Sitting at an old wooden desk, her blue eyes suddenly begin to sparkle and her face gently breaks into a wide smile.
Gloria Christiansen of Neligh loves reminiscing about her days as a country school student. With a faraway look in her eyes, she recalls being dropped off at her country school and racing inside with the other kids. The noisy coatroom is buzzing as kids talk to each other while taking off their coats and boots and put their lunch pails away. As the students cross the threshold into the one-room schoolhouse, they quiet down and take their seats. They begin their school day by reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and singing a patriotic song. One by one, each student is then given a personal health check by their teacher, making sure there is no dirt on their hands, faces, clothing or shoes. Papers begin to rustle as children take out their lessons. Kindergarten through eighth grade students all learning in one room, taught by one teacher. These fond childhood memories are part of the reason Christiansen decided that—someday—she would open a one-room schoolhouse museum so its history could be preserved for generations to come. “It’s been a life passion,” she said. “I started in a country school. I liked everything about country school. And when I went on, I’ve always had the dream of moving a country school in.” Her dream has finally become a reality. Antelope County District 70—a one-room schoolhouse which was originally located south of Clearwater—was moved to Neligh last year, was restored and is now a part of the Antelope County Museum complex. And, it turned out even better than Christiansen had imagined. “There are just no words, it’s just beautiful,” she said as tears welled in her eyes. “It’s like our forefathers are almost spirits that go around and around in here.” Gazing around the one-room schoolhouse, there are blackboards on two facing walls, desks spanning about four decades, learning centers, a piano, book shelves, a bell, an American flag, a globe and much more. It looks as if school could be back in session at a moment’s notice. And that’s a good thing, because Christiansen has already taught two classes there. Columbus sixth graders and Plainview second graders stopped by during their field trips last month. “We had a test run,” she said. “I gave them small, chalkboard slates, and we did math problems, spelling, exercises and went to the media stations. The kids loved it. Some of them had never seen film before.” The schoolhouse was opened to regular visitors over Memorial Day weekend and is now open for tours. Christiansen said those visiting the Antelope County Museum are also taken to the log cabin and the schoolhouse as part of their experience. “We have a few things to finish up, but there was so much interest that we decided to let people come and see it anyway,” she said. Although this isn’t the same building where Christiansen attended country school as a child, she said it was her vision to make it look similar to ones students attended during the 1940s-80s time period. This particular schoolhouse was moved from land owned by Merlin and Janice Bolling of rural Clearwater. Classes were held in this building from 1916 to 1973, with Joyce Klabenes serving as the teacher in the final school year. Nearly a decade ago, Merlin Bolling had flippantly asked Jeri Anderson of Neligh if she knew anyone who wanted a schoolhouse. To his surprise, Anderson said she did. Christiansen had been collecting school items for years and had stored some of her items at Anderson’s business. In 2013, the Bollings gifted Christiansen the schoolhouse, as well as a box of its history, including the school’s attendance records, teacher contracts and meeting minutes. Christiansen and Anderson became co-chairs of the one-room schoolhouse project. Other committee members included Gloria’s husband Brian Christiansen, Ray Ahrens, Cindy Hild, Carol Jessen and Levern Hauptmann. The committee asked Kevin Hild and Darrell Steckelberg examine the building to determine if it was structurally sound. “They both said it was worth saving,” Christiansen said. Fundraising efforts began—the two most notable were dueling pianos event at the Neligh Legion and Cow Patty Bingo at the fairgrounds. These proceeds and other donations, combined with $40,000 in grants, helped them to surpass their goal of $125,000. “We are so incredibly grateful for the local and statewide support this project has received,” she said. The schoolhouse was moved from the Bolling property in February of 2018. Christiansen said moving permits determined the building’s route—a 9-mile trip— to its new location across from the Antelope County Museum in Neligh. The 24-foot by 42-foot schoolhouse is 26 feet high and was moved onto its new foundation by Williams Midwest House Movers of Hastings. Hild Construction, LLC became the contractor for the project. Many hours of work at the schoolhouse included replacing the roof, removing plaster walls, adding drywall, replacing broken out windows and more Fortunately, coming up with items to fill the schoolhouse was the easy part. Christiansen, who taught kindergarten and second grade in Clearwater for 13 years, had been collecting schoolhouse items since the 1970s. She later worked at ESU 8 as a media director and continued collecting. “I saved memorabilia before I quit teaching at Clearwater,” Christiansen said. “As they started throwing books away and furniture away, I started collecting. I already knew at that time that this was something I wanted to do. We had three garages and a basement full of stuff I’d been saving throughout the years.” Other donations have steadily poured in since people have heard about the schoolhouse project. Everything from books to desks have been given to the schoolhouse. Christiansen credits the media for spreading the word, far and wide. “The one-room schoolhouse project received donations from 47 different towns and cities and 13 states, including Colorado, Kansas, Arizona, Texas, Iowa, Utah, California, South Dakota, Minnesota, New York, Illinois, Wisconsin and Nebraska,” she said. A special donation came from one of the local committee members and her family. Carol Jessen and family donated the flag and flagpole outside the school in memory of the late Steve Jessen. Christiansen said it was a fitting memorial as Jessen taught at a country school in his first year of teaching, remained in education throughout his life and was a military veteran. Christiansen said the one-room schoolhouse serves as a way for people to learn from the past. “People need to know the value that country schools brought to this country,” she said. “The foundation of some of the best things of any community was the people that went to those country schools. I think that story needs to be told. This school is a way of letting that continue.” Christiansen said some special programs and workshops—possibly her childhood favorite Christmas program—may be held at the schoolhouse in addition to the regular tours. Summer hours for the museum complex are from 1 to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. The Antelope County Museum may be reached by calling 402-887-5010. A special program celebrating the project’s completion will be held later this summer. Groups interested in a more detailed tour may contact Christiansen at 402-929-0330. “I think it’s important keep the voices of the past alive,” she said. “Nebraska history needs to be told and retold. The people that traveled before us deserve their stories to be told. It defines who some of us are and where we are today.” Kendra Carr remembers being nervous as she held her crossbow Friday night but the 19-year-old took a deep breath, aimed right down the middle and let the arrow go.
“It was 30 yards away, and I smoked this one,” Carr said with a grin. A 2018 Neligh-Oakdale graduate, Carr met the challenge of hunting while in a wheelchair head on and managed to bag her first bird on the final evening of the 2019 spring season. Carr, who is the daughter of Christie Counts and Jeff Carr, shot an eastern wild turkey at around 6:40 p.m. north of Neligh on Friday. “I’m so proud of her,” her mother said. “The chair definitely adds to the difficulty. You can’t just move when you want to, so it takes a lot of time.” With her stepfather, Walt Counts, by her side, Carr spent five days — and about 18 total hours — trying to bag her turkey. Although they saw turkeys often, the birds were never positioned quite right for Carr to get a good shot. But on Friday, everything lined up perfectly. After sitting about 20 minutes, four hits crossed in front of Carr’s blind. Just like clockwork, the tom strutted after them two minutes later. “He was strutting up and looking all pretty as he followed the ladies,” Counts said. “He was showing off, and she had a great shot.” Carr captured the 20-pound bird with a 10 ½ inch beard. Afterward, Carr posed for photos of her first bird, smiling from ear to ear. “I wanted to get one, so I knew I had to get one tonight,” she said. “I was really nervous, but I fired and got him. I got my first bird.” The Farmers' Market will open for the 2019 season Saturday, June 8, from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. on the south side of the courthouse. A variety of produce and plants will be available, as well as many homemade baked goods. The market provides a great opportunity to get locally grown food and produce straight from the source.
In the event of inclement weather, the market will move under the awnings at the courthouse. If you are interested in becoming a vendor, contact market director Joann Hauptmann at 402-887-4271. The market typically runs through September. BRAN 39 participants reached Antelope County on Thursday, which was day five of their 2019 Bicycle Ride Across Nebraska.
BRAN 39, "A Tale of Two Trails," is a cross-state bicycle ride that started June 2 in Chadron and will conclude in Fremont on June 8. The week-long ride is more than 400 miles in total. Cyclists arrived in Neligh on Thursday and stayed overnight in Riverside Park. Aubrey Trail, who is charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder and improper disposal of human remains of Sydney Loofe is expected to plead guilty one on the charges Friday.
According to the Lincoln Journal-Star, Trail's attorney Joe Murray, asked the court Thursday to set a hearing for Trail on Friday to plead guilty to improper disposal of human remains to "accept responsibility for his actions." It is a class IV felony, which carries up to two years imprisonment. Trail will appear in Saline County District Court at 2:30 p.m. Friday. Changing this plea is not expected to change Trail's trial date on the other charges. Two kids added some brand new wheels this summer.
On Thursday, Raquel Schmoldt and Adam Dexter received the brand new bikes they won for attending the bike rodeo at the Neligh Public Library last month. Children were able to enter for a chance to win two sets of bikes during the event. Schmoldt and Dexter were the two lucky winners, courtesy of Melissa Smith, State Farm and the Women of Neligh. Antelope Memorial Hospital was originally erected as a memorial to Antelope County veterans of all wars and dedicated in May 1952.
Although the need for a hospital in Antelope County had been voiced many times, it wasn’t until late 1945 that the idea took shape. It all began when a small group of spirited citizens met at the Barrett Garage in Neligh. They were determined to take action toward securing a hospital. They all agreed it would be named in honor of Antelope County veterans. Today—in an effort to fulfill our forefather’s vision, Antelope Memorial Hospital honors local veterans in a special way—by caring for them medically through TRICARE. “We are excited to announce that Antelope Memorial Hospital and its providers have recently been credentialed to provide TRICARE medical services for veterans and individuals associated with the U.S. military in the TRICARE West Region,” said Diane Carlin, AMH Chief Executive Officer. “Nebraska is one of 21 states in the TRICARE West Region, located in the western half of the United States.” TRICARE is a program designed to provide health care services to people associated with the U.S. military in different capacities, added Ms. Carlin. It serves individuals who are currently active in the military, veterans, members of the National Guard and Reserve and recipients of the Medal of Honor. It also provides services for dependent children and spouses of individuals associated with the military. The different kinds of benefits and plans for eligibility depend on which category of beneficiaries the individual falls under. TRICARE facilitates care for veterans when medical care is not available at a military treatment facility (MTF) or a veteran needs to be referred to a civilian provider. Health Net (an insurance provider) maintains a network of civilian providers who are available to supplement a veteran’s MTF care. The names of AMH providers approved to be listed in the TRICARE Network Provider Directory include doctors, Roger Rudloff, Troy Dawson and Kelli Osborn, nurse practitioners, Patti Good and Ashley Niewohner, and physician assistant, Angela Sucha. Antelope Memorial Hospital and each of its AMH Family Practice Clinics, located in Elgin, Clearwater, Orchard, Tilden and Neligh, are listed under facilities. TRICARE providers are selected for their commitment to quality health care and have agreed to participate in the TRICARE program options, said Ms. Carlin. This means they can deliver services at a lower out-of-pocket cost to veterans or members of the military. "I understand the importance of health care for those who have served our country," added Ms. Carlin. "My father entered the U.S. Army in 1950 and served in the 68th AAA Gun Battalion in the Korean War. Two of my brothers, Pat and Ed, also served in the Army. Pat served from 1975-1977 and was stationed at Schweinfurt Germany as a gunman in N. 109 – Palbin 155 Holster Cannon. Ed served from 1986-1990 as a Sergeant at Fort Irwin, California in reconnaissance in the 32nd Infantry Division. I recognize the sacrifices that they and others who served have made." She said many veterans have suffered acute or chronic health issues as a result of their past military service. "Many have struggled with emotional traumas through the years," she said. "At AMH, it is our privilege to support and care for our local veterans to the best of our ability." For more information or to enroll in TRICARE, refer to: www.tricare-west.com or call AMH Family Practice Clinics at 877.887.5440. A meeting, Hometown Housing Opportunities—Building Communities Together, will be held at noon in the Neligh Public Library on Wednesday, June 5.
Families interested in living in rural communities and owning their own home, or existing homeowners that need assistance with home repairs, are invited to attend. Others who may find this program beneficial are lenders, realtors, community officials, major employers, state and federal partners, home builders and other housing partners. Learn About Rural Development Housing Programs: 100% Home Financing and Subsidized DIRECT Homeownership Loan Program for Very Low and Low Income Applicants 100% Home Financing GUARANTEED Homeownership Loan Program for up to Moderate Income Applicants 100% Owner-Occupied Home Repair Loans and Grants for Very Low Income Applicants Presenters: United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development (RD) and Housing Partners For more information contact: Rural Development Housing Specialist Krista Mettscher-402.437.5518-krista.mettscher@usda.govwww.rd.usda.gov/ne; Director of Economic Development Lauren Sheridan-Simonsen-402.887.4447- lauren@neligh.org-www.neligh.org. Nate Metschke always sat in the front row at his daughter’s dance recitals. On Saturday, he had the best seat in the house as 10-year-old Madison Metschke led Paulyn’s Dance Studio in a tribute to him nearly five months to the day he died. “I was dancing for my dad,” Madison said. “Every single week we did that dance, I smiled to myself and thought, ‘I did that for my dad.’ I could feel him listening to the voices on the music. It was really cool.” Metschke and the dancers from the Neligh studio performed a lyrical dance to “I Can Only Imagine” on Saturday. The song was also among those that played during Nate’s celebration of life, which was attended by more than 1,000 people at Neligh-Oakdale High School. But the song has an even deeper spiritual connection to his wife, Darcy. “As I was holding Nate’s hand and the doctor told me his heart had just stopped, those are the first words I spoke,” Darcy said. “I told him, ‘I can only imagine what it will be like.’ So that was the perfect song for this tribute dance.” Nate Metschke, a long-time band teacher at Neligh-Oakdale, succumbed to cancer on Christmas Eve during a surgery to remove a mass from his liver. It was the next month that Madison’s instructor, Haiden Sullivan, suggested to Darcy that they perform a tribute to Nate during the May recital. Darcy immediately loved the idea. but discussed it with Madison first. She jumped at the chance to perform for her father, who she said was one of her biggest fans. Until the final rehearsal on Saturday morning, Darcy had never seen Madison perform that particular dance. Every week, Darcy said she would wait until some of the other parents exited the dance studio before she went inside to get Madison. That ensured she didn’t see any of the dance before the final rehearsal, where Darcy broke down as the dancers hoisted Madison high into the air for a perfect lift as she looked toward the heavens and then flipped over toward a wooden cross at the back of the stage. “It was hard because everytime I looked at her, she was sobbing,” Madison said of her mother. “And then here comes my water works. I didn’t cry at the actual recital, though. My strategy was not to look at my family. I looked at the wall in the back and didn’t move my eyes.” But during rehearsal, Madison’s mascara flowed down her cheeks. Despite the tears and raw emotion, Madison never missed a step of the dance. Everything was perfect. “I’m so proud of her,” Darcy said. “She’s been dancing since she was three, so dancing is really her thing. Just to see her do that and express her emotions for her dad was just happy and sad and amazed all at the same time. It was a moment I will always treasure.” After their first run through at rehearsals, Madison’s teacher wrapped her arms tightly around her and then all of the dancers embraced for a group hug. Madison said her dance family has offered tremendous support since her father’s death. While the tears flowed after the performance, Madison’s eyes only sparkled as a smile spread across her face while talking about dancing for her dad. “He would have loved it,” Madison said while beaming. “He would have been speechless and wouldn’t have believed they did that for him. I hadn’t cried about him for a long time, so this got a little bit of that out.” Darcy said Nate was “a proud dance dad” and would have also been elated that Madison added a bit of humor to the dance. After all, Nate was as well known for his terrible jokes as he was for his support of the arts. During Saturday’s performance, each dancer who new Nate well — led by Madison — had a brief dance solo while audio played with them talking about what they remembered of Nate. Madison’s included a jab at her father being unable to put a bun into her hair. “He couldn’t even put a ponytail in,” Madison said with a giggle. “He’d always break the rubber bands with his big, fat fingers. We kind of have the same hands.” A moment Madison said she will never forget with her dad was at the ENG dance show in New Orleans last year. After competing at nationals, Madison said she went to find her parents and was shocked at her dad’s response. “He was sobbing and was just so proud of me,” she said, smiling at the memory. “He hugged me for a long time. I know he was so proud of me.” Madison said Nate didn’t like to watch her practice. He always wanted to be surprised during the recitals. “Whenever I looked at him in the audience, he’d have a big old smile on his face,” Madison said. After a deep exhale and a moment to smile at the memory, she added, “My family always sits in the front row. I couldn’t find him during competition, but I always found him at the recitals.” The tribute dance was the last song before a 10-minute intermission Saturday, which allowed the girls time to regroup emotionally. It also allowed Madison and Darcy to share a moment. Darcy gave her flowers and two special items. “I asked her who it was from, and she said, ‘Me and dad,’” Madison said. “There was a square picture of Dad holding me at the New Orleans competition and a blue butterfly stuck to it. I think I’ll probably always keep that.” Northeast Nebraska Community Action Partnership will hold the Neligh WIC and Immunization Clinic on Thursday, June 6 from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Neligh American Legion.
For an appointment or for more information regarding the WIC or Immunization Programs, please call 402-385-6300. Help stock local food pantries with nonperishable food items when the 10/11 Can Care-A-Van stops in Neligh.
The Can Care-A-Van will be at the Antelope County Food Pantry on 5th Street from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesday, June 4. All of the donated food items that day will benefit the Antelope County Food Pantry. A recent Neligh-Oakdale graduate has been selected as a cast member for the All-State Musical in Fremont for the second year in a row.
Cade Wilkinson will portray "Martin Luther" in the 2019 All-State Musical of "Godspell" at Midland University in Fremont, June 4-7. He will also be featured in "On the Willows Trio." Wilkinson was cast as "Teen Angel" in the production of "Grease" last summer. The complete cast list for "Godspell" includes: Prologue Soloists include: Socrates: Alyssa Blohm; Martin Luther: Cade Wilkinson; Gibbon: Nyarok Lam; Thomas Aquinas: Emma Woods; Da Vinci: Joshua Ramsdell; Nietzche: Mysti Barr; Sartre: Madeline Wittstruck; Buckminster Fuller: Henry Iwan; Jesus: Noah Reestman; Judas: Aidan Morrow; Day By Day Soloist: Maggie Harris; Learn Your Lessons Well Soloist: Emily Cunningham; Learn Your Lessons Reprise: Carter Andersen, Fernando Dominguez; Bless The Lord Soloist: Rosie Lang; All Good Gifts Soloist: Konner Kiesel; Light Of The World Soloists: Jake Witter (Light of the World), Molly Sorensen (Salt of the Earth), Zachary Hartwick (City of God); Turn Back Of Man Soloist: Clair Ehlers; By My Side Duet: Maria Mwita, Jess Pelchat; We Beseech Thee Soloist: Brendan Westlake; On The Willows Trio: Carter Andersen, Cade Wilkinson, Alyssa Blohm Ensemble includes: sopranos Alice Baker, Savannah Battreal, Clair Ehlers, Maggie Harris, Rosie Lang, Maggie Lynch, Sara Murray, Jess Pelchat, Emma Woods; Altos Mysti Barr, Alyssa Blohm, Arianna Brokaw, Emily Cunningham, Nyarok Lam, Trinity Lewis, Madi Mahoney, Maria Mwita, Molly Sorensen, Ciara Stueve, Callie Stewart, Maggie White, Madeline Wittstruck; tenors: Carter Andersen, Fernando Dominguez, Zack Faz, Zachary Hartwick, Konner Kiesel; Basses Henry Iwan, Manny Lackey, Josh Ramsdell, Brendan Westlake and Jake Witter Technicians: Lily Hinkel Two Neligh-Oakdale students have been selected to be a part of the Nebraska Junior Law Cadet program this summer.
Gage Dawson and Ashton Shabram, both of Neligh, have been selected to attend Nebraska Junior Law Cadet program June 10-13. Dawson and Shabram will learn about law enforcement responsibilities and training from representatives of multiple city, county, state and federal agencies. They will participate in daily training, attend classroom sessions and learn about self-defense, firearms, driving, and operating State Patrol equipment. The Junior Law Cadet program is held each year in June. There are separate programs for boys and girls, and students stay at the Nebraska State Patrol Training Academy in Grand Island. Gage is the son of Dr. Troy and Heather Dawson and Ashton is the son of Chad and Tanya Shabram. Due to wet conditions on the Neligh Volunteer Fire Department golf tournament, originally scheduled for Saturday, June 1, has been postponed until July 27.
Teams will still be able to register for the 11th annual 4-person scramble. The tournament is $160 per team. $40 for team mulligans and one miracle putt are available at check-in. Entry fees include flag prizes and brisket meal. Limited cart rentals. For more information, contact the Antelope Country Club at 402-887-5211. Blood donors are needed in Neligh on Monday.
The American Red Cross will host a blood drive on Monday, June 3, at the Neligh Legion from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. As the Neligh-Oakdale band played one of their patriotic songs, the crowd looked skyward as a KC135 flyover by the National Guard roared overhead.
The planned flyover at Laurel Hill Cemetery occurred near the end of the band's set to cap off their performance. It was followed up by shots ringing out from the firing squad and "Taps" played by trumpeters Austin Rice and Trey Svatos. Master of Ceremonies Chad Shabram opened the program while Vicar Brett Witmer gave the message and Carolyn Weinman was the vocalist. Boy Scouts Dylan Wright and Cain Mortensen read "In Flanders Field." The color guard and firing squad services were provided VFW Post 5287 and Neligh Legion Post 172. More than 130 graduates of Neligh High School and Neligh-Oakdale High School gathered for the 2019 Alumni Banquet at the Neligh American Legion on Saturday night.
Arlene Francis of Neligh, a member of the Neligh High School class of 1939, was honored as the Outstanding Alumna. Francis celebrated her 80th reunion at the event. Patrick Orler of Switzerland traveled the furthest to attend the banquet. Cole Belitz, a 2019 Neligh-Oakdale graduate, was presented the Alumni Scholarship. The 10-year-class—the Class of 2009—hosted the banquet. Class members in attendance were Jessica Werner, Tara (Smith) Haselhorst, Samantha (Henn) Temme, Patrick Orler, Christy (Kuhfal) Graves, Brittany Pofahl and Chandra (Mosel) Blase. Area youth and their families were greeted by beautiful weather on Friday as the Neligh Public Library hosted their annual bike rodeo.
Obstacles were set up on the street in front of the library for the kids to ride their bikes through. Members of the Neligh Police Department, AMH Ambulance Services and Midwest Medical assisted with the courses. Free helmets were given out to the kids by Midwest Medical Services, and EMT's were on hand during the event to properly size each kid for a helmet. AMH also helped put on a presentation about bike and summer safety along with Neligh Police Chief Mike Wright. Check out the gallery below to see all the cute faces at the event! Educational Service Unit 8 and the Neligh Chamber of Commerce celebrated the opening of the newly remodeled building on Thursday with an official ribbon cutting.
While giving a tour of the newly-renovated Educational Service Unit 8 in Neligh, administrator Bill Mowinkel couldn’t hide his excitement on Thursday afternoon. He and the ESU 8 staff members are excited about the newly-renovated space. “I’m tickled to death with it,” Mowinkel said. “Our staff is just ecstatic. Every one of them that comes over has said, ‘Wow! It even exceeds our expectations.’ I think it’s hard to visualize just how massive it really is until you’re in it.” Mowinkel said the best part of the project is the ability “to get everyone back under one roof.” “The best part about getting everyone back under one roof is for collaboration and team unity,” he said. “We used to be in the same building and we would meet regularly for break or whatever. During construction, we had to schedule a place to have a team meeting.” Aside from their furniture being delivered, Mowinkel said the renovated building is ready for occupancy. “It’s just basically painting and touch up work,” he said. “The renovation project back here was pretty extreme. We literally got rid of the old Christiansen building to make our conference center.” Mowinkel said the $4.388 million project really got underway after the former Brian Christiansen — or more recently, Bearinger Tax— building behind the ESU was purchased and demolition began in September of 2017. The ESU8 board gave its approval months prior. “We had an 18-month contract,” he said. “Probably in the fall of 2017 is when we really thought it was going to become a reality,” he said. “All of 2018 was construction and the finish work in 2019.” Unlike most major renovations to educational buildings, this project did not need to be funded by a bond. Mowinkel is grateful to the foresight of previous administration and board members. “It never could’ve happened if Don Thompson and that board from 20-30 years ago wouldn’t have started this fund,” he said. Because of the fund, Mowinkel said they had money available; however, the legislature now limits their cash reserve, making them unable to accumulate money for such a project. “That’s why we had to get the attorney general involved,” he said. “To say, ‘Hey, we’ve got this money. This is our plan. Will you approve that for us?’ He told us yes, but that we had a limited time to get it done. That gave me a push. That’s when Senator Baker became involved and worked with us, making sure we dotted those Is and crossed those Ts.” Mowinkel said the ESU8 board set a limit of $5 million for the project and the bid came under budget, allowing them to finish the top floor and purchase new furniture and appliances. “We bid the first time ourselves, without construction management involved, and all of the bids were well over $5 to $6 million,” he said. “It lowered the cost by about 25 percent to bring on construction management.” Radec Construction of Hartington served as construction management company for the project. Mowinkel said he was pleased with the company and the large number of local subcontractors they brought on board for the project. “I was thrilled with Radec — and the amount of what I call local subs — subs within our seven-county area that we serve,” he said. Five subcontractors were from a 15-mile radius, including Clearwater, Neligh and Tilden. A new liquor store will open in Neligh just in time for the weekend.
Lucky Joe’s Liquor Store is set to open for business on Friday, May 24, according to owner Joe Lichty of Neligh. The store is located next to Cubby’s along Highway 275 at 108 E. 2nd St. Lucky Joe’s will offer beer, wine, liquor, ice, snacks and tobacco products, Lichty said. In addition to selling a wide selection of Budweiser and Coors products, he said the business will feature “a lot of Nebraska products.” “I try to carry everything no one else in town carries,” Lichty said. “And if somebody wants something special, I can order it for them.” He has more than a decade of experience in the business after working at Cabin Bottle Shoppe in Neligh, so he decided to open his own. “I did it for 13 years at the Bottle Shoppe, and I needed something to get me into retirement age,” Lichty said with a laugh. He said a grand opening will likely be held later this summer. The store will be open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 1 to 5 p.m. on Sundays. Lucky Joe’s can be reached by calling 402-887-8200. Neligh Public Library’s Annual Bike Rodeo is set to take place on Friday, May 24, with activities occurring in front of the library, located 710 M St.
The day’s events kick off at 10 a.m., including free helmet handouts and fittings, new bike drawings, a bike safety discussion, blender bike and refreshments. For any children and adults in need of helmets, free helmets will be provided. Midwest Medical Transport and Antelope Memorial Ambulance Service will be present to help fit them. AMH physicians and Neligh Police officers will also be there to talk to children, teaching them about bike safety. Two lucky individuals will leave with a new bike, as there are two drawings being held. To mix up some fun, Tessa Hain of the Nebraska Extension Office will bring a blender bike, which makes smoothies when being pedaled. Friends of the Library will provide snacks and drinks. Neligh-Oakdale celebrated its preschool graduation Thursday night with 13 students moving onto to kindergarten and 17 returning next fall.
Preschool graduates were Hannah Elder, Lane Furstenau, Jace Hart, Molly Hughes, Rex Hughes, Caleigh King, Asher Kinnan, Haezlyn McGowen, Kayson Meis, Brynley Paulsen, Braxton Sparr, Rain Stenka and Palmer Wieneke. Returnees were Makenzie Blakeman, Eloise Fuehrer, Jacinda Hart, Elise Henery, Zandra Jacob, Abigail Johnson, Gage Kallhoff, Dacia Mitchell, Valerie Murray, Talon Novotny, Avery Paulsen, Lane Pofahl, Kyah Reinke, Tony Starkey, Madelyn Soper, Kyle Wingate and Caeden Wright. After serving on the Laurel Hill Cemetery Board for the past 15 years, Keith White of Neligh was recognized Thursday morning. White has spent the last 10 years as president.
"It's a great board doing great things," White said. "We run primarily on donations, so we appreciate the help from the community, as well as the city and county." Board members are Gordy Hagge, president; Duane Tinsley, vice president; Cindy Hild, secretary; Kathy Sauser, treasurer; Andy Beyer, superintendent and Nancy Bitney, committee member. Not in the photo were Bennie Taylor, Chad Shabram, and Duane Eichberger. With Memorial Day approaching, board members have been busy preparing the cemetery for visitors. Those leaving flowers are reminded to have them removed by June 3. Jan Heithoff is the 2019 Caring Kind Award Winner of Antelope Memorial Hospital. She was recognized for the award on May 7 during National Hospital Week.
Each year, the Nebraska Hospital Association honors employees from hospitals across the state as “Caring Kind” employees. The honored employee must exemplify the spirit of someone who gives that “something special” to others. Jan was nominated and selected by her fellow AMH employees to win this prestigious award. Her nominations reflected the many positive qualities she brings to work each day. She has been employed at AMH for over 42 years. Jan’s nomination described her as truly exemplifying the “caring kind” employee. It stated that "she models cooperation in her interactions with co-workers in all departments as she seeks to supply AMH with quality products at quality prices. Her work is done behind the scenes to most —as she makes certain that goods and services have the necessary paperwork for complete orders. She follows the order from start to finish—making sure the result is what was expected and paid for. She negotiates contracts with vendors to find the best deal for AMH. Each employee benefits from her work. She is ALWAYS cheerful, friendly, kind and positive. Plus, she always has a kind word to share and greets you with a smile. She is also soft-spoken—but fierce—as she stands her ground. She runs a tight department." In June 1976, she first began working in the AMH Business Office. Approximately a year later, she began serving as secretary to the assistant administrator. While serving in that role, she also began processing paperwork for purchasing hospital supplies and equipment. In 1978, she began working full-time in the purchasing department where she later became and continues to serve as the purchasing director. “I am very honored and humbled to receive this special award,” Heithoff said. “I feel we all reflect the ‘caring kind’ here at AMH—and that caring kindness is what makes our hospital such a wonderful place to work at. We are all SO blessed to have each other to work and grow together, as we navigate the challenges we face in health care as well as enjoy the special moments. It’s very rewarding and a privilege to be a part of something so special here. Each employee is truly committed to our patients’ care.” Jan and her husband, Jerry, reside in rural Elgin where he farms. They are members of St. Boniface Catholic Church and have four children, Jacque, Jenna, Jason and Justine. Jacque and her husband, Mark Mahony, reside with their daughter, Anna (age 3 mos.), in O’Neill. Jenna and her husband, Blake Sloan, live in Denton and are expecting their first child in July. Jason and Justine reside in Kearney and O’Neill, respectively. Jan’s hobbies include spending time with her family and caring for her flowers and garden. On Friday, October 18th, the Nebraska Hospital Association will host an award presentation at the Embassy Suites Conference Center in LaVista honoring Jan and other “Caring Kind Award” recipients in Nebraska. Longtime Neligh-Oakdale kindergarten teacher Pat Foss will retire from teaching later this month.
"That one kind of hurts. We definitely wish her the best and will miss her," said Superintendent Scott Gregory. "There's no one who knows kids as well as she does." The Neligh-Oakdale Board of Education approved Foss's resignation, with regrets. Gregory said Neligh-Oakdale will not be filling the second kindergarten teaching position. With just 17 kindergarteners next year, Gregory said Shanna Lammers will be the lone kindergarten teacher next fall. The only increase he anticipates is for an additional para for the class. |
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