News

Sandy Creek and Harvard High School held their annual graduation commencement ceremonies Saturday, May 4. In all, Sandy Creek graduates totalled 29 students, while Harvard had 16 head into the next stages of their lives.

Above, left: Harvard’s valedictorian Zahna Reutzel, addressed her classmates and those attending the Harvard ceremony. Also pictured, to the left of Reutzel is Harvard salutatorian, Taylor Braun.

Above, right: Sandy Creek’s valedictorian, Lexi Shuck shares her commencement address during Saturday afternoon’s service at Sandy Creek High School.

Left: Harvard School Board President, Janet Hachtel presents Randy Chrisman with his diploma during the Hervard ceremony.

Right: Karlee Sherman hugs family members and friends during Sandy Creek’s ceremony Saturday afternoon.

Groundwater levels in much of Nebraska continue to decline after several years of prolonged drought, according to the most recent statewide groundwater level report from the Conservation and Survey Division in the University of Nebraska– Lincoln’s School of Natural Resources.

Of the 4,822 wells measured statewide, 85 percent exhibited declines from spring 2022 to spring 2023.

Groundwater level changes in Nebraska are impacted by withdrawals, primarily for irrigation, and the amount of recharge from precipitation.

The hotter and drier a growing season is, the less water is available for aquifer recharge and the more water is required for supplemental irrigation, thus, groundwater levels decline. Conversely, in years of above-average precipitation, more rainfall leads to greater recharge, less pumping is required for irrigation, and groundwater levels rise.

Members of the Sutton Community Home Foundation, and the Sutton Community Home Board of Directors, together with the staff and administration of the home are gearing up for the kickoff of a capital campaign to raise funding to be used for the administration, renovation, and addition to the Sutton home.

The open house kickoff event is slated to begin at 5 p.m. at the Fox Hollow Golf Course, Tuesday, May 21, with a short program planned to begin at 5:40 p.m.

Those attending will hear from members of both boards, along with Jeff Ahl, the construction manager, and architect of the $5.5 renovation and addition.

Additionally, a financial advisor, Tyler Williams, with Waddell & Reed of Geneva, will be on hand during the meeting to talk with people about how people can best provide a gift to the campaign.

In a press release, issued by the Nebraska Attorney General’s office Wednesday, April 24, Anthony A. Mattison, a 35 year-old-man from Osceola has been charged in Clay County Court for the murder of Jasmine Garnett, which occurred in September of 2022 outside Harvard. Garnett was found deceased Oct. 5, 2022. Mattison is charged with one count of first-degree murder, a Class I or IA felony; one count of use of a firearm to commit a felony, a Class IC felony; one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, a Class ID felony; and one count of improper disposal of human skeletal remains, a Class IV felony.

The Nebraska State Patrol is the lead law enforcement investigative agency in this matter.

The case will be prosecuted by the Clay County Attorney’s Office with the assistance of the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office.

Members of the Sutton Board of Education and current superintendent Dr. Dana Wiseman issued a joint statement regarding the future of Wiseman’s tenure with the Sutton Public School District during an eightand- a-half minute special board meeting, Thursday, April 25. Members of the board voted 6-0 to approve a settlement agreement with Wiseman, who will be resigning as the superintendent of the district effective Sunday, June 30, 2024.

THE STATEMENT

The statement read: “Due to differences of opinion and management philosophy, Sutton Public Schools’ Board of Education and Superintendent, Dr. Dana Wiseman, have jointly agreed that the board would be better served with a new superintendent next school year. As such, Dr. Wiseman has agreed to resign from the District, effective June 30, 2024.”

With the global population now over eight-billion people, feeding and fueling the world has never been a bigger challenge. Agriculture industry leaders convened in Houston, TX last month to discuss this and other issues at the Commodity Classic, the industry’s premiere annual event.

Among them was Jodi Bahr of Harvard Public Schools. At the event, more than 11,500 growers, vendors, and researchers participated in a trade show, and gathered to share ideas in sustainability, technology, and the scientific breakthroughs that power the modern food production.

Bahr was able to join the event as part of her selection into the Teacher Leader Community, a leadership program from Nourish the Future.

Members of the Sutton Community Home Foundation, and the Sutton Community Home Board of Directors, together with the staff and administration of the home are gearing up for the kickoff of a capital campaign to raise funding for the renovation and addition to the Sutton home.

The open house kickoff event is slated to begin at 5 p.m. at the Fox Hollow Golf Course, Tuesday, May 21, with a short program planned to begin at 5:40 p.m.

Those attending will hear from members of both boards, along with Jeff Ahl, the construction manager, and architect of the $5.5 million renovation and addition.

Additionally, a financial advisor, Tyler Williams, with Waddell & Reed of Geneva, will be on hand during the meeting to talk about how people can best provide a gift to the campaign.

Sutton superintendent Dana Wiseman has been placed on administrative leave following a meeting of the Sutton Board of Education, Monday, April 15.

Following a survey of staff members at Sutton Public School, conducted by the Nebraska Association of School Boards, and discussion of the findings within the survey, members of the Sutton Board of Education voted by a 6-0 unanimous vote to place Wiseman on administrative leave, and issued a notice of possible cancellation of Wiseman’s employment contract following the survey that was performed by SPS staff.

Wiseman has seven days from Monday night’s meeting to request a hearing, at which time a final decision could be handed down re- garding the situation.