Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First

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  • Council Debates Gotti Upgrade

    Daria Anderson-Faden, The Observer|Nov 30, 2023

    The discussion on Gotti Park playground equipment and surfacing consumed a significant amount of time at the Kimball City Council meeting on Tuesday evening, Nov. 21. A variety of colors for the playground surfacing were discussed, but no decision was made. Concerns were raised about the heat retention and pricing of the surface. Other suggestions included matching the surface with the red, white and blue structure. A cost difference between the current funds and expenses for the playground...

  • All Is Good With New Hospital's Helipad, Officials Say

    Daria Anderson-Faden, The Observer|Nov 30, 2023

    As the shape and sounds of the new Kimball hospital become more of a reality, rumors and questions persist about the new hospital and its helicopter pad. Kimball Health Services Human Resources Director Stephanie Pedersen and Community Relations Director Kerry Ferguson answered questions about the location and safety of the helicopter pad at the new Kimball Health Services facility. The helicopter pad was never going to be anywhere except where it is located on the northeast side of the hospital grounds near Highway 30 and Webster Street, they...

  • A TIME FOR THANKSGIVING

    Daria Anderson-Faden, The Observer|Nov 23, 2023

    With the Thanksgiving holiday approaching, Lela Carpenter is thankful to "be here." She is also grateful to be around her family and can now hear their laughter daily. She has been home about a week from an extended stay at Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital in Lincoln, and then two different nursing homes in the central and eastern parts of the state. Lela is home to Kimball as a quadriplegic. But her goals center on "being a good grandma and getting up and walking again." At her home, Lela tells...

  • Trucker Trash A Problem On Exits

    Daria Anderson-Faden, The Observer|Nov 23, 2023

    The exit and entrance ramps to Kimball are cluttered with trash and other types of waste from truckers who park there, creating a disgusting look for travelers getting off for business or pleasure in Kimball. The trucks also create a safety issue as cars and others enter or depart the interstate. Any day or night, truckers park on the exit or entrance ramps even though the ramps are clearly marked as a no parking zone. Signs clearly displayed on the ramps direct vehicles to the large truck...

  • Recycling Center Makes Its Point

    Daria Anderson-Faden, The Observer|Nov 23, 2023

    Everyone was a winner at the Kimball Recycling Center open house in honor of America Recycles Day on Wednesday, Nov. 15. Every participant received a gift or a prize and free promotional products. Kimball Recycling Center Executive Director Spud Rowley's celebration included breakfast, lunch and dinner, along with raffles and a guessing contest for his guests. He gave tours and provided education on recycling. Over 50 people enjoyed the games, food and gifts at the Kimball facility. Everyone...

  • STAR-SPANGLED SALUTE

    Daria Anderson-Faden, The Observer|Nov 16, 2023

    Veterans Day speaker Matt Dillow shed light on the namesake of the Kimball American Legion Post 22. The post is named for the only World War I death from Kimball, Charles Neely. The Neely American Legion Post was established in August 1919. The Kimball Jr./Sr. High School Civics class under the direction of Jeri Ferguson organized the program on Friday. Seniors Shannen Acheson, Julia Winstrom and Hayden Sours served as masters of ceremony. After the presentation of colors, Kimball students...

  • Plans In Place For Parade Of Lights

    Daria Anderson-Faden, The Observer|Nov 16, 2023

    A variety of activities and events are scheduled for the Christmas Parade of Lights in Kimball. The parade will travel down Second Street on Nov. 25 at 5 p.m.. Ten floats are entered and more are expected. Anything goes for the parade – drive, walk or ride an animal. Flower Haven is sponsoring a coloring page for kids. Bring the colored picture to Flower Haven by Nov. 25 for your child to pick a prize. Santa, sponsored by Nebraska Coffee, will be seeing kids of all ages at the corner of Second and Chestnut streets next to Chute 7. Santa will a...

  • Foster Grandparent Program Excites Kimball School Board

    Daria Anderson-Faden, The Observer|Nov 16, 2023

    Students from the Kimball FFA presented at the Kimball School Board meeting on Monday evening. Memorizing and giving the FFA Creed is a requirement for freshmen, and Carly Norberg gave her Creed and will compete at districts on Wednesday. Mallory Hottell also presented to the school board. Her speech was about the future of agriculture. Other teams or members will compete in parliamentary procedure, conduct chapter meetings, ag demonstrations, job interviews, and extemporaneous speaking. Under...

  • Sheriff Expresses Safety Concerns

    Daria Anderson-Faden, The Observer|Nov 9, 2023

    Kimball County Sheriff Dave Hottell updated the county commissioners Tuesday on business in his office. Hottell said that he and a couple of deputies traveled to the Super Max prison in Colorado to pick up Vencil Leo Ash III. Ash completed his federal prison term, and the Kimball County Sheriff’s Office transferred him to the Nebraska State Prison to serve his life sentence for the murder of Ryan Guiton in Kimball County. Ash was found guilty in two separate trials in Kimball County for the murder of Ryan Guitron in 2003. Ash was found g...

  • Shooting Suspect Kant Charged

    Daria Anderson-Faden, The Observer|Nov 9, 2023

    On Monday, Leota Kant, 86, of Kimball remained in the Lincoln County Jail with a $200,000 bond after last week's Tuesday evening shooting incident. By midday Tuesday, a week after the shooting, Kant was in the process of bonding out. Her bond was 10% of $200,000. Kant is charged with attempted murder, use of a firearm to commit a felony, and discharge of a weapon in city limits. Kant was scheduled to appear in Kimball County Court on Nov. 8 for a preliminary hearing. The incident occurred on...

  • STUDENTS 'SWEEP' UP FOR FOOD Pantry

    Daria Anderson-Faden, The Observer|Nov 9, 2023

    Main Street Market hosted a wild and intense Supermarket Sweep on Friday, the brainchild of Kimball Jr/Sr High School Principal Danielle Reader to benefit the Kimball Food Pantry. Thirty-two students from Kimball Jr./High School raced, ran, searched and scoured the shelves for the 61 items on the shopping list. Reader explained that "Throughout the years, our school community, comprising both staff and students, has dedicated itself to various endeavors aimed at gathering essential food items...

  • GOTTA HAND IT TO THESE QUILTERS

    Daria Anderson-Faden, The Observer|Nov 9, 2023

    Ironically, all of the current Senior Center Hand Quilters picked up the hobby later in life. Gretta Shoenemann, in her mid-90s, picked up quilting about 20 years ago. She said they did a lot of hand work as a child, but quilting was not one of them. She started quilting after her husband passed away in 2001. Claude Jones, a regular senior center quilter, began quilting after she retired in 2005. Each individual stitch is hand-done through every layer, making the back of the quilt design almost...

  • Laura Baker Recognized Nationally

    Daria Anderson-Faden, The Observer|Nov 9, 2023

    Laura Baker, the Farm Service Agency executive director for Kimball County, received the FSA Administrator's Award for Service to Agriculture and one of the Supervisors of the Year during a recent ceremony and reception at the USDA office building in Washington, D.C. The Administrator's Award acknowledges hard work and diligence in delivering FSA and USDA programs. The Supervisors of the Year Award recognizes individuals who hold supervisory positions and have demonstrated and contributed to...

  • Pool Players Represent Kimball At National

    Daria Anderson-Faden, The Observer|Nov 9, 2023

    Western Nebraska was well represented at the TAP National Pool Tournament in Biloxi, Mississippi, happening this past week. Seventeen players from Kimball, Sidney, Ogallala and Gothenburg represented the Trails West League in Mississippi. Kimball sent one of the youngest players, 9-year-old Able Kuhns. Able, along with his dad, Anthony, to handle 8-ball and 9-ball duties. Fellow Kimballites Seth Krazick and Adam Warner played 8-ball and 9-ball, respectively, in Biloxi. These players all...

  • Benefits For Local Vets Trace Back To G.I. Bill

    Daria Anderson-Faden, The Observer|Nov 9, 2023

    Many of today’s benefits for veterans – including the 293 served in Kimball County – can be traced back to the passage of the G.I. Bill of 1944. With the realization that World War II was coming to a close, politicians and government officials were fearful of the return of over 16 million American men and women who had been serving during World War II. The returning veterans would be unemployed and this could result in another depression and bring on worldwide economic instability reminiscent of the 1930s. So the 1944 G. I. Bill offered aid f...

  • Dix Addressing State Audit Findings

    Daria Anderson-Faden, The Observer|Nov 2, 2023

    Several issues that merit corrective action were addressed in a letter to the Village of Dix Board Chairwoman Linda Rasmussen from the Nebraska Auditor of Public Accounts. The letter was dated Oct. 24. The audit for the village determined that "Despite withholding the federal taxes from employees' compensation, the village clerk has neither remitted those amounts to the IRS nor filed the quarterly Form 941s." The audit report explained that the clerk at the time apparently stopped making...

  • Pedestrian Hurt In Accident

    Daria Anderson-Faden, The Observer|Nov 2, 2023

    The Kimball Police Department reported a traffic accident at approximately 11:52 a.m. Tuesday. Emergency responders were dispatched to the intersection of 3rd Street and Chestnut for an accident involving a car and a pedestrian. The injured pedestrian was transported to the Kimball hospital to receive medical aid, then according to individuals present the pedestrian was transported to Regional West in Scottsbluff for monitoring. The driver of the vehicle was issued a citation for failure to yield to a pedestrian. Their identities were not...

  • More Fun For Kids At Gotte Park

    Daria Anderson-Faden, The Observer|Oct 26, 2023

    The Kimball City Council approved new playground equipment for Gotte Park at its monthly meeting on Oct. 17. The representative from Cummingham Recreation presented a proposal to update the Gotte Park playground equipment. The company offered a matching funds grant as an incentive to purchase prior to Oct. 27. The cost of the basic structure with the grant included is $40,000, but the city will pay an additional $73,000, which will consist of installation, sensory chair, a rocket ship, and...

  • Avoiding Scams: Here Are Some Warning Signs

    Daria Anderson-Faden, The Observer|Oct 26, 2023

    The recent apprehension and prosecution of a Miami, Florida, man has brought fraudulent activity to the forefront in Kimball. Suspect Abraham Espinoza traveled to Kimball from Florida to retrieve tens of thousands of dollars from a victim of a computer scam. Here are four signs from the Federal Trade Commission on how to avoid a scam: • Scammers pretend to be from an organization you know. They act to contact you on behalf of the government, Social Security, the IRS, or Medicare. They might also pretend to be from a business such as a u...

  • TACK CROSS QUALIFIES FOR JUNIOR PATRIOT RODEO

    Daria Anderson-Faden, The Observer|Oct 26, 2023

    Tack Cross, 13, of Banner County has qualified in breakaway roping for the Junior Patriot Rodeo in Fort Worth, Texas. He said there will be "kids from all across the country; you can qualify in every state" at the Junior Patriot Rodeo held Feb. 28-March 10, 2024. "It will be cool to compete against a bunch of famous kids that already rope a lot." The lessons Tack has gained from the sport of rodeo will guide him throughout his future. Tack was quick to share lessons learned through roping: "It...

  • NEW KIDNEY A 'BLESSING'

    Daria Anderson-Faden, The Observer|Oct 19, 2023

    Keith Jones said he can't stop smiling since receiving his kidney about a week ago. He feels so blessed and is so thankful for the donor. "I feel wonderful," he said. Keith's new kidney is from a live donor and, according to Keith and his doctors, it is "a very good kidney." The donor is younger than him and in excellent health. At the end of August, the Joneses returned to Kimball after Keith's wife, Melissa, had been hospitalized with guillain barre syndrome. Keith received a phone call with...

  • Kimball FFA Officers Address Commissioners

    Daria Anderson-Faden, The Observer|Oct 19, 2023

    The officers of the Kimball FFA addressed the county commissioners Tuesday in reference to applying for the National Chapter Award. According to the officers, the award was created to recognize FFA chapters that actively implement the mission and strategies of the the FFA organization. This includes recognizing improving chapter operations, emphasizes growing leaders, building communities and strengthening agriculture. The students' goal is to apply for the National Chapter Award. They must...

  • Scam Case Proceeds In Court

    Daria Anderson-Faden, The Observer|Oct 19, 2023

    Scam suspect Abraham Espinoza of Miami, Florida, was bound over from Kimball County Court to District Court on Friday morning after a preliminary hearing. Judge Randin Roland said that "based on the totality," a crime was committed. Espinoza faces three charges and will be arraigned in District Court on Nov. 7 at 1 p.m. The charges include theft-deception more than $5,000, conspiracy to commit a Class 2 felony, and abuse of a vulnerable adult. When Espinoza couldn't get Zoom to work for the...

  • Big Scam Targets Kimball Man

    Daria Anderson-Faden, The Observer|Oct 12, 2023

    A Miami, Florida, man is charged with three offenses in Kimball County Court, including theft by deception of more than $5,000, conspiracy to commit a Class 2 felony, and abuse of a vulnerable adult in Kimball. Abraham Espinoza has been released on 10% of $100,000 bond. His preliminary hearing will be held Oct. 13. According to court records, he may appear by telephone or Zoom. Espinoza is represented by Scottsbluff attorney Audrey Long. The apparent victim had withdrawn $20,000 from a local bank, then another $10,000, according to court...

  • TOPPING DAY FOR CLEAN HARBORS

    Daria Anderson-Faden, The Observer|Oct 12, 2023

    At the "topping" ceremony for Clean Harbors' Kimball expansion, company CEO Eric Gerstenberg said Tuesday that the construction phase of the new Kimball incinerator will be completed by 2024 and the incinerator operational by early 2025. "With the addition of this new incinerator and the jobs it brings, our commitment to Kimball and Western Nebraska will only deepen," he said. "Today is not just about acknowledging a milestone; it is about instituting a brighter and more prosperous future in...

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