News

Monday marked the 55th year since I was brought into this world on Sept. 30, 1964. And in so many ways, I’ve been truly blessed! A family that loves me and cares, both my “blood family” and the family of readers and supporters of the Clay County News.

From the day I can remember standing on the steps of my dad’s 1955 international light blue pickup, to basically being thrown into writing sports when I was in my freshman year of high school, there’s probably nobody that has formulated my life more than my parents. So as I started my 55th year of life Monday, I look back at some amazing highlights, and, of course, a few moments in life that weren’t the best.

But you have all heard plenty about my parents over the past 10 and 1/2 years.

You know you’re 55 when...You’ve outlived both your parents.

You know you’re 55 when you’ve seen Husker football go through the glory years and the tough years, and I’m so thankful that I’m here for the tough years.

There is a viney weed crawling up trees and windbreaks around the county that some have mistaken for a far more invasive species—the kudzu.

“It’s called the weed that ate the South,” Bruce Rumsey, Clay County weed superintendent, said about kudzu during the Clay County Board of Supervisors’ regular meeting on Sept. 24, at the courthouse in Clay Center.

But kudzu is not found in Clay County nor much of Nebraska. Only the southeast corner of the state has so far been affected by this noxious weed, Rumsey explained.

Instead, he identified the viney weed growing in Clay County as the burcucumber.

“The wild burcucumber is doing quite well this year,” Rumsey said.

LINCOLN—USDA Rural Development Nebraska State Director Karl Elmshaeuser announced that $100,000 will be used for street replacement in the City of Fairfield.

“Today’s funding will replace the street infrastructure and the city’s sewer line that was impacted,” Elmshaeuser said. “Transportation is important to rural towns. Once the street project is completed, Fairfield will have a long-lasting sewer line and updated streets.”

The streets will be gravel surfaced in preparation for concrete and asphalt paving. After completion of the project, the streets will be in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and feature detectable warning panels on all corners.

Elmshaeuser’s announcement is in coordination with USDA’s Deputy Under Secretary of Rural Development Donald “DJ” LaVoy’s announcement that USDA is investing $139 million in 56 projects to improve community facilities and provide essential services for 3.3 million rural residents in 23 states.

Clay County Emergency Management is getting a new mobile command center, big enough to qualify as a Class A motor home, but at a relatively small price tag.

Emergency Manager Tim Lewis first approached the Clay County Board of Supervisors about the vehicle, offered to him by the U.S. Forest Service, during the board’s regular meeting on Sept. 17, at the courthouse in Clay Center.

“It gives us a place to work from during an incident,” Lewis said.

The 2012 Freightliner is fitted with four workstations, a conference room, and a restroom—offering a significant upgrade from the county’s current, much smaller EM communications van, he explained.

“This way, you can bring an internal office to the scene,” Lewis said, with the capability of giving multiple EM leaders office space during a severe, widespread, or multi-day disaster event.

Following several weeks of rain and flooding throughout Clay County, farmers have finally been able to get into fields to kickoff the 2019 harvest. Here, a farmer moves through a soybean field near Fairfield.

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Sutton Chamber of Commerce’s first-ever Career Exploration Day appeared to be a success, as students seventh through 12th grade were able to talk with business owners and employees in and around Sutton Sept. 19.

Prior to breaking off into individual sessions, 12 panel speakers answered questions for students in the theatre, featuring the seventh through ninth graders first.

Businesses represented included Black Hills Energy, South Central Chiropractic, Sutton Vision Center, Van Kirk Bros, and Farm Credit, among others.

Among the questions was what is the hardest part about running a business. Jarod Griess, Mustang Media owner, and Cory Ebert, South Central Chiropractic owner, said managing people and the daily grind.

Three will join Nebraska Journalism Hall of Fame honorees will be inducted into the Nebraska Journalism Hall of Fame on Friday, Oct. 25, 2019, during an evening banquet and program at the Nebraska Club in Lincoln, NE.

The Hall of Fame honors those distinguished persons who have made significant contributions to journalism, their communities, the state or the nation. A selection committee of Nebraska Press Association and UNL College of Journalism and Mass Communications representatives select the inductees from those who have been nominated. Since the First Hall of Fame ceremony in April, 1975, 112 honorees have been inducted.

This year, the Nebraska Press Association and the UNL College of Journalism and Mass Communications will induct Ted Gill, Les Mann and Joe Starita.