News Flash

All of the lights – Parks and Rec gears up for massive downtown holiday parade

Move over, Rudolph. Plenty of bright lights will be on display this weekend as the City of Columbus’ Parks and Recreation Department hosts its second annual Holiday Parade.

Set to take place at 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023, the Holiday Parade is free to the community and will see far more than a dozen participants show off their rides throughout downtown Columbus. It all leads up to the grand finale of Santa Claus greeting ...

Winter/Spring 2024 Activity Guide

It's that time of year again! The new year is just around the corner, which means new fun activities with Parks and Recreation. This is your complete digital guide to swim lessons, fitness classes and fun youth and family events. We can't wait to see what...

MONSTER MASH – City + Friends Trunk-or-Treat sparks massive community Halloween party

Columbus came, it saw and it conquered the quest for Halloween fun on Thursday night, as more than 1,500 people showed up for the first-ever City of Columbus + Friends Trunk-or-Treat extravaganza.

Pirates, Pokémon, the “Mario Kart” collective, Ghostbusters, Sesame Street’s “Oscar the Grouch,” “Gru” and his “Minions,” “Cruella de Vil&rd...

Free City + Friends Trunk-or-Treat extravaganza happens today!

It's the final countdown!

The first-ever City of Columbus + Friends Trunk-or-Treat takes place from 5-7 p.m. today, Oct. 26, outside the Columbus Community Building.

“We are excited to have people come out on Oct. 26. This will be a great way for people to come together in a fun environment that also engages the community all around,” City Parks and Recreation Director Betsy Eckhardt said, noting t...

Illegal dumping results in Sock Pond’s closure

Sock Pond has been known as a popular fishing spot for the community for years, but lately, it has become a hub for garbage, yard waste and trashy furniture.

“Repetitively throughout the summer, we’ve encountered all kinds of illegal dumping. Up to this point it was yard clippings and branches, but now we’ve found couches, furniture and all kinds of stuff,” City Parks an...

City honors staff with recognition awards

The City of Columbus recently celebrated the 2022-2023 fiscal year by honoring its staff members.

Staff members were saluted during an awards recognition banquet on Oct. 13 at American Legion.

"This is just another example of the great employees we have," Mayor Jim Bulkley said. "They are here when we need them and are not afraid to go a...

COUNCIL PREVIEW: City Council to consider several reappointments and more

The Columbus City Council has several items to address when it next meets at 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 16.

The agenda includes several reappointments:

-Larry O’Neill to the Library Board for a four-year term

-Chuck Whitney to the Nebraska Cooperative Government Commission as a delegate for a one-year term

-Adam Urkoski, Ron Schilling and Charlie Bahr to...

Your Tax Dollars At Work: Van Berg’s growing popularity fuels need for purchase of 10 new golf carts

One good thing that came out of 2019’s historic flooding and the COVID-19 pandemic back in 2020 was the resurgence of interest in Van Berg Golf Course.

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NOTE TO READERS: “Your Tax Dollars At Work” is a new ongoing series exploring how sales tax revenue helps the City of Columbus fund a variety of services, programs and projects to benefit the com...

‘Pumpkin’ for everyone: City gears up for free community Trunk-or-Treat and more this Halloween

It’s almost scary how much fun is on tap for downtown Columbus this month.

The first-ever City of Columbus + Friends Trunk-or-Treat extravaganza is set to take place from 5-7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 26, outside the Columbus Community Building, and there promises to be plenty of treats and excitement for all attendees.

“We a...

CITY GOVERNMENT 101: DEPARTMENT OVERVIEW - PARKS & RECREATION

“City Government 101” is an ongoing series that debuted in April 2023 and highlights different aspects of municipal government as it pertains to Columbus, Nebraska, in hopes to provide information on how the City of Columbus operates.

Every City of Columbus department head was recently asked some questions in regard to their department, the current fiscal year budget and plans for their department in the upcoming fiscal year (Oct. 1, 2023-Sept. 30, 2024).

DEPARTMENT: Parks and Recreatio...

Severe thunderstorm leads to building, parks and road damage

The cleanup is underway after Tuesday night’s thunderstorm caused some damage to Columbus parks, buildings and roadways.

Two trees went down in Frankfort Square; a tree fell down on a light pole and took down some powerlines by the west shelter in Pawnee Park and roadways throughout town were closed as a result of tree branches falling down, among other things.

According to ...

Frankfort Square band shell spray painted

City crews spent time Tuesday cleaning up the Frankfort Square band shell in downtown Columbus after the stage backdrop facing east was found spray painted.

Unsolicited spray paint was applied to the wall behind the stage showing a heart with an arrow through it, a name and some numbers, according to City Parks and Recreation Director Betsy Eckhardt. The Parks and Recreation director said City staff on Tuesda...

Columbus teen group aiming to build and open drive-in movie theater

A group of Columbus teens is hoping to help make the community’s future bright by potentially launching a drive-in movie theater in town and more.

Legacy is a collective made of students from Columbus High, Lakeview and Scotus Central Catholic high schools.

“Our main push is to look at what we can do to make Columbus a place people want to come back and raise their families; live and work h...

Columbus Senior Center garage sale on tap this week

The Columbus Senior Center will hold a garage sale later this week.

The sale will take place from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 24, and 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday, Aug. 25, in the air-conditioned Community Room at the Center, 3111 19th St. Items for sale will include home décor, glassware and books, as well as many ot...

WATCH AND READ: City mapping out upgraded pedestrian crosswalks near schools

A City of Columbus initiative is aiming to help keep kids heading to and from school, as well as all pedestrians, a little safer in town.

The City recently installed the first Rapid Flash High Visibility Crosswalk at the intersection of 27th Street and 18th Avenue, just in time for the start of the new school year. The flashers at that crosswalk, fairly close to Columbus Middle School, Nort...

Changing of the guard: City Parks and Rec becomes its own department under Eckhardt's leadership

Public Property Director Doug Moore can still remember his humble beginnings with the City of Columbus when he was just a teenager.

“I was picking up garbage in Gerrard Park when it was brand new,” Moore recalled. “I picked up garbage all over for a summer job as a kid.”

In 1979, Moore took on a full-time City staff role as a park maintenance wor...

Making waves - Krepel relishes working with youth at pools in aquatics coordinator role

The Pawnee Plunge and Aquatic Center are essentially homes away from home for Joe Krepel. His life has been tied to Columbus pools in many ways for decades.

“It’s hard not to love pools. They’re full of life; they’re exciting,” said Krepel, the City’s aquatics coordinator.

On a June 2023 afternoon, Krepel made his way around the Plunge greeting his li...

Aquatic Center’s open hours temporarily changing April 22nd for prom

So that its staff members can prepare for and enjoy the Columbus High School prom, the City Parks and Recreation Department has decided to close the Aquatic Center during regular hours (noon-4 p.m.) on Saturday, April 22nd, 2023.

“We wish all our staff and Columbus youth a safe and happy prom,” Parks and Recreation Manager Betsy Eckhardt said.

The Aquatic Center, 1783 10^th Ave. in Columbus, will still be open from 6:30 p.m.-9 p.m. April 22^nd for the “D...