Good morning! T-20 days to Christmas. What are your holiday traditions? Send us a message at scinews@sewardindependent.com, and your tradition may be featured in an upcoming edition!

Papers mailed today

If you haven't gotten your newspaper yet this week, it's on its way. Post Offices were closed yesterday to observe a national day of mourning for former President George H.W. Bush, who died Nov. 30. Please contact our office at (402) 643-3676 if you don't have yours by Friday. Thanks for your patience!

Tinkering Around

Concordia University baseball player Ryan Kollbaum, left, helps Liam Clark make a Tinker Tree out of a bolt, nuts and washers at Maker Day on Dec. 1. The craft was one of more than a dozen sessions hosted by the University of Nebraska Extension 4-H staff and volunteers. The day allowed youth to experiment with science, technology, engineering and math concepts and take their crafts home to keep or give as gifts.

Seat remains vacant in Milford

The Milford City Council denied Mayor Patrick Kelley's recommendation to appoint Leslie Toovey as a Ward 2 representative at its Dec. 4 meeting. The vacancy came about after the resignation of former Mayor Nick Glanzer. Kelley, who was serving as council president, moved into the mayoral role per state law, leaving his Ward 2 seat open.

The law says the mayor has 28 days to present a name to the council for consideration. Kelley said he thought Toovey was most qualified from the pool of applicants he received. Toovey ran as a write-in candidate in the Nov. 6 General Election but lost to write-in candidate Tony DeLong.

Council member Scott Bashore move to appoint Toovey, but the motion died for lack of a second. New council members Kelly Heser (Ward 1) and DeLong (Ward 2) currently are the only other voting members. They both took the oath of office prior to the meeting that night.

During the course of the meeting and though a public comment period was not on the agenda, members of the public Roy Cast and Gerry Dunlap confronted Kelley about his decision to not present a second name that night.

According to state law, since Kelley's first recommendation was denied, he must again present a name at the council's next meeting, though not necessarily a different name.

Kelley said he plans to recommend Toovey again at the next meeting, set for Dec. 27. Discussion briefly became heated, and Dunlap called it "stupid" that Kelley would not consider one of the other applicants. At that point, Kelley called for order and said the matter was not open for discussion at that time.

Read more from the meeting in next week's edition.

Coming up...

Children who were too young for the fall Story Time session are invited to Seward Memorial Library for thelast fall session of Pre-Three Story Time this week. The library will host interactive stories, games and activities for children under age 3 who are accompanied by an adult on Thursday, Dec. 6, from 10 to 10:30 a.m. No registration is necessary.

Olde Glory Theatre will present "A Dickens' Christmas Carol: a Traveling Travesty in Two Tumultuous Acts" in December. Showtime on Thursday, Dec. 6, and Friday, Dec. 7, is 7 p.m. Matinee performances on Saturday, Dec. 8, and Sunday, Dec. 9, will start at 2 p.m. Advance tickets are $8 for the Dec. 6 performance (opening night special), and $10 for other performances. Tickets at the door will be $12 for all shows. Concessions will be available. Tickets are available online at www.oldeglorysewardne.com or by calling (402) 304-5392.

St. John Lutheran Church will host its annual Breakfast in Bethlehem Saturday, Dec. 8. A family breakfast begins at 8:30 a.m., with activities starting at 9 a.m. Activities include crafts, a photo booth, story time, games and a cookie and gift shoppe. For more information, call (308) 530-4109.

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