Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
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"So it is kind of like the Olympics, like getting a gold medal in the Olympics. Fort Worth that is the big show!" This according to Dave Haack. While Ernie Hottell chimed in, "It sure made it worth it." The big show that the Hottells and Haacks are talking about is the Texas Longhorn Breeders Association of America-Horn Showcase. The show is for registered Longhorns and is the only official horn measuring event for the Texas Longhorn industry. Longhorn owners Ernie and Lea Hottell, Dave and...
In coordination with the wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, the Dix Cemetery was one of 2,500 locations participating in the National Wreath Across America Day. Christmas wreaths were placed on veterans' graves on Dec. 18 in Dix, as well as thousands of cemeteries across the country. The LaSalle Colorado Historical Society was instrumental in making Dix a part of the Wreath Across America. The LaSalle Historical Society has donated any extra wreaths to another rural cemetery...
The Kimball City Council met in regular session on Dec. 7. Mayor Keith Prunty's appointments for city clerk and city treasurer from within the city's employment were approved unanimously by the council. Kim Barnwell was appointed city clerk, while Jean Klassen was also appointed city treasurer. The city staff and the city attorney were directed to investigate the matter and the cost of infrastructure due to an annexation request by Ryan McElroy and Stephanie Risk-McElroy. The McElroys own a...
The Kimball School Board met for their final meeting of the year on Monday, Dec. 13. The board received a “clean opinion” on their annual audit conducted by Trevor Schuessler from Rauner & Associates, P.C. The presentation by Schuessler showed no compliance issues, and the district is in a “much stronger position than two years ago.” The audit also indicated that the board has three months of expenditures, so there is “plenty of surplus.” Schuessler said the financial position of the school district has improved. The school board has a regular...
The Christmas spirit is alive and well in Kimball as Gretchen Green, owner of Gretchen's Grooming, hosted a Groom-A-Thon fundraiser for a family. Gretchen said, "I wanted to make sure those kids have a Christmas. I know how hard it is to not have their mom." On Saturday, Dec. 11, Gretchen and her assistants held a fundraiser for the Tom Milhollin family. Tom's wife, Destaney, 29, died on Nov. 9 from a pulmonary embolism. According to Gretchen, she leaves behind her husband Tom, seven children,...
Jimadaya Wheelock, 9, was one of the young shoppers Saturday in the Holiday Heroes program, which evolved out of the old Shop With a Cop effort. He said, "I am going to get some stuff for my sister and my cousin." The morning began with the Kimball Volunteer Fireman cooking breakfast, and Jimadaya's mom said, "He ate two pancakes, two sausages, and a bunch of eggs." Jimadya chimed in that he could have eaten more. Santa greeted the 20 children who were selected to participate in Holiday Heroes...
Friday, Dec.10 Perkins County 80, Kimball 36 Game four on this young season at Perkins County saw our young team hit the floor ready to go at it again. Perkins County had already two big SPVA Conference wins but our boys did not let that faze them. Kyle Fraser, out lone Junior, was back from injury ready to give it a go and provided us with a great boost on and off the floor. We were limiting his minutes but when he was called upon he was ready to try and do whatever we asked of him. Our...
After a solid win by the Longhorn girls varsity basketball team, Kimball Public Schools dedicated the gym court to Tom and Karen Southard. The dedication took place on Dec. 5, 2021, just short of a year since Tom's passing on Dec. 6, 2020. Karen was joined by her family, including daughter and son-in-law, Shelly and Rick Olson, son and daughter-in-law, Doug and Kim Southard, grandchildren and great-grandchildren for the dedication. Longtime game announcer Greg Robinson shared thoughts from the K...
A luncheon was held Nov. 16 in Kimball for candidate Matt Williams, who is running for the University of Nebraska Board of Regents District 7. Williams serves in the Nebraska Legislature and will term out next year. He is a lifelong banker from Gothenburg. "I was looking for something else to be able to continue serving, and so it is kind of natural for me with my connection to the university," he told the Observer. "I have both my undergraduate and law degrees from the university, and I have...
The Kimball County Commissioners ended their Dec. 7 meeting by entering into an executive session to discuss "imminent/potential litigation regarding personal matters." The executive session lasted 30 minutes, and the commissioners adjourned the meeting after they appointed Christy Warner the grievance hearing officer. A laundry list of discussion items was addressed, including a yearly membership to the Heartland Express for $379.44, transferring $150,000 from the general fund to road fund as...
Bayard 67, Kimball 26 Thursday, Dec. 2 We had only seven players to open this season of a three-game stretch of back-to-back-to-back games, four freshmen and three sophomores. Junior Kyle Fraser was injured at our first practice of the year and we hope to have him back for us soon, but for now our energetic group of underclassmen is showing us they are willing to give everything they got night in and night out. At Bayard, Wyatt Cords had a good night shooting going 50% from the field and 17...
On Sunday, Dec. 5, St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Kimball will celebrate 100 years as a parish. Most Rev. Joseph Hanefelt, Bishop of Grand Island Diocese, will be in Kimball to help celebrate this milestone of faith. In those 100 years, the people of St. Joseph's built a new brick church, a parsonage, and an elementary school while dozens of clergy have past through the doors of St. Joseph's teaching to the faithful. Before 1921, area Catholics practiced their faith in homes, including those...
This is the second of two installments of the Observer's question and answer interview with new Kimball administrator Annette Brower. Which department needs the most attention right now and which department has had the most success? Our departments are successful together, as a team. One of the greatest aspects of the city department personnel is their willingness to come together and help each other out whenever needed, regardless of busy work schedules which has been prevalent over this past y...
The Observer's Daria Anderson-Faden asked questions. New Kimball City Administrator Annette Brower answered them. This report is the first of two parts this week and next. What is the one thing that the city did very well this past year? One of the best things that the City accomplished this year was building on our collaboration between the City Boards. We scheduled joint Board of Public Works and City Council meetings to discuss future changes ahead of us; we worked openly together to plan on...
The Kimball City Council met with a full agenda on Tuesday, Nov. 16, with a variety of discussion items. Topping the list of items was the approval of needed new sidewalks, gutters, pavement, ADA ramps, and pads at Dollar General. The council had expected two bids but only received one from Hennings Construction, Inc., Gering, for $14,120.74. The weather will determine when the project will begin and be completed. Two ordinances, 796 and 797, were amended by the council to clean up language and clarify the meaning. Ordinance 796 deals with...
Everyone, including the school kids, seems to be getting into the holiday spirit. Thanks to the Mary Lynch Elementary School kindergarten students for explaining the meaning of Thanksgiving. Alex said, "It means more presents," while Ryder decided, "It means we eat a big turkey." But Gunner and CJ are wise beyond their years. Gunner said, "It means kindness and respect," and CJ said he was "thankful for my friends and family." The annual Thanksgiving dinner at the First English Lutheran Church...
Here's another installment of the Observer's series on community newcomers. This time it's Keri Foster. According to new resident Keri Foster, Kimball is the "most warm, welcoming place." From day one, she made friends in the community and found a church family. "I can't say enough," she said about the community. Keri and her husband, Jeff Brumbaugh, have "very much enjoyed settling into" the area, she said. They moved to Kimball in September, and Keri took a job as a nurse practitioner at the K...
The Kimball County Commissioners met on Tuesday, Nov. 16, for their regular bimonthly meeting. At the meeting, County Buildings and Grounds Superintendent Jim Calvin provided an update on work currently being conducted on the courthouse building. The buildings and grounds employees are working on windows, repairing chairs, finishing caulking on outside of the building, and have helped in the transit building with projects. Calvin reported that the boiler was finally fixed after it had had some issues since August. He said: "it is finally...
The owner of the long-planned Japanese restaurant in Kimball, Edi Yanto, said the new restaurant should be open before Christmas. Yanto said that COVID had prevented the restaurant's opening, but they were back on track and anxious to get it open. On Monday, Yanto and a crew member were in town cleaning and moving equipment. The restaurant is located at 114 S. Chestnut in Kimball. In another city change, according to Kimball County GIS, Reck Investments, LLC C/O Shane Hays had purchased the old...
Superintendent Trevor Anderson at the Nov. 8 Kimball School Board meeting sent out Requests for Proposals to see what companies would be interested in renovating the HVAC systems in both the Jr/Sr high school and Mary Lynch School. Danielle Reader provided the Jr/Sr High School Principal Report for November, explaining that Parent-Teacher Conferences were a disappointment because of low turnout. About 38% of parents attended. In addition, Reader’s comments indicated a low turnout for the monthly Longhorn CAFE October meeting. With the total e...
Gideon Casimiro was the master of ceremonies for Kimball's Veterans Day ceremonies at the Jr/Sr High School. After the Presentation of Colors, Mayor Keith Prunty spoke briefly to the crowd encouraging veterans "to share their story with others and let everyone know what you have done. If you are not a veteran, ask them about their service or simply say, 'thank you." In a beautiful song titled "Armed Forces Salute," the 4th, 5th, and 6th graders performed for the crowd. The medley included the...
"I would do it again," said former U. S. Army Sergeant Nate Entingh on his service to this country during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Entingh served two 15-month tours of Iraq, one in 2005, and he returned to Iraq in 2007. Entingh was part of the Third Infantry Division, Alpha Company, 369, third battalion, 69th armor regiment. In 2003, the United States was still reeling from the terrorist attacks of 911, and the job market had evaporated, so at 22, Nate Entingh signed up for a five-year stint in...
The monthly Kimball School Board meeting occurred on Nov. 8 at 6:30 p.m. in the county transit building, preceded by the American Civics Committee meeting. Three board members sit on the American Civics Committee, which the State of Nebraska requires. The committee members must examine the social studies curriculum and make sure it aligns with the state social studies standards. The areas of foundational knowledge include civics, history, economics, financial literacy, and geography. Learning about a variety of historical topics and historical...
Not many people, let alone children, have endured what 2-year-old Rayah Dye has dealt with over her short life. A big Happy 2nd Birthday to the most amazing baby around. The special birthday party will have cow prints, and the birthday theme is "Moo, Moo Rayah's turning 2." Rayah was born with a rare chromosomal deficiency known as Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome. Wolf-Hirschhorn affects one in 50,000 babies. Rayah weighed 3 pounds, 13 ounces, when she was born, and immediately she was put in hospice...
Kimball County is still listed as a “red county,” meaning that the county transmission rate for COVID-19 is in the high zone, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The Kimball County Manor shared with the Observer information about its COVID lockdown situation. Manor Activities Director Morgan Baker said the manor must follow the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) guidelines. Medicaid and Medicare provide nearly 75% of the funding for the manor and they set the rules. The CMS core principles of COVID-19 Inf...