News

Even before 5 p.m. rolls around, the fairgrounds are bustling with activity. Presents are being brought inside, and bags and signs are being organized on the east side of the building.

The familiar sights and sounds can only be the annual Giving Tree’s wrapping party, and before organizers know it, families are arriving, touting scissors, rolls upon rolls of wrapping paper, and tape.

Within only an hour and a half, the 407 gifts lining the west and south walls of the Clay County Fairgrounds Activities building were wrapped and sorted.

Four of the many volunteers—Garrett, Gavin, and Emma Fischer, along with their friend Paige Biltoftwere happy with another year of the Giving Tree.

“I like helping give to other people,” 13-year-old Garrett said; his mom estimated the family has been coming to the annual event for about 10 years.

ABOVE: Blaine Schroer tells Santa she wants presents for Christmas this year. LEFT: Landen, left, and Hayden Watson give big smiles to their parents while visiting with Santa in Edgar Dec. 19.

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Even an updated sign can go a long way for a community.

Three signs were among the projects benefiting from grants approved by the Clay County Board of Supervisors during its regular meeting on Dec. 18 at the courthouse.

“Since 2010, we’ve given $31,000 total,” Pam Maynard, of the Visitor’s Promotion and Improvements Committee, said. “To me, that’s really a phenomenal number for our county.”

The committee recommended a total of $6,850 to be dispersed among 10 projects.

Applications are submitted annually to the committee, which reviews and finalizes a list of recommendations to receive grants.

“We like to think of ourselves more as gap financing,” Maynard said.

Small projects may be fully funded, while larger projects usually receive a partial grant. Some projects are long-term or recurrent, and may be eligible for grants in multiple years.

Included in this year’s funding are four improvement projects:

Santa, Mrs. Claus and their elves made a stop at the Sutton Community Home Thursday, Dec. 13, during the resident’s Christmas party. Here, the jolly couple make their rounds between residents Walt Becker, left, John Deepe, center, and Donitta Sheridan.

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Tis the season for giving, but for Clay Center’s Kay Springer, 89, every 56 days she tries to give back to those who need the most.

Since the 1970s, Springer has been donating blood, going to blood donation centers every 56 days, hoping her levels are high enough to give that one unit of blood.

Her more than 35-years of donating began with her twin brother’s son. Her nephew was having heart surgery and it was suggested by the doctors that anyone who could donate blood would be greatly appreciated. Springer’s blood was a good match;it was the start of something she would continue to do for many years to come.

“I got some calls because my blood is rare, so I try to do it every time,” Springer said.

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Clay County is moving ahead with plans to reroute an Inland-area road in an effort to make a railway crossing safer.

County Highway Superintendent Tom Roemmich presented design options to realign a portion of Road 318 to the Clay County Board of Supervisors during its regular meeting on Dec. 18.

“I think we can get through the state pretty easy on a relax,” he said, referring to required state approval to relax road design standards that would otherwise render the project logistically impossible due to a residence in the proximity.

By seeking a relax, Clay County hopes to avoid the $1 million alternative of installing flashing warning lights and gate arms at the BNSF Railway crossing on Road 318 a half mile east of Inland.

Roemmich couldn’t provide an estimate for the road project, but explained that this is work the county can do itself rather than hire out.

“If we do it, it won’t be very much,” he said.

After a joint discussion between the Edgar and Fairfield City Councils last week, their water project appears to be moving forward.

The two councils held a special meeting on Nov. 27 at the city auditorium in Fairfield to review a Water Purchase Agreement, which guides the logistics of Edgar buying Fairfield’s water via a pipeline running along the Union Pacific Railroad. Completion of the new water system would be done by Dec. 31, 2020.

A public hearing has been set for 7 p.m., Dec. 4 at the Edgar City Hall. This is the opportunity for Edgar residents to ask questions and give their input on the direction of the Edgar-Fairfield Water Project.

Both Edgar and Fairfield City Councils have agreed to continue with plans for the new water system, though with some revision to the Water Purchase Agreement. Much of the debate surrounded concerns about future nitrate levels in Fairfield’s water supply, as well as the cost to Edgar of digging a new well in Fairfield.

Held by Mrs. Claus, Kinsley Griess stares at Santa as he tries to get her to look at her mom for a photo during the jolly couple’s visit to Sutton’s Parade of Lights Monday night.

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Sandy Creek is hoping to be the latest school in Clay County to bring on the Beef in Schools program, joining Sutton Public Schools in this statewide Nebraska Cattlemen initiative.

If the SC Beef Boosters is able to garner enough support by Dec. 31, Sandy Creek’s students would have not just a new high school to greet them in the second semester, but also the regular opportunity to eat local beef in their school lunches.

“Our students will get to experience locally raised beef in their meals at least once, if not twice, a week during the school year,” Dawn Caldwell, Edgar producer helping to head up the SC Beef Boosters, said.

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