News | Washington County Enterprise

Rhoades to be inducted into Nebraska Journalism Hall of Fame

Mark Rhoades, who owned Enterprise Media Group from 1997 until earlier this year, will be one of two people inducted into the Nebraska Journalism Hall of Fame later this month during the Nebraska … more

NEWS REPORT | 4/4/25

The Dueling Pianos performed to a sold out Cooperman Atrium last Friday evening on the former Dana College campus. The event was a fundraiser for the proposed art alley project in downtown Blair.

Dueling pianists help raise funds for art alley project

Organizers of the proposed art alley and pocket park being planned in the alley between 17th and 18th streets in Blair hosted a dueling pianos fundraiser on the former Dana College campus last … more

By Kevin Bumgarner - editor@enterprisepub.com | 4/4/25

Jeremy Kinsey, operations commander, La Vista Police Department

Mayor to appoint La Vista's operations commander as Blair's next police chief

The Blair City Council will be asked to confirm Mayor Mindy Rump’s appointment of Jeremy Kinsey to serve as the city's new police chief at next Tuesday's meeting. Kinsey, who currently … more

By Kevin Bumgarner - editor@enterprisepub.com | 4/3/25

A petition calling for the recall of Fort Calhoun Mayor Mitch Robinson has been organized.

Petition calling for recall of Fort Calhoun mayor moves forward

Organizers of a recall petition for Fort Calhoun Mayor Mitch Robinson have 30 days to gather signatures, which may trigger a second special election in the coming months for Fort Calhoun residents. … more

BY ADAM BRANTING | 4/1/25

From left, Tiegan Daniel, Aidan Werth, Avery Mohr, Hunter Camenzind, Henry Valasek, Johnny Henton, Ty Tessendorf, Mason Stoddard and Christian Grimm stand in front of their tractors last Friday at Blair High School.

Paying homage to Blair's ag heritage

This year's Drive Your Tractor to School Day at Blair High School was delayed because of the most recent snow storm. The rescheduled event happened on March 28. more

4/1/25

Alice Kubicek and Lucy Billesbach were the winners of the Fort Calhoun Junior High Science Fair, with their project "Is it the bat?"

Fort Calhoun Junior High Science Fair competitors

STAFF REPORT | 4/1/25

"We should have been building houses in '95 rather than now," says Blair Police Chief Joe Lager. "But still, the growth was coming. The traffic that was coming through greatly increased. You see it now during the day. The town is not much bigger than it was 10 years ago, but the traffic is 30% more."

Chief Lager reflects on his 40 years in law enforcement

EDITOR’S NOTE: Blair Police Chief Joe Lager recently sat down with Washington County Pilot-Tribune Executive Editor Kevin Bumgarner for what is likely to be one of his last interviews before … more

4/1/25

Blair FFA members competed at District Career Development Events in Fremont last month to qualify for state in four events. Front row from left, Bria Lantry, Eliza Finken, Cecelia LaMontia, Stevie Avila, Tiegan Daniel, Braylee Duckworth, Isabella Borges, Reata Malmberg and Grace Cape. Middle row from left, Kathryn Picton, Kaylee Knapp, Daniel Heaton, Diane Mitchell, Hunter Camenzind, Somer Schultz, Wyatt Fleming, Bailey Domann, Katelyn Mitchell and Melissa Spangler. Back row from left, Jay Jensen, Hailey Jackson, Jaydyn Backman, Mason Stoddard, Luke Raymond, Mac Tupa, Isaak Schultz and Theo Hinrichs.

Blair FFA teams heading to state

The Blair FFA chapter qualified 38 members for the 2025 Nebraska State FFA Convention this Wednesday through Friday in Lincoln. Blair qualified for competition in Leadership Development Events … more

STAFF REPORT | 4/1/25

Column: Your chance to come up with some nicknames for the place you call home

A nickname says a lot about a person and even more about a community. The perfect sobriquet can define a person or place so much more effectively than their name ever could. It encapsulates the … more

RANTING BY BRANTING | 3/28/25

Arlington Post 71 American Legion Commander Steve Bremer presents WWII veteran Ted Martin with a medal and certificate signed by Gov. Jim Pillen honoring Martin for his service in the U.S. Armed Forces.

Recognizing a local WWII veteran

Arlington Post 71 American Legion Commander Steve Bremer recently presented long-time Arlington resident Ted Martin with a Nebraska World War II Recognition Program medal and certificate signed by … more

STAFF REPORT | 3/27/25

A crowd gathers at the Hain-Flynn American Legion Post 104 Legion Hall on March 23rd to support the ongoing efforts of the Mandy Jo Rounds Memorial Foundation to raise money for a dog park that the City of Blair wants to build on the edge of Ralph Steyer Park. At the present time, the city has set no date for when bids on the project will be sought.

City of Blair dog park fundraiser

3/27/25

The royalty of the Fort Calhoun High School Prom was crowned on March 22 at Creighton University's Mutual of Omaha Ballroom at the Skutt Student Center. The court included, from left, Princess Bella McLaughlin, Queen Reilly Rauterkus, King Dane Jensen and Prince Jayson Reynolds.

Fort Calhoun High School Prom Royalty

3/27/25

Jaime Beister, with daughters Casey and Taylor, cut the ribbon at the entrance to their new home in Blair's West Valley neighborhood near Dana Village.

Habitat dedicates first two homes in West Valley subdivision

Habitat for Humanity of Omaha dedicated the first two homes on March 21st as part of a five-year, 10-home project planned for the West Valley subdivision near 24th and Nebraska streets in Blair. … more

STAFF REPORT | 3/27/25

Ft. Calhoun gun range special election set for May 13

Fort Calhoun Mayor Mitch Robinson announced Tuesday that a special election to decide whether the City Council can proceed with discussion of a proposed Omaha Police Department gun range will be held … more

BY ADAM BRANTING | 3/25/25

The Combined Bass Choir presents "I'm Just Ken" at the March 18th Pops Concert at Blair High School.

Pops Concert hits all the right notes

The recent Pops Concert at Blair High School featured 14 group and individual performances, including a farewell performance of the Ovation Show Choir's "Fortune Teller" show. more

3/24/25

MCH trying to reduce the number of opioids used after surgeries

Memorial Community Hospital & Health System has started partnering with an Iowa-based company whose goal is to minimize the use of opioids by finding other ways to support patients before and … more

By Kevin Bumgarner - editor@enterprisepub.com | 3/24/25

Blair’s search for new police chief down to 3 finalists

The Blair City Council will be asked to consider Mayor Mindy Rump’s recommendation for a new police chief at the council’s April 8th meeting. Between now and then, Rump is in the … more

By Kevin Bumgarner - editor@enterprisepub.com | 3/24/25

“I respect [the] people’s right as the community to do those things, but I’m announcing right here, right now that I will not be resigning,” says Fort Calhoun Mayor Mitch Robinson.

Fort Calhoun gun range issue heading to special election

A special election will be held to determine whether the Omaha Police Department will be allowed to build a gun range in Fort Calhoun. The Fort Calhoun City Council at its regular meeting Monday … more

BY GREG FORBES | 3/21/25

Easton Anderson and the rest of the family slept with their dog Storm after his two-day, more than five-mile odyssey in the western half of Blair in early March.

32-hour search for Storm

While social media can be a frustrating array of vitriol and advertising, for a newly adopted dog aptly named Storm, it was a lifeline to bring a lost dog home as a late-winter storm bore down on … more

BY ADAM BRANTING | 3/21/25

Sue Wulf shows her Irish charm during lunch at the Blair American Legion Hall on St Patrick's Day.

St. Paddy’s Day tradition

Members of the Blair American Legion kept the tradition alive this week by continuing to serve corned beef and cabbage lunches and dinners on St. Patrick’s Day. They’ve been doing this … more

3/21/25

Tower of the Four Winds at Black Elk-Neihardt Park was standing tall on Thursday, the day after a late-season blizzard wreaked havoc in eastern Nebraska and western Iowa.

Postcard perfect images following Wednesday's blizzard

Rising temperatures throughout the area were causing a fast snow melt following Wednesday's blizzard. But on Thursday morning the conditions were still postcard perfect at Black Elk-Neihardt Park in … more

3/20/25

Late-season blizzard

Wednesday's blizzard closed Washington County schools and businesses, left thousands without power and shut down local stretches of highway at various times. Snowfall amounts varied, but multiple … more

3/20/25

Boettcher pleads not guilty in Arlington shootout

David Boettcher pleaded not guilty in Washington County District Court on Tuesday to eight felony counts stemming from his alleged involvement in a January shootout with Washington County … more

BY ADAM BRANTING | 3/18/25

Blair schools switching from Chromebooks to iPads

Blair Community Schools is switching from Chromebooks to iPads for student use starting this fall, based on a unanimous vote by the Board of Education at its March 10 meeting. The Blair school … more

By Kevin Bumgarner - editor@enterprisepub.com | 3/17/25

Long-time shopper Joan Ward scans the shelves for Easter decorations at the newly renovated Joseph Coat thrift store in Blair last week.

Joseph’s Coat, food pantry upgrades give space a more inviting look

After 20 years, the main street home of Joseph’s Coat thrift store and the Washington County Food Pantry has a new look. Pantry President Fred Otte said a small army of board members, … more

BY ADAM BRANTING | 3/17/25