+ + State baseball highlights Page 1B The Wayne Single Copy $1.00 Sections - 3 Pages - 20 Thursday, July 21, 2016 140th Year - No. 43 Herald Daily updates, video and more on the Web at www.mywaynenews.com Highway 35 taking back seat, Council told By MICHAEL CARNES highway running through Wayne County between Norfolk and Of The Herald South Sioux City. “Everybody was putting their dots on 275, so I put mine on 35 If you’ve been waiting for the Department of Roads to make any and 15,” Rames joked. efforts on a possible expressway of Highway 35 between Norfolk Hansen said there was considerable discussion about the inclu- and South Sioux City, your wait is about to get a little longer. sion of bypasses along Highway 275, particularly in communities At Tuesday’s meeting of the Wayne City Council, city officials like West Point, whose mayor was in Rames’ group. discussed a recent series of regional meetings held by the Nebras- “We had the West Point mayor in our group, and their view was ka Department of Roads, geared toward receiving input on how to that we really didn’t need to spend the additional money to bypass distribute road construction funds under the Build Nebraska Act. around West Point, that it was more important to get the express- City administrator Lowell Johnson, Wayne street superinten- way finished,” Rames said. dent Joel Hansen, Wayne Area Chamber executive director Wes Hansen said the hearing he attended had a significant Norfolk Blecke and Steve Rames of McLaury Engineering reported to the influence, with about 50 Nucor employees in attendance. council on what they learned from the recent regional meetings, “A lot of the people who were there were Nucor employees and and one constant was gleaned from the meetings – Highway 35 others from around Northeast Nebraska, so (35 and 15) didn’t get isn’t on anybody’s radar right now. a lot of play,” Hansen said, noting that there was also discussion “The consensus from the different groups, based on public feed- about completing the four-lane expressway on Highway 81 be- back, was that finishing the (Highway) 275 expressway from Nor- tween Norfolk and Yankton and also between Columbus and York. folk to Omaha was the top priority,” Hansen said. Blecke said that everybody in attendance agreed that, with the Those in attendance were split up into groups that looked at sev- number of projects that are in various states of completion, they eral main highways in northeast Nebraska, including Highways would just like to see one project finished. 15, 35, 275 and 81, with economic benefits factoring in the discus- “I think we’re tired of seeing segments all over the place where sion. Groups were asked to prioritize projects with spending esti- you have expressways in different places,” he said. “I think that if mates of $200 million and $500 million to determine which proj- we get 275 completed, there might be a push from those supporting ects they felt were most important to complete at this time, and that to help us out with Highway 35.” (Photo by Michael Carnes) Highway 275 was by far the most popular choice. Blecke added that getting the 275 expressway completed would Lucas Rix of Rustic Treasures talks to the Wayne City Council about an Hansen said he was the only one in his group who chose High- help him be able to better market Wayne to businesses looking to application for a loan to buy the old 1912 building in Wayne. way 35, and Blecke said three people in his group voted for the See COUNCIL, Page 4A 94TH WAYNE COUNTY FAIR COMES NEXT WEEK County board looks at building security By MICHAEL CARNES “Are we looking at the whole courthouse?” Of The Herald board member Dean Burbach asked. “It doesn’t make sense to limit security to A recent request to use the courtroom one office or one floor, so we would be look- at the county courthouse for a scene in an ing at the whole building,” Dwinell said, independent movie left the county’s se- adding that he would like to talk with ev- curity committee with some unanswered ery department in the courthouse to make questions that they discussed at Tuesday’s sure all authorized employees would be cov- Wayne County Commissioners meeting. ered.” At their previous meeting, Winside na- Commissioner chairman Randy Larsen tive Tanner Schwedhelm approached the said the committee has kicked around a board, seeking permission to use the court- number of ideas, “but we aren’t ready to house for a courtroom drama movie proj- present a direct route yet. We’d like to start ect. He is working with another director with some places that people are aware of on a movie called “Obeisance, Part 1,” and to show that we’re moving to a more secure said the county’s courtroom fits the movie, environment.” which is based on a story taking place in Cost is the major hurdle, Dwinell said, the 1930’s and 1960’s. but there were a number of simple things County Sheriff Jason Dwinell reported that could be done in the meantime. on behalf of the committee, and said there “We don’t have to go whole hog and have were still a number of questions and con- roaming armed guards and drones flying cerns that they felt needed answers. around the perimeter. Just some things “In all honesty, the more we discussed it, like making sure doors are locked,” he said. it created more questions and more prob- Security is very important, and this is a dif- lems and it’s leading to more research,” he ficult building (to secure) because of its age said. and how it’s built.” Dwinell said that the courthouse has a The county board also heard from Wayne number of unsecured doors that have not City Librarian Lauren Lofgren, who pre- presented a problem in the past, but the sented budget requests for the three county committee would like to see those issues libraries for the 2016-17 fiscal year. Lofgren addressed. said there was no change in the libraries’ “It’s never been a problem before, but asking of $13,000, with half going to Wayne, we’d like to address it before it becomes $4,250 to Winside and $2,250 to Carroll. one,” he said. “This room (the commission- “We’re putting forward the same request ers’ meeting room) for example, a member for 2016-17,” she told the board. “I think it’s of the public could walk in here any time of been a great partnership for us, and I hope day and nobody would know it.” See COUNTY, Page 4A Jorgensen withdraws from school board race (Herald file photos) By MICHAEL CARNES gensen said in a phone interview Thursday Whether it's the demolition derby, the rodeo clown Of The Herald afternoon. “I still feel that the most impor- or the variety of 4-H exhibits on display, there is tant thing in my life are my kids, and the plenty of fun waiting for area fair-goers as the A current member of the Wayne Commu- second most important thing are your kids, 94th edition of the Wayne County Fair kicks off nity Schools Board of Education has pulled but when I don’t have the time to keep that his name from the Nov. 8 general election. passion alive, then it’s definitely time for next week at the Wayne County Fairgrounds. Ken Jorgensen announced last week that somebody else (to step in).” he is no longer a candi- Jorgensen said he will finish the final date for one of the three four months of his second term on the board Organizers ready for County Fair available seats on the and said he will have the same conviction board. Wayne County that he’s brought to the board during his The 94th annual Wayne County Fair The majority of items will be entered One of the more popular attractions will Clerk Deb Finn con- two terms and leave feeling proud of what is right around the corner and Wayne on Wednesday, July 27 and entry into the be back again this year as Wildlife En- firmed that Jorgensen the school board has accomplished during County Ag Society members and other fairgrounds that day will be free. counters will be on the fairgrounds Fri- withdrew his name those eight years. volunteers can be found at the fairgrounds The evening will conclude with a retire- day, Saturday and Sunday for two presen- from the ballot, leaving “I’ve loved what we have done the past making sure the event goes smoothly. ment of unserviceable flags ceremony at tations each day. five candidates for the eight years and am proud to be associated This year's fair gets underway on 7:45 p.m. and gospel music by Kristina Also on tap will be the 54th annual bar- three positions that will with everybody up there,” Jorgensen said. Wednesday, July 27 and continues Craig at 8 p.m. in the grandstand. becue, beginning at 6 p.m. be filled this fall. “We’ve come a long way in eight years, through Sunday, July 31. Thursday's schedule includes the tradi- Announcement of the Fair Person of the Jorgensen told The Jorgensen and it’s time for somebody to step up who Although no major projects have been tional 4-H Horse Show, Bucket Calf Show, Year, Farm Bureau Awards and Oldest Wayne Herald that he has the same passion I’ve had for our kids.