News

*EDITOR’S NOTE: This is part two of a four-part series focusing on the medical community. In this second piece we’ll focus on how staff have handled the challenges that COVID brought and share their successes and victories along the way.*

To say the last couple of years have been tough would be a severe understatement.

For those in the medical community, they’ve seen their share of heartache, felt a level of stress unfelt before, and dealt with constant changes.

But through it all, they persevered, and although several days in the past two years were difficult, there were some victories found, shared, and felt along the way.

STAFFING SHORTAGES & HANDLING THE PAST TWO YEARS

For the first time in three years, the National Weather Service in Hastings hosted a Severe Weather Spotter Training, in Fairfield last week.

Aaron Mangels, lead meteorologist at NWS-Hastings, spoke to a group of about 25 first responders and members of the public who were interested in learning about how to spot a severe storm.

Mangels began by first showing slides of the Dec. 15, 2021 storm system that moved through, bringing several short lived tornadoes and gusty winds. He showed the group how and why the storm formed and what elements went together to create such a severe storm at what is usually considered a calm time of year in Nebraska.

Those in attendance also learned that May and June are usually the most active for severe weather. Part of being a storm spotter is knowing how to measure hail size and also knowing what to look for in the clouds and then how to relay that information to the NWS office or to local law enforcement.

Walking into the Harvard School Gym is much like re-living the Christmas season.

Faux pine trees cover the north and south sides, bright lights are strung on the ceiling and stage, and wreaths decorate the set.

Around this time each March it’s common to walk into the HPS gym and notice a different theme set up—after all, it is musical season.

This year, Harvard cast, crew and director are presenting a timeless classic, “White Christmas,” which focuses on four people eventually traveling to Vermont to relax for the winter, only to find themselves entangled in a web of love and helping out a former army general.

Enter Bob Wallace (Austin Harms) and Phil Davis (Myles Ferguson), two unlikely pairs brought together in the entertainment business following the war.

In a reasonably busy night of activity for the Sutton City Council, Monday, March 14, city fathers took final steps to officially sell some additional ground in northwest Sutton, near the DLD Ball Park facility, and gave their blessing to Sutton’s Federated Church for some additional park equipment in City Park.

A+ Contracting, owned and operated by Neo Trejo, gained official possession of ground in northwest Sutton for the use of Trejo’s business at a cost of $51,520 with the passing of Ordinance 404, which puts the final stamp of approval on the sale of the 6.440 acre tract of ground located just east of the DLD ball complex, and just south of Van Kirk Bros. Contracting.

City leaders also gave their blessing to Pastor Mary Scott and the congregation of Sutton’s Federated Church for the placement of new playground equipment in Sutton’s City Park.

*EDITOR’S NOTE: This is part one of a four-part series focusing on the medical community. In this first piece we’ll do a short recap of the last two years and what’s changed from the perspective of local medical staff.*

Behind every medical facility there are people who’s primary goal is to help and care for others. Week in and week out, there are good and bad days, slow and emergency moments, and medical conditions awaiting a diagnosis.

And yet, these people push forward through it all. In March 2020, their role in the medical field took on a higher level of responsibility.

What went from a usual daily routine with the occasional challenge tossed in became a daily fight to keep people alive, to keep people healthy and educated.

Sixteen students from South Central and Sutton’s speech teams earned medals at the C1-3 District meet March 3, at Sandy Creek.

Of those, Sutton’s Leif Andersen and Chloe Bergen earned a trip to state after placing second in Extemporaneous Prose and Entertainment Speaking, respectively.

Earning fourth-place medals were Kylie Schroetlin in Entertainment Speaking; Owen Schelkopf in Extemporaneous Speaking; and Jake Hinrichs and Nathan Baldwin in Duet, all of Sutton.

Earning fifth was the Duet of McKenzie Petr and Leigh Mueller, SC; Carson Mau, Humorous Prose, Sutton; Shelby Dietz, Serious Prose, Sutton; Krynna Sterns, Poetry, Sutton; and the South Central OID consisting of Petr, Mason Hinrichs, Arianna Clark, and Breanna Svoboda.

Sutton’s OID consisting of Aidan Jones, Mau, Schelkopf, and Devon Griess earned sixth place.

David City ran away with the district champion title with 312 points, with Tri-County coming in as runner-up with 166 points.

A sudden uprise in gas price hasn’t gone without notice; however, Nebraska—and the midwest overall—is faring better in terms of national reta prices than states on the west and east coasts.

Eleven states, Nebraska included, show the lowest national price of between $3.62 and $3.75, according to the American Automobile Association’s (AAA) gas prices (as of March 7).

Four states on the west coast and others such as Illinois, New York, and Alaska have fallen into the highest prices of between $4.23 and $5.34 (as of March 7).

On a local trend, Clay Count is one of 10 counties in Nebraska to have some of the lowest gas prices of between $3.49 and $3.64.

Nebraska’s current average is $3.73, whereas a week ago regular gas cost an average of $3.40. Diesel also spiked quickly, going from $3.76 a week ago to $4.24.

In front of more than 300 people attending the 32nd annual Rainwater Basin Pheasants Forever Chapter’s annual banquet, longtime board member Elizabeth Friesen was honored by chapter president Corey Ebert, shown at the left, with the 2022 board member of the year award Saturday, Feb. 26, at the Sutton Community Center for her service to the chapter and board. Above, Emma Scheidemann (far right) walks through the large crowd with an auction item donated by Jim’s Agri-Air. Below, auctioneer Colt Pope and banquet emcee Regan Jerred, along with chapter members Lisa Stofer, left, Keenan Friesen, Ebert and Jerry Overturf, look on as the live auction set sail for the night. TORY DUNCAN | CLAY COUNTY NEWS

What started as a school project has now turned into a student-run business at Sandy Creek High School.

74 Creative, originally named 74 studios, was first created as a project through Sandy Creek’s Nebraska Center for Advanced Professional Studies (NCAPs) by three students interested in having a graphic design business.

Once the three graduated, the business was at a standstill for a while as no one else was interested in graphic design at the time.

“Then we resurrected it. We had the idea to get this grant and we were able to get a bunch of equipment and kind of moved in a different path from the graphic design and went toward the video production and more in the shop,” Jeremy Borer, sponsor of 74 Creative, explains.

“Basically, we just tried to have it fit the staff that we have that were interested in doing something like this and the students where they were interested as well.”