News from Neighbors
Biesemeier to serve as grand marshal for ‘So God Made A Farmer’ Corn Festival
HAXTUN-FLEMING HERALD, March 28 — The Haxtun Chamber of Commerce has announced 2018 Corn Festival details in preparation for the 97th annual event slated for Saturday, Sept. 29, in downtown Haxtun.
The 2018 grand marshal honoree, Bud Biesemeier, was selected by those who serve on the Corn Festival committee. The committee voted from a list of those who were nominated over the past few months.
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Venango Public School listed on National Register of Historical Places
GRANT TRIBUNE-SENTINEL, March 28 — Venango Public School has recently been listed on the National Register of Historical Places.
The school, located at 201 E. Washington St., in Venango, Nebraska, was built in 1921 and holds much history and many memories for many people.
During the school year of 1911-12, five students began first grade in Venango in a white-framed schoolhouse. School consolidation in 1918 required the building of the larger brick school in 1921.
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Police Chief Adam Srsen resigns post
WRAY GAZETTE, March 28 — Less than a week after three former Wray Police Department officers came forward to voice their concerns to the Wray City Council regarding the direction of the Wray Police Department, Police Chief Adam Srsen has tendered his resignation.
City Manager James DePue told The Gazette late last week that Srsen had resigned from his position as chief of police and has been replaced, at least temporarily, by long-time Wray police officer Kevin White, who will serve as interim chief.
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Skatepark gets $10,000 grant from Tony Hawk
IMPERIAL REPUBLICAN, March 22 — Fundraising for the new Imperial, Nebraska, skatepark got a big boost this month with a $10,000 grant from the Tony Hawk Foundation.
Foundation program manager Alec Beck delivered the news to Team Hot Wheels during a recent Skype call.
The grant helped move the skatepark fundraising to within $20,000 of its goal.
Originally, the design for the park started at $150,000. Since then, the team added some extra features to the park, taking the total to just under $199,000.
Construction of the park, which will be built on the site of the old swimming pool in Campbell Park, is set to begin in mid-April.
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Peetz preschool expansion on hold
STERLING JOURNAL-ADVOCATE, March 23 — A preschool expansion at Peetz School has been put on hold for now, as the district waits to see what kind of an impact the sale of Cabela’s to Bass Pro, in Sidney, Nebraska, will have on its enrollment. The decision to hold off was agreed on at a regular school board meeting Tuesday.
According to Superintendent Mark Collard, the preschool has been running “full to the rafters” the last three or four years, leading the district to contemplate opening another room to increase the capacity the preschool can handle.
However, following discussions with preschool staff and district administration, it was decided to hold off on the expansion, which would require at least a one-month commitment, to see what enrollment will look like next year, given the situation in neighboring Sidney, where Peetz pulls several students from.
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Akron receives $170,000 GOCO grant for fishing pond project
AKRON NEWS-REPORTER, March 21 — The Great Outdoors Colorado Board awarded the Town of Akron a $170,000 grant to build a new fishing pond. The project was one of 14 selected for funding from a pool of 59, with funding requested more than triple what was available.
With the help of the GOCO Local Park and Outdoor Recreation grant, Akron will be able to replace its fishing pond, which has degraded to the point of no longer sustaining a healthy fish population. The pond is the community’s only local fishing spot and was once a popular destination, but the town has seen a 90 percent decrease in anglers as water seeped out of the pond.
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