CCN-NE E-edition 8.18.21

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Clay County News Serving Clay Center, Deweese, Edgar, Fairfield, Glenvil, Grafton, Harvard, Inland, Ong, Saronville, Sutton, Trumbull and Surrounding Areas Wednesday, August 18, 2021 | Published in Sutton, Nebraska

Vol 136 • No 33

One Dollar

Clay Co. sees 6.7% dip in census since 2010 County-wide population falls by 438 in past decade according to the U.S. Census Bureau

FILE PHOTO | CLAY COUNTY NEWS

Inflatables will be back this year for the annual Triple F Festival in Fairfield, which kicks off at 8 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 21.

Changes made for Triple F Fest Saturday The time has come for Triple F Fest in Fairfield, which begins at 8 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 21. Some changes have recently been made for the annual festival. A volleyball tournament in the park will start at 8 a.m., with BINGO and a bake sale, hosted by the Community Presbyterian Church, starting at 10 a.m., at the city auditorium. From 11 a.m.-1 p.m., the Fairfield Auxiliary will serve lunch at the legion. Several activities will be hosted in the park, including a kids’ bouncy ball drop, 3 p.m.; bracelet making and ice cream floats, both at 3:30 p.m.; a hotdog eating contest, 4: p.m.; car show and shine, 4-6 p.m.; inflatables, 4-8 p.m.; BACAN Rescue Dogs; turtle races on the basketball courts, 4:30 p.m.; Boy Scouts BBQ, 5-7 p.m.; cakewalk, 6-8 p.m.; cornhole tournament, 5 p.m.; and a DJ on the basketball courts from 4-8 p.m.; the beer garden has been canceled. For more information go to the community club’s Facebook page: www.Facebook.com/Fairfieldcommunityclub .

BY TORY DUNCAN Federal officials with the United States Census Bureau shared new census numbers last week, with most area counties seeing a decline in population. Clay County’s overall population, according to the new reports, fell 6.7 percent to 6,104 from it’s 2010 population of 6,542, a figure according to the report of 10.7 people per square mile in Clay County. Only three area counties would see a rise in population in the past 10 years, with Hall, York and Hamilton Counties showing an increase. Hall County went from a population of 58,607 to 62,895, an increase of 7.3 percent. York County had a 3.4 percent increase from 13,665 to 14,125, while Hamilton County’s rise hit a 3.3 percent increase, going from 9,124 in 2020 to 9,429 in 2020. Falling population numbers were seen in Adams, Fillmore, Webster, Nuckolls and Thayer Counties. Adams County’s drop was a slight one-half percent, falling from a population of 31,364 in 2010 to 31,205 in 2020, a total loss of 159 residents county-wide. Fillmore County’s decline fell by 339 residents in the county, as in 2010 Fillmore County had a population of 5,890, falling to 5,551 in 2020, a dip of 5.8 percent. Webster County would see the sharpest decline over the course of the past 10 years, falling 10.9 percent. In 2010, Webster County fell by a total of 417 residents, falling from 3,812 in 2010 to 3,395 in 2020. Nuckolls County had a nine percent decrease over the past 10 years, falling from 4,500 residents in 2010 to 4,095 in 2020, while Thayer County’s population fell by 194 since 2010, falling from 5,228 in 2010 to 5,034.

COUNTY POPULATION RANKING Douglas, Lancaster and

Sarpy Counties rank as the three largest counties in Nebraska, with Douglas County reaching a population of 584,526 in 2020, an increase of 67,416 from it’s 2010 population of 517,110. Lancaster County, the second largest county by population grew by 37,201 residents since 2010. The 13 percent increase would see Lancaster County’s population rise from 285,407 in 2010 to 322,608 in 2020. Sarpy County hails as the third largest county in Nebraska, as the county grew from 158,840 in 2010 to 190,604 in 2020, a 20 percent growth spurt, as Sarpy County gained 31,764 total residents in the past 10 years. Hall County’s 2020 census lands in as the fourth largest county in the state with its growth of 4,288 residents. Adams County is 11th overall in the state with its population of 31,205, while York County’s growth of 460

residents to 14,125 sets them as the 21st largest county in Nebraska. Clay County is 47th overall in Nebraska, despite it’s decline of 438 total residents. Fillmore County, according to the 2020 census report is 50th in the state with 5,551 total residents, while Thayer County is 56th overall and Nuckolls County is 59th. Statewide, thanks in large part to the three metropolitan areas grew at a rate of 7.4 percent, as the state’s population grew from 1,826,341 to 1,961,504, a growth of 135,163 since 2010.

Population estimates for each of the 10 incorporated communities, would see each community fall in estimated population. Sutton fell from 1,502 in 2010 to an estimated population of 1,446 in 2020. Harvard’s estimated population fell from

1,013 in 2010 to 966 in 2020, while Clay Center dropped from 760 to an estimated 723 in the past 10 years. The population in Edgar dropped from 498 to 451 according to the census data in the past 10 years, while Fairfield fell from 387 to 369. Glenvil’s population fell from 310 to 294, with Trumbull dropping by nine, from 205 to 196. Deweese’s estimated population fell by two, from 67 to 65, while Ong fell by three, from 63 to 60. Saronville’s population fell from 47 to 45 in the same time span. Population totals for residents that live inside city, or village limits, totaled 4,978 in 2010 and fell to 4,734 as estimated by the census data in 2020, a drop of 244. Clay County’s rural population dropped from 1,564 in 2010 to 1,415 in 2020, a decrease of 149 residents. Grafton’s population took a dip of seven since 2010, falling from 205 to 196.

MELISSA WHITEFOOT | CLAY COUNTY NEWS

LOETTA SWANSON | CLAY COUNTY NEWS

CLAY COUNTY BY THE NUMBERS

Slammin’ good time had at Deweese Festival MELISSA WHITEFOOT | CLAY COUNTY NEWS

Deweese’s Festival had perfect weather for its annual events Saturday and Sunday. During Saturday’s Dave Babcock Memorial tractor pull, there were 103 hooks, including Isaiah Eickemann of Edgar, seen at the left. Sunday served as host to the demo derby and turtle races. ABOVE LEFT: Logan Wenske, left, celebrates with Josh Bodenus after Wenske won a hard-fought battle against Bodenus for the first-place spot in Old School Feature. ABOVE RIGHT: Ely and Willa Smidt walk to the center bucket to place her turtle for the turtle races.

Court increases Cloet’s bond, adds stipulations BY ASHLEY D. SWANSON

Clay County District Court Judge Stephen R. Illingworth increased the bond to $1,250,000 subject to 10 percent for Linus A. Cloet of Sutton, on Aug. 12, following Cloet’s bond revocation trial Wednesday, Aug. 4, in district court. Along with the bond increase it was stated in the order that no corporate surety was allowed, meaning Cloet would have to post an additional $50,000. During the trial, Sandra Allen, representing the State of Nebraska, presented four

witnesses and various evidence exhibits with the intent of showing Cloet had gone against his bond requirements. Allen’s first witness, Zach Flowers, previously worked for Cloet noting he last worked for him in 2020. As stipulated in court documents, Flowers is a no-contact person for Cloet. Allen presented a title from a pickup Flowers recently purchased from Cloet, with Cloet’s signature on it; however, Flowers denied having any contact with Cloet during

the transaction, saying Flowers only spoke with Cloet’s wife to exchange money and pick up the vehicle. Her second witness, Sutton Police Officer Mitch Meyer, was asked about an interaction he had with Flowers about having contact with Cloet. Meyer, who has known Flowers for the past couple of years, last spoke with him on June 25 when Meyer was in Harvard helping the Harvard Police Chief with removing a dog from a home. Meyer said Flowers arrived at the police station for no

particular reason and began a conversation with the two officers. It was at this time a conversation on the pickup Flowers purchased began and Meyer learned that, according to Flowers, Cloet had tried to sell the truck to Flowers for $2,500; however, the two eventually settled on $500. Meyer also learned, during this conversation, that Cloet was still paying for Flowers’ rent and other necessities through Flowers’ mom. SEE BOND, PAGE 2

Co. Board affirms support of local ag in talk with AFAN BY RITA BRHEL

Clay County’s zoning regulations strike a good balance between local agriculture and non-farming residents. So was the consensus of the Clay County Board of Supervisors during its regular meeting

HOW TO REACH US

COMPETITION:

NEW STAFF:

CASA hosting sidewalk chalk art competition in Nebraska. 4

Check out the new staff at three of the county schools. 4

207 North Saunders Ave. P.O. Box 405 Sutton, Nebraska 68979-0405 Phone: 402-773-5576 Fax: 402-773-5577 claycountynews@gmail.com www.theclaycountynews.com

on Aug. 17 at the courthouse in Clay Center. “We’re not against ag,” Board member Richard Shaw of Edgar said. “We’re against Big Ag coming in here and telling us what to do.” SEE CO BOARD, PAGE 3

PAGE ONE, TOO 2 COUNTY NEWS 3 SOCIAL NEWS 4 GOOD NEWS 5 PUBLIC NOTICES 6 CHURCH PAGE 8 CLASSIFIEDS 9 AREA NEWS 10


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