Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
Sorted by date Results 526 - 550 of 4069
The City of Kimball has released information on a series of online trainings for small businesses to learn how to team up and or bid on government contracts for the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent project – or the “missile project” as it is widely called locally. The first meeting is scheduled for today, March 17, from 8 to 10:00 a.m. There is no cost for registration, but registration is mandatory. The Strategic Teaming Alliance Roundtable (STAR) online training is to assist small businesses and expose them to representatives from North...
The Kimball School Board voted to accept the resignation of Mary Lynch Principal Jamie Soper at its regular monthly meeting on March 14. Soper has been principal for the past two years, and her resignation will be effective at the end of the 2021-22 contract period. She stated: “It has been a privilege to work with the staff at Mary Lynch, as well as the special education team in Kimball. I believe our school system is headed in a positive direction, and I'm excited to see what the future holds for our students.” Danielle Reader, Jr/Sr Hig...
While a stop at the local gas pump this past week might have sent area drivers into a meltdown, one can hope that the price has topped out. Some state lawmakers or governors from such states as Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Colorado, Wisconsin and New Mexico are encouraging either state or federal suspension of taxes at the gas pump to help residents deal with the rising price of gas – but that may not be the case in Nebraska, where the state gas tax was a 28 cent chunk of the a...
The only local race that will be decided in the primary election on May 10 is the office of Kimball County Sheriff. Two Republican candidates are involved in the sheriff race – incumbent Harry Gillway and challenger David Hottell. In order to vote for either candidate, individuals must be registered as Republicans. May 2 is the deadline for switching political parties in person. Additional names have been added to the ballot for the three open seats on the Kimball School Board. The candidates include incumbents Travis Cook and Tom O'Brien and c...
The One-and-Six Year Road Improvement Program was the subject of the public hearing on March 1 during the bimonthly Kimball County Commissioners meeting. No public comments were heard. The road improvement plan was approved and adopted for the 2022-23. Six improvements are included on the one-year plan. Chip seal is on the one-year agenda, as well as a couple of culverts and a few roads will be widened and elevated. Most of the work will be done in the Bushnell area. Randy Bymer, county road superintendent, explained that hydraulic studies...
Jeff Lepp purchased the old Shopko building 15 months ago, and on Monday he and his staff were finally able to open the Kimball Ace Hardware. Lepp explained some of the challenges they encountered in opening the store included a "constant fight to get products," and he said they are "still fighting with supply chain issues." The store has everything from clothing, housewares and dishes to shoes, grilling supplies, guns, camping equipment and tools. Although they have a wide array of products,...
Kimball hosted district FFA contests, including livestock judging at left, on March 2 that drew more than 300 students from across the region. See the Farm & Ranch page on A4 for more on the big day....
This year's 2021-22 Boys Basketball season was one of growth and commitment. With athletic participation at an all time low and losing a few students to not having a football season this year, it was always in the back of people's minds as to whether our season would meet the same fate as well. Fortunately for us, we did have 8 students that showed up to our first practice willing to learn and give it their all for an opportunity to represent our school and community with pride. Within only a...
The Kimball Health Services hospital building project has run into some unforeseen issues, including financing, construction problems, and rapidly increased pricing that have created a significant increase in cost. Originally, financing for the project included a $6.4 million country revenue bond to be repaid with hospital revenues, a $2.2 million capital fundraising campaign, and a $23.4 million loan that the U.S. Department of Agriculture approved in July for the project. At first, announced...
William Serrano was meant to appear in district court on Tuesday, March 1, via Zoom, but there was difficulty with the Department of Corrections. Serrano was represented by his attorney from the Nebraska Commission on Public Advocacy, Kelly Breen. Serrano's next court date is set for 2:30 p.m. May 3 in district court. Serrano was scheduled for an arraignment on Tuesday, but Breen filed an oral motion called a Plea in Abatement. Breen has also requested the transcripts from the preliminary hearing in county court. Plea in Abatement is defined...
A reader sent the Observer a letter asking “what is this Consumption Tax? How does it work? All that is ever in the paper is from those who are pushing. They do not explain anything about it.” Here is what the Observer learned. This is the second year that Sen. Steve Erdman from Bayard has introduced the Consumption Tax. It failed last year on General File, but Erdman re-introduced it. Erdman told the Observer that if it can get through the three rounds of debate and receive 30 votes on Final Reading, then it will be placed on the ballot in...
"How many people in the world do you know that have got to announce the games of the sixth-leading scorer in NCAA basketball history, Mike Daum. I got to announce all of his home games. So I have got to see some fantastic kids and some fantastic athletes." – Greg Robinson Long-time Kimball High School sports announcer Greg Robinson has decided to hang up his microphone. No doubt he will still be in the stands to cheer on the Longhorns, but he hasn't quite pinpointed where he will sit after y...
The Kimball School Board met in special session on Monday Feb. 21, to listen to the final presentation from president Jacob Hurla of Community Building Solutions. After the presentation, the board unanimously approved a $2.8 million improvement package for the Jr./Sr. High and Mary Lynch schools. The improvements will replace heating units and add cooling capacity to both facilities, as well as air purification units. Other improvements include LED lighting at Mary Lynch and new windows and doors at the Jr./ Sr. High School. According to...
Clean Harbors submitted the winning bid of $1,000 to purchase two lots combined (Parcels 530018519 and 530018527) across from the Kimball County Manor at the most recent Kimball City Council meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 15. The Clean Harbors proposal would “develop much needed multi-unit housing to support our need to attract 100 new workers to Kimball in 2023 and 2024.” The Clean Harbors proposal is for an 8-unit, 7,000-square-foot multifamily building with units of 2 bedrooms, 2 baths of approximately 875 square foot each. Brian Johnson from Joh...
A full house of fishermen and Oliver Lake enthusiasts crowed into the Kimball County Transit building meeting room to get an update on the history, current happenings, and future plans for the popular recreational site. South Platte Natural Resource General Manager Galen Wittrock introduced the Oliver Reservoir Advisory Committee and then talked budget. The Oliver operating budget is $78,537, and the donations box has netted over $21,000 the past year. Wittrock explained that donations work...
As a candidate for governor, Brett Lindstrom stopped by Kimball on Saturday to meet and greet. With this trip from Kimball back to the eastern part of the state, the Republican will have visited and campaigned in all 93 counties. Lindstrom has represented District 18, which is in northwest Omaha, in the Nebraska Unicameral for the past eight years. Lindstrom has been on the Banking, Commerce, and Revenue Committee and was instrumental in ending the tax on Social Security, which has been phased in and will end in 2023. Recently, Lindstrom chose...
The Kimball County Commissioners on Tuesday, Feb. 15, ratified the date for the hearing of the One and Six Year Road Improvement Plan. This public hearing is held to receive public input and comment on the plan. The hearing will be at March 1. The board also ratified terms for the bids for chip sealing 6.1 miles of asphalt roads. The bid will need to be received by 4 p.m. Feb. 28 and will be opened on March 1 at 9:30 a.m. Meanwhile, previous information had been received on the last discussion items that the commissioners approved, including...
A preliminary hearing for William Shane Serrano was held in Kimball County Court on Feb. 11 at 1:30 p.m. with County Judge Randin Roland presiding. Serrano appeared for the hearing with his state-appointed attorney Kelly Breen and Stacy Bach, the Kimball County public defender. Appearing in an orange jumpsuit printed with Kimball County Sheriff Department, Serrano was returned from Scotts Bluff County Detention Center to Kimball County for the preliminary hearing. The prosecution was represented by Special Deputy Kimball Attorney Douglas...
"My name is Eddie, I'm in eighth grade, and I am under a lot of pressure." Eddie Duran spoke those words shortly before he correctly spelled the winning word, "columns," in the 2022 Kimball Public Schools spelling bee. "I spelled it, got it correct and I won," he said. Fourth grader Ben Anderson captured second place. Eddie said when he signed up for the spelling bee, "I had no intention of winning." But win he did – and he received a chocolate bar and a trophy. "It was my ever first trophy," h...
The Kimball School Board received and accepted three resignations effective at the end of the 2021-22 school year. Resignations were received from athletic director Ken Smith and teachers Francis Carolyn Montgomery and Jeffrey Hoatson. Ken Smith's letter reflected on his 29 years with the district and ended his letter with, "I feel that at this time Kimball Public Schools is heading in a very positive direction and I want to wish you (Mr. Anderson) and the rest of the school system success in...
The Supreme Court lifted an injunction that blocked the COVID-19 vaccine mandate and allowed it to go into effect in 24 states in facilities that accept funding from Medicare and Medicaid – and Nebraska is one of the states. According to Jalene Carpenter from Nebraska Health Care Association, the vaccine mandate for facilities that accept Medicare and Medicaid has been reinstated in Nebraska. These facilities include Kimball Health Services and Kimball County Manor. Beginning Monday, Feb. 14, individuals who have not received their vaccine a...
In preparation for summer fun and recreation, area campers, fishermen, hunters and boaters will want to attend the Oliver Reservoir Recreation Area Information Meeting – Past, Present, and Future on Feb. 17 at the Kimball County Transit Service building. South Platte Natural Resources General Manager Galen Wittrock has released a tentative agenda for the 7 p.m. meeting. Wittrock will provide an overview, the goals and management practices for Oliver Reservoir. At the same time, Oliver R...
The new owners of Flower Haven in Kimball, Joe and Andrea Harroun, spent the last year learning their new business and remodeling the store. "Everything takes time," Andrea explains. They have put in a new floor, updated the bathroom, painted, and still have many more improvements to make, but they are ready for one of their most important days of the year, Valentine's Day. The Harrouns have learned that other big days in the flower business are Mother's Day, Memorial Day, Christmas,...
To say Ed Nelson is a pilot is a bit of an understatement. Ed Nelson was recently inducted into Nebraska's Aviation Hall of Fame. Ironically, his father, Leonard, was inducted 20 years earlier. Nebraska's Aviation Hall of Fame was started in 1991 "with the intent of preserving the memory of Nebraskans who have made outstanding contributions to aviation, and to preserve the memory of their immeasurable contribution to our state and county." Nominees from all walks of life are welcome – e...
Just as fast as the COVID-19 cases rose in early January, the cases have decreased in the past weeks. On Tuesday, Panhandle Public Health District reported that Kimball County had four cases in the last seven days – down significantly from previous weeks. PPHD data for Kimball County shows 760 total positive cases with 12 deaths during the pandemic. Last week, the positivity rate was 10.7%, with 17 active hospitalizations in the Panhandle. Free, at-home COVID-19 tests are available by calling 8...