Planning Commission Recommends Rezoning Land To Bring 'Flagship' Data Center Into Stanton County11/30/2021  Kim Gentle, project manager for the Northern Data facility near Stanton, shows what the proposed building may look like. The Stanton County Planning Commission voted Monday night to recommend rezoning the land to light industrial to keep the project moving forward. A Germany-based data company is hoping to build its “flagship location of North America” in Stanton County next year. Representatives from Northern Data shared their plans for investing up to $20 million in the project during a hearing Monday night with the Stanton County Planning Commission, who approved 6-0 to recommend changing the zoning to light industry to accommodate the computing facility. It’s currently zoned transitional ag. More than 50 people attended the two-hour meeting, which heard both support for and concerns about the 110,000 to 120,000-square foot facility. It would be located on 40 acres about 5 miles outside of Stanton near the NPPD substation. Northern Data also has a facility in Georgia, although representatives repeatedly said the proposed operation in Stanton County would be “one-of-a-kind.” Northern Data describes itself as a global B2B technology company developing, using and selling solutions on vertically integrated high-performance computing infrastructure. Monte Stahl, managing director of Northern Data, North America West, explained that the company works “business to business” and is not a consumer-facing company. The facility is not for data processing or data storage. Instead, he called it cloud-based computing. Stahl said there are no examples in the United States that compares with the innovation that is being proposed in Stanton County. “There’s nothing quite like this,” he said. “This is innovative and will be our flagship here in the U.S." The first concern voiced was about the rezoning was that the land is in the Norfolk Public School district, not the Stanton school district, which means funds would go to Madison County students. Among other concerns voiced were about water runoff, power use, increased traffic and potential use for the land or building once rezoned, should the project fall through or if the building is sold later. In the motion to recommend rezoning the land, planning commissioners recommended the land be zoned backed agriculture if the project is negated. They also requested Stanton County Commissioners address traffic and road concerns, as well as potential runoff that could impact nearby landowners. For the full story, please pick up this week's Stanton Register on stands Tuesday afternoon.  A second rollover in as many days involved another teen driver.
According to the Stanton County Sheriff's Office, the Friday morning arrival of wintery weather led to a rollover accident after 6 a.m. on U.S. Hwy 275 about 10 miles east of Norfolk when a eastbound pickup driven by a rural Norfolk teen on his way to school left the roadway and rolled. The teen driver was wearing his seatbelts properly and this prevented serious injuries. The pickup he was driving is considered a total loss. The Sheriff’s office also assisted in several other calls of vehicles in the ditch or having slid off the roadway due to the very icy road conditions.  A high school aged youth was involved in a rollover north of Stanton on Thursday morning.
According to Stanton County Sheriff Mike Unger, the youth was flown to the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha.  A one-half mile perimeter remains in place Tuesday afternoon on 846th Road on the Stanton and Wayne County line, according to Stanton County Sheriff Mike Unger.
At about 11:45 a.m., assistance was requested for a hopper on fire that was carrying 14 to 15 ton of sulfur, or dry fertilizer. The Pilger Fire Department was the first to respond with mutual aid from Stanton, Winside and Wayne fire departments, along with the Hazmat team from Norfolk. Unger said it's believed that the first began due to a tire malfunction on the truck. There were no injuries, and the perimeter was set as a precaution as the fertilizer continues to smolder.  About 40 minors — ranging in age from 15 to 20 and mostly identified as students of Northeast Community College — were cited for underage drinking Saturday night, according to the Stanton County Sheriff's Office.
At about 10 p.m., officers located what appeared to be a large underage alcohol drinking party at a residence on 843rd Road — about seven miles northwest of Stanton. The investigation resulted in about 40 minors being cited for Minor in Possession of Alcohol and the three party host were cited for Aiding and Abetting MIP, according to Sheriff Mike Unger. Several youth ran from the location into nearby fields and about ten vehicles were towed from the scene and impounded after their operators refused commands to return to the residence. A large quantity of alcoholic beverages were seized from the residence. The Sheriff’s office wishes to remind everyone that underage drinking is illegal and will be strictly enforced by this office.  At about 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday the Stanton County Sheriff’s office stopped a vehicle on Hwy 275 about five miles East of Norfolk for a traffic violation, The driver, Shawnessy Sulley Jr., 21, of Norfolk was contacted and later asked to exit his vehicle when he suddenly put the car and sped away westbound at speeds of nearly 90 mph with other traffic present on the highway.
During this time as he was pursued by two Sheriff’s units when he threw drug contraband out the car window that was later recovered. The Sulley vehicle suddenly blew a rear tire and slowed and Sulley jumped from the car’s front passenger window as the car still was in motion and gear. He then ran northeast from the area of South Eastwood and Hwy 275 as the vehicle careened into the north tree line off Hwy 275. Sulley lost his shoes as he ran into a wooded area and a perimeter was established as soon as possible with assistance from the Norfolk Police Division, Madison County Sheriff’s office and NSP. An exhaustive search was conducted using drones and the NSP Air Wing and K-9 units. Sulley has an extensive criminal history dating back to his youth and was just released from jail, after a drug conviction in Douglas County. Sulley, a white male, was last observed wearing no shoes, a White T-Shirt and Blue Shorts, with dreds in his hair and multiple tattoos and should be considered dangerous due to his unlawful behavior. He faces felony charges of Possession of more than a Pound of Marijuana with Intent to Deliver, Operating a Motor Vehicle To Avoid Arrest, Tampering with Evidence, No Drug Tax Stamp and additional charges of Willful Reckless Driving, Resisting Arrest, Possession of Marijuana and Drug Paraphernalia. Sulley has numerous contacts in Norfolk and the Stanton area. Anyone seeing him is asked to contact your local law enforcement by calling 911. The Sheriff’s office appreciates the quick help of our law enforcement partners and the public for their help and understanding.  On Thursday night at about 9 p.m., the Stanton County Sheriff’s office stopped a vehicle on U.S. Hwy 275 near the Hwy 57 junction, North of Stanton. During that contact the driver Robynn Hebda, 40, of Omaha was found to have a felony warrant for her arrest out of Douglas County. A passenger who initially gave a false name, Tausha Whitman 25, Elkhorn, was found to have an active Madison County felony warrant.
Both woman who are convicted felons were placed under arrest and the subsequent investigation revealed that they were in possession of nearly one pound of methamphetamine and other drug paraphernalia. Whitman was also found carrying a concealed handgun and that firearm was stolen in Omaha. Both females were booked at the Sheriff’s office on numerous felony charges that include Possession of Methamphetamine with intent to deliver, No Drug Tax Stamp, Felon in Possession of Firearm, Criminal Impersonation and Possession of a stolen firearm. Both woman were jailed pending the setting of bond. The methamphetamine seized was intended to be delivered to Norfolk.  A thunderstorm, which included a tornado warning in Stanton County last night, led to multiple situations for first responders.
Stanton County Emergency Management is reporting that the Stanton Fire & Rescue responded to a corn crib fire with the Clarkson Fire Department. Power lines were also down as Stanton County Public Power District worked through the night on that and tree removal. More details will be added as more damage is accessed.  The Stanton Register not only was named the top newspaper in its division on Thursday, but the newspaper was named the second best in the entire state of Nebraska.
During Thursday’s Nebraska Press Association awards, the Register was recognized as runner-up in the sweepstakes category. The Register was second to only the Antelope County News, which is also owned by Pitzer Digital. The Pitzer Digital newspapers went 1-2-3 in the state with the Knox County News named the third best in Nebraska. Among the dozens of awards for the Register were the Omaha World-Herald Community Service Award, which recognized the community of Stanton for its effort to save their local newspaper. A full list of awards will be posted later today.  On Wednesday night just before 11 p.m., the Stanton County Sheriff’s office responded to and investigated a one vehicle rollover accident that sent a 16 year old Norfolk girl to the hospital for treatment of injuries she received in the accident.
The accident occurred when the SUV being driven by Isiah Ames, 19, of rural Hoskins lost control as he turned from 844th Road to 562nd Avenue, northeast of Woodland Park causing the SUV to enter a ditch and roll. Ames and two other teenage passengers were treated at the scene by Hoskins/Woodland Park rescue and a 16 year old female passenger was transported to FRHS for treatment. Speed was a contributing factor and Ames was cited for Reckless Driving. Seatbelts were not in use and the vehicle is considered a total loss. |
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