The Easterseals camp property looking southwest toward Highway 91.

Easterseals wants Blair camp open by 2026

Fort Calhoun High School graduates gather following commencement Saturday afternoon.

Pioneer class of 2024

The Blair Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department displays a large flag on 16th and Washington streets during Cruise Night Saturday.

Cruise Night brings thousands to Blair Saturday evening

Supervisor Chairman Steve Dethlefs speaks to a crowd at the Kennard Auditorium Saturday evening to discuss tornado/disaster relief in the county.

County officials discuss tornado relief at town hall

Monika and Justin Philp's home on County Road 32 was one of many that was destroyed following Friday afternoon's tornado.

'One day at a time'

Local News

A look inside Mark Welsher's 1948 Forde Deluxe Sedan reveals chrome dashboard guages.

Pioneer orange

Mark Welsher enjoyed his job behind the wheel, transporting Fort Calhoun High School students to their various activities. In his 70s, though, the grandfather of three just recently gave up the …

Times Gone By Week of May 7–13

1994 (30 years ago): On May 21, Dana College will host the annual recognition dinner for graduating seniors in the E.C. Hunt Campus Center. Several seniors will receive Campus Service Awards and …

The Blair Bears returned to the soccer field April 29, but not until after they helped with tornado recovery efforts in Washington County.

County athletic teams help in tornado recovery efforts

The Blair High School boys soccer team was scheduled to open its postseason run April 27. Game time would have been less than 24 hours after a tornado ripped through Washington County, impacting many …

Pioneers to walk the stage Saturday at graduation

Fort Calhoun High School's class of 2024 will officially be graduates Saturday afternoon. Commencement begins in the new gym starting at 2 p.m. The two class valedictorians this year are …

Progress being made at Veterans Tribute Plaza

The Veterans Tribute Plaza Memorial is officially undergoing Phase III about 20 years later. The wall, located on 13th and Washington streets in Blair, was conceptualized in 2002 by original …

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Weekly poll

How would you rate the response by government officials following April 26’s tornadoes in Washington County?

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Tuesday, May 7, 2024

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Athlete of the Week: Sam Genoways (April 24, 2024)

Athlete of the Week: Caleb Funk (April 17, 2024)

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Blair senior Dyaln Swanson, middle, holds up the Class B-6 District Tournament championship plaque Friday at Vets Field. The Bears beat Platte Valley 2-1, securing the first state tournament berth since 2017.

Local sports

11 losses, but onto state

The Blair High School baseball team has 11 losses this season. A lot of them, the Bears led. The circumstances were quite similar Friday during the Class B-6 District Tournament Final. Coach John …

Blair senior Marin Sather, left facing, embraces classmate Wrylee Osterhaus at the end of their final scocer match Saturday at Vets Field. Senior Katie Kramer (13) reacts, too, after the Bears lost 4-2 to Columbus Scotus during the district final round.

BHS girls soccer loses district final

Once it was done, Marin Sather and Wrylee Osterhaus met on top of the purple bear claw at the center of Krantz Field. The Blair High School senior soccer players embraced, tears in their eyes, as …

The Fremont Trapshooting Team's Zane Gerrish of Arlington earned first from 22-23 yarads Saturday at the 54th Annual Cornhusker Trap Shoot in Doniphan.

6 county marksmen medal at Cornhusker Trap Shoot

Kalvin Kies, Harry Kies and Zane Gerrish highlighted Washington County's participation Friday and Saturday during the 54th Annual Cornhusker Trap Shoot in Doniphan. The Kies led Blair Youth Shooting …

FCHS baseball drops C-1 District opener

The second seed of the Class C-1 District Baseball Tournament didn't quite do enough to best the No. 3 seed Thursday in Malcolm. The Fort Calhoun Pioneers lost to West Point-Beemer/GACC 5-2, closing …

AHS baseball pushes district's top seed in loss

Top-seeded Central City/Centura ended the Arlington High School baseball season Thursday during the Class C-3 District Tournament. The Eagles lost 4-2, closing out the spring campaign 5-18 overall, …

Annemarie Proksel of Blair serves the tennis ball Thursday during a dual with Omaha Skutt at Stemmermann Park.

Skutt sweeps Blair tennis squad

The Omaha Skutt tennis team swept Blair on Thursday at Stemmermann Park. “Played tough,” Bears coach David Christensen said after the 5-0 loss. “But Skutt has some really talented …

Arlington's Jacob Beans competes in the shot put Thursday at AHS. The Eagle medaled during his squad's home meet.

Eagles, Pioneers make final push before districts

Arlington High School hosted its home track and field invitational Thursday afternoon as teams tuned-up for district competition. The Eagle girls earned third in the team standings, while the boys …

Obituaries

LaRae Moseman, 87

LaRae K. Moseman, age 87, of Hooper, died Wednesday, May 1, 2024, at Dunklau Gardens. LaRae Katherine Moseman was born on Sept.15, 1936, in Hooper, Neb., to William and Esther (Stuenkel) …

Julie Masters, 60

Julie Ann Masters of Indianola, Iowa, was born in Omaha, Neb., on Sept. 2, 1963. She passed away peacefully surrounded by loved ones at the University of Iowa Hospital on April 27, 2024. Julie …

Dana (Tillotson) Holler, 59

Dana (Tillotson) Holler, age 59 of Blair, passed away April 29, 2024. Memorial services will be held Saturday, May 4, 2024, at 2 p.m. at Campbell Aman Funeral Home in Blair. Visitation with …

Marilyn Baxter, 79

Marilyn Marie Baxter, age 79, passed away April 21, 2024, in Omaha, Neb. Funeral services will be held Friday, April 26, 2024, at 10 a.m. at the Abiding Faith Baptist Church in Fort Calhoun, …

Helen Booton, 88

Helen Booton, age 88, passed into her heavenly rest on April 21, 2024. in Omaha, Neb. Memorial services will be held Wednesday, May 1, 2024, at 11 a.m. at First United Methodist Church in Blair. …

Steven Hunt, 59

Steven W. Hunt, age 59 of Fremont, died peacefully on April 15, 2024, at Fremont Methodist Hospital. Visitation will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday April 22, 2024, at Campbell Aman Funeral Home. …

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Letters

Letter to the editor

Imagine you are a parent struggling to make ends meet, to pay for housing, clothing and food for your family. We all know, first hand, how expensive groceries are these days. Putting food on the …

Letter to the editor

My letter is not written to address politics over the war between Israel and Palestine. This letter addresses gun ownership and the dangers of government gun control and gun confiscation. Prior to …

Letter to the editor

Gov. Pillen/Sen. Linehan pushed LB 753 through this spring — it provides tax credits to wealthy donors who give to private schools. While this sounds good, what the public needs to realize is …

Letter to the editor

Thank you so much for your story on the Cook Family and their legacy of service. My maiden name is Cook, so the story caught my eye. I did a little research on Family Search.org and found that …

Letter to the editor

I want to thank the Enterprise Media Group for the wonderful coverage of the Washington County Museum, located in Fort Calhoun, Neb. The museum, a part of the Washington County Historical …

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Columnists

All about the Bronze Age

There have been a number of historic events in the history of humanity, such as the Industrial Revolution, that have changed the direction and future of the human race. Our early human …

Drawing strength through God

Last Saturday morning, I visited some of our parishioners who had lost their homes to the tornadoes. As I drove toward their homes – or what was left – it was a sad picture of houses …

The history of wood creations

During a time of dramatic climate change some 200,000 to 300,000 years ago there is evidence for the first modern humans turning up in southern Africa. Fossil evidence shows that humans had later …

Devotional: Will AI become almighty?

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is one of the most fascinating and astounding creations ever made. AI is a branch of computer science that can simulate human intelligence. AI is implemented by machines …

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Editorials

- Editorial: Washington County’s recovery ultimately will come down to neighbors helping neighbors
  
  In the days to come, more and more data related to last Friday’s tornado outbreak will become available. But consider these numbers for …
- Editorial: Post-prom parties alive and well in Washington County
  
  In some parts of the country, the high school rite of passage known as the post-prom party is no more. A victim of the COVID closure culture and …
- Editorial: Park supporters can’t lose focus before Blair’s crown jewel is finished
  
  The recreational opportunities soon to be available in the city of Blair took a big step forward last week when the Blair City Council …
- Editorial: Eppley Airfield project is important for Wash. Co.
  
  So Eppley Airfield is getting a $950 million renovation. That’s Omaha. Why should we care? For starters, most of us fly. And many of …
- Editorial: Solving Blair’s housing shortage will require multiple solutions
  
  The city of Blair’s tight housing market is no secret. But just how tight it is might be a surprise, even to those who know we have a …

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