Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
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There was still some concern at the County Commissioners meeting January 3 over where the money for the Visitors Committee budget and means to pay the salary of the new Tourism Director comes from--existing funds or taxes levied on local residents. According to Carinda McConnell, the Visitor’s Committee budget to pay the new Tourism Director, Jo Caskey, comes primarily from lodging tax which Kimball County collects as a result of the Nebraska Visitors Development Act, which became law in 1980. “There is some confusion, and people think that it...
The Rail Spur project, which has been in the works for eight to ten years, may have new life according to Economic Development Director Larissa Binod. “I’m working on a strategic marketing strategy. I’m working with CRS Advance. They are the engineering firm that we are working with now. They have a marketing component and recruitment component to their profession. Before, we were just working with an engineer,” Binod said. According to Binod, CRS Advance could be crucial to getting the rail spur project and industry park off the ground....
New Kimball City Administrator Daniel Ortiz started work Monday January 7. Ortiz comes from Casa Grande, Arizona where he served in the City Manager’s office for the the past three and a half years. He also served as a research assistant for the Alliance Renovation. “It’s an organization of local governments. Their goal is to be innovators and be able to promote the best practices and come up with new practices in the local government. “ Ortiz said. Though Ortiz has spent the past few years in smaller communities, he spent the early years of hi...
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It has always been a conundrum. Interview after interview with local residents reveals a near universal desire for progress in Kimball. People want more diverse restaurants, shopping, downtown repairs, new industry, a completed rail spur and more—although some lean toward slower, more manageable growth and others aim for big ideas. Yet this is offset by a nagging “it will never happen” form of pessimism, pervasive at coffee tables. Who could blame them? The rail spur has been under discussion, planning and vetting for almost a decade. Renov...
Sometimes I wonder if modern pundits and newly minted representatives can even define words like “negotiation” and “compromise.” They are in the dictionary, of course. But most people proclaiming fundamental political beliefs are frightened of books, magazines, websites and even newspapers not churned out by their own kind. When strung together into ideas, it seems, words challenge their hard and fast version of the world. Besides, when a belief is held firmly, as a changeless thing, no amount of logic, fact or persuasion will cause this type t...
The 25th Annual Governor’s Ag Conference will be held February 12-13 at the Younes Conference Center in Kearney. I invite all Nebraskans to attend this event and participate in discussions that focus on the future of the state’s number one industry. The theme for this year’s conference is “A Platform for Nebraska Agriculture’s Future.” The conference will challenge the farmers and ranchers, agribusiness representatives, and policy and business leaders in attendance to think about some of the key policies and practices that will drive agric...
In recent days, Congressional leaders came together with an agreement to provide middle class tax relief and extend protection for two million unemployed Americans. This agreement provides some relief for all of us who are frustrated with the gridlock that often dominates Washington. It is also good news for the 98 percent of American families and 97 percent of small businesses who were protected from a tax increase. At the same time, I am disappointed that Congress was unable to pass a multi-year Food, Farm and Jobs Bill. Congress did extend...
The House, Senate and President all recently agreed to last-minute legislation to stop automatic tax increases and delay arbitrary defense spending cuts known collectively as the “fiscal cliff.” The President had consistently said the fiscal cliff must be resolved through a “balanced approach” to deficit reduction including new tax revenues as well as spending cuts. However, the agreement passed by Congress only addressed the issues of taxes, which is neither good policy nor a balanced approach. The final bill did nothing to address out-of-...
This new year brings to Washington a fresh start. Last week, we welcomed to the 113th Congress many new faces, including my colleague Senator Deb Fischer. Although it’s a new year and a new session, many of the important issues we must tackle are far from novel. Our country’s debt has grown, and the government is spending more than it takes in. Our economy is still searching for traction, and many Americans remain unemployed or underemployed. In 2013, Congress must resolve to make these issues the top priority. We cannot afford to let this opp...
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Several ladies joined in celebrating the arrival of our newest community member, Miss Sierra Sue Johnson with a baby shower held Sunday, December 30, at the Harrisburg Community Church. Mom Stacy allowed us to take turns holding this beautiful little one and I think we all had a great time. Sierra tolerated each of us and simply slept the entire time. Many wonderful and useful gifts were received and a nice strawberry dessert was enjoyed also! I have not paid much attention to baby items for a while (since our last baby shower) and was...
It was in the late spring month of June, the year 1847, in Summerville, Mississippi that an African slave woman known only as ‘King’ gave birth to a son. She named him Bose. Who his father was is unknown but some suspected that King’s master, Dr. Milton Ikard was the most likely sire. However, whether by custom or by lineage, the little boy child, born into slavery on that spring day would be officially recorded as Bose Ikard. In 1852, when Bose was five years old, Dr. Ikard moved his entire family, including his slave family, to western Parke...
The Firebelles meet Thursday, January 10. The Granny Craft Club meets Monday, January 14. The Firemen’s Meeting is Thursday, January 17. The village board meeting will be held on Thursday, January 17 instead of January 10. The Bushnell Lions Club has calendars for sale at the Sisters Grimm. Stop by and pick one up for only $5. Don’t forget the bookstore is closed this week. We will reopen with black bean chili for lunch on Sunday, January 13. For the rest of the month we will be open Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays (or by app...
January is off to a rolling start. The Library Board will be doing some planning for the future and will meet next Monday the 14th. If you have any constructive suggestions for the library’s future please let us know or attend the board meeting. • The Shutterbug Photography Club will meet this Thursday at 6 p.m. at the library to make their plans for the year with some exciting activities. • Bob Ross painting class is January 19; sign up and pay by January 15. • There will be another Basic Beginning Computer Class for the library. We will ha...
Students from the region are among the 239 names on Chadron State College’s fall 2012 president’s list. In order to qualify for the list, students must earn all A’s and be enrolled in at least 12 hours of coursework. Qualifying for the president’s list were: Diane Baluska, Kimball Brent Bussinger, Kimball Jamie Murdoch, Kimball Jenna Whelchel, Harrisburg Kristen Juelfs, Potter Students from the region are also among the 384 names on Chadron State College’s fall 2012 dean’s list. In order to qualify, students must earn a grade-point average of...
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Pam and I were having a deep discussion on cow psychology. Subjects such as horn envy, chuteaphobia, the empty nest syndrome at weaning time and unsightly hair on udders. Then she brought up a subject that I have wondered about myself, even as a cross-species problem; females working together in a tight community. We all know the tension that occurs when you put a new mare into the herd, or buy a new blue heeler bitch and bring her home to meet the other dogs, or put six mothers of second-graders in a small room with the objective of picking...
When it’s cold, build a fire in the fireplace, or the woodburning heater, or maybe just light a candle and look in the flames, look deep in the flames for the answers. I’ve always believed they are there, and this time of year is a time for questions. It is a time to weigh the events of the past year and toss them around and ask why. It has been a good year for each of us in some respects, and a bad year in others. Just like every year. A few of our young people died this year. Others were born. Some precious old-timers left us, too, but at...
There are several educational meetings scheduled for January and February, 2013 that producers in our area should plan to attend. I’ve been going to no till crop production meetings for over 20 years and I have always felt that attending as many of these meetings as possible has always been time well spent. These educational meetings are a great way to meet and visit with other producers about their no till crop production practices. These meetings always include speakers that cover a variety of topics on soil health, economics, crop p...
Average retail gasoline prices in Nebraska have fallen 2.1 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $3.12 on Monday, according to GasBuddy’s daily survey of 1,150 gas outlets in Nebraska. This compares with the national average that has not moved in the last week from $3.26, according to gasoline price website GasBuddy.com. Including the change in gas prices in Nebraska during the past week, prices Monday were 14.9 cents per gallon lower than the same day one year ago and are 17.2 cents per gallon lower than a month ago. The national averag...
Nebraska Cattlemen, in partnering with Sand County Foundation and Cargill, is seeking nominations for the 2013 Leopold Conservation Award in Nebraska. The winner of the award will receive an Aldo Leopold crystal and a check for $10,000. The Leopold Conservation Award recognizes Nebraska landowners who demonstrate outstanding stewardship and use sustainable management when working with the natural resources that are in their care. The Leopold Conservation Award is presented in honor of famed conservationist and author Aldo Leopold who called...
Private pesticide applicators with licenses expiring in 2013, and anyone seeking first-time private applicator certification, should plan to attend upcoming training sessions scheduled throughout western Nebraska beginning in January. Dates, locations and contact information: •Harrisburg: January 24, 1 p.m., Banner County Museum; call 308-235-3122 •Sidney: January 22, 1 p.m. and 7 p.m., Sidney, Holiday Inn; call 308-254-4455. •Kimball: February 6, 1 p.m., 4-H Building; call 308-235-3122. To reserve space for each session, or for more infor...
Farm Service Agency (FSA) State Executive Director, Dan Steinkruger, announced that the agency has implemented some changes regarding issuing IRS Form 1099-G and 1099-MISC for payments issued in 2012. FSA will no longer issue IRS Form 1099-G and/or 1099-MISC if a producer’s total reportable payments are less than $600. In addition, FSA will only issue one IRS Form 1099-G and/or 1099-MISC for producers participating in multiple counties. Producers receiving reportable payments that total $600 or more before withholdings were applied are still b...
The Board of County Commissioners voted to go with the bid from the CAT representative to purchase a CAT motor grader in their January 3 meeting. The motion to accept the bid came from Commissioner Larry Brower. “As far as graders, I can’t say that any grader is better than the other. They’re both very equal. CAT’s a little bit higher, but they’re benefit package is a little better. The trade in value seems to be better. We haven’t tried CAT for a while, but I would like to try the new CAT,” Brower said. Commissioner Nolting seconded the...