News

Fairfield’s Fire and Rescue hosted a pancake and pork sandwich feed Saturday, Feb. 26, which also included a health fair pannel, live auction and meeting a group of Husker players. Here, Husker Football player Trent Hixson helps auctioneer Roy Montgomery auction off an item during the live auction Saturday evening. LOETTA SWANSON | CLAY COUNTY NEWS

Edgar’s Legion served as the meeting place for the District 10 American Legion and Auxiliary Convention Feb. 26.

Members from the following Legions and Auxiliary’s were present for the convention: Alma, Bloomington, Campbell, Clay Center, Edgar, Franklin, Hastings, Holdredge, Holstein, Lawrence, Minden, Naponee, Nelson, Riverton, Ruskin, Sutton, and Wilcox.

After introductions and a meal served by Edgar Legion members, the Legion and Auxiliary split into their respective meetings.

During each, changes to their constitutions, Legislative updates, membership, and the voting in of new district board members (Auxiliary), among other items were discussed.

A crowd watches as Vern Brittain tries his luck at getting a golf ball between a line-up of bottles during the 10th annual Redneck Golf Tournament in Deweese Feb. 20. See full results on pg. 3A. LOETTA SWANSON | CLAY COUNTY NEWS

Here is this past week’s notable action on relevant bills in the second session of the 107th Nebraska Legislature:

GENERAL – UPCOMING HEARINGS

LB815 is scheduled for a hearing on Feb. 28 in the Business and Labor Committee. Introduced by Sen. Terrell McKinney (Dist. 11) of Omaha, this bill would adopt the Diaper Changing Accommodation Act to ensure public accessible baby diaper-changing stations be made widely available throughout the state.

LB982 is scheduled for a hearing on March 3 in the Revenue Committee. Introduced by Sen. Robert Hilkemann (Dist. 4) of Omaha, this bill would adopt the Education Savings Account Act to benefit families.

LB1079 is scheduled for a hearing on March 1 in the Appropriations Committee. Introduced by Sen. Ben Hansen (Dist. 16) of Schuyler, this bill would allocate federal funding to Nebraska residents through prepaid debit cards.

PROPERTY TAXES – UPCOMING HEARINGS

Bill Johnson started out in 4-H at the age of 8 in Knox County.

His parents were 4-H leaders, and he showed in everything from hogs and cows, to ducks and geese, while his sister participated in the home ec events. In FFA, Johnson showed a lot of beef too.

Eventually, Nels and Alexa arrived, and as their three kids got older they began to show at the Nebraska State Fair, Aksarben, compete in progress shows in Bladen and Ord, and, of course, at the Clay County Fair.

When he and his wife, Jennifer, started having kids, it was an easy decision to pass on the 4-H tradition to them.

“It was something I could do, something I could teach them,” Bill said.

AN ABUNDANCE OF MEMORIES

Having been in the 4-H scene as a family for a little more than 20 years, it’s safe to say an abundance of memories have been made, and long-lasting friendships developed.

There’s something fishy going on at the Sutton Christian School, and it’s teaching students and teachers alike.

In June 2021, Rebecca Plettner, who’s daughter, Ana, attends Sutton Christian School, signed up for a Trout in the Classroom Program, which is sponsored through the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Nebraska Environmental Trust, and Nebraska Trout Unlimited.

“I have a passion for fly fishing, which is mostly trout...so when I saw this opportunity I was just like, oh, we’ve got to do this,” Plettner said.

The program is offered to students in second through 12th grades—at SCS, second through seventh graders are in the program—and officially took off at the school in mid-January.

Trout in the Classroom is an interdisciplinary, science-based program that invites classrooms and schools to explore aquatic ecosystems, life cycles, water quality, and the scientific process through raising trout eggs in their classroom, Plettner explained.

Deweese’s Jim Sykora Memorial Redneck Golf Tournament is back for another year, and will begin with a shotgun start at 1 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 20.

Registration begins at 11:45 a.m., at the Deweese Community Building. Cost is $40 the day of for a team of two, or $35 per team if prepaid.

Mail $35 to Dee Kohmetscher, 2430 RD 3100, Deweese, NE 68934; make checks out to St. Jude Research Hospital.

There is also an option to bring a canned food item for a local pantry.

Lunch will be served during the tournament, and there will also be a silent auction.

Some items available to bid on include gift certificates to area businesses; a battery-operated grease gun; a barbeque basket; and a breast cancer awareness pink folding lawn chair and more.

Several families were present at Sandy Creek’s family fun night Feb. 3. ABOVE: students Quinn Spray, far left, Paisley Pierce, and Hayla Dasher attempt to move cookies from their foreheads to their mouths without the use of their hands. RIGHT: Chris Culver, right, helps Kai Culver with a craft during the event. LOETTA SWANSON | CLAY COUNTY NEWS

Sandy Creek Elementary students and staff celebrated 100 days of school Feb. 2. Here, kindergarten students show off their 100th day crowns for a photo. Other students, and staff, also dressed up as elderly people, dressed in grey wigs and walked around with canes.

Sutton’s Chamber of Commerce hosted its annual meeting Monday, Feb. 7, honoring two people with awards.

The first award, Friend of the Community, was given to Dave Reiser. Reiser, as many Suttonites know, is the artist of the Sutton mural painted for the 150th celebration last year.

“Entertaining, celebration, deep-roots, perfect, and anxious these are all words that come to mind for Sutton’s 150th celebration, but we wanted more. We wanted ‘enduring.’ We found just that when we commissioned Dave Reiser to be our artist for our commemorative mural,” as stated in a nomination letter.

“Dave found a way to enhance the environment of an old brick building into a true piece of art. He was able to capture the history, values, and pride we find in our small community, and it will last for generations.”

The next award, Volunteer of the Year, was given to a familiar face around Sutton.