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

Articles from the May 7, 2020 edition


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  • The Soft Opening Begins

    Daria Anderson-Faden, The Observer|May 7, 2020

    COVID-19 restrictions have been partially lifted for Kimball County and the Panhandle Public Health District. This soft opening of local restaurants, beauty shops and churches require limiting the capacity and other requirements. Restaurants are limited to 50% occupancy, beauty and nail salons, barber shops, massage therapy services can open but must follow the 10-person rule and individuals must wear masks. Churches and other places of worship have been given the OK for services, funerals and...

  • A Mother's Day Like No Other

    Daria Anderson-Faden, The Observer|May 7, 2020

    Mother's Day will be different for many this year due to the coronavirus. Even as restrictions are lifted, things are not back to normal. In the past, Rechelle Brown would celebrate and have dinner with LaVeta Beyke for Mother's Day. Although Rechelle and Laveta are not related by blood or marriage, still, Rechelle refers to LaVeta "she is just my Mom." Rechelle Brown knows that she can't visit her "Mom" this Mother's Day because as the Kimball County Courthouse, where Rechelle works, reopens...

  • Tower Of Power

    Daria Anderson-Faden, The Observer|May 7, 2020

    Action Communications from Scottsbluff received the bid for the new Kimball County communication tower to replace the one destroyed last November in an ice storm. The tower, just north of Kimball, was built in Sioux Falls, S.D., and has signal booster technology for the State Patrol, emergency communications and the highway department. The tower also provides paging for ambulances and storm spotters. The 300-foot tower is expected to be operational this week....

  • Lessons To Be Learned

    Daria Anderson-Faden, The Observer|May 7, 2020

    Second of Two Parts Avoiding the Spanish Flu compares with today’s situation as an article/advertisement in 1918 appeared to inform people that it was spread by human contact, “chiefly through coughing, sneezing, or spitting. So avoid persons having colds – common drinking cups, roller towels, etc.” The article continued, “Use Vick’s Vapor Rub at the very first sign of a cold.” The local newspaper did not report any flu incidents in November, though a second quarantine must have been issued but not reported. Finally, according to the Dec. 5, 19...

  • Basket Giving Teachers Make May Day Special For First-Graders

    Daria Anderson-Faden, The Observer|May 7, 2020

    May Day has made a comeback in Kimball as two Mary Lynch elementary teachers took to the streets and gave May Day baskets to their first grade students. The baskets, well really the buckets were filled with candy, pencils, games and a variety of other gifts and activities for the young students. Teachers, Cathy Flores and Kelli Patterson concocted their May Day surprise and then started gathering materials for the buckets, contacting parents and then planned the day long outing. Friday, May 1, M...

  • Back At It

    Jim Orr, The Observer|May 7, 2020

    Construction workers are back on the job this week at the new Kimball County Transit Service building in the heart of downtown Kimball after being sidelined due to pandemic restrictions. Project architect Ryan Stearns said at the county commissioners meeting Tuesday that project completion has been pushed back about a month to mid-June, but "we're moving right along." See next week's Observer for more details....

  • Banner School Board Doing That Zoom Thing

    Barb Cross, The Observer|May 7, 2020

    Good morning Banner County, friends near and far. We still are under some pretty tight restrictions, but are able to sneak in a few family interactions. I am extremely lucky on that point because all but two of my grandkids and their parents recently were able to visit us for a couple of days. It was really great. Even though we had quite a lot of rain, we were still able to enjoy some sunshine, cook outs, and laughter, lots of laughter. That is always a pleasure but especially right now. Business for this week consists of the Banner County Sch...

  • Mary Lou Conger

    May 7, 2020

    Mary Lou (Svoboda) Conger, age 85, passed away Saturday, April 25, 2020 in Kimball, NE. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 A.M., July 7, 2020 in the Sidney First United Methodist Church with Pastor Corey Jenkins officiating. Inurnment will follow in the Greenwood Cemetery. Friends may stop at the Gehrig-Stitt Chapel to sign Mary's register book and leave condolences for the family. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the Cheyenne County Community Center. You may view Mary's Book...

  • More Fun With Stats; Gary Williams Deserves HOF

    May 7, 2020

    My good friend Con Marshall, who writes for the Chadron paper, enjoys putting together stats on Nebraska Panhandle sporting seasons and recently sent me his update of this year’s boys basketball records. In particular, he was looking for names of guys who have made at least 50 or more 3-pointers in a season with Eric Moreno of Scottsbluff on top with 99 from the 2013 season. He has Mike Daum of Kimball on his list at 70, but in checking my Kimball High records, Ryan Bourlier is the Longhorn leader with 88 from the 1999-20000 season, and in t...

  • Dillon Wise Shoots 63 For Course Record

    Tom Southard, The Observer|May 7, 2020

    Dillon Wise, the young man who excelled for four years as a Kimball High golfer, is still improving his game and on May 1 established a new Four Winds Golf Course record with his round of 31-32=63! While playing his record setting round with Grant Hickman, Dillon scored six birdies, eagled both the number 8 and number 13 holes, and had but one bogey on hole number 2, when he hit his drive into the trees and had to work his way out. Of note, with his new course record he erased the old record of...

  • Hanks And Hoops

    Tom Southard, The Observer|May 7, 2020

    Beau Hanks has accepted a scholarship offer from Iowa Central Community College, located in Fort Dodge, Iowa, to continue playing basketball while working towards a college degree in business administration. The 6'5" Kimball High senior will follow in the footsteps of his father Eugene "Mo" Hanks, who played football at Iowa Central some 40 years ago, and Beau said this was part of the reason he chose to start his career in the same location his dad did. "I really liked the coach and the way he...

  • Muneio Goes From Running To Parachuting

    Tom Southard, The Observer|May 7, 2020

    Ryan Muneio was a top runner for the Kimball High track and cross country teams a few years back and went on to run, after receiving college scholarship offers, at Midland University in Fremont and then Doane College. Ryan was a 2015 Kimball High grad who loved to run, excelling in distance events, but he also had the speed to run the short races too. He was a state qualifier in cross country all four years and really came on strong in track his senior season. At the district meet, Ryan ran seco...

  • May 12, 2020, Kimball County Primary Election Results

    The Observer|May 7, 2020

    The Western Nebraska Observer presents these unofficial vote results from the Tuesday, May 12, primary election in Kimball County as a service to all of our readers. The results normally would have been in this week's May 14 Observer print edition, but the paper's press deadline was moved up to before voting ended due to coronavirus restrictions. Look for full election coverage of the primary election in the May 21 print and paid digital editions of the Western Nebraska Observer. The "R" is for...