News

Memorial Community Health in Aurora has received its first allocation of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine designated for its healthcare staff and will begin vaccinating employees this week. As a critical access hospital and health system, the vaccination of healthcare workers is included in the State of Nebraska’s Phase 1A allocation recommendations.

“We couldn’t be more excited for the vaccination process to begin,” Diane Keller, CEO of Memorial Community Health (MCHI), commented. “It’s a step forward in the battle against COVID-19 and gives hope for a way out of this pandemic.”

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Tuesday morning, Clay County and several parts of Nebraska remained under a Winter Weather Advisory, as well as some spots being upgraded to a Winter Storm Warning. The county was expected to receive between 3-6 inches according to the National Weather Service in Hastings, as the winter weather continued through Tuesday evening. 

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Administration of the COVID-19 vaccine has begun in Clay County, with 10 EMS personnel getting the shot Dec. 17.

South Heartland District Health Department was allocated 15 doses of the Pfizer vaccine by the state, administering five to Hastings Fire and Rescue and the remaining to Clay County EMS.

In administering the vaccine there are phases Nebraska is following, with Phase 1A being those who work with direct patient care, including hospitals, long-term facilities, and EMS.

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There were some minor adjustments needed for the annual Clay County Giving Tree, mainly the requirement of masks and wrapping presents in shifts starting at 2 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 16. However, despite those little changes, the Giving Tree continued on as always, drawing in several volunteers to wrap, sort and deliver presents, along with the annual volunteers who host and organize the event each year. Here, volunteers wrap and organize the final presents into rows by town before the presents are bagged and delivered.

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If there’s a silver lining for public schools in the pandemic-forced shutdown of in-person classrooms this past spring, it’s an increased focus on equitable internet access by students while at home.

COVID-19 may have necessitated a more urgent look at widespread broadband availability for homebound learners, but gaps in digital access have existed and put students at a disadvantage for years. For example, Sandy Creek middle and high school students are expected to complete homework on their school-issued laptops. But what if a student lacks internet service while at home?

In some cases, affordability of reliable internet services is the root of the problem. In other instances, families may live in digital deserts created by geographic dead zones.

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Sandy Creek, located near Fairfield, has released its enrollment demographic data for the current school year.

On Dec.7, 1941, the attack began.

Japanese aircraft dropped bombs on Pearl Harbor, sinking or destroying six U.S. ships, 169 U.S. Navy and Army Air Corps planes, killing 2,403 and wounding 1,178.

Among those was Harvard resident Charles Alan Jones, who was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island at the time of the attack.

Due to multiple torpedo hits, the USS Oklahoma sustained enough damage to cause it to quickly capsize, resulting in the death of 429 crewman, Jones included.

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A permit to burn grass south of Highway 41 near County Roads Y and Z spread to the west into a group of trees Wednesday, Dec. 9. Sutton’s Fire Department responded to the scene to cut down burning or smoldering trees to help stop the fire. 

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During it’s final regularly scheduled meeting for 2020, the Sutton City Council unanimously approved the setting up of a storm sewer improvement district, which will set up and allow the city to move forward on what has been called the “Euclid Street”sewer project.

The project, which has an engineer’s estimated price tag of just over $540,000 will include, according to resolution 2020-15, a resolution of necessity, all property abutting the following streets: Euclid Ave., between Cedar Street and Elm Street and Elm Street between Euclid Ave., and Roy Ave.

Oaths of office were taken by two council members, including Jeff Schelkopf and Larry T. Nuss, with Nuss also being elected as council president. Additionally, city clerk Marla Itzen-Newman, along with chief of police Tracey Landenberger renewed their oaths to serve each of their offices with the City of Sutton.

A group of kids smile big during their visit with Santa, who made an appearance at the Edgar Fire Hall Sunday, Dec. 13.

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