News

Clay County officers, with the assistance of state patrol, arrested an Iowa man Saturday, Dec. 23, after he was reported by concerned citizens.

James J. Fox was noted after he approached a house south of Clay Center, acting unusual. Fox was also cited by citizens after he was found driving through fields, damaging fence lines south and east of Clay Center, Sheriff Jeff Franklin said.

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BY ASHLEY D. SWANSON

Administrators in all three Clay County K-12 schools are looking toward a higher goal when it comes to preparing students for next year’s Nebraska State Standards Exam.

This year’s NeSA scores were released later than usual, in December, with expectations of lower scores across the board in schools throughout Nebraska. The lower scores are in part because of a change to the exam. In 2016, the exam focused on Math, Science, Writing, and Reading; this year’s switched gears to Math, Science, and English Language Arts, which replaced Writing and Reading. Another change this year was specifically for the 11th graders, who, in the past, also took the exam but were switched to only taking the ACT this year.

“I think administrators across the state knew that this round was going to be a tough round as far as how scores were going to come out,” Sutton Superintendent Dana Wiseman said.

Christmas came a little early for some in Clay County Wednesday, Dec. 20.

The 2017 Clay County Giving Tree welcomed more than 100 volunteers of every age, to help wrap, sort, and deliver gifts to nine of the 11 towns in the county.

All it took was about an hour and a half to wrap more than 800 gifts for 402 individuals throughout the county. What started out with one family—Ed and Judy Barnes—has grown to a highly anticipated event each year for many, to spread a little extra Christmas spirit to those in need.

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Delores Springer talks to Santa during his visit to Edgar on Dec. 20.

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BY ASHLEY D. SWANSON

Industrial teacher at Harvard Public School, Chuck Conway, discussed the up-and-coming Skills USA, which focuses on building students’ skills through a variety of occupational options, competitions, and projects, during the Thursday, Dec. 14 Harvard School Board meeting.

One hundred and thirty different occupational options are open for students to delve into. Information from a curriculum is developed straight from the companies and organizations of fields students are studying in.

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As time approaches for interested parties to file for various offices to be filled in November 2018, with the primary in May, L. Wayne Johnson will not be seeking re-election for the position of Mayor of Clay Center.

Johnson said, “I am an avid proponent of term limits. I fully believe after eight years in an elected office there should be a change. Too bad this isn’t the case in Washington D.C.”

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Sutton’s Education Foundation is a two part, non-profit organization founded to support goals and curriculum of Sutton Public Schools, but also to supports students who intend to pursue a post-secondary education.

The organization does this by accepting donations, and managing and distributing scholarship funds to senior graduates of SPS.

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ABOVE: Kendall Rudy takes a questioning look at Santa during his visit to Clay Center on Wednesday, Dec. 6, during the Christmas in Clay Center event at the Fairgrounds. LEFT: Irene Heser gets a visit from Mrs. Claus at the Sutton Community Home Thursday, Dec. 7.

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BY TORY DUNCAN

The reappointment of Larry T. Nuss as council president, along with the reappointment of Don Bottorf as city attorney, Sherrie Bartell as city clerk and Tracey Landenberger as the Sutton police chief, opened the Dec. 11 Sutton City Council meeting.

Additionally, council members reappointed Steve Parr of JEO Consulting as the city street superintendent for another year.

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BY JORDYN HULINSKY

In times of sorrow and darkness, Candace Olson and Lori McCroden decided to spread some hope and support for those dealing with tragedy. “We’ve seen a lot of negative feedback online in Clay County from when they found the body here. We wanted to show the Loofe family that there are strong hearts in Clay County that care for what they are going through,” McCroden said.

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