Community Clothing Store

I think that bringing more choice to the community is a key component to keeping shopping dollars here in town. A clothing store that adds choice for the citizens of the town and surrounding communities would be a good thing, if it can survive the rigors of a business cycle.

I would like to know more about the proposal and will ask around to find out who would directly benefit from the sale of goods and who would be responsible for funding the operation's start up and ongoing costs.

One of the reasons that people shop out of town to go where more people are. Larger communities have a more diverse population and those tastes and preferences are reflected in availability of items for sale. One only has to look at the Wal Mart in Sidney and compare it with the Wal Mart in Sterling or Cheyenne, Wyoming. and see how population density affects product assortment.

Opening a store and employing people to run it is a good thing for the local economy as well as putting money directly into the pockets of those who might be looking for a job. Hopefully any analysis that supports this endeavor will consider the impact such an organization will have on other entities such as the Salvation Army.

Having shopped at Larry's Clothing, I think it fair to say that his offerings are far superior to those found in any Wal Mart and his ability to survive wasn't really impacted by a Big Box store. It might be a different story if Men's Wearhouse wanted to put a store in Sidney.

I will follow this effort as it progresses and wish those who are trying to bring a new business to town the best of luck.

Michael Rowland

For the AssAnonymous

I suspect that the number of anonymous posters to this site is contained to a small handful of people, all of the same persuasion, I am assigning any comment I might have on them to this post and the subsequent list of comments.

It is a shame that a good question was posed this afternoon to a previous post. I would like to include it with the post mentioned, but alas. It is sent by someone who wants to remain anonymous. Too bad.. it was a good question.

Michael Rowland

Small town values

There have been a lot of accusations about conspiracies and underhanded dealings going on with the city council here of late. As a point of discussion, I would like to offer up a discussion of what people in the town think of the phrase that greets visitors and residents as they come into town.

What does the phrase, "Small town values, Big time opportunities" mean to you.

Who owns KSID radio?

Publisher's Note: Several people have commented since this post, that Ibs doesn't really have anything to do with the day to day operations for KSID radio. That is beside the point. As the owner, Mrs. Young benefits from advertising revenues garnered from the profits of a media enterprise. The point I was making, was to simply illustrate Mrs. Young's propensity to use letters to the editor in a different venue, and that the nature of her letter was to characterize some unnamed individual in a manner she chose not to use on the station's website. The tone of her message was not in keeping with her standing in the community, no matter how right she may have been to criticize the use of an anonymous letter (which I agree with her on that premise).

This post is only here to clarify some email I have received from someone who identified himself as Cliff  Vanders.  I post my response here for everyone's benefit to avoid future confusion.

A couple people have told me that Elizabeth Young was no longer the owner of the radio station known as KSID. They have said that I shouldn't be including the radio station in my comments in my responses to Ibs Young's lambasting of the so-called "Sidney Citizen."

Looking at the ownership information maintained by the FCC, a license renewal application from 2007 shows the station owner to be Elizabeth Young with a PO box located here in Sidney. The document continues to be filed every 2 years. Since this is a public record, it should be sufficient to put that question to rest.

KSID Radio, Inc.
File number BOA - 20070122ABT
Registration number 0003747623

KSID, KSID-FM Sidney
100% Elizabeth Young, Sidney, President/Treasurer


Application for license renewal filed by Elizabeth Young on January 17, 2007 for a Biennial renewal period. 


Michael Rowland

What is not covered in the Open Meeting Act of Nebraska

Someone is complaining that the message Dave Wiederspon gave at Council Meeting on Tuesday on the process for discussion of the City Manager/Economic Development coordinator position outside of council would be a violation of state law governing open meetings. I did some digging into what constitutes a meeting in the state of Nebraska and here is what I have found thus far.

Anonymous letter seeks to further stir mistrust

Publisher's Note: If you want to post on this site or have your comments taken seriously, you must be known to me in a manner that allows communication and verification prior to posting. Comments which add substance to the debate are permitted, which those which foment hate and discontent will be rejected.

The sentiment of Tuesday night's council meeting expressed by many in attendance was that anonymous comments don't deserve to be aired in public. I generally agree the sentiment, but also believe that opportunities must exist to bring up legitimate complaints, backed by evidence and not supposition. It is appropriate and necessary to remain silent on the revelation of your name, when revealing it, along with details of a crime or unethical conduct would expose the revealing person to loss of employment or community standing. When people seek to be anonymous in furtherance of stirring the pot or besmirching another in support of their own agenda, I find that action more than a little underhanded.

Anyonymity behind a penname

The publication of a recent letter penned by someone called, "The Sidney Citizen" has caused an outrage among many citizens who feel that if you cannot mention your name, you don't deserve consideration for any idea you may want to bring up. I am going to agree with that assertion, with one caveat.

Follow up on Council and City Manager Questions.

Last night a standing room only crowd once again came to the Council Chambers to listen to a light agenda of items. I presented my questions during the public comment section and after some cajoling by citizen's present, everyone agreed to address the questions I synthesized from the circulated letter, "The Sidney Citizen." It was clear from the tone of those who participated in the discussions that certain council members are not trusted and that an undercurrent of this distrust continues to permeate the community.

Open letter to the City Manager and the City Council members and staff

Lady and Gentlemen:

I write today to inquire about several questions which I hope can be addressed either in writing or in person. I have stayed largely out of the dustup over Gary Person's dual role in the city government and I intend to reserve further comment pending the budget discussions later this year.  I would like the contents of this letter entered into the council minutes as public comment and respectfully request council to do so.

Dual roles aside, I think that the writer of the letter has a few valid questions with respect to:
1.    Were there specific questions as to professional conduct, of either illegal or unethical nature that led to the resignation of the Chief of Police?
2.    Are city employees forbidden to talk to council members without approval of the city manager to any such conduct?
3.    Does the council code of conduct forbid/discourage the conduct of Councilman Gaston as expressed at last council meeting (as reported in the, "Sidney Citizen?"
4.    Does any city employee have knowledge of a financial shortfall due to a planned economic development refund requests by local business(es)?
5.    What is the nature of the relationship between the city attorney, the City Manager and the City Council? Who represents the interests of the City Manager, and why must City Council must retain external council to address specific concerns.

I am not asking questions with a particular agenda, I just have questions and I respectfully ask that the City Council and City Manager address each question in public.

Respectfully,

Michael Rowland

Comments on the site.

This site is open to all persons who wish to participate. Though I will not require you to list your names in your post, you will be required to register as a blog user, which will identify you to the publisher. Your name will not be made public unless you wish, but your content must be accurate and if you cite facts, you must cite sources.

This posting is due to Julie Young who posted material to promote another service with two articles as a better alternative. Whether they are, or not is a question for the readers.

Michael Rowland

KSID radio owner attacks "Gutless Coward's" of reform

KSID radio owner Ibs Young let loose with a tirade in today's Sun-Telegraph. She obviously received the same letter I wrote about over the weekend and she calls into question the character, morals and general standing of such an individual or group.

I have news for Ms. Young. The letter neither proves nor disproves anything. It is a series of questions that the writer(s) felt are deserving of reply, not by Ms. Young or members of the media, but by the City Council members and/or the City Manager. Despite the request of others last week to simmer down and have a civil discussion, Young has brought out the rusty WWII vintage flamethrower to light up the skies. 

Political Lords of the Flies

Democrats have created a national political firestorm out of their positions on health care reform, energy, labor and other measures. In their arrogance, the have lost governor's races in two states that went for Barack Obama and the oldest Democratic Senate seat, held by a Kennedy since 1953. Now it is the Republican Party's turn.

Conan O'Brien targeted by Sun-Telegraph

Saturday's Sun-Telegraph took a rip at the divorce settlement between Conan O'Brien and NBC. The tone of the piece brings into question whether talent such as O'Brien should get that kind of money when a relationship goes sour.

In a word, yes.

A silent majority no more?

Today I opened my mailbox and saw that I had a letter from a citizen, of Sidney, NE. Inside the writer passed on to me a letter from a group calling itself, the Sidney Citizen and detailed some thoughts I have been having for some time now.

I am asking the writer of this document to contact me directly at mrmikerowland@mac.com or to reply with an email address that preserves you privacy and identity. I want to talk with you in more detail about your letter.

I agree that the local press is doing a poor job of reporting the news in an unbiased way and I sincerely hope to change that in the very near term.

Michael Rowland

This issue will not go away very soon and I intend to be on the leading edge of reporting what is going on as well as offering a visible point person for those who are constrained to speak out because of a fear of retribution from their employers or their customers.

Making a change in theGuardianNews

Folks,

I have mulled over the local choices in media. We have the Sun-Telegraph as a newspaper, KSID radio station, and  a relatively new outlet called the SidneyStageCoach.com. I started writing this blog last year as an outlet for my thoughts and to get into publication views I thought the available press routinely ignores. I know there are a host of people out there who are interested in the views that are not put out by the Chamber of Commerce or the Jaycees. It's not that these groups are necessarily bad or their ideas are patently detrimental to the livelihood of the community.

John Edwards no humanitarian

In an effort to paint himself as somehow more human, John Edwards, the former candidate for the highest office in the land, is in Haiti. Edwards is supposedly assisting the devastated people of the island nation to get back on their feet.

Stroke Warning Information Check the Tongue

2009 Special Report on Stroke; Advances in Detection and Treatment

ISBN 1879620847 2008 Special Report on Stroke; Advances in Detection and Treatment (IDENTICAL TO 2009 EDITION, 2009 is simply the Belvoir Media Group re-edition)


Blood   Clots/Stroke - They Now Have a Fourth Indicator,   the Tongue

I   will continue to forward this every time it   comes around!

STROKE:  Remember   the 1st Three Letters.... S.  T. R.. 

STROKE   IDENTIFICATION:

Rambling Man

The following rebuttal is to the Sun-Telegraph Editor's Report.

The link to the article is provided as a courtesy.


I can't believe what I am reading. This story meanders through several thoughts held together by the basic premise that politicians of any ilk can't be trusted with a potato gun. The thing I can't figure out about the piece is that if you wouldn't support the current legislation, why the hell would you criticize Scott Brown for opposing it. Voting against a specific measure isn't the same as being against the idea that lies beneath it. It would be nice if when you refer to the sides, you label them with their party affiliations so that the truly asleep for the last year will one day wake up and understand that the Democrats were excluding Republicans and the Republicans acted to block a very bad health care bill from passage.

Ben Nelson's Column out of touch with reality.

Publisher's Note:  Sidney Stage Coach writer Tamara Nelson called me up and told me that the column contained herein was not an opinion piece by the Epaper, but rather a press release from the Senator's office. It was originally posted here as an opinion of the epaper due to the lack of attribution. SidneyStageCoach.com has since begun to post pieces with attribution. TheGuardianNews apologies for the confusion this post may have created.  Edits to the original story are in green.

In this column I will refute in stark detail the inanity of the Senator Ben Nelson's column supporting the Health Care Debate. My comments will be inserted herein in red and italics.

Scott Brown Wins Massachusetts Seat and claims an election year full of "Surprises."

In a stunning upset victory last night in the Massachusetts Senate Race, Scott Brown may have sent a new shot heard 'round the nation and it may have significant implications for democratic strategies in Health Care, Energy and a whole host of other changes they want implement.

The Plot Thickens, Slightly

Saturday, the Sun Telegraph posted the following letter to the editor from Herb Nelson, a long-time Sidney resident:

===
Sen. Nelson Is No Coward

Issue No. 1, the Sidney Citizen

 Publisher's Note: This is the first Issue of an anonymous letter circulated around January 13th, 2010. The contents of the letter were made known to a small group of people, including the publisher of theguardiannews. Some of the questions contained herein were addressed to City Council at the January 26th, 2010 meeting under a separate post on this site. A few people have requested to have the contents of this letter published and I am providing it here for their benefit. Except as previously noted, I have no opinion on the material contained herein, but the public may which to comment, which are welcome.

The Senate is Watching me now...

Several weeks ago, I asked Ben Nelson to contact me personally to talk about his stand on issues of importance to me. Today, I received a phone call from one of his people in Scottsbluff who assured me that by talking to her it would be the same as talking to him. She calmly expressed her ability to relay my concerns to some other people who control Ben Nelson and that she felt she could answer all of my questions to my satisfaction.

I explained to her that I wanted to talk to Nelson personally, that I wanted to convey my opinions as well as the opinions of many people I come in contact with over his position on health care, energy and government spending. She told me that Senator Nelson was far too busy to talk with every citizen who wanted to meet with him and that my concerns would be relayed to the Senator.

The gist of the conversation was this: The Senator has heard what you want to say before and he doesn't want to answer to anyone who doesn't agree with him. His staffer said that the Senator took the advice of the citizens of Nebraska into consideration when he negotiated the changes in the health care bill he sold his vote for. He is far too busy to meet with the people whose fortunes and livelihoods he is selling down the road for generations to come, even for 10 minutes on the phone.

Even though I am not from Nebraska originally, Nelson is my representative and frankly I am entitled to speak with him. The argument that he simply can't meet with everyone is false, primarily due to the fact that everyone doesn't want to talk to him at the same time.

Perhaps the future former Senator should go back and try to understand that voting for the democrats isn't the same as voting for Nebraskans, whether they were born here or not.

Michael Rowland
Sidney