The City of West Point last week received approval from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) for the plans and specifications for the city’s water filter system, piping and backwash discharge at the water treatment plant.

If all goes as planned, construction of the Nebraska Department of Transportation’s $119.6 million US-275 West Point to Scribner expressway project could begin in the spring of 2021, about two years later than NDOT officials promised in 2018.

Members of the public will have an opportunity to meet the new president of Northeast Community College during an event next week in West Point.

Andrew Soll of Bancroft, and Jody Woldt, Wisner, were honored as the 2019 Cuming County Mutual Aid Firefighter and EMT of the Year, respectively.

West Point Public Schools’ Board of Education heard progress reports on student tests at its January meeting last week, and the news was positive.

January is mentor appreciation month, and local TeamMates members took the opportunity to host a Chamber Coffee to promote their cause.

Even if a new plan to reduce local property taxes gets its legs in this year’s Nebraska Legislature, District 16 Senator Ben Hansen says it’s still time to consider tax reform, not just property tax reduction.

A discrepancy between state and federal laws when it comes to the minimum age to buy  tobacco and tobacco-related products is causing some confusion among retailers and consumers in Nebraska.

Northeast Community College has selected Carla Streff as its new director of its extended campus operation in West Point.

Those who wish to get an early jump on the 2020 primary are now able to request an early ballot by mail.

Like it or not, 2020 brings with it another election year. 

A public meeting and open house will be held Wednesday,  Jan. 15, from 6 - 8:30 p.m. at Mohr Auditorium in Scribner to update area residents on the U.S. highway 275 expressway project.

The Nebraska FFA Alumni & Supporters will hold their annual convention and awards banquet in Cuming County on January 24 & 25. 

Even though it wasn’t on the agenda, West Point’s ongoing issue with high manganese levels in the city water was the main topic of discussion at last night’s (Tuesday) City Council meeting.

The land market in 2019 continued the plateau trend of the past several years during which the supply of agricultural land for sale on the market remained lower than average and prices for good quality cropland held mostly steady. 

Feeding more protein than cattle need can get expensive.  According to Bruce Anderson, Extension Forage Specialist, alfalfa can be a less expensive protein source, especially if you feed just enough alfalfa to provide the protein your animals need.

Stress caused by last spring’s catastrophic flooding is still a part of many northeast Nebraskans’ lives, according to a representative of the Nebraska Strong Recovery Project.

A strong flu season nationwide has made its way to West Point, which has already seen a 10 percent increase in flu cases over last year’s season, according to local health officials.

 As 2020 approaches, many farmers across the state are breathing a collective sigh of relief as one of the most challenging years in recent memory is drawing to a close. Extreme weather throughout 2019, stagnant farm incomes, EPA’s waivers to oil refiners and trade disputes have led to a yea…

Peru State associate athletic director/sports information director Ted  Harshbarger recently announced the hiring of Jared Schroedter as a graduate assistant (GA). 

Health care as an issue landed with a thud in late December as members of Congress packed up and went home for the holidays. Two important pieces of legislation for patients didn’t make it to the finish line. 

Internet services at West Point’s John A. Stahl Library have again been upgraded thanks to the E-Rate program.

Each year Central Valley Ag (CVA) Cooperative selects applicators to receive The Applicator of the Year award. 

Cuming County U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) announced that Cassandra Guenther of Bancroft was elected to represent her local administrative area (LAA) during the recent county committee election. 

 Small business owners and managers, aspiring business owners, and community partners are invited to Coffee Tables for the Cuming and Burt counties area. 

Cuming County’s Board of Supervisors discussed whether to keep the county surveyor’s job an elected position or give voters a chance to make it an appointed job, but took no action on that agenda item when it met Friday.

Starting next fall, Cuming County may have a truancy officer to help address truancy and absenteeism by students that attend schools in the county. The Board of Supervisors on Friday took no action, but generally agreed to the position provided it is funded by a grant.

Cuming County’s Board of Supervisors will get a review of the proposed changes to the county’s rural zoning regulations at a special meeting Feb. 10. The board agreed to the meeting Friday morning when it met for its final meeting of 2019.

An upcoming Nebraska Extension workshop will help farmers develop marketing plans for 2020. 

Nebraska feedlots, with capacities of 1,000 or more head, contained 2.48 million cattle on feed on December 1, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. This inventory was down 5 percent from last year. 

Northeast Community College in Norfolk will offer another intensive six-week Professional Truck Driving course beginning in early January.

Moisture, high winds, and cold temperatures increase the cow’s energy requirements. Cows in an optimal body condition score (BCS 5 to 6) are better able to withstand adverse environmental conditions. 

All area students in third through eighth grade are invited to participate in an upcoming theatre camp, sponsored by the Northeast Community College Drama Club.

New facilities to replace nearly 100 year-old buildings will be constructed at Northeast Community College. 

In hopes of attracting more students to apply for the Lois Wegner Memorial Scholarship, the Cuming County Board of Supervisors’ committee overseeing the funds has made a change in who can apply.

One possible change in the Cuming County Planning Commission’s proposed update of the rural zoning regulations will have an impact on the number of animal units that can be part of a livestock feeding operation (LFO) in the Transitional Agriculture (TA-1) areas.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Omaha District, has prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to analyze the direct, indirect, and cumulative effects of the proposed US-275) West Point to Scribner Expressway Project proposed by the Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT).

The Cuming County Courthouse will be open Dec. 31 but will close for New Year’s Day, Wednesday, Jan. 1.