News

A severe thunderstorm warning issued at 5:11 p.m., Friday, Aug. 14, quickly turned to a tornado warning by 5:17 p.m., resulting in two brief tornadoes in the northeastern part of Clay County.

To read more please log in or subscribe to the digital edition. http://etypeservices.com/Clay%20County%20NewsID530/

The TeamMates Mentoring Program puts an adult with a student, who typically meet once a week during the school year.

To read more please log in or subscribe to the digital edition. http://etypeservices.com/Clay%20County%20NewsID530/

Ballots for the general election, Tuesday, Nov. 3, will be mailed out to registered voters on Oct. 14, at the address the Clay County Clerk’s Office currently has on file.

To read more please log in or subscribe to the digital edition. http://etypeservices.com/Clay%20County%20NewsID530/

Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts’ announcement at the start of July rescinding Executive Order 20-05 began the countdown for Nebraskans to ensure their drivers license, vehicle title, and vehicle registration are up to date by Aug. 31, 2020.

To read more please log in or subscribe to the digital edition. http://etypeservices.com/Clay%20County%20NewsID530/

LINCOLN—Earlier this month, Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts proclaimed Aug. 24 - 31, as Nebraska Drug Overdose Awareness Week to increase public knowledge about the severity of drug misuse and current resources available to Nebraskans.

To read more please log in or subscribe to the digital edition. http://etypeservices.com/Clay%20County%20NewsID530/

ABOVE: Students unload from buses at Sandy Creek Tuesday morning. RIGHT: Beneath her mask, kindergartner Serenity Jarzynka says “cheese!” as her mom, Ashley, takes a first-day-of-school photo.

To read more please log in or subscribe to the digital edition. http://etypeservices.com/Clay%20County%20NewsID530/

Logan Wenske, right, slams into the front of another driver during Heat 4 of the annual Deweese Festival Demo Derby. Wenske earned first place in the heat. ASHLEY D. SWANSON | CLAY COUNTY NEWS

To read more please log in or subscribe to the digital edition. http://etypeservices.com/Clay%20County%20NewsID530/

Members of the Sutton City Council had a lengthy discussion during its Monday, Aug. 10 meeting with Sutton Police Chief Tracey Landenberger and police officer Mitch Meyer about the possible addition of a third full-time officer to the Sutton department.

Landenberger and Meyer both lamented that long hours with the uptick in felonies and many other charges had required a lot of additional hours for both officers. Meyer added that his response to other area departments with Sutton’s police dog, Falco, has put a great deal of added time on the Sutton department’s time commitment.

In light of the information, council members gave their blessing to the Sutton department to begin advertising for a new certified officer, with the understanding that budget constraints could change the future plans, once the 2020-21 budget is finalized.

Mental toughness was the theme of a Leadership Academy put on by the Sandy Creek Booster Club last week. Boys basketball coach Matt Swartzendruber got the idea from some of the coach’s camps they attend over the year. The coach stated that the athletes have made some great improvements lately but one thing that still needed work was mental toughness. With COVID-19 limiting their ability to travel, Swartzendruber thought he’d see if he could get speakers to come to the kids.

Bailey Stapleman, a 2014 Sandy Creek graduate, kicked off the program on Wednesday July 29. Stapleman went on to become an All-American pole vaulter at the University of Nebraska-Kearney, and spoke about how he wasn’t the most talented athlete in high school. However, he used his work ethic to get where he wanted to be at the top of his sport. Stapleman left the athletes with a great message.

Solar-specific zoning regulations may be ready to present to the Clay County Board of Supervisors by early fall.

This is according to an update given by County Zoning Administrator Barb Barnett during the board’s regular meeting on Aug. 11, at the Clay County Fairgrounds in Clay Center.

“We’re just working on details and definitions,” she said regarding discussions within the three-person county solar zoning committee.

Barnett explained that writing rules for small solar operations, used to supplement homes or communities, are relatively simple compared to writing regulations for industrial solar farms.

APEX Clean Energy, based in Virginia, has proposed a 305-megawatt solar project for the Spring Ranch area, to encompass approximately 3,000 acres. County solar zoning rules are among the requirements for this project to move forward.