The Karol Kay Boulevard extension would run through part of this space, which was purchased by the Eastridge Homeowners Association two decades ago with the intent of keeping it as green space and farm ground. The city completed an eminent domain hearing earlier this month to acquire 1/3 of an acre in addition to its 30-foot right of way to use for the road. This is the view from Gene and Linda Gierke's home, overlooking their backyard, that would be impacted by the road.
Seward County will welcome 130 youth basketball teams this weekend, Feb. 1-2, for the annual Seward Showcase youth basketball tournament.
The tournament is a chance for youngsters in third through eighth grades to compete on the court while bringing visitors to the county from all across the state.
The event will span gymnasiums all across Seward, including those at Concordia University, Seward high, middle and elementary schools and St. John Lutheran School.
Shane Baack, who helps organize the tournament, said teams are signed up from all over the state: Plattsmouth, Omaha, Papillion, Wahoo, Boone Central, Kearney, Grand Island, York, East Butler, Fairbury and Tri County.
Seward youth teams will play, too.
The event is run by volunteers and organizations around the county, including Seward Kiwanis and Helping Hands Kiwanis, the Jr. Jays baseball program, St. John Parent-Teacher League, Sports Express baseball and softball in Milford and the Legends basketball program in Milford.
Teams pay a fee to play, and spectators pay all-day admission to the games.
Baack said games will start at 8 a.m. both days and will run until 9 p.m. on Saturday and until 3 p.m. on Sunday. The schedule is available at www.tourneymachine.com by searching “Seward Showcase.”
Admission is $5 per day for adults and $3 per day for kids age 5 through high school.
It’s been 20 years in the making, and it could come down to one final vote next Tuesday.
The Karol Kay Boulevard extension project has again come under fire from a few local residents, but city officials say they’re moving forward with the road, which would connect Karol Kay to East Hillcrest Drive through an area that is currently used for farming.
The city used eminent domain to acquire part of the land for the road—1/3 acre that is currently used for farming—from the Eastridge Homeowners Association, which has 12 properties along Eastridge Drive in northeast Seward.
At its Jan. 21 meeting, the Seward City Council tabled a vote on the project because the HOA filed for a federal audit.
Seemingly, though, no one told the city about the audit until after the item was on the agenda.
“Yesterday (Jan. 20), we received notice from the association’s attorney that the association was requesting a federal audit of the project,” Mayor Josh Eickmeier told the council. “Apparently, it was filed a couple weeks ago. We weren’t able to get confirmation of the next steps,” because Jan. 20 was a federal holiday, Martin Luther King Jr. Day. “If we had known about this a couple weeks ago, we possibly could have gotten the information.”
The council was to discuss and vote on a resolution to award a bid for the project at $804,428.36 and approve the plans it presented in the bidding process through the Nebraska Department of Transportation.
The bid came from ME Collins Contracting Company, Inc. of Wahoo for just the construction costs of the road, not engineering or other fees.
Eickmeier said at the meeting that he was concerned the project would be delayed again.
Read more in this week's SCI.
