[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6090150,"mediaKeyId","2868050-a6bd60c16881f49d7e7e95bb13d426cb","parentId",2868050,"title","Seward wellness center opens; pool draws heavy use and rentals begin","audioSeconds",275,"startMs",0,"endMs",275000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2868050-a6bd60c16881f49d7e7e95bb13d426cb&start=0&end=275","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2868050-a6bd60c16881f49d7e7e95bb13d426cb/thumbnail_0.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6090150/Nebraska/Seward-wellness-center-opens-pool-draws-heavy-use-and-rentals-begin","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6090150-8fa8b42af0f8e0e01e58ac72c21de7ec/orig.mp4?Expires=1771090474&Signature=QmrgY0ObvRQgLgaspwmNcLpMuaaaIT2s1HRo5o1quhAuIXimeUuLJu0bK0WiGyt4-e38szrp2tvwz3DsNf7ZuLkITHNj-7WwYgcGzZkvoSU2mZ1DlPz5z2WxiPD1RjGhzYljuDsF8aqpCl3JOsSz~oeLngxWyk1jw-1fapM40pqQ~m6yDJC9g88Jr~BFdH9OLyjXclFU54DUZxvkyWuMZZDzwJXEvUfk9xuNoIh5WsCdDcJNd~zs3KOleyVBWHhBOoFyCi865ux2luk7rXTyOcjFkByks8HmypqgyJV7VBq2BR6pNU8mqSZv2Mmn6hA-4ejU9grMm2479x8UsaTYVw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Seward, NE","date","2025-04-04T00:32:09.017Z","article","City staff and council members described strong community response to the new Seward wellness center after a recent public opening.

Council members and staff said the facility drew large crowds during open events and that residents praised the pool temperature and equipment. Staff reported frequent check-ins by residents, heavy use of basketball courts and group exercise sessions starting in the evenings. The city noted multiple rental requests already scheduled for youth camps, team training and private events.

City staff asked the council whether they wished to keep receiving detailed recurring presentations about the wellness center. Staff indicated that, with the facility fully open, routine operational metrics can be folded into the standard administrator’s report while specific requests for numbers such as sign-ups or usage can be added if council members request them.

Council members commended Joel and the staff for quickly standing up operations and for community outreach; staff singled out Maddie for social-media updates that helped publicize schedules and services. The council also noted the donor wall and thanked people and institutions involved in the multi-year project that culminated in the center’s opening.

Staff requested and received direction to treat Joel’s future reports as part of the administrator’s regular updates unless the council requests otherwise. Council members also raised standard operational questions about rentals, staffing and program schedules; staff said they will return with any additional requested metrics.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","April 1, 2025 Seward City Council Meeting Part 2","oneSentenceSummary","City staff reported strong public turnout and high usage at the new wellness center, with programs, rentals and ongoing operational setup. Staff asked council whether to continue detailed regular presentations now that the facility is open.","taxTitle","City Council Meetings, City of Seward, Seward County, Nebraska","taxId",69852,"location","Nebraska","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6090153,"Seward reports widespread outages after blizzard; mutual aid and crews restore power",174,780000,954000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2868050-a6bd60c16881f49d7e7e95bb13d426cb&start=780&end=954","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2868050-a6bd60c16881f49d7e7e95bb13d426cb/thumbnail_780000.jpg","/articles/6090153/Nebraska/Seward-reports-widespread-outages-after-blizzard-mutual-aid-and-crews-restore-power","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6090153-828cc6260e679ebf84b6823fb1990e68/orig.mp4?Expires=1771090474&Signature=jkJ9j9jMN8lptk-7hKzoqqx-WlCf8XSxDm7OhC-PQ-awbtMwZf5vZ6mTpn25P5-JUB5ujiH561UKMzIcl7NMPfan4jQcgL5-i0OD90DVQVrzpk6iyAIrNPRek~8A0nHtTnseippC-7a9~Z4Y4DOarkV7MbTrdTrEOF7km-C2~mGI8O~x35cz4ysjrSBawvgUVAdNP7xqtshaz2wK7gtr1oqM4k7y4Bl9vxk2mug6CyAXrj-lC1eSBJ1SKhG~7RAfIOtDVnZFFfBSM4XGBfJOvM6nay9RXS32UUX29oPMwbyDtBxPUVHSShvA1QwIO-PbBn17n5qgmJeYJaIQCLhhXA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City officials described a declared emergency after a March storm that left much of Seward County and surrounding areas without power.

Greg, the city administrator, told the council that the city declared an emergency during the storm to enable state and federal assistance and that electric crews, including mutual-aid crews from Beatrice, worked through the night to restore service. \"We had a blizzard warning... that ultimately ended up taking out most of the power within the 2 county area,\" Greg said.

Officials said crews prioritized safety-critical locations and worked to keep the water treatment plant operational with backup generators while arranging diesel deliveries. Greg said the city did not activate an emergency operations center but coordinated closely with county partners, Norris Public Power and mutual-aid crews. \"I was pretty sure we were gonna need mutual aid,\" he said, and Beatrice sent three trucks and crews that worked with city staff for roughly 48 hours.

Crews reported full meter restoration by Friday evening in the city and continued debris and tree removal operations into the following week. The city is documenting crew hours, equipment time and debris removal to support potential reimbursement through the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency and FEMA; officials said they expect follow-up meetings with state and federal agencies.

City staff also described local responses such as merchants providing food for crews and volunteers helping clear intersections. Officials cautioned residents to bundle yard debris for scheduled collection and noted that large burn piles created during cleanup required temporary closure for safety and smoke management. The city encouraged residents with damaged street trees to pursue available relief funds; staff said specific planting plans for cemetery replanting would be determined by the cemetery board.","City officials described a declared emergency after a blizzard knocked out power across Seward and neighboring counties. Mutual aid crews, local staff and contractors restored service and tracked hours for potential FEMA reimbursement.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6090159,"Seward council approves MOU to create substitute pool for child-care providers",334,431000,765000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2868050-a6bd60c16881f49d7e7e95bb13d426cb&start=431&end=765","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2868050-a6bd60c16881f49d7e7e95bb13d426cb/thumbnail_431000.jpg","/articles/6090159/Nebraska/Seward-council-approves-MOU-to-create-substitute-pool-for-child-care-providers","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6090159-c9d3012f3f7a4990354dc3752ccadb38/orig.mp4?Expires=1771090474&Signature=BxXV9nUwGnRiHWYXDFlEB5Ubrh5drlXfCNwRX4sx2krAcgn8J8G6yduk-N0bkf6XwE8Wq467XsK0utw36NSXg1ezMXWukJ2rds3j5JlMpCuekT2A~ZUj4K8MbOUi61GEG2hho721AtwpxmjhtpbeuTzpigiGZB4S6pjCifEyVZIeIS3MhX~1opUQIDsB~afhF~FN7BmQufHVAO5L7rBWvWYUPR~hOs9EOjNBNqoAAIgoh5YJsrz6cH1oEO80-k94h3HPLjR4BjK8WhyA7aFAR1Le4I274hqiE0VBFTOHdRUZzusUfF~35F8vKF-UaW6TdN3qMFIGWP-hTuYURKa0Xw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Seward City Council voted unanimously to approve a memorandum of understanding with the Seward County Chamber and Development Partnership to create a substitute-worker pool for licensed early-childhood providers.

The agreement, approved 7-0, authorizes a partnership to pilot a substitute network this summer that the parties said would let child-care centers find on-call workers similar to school substitute lists. Jonathan, representing the chamber partnership, said the pilot is intended to improve sustainability for providers and make child care more viable as a career path.

Samantha Patterson, identified in the meeting as the city’s childcare director, is slated to help stand up the program while her schedule is lighter over the summer; the MOU covers initial work through the start of the school year. Jonathan said a private foundation has committed funding to help steward the pilot for three years and that the pilot would begin locally in Seward County with the possibility of later scaling regionally and statewide. \"We're trying to create this for them because we need childcare, to have sustainability,\" Jonathan said.

According to the agreement presented to the council, the city’s role is to help launch the effort and host early activities through the wellness center’s child-watch operations; the chamber will lead coordination with licensed providers. The MOU funds some of Patterson’s time and anticipates hiring part-time caregivers who could also serve as substitute staff for participating providers. Details on program governance, data sharing, and the full budget were included in the MOU packet provided to council members.

Councilmembers moved and seconded the measure and the mayor called for a roll-call vote. The motion passed by a 7-0 margin.

The council did not specify a formal start date beyond the plan to operate through the summer and into the school year; the MOU describes the initial phase as a pilot rather than a permanent city program. Council members asked staff to return with any metrics the chamber and child-care director could track in future admin reports.","The city council voted 7-0 to approve a memorandum of understanding with the Seward County Chamber and Development Partnership to pilot a substitute-worker pool for licensed child-care providers, funded in part by a private foundation over three years.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Seward wellness center opens; pool draws heavy use and rentals begin

Seward reports widespread outages after blizzard; mutual aid and crews restore power

Seward council approves MOU to create substitute pool for child-care providers