Latest articles - The Clay County News

Easter egg hunts highlight a busy weekend in Clay County

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 06:00:09 -0500

Statewide burning ban is extended through April 10

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 06:00:08 -0500

Governor Jim Pillen has issued a new series of documents to address ongoing weather conditions and areas that have been impacted by multiple wildfires across the state. Four of the largest fires have collectively burned more than 800,000 acres of land.

A new proclamation declares emergencies in counties associated with the following fires: Morrill, Cottonwood, and Anderson Bridge. The Road 203 Fire, impacting Blaine and Thomas counties, was managed by federal authorities and therefore, was not included in the newest proclamation for state resources.

In addition to that proclamation, Gov. Pillen has also issued two new executive orders. The first one (26-08) continues the timeframe by which fire chiefs or their designated members are prohibited from issuing permits for open burning anywhere in the state.

This order is effective March 28 and continues through April 10. The prior burn ban was initially slated to expire March 27.

The second executive order (26-09) waives hours of service restrictions and adjusts maximum load width/ weight limits allowed for commercial motor carriers operating within the state and are delivering feed and other supplies under the ongoing wildfire emergency. That new order is also effective March 28.

Last Thursday morning, the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) activated the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) in response to the latest reported fires in Grant County.

As with the Morrill and Cottonwood fires, the Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management Team is providing operational management of those wildfires, under direction of the state and Gov. Pillen.

Work on SCH therapy wing is underway behind the scenes while waiting for bids on new sewer line

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 06:00:07 -0500

While you may not see active construction taking place outside at the moment, progress on our building and renovation project is continuing behind the scenes. We have recently received bids for an important next step—installing a new sewer line earlier than originally planned.

Due to challenges with the slope of the current system, it has been determined that running the new sewer line now will allow for a smoother process as we move through each phase of construction. This proactive approach will help prevent complications later on and keep the project moving efficiently.

Construction activity will be picking up again soon. As part of this work, crews will be digging a line from the previous administrative wing all the way to Ada Street. During this time, temporary walkways will be in place to maintain safe access for residents, staff, and visitors. Once the work is completed, all sidewalks will be fully repaired.

We are excited to continue building momentum and making steady progress on this important project. If you would like to support these efforts, donations toward the building project are always welcome and greatly appreciated as we work to enhance our home for years to come.

The new therapy addition has had footings for the 1,000 square foot addition poured for several weeks now, as construction has slowed for the time being, as construction crews are waiting on final bids to be submitted for the installation of a new sewer line. TORY DUNCAN | CLAY COUNTY NEWS

Mustangs close out 2025-26 season with 15-11 record

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 06:00:04 -0500

Scoring:....................... Gms 2pt FG 3pt FG FT Pts Pt. Avg Reb Asst Stl Myles Smith......................... 26 18-37 73-232 39-51 294 11.3 92 45 39 Payton Reed......................... 20 71-113 18-74 59-93 255 12.8 157 29 18 Max Huxoll........................... 26 97-155 3-15 25-67 228 8.8 98 45 37 Jacob Huxoll......................... 17 61-115 0-0 30-67 152 8.9 130 18 23 Mason Ehly........................... 26 40-66 18-74 17-34 151 5.8 107 33 20 Keith Kliewer........................ 26 25-66 27-112 18-36 149 5.7 42 68 14 Juan Reyes........................... 24 6-24 5-39 9-14 36 1.5 26 14 7 Harrison Schurman.............. 16 1-10 2-10 6-9 14 0.9 19 8 2 Cash Parrish......................... 22 2-9 0-0 0-6 4 -- 20 10 6 Rylan Reutzel........................ 9 2-5 0-0 0-0 4 -- 3 1 0 Chase Clark............................ 7 2-3 0-1 0-0 4 -- 1 0 1 Eli Ladehoff........................... 9 1-3 0-6 0-0 2 -- 6 4 0 Tristan Griess......................... 5 1-1 0-0 0-0 2 -- 3 0 0 Everett Yost........................... 5 0-1 0-1 0-0 0 -- 2 1 0 Kellen Ebert.......................... 2 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 -- 0 0 1 Sutton Totals:................ 26 327-609 146-564 203-377 1,295 49.8 706 276 168 Sutton Avg or %/Gm........ -- 53.7% 25.9% 53.8% 49.8 -- 27.2 10.6 6.5

BY TORY DUNCAN

The Sutton Mustangs wrapped up the 2025-26 basketball Sutton then closed out the regular season with a tough loss to Wilber-Clatonia, before downing Fillmore Central and Superior.

Once in the post-season, Sutton began the C2-7 sub-district tournament with a 58-51 win over Twin River of Genoa, before the host Alma Cardinals ended the Mustangs season with a 52-28 loss.

season with 15 wins in 26 total games, with Sutton averaging just under 50 points per game, collecting nearly 30 rebounds per game, while making nearly 11 assists, and making 6.5 steals per game.

December opened the year, winners of five of eight games, downing H&H, BDS, Hastings St. Cecilia, and Nebraska Christian, before taking down Mead 44-41 in the opening round of the Mead Holiday tournament.

As the season moved into the month of January, Sutton picked up five more wins against five losses, defeating Centura, Centennial, Wood River, Thayer Central, and Sandy Creek along the way.

Once the Southern Nebraska Conference tournament got underway, the Mustangs opened with wins over Thayer Central and Fairbury, but closed out the tournament with losses to Sandy Creek and Milford to finish fourth overall.

Kliewer had a team-high 68 assists, with Max Huxoll and Smith both gaining 45.

Smith picked up a team-high 39 steals, with Max Huxoll gaining 37, Jacobo Huxoll 23, and Ehly 20.

2025-26 SCHEDULE

Freeman..........................................................L 57-28 H&H.............................................................. W 80-44 McCool Junction..............................................L 55-45 BDS............................................................... W 56-33 Hastings St. Cecilia........................................ W 53-41 Nebraska Christian........................................ W 55-37 Mead Holiday Tournament Mead...................................................... W 44-41 Archbishop Bergen (Fremont)...................L 64-49 Centura......................................................... W 47-25 Cross County....................................................L 61-48 Centennial..................................................... W 59-41 Wood River.................................................... W 50-45 Thayer Central............................................... W 49-35 EMF.................................................................L 74-59 Fairbury...........................................................L 48-42 Milford............................................................L 63-53 Sandy Creek.................................................. W 59-52 SNC Tournament Thayer Central......................................... W 45-31 Fairbury................................................... W 63-50 Sandy Creek...............................................L 53-45 Milford......................................................L 51-31 Wilber-Clatonia...............................................L 52-48 Fillmore Central............................................. W 52-48 Superior........................................................ W 57-38 C2-7 Sub-District Tournament Twin River............................................... W 58-51 Alma.........................................................L 52-28

SEASON LEADERS

Freshman Myles Smith proved to be the scoring leader, averaging 11.3 points per game in 26 games, finishing the year with a team high 294 points.

Senior Payton Reed dropped in 255 points in 20 games played to average a team-high 12.8 points per game.

Sophomore Max Huxoll tossed in 228 points in 26 games to average 8.8 points per game, with senior Jacob Huxoll adding 152 points, freshman Mason Ehly, 151 points, and senior Keith Kliewer, 149 points.

Rebounding leaders proved to be Reed with 157, Jacob Huxoll 130, and Ehly with 107.

Giltner/Harvard boys end season with 8-16 record

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 06:00:03 -0500

The Giltner/Harvard boys basketball team closed out the 2025-26 season with an 8-16 record, with six of their eight wins coming before the end of the first week of January.

Prior to the Wilcox-Hildreth holiday tournament, the G/H boys won three of six games, defeating Palmer, Axtell, and Dorchester, while in tournament action in Wilcox, G/H split games with the host team, before claiming third place with a 43-36 win over Wauneta-Palisade.

The month of January gained them their other four wins, defeating Gibbon, College View Academy, Elba, and Franklin.

The post-season ended with a 64-36 loss to Wood River in the C2-8 sub-district tournament to close out the season.

SEASON LEADERS Braxton Cady led the team in scoring, averaging 14.5 points per game with his total of 348 points.

Brody Rudy tossed in 184 points to average 7.7 points per game to follow Cady’s leading efforts.

Ben Gordon hit for 124 points, while Owen Nuss scored 120, and Fallon Hunnicutt, 103.

Scoring:......................Gms 2pt FG 3pt FG FT Pts Pt. Avg Reb Asst Stl Braxton Cady......................24 139-294 4-28 58-96 348 14.5 195 46 100 Brody Rudy.........................24 42-119 27-116 19-35 184 7.7 37 74 33 Ben Gordon........................24 20-88 24-114 12-26 124 5.2 71 31 25 Owen Nuss.........................23 52-123 0-1 16-30 120 5.2 114 13 42 Fallon Hunnicutt.................24 4-20 30-109 5-6 103 4.3 49 25 30 Kristian Kiva.......................22 16-59 1-3 17-47 52 2.4 75 13 19 Cohen Reutzel....................24 12-54 1-10 6-26 33 1.4 39 13 15 Tanner Schelkopf................23 6-13 1-8 3-4 18 -- 24 11 9 Ashton Ward....................... 11 1-3 1-3 0-0 5 -- 2 1 0 Jaxyn Eastman...................12 0-1 1-6 0-0 3 -- 3 1 1 Jorden Simms-Tuxhorn.......14 0-4 0-5 2-3 2 -- 4 3 2 Mason Lesonik....................7 0-2 0-0 0-1 0 -- 1 0 1 Jack Nuss............................. 4 0-0 0-1 0-0 0 -- 1 0 0 Fernando Gabriel.................7 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 -- 0 0 0 G/H Totals:................... 24 292-781 90-404 137-271 991 41.3 593 225 263 G/H Avg or %/Gm...........-- 37.4% 22.3% 50.6% 41.3 -- 24.7 9.4 11.0

Cady also led the team in rebounds with 195, and in steals with 100.

Rudy dished out a teamhigh 74 assists, with Cady Nuss ended the year with 42 steals, while Rudy finished the year with 33 steals.

2025-2026 SCHEDULE Franklin................................................ L 38-37 Palmer.................................................W 49-45 Axtell...................................................W 51-28 Dorchester...........................................W 56-22 High Plains Community......................... L 49-28 Grand Island Lutheran........................... L 52-22 Wilcox-Hildreth Holiday Tournament Wilcox-Hildreth............................... L 54-41 Wauneta-Palisade..........................W 43-36 H&H...................................................... L 62-29 Gibbon.................................................W 74-54 College View Academy..........................W 58-44 Red Cloud............................................. L 66-37 Kenesaw............................................... L 56-34 Osceola................................................. L 67-17 Silver Lake............................................ L 46-42 Blue Hill................................................ L 59-35 Deshler................................................. L 64-27 Elba.....................................................W 63-21 Twin Valley Conference Tournament Franklin.........................................W 57-32 Lawrence-Nelson............................ L 62-30 Blue Hill.......................................... L 48-45 Lawrence-Nelson.................................. L 58-27 Shelton................................................. L 66-34 Wilcox-Hildreth..................................... L 54-42

Sandy Creek girls track team earns 12 medals at Sutton Invite

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 06:00:02 -0500

The Sandy Creek girls track team posted a total of 12 medals to their credit during action in the season-opening Sutton Invitational, held Tuesday, March 24.

Nine of the 12 medals were earned on the track, while three field event medals set the tone for the day.

Sophomore Carrigan Rempe, along with senior Anna Paus, brought home three total gold medals for their work on the track.

Rempe won both hurdle events, winning the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 17.16 seconds, while claiming gold in the 300-meter hurdles with a time of 50.50 seconds.

Sophomore Jade VonSpreckelsen also medaled in the hurdles, placing fifth overall in the 100-meter race with a time of 18.39 seconds.

Paus’ win in the 800-meter run capped a three-medal performance for the Cougars in the event, as Paus claimed gold with a winning time of two minutes, 27.83 seconds. Teammates Caitlin Biltoft and Brielle Lipovsky finished third and fourth in the event, respectively, as Biltoft’s third-place time was clocked at 2:43.13, while Lipovsky finished fourth with a time of 2:43.76.

Sandy Creek’s 4x400-meter relay team, made up by Biltoft, Rempe, Lipovsky, and Paus finished second with a time of 4:25.69.

Sutton claimed gold in the four-lap relay with a time of 4:22.88.

The final two track medals were earned by sophomore Paige Stengel and freshman Collins Hubl.

Stengel finished third in the 1600-meter run with a time of 6:15.35. Event winner, Madalyn Janzen of H&H, finished with a time of 5:53.52, while Hastings St. Cecilia’s Lily Daly placed second with a time of 6:00.71.

Hubl captured fourth place in the 100-meter dash with a time of 13.75 seconds. Shelby-Rising City’s Danica Watts earned the win in the short sprint with a time of 13.12 seconds.

Biltoft earned a two-way tie for second in the high jump with Karsyn Grimes of Gibbon, as both jumpers cleared the 4’ 10” barrier to trail Shelby-Rising City’s Alexis Wetjen, who claimed the win with a 4’ 11” jump.

Paus finished third overall in the pole vault with an 8’ 6” vault. Centura’s Lauren Suntych and Hallie Tessman of H&H tied for first in the event with 9-foot vaults.

Freshman Emersyn Pohlmeier gained a sixthplace finish in the discus with her throw of 88 feet. Doniphan-Trumbull’s Charlee Richter claimed the event title with a 113’ 8” throw.

Nebraska ag land values decline for 2nd consecutive year

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 06:00:12 -0500

The value of agricultural land in Nebraska declined 1% over the past year to an average of $3,905 per acre as of Feb. 1, according to the preliminary report from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s 2025-26 Farm Real Estate Market Survey. It is the second consecutive year of declining land values since the market reached $4,015 per acre in 2024.

The survey’s preliminary report was published March 18 by the university’s Center for Agricultural Profitability, based in the Department of Agricultural Economics. It provides current estimates of agricultural land values and cash rental rates, broken down by region and land class across Nebraska.

Land industry professionals who participated in this year’s survey attributed the decline to lower crop prices, higher farm input costs and prevailing interest rates.

“Many operations are facing tighter liquidity as crop revenues decline while input costs remain elevated,” Jim Jansen, extension agricultural economist who leads the annual survey and report said. “Those conditions are leading producers and lenders to take a more cautious approach when navigating these financial pressures.”

Crop receipts in Nebraska declined by about $576.6 million, or 16%, in 2025 as corn prices fell and soybean and wheat production dropped. Those losses were partially offset by a $3.22 billion increase in livestock receipts statewide. Jansen said the differences in crop and livestock profitability were reflected in land value trends across the state.

The report found cropland values generally declined across Nebraska over the past year as tighter crop margins weighed on land markets. Center pivot irrigated cropland averaged 2% lower statewide, while gravity irrigated cropland declined 3%.

Dryland cropland with irrigation potential fell 2%, and dryland cropland without irrigation potential decreased 1%. In contrast, grazing land and hayland values increased between 4% and 7% as strong cattle prices supported demand for pasture acres.

Average cash rental rates in Nebraska followed a similar trend. Rental rates for dryland and irrigated cropland declined between 1% and 9% across the state, reflecting lower commodity prices and tighter margins for crop producers. In contrast, rental rates for pasture and cow-calf pairs increased about 4% to 5% compared with the previous grazing season.

“Flexible lease provisions can help landowners and tenants manage production and price risk when margins are tight,” Jansen said. “Factors such as crop prices, input costs, and drought conditions all play a role in how lease agreements are structured.”

The Nebraska Farm Real Estate Report is available on the Center for Agricultural Profitability website at https://cap.unl.edu/realestate. Two virtual workshops covering 2026 land values, cash rental rates and leasing strategies will be held March 24 and 26. Registration is free at the webpage above.

The Nebraska Farm Real Estate Market Report is the product of an annual survey of land professionals, including appraisers, farm and ranch managers and agricultural bankers. Results are divided by land class and agricultural statistics district. Land values and rental rates in the report are averages of survey participants’ responses by district. Actual land values and rental rates may vary depending on the quality of the parcel and local market for an area. Preliminary land values and rental rates are subject to change as additional surveys are returned. The final version of the report will be published in July.

Clay Co. crews respond to Cottonwood fire after initial deployment to Morrill fire in Western NE

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 06:00:11 -0500

Multiple fire departments from Clay County, along with assistance from neighboring Henderson, were deployed last week to assist with major wildfires in Nebraska, including crews from Sutton and Harvard, as well as a firefighter from Henderson.

Sutton Fire Chief Tracey Landenberger said the call came in Thursday night as wildfire activity increased across the state.

Crews were initially activated Thursday night for the Cottonwood Fire, with Landenberger receiving the call at approximately 10:30 p.m. to report to the Brady Fire Station.

Early Friday morning, around 3:45 a.m., the team was redirected to the Morrill Fire, where resources were needed more urgently. After spending two days assisting on the Morrill Fire, crews were then reassigned back to the Cottonwood Fire near Brady as conditions continued to evolve.

SHIFTING ASSIGNMENTS

The shifting assignments reflect how quickly priorities can change during large wildfire events, often with little notice and at all hours of the day.

Both fires were part of a series of large wildfires that have impacted Nebraska in recent weeks, fueled by dry conditions, strong winds, and unseasonably warm temperatures.

Approximately eight to ten firefighters responded from the participating departments.

Sutton deployed two trucks as part of its Sutton Task Force, a specialized group within the Sutton Volunteer Fire Department trained for wildland firefighting. The Harvard Volunteer Fire Department sent two additional trucks, and one firefighter from Henderson joined the group, traveling with the Sutton and Harvard crews.

“It’s a combined effort,” Landenberger said. “Departments work together and respond as a team when these larger fires happen.”

Once on scene, crews were assigned to structure protection and fire suppression efforts, working to defend properties in the fire’s path. Landenberger said one of their primary assignments included helping protect a ranch threatened by the advancing fire.

“They were working to save structures, pushing fire away from buildings, and trying to hold lines,” he said. “That’s a big part of what we do on those fires— protecting what we can while also working to contain it.”

SUTTON’S TASK FORCE While the response included multiple agencies, Sutton’s participation came through its own Task Force, which operates as a dedicated wildland unit within the department. Not all firefighters in Sutton are part of this group, as it requires additional certification and training.

“Wildland is a different type of firefighting,” Landenberger said. “It takes extra training, and it takes people who are willing to be gone for extended periods of time.”

Those who serve on the Sutton Task Force often respond to incidents across the state, working long hours in challenging conditions that can include shifting winds, dry fuels, and rapidly changing fire behavior.

One distinguishing aspect of the program is how it is funded.

“All of that is self-funded,” Landenberger said. “The equipment, the fuel, the lodging, the meals—we generate those funds through controlled burns and work we do for agencies and landowners.”

That work includes controlled burns for organizations based out of Broken Bow, as well as projects for local landowners. The revenue generated allows the team to pay for its own training, equipment, and deployments without relying on local tax dollars.

At the same time, those resources directly benefit the Sutton community.

“When those trucks are here, they’re here for Sutton,” Landenberger said. “It strengthens what we’re able to do at home.”

As wildfire activity continues to increase across Nebraska and the surrounding region, the need for trained wildland firefighters is expected to grow.

“It’s something we’re going to need more of,” Landenberger said. “Not just here, but across the state.”

The recent deployment highlights how local volunteer firefighters contribute to a larger statewide response system while also strengthening emergency services in their own communities.

Sutton’s wildland fire task force prepares to head west to help battle some of Nebraska’s largest wildfires in the history of the state over the past few weeks. COURTESY PHOTO FROM THE SUTTON VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT | CLAY COUNTY NEWS

Sutton Stampede boosters hold 2nd annual banquet Saturday

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 06:00:10 -0500

The Sutton Stampede Booster Club held its second annual fundraising banquet Saturday, March 21, with nearly 200 people filling the Sutton Community Center for the event. Above, auctioneers Colt Pope, left, and Chandler Stone, right take charge of the live auction following an entertainment session from comedian and magician Gayle Becwar, shown at the left with Sutton superintendent Jason Cline, who stole the show with his centerstage act during Becwar’s magic act. With strong donor support, the booster club has contributed more than $50,000 to school activities. Additional highlights can be found on page 5A in this week’s edition. TORY DUNCAN | CLAY COUNTY NEWS

ALL-COUNTY CIRLS BASKETBALL TEAMS

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 06:00:06 -0500

2026 ALL-COUNTY CIRLS BASKETBALL TEAMS

Presented by South Central Chiropractic and the Clay County News

ALL

COUNTY flST TEAM

• 13.6 points per game • 44 rebounds • 64 assists • 33 steals.

14.2 points per game • 176 rebounds • 32 assists • 62 steals.

points per game • 63 rebounds • 35 assists • 34 steals.

KYLA GRIESS - Sutton Senior: 187 total points - 8.1 points per game • 55 rebounds • 47 assists • 58 steals.

points per game • 169 rebounds • 8 assists • 18 steals.

Fillies wrap up banner season with 21-9 record

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 06:00:05 -0500

Sutton advances to state for 1st time since 2022

The Sutton Fillies capped off a banner 2025-26 basketball season with their first trip to a state tournament in four years, as the Fillies earned a fourth-place finish in Class D-1, ending the season with a strong 21-9 record.

Sutton started the year off with five straight wins, upending Superior, Freeman, H&H, McCool Junction, and BDS before running into a pair of challenging losses at Hastings St. Cecilia and at Nebraska Christian. The Fillies then captured the Mead Holiday Tournament title with wins over Mead and Bergan Catholic of Fremont, to end the month of December.

In January, Sutton was 5-4, beating Cross County, Centennial, Wood River, EMF, and Fairbury, with losses coming at the hands of Centura, Thayer Central, Class C-1 state champion Milford, and to Sandy Creek.

The month of February began with a third place run in the Southern Nebraska Conference tournament, winning three of four games, claiming wins over Superior, Tri County, and avenging a loss to Thayer Central, with Milford downing the Fillies in the semifinal round.

Two regular-season wins over Wilber-Clatonia and Fillmore Central spurred the Fillies into the D1-2 Sub-District tournament where Sutton crushed Deshler in the opening round and held off Tri County in the final.

Sutton and Tri County squared off again in the D1-7 District Final, with the Fillies punching their ticket to state with a commanding 49-23 win over the Trojans.

In the Class D-1 state tournament, the Fillies opened with a 48-33 win over Amherst, before Bloomfield edged Sutton 44-38 in the semifinal round, pushing the Fillies into the third-place game, where Elm Creek edged out the Fillies 56-54, placing Sutton fourth overall.

TEAM LEADERS

Individually, Sutton had six players average over five points a game, led by sophomore Isabella Trejo, who averaged 8.2 points per game, while scoring a team high 247 points.

Junior Jadlynn Kinney followed Trejo, scoring 212 points, an average of 7.1 points per game. Senior Avery Smith dropped in 200 points, senior Kyla Griess averaged 8.1 points per game, while scoring 187 points in 23 games. Freshman Kali White hit for 177 points, while senior Miranda Nuss scored 152, and sophomore Camden Mau another 123 points.

Rebounding leaders this season were Nuss with 169, White with 102 Kamryn Steinhauer with 84, and Mau with 79.

Mau dished out a team-high 63 assists this season, followed by 47 from Griess, 39 from Trejo, 38 from Kinney, and 35 from Avery Smith.

Griess, White, and Mau led the Fillies steals chart, as Griess had 58, White, 53, and Mau, 45.

2025-2026 SCHEDULE

Superior........................................................ W 74-12 Freeman........................................................ W 64-40 H&H.............................................................. W 65-14 McCool Junction............................................ W 46-26 BDS................................................................. W 72-8 Hastings St. Cecilia..........................................L 46-29 Nebraska Christian..........................................L 48-43 Mead Holiday Tournament

Mead...................................................... W 63-21 Bergan Catholic...................................... W 46-44 Centura...........................................................L 60-26 Cross County.................................................. W 69-19 Centennial..................................................... W 45-36 Wood River.................................................... W 56-31 Thayer Central.................................................L 56-51 EMF............................................................... W 68-45 Fairbury......................................................... W 69-24 Milford............................................................L 85-44 Sandy Creek....................................................L 64-50 SNC Tournament

Superior.................................................. W 71-19 Tri County................................................ W 41-37 Milford......................................................L 58-27 Thayer Central......................................... W 54-46 Wilber-Clatonia............................................. W 59-22 Fillmore Central............................................. W 63-45 D1-2 Sub-District Tournament

Deshler................................................... W 59-13 Tri County............................................... W 52-40 D1-7 Sub-District Final

Tri County............................................... W 49-23 Class D-1 State Tournament

Amherst.................................................. W 48-33 Bloomfield................................................L 44-38 Elm Creek..................................................L 56-54

SNC coaches tab 6 SC, Sutton girls for all-conference

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 06:00:04 -0500

C SNC coaches tab 6 SC, Sutton girls for all-conference

Coaches for the girls teams in the Southern Nebraska Conference honored six players from Clay County, including first team selection, senior Emma Fisher of Sandy Creek.

Second team honors went to Sutton senior Kyla Griess and Sandy Creek sophomore, Madison Shaw.

Third team honors went to Sutton sophomore Isabella Trejo.

Earning honorable mention honors were Sandy Creek junior, Carrigan Rempe, and Sutton junior, Jadlynn Kinney.

ALL-CONFERENCE FULL LIST 1st Team:

Shayla Rautenberg......................................... Milford Paige Tietjen.......................................Thayer Central Ashlynn Miller................................................ Milford Emma Fisher.......................................... Sandy Creek Abby Crabtree................................................ Milford 2nd Team:

Isabella Peters............................................Tri County Kambri Andel.............................................David City Micah Friesen............................................... Fairbury Madison Shaw....................................... Sandy Creek Kyla Griess.......................................................Sutton 3rd Team:

Marley Olson.............................................Centennial Ava Brueggemann..............................Thayer Central Piper Havel.......................................... Thayer Central Claire Schnuelle..........................................Tri County Isabella Trejo...................................................Sutton Honorable Mention: Carrigan Rempe, Sandy Creek; Jadlynn Kinney, Sutton; Cheyenne Tonniges, Centennial; Sadie Nicolas, David City; Evelyn Timmons, Fairbury; Ali Nichols, Fillmore Central; Sophie Minary, H&H; Kylie Jakub, Milford; Maddi Bargen, Superior; Leah Havel, Thayer Central; Brooke Morgan, Tri County; and Kariss Rosenthal, Wilber-Clatonia.

Mustang track cashes in for 8 medals at the Doane Indoor

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 06:00:03 -0500

Sutton’s boys track team ventured to Crete to open the 2026 season at the Doane University Indoor meet, held Thursday, March 19.

In all, the Mustangs brought home six medals on the track and two more in field events.

Senior Keith Kliewer paced Sutton’s track events, winning the 400-meter dash with a time of 55.36 seconds, edging out Shelton’s Mateo Rodriguez by just under six-tenths of a second for the win.

Kliewer then spurred on a two-medal performance for Sutton in the 200-meter dash with a second-place finish in a time of 25.03 seconds, while teammate, junior Creighton Jones placed sixth with a time of 25.58 seconds.

McCool Junction’s Colby Yates claimed gold in the race with a time of 24.45 seconds.

Kliewer also joined forces with Jones, freshman Dominic Ayala, and sophomore Rexx Meyer to claim the runner-up spot in the 4x400-meter relay with a time of 3:56.6. Fullerton edged out the Mustang four for the win, finishing the four-lap relay with a time of 3:56.08.

The final track medal came from freshman Kyler Ely in the 3200-meter run with a fifth-place finish with his time of 12 minutes, 42.7 seconds.

Event winner, Cole Haahr of Kenesaw won with a time of 11:12.99.

In field event action, sophomore Max Huxoll claimed gold in the long jump with a leap of 19’ 11.5” to edge out Lewiston jumper, Cashton Steinacher, by just over six inches, as Steinacher placed second with a 19’ 5.25” leap.

Freshman Kellen Ebert placed sixth overall in the pole vault with a vault of 9-feet. Event winner, Casper Mertz of McCool Junction, claimed gold with an 11-foot vault.

Freshman Mason Ehly placed sixth overall in the discus, hitting the 108’ 2” mark to earn the medal. Nebraska City Lourdes’ Justus Kreifels earned top honors with a hefty throw of 153’ 7.”

Giltner/Harvard girls wrap up 2025-26 season with 13-10 record

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 06:00:02 -0500

The Giltner/Harvard girls basketball team opened the 2025-26 basketball season, winning five of their eight December games, including making a championship run in the Wilcox-Hildreth Holiday Tournament.

G/H opened at 1-3 with losses to Franklin, Axtell, and Dorchester, while defeating Palmer in that early stretch.

Wins over High Plains and Grand Island Lutheran then led the girls to the two-game sweep of Wauneta-Palisade and Kenesaw in the W-H tournament, ending December with a 5-3 record.

January started like gangbusters, defeating H&H, Gibbon, and College View Academy, before losing three straight to Red Cloud, Kenesaw, and Silver Lake.

To finalize January, G/H reeled off three straight wins over Blue Hill, Deshler, and Elba.

In Twin Valley Conference tournament play, G/H was 1-3, opening with a 44-35 win over Kenesaw, before Silver Lake (46-35) and Red Cloud (59-42) defeated the G/H girls.

The regular season closed with a 40-30 win over Lawrence- Nelson and a 60-20 loss to Shelton.

Ord ended the Giltner/ Harvard season in the first round of the C2-6 Sub-District tournament at Hastings St. Cecilia with a 58-29 victory.

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS Four girls scored over 100 points on the year, led by Peyton Schutt with 273 points, an average of 11.9 points per game. Tabi Forney tallied 217 points to average 9.7 points per game, Avery Reeson added 176 points overall, while Chloe Consbruck hit for 105 points.

Schutt and Forney also led in rebounds, with Schutt gaining 228, and Forney, 114. Consbruck also pulled down 102 boards.

Forney paced the team with 78 assists and 71 steals.

2025-26 SCHEDULE

Franklin.........................................................L 36-28 Palmer........................................................ W 62-30 Axtell............................................................L 53-37 Dorchester.....................................................L 45-42 High Plains Community............................... W 54-45 Grand Island Lutheran................................. W 55-47 Wilcox-Hildreth Holiday Tournament Wauneta-Palisade................................ W 42-41 Kenesaw............................................... W 35-30 H&H............................................................ W 69-63 Gibbon........................................................ W 54-37 College View Academy................................ W 44-34 Red Cloud......................................................L 56-32 Kenesaw.......................................................L 49-38 Silver Lake.....................................................L 44-31 Blue Hill...................................................... W 37-18 Deshler........................................................ W 56-50 Elba............................................................. W 61-38 Twin Valley Conference Tournament

Kenesaw............................................... W 44-35 Silver Lake..............................................L 46-35 Red Cloud...............................................L 59-42 Lawrence-Nelson........................................ W 40-30 Shelton.........................................................L 60-20 C2-6 Sub-District Tournament

Ord.........................................................L 58-29

Stampede Boosters to host 2026 banquet Saturday

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 06:00:15 -0500

As the Stampede Booster Club prepares for their second annual banquet this coming Saturday night, March 21, board members of the club have announced that during the 2025-26 school year, the boosters, and their many members have once again stood tall in their efforts to support the extra curricular and athletic programs at Sutton Public Schools.

The banquet begins at 5 p.m. this Saturday with a happy hour time, followed by a steak dinner beginning at 6 p.m.

Entertainment will begin at 7 p.m., featuring comedian/ magician Gayle Becwar, with a live auction to follow the entertaiment at around 8 p.m. All activities will be held at the Sutton Community Center in downtown Sutton.

Tickets are limited, but tickets are $50 each, or a table of eight is $350.

Donkey basketball coming to Harvard March 26

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 06:00:14 -0500

The Harvard Children’s Memorial Garden and their members will be hosting a special fundraising event at Harvard High School beginning at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 26.

Donkey basketball will be at the center stage of the event, brought to Harvard by Dairyland Donkey Ball of Chippewa Falls, WI.

Tickets for the special night are on sale now at the Cornerstone Bank in Harvard, Browns Grocery Store in Sutton, or by reaching out to Laurie Jarzynka, Elaine Scheil, Misty Pair, Sandy Brophy, or Courtney Barry.

Tickets can also be purchased online at: https:// my.cheddarup.com/c/harvard- childrens-mem-dairyland- donkey-basketball-adve- sale/items.

Tickets purchased in advance are $10. Tickets at the door will be $15 each.

Clay Center Community Club set to host candidate town hall Sunday at Fairgrounds

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 06:00:11 -0500

The Clay Center Community Club in cooperation with other Clay County community groups will be hosting a candidate town hall event this Sunday, March 22, at the Clay County Fairgrounds, 701 N. Martin Ave. in Clay Center.

Doors for the town hall will open at 2:30 p.m., with the forum set to begin at 3 p.m. at the activities building on the fairgrounds.

Candidates that were invited include: at the county level, candidates in the races for assessor, clerk, treasurer, attorney, sheriff, and clerk of the district court.

City Clay Center candidates who were invited include those in the races for mayor and the city council Candidates running for the District 38 state Legislator have also been invited, as well as candidates running for the Sandy Creek School board.

Candidates were asked to RSVP. Candidates who do participate will be given five minutes to speak about themselves, and why they want the position, and their qualities.

Following all of the presentations, candidates will stand around the room so that the public can visit with them and ask questions.

Smith joins CCN staff as feature writer, photographer

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 06:00:09 -0500

Editor’s Note: Diane Smith of Sutton has joined the Clay County News staff this week as a feature writer, photographer, and news writer.

Life has a funny way of circling back.

When I lived in Sutton as a teenager from 1985 to 1988, I never imagined that decades later I would find my way back here…or that I’d be writing stories for the same local newspaper that I read back then.

But life has a way of taking you on a few adventures first.

Right before my senior year of high school I moved to Kearney, where I finished school and graduated before heading west to Oregon to start the next chapter of my life. Even so, I still proudly consider myself part of the Sutton Class of ’89, and always will.

Like most people, my path wasn’t exactly a straight line. One opportunity led to another, and eventually, life brought me to California to take care of my mom.

That chapter ended up changing everything for me.

While I was there I started my first food business, originally preparing healthy meals for my mom as we navigated her cancer diagnosis. As I was cooking for her, I realized there were a lot of other people who could use that kind of help too, and what began as something very personal slowly grew into a small business preparing meals for others.

Around that same time I began making charcuterie boards for wine clubs, which eventually led to being asked to serve as a private chef for a winery, preparing multi-course wine pairing dinners for their members.

That’s really where my love of food and hospitality took root. I discovered that cooking wasn’t just something I enjoyed doing, it was a way to connect with people. I’ve always believed that some of the best conversations, friendships, and memories happen around a table.

In 2020, when my husband retired, our whole family took a leap and moved to Mexico — Craig, our son Jamie, my mom, and me. It was one of those ideas that sounded a little crazy when we first said it out loud, but it turned into one of the most incredible, and also the most challenging, chapters of our lives.

During our time there, I owned and operated three different restaurants, each one teaching me something new about resilience, community, and what it really takes to build something from the ground up.

Running restaurants anywhere takes a lot of hard work, and Mexico was no exception. Living there also opened my eyes even more to the reality of food insecurity. It was important to me that the work I was doing in the kitchen also found ways to help people who were struggling to put food on the table. That experience strengthened something I had already discovered years earlier: food can be one of the simplest and most powerful ways to care for a community.

Eventually, life pointed us back to Nebraska.

After my mom passed away, Craig and I started thinking about what we wanted the next chapter of our lives to look like. We kept coming back to the same things: small towns, good people, and the kind of community where neighbors look out for each other.

And if I’m being completely honest, this is also where my best friends are. At a certain point in life you realize how important those friendships really are, and I missed mine. Turns out a girl needs her friends… especially the ones who will meet you for lunch, talk you through life, and still laugh at your stories.

So we came back.

These days, Craig and I live here with our son Jamie, who many of you probably know from Brown’s. One of the things we love most about being here is the rhythm of small-town life. You run into people you know at the store, cheer on the local kids whether it’s on the court, the field, the stage, or wherever their talents take them, and quickly realize there are a lot of great stories right here in our own backyard.

I also run a small local food project called Simply Joyful, where I make meals and food for the community. Simply Joyful helps fund and keep stocked The Little Free Pantry, which provides food and basic necessities to anyone in the community who might need them. It’s a simple idea, neighbors helping neighbors, but it’s one that means a lot to me.

When I’m not cooking or writing, you’ll probably find me spending time with family and friends, experimenting in the kitchen, or chasing after our two rescue dogs, Daisy and George, who make sure life is never too quiet.

What excites me most about writing for the Clay County News is getting to meet people and share their stories.

Every community has people doing interesting, inspiring, and sometimes unexpected things, and those are the stories that help connect us.

I’m especially looking forward to telling the kinds of stories that matter to the community and shine a light on the issues and people that shape life here.

I’ve always believed every person has a story, sometimes they just need someone willing to sit down and listen.

So if you see me around town, don’t be surprised if I introduce myself and start asking questions. And if you have an idea for a story, please stop me and tell me about it. Some of the best stories start with a simple conversation.

Because sometimes the best stories are the ones happening quietly, right here at home…and I can’t wait to help tell them.

Diane Smith has joined the Clay County News team as a feature writer and photographer.

Mid-America manufacturing bumps into positive territory

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 06:00:03 -0500

February 2026 Survey Highlights: • A sharp upturn in new February orders pushed the overall index into solid growth territory.

• The regional manufacturing sector shed jobs for the 11th straight month.

• The wholesale inflation gauge moved higher, further discounting the likelihood of a rate cut at the Federal Reserve’s March 17-18 meetings.

• Six of 10 supply managers reported that tariffs had caused economic damage to their firm. As reported by one supply manager, “The constant tariff volatility is not good for business.”

• Both export and import readings slumped below growth neutral.

• According to U.S. International Trade Administration (ITA) data, regional manufacturing exports for all of 2025 fell 5.4% from 2024. Likewise, the regional importation of manufactured goods sank by 4.0%. Thus, the regional trade deficit in manufactured goods increased from $5.1 billion in 2024 to $6.2 billion in 2025.

OVERALL INDEX REVIEW The Creighton University Mid-America Business Conditions Index, a leading economic indicator for the nine-state region stretching from Minnesota to Arkansas, moved above growth neutral for February to its highest level since March 2025.

OVERALL INDEX: The Business Conditions Index, which uses the identical methodology as the national Institute for Supply Management (ISM) and ranges between 0 and 100 with 50.0 representing growth neutral, increased to a solid 54.7 from 49.6 in January.

“Creighton’s latest survey indicates that a sharp upturn in new orders for the month pushed the overall index into solid growth territory,” said Ernie Goss, PhD, Director of Creighton University’s Economic Forecasting Group and the Jack A. MacAllister Chair in Regional Economics in the Heider College of Business.

The Mid-America report is produced independently of the national ISM.

EMPLOYMENT

The February employment index rose to 49.2 from January’s 47.2. February’s job reading was the 11th consecutive month that the index has fallen below growth neutral.

When asked about the impact of artificial intelligence (AI), surprisingly, 87% indicated that AI has had little impact on their firm to date.

Other comments from supply managers in February:

• “The constant tariff volatility is not good for business. Worse, the interpretation by the authorities on what is included, and what is not, adds significantly more angst.”

• “AI is real and coming and will be beneficial for our people.”

• “Tariffs and AI are longterm issues that affect all but are difficult to quantify short term.”

• “Business outlook is strong due to continued AI infrastructure demand.”

• “AI has caused problems of people being represented for work, but in reality, it was someone trying to defraud us or a vendor.”

WHOLESALE PRICES

The February price gauge climbed to 60.2 from January’s 58.2. “While the Creighton regional price gauge and the national ISM wholesale price index have somewhat moderated, both indicate manufacturing price levels remain elevated and undermine any chances of a rate cut at the Federal Reserve’s rate-setting committee meetings on March 17-18,” said Goss.

CONFIDENCE

Looking ahead six months, economic optimism, as captured by the February Business Confidence Index, declined to 57.2 from 59.3 in January. Moderating wholesale inflation over the last several months and a significant boost to new orders in February pushed confidence higher.

INVENTORIES

The regional inventory index, reflecting levels of raw materials and supplies, rose to 52.8 from 45.5 in January.

Six of 10 supply managers reported that tariffs had caused economic damage to their firm. As reported by one supply manager, “The constant tariff volatility is not good for business.”

TRADE

Recent retaliation from higher U.S. tariffs and trade restrictions pushed new export orders, or purchases from abroad, lower for the last six months. The new export orders index rose to 47.2 from 45.4 in January. As a result of record imports for the first two months of 2025 and higher import prices, supply managers pulled back on purchasing from abroad in the last 12 months. The February import index rose to 42.5 from 38.2 in January.

According to U.S. International Trade Administration (ITA) data, the regional economy exported $90.8 billion of manufactured goods for all of 2025, compared to $96.1 billion for 2024, for a 5.4% decline. Likewise, the regional importation of manufactured goods fell from $101.2 billion in 2024 to $97.1 billion, for a 4.0% decline. Thus, the regional trade deficit in manufactured goods increased from $5.1 billion in 2024 to $6.2 billion in 2025.

Other survey components of the February Business Conditions Index were: new orders increased to 59.3 from 48.8 in January; the production index climbed to 56.7 from January’s 52.1; and the speed of deliveries of raw materials and supplies rose to 55.5 from January’s 54.4. Higher readings indicate slowing delivery speed and/ or rising supply chain disruptions or delays.

The Creighton Economic Forecasting Group has conducted the monthly survey of supply managers in nine states since 1994 to produce leading economic indicators of the Mid-America economy. States included in the survey are Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.

STATE REPORTS

NEBRASKA: The state’s February Business Conditions Index improved to a weak regional low of 47.7 from January’s 44.6. Components of the index from the monthly survey of supply managers for February were: new orders at 51.6; production at 57.4; delivery lead time at 47.8; inventories at 33.3; and employment at 48.5. According to U.S. ITA data, Nebraska exported $6.2 billion of manufactured goods for all of 2025, compared to $7.0 billion for 2024, for an 11.3% decline. On the other hand, Nebraska’s importation of manufactured goods climbed from $5.6 billion in 2024 to $7.5 billion in 2025, for a 32.6% increase.

IOWA: The state’s Business Conditions Index for February climbed to 53.5 from January’s 49.1. Components of the overall February index were: new orders at 56.0; production at 68.9; delivery lead time at 54.2; employment at 47.8; and inventories at 50.3. According to U.S. ITA data, Iowa exported $13.6 billion of manufactured goods for all of 2025, compared to $15.0 billion for 2024, for a 9.3% decline. Likewise, Iowa’s importation of manufactured goods fell from $11.6 billion in 2024 to $10.9 billion in 2025, for a 5.8% decline.

KANSAS: The Kansas Business Conditions Index for February increased to 52.9 from 48.2 in January. Components of the leading economic indicators from the monthly survey of supply managers for February were: new orders at 58.8; production at 55.6; delivery lead time at 53.7; employment at 47.8; and inventories at 48.8. According to U.S. ITA data, Kansas exported $12.6 billion of manufactured goods for all of 2025, compared to $12.7 billion for 2024, for a 1.0% decline. Likewise, Kansas’ importation of manufactured goods fell from $12.6 billion in 2024 to $11.7 billion in 2025, for a 7.0% decline.

SOUTH DAKOTA: The February Business Conditions Index for South Dakota dipped to 52.5 from 52.8 in January. Components of the overall February index were: new orders at 59.5; production at 57.5; delivery lead time at 46.5; inventories at 56.2; and employment at 43.0. According to U.S. ITA data, South Dakota exported $1.6 billion of manufactured goods for all of 2025, compared to $1.9 billion for 2024, for a 15.1% decline. Likewise, South Dakota’s importation of manufactured goods sank from $1.5 billion in 2024 to $1.4 billion in 2025, for a 10.0% decline.

City of Clay Center is honored as the 2026 best tasting drinking water in the state

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 06:00:00 -0500

The Nebraska Rural Water held their annual conference in Kearney March 9-11. Many city employees from the state gathered at the Younes Conference Center ready to learn about a variety of topics related to public water systems.

What is a public water system?

Public Water systems provide water for human consumption through pipes or other constructed conveyances to at least 15 service connections or serve an average of at least 25 people for at least 60 days a year.

A public water system can be publicly or privately owned. The Nebraska Rural Water Association (NeRWA), in Wahoo is a nonprofit organization that supports rural water systems across Nebraska by providing training, technical aid, and resources for safe and reliable water management.

NeRWA offers training, seminars, and information on water and wastewater management to its members. This includes over 577 municipal and rural water districts. Our local town-city employees in Clay County have been represented by attending this conference throughout the years. During the conference a, “State of Nebraska best tasting drinking water” contest is held.

Each city has the option to participate by bringing a one-gallon water sample, collected prior to any treatment, from one of its municipal wells to the conference for judging. A panel of four judges evaluates the samples across six different categories.

The water samples are placed in clean drinking glasses. The water panelist follows the criteria of appearance of water must be clear and bright, Aroma of no scent, Taste is clean and refreshing, Mouth feel is feeling of light, not heavy, and after a taste of leaving a “wanting more feeling.”

This year, the City of Clay Center, Kevin Thompson, attended the Nebraska Rural Water Association Annual Conference. Thompson and other attendees entered the city drinking water samples and patiently waited for the results.

The first-place winner of the 2026 State of Nebraska best-tasting drinking water is …Clay Center. Job well done! The next step for the best tasting water level is Nationals which will be sometime in 2027.

Pillen issues statewide burning ban

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 06:00:00 -0500

Ban is in affect until at least Friday, March 27

Governor Jim Pillen is issuing a statewide burn ban, to help reduce the potential for additional wildfires in Nebraska. Dry and windy conditions have caused the spread of significant fires in the central and western parts of the state.

Gov. Pillen issued an emergency proclamation activating the deployment of state resources to help combat fires, including the use of aircraft and personnel from the Nebraska National Guard.

The Governor’s executive order prohibiting burning will remain in effect until 11:59 p.m. on March 27.

Governor Jim Pillen issued an emergency proclamation to unlock state resources and support the response to multiple wildfires in central and western Nebraska that have burned hundreds of thousands of acres of land across multiple counties and resulted in evacuations in nearby communities. Roadways have also been closed due to low visibility.

“These fires present a significant and active danger, given current weather conditions,” Gov. Pillen said. “Anyone living within proximity to current wildfires are urged to heed communications issued by local authorities, including their respective county emergency management agencies.”

The Nebraska Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has received 24 reports of wildfires in the past 24 hours. Major fires that are being tracked include the following: The Road 203 Fire south of the communities of Halsey and Dunning within the Nebraska National Forest. Due to its location, this fire is currently being managed by federal authorities.

The Lincoln County Fire (Cottonwood Fire) south of I-80, near Brady and Gothenburg.

The Morrill County Fire north of Nebraska Highway 92, between Crescent Lake National Wildlife Refuge and Lake McConaughy.

The Anderson Bridge Fire west of Valentine.

The Governor and his team have been closely monitoring these fires, which significantly worsened late yesterday with continued severe wind conditions across Nebraska. The fires have grown beyond the capacity of local wildland fire responders and firefighters.

Acting overnight, Gov. Pillen ordered the activation and deployment of multiple state assets and resources in response to the fires. Fire response actions include:

• Authorizing the deployment of 26 Nebraska National Guard soldiers and airmen to assist local fire crews.

• Ordering the deployment of a fixed-wing fire suppression aircraft for fire suppression.

• Ordering the deployment of a Nebraska Army National Guard helicopter and crew to support local firefighters with quick and targeted aerial water drops, particularly in areas where ground response capabilities are limited.

• Ordering the deployment of a Nebraska Army and Air National Guard firefighting hand crew to support local firefighters.

• Ordering several Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) road graders to Oshkosh and surrounding areas. This heavy equipment will assist with creating fire breaks to slow the growth of existing wildfires and contain them.

• Activating a Complex Incident Management Team (CIMT) for consolidated management of the Morrill County and Lincoln County fires, which have exceeded 300,000 acres and 50,000 acres, respectively.

• Activating the State Emergency Operations Center to provide centralized interagency coordination and monitoring at NEMA headquarters in Lincoln.

In addition to the items above, the Nebraska State Patrol has been assisting with evacuations and traffic control in specific affected areas.

Snow showers fall in much of Clay County Sunday

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 06:00:00 -0500

Snow showers fall in much of Clay County Sunday

Sutton Christian School hosts grandparents day

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 06:00:00 -0500

The Sutton Christian School recently hosted their annual grandparents day. In the photo above, Dave and Sue Ehly spend some time with their grandkids, as well as the Clark kids during the event. In the photo at the left, Marcie Van Kirk reads a book with her grandson Mills Ehmen during the special day. LILY GRIESS | CLAY COUNTY NEWS

New inductees named to the Sutton Honor Society Monday night

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 06:00:00 -0500

New inductees named to the Sutton Honor Society Monday night

Parrish, Roemmich among regional winners in K of C Contest

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 06:00:00 -0500

Parrish, Roemmich among regional winners in K of C Contest

Nebraska Agriculture is Building the Future! Celebrating National Ag Week March 15-21

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 06:00:00 -0500

As Nebraska’s Director of Agriculture, and a rancher myself, it is a distinct honor and privilege to celebrate National Agriculture Week each year. This annual recognition is a time to celebrate and thank our hardworking farmers, ranchers, agribusiness professionals, educators and innovators who power our state’s economy, so we can feed and fuel the world. With one in four jobs directly related to agriculture in Nebraska, it is our state’s largest industry.

Youth outreach is an integral part of our work here at NDA and this year’s poster contest theme, Agriculture: Building the Future, really rings true. Agriculture is not just about sustaining the present, it is about innovating, investing and working together to create a stronger, more resilient tomorrow for everyone. From Omaha, that is home to great transportation, technology, insurance and financial companies that serve our agricultural commodities, to our corn and soybean fields in eastern Nebraska, to the cattle operations and the western rangelands, our producers and entrepreneurs are leading the way in sustainable practices, cutting-edge technology, processing and forward-thinking stewardship.

Our farmers and ranchers are building the future in remarkable ways now. With new seed technologies guided by precision agricultural tools from planting to harvest they are using data analytics to optimize yields while conserving water and inputs. Our firstclass ethanol industry with carbon capture abilities continues to advance renewable fuels supporting energy independence, affordability and clean air.

Recent investments in soybean processing exemplifies progress and surging demand for renewable fuels. Soybean oil from these crush facilities serves as the base feedstock for biodiesel, renewable diesel and other clean energy solutions. These state-of-the-art plants process millions of additional bushels annually, creating local markets for our growers, supporting good paying jobs and delivering value added products right here at home.

This progress ties directly into the truly world class circular economy found uniquely here in Nebraska. The ethanol industry transforms corn into high octane, clean burning fuel while returning about a third of each bushel as distillers grain, a high protein, high energy perfect feed for livestock.

Complementing this, the expanded soybean crush produces high quality soybean meal, a premier protein source for Nebraska livestock. Our state leads in production of the best tasting protein choices in our beef, pork and poultry products.

All of this equals a bright opportunity for our youth and the future. Those interested in learning more about a career in agriculture should check out the premier program offered by NDA, the Nebraska Ag Youth Institute. NAYI is a weeklong program for high school juniors and seniors hosted through generous donations where the infinite possibilities of careers in agriculture can be explored. For more information along with an application for NAYI visit www.nda. nebraska.gov/NAYI. The deadline to apply for NAYI 2026 is April 15.

As we mark this week, please take a moment for gratitude and reflect on how agriculture touches every aspect of your daily life: the food on your table, the fuel in your vehicle and the jobs that support so many families. Take time to thank a farmer or rancher and ask them about their Nebraska ag story.

Together, we are building the future, one harvest, one innovation and one generation at a time. Nebraska’s ag community is resilient, adaptive and forward leaning and I am honored to serve alongside you.

Sutton council approves SCH variance, approves repeal of private airstrip zoning district

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 06:00:10 -0500

Members of Sutton’s City Council had a number of hot ticket items to discuss during its March 9 meeting this past Monday night, leading off the meeting with the approval of a variance for the Sutton Community Home, as the facility begins the construction of a new 1,100 square foot therapy building on the east side of the nursing home.

The approval of the variance allows the home to encroach four feet, two inches into the 15-foot setback to make room for the construction on the new addition.

The long-discussed, and oftentimes, stressful discussion of a new private airstrip overlay (PAO) zoning district is officially over for the City of Sutton.

During Monday night’s meeting, council members heard that the city’s planning and zoning committee voted to repeal the adoption of the zoning district, and confirmed the repeal with a vote to strike down the zoning district, ending discussion for the need of a PAO with a unanimous vote to repeal ordinance 438 that would have placed several restrictions regarding the height of any new construction throughout the Sutton city limits.

VPR DISCUSSION

City leaders had discussions with two property owners in Sutton, including Juan and Carol Garcia, and Janie Bautista.

Both parties whose properties, located at 105 N. Way Ave., and 203 S. Maltby have been on the vacant property registry for a few years pleaded with the council to work with them to let them not only pay off the liens set against the properties in the amount of $6,250, but to also give them time to continue to make improvements at each location, or start work to improve them.

In the end, council members gave each property owner three months to not only pay off the lien fees, but to also make improvements to each property, giving the city the discretion to either move forward with foreclosure options, or to remove the properties from the VPR if positive progress is made on each.

SUPERVISOR CONTRACTS Council members approved two supervisor contracts related the DLD Park ballfields Monday.

Monte Lemkau was approved to continue as the DLD Supervisor from March through Oct. 31 this year in the amount of $22,500, while Robin Griess was retained as the concession stand supervisor at a rate of $9,500.

Lemkau received a $3,500 raise from a year ago, while Griess received a $1,000 pay raise from last season.

MOWING BIDS

Gibson Lawn Services was awarded the 2026 mowing bid contract with the City of Sutton to mow eight city owned properties to aid the city’s summer mowing schedule.

Blake Gibson, owner of the operation, was the lone entity of five total bidding operations in attendance, and was unanimously awarded the bid for each of the eight locations.

IN OTHER BUSINESS City leaders briefly discussed the need to update the city’s building, and building regulation codes, and chose to look over the proposal from city administrator Warren Myers for a month and potentially take action during the April 13 council meeting.

Council members approved a lease agreement with the Macqueen Equipment Group to lease a 2019 street sweeper from the business to replace the current used sweeper that has brought many repair bills to the city.

The lease agreement for the street sweeper comes with a five-year annual lease payment of $40,500, or a total cost of $175,000, with payment dates for each of the next five years set to be made each Oct. 1 for the next five years.

With the summer baseball and softball season looming in the coming weeks and months, Sutton council members approved two contracts for supervisors at DLD Park this year, including Monte Lemkau as the DLD Park supervisor, and Robin Griess to serve as the concession stand supervisor for the 2026 summer season. TORY DUNCAN | CLAY COUNTY NEWS

Russ Prochaska retires from Fairfield’s Landmark JD dealership

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 06:00:09 -0500

Russ Prochaska attended the University of Nebraska School of Technical Agriculture in Curtis.

While at Norfolk completing his internship program, Prochaska applied for a job opening at what is currently Landmark Implement Fairfield and planted his roots in Fairfield.

For Prochaska, during the 42 years of working on farm equipment, the Implement dealership has had several name changes, but the determination of helping the customers has always been his biggest accomplishment.

The biggest challenge has been continuing education, staying up to date with the programming technology.

Prochaska has seen the farm industry evolve from the basic “start and go” tractors to programmed tractors with all computers.

All equipment has one basic part, it is all mechanical. Once that part is recognized, most everything else for repairs will fall into place. When working on farm equipment, Prochaska has always held on to the thought process of “learn as you go.” Prochaska and his wife Judy, live in Fairfield. They have four children and several grandchildren.

What future plans are in store for Prochaska? He and Judy plan to attend more of their grandchildren’s activities. Prochaska also has several various projects to complete.

A retirement celebration for Prochaska was held at Fairfield Landmark John Deere Implement on Friday, March 6, to honor the appreciation for his 42 years of commitment.

Prochaska

Grafton VFD holds annual Pancake feed Sunday, March 8

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 06:00:08 -0500

The Grafton Volunteer Fire Department and Rescue Squad hosted their annual pancake feed and fundraiser Sunday, March 8 at the fire hall. As one can tell in the top photo a large gathering filled the fire hall for pancakes, sausage, and conversation during the event. In the photo at the left, Jeff Timmermann is busy flipping the pancakes to serve to the guests attending the feed. TORY DUNCAN | CLAY COUNTY NEWS

AARP Nebraska’s March scam watch alerts

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 06:00:07 -0500

Your Monthly Guide to Spotting, Avoiding, and Reporting Scams

Fraud is widely underreported in this country, often because people don’t realize it’s a crime, feel embarrassed, or aren’t sure where to report it.

If a scam involves your financial institution, contact your bank right away, as they may be able to stop or reverse transactions or freeze your account. You can also file a report with local law enforcement to create an official record that may help with future restitution and assist police in identifying patterns.

Scams can be reported to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov, which uses the information to track trends. Finally, consider sharing your experience with lawmakers, including local legislators, your state attorney general, and Members of Congress, so they understand the impact of fraud on constituents and can take action to address it.

NEW RULE MAY ADD SURGE OF IRS IMPOSTER SCAMS: IRS impostor scams tend to spike during tax season, and a new change in how refunds are issued could create added confusion and opportunities for scammers.

Starting this year, the IRS will only issue tax refunds electronically as the federal government moves away from paper checks. Changes like this are often used by scammers to make their messages sound more believable.

Scammers impersonating the IRS may contact you claiming they need your banking information to “update your refund details” because of the new rule. Know that the IRS generally will not call, text, or email you. Rather, the agency will send a letter to the taxpayer’s last known address explaining next steps or requesting additional information.

If you’re unsure whether a message is legitimate, don’t engage. Instead, confirm your tax refund or payment status by contacting the IRS directly using a trusted phone number from an official IRS letter, or by logging in to your IRS Online Account if you have one.

WE’LL BUY YOUR HOME ADS AND MAILERS: If you own a home, you’ve probably received a solicitation saying, “We want to buy your house.” The offer may sound appealing, but it’s often not in your best interest.

These sell‑your‑home schemes often target older homeowners who are likely to have significant home equity. The bad actors search public records for foreclosure filings, divorces, or recent deaths to identify homeowners who may be under financial or emotional stress.

They frequently rely on high‑pressure sales tactics and misleading claims, including misrepresenting the value of your home, exaggerating market conditions to create a false sense of urgency, or even suggesting you may owe back taxes.

Even promises to buy homes “as is” can be misleading. In some cases, buyers later back out of that pledge and demand repairs before completing the sale, leaving the seller responsible for costly fixes after all.

If you’re thinking about working with a “We Buy Homes” company, know the true value of your home, understand what you’re signing, and get legal advice before moving forward.

TAKE PART IN A FREE EVENT DURING AARP FRAUD PREVENTION MONTH: Scams are everywhere today, from fake texts and emails to nonstop phone calls, and the damage is devastating. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Americans lost as much as $196 billion to financial fraud in 2024, with older adults losing as much as $81.5 billion.

This April, AARP is mounting a nationwide Fraud Prevention Month, through which volunteers across the country will host hundreds of free local events that offer practical ways to stay informed, safe, and connected.

You can also join AARP from the comfort of your home on April 15 for a special fraud prevention broadcast on RFD‑TV and online, or pick up the phone for a nationwide Tele‑Town Hall with AARP fraud experts on April 30. Learn more at aarp.org/ FraudSafety.

Fraud affects every generation, and the AARP Fraud Watch Network™ is helping people fight back one community at a time. By learning together and sharing information, we can better protect one another.

Learn how to spot and avoid scams with the AARP Fraud Watch Network™. If you suspect a scam, call the free Helpline at 877‑908‑3360 to speak with a trained fraud specialist about what to do next. To get biweekly Watch‑dog Alerts with updates on new scams and how to avoid them, text “FWN” to 50757 to sign up.