Sutton is among the communities taking part.

Sutton American Legion Auxiliary Argonne Unit No. 61 is beginning its annual fundraising effort for Wreaths Across America, a national program that places veterans’ wreaths at cemeteries throughout the United States each December.

The tradition began in 1992 when Maine wreathmaker Morrill Worcester had a surplus of wreaths near the end of the holiday season. Worcester arranged for the wreaths to be placed at Arlington National Cemetery, beginning an effort that eventually grew far beyond Arlington.

Wreaths Across America was established as a nonprofit organization in 2007. Today, volunteers participate at thousands of cemeteries and other locations across the country.

The organization’s mission centers on three words: Remember, Honor and Teach.

“Remember” focuses on those who died in service as well as veterans who have died since returning home. “Honor” recognizes those currently serving and veterans who have served. “Teach” encourages younger generations to learn about military service, sacrifice and the freedoms veterans helped protect.

The wreath placement is more than simply decorating graves for Christmas. During Wreaths Across America ceremonies, volunteers are encouraged to say each veteran’s name aloud as a wreath is placed, reinforcing the idea that each marker represents an individual life and story.

That idea is especially significant for the program in 2026.

This year’s national theme is “Remember Me,” which focuses on remembering service members individually, including their names, families and stories.

Locally, Sutton American Legion Auxiliary sponsors three area cemeteries through Wreaths Across America: Sutton Cemetery, Calvary Cemetery ( the Catholic Cemetery) and Saronville Cemetery.

Sutton Cemetery alone contains the graves of more than 400 veterans. For some of those veterans, relatives may no longer live nearby. The annual wreath placement provides another way for the community to ensure their service continues to be acknowledged.

The Auxiliary is also encouraging people to share stories about service members buried locally. Those memories can help preserve more than names and dates, providing a record of the people behind the military markers found throughout area cemeteries.

National Wreaths Across America Day will be Saturday, Dec. 19, when volunteers across the country will participate in wreath-laying ceremonies.

Locally, wreath sponsorships are $20 each, with money raised helping the Sutton Auxiliary place wreaths at the three cemeteries it sponsors.

Donations may be mailed to Sutton American Legion Auxiliary Unit No. 61, P.O. Box 182, Sutton, NE 68979. Donations may also be dropped off with Sherrie Bartell at 105 S. Saunders Ave., Suite B, at Waypoint Bank in Sutton.

Although the wreaths remain only through the season, the purpose behind them extends beyond December: to make sure the men and women represented by the markers are remembered by name and that their service is not forgotten.

Sutton City Administrator Warren Myers provided an update on the effort during Monday night’s Sutton City Council meeting, reporting that several people have expressed interest in joining the local ambulance service or pursuing EMT training.

The recruitment meeting was held July 30 as part of an effort to recruit additional volunteers to serve with the Sutton ambulance service.

Two emergency room nurses attended the meeting and have expressed interest in serving, according to Myers. A third nurse contacted the city following the meeting and also expressed interest.

Another individual who recently moved to Sutton from out of state already has emergency medical credentials, and the city is working with that person to have the necessary information and credentials transferred to Nebraska.

The meeting also generated interest among residents who would need to complete EMT training.

Two Sutton residents have signed up for an upcoming EMT class, while another resident is considering enrolling. People from Edgar are also expected to participate in the class.

“Overall, I thought the turnout and interest were positive,” Myers said. “For a community our size, having residents and medical professionals willing to step up and serve in this capacity is very important.”

Sutton’s ambulance service relies on volunteers to respond when members of the community need emergency medical assistance. According to information published by the City of Sutton, the service operates two ambulances and responds to more than 100 calls each year.

Recruiting and retaining enough trained emergency medical personnel communities, where ambulance services depend on having qualified people available when a call comes in.

While those who have expressed interest are at different stages, from considering the EMT class to transferring existing credentials, the response to Sutton’s recruitment effort could eventually add several trained medical responders to the community’s ambulance service.

For Sutton, even a handful of additional volunteers could make a meaningful difference in maintaining a dependable local emergency medical response.

VanderLey was named to the Nebraska AIM All-State Team for the second consecutive year, an accomplishment that reflects more than one strong performance at the range.

AIM, which stands for Academics, Integrity and Marksmanship, is the youth program of the Amateur Trapshooting Association. The program provides opportunities for young shooters to compete locally, statewide and nationally while developing their skills in competitive shooting.

The program includes several age classifications, allowing young shooters to compete against others at similar stages of development. VanderLey competes in the Junior category for shooters ages 16 and 17.

All-State recognition isn’t based simply on one successful competition. Shooters must meet AIM participation requirements during the target year to be eligible, including competing in designated events and recording hundreds of registered singles targets.

VanderLey earned his place on the 2026 Nebraska AIM All-State Team in the Junior category with a 95.43 percent singles average.

Put another way, Vander-Ley was breaking more than 95 of every 100 targets used to calculate that average.

In competitive shooting, where standings can be decided by a single target, maintaining that level of accuracy over the course of a season requires consistency. Being named to the Nebraska team for a second consecutive year shows VanderLey has been able to maintain that level of performance over time.

That consistency was on display again this summer when VanderLey traveled to the World Shooting and Recreational Complex in Sparta, Illinois, to compete at the 2026 AIM Grand.

More than 400 youth shooters participated in the competition. VanderLey competed in the Junior division, which was the largest age classification at the event with 181 shooters.

One of his strongest finishes came in Junior Skeet, where VanderLey tied for 12th place. In a division of 181 competitors, the finish put the Sutton shooter among the top 15 in his age group.

He also competed in sporting clays, finishing 81st out of 200 Junior-level competitors.

VanderLey continued his strong showing in the trap events. In trap singles, he recorded scores of 96 out of 100 and 95 out of 100, giving him a combined score of 191 out of 200 targets.

He added a 92 out of 100 in handicap trap and an 88 out of 100 in trap doubles.

The different events test shooters in different ways. Singles trap presents targets from a standard distance, while handicap competition places shooters farther from the trap based on classification. Doubles requires competitors to respond to two targets released at the same time, adding another challenge to an already precision- driven sport.

The trip wasn’t entirely an individual effort. VanderLey was also able to join other Nebraska shooters from the Grand Island and Omaha areas to form a team, giving the group an opportunity to compete together while representing Nebraska.

For young competitors, the AIM Grand offers the opportunity to see where they stand against shooters from well beyond their home ranges. With hundreds of competitors gathered in Sparta, even a difference of only a few targets can move a shooter considerably in the standings.

For VanderLey, his results showed he could compete in that environment.

His top-15 finish in Junior Skeet, strong trap scores and performance across multiple disciplines made for a successful trip to Illinois. But his second consecutive Nebraska AIM All-State selection provides an even broader picture of what he has accomplished.

Rather than representing one particularly good weekend, the recognition reflects the consistency VanderLey continues to develop as a competitive shooter and gives the Sutton community another reason to follow where he takes aim next.

During his first season in the “big boy’s league,” Smith was one of 11 of the youngest players in the field of 250 or more players to take part in the Nebraska Junior Golf Tour 16 and over division capped this past summer season with not only a state championship, winning the NJG tour championships on Monday, Aug. 3, but he also captured Player of the Year honors by nearly 220 points over second place David Watson of Lincoln.

To take him to the top of his division, Smith, in 16 tournaments over the course of the summer tour, won eight tournaments, he was second three times, and finished in the top 10 of all 16 tournaments.

His scoring average was 72 in all tournament action, with his best coming at the Ashland Country Club, where he won the tournament with a 6-under par 65.

Smith followed up that tournament win in Ashland with a 3-under par 69 to claim the NJG Tour Championship.

When asked about his season in general, Smith shared, “It didn’t come easy. There is a lot of work, practice and time put into not only competing at that level, but to have the success that I had.”

Work isn’t something Smith shies away from, to put it mildly. He shared that he first picked up a golf club at the ripe old age of two. Ever since then, people involved in the golf scene at Sutton’s Fox Hollow Country Club has witnessed first hand how Smith has grown.

During his first season in the oldest age division on the NJG tour, Smith won at Ashland, to claim the tour championship and claimed the Player of the Year title. He also won tournaments at the Table Creek Golf Course in Nebraska City, where he claimed top honors at Indian Trails south of Beemer, he topped the field at Centura Hills near Cairo, and claimed gold at the Lakeside Golf Course just south of the dam on Johnson’s Lake south of Lexington. He cruised to the win at the Elks Country Club near Columbus and captured gold at the Southern Hills Country Club southwest of Hastings, all before winning in Ashland and claiming the tour championship at Quarry Oaks Country Club, also near Ashland to cap the season.

Smith’s runner-up finishes came in action at Indianhead Golf Course in Grand Island, at the Wild Horse Golf Course northwest of Gothenburg, and placed second at the Hidden Valley Golf Course in east Lincoln.

His preparation for tournament play in the highly talented field of players in his age group is primarily the same for each, but Smith admitted, “there are some of these tournaments where the nerves are running really high.”

“The tour championship was especially nerve racking with how it started.”

Smith opened the tour championship with a double bogey, setting him back at two over par, but he quickly got back to even par on the next hole with an eagle to reset his nerves and his game.

“That could have been disastrous for me, but after I had the double on the first hole, I just told myself that I’m not falling apart today.”

He didn’t fall apart, that’s a fact. He was one over par after the front nine holes of play. On the back nine, the Sutton sophomore-to-be, was lights out, trimming off five strokes to shoot a four-under-par 32 on the back nine and finish with a threeunder-par 69 to win the tour title by two strokes over Gretna golfer Drake Peterson, and Elkhorn golfer Grady Fredrickson.

“I felt really confident in my play I’d say after I finished the ninth hole, as I birdied that hole and made the turn to the back nine on a high.”

Smith added, “I went on to eagle the 12th hole. I had a birdie on the 13th, then after a par on both the 14th and 15th holes, I had another birdie on the 16th, not locking in the win, but feeling like all I had to do was play par golf at the worst to capture the tournament, and secure player of the year honors.”

When asked about what it’s like to be one of the youngest players on tour, going against kids that will graduate this coming spring, and eventually wearing a target on his back, Smith was quick to respond, “for me, it was actually pretty cool playing with that kind of target on me. It helped to keep me channeled in and focused on what I knew I could get, and gain not only player of the year honors, but ultimately to win the tour championship tournament and seven other tournament titles.”

Smith estimates, on the low end, that he spends over 40 hours practicing each week, either in Sutton, or on other courses. He usually tried to get to most of the courses he played this year before each tournament. Some of the courses he knew well, some he played for the first time.

His game is at such a high level, that when asked what part of his game requires the most work, putting was his quick response.

“Putting can ruin a game so fast that I work on that part of my game the most, but any part of my game can go south on me if I don’t channel my focus in and stay focused.”

“The toughest part of my game in tournament action is making sure I get out of the gate fast, shooting well early, that’s why I was a little stressed out after the first hole in the tour championship, but after I eagled the second hole, my nerves eased, I was able to get back into a rhythm and go on to win.”

To say that Smith’s inaugural season in the “big boy’s league” is purely an understatement. Smith, who graduates from Sutton in 2029, went up against kids who graduate this year (2027), or next year (2028).

There’s no doubt that there is no limit on what Smith can ultimately do during the rest of his high school career, and during his final three season’s on the Nebraska Junior Golf Tour.

For Zoucha, the opportunity combines a lifelong love of cooking with a desire to preserve an important part of the Sutton community.

“I personally love to cook,” he said. “In the Navy I was a chef, and in 2024 I started a smoked meats and catering business, Wet Woody’s Smoked Meat LLC. As adjutant for the Argonne American Legion Post 61, I was able to see the opportunity to preserve this establishment for the community and, with Anna’s help, it was feasible for me to take on this new venture.” The couple has assumed full management of the restaurant through a lease agreement.

Although Zoucha continues working as a tire sales representative for CPI, where he has been employed for the past 13 years, he said the restaurant is truly a partnership.

“I have been with CPI the past 13 years, currently employed as a tire sales representative while running Wet Woody’s on the side,” he said. “Anna has many years of business and management experience and has wholeheartedly embraced my possibly crazy idea of taking this on while I keep my day job and we raise our three kids.”

While Zoucha continues his full-time career, Kerr manages the Sutton Legion Restaurant full time, overseeing the day-to-day operations. She said she is looking forward to getting to know community members and hearing their ideas for the restaurant.

Customers can expect a blend of familiar favorites and fresh ideas.

“We are hoping to spice up the menu a bit, starting with some new specials to try and maybe adding some events such as a pitch or euchre competition night,” Zoucha said.

One of the first noticeable changes is expanded hours. Beginning Sunday, Aug. 9, the restaurant will be open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sundays for brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with the bar remaining open until 5 p.m.

Zoucha said his long-term goal is to see the Legion Restaurant continue to thrive as a place where the community gathers.

“I would love to see it thrive as a staple of the community as I remember it when we would visit it when I was a kid,” he said.

The new management team also wants customers to know their input is welcome.

“We are open to any and all suggestions, big or small,” Zoucha said. “Whether it’s food or drink options or events, we’d love to hear the ideas and see if we can make them happen.”

Even with new ideas on the horizon, longtime customers can still expect many of the restaurant’s signature offerings.

“We are keeping the traditions the community knows the Legion to provide, along with favorite specials like the broasted chicken, prime rib and fish,” Zoucha said.

As they begin this new chapter, Zoucha and Kerr hope to create a welcoming place where longtime patrons feel at home, new visitors feel welcome and the Sutton Legion Restaurant continues to serve as a gathering place for the community for years to come.

The championship featured competitors from across Nebraska in one of the shotgun sports disciplines. Sporting clays is designed to simulate a variety of hunting situations, with clay targets launched at different angles, speeds and distances. Unlike traditional trap or skeet, no two target presentations are exactly alike, requiring competitors to adapt to each station.

While opportunities to practice and compete in sporting clays are limited for youth athletes west of Lincoln, members of the Sutton S-41 Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) team found opportunities to practice throughout the summer.

The state championship included a 200-target sporting clays main event, a 100-target super sporting event, a 50-target FITASC (un-mounted gun) competition, a 50-target 5-stand event and several sub-gauge competitions.

Gavin Vander Ley earned four podium finishes in D Class. He placed third in the main event with a score of 157 out of 200, third in the super sporting event with 88 out of 100, first in FITASC with 43 out of 50 and second in 5-stand with 40 out of 50.

Grethe Andersen won the D Class super sporting event with a score of 91 out of 100.

Leif Andersen competed in AA Class and earned four podium finishes. He placed third in the main event with 176 out of 200, first in the super sporting event with 95 out of 100, second in FITASC with 45 out of 50 and third in 5-stand with 42 out of 50.

Competition continued on Sunday, Aug. 2, at Heartland Public Shooting Park in Grand Island, where the Wyatt Gildersleeve Memorial Trapshoot was held.

The 100-target competition consisted of 50 singles targets from the 16-yard line and 50 handicap targets. Sutton S-41 athlete Cord Pope won the D Class championship after breaking 47 of 50 singles targets and 46 of 50 handicap targets from the 24-yard line for a combined score of 93, earning the D Class champion belt buckle.

The Sutton S-41 team will return to competition this weekend at the Zone 5 Skeet Championship, scheduled for Aug. 7 through 9 at Heartland Public Shooting Park in Grand Island.

Those interested in learning more about the Scholastic Clay Target Program or joining the Sutton S-41 team may contact coach Josh Andersen at ja8041@yahoo.com.

Alexander “Satch” Idt died 50 years ago on July 29, 1976. This story is based on an article in the January 2012 issue of Jared Griess’ former Sutton Life Magazine.

SATCH

We called him “Satch.”

It has been almost 60 years since Satch was last seen in downtown Sutton. Before that, he was a daily fixture, walking the downtown streets, greeting everyone, running errands, talking to himself, auctioneering off parked cars and doing all the things that made him Satch.

When Satch died, the newspaper tribute included these words: “He was a man who had dedicated his active life in the service of others. He was a man who looked upon everyone as a friend. He was a man who was loved and respected by all who knew him. He was the kind of man whom the great Greek philosopher searched for in vain, an honest man.”

Then the tribute went on to say some nice things about him.

Two generations, or more, of Sutton residents know Satch only by legend, if at all. They need to know that for decades, Satch was at the top of the list of what those in nearby towns thought of when they thought of Sutton. You did not forget Satch.

I do not know the clinical name for Satch’s “condition,” nor am I certain of the cause of his condition. Some of us recalled talk of an accident or perhaps an illness, but it is likely that Satch was born with his condition. We only knew Satch as a grown man with the mental capacity of a youth, or maybe a child.

It had to be awkward for strangers when they first encountered Satch, a grizzly man behaving quite beyond the bounds of “normal.”

Satch was born in the German- Russian village of Balzar near the Volga River on Sept.r 18, 1905, the first child of Alexander and Katherine Idt. He was given his father’s name and technically went through life as Alexander Idt. I suspect many who knew him, or of him, are learning his real name for the first time.

The Idt family included little brother William when they immigrated to Sutton in 1910. George was born about a year later, John in 1917, and a little girl, Eugene, came along about 1921. Satch’s father died in 1924, leaving Katherine with boys of 18, 16, 13 and 6, along with her three-yearold daughter.

If Satch’s was a congenital condition, then it would have shown up before they emigrated, though he was “normal” enough to take on a daily newspaper route of 150 customers as a boy, where he became known for reliable, all-weather service, according to that newspaper tribute.

As an adult, Satch led a very busy life running errands for the elderly, delivering packages for businesses, doing yard work and other odd jobs, collecting payment in nickels, dimes and quarters that all went home to Mom.

Shoemaker Clint Carl had the contract to carry mail between the depot and the post office, which was on the north side of today’s Cornerstone Bank. Satch was his unofficial, faithful assistant. One of my indelible memories is of Satch pulling a large two-wheel cart, faded red, I think, or was it green, between those two destinations. Whatever happened to that cart? Is there a picture of Satch and his cart somewhere?

Satch was an auctioneer. Well, not quite. He mimicked Henry Bergen’s auctioneer call with a contagious enthusiasm. He would stop two or three people on the street and proceed to auction off a parked car with price calls that climbed and then dropped to a final sale price that was generally “a quarter.” School kids walking from the schoolhouse to lunch at the old auditorium were spectators to his sale of Bauman’s Farmall tractors across the street.

Before the Tuesday afternoon livestock sales at the old sale barn east of the highway, Satch would climb into the auctioneer’s booth and conduct his own imaginary sales, followed by his weekly rendition of “Let Me Call You Sweetheart.” When it was time for sales to start, Henry Bergen would take over from Satch after buying him a piece of pie and a cup of coffee at the barn’s lunch counter.

Satch contributed much to Sutton, and the people of Sutton looked out for him. From time to time, someone tried to take advantage of Satch, but Sutton residents had zero tolerance for such behavior.

When Satch’s clothes became a bit threadbare, businessmen would chip in for new clothes at Abbie Griess’s men’s clothing store.

Those who knew Satch have been waiting for this next story. Satch was a fan of Sutton High athletics.

No, that does not really describe Satch’s relationship with Sutton High. To say that Satch was a Sutton fan is like saying Puccini wrote some nice music, or that a pair of aces is a good start in Texas Hold’em.

Satch lived for game day. He was Sutton High’s promoter extraordinaire. He could not contain himself as he walked the downtown streets. “Go Sutton” and “Sutton’s gonna win” were only two of the lines he’d shout to no one in particular. He’d step into each store and shout, “Ballgame tonight!” Satch was the water boy for the football and basketball teams. He loved every player

The young Satch and every coach. As far as I know, every coach fully accepted Satch’s role on their teams. The front seat on the team bus was his. And when the pep band broke into the Sutton Fight Song, it was generally under the capable direction of their No. 1 fan.

Satch was struck by a car one night after a game in 1942. He had a broken pelvis and other fractures. He spent two months in the hospital and another four months bedridden. A downtown collection covered his hospital bill, plus the purchase of a sweater with a big “S” on the front.

After his recovery, at halftime of a basketball game, the pep band played the fight song as Satch stepped out to conduct, as usual. As the song ended, a small group walked out to Satch and presented him with his letter sweater. Satch had a big smile as he put on his new favorite sweater while every spectator reached for their handkerchiefs to get something out of their eye.

I do not know exactly when or how Satch’s schtick ended. It seems that he faded from the scene more than stopped. He was slowing down in the early ’60s and his mother died in 1965. His eyesight failed and his brothers in Kearney moved him to a home.

One day at the home, Satch was sitting in his room at the window—perhaps he could still detect light—when Coach Jim Kaeding from “way back” came to visit him. Coach Kaeding quietly opened the door and paused.

He said, “Hello, Satchmo.” Satch threw his arms in the air and shouted, “Yeah-bo, Coach Kaeding!”

Alexander Idt died on July 29, 1976. He was buried at Sutton Cemetery in his letter sweater.

For many young people growing up in rural Nebraska, professional musical theater training can seem out of reach. For the past 14 years, Broadway Academy has brought those opportunities much closer to home.

Founded in Sutton by the Allegro Wolf Arts Center Board, Broadway Academy has become one of central Nebraska’s most unique summer programs, bringing professional performers and educators from across the country to work with students from rural communities.

Former Allegro Wolf Arts Center board president Pat Majors and board member Rita Johnson were instrumental in organizing, hosting and launching the academy, creating an opportunity that has now impacted more than 400 students.

While many people associate Broadway Academy with its New York instructors, those connections came after the camp was already established. New York actor Darick Pead became involved after performing at the Lied Center in Lincoln. He later invited friends and fellow performers to teach voice, acting and dance. Students responded enthusiastically, and bringing professional artists to rural Nebraska soon became one of the academy’s defining strengths.

Today, instructors continue to come through those professional relationships, giving students the opportunity to learn from performers with Broadway, national touring and other professional theater experience. For one week each summer, students who might otherwise never have access to that level of instruction find themselves working side by side with professionals whose careers have taken them to some of the country’s biggest stages.

For its first 11 years, Broadway Academy called Sutton home. As the program grew, Sutton’s facilities could no longer accommodate housing, rehearsals and performances. The academy moved to Central City, where the Edwin and Bernice Lock Theater allows the entire camp to operate under one roof. The mission, however, remained unchanged.

Broadway Academy typically enrolls about 30 students each summer, intentionally keeping the camp small so every participant receives individual instruction and a featured moment in the final performances. Over its 14-year history, the academy has served more than 400 students, most from rural communities throughout central Nebraska. While students occasionally travel from larger cities and even other states, organizers say the academy’s primary purpose has always been to provide opportunities many small-town students simply would not otherwise have.

Students ages 13 to 18 spend a week immersed in musical theater. Rather than producing a preselected show, instructors build an original showcase around the strengths of each performer after relaxed Sunday auditions. Every student receives private voice lessons, dance instruction, acting coaching and rehearsal time before taking the stage in solos, duets, trios and ensemble numbers.

The week also includes swimming, games, shared meals, a lip-sync battle and a performance at a local retirement community before concluding with performances by both the professional staff and students.

Unlike many theater camps, Broadway Academy is intentionally kept small so every student has an opportunity to shine. Instead of competing for a handful of leading roles, each participant receives personalized instruction and a featured moment on stage. Organizers say that an individualized approach helps students build confidence while challenging them to grow both as performers and as people.

Organizers also say the camp’s size allows students and instructors to build meaningful relationships that often continue long after camp ends.

For Neomi Craig, who will begin her senior year at Sutton High School this fall, those relationships have become one of the most meaningful parts of Broadway Academy.

One of her favorite memories came while performing From Now On from The Greatest Showman.

“We were partnered together to kind of ‘vibe’ during the climax of the song,” she said. “We matched each other’s energy, and it was genuine because that’s what camp does. You make connections with people within a week that you sometimes don’t even make in a year.”

While Broadway Academy helped Neomi grow as a performer, she said its greatest impact was helping her realize she wasn’t alone.

“I learned how much I love hanging out and socializing,” she said. “I learned there are people just like me. I don’t think I would have found that anywhere else.”

She said the camp creates an environment where everyone belongs.

“Everyone’s accepted,” she said. “Everyone has a place there.”

Now preparing for her senior year, Neomi hopes younger students won’t let fear keep them from giving Broadway Academy a chance.

“There’s no such thing as ‘not talented enough,’” she said. “It’s normal to be nervous, but the staff is really good at working with you and will build you up past your own expectations.”

Looking back on her experience, she credits Broadway Academy with helping shape the person she has become.

“I wouldn’t be where I am today without Broadway Academy,” she said.

Her mother, Julie Craig, has watched that growth firsthand.

Julie first became involved with Broadway Academy while serving on the Allegro Wolf Arts Center Board. When Neomi developed an interest in musical theater, the timing couldn’t have been better.

“I asked if she could be involved as an observer or student manager,” Julie said. “Lucky for us, that was the same year they piloted a junior high program. I keep sending her because the education and talent she receives there is invaluable.”

Julie believes Broadway Academy gives Nebraska students opportunities they might otherwise have to travel across the country to find.

“The staff has impressive Broadway and musical theater credits,” Julie said. “They fly in from all over the country and even the world. These are opportunities that small-town Nebraska kids don’t even know exist.”

Julie encourages families with children interested in musical theater to consider the program.

“Normally you would need to go to New York City or Chicago to have access to this kind of talent,” she said. “To have this educational, nurturing and talented camp in our own backyard is unbelievable.”

Broadway Academy has also helped many alumni pursue degrees and careers in the performing arts. Among them is Sutton graduate Shae Eggers, whose final local performance came during this year’s Broadway Academy showcase before leaving for New York City, where she will study musical theater at Marymount Manhattan College.

For 14 summers, Broadway Academy has provided hundreds of students with far more than a week of theater training. It has given young people from rural Nebraska confidence, lifelong friendships and opportunities that often feel out of reach in small towns, helping them discover talents and possibilities they may never have realized they possessed.

As Julie Craig put it, “They brought New York to Nebraska.”

Three days later, the small-town squad was celebrating a state championship after defeating some of Nebraska’s top travel baseball programs and leaving more than a few opponents asking the same question: “Where is Saronville?” The weekend didn’t start the way the Shiners had hoped. They lost their first game 8-5 but quickly bounced back with a 10-4 win in their second game to earn a spot in the tournament’s top championship bracket.

From there, they kept winning. The Shiners defeated the Bellevue Bruins 7-1, followed by a commanding 22-4 victory over Nebraska Prime Blue.

Their next game against the Elkhorn Turtles turned into a pitchers’ duel, with neither team scoring until late in the game. Beckett Heitmann scored the game’s first run, giving the Shiners the momentum they needed to earn another victory. Kaige Jones pitched most of the game before Cam Heitmann came in to close it out.

That win sent the Shiners to the championship game, where they faced Gretna Thunder Black, the same team that had beaten them earlier in the tournament.

Gretna scored first, but the Shiners answered in the fourth inning and never looked back. Hayden Schlichtman blasted a grand slam home run, the defense settled in and Jedt Livgren pitched the entire game to help secure the championship.

The final play was one the team won’t soon forget. Kaige Jones made a play at third base before Brooks Ebert completed the game-ending double play at home, touching off the celebration.

The championship wasn’t the result of one player. Big contributions came from across the roster.

Jaden Beam, Conner Aspegren, Schlichtman and Bentley Farmer came up with key defensive plays in the outfield. Grady Arp held down first base, while Kaige Jones, Cam Heitmann, Jedt Livgren, Gage Tuma and Beckett Heitmann anchored the infield. Behind the plate, Brooks Ebert caught two straight games Sunday in the summer heat on turf fields.

The team is coached by Alex Jones, Jeremy Heitmann, Corey Heitmann and Corey Ebert.

The coaches were quick to credit everyone who helped make the season possible, including the parents who supported the team every step of the way.

Shay Jones reiterated that point when she shared, “We couldn’t have made this work without the players, the coaches, the Aspegrens and Eberts for hosting practices in their shops, and the families for making a dream turn into a reality,” the team shared after the championship. “Without them, we are nothing.”

For a program built to give kids from Nebraska’s small towns a chance to play together, winning a state championship was a dream realized.

And now, a few more people across Nebraska know exactly where Saronville is.

EDITORS NOTE: This salute to Don Russell, the former publisher of the Clay County News, features the script that was presented by Allen Beermann, the former Executive Director of the Nebraska Press Association, in 2012 when Russell was honored with the prestigious Master Editor-Publisher Award for his service in many ways to the newspaper industry in Nebraska during his 50 year career in Nebraska Newspapers. Russell’s career began at his hometown newspaper, the Plainview News in 1951, and served, with his wife Linda, as the publishers of the Clay County News from 1981-2005.

Russell passed away with his wife and family at his side in their Sutton home in the evening hours of Wednesday, July 15.

THE MEASURE OF A MASTER EDITOR-PUBLISHER In the intricate tapestry of Nebraska journalism, few threads are as resilient or as deeply colored by the local landscape as the career of Don Russell. Spanning over half a century, Russell’s trajectory serves as a definitive blueprint for how community leadership and journalistic excellence can coexist and reinforce one another. Within the strategic context of the Great Plains press, he represents the quintessential editor-publisher—a figure who understands that a newspaper is not merely a commercial enterprise but a sacred public trust and a vital instrument of civic health.

His journey is characterized by a lifelong commitment often described as having “ink in the veins.” It is a narrative that began with the humble tasks of a teenage apprentice in 1955 and culminated on April 13, 2012, when he was named the 41st recipient of the Nebraska Press Association’s (NPA) highest honor, the Master Editor-Publisher Award. This tribute examines the milestones of a career dedicated to the “extra mile” and the enduring impact of a man who served as both the conscience and the listening post of his community. This legacy of dedication was forged long before the accolades, beginning in the backrooms of a small-town print shop during his formative years.

FROM PRINTER’S DEVIL TO PUBLISHER:THE CAREER TRAJECTORY The newspaper industry has historically favored the “bottom-up” career path, a strategic tradition where leaders are seasoned by the literal and figurative heat of the press-room. Starting as a “printer’s devil”—a junior apprentice handling the messy, manual labor of a print shop—provides an editor with an indispensable technical foundation. For Don Russell, starting this path at the age of 14 formed a leadership style that valued the labor behind the layout as much as the words on the page. Throughout this journey, he was supported by his wife, Linda, who served as a dedicated professional partner and “proofreader extraordinaire.”

His career is a chronological masterclass in steady professional ascent:

• THE EARLY YEARS: Russell’s journey began in 1955 at the Plainview News, where he performed the essential tasks of a printer’s apprentice. While pursuing his degree at Wayne State College (1958–1960), he continued to refine his craft working part-time for the Wayne Herald.

• EDITORIAL ASCENT: In 1961, he moved to Clearwater, NE, ascending to the role of editor for the Clearwater Record and the Ewing News, where he managed the transition of editorial leadership for these community pillars until 1968.

• THE KIMBALL ERA: For thirteen years (1968–1981), Russell was an integral part of the Kimball Western Nebraska Observer. Here, he mastered the commercial side of the industry as an advertising salesman while maintaining his community connection as sports editor.

• THE SUTTON LEGACY: In 1981, Russell purchased the Clay County News in Sutton, leading the publication for 24 years. He strategically modernized the operation, navigating the technological leap from cold type to computers. Under his stewardship, the paper expanded significantly, averaging 20 pages per issue and serving as a “community watchdog” for six different communities.

5 DECADES OF DEDICATION • 1955-1958: Plainview News where he was a “Printer’s Devil,” apprentice handling floors and casting lead mats;

• 1958-1960: Wayne Herald where he was a part-time collegiate staff member, refining his technical skills during college.

• 1961-1968: Clearwater Record and the Ewing News, serving as editor, where he transitioned from apprentice to an editorial leader;

• 1968-1981: Western Nebraska Observer (Kimball) where he was involved in advertising sales and developed his business and community skills;

• 1981-2005: Clay County News: where he served as the owner and publisher, modernizing production and expanding regional coverage.

Through these decades of business success and community immersion, Russell naturally ascended to the highest levels of industry leadership within the state.

ARCHITECT OF THE PRESS:

Leadership in the NPA and Foundation Industry advocacy is critical for the preservation of local journalism, and Don Russell recognized that the Nebraska Press Association was the primary vehicle for protecting the state’s journalistic heritage. His involvement was characterized by what peer Gary Seacrest described as a “missionary-like” zeal, rooted in the firm belief that “every weekly and daily newspaper in the state belongs to the organization.”

Russell’s leadership contributions were both strategic and enduring: • NPA PRESIDENT (1996– 1997): As president, Russell focused on organizational unity and technological advancement. He was an early advocate for high-speed electronic photo engraving—a breakthrough for weekly newspapers—and pushed the association to adapt to the burgeoning digital era.

• NPA FOUNDATION BOARD: Serving as Vice President of the NPA Foundation Board, he championed the next generation of writers, ensuring the foundation remained a robust resource for scholarships and professional development.

His commitment to the NPA was a domestic extension of a worldview that would eventually take him and Linda far beyond the borders of Nebraska.

WITNESS TO HISTORY: International Missions and the 1991 Soviet Coup For rural editors, international study missions provide a critical strategic perspective, linking local newsrooms to global shifts. Russell was an active participant in these missions, often traveling with the National Newspaper Association (NNA) or groups like People to People International to refine his editorial worldview.

His most historic engagement occurred in August 1991 during a mission to the Soviet Union. Traveling with Linda, Russell arrived in Kiev just one day before the Soviet coup attempt against Mikhail Gorbachev began. This experience provided a harrowing contrast between the free press he championed and the censored Soviet media. He witnessed firsthand the state-controlled printing plants where censors removed articles, leaving blank spaces in the newspapers—a stark visual reminder of the fragility of truth.

In addition to Russia, Russell’s international journalistic engagements included:

• Taiwan and Hong Kong (1995, 2003, 2007): Observing the 1997 handover and the evolving political climate in East Asia.

• Cuba (1999): Witnessing the “Mother’s Marches” during the Elian Gonzalez crisis.

• China (2003): Exploring the complexities of the journalistic landscape in Beijing.

• Tunisia (2004), Costa Rica (2005), and Vietnam (2007): Studying diverse media environments and government- press relations across three continents.

These global experiences informed his local work, allowing him to act as a mentor who understood the profound global responsibility of the printed word.

THE “SOWHAT?” OF MENTORSHIP: SHAPING THE NEXT GENERATION The long-term viability of community newspapers depends heavily on the quality of mentorship passed between generations. Don Russell’s legacy is perhaps most evident in the professionals he influenced through a philosophy of “sweat and commitment.”

Darran Fowler, publisher of the Hastings Tribune, recounts a pivotal Career Day more than 30 years ago. When asked what was needed to succeed, Russell simply placed a notebook and a pen on the table and said, “These are it.” This gesture exemplified his belief that while technology evolves, the core of the craft—integrity, presence, and observation—remains constant.

Peers like Lee Warneke and Bill Brown characterized Russell’s leadership as being built on unshakable loyalty. Bill Brown specifically noted that Russell was a “publisher who understands exactly what it is a publisher does— he is the community watchdog, communicator, listening post, conscience, and above all, its ombudsman.” This reputation for character and selfless guidance ensured that his transition into formal recognition was the inevitable outcome of a lifetime of work.

DISTINGUISHED HONORS:

The Master Editor-Publisher and Beyond In Nebraska journalism, the Master Editor-Publisher award is the ultimate recognition of a career well-spent. On April 13, 2012, Don Russell was formally recognized as the 41st recipient of this honor. This award validated a professional life defined by the highest ethical standards.

His professional excellence was mirrored by accolades reflecting his broader service to the state:

• 1999 NSEA Champion of Public Education Award: Recognizing his unwavering editorial support for local schools.

• Admiral in the Navy of the Great State of Nebraska: A prestigious honorary title bestowed by the Governor for his significant civic contributions to the state.

• Eagle Scout & 45-year Scout Leader: Russell’s dedication to Scouting informed his professional ethics; his “loyalty to family, church, schools, town, and state” was a direct reflection of his background as a Scout leader.

These honors represent the formal acknowledgement of a life defined by consistent, high-level citizenship and an “extra mile” work ethic.

CURRENT PUBLISHER SHARES SUPPORTING THOUGHTS FOR RUSSELL’S HIGHEST HONOR: The current publisher of the Clay County News, T.M. (Ted) Gill shared his thoughts about Russell in a nomination letter to the Nebraska Press Association for the Master- Editor/Publisher Award:

• The former owner of the Clay County News in Sutton, Don Russell, is a most worthy candidate for this ultimate NPA award. Russell worked for a number of publishers and papers prior to acquiring his own paper years ago.

• After acquiring the Clay County News, Russell guided that paper through the eras of publishing from the old methods, to cold type, to computers. In addition, his offices in Sutton were good clean environments and always a pleasant place to work.

• One of the important factors about Russell was the fact that he helped bring young people along in the trade and never tried to hold them back and while they worked for him, he paid them well.

• Of course, one of the most important things a successful publisher must know is selling advertising...Don Russell had to be “King of the Hill.” He had more ideas and thoughts for the advertiser than one can imagine and this in turn made him a good living and a well thought of paper.

• Truly a family man, hard worker in his church, and very set in his beliefs, certainly always a worker for the good of his community and projects that were good for the city, school, county and area. Russell worked for many years with the Boy Scouts of Sutton and the area, having served a long time as Scoutmaster and bringing a number of boys along to the rank of Eagle Scout. Russell is an ardent backer of teaching our young people about camping, canoeing and outdoor activities.

• Russell has been a member of the Nebraska Press Association for years and served well in numerous capacities including president a few years earlier, and on a number of committees, while active in the organization.

• Don Russell, in my opinion, is a great candidate for the NPA Master Editor- Publisher Award whether this year or in the next few years. He has always been a more than diligent worker, regardless of the cause, an exacting example of what a “newspaper man” should be, and certainly loyal to family, church, schools, town, state and this USA.

CONCLUSION:

A PILLAR OF SUTTON AND A TITAN OF THE NEBRASKA PRESS Don Russell’s legacy transcends his success as a business owner. He was a true “Pillar of Sutton,” serving the community as an EMT for 15 years, a member of the Fire Department, and President of the Lions Club. He functioned as a community ombudsman, a role vital to the health of local democracy.

His career was defined by recurring themes of character and a dedication to citizenship. From his early days as a printer’s devil to his witness of the Soviet coup and his leadership of the NPA, Russell remained a steadfast advocate for the integrity of the press. He stands as a true Master of his craft—a dedicated leader whose lifelong commitment to the state of Nebraska has left an indelible mark on the industry and the many communities he served.

Artificial intelligence has changed the way many people work, shop, communicate and search for information. Behind nearly every online search, streamed movie, Facebook post, online purchase and AI conversation is something most people never see: a data center.

Now, that topic has reached Clay County.

The Clay County Board of Supervisors is discussing whether to adopt a oneyear moratorium on new data center development while county officials study the issue and determine whether existing zoning regulations are adequate. The proposal is intended to give county leaders time to better understand a rapidly growing industry before considering future projects.

For many residents, the discussion begins with a simple question.

What exactly is a data center? Despite the name, a data center is not a warehouse full of paper records. Instead, it is a highly secure building filled with thousands of computer servers that store, process and deliver digital information 24 hours a day.

Every email sent, every online banking transaction, every Netflix movie streamed, every photo stored in the cloud and every question asked to an artificial intelligence program relies on data centers somewhere in the world.

In many ways, they are the engine rooms of the internet.

As cloud computing and artificial intelligence continue to grow, so does the need for computing power. Technology companies are investing billions of dollars in new facilities across the country, and Nebraska has become one of the states attracting significant interest.

Several large data centers already operate in Nebraska.

Google has major campuses in Papillion and Omaha and is developing another in Lincoln. Meta operates a large campus in Sarpy County, and Kearney has become an emerging location for new data center projects and expansion. Additional proposals have been announced in other parts of the state as demand for computing capacity continues to increase.

With that growth has come questions. Unlike many commercial buildings, data centers require substantial electrical service. Some also use significant amounts of water for cooling, although newer facilities may rely on air cooling or hybrid systems that reduce water consumption. The amount of water and electricity needed varies widely depending on the size of the facility and the technology being used.

Another common misconception is that data centers employ thousands of people after construction is complete.

While construction projects can create hundreds of temporary jobs, permanent staffing is typically much smaller. Once operating, most facilities employ teams of technicians, engineers, maintenance personnel, security staff and operations managers rather than large manufacturing workforces.

Supporters say data centers can generate construction activity, increase property tax revenue and bring invest ment in infrastructure. Others question their long-term impact, pointing to concerns about electricity demand, water use, noise from cooling equipment, land use and the relatively small number of permanent jobs compared to the size of the investment.

Those questions have led many Nebraska counties to slow the process.

According to Nebraska Public Media, 11 Nebraska counties currently have temporary moratoriums in place while they review zoning regulations for data centers. Those counties are Butler, Box Butte, Custer, Dundy, Furnas, Harlan, Hayes, Johnson, Kearney, Otoe and Seward. Garfield County is also working toward a moratorium, while several additional counties are considering similar action.

A moratorium is often misunderstood.

It is not a permanent ban on data centers. Instead, it temporarily pauses new development applications while county officials review zoning regulations, study potential impacts, gather public input and determine what standards should apply if a project is eventually proposed.

For Clay County, the current discussion is not about approving or rejecting a specific project. Rather, it is about whether county leaders should take additional time to study an industry that is expanding rapidly across Nebraska and the nation before deciding how future proposals should be handled.

Whether Clay County eventually welcomes data centers, limits where they can be built or determines its current regulations are sufficient remains to be seen. For now, the discussion before the Board of Supervisors is part of a much larger conversation taking place across Nebraska as communities consider how new technology fits into their long-term plans.

When an American flag becomes faded, torn or too worn to be displayed with dignity, it isn’t simply thrown away.

Instead, it is retired with honor.

The Sutton American Legion recently held a Flag Retirement Ceremony, continuing a tradition that pays respect to one of the nation’s most recognized symbols. During the ceremony, worn and unserviceable flags collected from area residents were formally retired according to long-standing customs and the U.S. Flag Code.

For many Americans, the flag represents far more than a piece of fabric. It serves as a symbol of the nation’s history, the freedoms it represents and the sacrifices made by generations of service members.

The U.S. Flag Code states that when a flag is no longer fit for display, it should be destroyed in a dignified manner, preferably by burning. Organizations such as the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars and Scout troops across the country often conduct public retirement ceremonies to ensure worn flags receive the respect they deserve.

Instead of being thrown away, worn American flags are respectfully retired through a ceremonial burning, following traditions that honor the flag and what it represents.

The Sutton ceremony also highlighted the importance of passing these traditions to future generations, as younger participants joined Legion members in helping retire the flags with dignity and respect.

Residents who have worn, faded or damaged American flags are encouraged to take them to a designated flag collection box or give them to a local veterans organization so they can be properly retired during a future ceremony.

Although most people see the American flag flying outside homes, schools and businesses every day, ceremonies like this serve as a reminder that when a flag has reached the end of its service, it is honored with the same respect it represented while it flew.

South Central trimmed Sutton’s 5-0 lead to 5-3 in the bottom half of the sixth inning with three runs, but that is all the closer the Post 256 Juniors could get, as Sutton’s Post 61 Juniors rallied for three runs in the top of the seventh inning to secure the 8-3 win and improved to 20-8-1, while South Central’s season came to a close, finishing the season with an 11-12 record.

Remington Behmerwohld gained four of Sutton’s 10 hits in the game, while all four of his singles drive in one run.

Creighton Jones was 2-3 at the plate with a run driven in, while Kellen Ebert drove in a run, while going 2-4 at the plate with a pair of singles.

Adding to the mix were Aidan Banta and Michael Lockhart, as they were both 1-3 in the win.

South Central pounded out eight hits in the game, led by Wyatt Livgren with a trio of singles in three trips to the plate. Brockett Reed was 2-4 and drove in a pair of runs, while Camden Wehrman, Alex Watts, and Wyatt Hemberger all had one single in the game.

Camden Temme earned the win on the mound for Sutton. In six and two-thirds innings of work, Temme walked three, struck out six, and allowed the three South Central runs on seven hits.

In relief, Lockhart walked one, struck out one, and allowed one hit.

Wehrman took the loss for South Central. In five innings of work, he allowed six runs on seven hits, walking four and striking out three.

Wyatt Livgren and Justin Sharp closed out the game on the mound. They combined to allow two runs on two hits, with Livgren walking two Sutton hitters.

Sutton 8, South Central 3 Sutton...................0 5 0 0 0 0 3 -8 South Central.........0 0 0 0 0 3 0 -3 Sutton AB R H RBI Remington Behmerwohld...... 5 2 4 1 Creighton Jones....................... 3 1 2 1 Kellen Ebert............................. 4 2 2 1 Aidan Banta............................. 3 2 1 0 Michael Lockhart..................... 3 0 1 1 Kayden Bolejack...................... 1 1 0 0 Cale Nuss................................. 1 0 0 0 Camden Temme...................... 2 0 0 2 Everett Yost............................. 3 0 0 0 Kaige Jones.............................. 4 0 0 1 Sutton Totals-.................. 29 8 10 7 Extra Base Hits: None. South Central AB R H RBI Wyatt Livgren.......................... 4 1 3 1 Brockett Reed.......................... 4 0 2 2 Camden Wehrman.................. 3 1 1 0 Alex Watts............................... 4 1 1 0 Wyatt Hemberger................... 4 0 1 0 Joel Hoelting........................... 2 0 0 0 Mason Johanson...................... 2 0 0 0 Owen Spray............................. 2 0 0 0 Jedt Livgren............................. 3 0 0 0 So. Central Totals-............ 28 3 8 3 Extra Base Hits: None.

According to family information, Floyd Lovgren, the youngest son of Charles and Johanna Lovgren, was born May 6, 1901. He married Edna Brenneman in 1925, and the following year the couple moved to the family farm east of Harvard. There they raised livestock, welcomed five children, and spent 51 years caring for the land before moving into Harvard in 1977. Floyd passed away in 1981, followed by Edna in 1989.

Today, the farm is owned by Floyd and Edna’s grandchildren, continuing a family legacy that has spanned more than a century. The farm’s continued place in the family reflects the values the Pioneer Farm Family Award was created to recognize.

The award was accepted in memory of Floyd and Edna Lovgren by their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, honoring a legacy of hard work, family and dedication that continues to this day by their family.