 4-H Committee and works behind the scenes readying the livestock barn for fair time and participates in teen help showmanship. Trey is also a youth representative serving on the Premium Auction for the last 2 years helping to develop the Premium Auction where meeting the public and businesses benefits his communication skills and gives members with large animals some return on their expensive project. Through the years Trey has also helped friends and fellow 4-H’ers by showing chickens, goats and sheep when they had more than one animal in a class. Other club 4-H service activities Trey has participated in are highway trash pickup, making posters to promote 4-H and story hour. He also served his community by raking leaves, petting zoo, and helping with the bloodmobile in October where Trey became a first time blood donor! Trey currently serves Elgin FFA chapter as vice president, which is his second year in that position. Trey has many awards, trophies and accomplishments to show for his 10 year 4-H career. His very first award in 4-H was the recipient of the Mark Hughes Memorial Award. He has taken a wide variety of projects including many beef and shooting sports projects, cooking, livestock judging, as well as horse, ground roping, horse quiz bowl, horse judging and leather craft. County fair championship and reserve awards Trey has won include beef showmanship (junior, intermediate and senior), market beef, ground roping, leather craft and working stock horse. At the 2015 Antelope County Fair Trey won the coveted Large Animal Round Robin Championship, which was one of his 4-H goals. Trey has participated at the state level in livestock judging and horse quiz bowl for 3 years. His horse quiz bowl team has also represented the state of Nebraska at the Black Hills Stock Show and Rodeo in Rapid City, SD. Trey has also participated in the horse judging competition at the Pitzer horse sale where his team won Sr. Champion in 2013. Trey is active in the Elgin FFA chapter where, besides the responsibilities of being an officer, Trey’s FFA achievements include placing 15th individually at the state FFA range judging and the 5th place team in 2014 and placing 5th in the junior division at the state range judging the previous year. In FFA livestock judging Trey placed 3rd individually at districts in 2015. Trey has won his FFA Chapter’s Star Chapter Farmer award, won the district competition in beef proficiency (twice) and placed in the top 10 at districts in the job interview event. In the spring of 2015 at the Nebraska State FFA convention Trey was awarded this year’s State Outstanding Beef Production Entrepreneurship Award. Alison Stineman Alison isn’t afraid to try new projects and takes the time to really go in depth and learn all she can on that project and subject matter. She has learned a great deal about agriculture with showing sheep for the very first time this year and showing beef for the first time in 2013. Alison has shown many leadership skills, as she is one of the co-leaders in her club putting together an open horse show for next year. Trevin Hanson Trevin was named one of the recipients because he exhibited numerous projects at the 2015 fair. He spent a long time working on each of his projects by researching, reading the 4-H project manuals, paying careful attention to details by following the guidelines and the fairbook, and by asking questions about each of his projects to make sure he was doing the best that he could. County Liners 4-H Club The County Liners of Tilden, with 33 busy members, was announced as the Outstanding 4-H Club of 2015. The County Liners meet each month, expect July, to hold a monthly business meeting which is ran by youth officers. In the past few years this club has reorganized to this historic club in our County and become active in their community. In 2015 the County Liners had multiple members take part in the sheep lottery project expanding their knowledge of animals (they didn't have many sheep exhibitors before, but this year they were able to have a group/clubs entry at fair). This past year the County Liners adopted 2 miles of highway between Tilden and Meadow Grove, where they picked up trashed along the highway twice a year. In June, Club members volunteered for clean up after a banquet was held to help the father of one of the club’s families. In July, this club scraped and painted the wash stalls at the fairgrounds where that was not easy work. It looks very nice now! Thank you County Liners! Also, in the month of July, they took animals to the Prairie View for residents to see, touch, enjoy and ask questions. Recently, three of their members sewed heart pillows for the FRHS cardiac bypass patients. For the fair, the County Liners also sponsored a buckle with their Large animal Herdsmanship premium money. They worked Friday night in the concession stand and had 2 members participate in the flag drill team prior to the ranch rodeo. County Liners held several great learning experiences and look forward to more in the next year with planned presenters(members giving demonstrations and speeches) a preholiday family style dinner to educate on manners, adopting a giving tree child or adult for Christmas (thanks to the group's fundraising efforts), participating in our 3rd Horsebowl and mentoring a few more members in hopes of having a Jr and Sr team in the future, attending Pitzer horse judging competition, and participating in the PSA competition. We also have several parents sharing their talents with the club for improved fair entries with cookies, cakes, welding, shooting, and sewing classes to continue again this year. County Liners is a very active 4-H club and they are always looking for ideas to remain active. 2015 was a fun and productive year for the members. They are very well represented at fair and at State Fair, but they also represented 4-H in their communities in parades, community service, and by inviting other youth to their club meetings. For the new 4-H year they already had a fall harvest party, have met for horse show committee and are planning to attend Horse Stampede again. Antelope County 4-H members recognized for their years of membership in 2015 were: *Denotes Clover Kids (ages 5-9 years old as of January 1). 1st Years: *Baily Ahlers (Clearwater), *Beau Ahlers (Clearwater), Mercedes Barg (Norfolk), Lane Bartak (Clearwater), Sharon Bartak (Clearwater), Daley Bearinger (Clearwater), *Irelyn Bearinger (Clearwater), Jeslynn Beckman (Elgin), Taylor Beckman (Elgin), Christian Behnk (Clearwater), Marissa Bennett (Meadow Grove), Sara Bode (Elgin), *Aliya Bos (Norfolk), *Cylus Braband (Elgin), *Karlee Broberg (Tilden), Alyssa Buck (Neligh), *Brayden Burenheide (Elgin), Natalie Burenheide (Elgin),*Kyndal Busteed (Elgin), *Darby Carstens (Elgin), *Abbey Chipps (Elgin), Paxton Cleveland (Meadow Grove), Aubreionna Clouse (Elgin), *Kaimberlynn Clouse (Elgin), *Taytumn Clouse, (Elgin), *Adam Dexter (Neligh), *Ashlynn Dexter (Neligh), *Sonni Dishman (Elgin), *Brihanna Dugan (Neligh), Robert Dugan (Neligh), *Ruby Durre (Elgin), *Samantha Durre (Elgin), Hannah Feusse (Clearwater), Matthew Feusse (Clearwater), Nathan Feusse (Clearwater), *Addisyn Fletcher (Clearwater), Trenton Fletcher (Clearwater), *Cassidy Frey (Tilden), *Kaylee Frey (Tilden), Leevi Frey (Tilden), *Dylan Furstenau (Tilden), *Kate Furstenau (Neligh), *Carissa Gale (Neligh), Dawson Hansen (Tilden), Drew Hansen (Tilden),Macy Hansen (Tilden), Taylor Hasebroock (Tilden), Brian Heithoff (Elgin), *Isaac Hemenway (Neligh), *Andrew Henery (Neligh), Jacob Henery (Neligh), *Weston Hofeldt (Neligh),*Jaidreona Hogancamp (Tilden), *Kaden Howard (Meadow Grove), Colby Hupp (Clearwater), Tyler Hupp (Clearwater), *Hailey Johnson (Gretna), *Heather Johnson (Gretna), *Jonah Johnson (Tilden), Natalie Johnson (Gretna), Aislynn Kester (Clearwater), *Brooke Kinney (Petersburg), *Emma Kinney (Elgin), *Lillie Kinney (Elgin), *Lucille Koinzan (Neligh), *Aiyana Krebs (Clearwater), Caleb Krebs (Clearwater), Colson Krebs (Neligh), Kirsten Krebs (Neligh), *Raina Krebs (Clearwater), Sean Krebs (Clearwater), Joslynn Larson (Tilden), *Pavan Larson (Tilden), *Kylee Lichtenberg (Neligh), Jacob Lind (Tilden), Jessie Martinez (Neligh), Taylor Mavis (Clearwater), Cecelia Mlnarik (Clearwater), Charley Mlnarik (Clearwater), *Emerson Mlnarik (Clearwater), *JB Mlnarik (Clearwater), *Taylor Morrison (Tilden), *Cain Mortensen (Neligh), Beau Murray (Neligh), Jordan Murray (Neligh), Deacon Myers (Tilden), *Olivia Ottis (Meadow Grove), *Aubrie Parks (Clearwater), *Haley Parks (Clearwater), *Anastazie Pavlik (Neligh), Taylor Pavlik (Neligh), *Emerson Penne (Tilden), Kennedy Penne (Tilden), *Kenny Petersen (Tilden), *Isabelle Pitzer (Oakdale), Alexis Pokorny (Clearwater), *Delilah Qualset (Meadow Grove), Emma Qualset (Meadow Grove), *Bryce Rudloff (Clearwater), Madison Schaffer (Meadow Grove), Mason Schaffer (Meadow Grove), *Maximus Schaffer (Meadow Grove), *Will Schmidt (Neligh), *Chase Schwartz (Tilden), Andrew Steskal (Clearwater), *Tyler Suckstorf (Newman Grove), *Kalvin Thies (Tilden), Gage Thiessen (Elgin), *Molly Thiessen (Elgin), *Sadie Thiessen (Elgin), Merinee Vaughn (Tilden), *Landyn Veik (Elgin), Hannah Vraspir (Neligh), *Katelynn Warneke (Tilden), Waylon Warneke (Tilden), *Paul Warneke (Elgin), and Taryn Wingate (Neligh). 5th Year: Kierra Bearinger (Clearwater), Hunter Bennett (Meadow Grove), Cassie Bos (Norfolk), Leslie Carstens (Meadow Grove), Brooklynn Chipps (Elgin), Clay Curtis (Royal), Brynn Dilly (Neligh), Paige Furstenau (Neligh)Collin Gale (Neligh), Grace Henn (Elgin), Kalin Henn (Elgin), Hunter Howard (Meadow Grove), Kayce Kallhoff (Elgin), Faith Kinney (Petersburg), Brittany McConnell (Neligh), Logan McConnell (Neligh), Adam Miller (Tilden), Ashleigh Nelson (Tilden), Liam Odell (Clearwater), Angel Qualset (Meadow Grove), Allyson Selting (Elgin), Elizabeth Selting (Elgin), Sadie Smunty (Meadow Grove), Alison Stineman (Tilden), and Haley Zegers (Elgin). 8th Year: Taralyn Baum (Elgin), Geoffrey Carr (Oakdale), Brianna Fry (Ewing), Logan Henn (Elgin), Amy Nelson (Oakdale), and Allee Snider (Clearwater). 9th Year: Nicole Beckman (Elgin), Morgan Carpenter (Neligh), Jayson Larson (Tilden), Tyler Miller (Tilden), Alyssa Rood (Meadow Grove), Tia Smith (Neligh), and Riley Snider (Clearwater). 10th Year: Trey Baum (Elgin), Krystal Carr (Neligh), Lydia Fry (Ewing), Blake Heithoff (Neligh), Audrey Kester (Neligh), Blake Kester (Clearwater), and Kayla Nelson (Oakdale). 11th and Final Year: Cassidy Curtis (Royal), Catelyn Hall (Neligh), Jonathon Meis (Elgin), Courtney Pellatz (Neligh) and Anna Stineman (Tilden). 4-H leaders were also recognized for their honored years of service to the youth of the county. Leaders recognized included; 1st YEAR: Cassie Bolling (Clearwater), Rod and Lisa Christiansen (Neligh), Amanda Greenhalgh (Tilden), Jamie Dittrich (Tilden), and Ryleigh Snodgrass (Oakdale). 2 YEARS: Alisha Carr (Neligh), Jennifer Carr (Oakdale), and Dawn Nelson (Tilden). 5 YEARS: Char Carpenter (Neligh), Ashley Dittrich (Tilden), and Kandace Stineman (Tilden). 10 YEARS: Anne Meis (Elgin). 30 YEARS: Scott Beckman (Elgin). Certificates of appreciation were presented to the 2015 Antelope County 4-H Committee. Persons receiving the certificates were: Adults: Chris Baum (Elgin), Rhonda Meyer (Neligh) Corey Curtis (Royal), Kristen Zegers (Elgin), Amanda Greenhalgh (Tilden), Anne Meis (Elgin), Erin Whitesel (Neligh), Lori Beckman (Elgin), and Sandi Henn (Elgin). Youth representatives include: Erin Beckman (Elgin), Jon Meis (Elgin), Karissa Dicke (Ewing), Geoffrey Carr (Oakdale), Krystal Carr (Neligh), Brittany McConnell (Neligh), Rachel Higgins (Neligh), Mason Vleck (Neligh), Marie Meis (Elgin), and Trey Baum (Elgin). The City of Neligh would like to remind citizens that several municipal offices and services will be closed on Wednesday.
The City of Neligh offices, including City Hall, Economic Development and Dial-A-Ride, will be closed on Wednesday, Nov. 11 to observe Veterans Day. It was costumes and books galore Thursday at Neligh-Oakdale as elementary students enjoyed both a book fair and reading night. Students were encouraged to wear Halloween costumes to the event.
Sponsored by the school's Title Committee, there were several activities for students from a book scavenger hunt to writing a story. Gloria Christiansen read students "Monsters Love Underpants" during the evening, much to their delight as she showed them different kinds of funny underpants while reading the book. The Title Committee plans at least one family activity per quarter to encourage parent involvement with reading and math. It was a celebration Saturday at the Antelope County Museum. Not only for the opening of the new facility but also for the 50th anniversary of the modern Antelope County Historical Society.
While the open house brought more than 100 people into the building along Highway 275 in Neligh, one of the most moving parts of the day actually occurred privately at the museum and cemetery before the public grand opening. Members of the Ponca and Omaha Tribe blessed the museum and thanked the community for its long-time dedication to watching over White Buffalo Girl. Performing the ceremony was Richard Lasley, great-grandson of Chief Standing Bear. Lasley thanked the people of Antelope County for "keeping alive the history of our people by having the display for whoever walks through that door and for giving them the story of White Buffalo Girl." Tribal Chairman Larry Wright, Jr.said it was a great honor to be in Neligh for the celebration. "It's a real honor to be part of this with my relatives and elders here," he said. "The prayer that was said this morning - all of those things mean a lot to our people," Wright said. "It talks about the significance of what this place means - the gravesite and what the people of Neligh have done all these years to protect that site and to honor it and tell our story." Their relative, White Buffalo Girl, died on the Trail of Tears to Oklahoma and was buried in Neligh. Residents promised to always take care of her grave and always have. Before leaving Neligh, they stopped at Laurel Hill Cemetery for a private ceremony honoring White Buffalo Girl. Those in attendance, including Sid Armstrong whose painting of White Buffalo Girl hangs in the museum, sang a Ponca memorial song while burning sage at her grave. On Saturday afternoon, the Antelope County Museum's public grand opening began at Pioneer Church. Supervisor Ed Schindler thanked those involved for their dedication in preserving Antelope County history. "I just hope the people in this county and the surrounding areas realize what a museum we have," he said. "It's quite a museum for this size of a county and I think it's probably as good of a museum as you'll find in the whole state." Historical Society President George Strassler thanked those who have donated to the museum for the ability to move into the new facility. "It's a culmination of several years of hard work. It also shows the fruits of generosity of a number of people who gave us the money to do this," he said. Following the official ribbon cutting, the public enjoyed the museum and all of its displays from the Harold Ritter Gallery featuring the centerpiece windmill and Burr wood carvings to the A.J. Leach and Captain John Hatfield exhibit. Among the dignitaries attending Saturday's events was Captan John Hatfield's great-granddaughter, Jane Anchustegui, who traveled from Boise, Idaho, to attend the event. "We have a lot to be proud of. I look around and they've done a marvelous job organizing the displays," she said. "It means a great deal because my great-grandfather settled here around 1884. He bought farmland north of town and east of town, which is still in the family today. We're so proud of it." Anchustegui, who is a teacher in Idaho, spent Saturday visiting some of the land and even rode in the combine for a short time. She visits the area two to three times a year, and said it was important for her to be present on Saturday. "I was looking forward to this grand opening, and I wouldn't have missed it for the world," she said. "I look at all of these hard working people in Neligh, and I am so impressed that a small town has so much community spirit. They're here; they're looking at their museum. And they have great pride in it." More than 300 people were at the Neligh American Legion on Saturday for the inaugural Novemberfest, featuring wine and beer from all across Nebraska.
Novemberfest may be a new event for the Neligh Young Men's Club, but the community has rallied behind the event and the organization behind it. "The response has been great. We sold a little more than 300 tickets, and the way the community has gotten around us, especially advertisers, if we wouldn't have had them, this even wouldn't have been possible," said Steve Simonsen, event organizer. " All of the beer and wine served at the event was from Nebraska-based wineries and breweries. Simonsen said organizers wanted to make the event unique and looked to only Nebraska companies for the tasting. Novemberfest also featured a home brewery competition where locals could show of their talent of homemade wine or beer. With wall to wall people smiling ear to ear throughout the night, it's no surprise the Neligh Young Men's Club has already decided to make Novemberfest an annual event. "I never imagined it would go so well," Simonsen said. "Over 300 tickets the first time is exciting. Neligh's 31st Annual Rafts of Crafts is planned on Saturday, Nov. 14.
The 2015 event, sponsored by the Neligh-Oakdale TeamMates, will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Neligh-Oakdale High School Gym. Admission is free. The gym will be filled with crafters and vendors selling a variety of items. A lunch stand will be on site, selling homemade soups, sandwiches, desserts and drinks. "To save their world, they must come to ours."
The Neligh Public Library is offering a free showing of "The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge out of Water," rated PG, at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 7. Kids are invited to come in their pajamas and bring pillow and blankets. They are also welcome to bring snacks and drinks of their choice. Popcorn, snacks and refreshments will be provided by the library. President Obama will reject the Keystone XL pipeline, according the reports from the Wall Street Journal.
Just days after TransCanada asked the Obama administration to suspend its yearslong review of the project the project will now be halted. Art Tanderup of Neligh, one of the key Pipeline Fighters, said he was elated by the news this morning, although it did come earlier than he expected. "We're absolutely elated that this has happened," Tanderup told the Antelope County News. "We figured it would happen, just a matter of time. We thought it might be closer to the Paris Climate talks, but maybe it happened after TransCanada's latest shenanigans about the cause and so forth and the president just said, 'It's time. Let's just reject it.' " With the United Nations summit meeting on climate change in Paris in December, most environmental experts predicted the announcement from Obama would come during those talks. Tanderup said having the announcement now sends an even stronger message. "I felt very good that this was going to happen before the end of his administration. I just didn't know when," Tanderup said. "We're glad it happened because now his administration can go into those talks (Paris) and say, 'We made a strong statement here, and we need to move away from fossil fuels and into developing more clean energies, leave the tar sands in the ground and try to turn this climate issue around so we are doing positive things rather than negative things.' " No official statement has been released from TransCanada. The Antelope County Museum will celebrate its past and future on Saturday with a grand opening celebration at the new location along Highway 275 in Neligh.
A grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony will highlight the afternoon of activities. From 1-5 p.m., the public is encouraged to visit the museum and its new displays. There is no admission Saturday. The ribbon cutting will be at 2 p.m. Among the displays are the Fairbanks Morse Windmill and Harold Ritter Gallery featuring carvings and sculptures, along with displays on White Buffalo Girl, A.J. Leach and Captain John Hatfield. The museum has other displays on military, schools, households, toys and much more. While the scoreboard told one story Wednesday night in Bruning, Neligh-Oakdale coach Ron Beacom told another - one of how an injury-plagued team with just 16 players defied the odds to be a playoff contender.
Neligh-Oakdale may have lost 42-7 to top-seeded Bruning-Davenport-Shickley, but an emotional Beacom spent five minutes after the game commending the Warriors for their "special season" and turning around a once 1-39 program. In his third year at Neligh-Oakdale, the Warriors have qualified for the playoffs each season. They lost to B-D-S in the first round in 2013, won their first playoff game in 2014, which the Warriors hosted. This year, Neligh-Oakdale won the district title and hosted the first round of playoffs with a dominating win over Pender. Beacom said each Monday he went to school unsure of what to do as the injuries continued to mount, but "another kid would step up and play his tail off." At practices, Beacom told his coaches, "I don't know how to do this. We have to be creative. We don't have enough guys to practice today." But the Warriors continued to improve and primarily win as they took a 6-2 record into playoffs as the eighth seed in an incredibly talented east division of the Class D1 bracket. The Warriors struggled against a bigger B-D-S team and ended the season at 7-3. The Eagles were bigger in size and bigger in number. But bigger in heart? That's arguable. "You guys responded, you did it and you got better. Because you continued to get better, you had a special season. You really did," Beacom said. "There's going to be a whole lot of things that you wish you would have done this or wish you would have done that. You need to look back at it for a second and say, 'Wow, we did that. Look at what you accomplished. Don't look at what might have been." As opposing players and coaches met at midfield after the game Wednesday, B-D-S coach Christopher Ardissono put in perspective just what the Warriors had accomplished this season. Beacom relayed that message to his players. He told Beacom, " 'We had a running clock for a quarter and a half' and his exact words to me were, 'I am so happy that we're going to be D2 next year because I want nothing to do with the group you have coming back.' " A highly sought after coach, Beacom has turned around Neligh-Oakdale's football program. His post-game talks bring a larger crowd to the field than some teams see in their stands during a game. After Wednesday's loss, he reminded his players of what they've accomplished. "You guys have built something now. Do you realize that when I took this job, one of my best friends at Aquinas said, 'Do you realize they were 1-39 the last five years?' And now people are saying, 'We don't want to play you.' That's what you've done in the last three years. All I can ask is you stay with it and build it." Beacom complimented his seniors and told them he wants them to move on and be great men and be proud of being from Neligh-Oakdale. "What I need you to do is go be the best men you can be. Be the best brothers you can be. Go do what you're going to do but do it well," he said. "When you go to college, there's going to be kids that go, 'Hey, where did you to school?' Say, 'I went to Neligh-Oakdale. We turned stuff around. We were good.' You can tell (them that) because you're going to do all of that with class." The Antelope County Supervisors began the interview process for the newly created road boss position at Tuesday morning's meeting.
The four individuals who are being interviewed for the position are David Henery, Casey Dittrich, Monte Shabram, and Marty Widger. Three of the four candidates were interviewed at Tuesday's meeting. Widger, being absent, will be interviewed at next week's meeting. Also discussed at the meeting was the list of delinquent real estate in Antelope County. The properties that have been delinquent for three are more years are on the list to be foreclosed. Letters have been sent to the owners of about 20 properties on the list stating that they have until the end of December to pay the taxes. At the January 5 meeting, the supervisors will begin foreclosure proceedings on the properties who have not paid the delinquent taxes. Neligh Friends of the Library members are sponsoring their annual silent auction during the month of November.
Businesses and individuals are invited to donate additional items, including gifts, gift cards and more. Just drop off the items at the Neligh Public Library, 710 M St. in Neligh. Bids will be accepted through Nov. 30, and the winners will be notified by phone. Proceeds will support family and children's programming. View a gallery of some of the auction items below: The sale of the former Antelope County Jail was an agenda item on Tuesday's meeting of the Antelope County Supervisors.
Realtor Larry Bartee of Elkhorn Valley Real Estate met with the board to discuss the procedure of a public auction and the time he needed to arrange it. The former Antelope County Jail is being sold along with the old brick jail building that had previously been part of the Antelope County Museum. The museum's log cabin will be moved off the lot prior to the sale. It is not known at this time when or where the log cabin will be moved; that will be decided by the museum. There was also discussion of the sale of a parcel of land owned by the county near Clearwater. The county acquired the 9.98 acre plot in 1917. The ground is located along the Clearwater Orchard road by the Elkhorn River. It was decided that both the jail and the land parcel would be sold on the same day. The board decided to hold the auction on December 11 at 10 a.m. in the courthouse. Applications for the Ribbon Tree will be available in Neligh, Elgin and online.
Online applications are available by clicking here: Adult application or Child application. Applications may be picked up on Thursday at the following Neligh locations: The Willows, Golden Living Center, Heritage Bank, Pinnacle Bank, AMH Family Practice, Neligh Clinic, Neligh-Oakdale Pre-school, Health and Human Services Office, Thriftway, Food Pantry, Neligh Library, and at the Neligh-Oakdale website (http://www.nelighoakdaleschools.com). In Elgin, the applications can be picked up at Dean’s Market, the Elgin Public School website (http://elgineagles.org) or the St. Boniface website (http://saintbon.esu8.org). Applications must be returned or mailed to Health and Human Services 501 M Street, Neligh, NE 68756 by November 16 (or email to Patti.Brady@nebraska.gov). This ongoing project, sponsored by the Neligh-Oakdale FCCLA, provides families as well as residents of the Golden Living Center and The Willows with an opportunity for a better Christmas. If you’d like to purchase a gift for the Ribbon Tree, you can the ribbons on the Christmas trees at Heritage Bank and Pinnacle Bank in Neligh after November 23. Can't make it to the Neligh-Oakdale state playoff game Wednesday? No problem.
The Warrior football game will be live streamed on Striv.tv so fans can watch online. Neligh-Oakdale will face BDS in Bruning at 5 p.m. Click here to watch. Facing a 0-2 deficit against Ainsworth, Neligh-Oakdale fought back to win 3-2 Monday night to advance to the subdistrict semifinals at O'Neill High School.
Coach Hannah Hoefer said that fight is indicative of what she's seen from her team all year. "It was intense. They showed a lot of fight, a lot of passion," she said. "This team set a goal - to get through the first game of subdistricts. We went to the locker room, revamped and got a new goal." Although that goal included advancing to the subdistrict final, the Warriors later fell 3-0 to Elgin Public Pope John later in the evening to end the volleyball season. Throughout the night, Hoefer said she was excited to see the enthusiasm in her players, whether they were on the court or the bench. "We have some good leaders. I can think of two of my seniors and how they celebrate. It's fun to watch them. They lead on the court with how to celebrate," she said. Neligh-Oakdale ends its season with a 7-21 record. There were lots of great costumes entered Saturday in the 2nd annual ACN Costume Contest sponsored by Carhart Lumber and Melissa Smith - State Farm Insurance.
View All Entries Readers voted on their favorites. The top three received prizes. Winners are shown above. Age 0-3: 1. Trevor Larsen, 2. Jayden Sauser, 3. Paityn Christiansen. Age 4-7: 1. Madison Metschke, 2. Izabella Keith, 3. Kristian McNally. Age 8-13: 1. Jasmine McNally, 2. Sophie Long, 3. Elizabeth Miller. The latest issue of Nebraska Life magazine is now available at the Antelope County News.
The edition will be mailed to subscribers, but single copies are available for $5.95 at our news office in Neligh, which now serves as a regular outlet for the publication. The Nebraska State Patrol, Antelope County Sheriff's Department and Neligh Police Department are warning residents of what is being called the "IRS Scam."
These unsolicited calls demand payment while fraudulently claiming to be from the IRS."There are clear warning signs about these scams, which continue at high levels throughout the nation,” said IRS Commissioner John Koskinen. “Taxpayers should remember their first contact with the IRS will not be a call from out of the blue, but through official correspondence sent through the mail. A big red flag for these scams are angry, threatening calls from people who say they are from the IRS and urging immediate payment. This is not how we operate. People should hang up immediately and contact TIGTA or the IRS.” Additionally, it is important for taxpayers to know that the IRS:
Other characteristics of these scams include:
The IRS encourages taxpayers to be vigilant against phone and email scams that use the IRS as a lure. The IRS does not initiate contact with taxpayers by email to request personal or financial information. This includes any type of electronic communication, such as text messages and social media channels. The IRS also does not ask for PINs, passwords or similar confidential access information for credit card, bank or other financial accounts. Recipients should not open any attachments or click on any links contained in the message. Instead, forward the email to phishing@irs.gov. The Neligh-Oakdale Elementary will celebrate Red Ribbon Week, Nov. 2-6.
"This is a time to celebrate living a healthy, drug-free life," said Becky Kerkman, elementary guidance counselor. Here are a list of the week's events and dress up days: Monday - "Reach for Your Dreams, Not Drugs" - Students may wear pajamas to school. They will receive bracelets to wear throughout the week. Tuesday - "Crazy About Being Drug Free" - Crazy hair day. Students will fill out pledge cards. Wednesday - "Sock It To Drugs" - Students can wear crazy socks. There will be an assembly with Kids On The Block in the afternoon. Thursday - "Team Up Against Drugs" - Students may dress as their favorite sport or wear a Warrior shirt. Friday - "Red Day" - Students may wear red. There will be a Red Rally at East Ward Elementary for all K-6 grade students from 1 to 2 p.m. |
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