Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
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A fire occurred at 209 South Elm Street early Sunday morning, December 30. According to Kimball Fire Chief Rick Wynne, the fire started around 12:30 a.m. “It burned and smoldered all night. We got the call around 7:00 a.m. We responded with two pumpers and our equipment truck. We had about 12 men on the scene,” Wynne said. Fire fighters were on the scene until approximately 10:20 a.m. battling the blaze, according to Wynne. There were no injuries as the owners were in the process of remodeling and were not staying in the house at the time. How...
“Welcome back,” Mayor James Schnell said to Darlene and Gary Goff as they stepped forward to comment to the City Council December 19 on their recent liquor license application for Woody’s Liquor. The mayor’s comment stems from the fact that, though Darlene and Gary Goff have recently purchased Woody’s Liquor store which sits at 208 East 3rd Street in Kimball, it is not the first time they have actually owned the business. “We had the business for about 11 or 13 years before and then we closed it out for six,” Goff said. According to Darlene, t... Full story
The Veteran’s Service Committee has recently looked into a system that could potentially make the process of obtaining benefits easier for military veterans. “It is a server program which has every form for State and Federal Veteran’s benefits on a computer. It will enable CVSO to process claims in a much more efficient manner. In the same token, you will eliminate a lot of paperwork,” County Veteran’s Service Officer, Ron Scott said. Once veterans’ records are entered into the system, the program would allow for veterans’ basic information t...
The Kimball County Board of Commissioners looked over bids for the purchase of a new motor grader at their meeting the morning of December 18. The first bid was for a CAT M2 Motor Grader. The Grader would allow a trade in of a current grader for $34,000 with a $5,700 parts credit leaving the total cost of the machine at $191,143. The grader also has a 5,000 hour/5 year total machine warranty. The second bid was for a John Deere 770G Motor Grader with a list price of $215,892. The John Deere bid would allow for a $47,000 trade-in. However, with...
A report on Nebraska public schools and student performance showed most school districts demonstrating improvement and growth under a new accountability system. The results also showed that nearly three of every four public school districts or 72.3 percent graduated 90 percent or more of their high school seniors. “The three years of reading scores, the two years of math scores and the four-year cohort graduation rate, for which we have two years of data, have all shown improvement, year to year. This is a credit to teachers and a... Full story
By all accounts the Visitor’s Committee showed considerable wisdom in their choice for tourism director. Certainly there are those who question the need for someone in such a position—even for the position itself. It is unlikely that Kimball will ever be a tourist destination, with a couple of notable exceptions. For two brief moments in 2013, travelers will descend upon the city. The annual bicycle ride across Nebraska (BRAN) will start from Kimball, sending several hundred enthusiasts along our streets. Later in the summer, those inv...
I’m not much for resolutions, although clearly there’s plenty of room for improvement. For example, I could resolve to learn a musical instrument. But that would require a lot of time, beginning with lengthy lessons in reading music—and I’d rather lounge on the couch watching sports. I could also resolve to visit the weight room once in awhile. Of course, before that happens I need a spell of rehab on a nagging rotator cuff injury—which would necessitate a prolonged period away from my couch and all those channels dedicated to soccer, f...
Long before planes, there were trains. And as we reach the close of 2012, we are also reaching the end of a year-long celebration marking Union Pacific Railroad’s 150th anniversary. All Nebraskans are proud to claim Union Pacific as a Nebraska enterprise and to celebrate its deep and strong ties to our state’s rich history and its future. In my own family, my grandfather John C. Gale was known as “Iron Hat” during his years as Chief Special Agent for Union Pacific. He was a good friend and close associate of William Jeffers, a legenda...
It’s hard to believe that my fourth year serving you in the Senate has come to a close. It is truly an honor to represent our great state in Washington. This past year has been filled with many important policy debates, legislative accomplishments, and exciting new developments for Nebraska. In what has become an end-of-year tradition, I want to take a moment to highlight some of these events and reflect upon the year. Jobs and the Economy By far the most pressing issue facing our nation is our economy. Nebraska has been somewhat of a bright s...
Traffic TR12-496 Zachary Paul, Loma Linda, CA. Speeding. TR12-497 Janelle Conklin, Scottsbluff, NE. Speeding. TR12-498 Darcy Feemster, Kimball, NE. Speeding. TR12-499 Michael Clement, Mitchell, NE. Speeding. TR12-500 Justin Hastings, Akron, CO. Speeding. TR12-501 Lowell Peterson, Scottsbluff, NE. Speeding. TR12-502 Richard Graves, Gering, NE. Speeding. TR12-503 Alexander Butler, Atlanta, GA. Speeding. TR12-504 Joe Lopez, Odessa, TX. Speeding. TR12-505 Cynthia Vancil, Berthoud, CO. Speeding. TR12-506 Thomas Weber, Ft. Morgan, CO. Overweight...
January If Nebraska Held A Primary Now, Who Would Get Your Vote? Kenneth Bowman “Mitt Romney, because I think he is the only one who can beat Obama and we have to get Obama out of office. He didn’t create any jobs. There are 36 million people out of work in the United States right now. No government should be able to tell us where we should get our health care.” March Several New Businesses Have Opened In Kimball; Is This A Good Sign? Ross Aerni “I think new businesses would be good for our local economy. It brings more that people can do, so I...
Hello out there in Banner County and to our friends and neighbors. We still have snow on the ground and is it ever a welcome sight--although we could do without these freezing temperatures! News is going in early this week and so I have very little of it. We will be having a baby shower at the Harrisburg Community Church which I will have to cover in next week’s news. The shower is for Sierra Sue Johnson and her mom Stacy. School also will be resuming tomorrow Friday, January 4. I seriously cannot say that I feel terrible about that. It is g...
Seems to have been an uneventful Christmas in Bushnell…Here’s wishing you all a wonderful 2013! The community center board meets Monday, January 7. The United Methodist Women meet Wednesday, January 9. The Firebelles meet Thursday, January 10. The village board meeting will be held on Thursday, January 17 instead of January 10. The bookstore will be closed Thursday, January 3. We will be open regular hours on Friday, January 4. We will be open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, January 5, but will not serve lunch–coffee and desserts will be avail...
The military activity in Dakota Territory during the final days of December 1890 included the 7th U.S. Cavalry and the 8th U.S Cavalry. Their intended purpose was to track down the bands of Sioux who had left their respective reservations. Indians who stayed within the boundaries of their reservations were considered friendlies. Those who were not on the reservations were labeled as hostiles and were to be rounded up and returned by force, when needed, and by deadly force if necessary. Many of Spotted Elk’s Miniconjou, Sitting Bull’s Hun... Full story
The Nebraska Department of Labor (NDOL) has implemented a program to recover millions in unemployment insurance debts owed by current and former Nebraska residents. Nearly 14,000 individuals were sent letters requesting that they pay back benefits they received due to fraud or wage reporting errors. If they do not, their debts will be transferred to the Treasury Offset Program (TOP), which allows the US Department of the Treasury to reduce or withhold their federal income tax refunds up to the amount of the debts owed. “The NDOL has a track r...
Hope you all had a restful and wonderful Holiday time. Back to routine, whatever that is. Rachelle Eversole will be returning for two painting classes this spring. The first one will be January 19, 2013, and the second one will be March 9. Class starts at 9:00 am. There is a fee for the class which covers all supplies, but participants must bring a roll of paper towels. Sign up at the library by January 15 for the first class–“Sunset Mountains.” The minimum limit is six, so encourage others to participate. Wyoming author, C. M. Wende...
The Nebraska Community Foundation completed its 2011 Transfer of Wealth Study which provided insight into the abundance Nebraska enjoys and the opportunities to act now. Over the next 50 years, $603 billion will transfer from one generation to the next within Nebraska. This wealth may be held in residential and agricultural real estate, securities, retirement accounts, business ownership, and other assets. In Kimball County, the estimated 50 year intergenerational transfer of wealth is $1.14 billion. This equates to $160 million in just the...
I would like to express my gratitude for the custodial staff at the Kimball Jr. Sr. High I am an avid walker and have spend many an hour at the building walking during inclement weather. The custodians are always there, always busy and always helpful. What they do is amazing. While the rest of the staff and students are on Christmas Vacation, these folks are working tirelessly to keep the building looking and smelling better for all Our schools are a better place due to their time, commitment and professional manner. Thank you all for a job...
Grandpa Tommy was reminiscing, “It’s a shame everybody couldn’t go through the Great Depression.” I know what he meant. I think. He didn’t mean it like “It’s a shame everybody hadn’t been in a concentration camp or had polio.” He was remarking that most of us Baby Boomers and younger are unable to appreciate how technology has pampered us. There was no safety net back then. Grandpa Tommy spent the Dirty 30s in the depths of the Dust Bowl in Syracuse, Kansas. Then the first half of the 40s he was on a Navy vessel in the Pacific. He passe...
Annette George, owner of the Soup ‘R Market, picked up the list of her New Year’s resolutions: 1. Replace cracked glass on the meat cooler. 2. Walk two miles each morning before work. 3. Lose 15 pounds by summer. 4. Take a class in Spanish. She thought about the kind of person she’d be at this time next year with all those things done, and it made her smile. Then she looked out the window at the snow and crossed off number two. “Each morning” was just too…too, inflexible. It’s always best, she thought to make promises you can keep. Annette tapp...
As 2012 winds down I thought a little reflecting back would be a good thing to do. Sometimes it helps to look back on your successes that you were a part of over the past year and take a hard look at your failures to keep you humble and to continue the never ending learning process. Continuing education is important in every business and agriculture is no exception. I feel it is very important to be flexible in your decision making and embrace the changes that are inevitable. Mother Nature really threw agriculture a nasty curve this past year.... Full story
The Nebraska Forest Service announces the 2013 Western Tree Care Workshops in Chadron, Scottsbluff, Sidney, Valentine, North Platte, and McCook in January. These full-day workshops will address some of the challenges associated with growing trees and other landscape plants in Nebraska, with specific emphasis on dealing with the drought’s effects on trees and shrubs. “This year’s drought leaves many wondering how best to care for their trees,” said Laurie Stepanek, Forest Health Assistant for the Nebraska Forest Service. “While drought c...
Average retail gasoline prices in Nebraska have not moved in the past week, averaging $3.16 per gallon on Monday, according to GasBuddy’s daily survey of 1,150 gas outlets in Nebraska. This compares with the national average that has increased 3.0 cents per gallon in the last week to $3.27, according to gasoline price website GasBuddy.com. Including the change in gas prices in Nebraska during the past week, prices Monday were 0.7 cents per gallon higher than the same day one year ago and are 17.2 cents per gallon lower than a month ago. The n...