Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
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The Kimball Longhorn Trap Team is in its second year of existence with coaches Brittany Cook, Kelly Dunegan, Sean Dunegan and Jeremy Fryda leading the team of 7-11 graders. Practices have been delayed due primarily to the wind, but also the cold has made it difficult to practice. According to the coaches, everything is scored from now until the end of the season. They have five scored shoots. With 15 individuals returning from the 2021 team, experience is in abundance, and the kids and coaches...
The wind and cold weather has had an impact on all the spring sports. The Kimball High School boys golf is no exception. Coach Ben Aarestad said, "The season has been challenging with the weather. Hopefully next week we can get back to normal. We have had one meet and that was tough with the wind. Kyler has the best chance of making state." The team is loaded with freshmen, including Kyler Lusche holding the number one spot. Other freshman are Bransyn Kiefer and Connor Deboodt. Senior Trevor...
The Kimball School Board approved the contract for Amanda Culek as the Mary Lynch principal and Special Services Director on Monday night at their regular meeting. (See sidebar with Amanda Culek's response to the approval.) The board also accepted two resignations from Ashley Heidemann, 10-12 Language Arts teacher, and Luke Maas, Science teacher. In a board presentation, the FFA Conduct of Chapter Meeting team comprised of eighth graders and one freshman demonstrated their skills in front of the board and attendees. The school board...
Dr. Karla Wilke, assistant professor of animal science at the University of Nebraska Panhandle Research and Extension Center in Scottsbluff, shared her thoughts and information on avian influenza. A backyard flock in Scotts Bluff County became infected with avian influenza and the chickens and waterfowl had to be killed and incinerated. Early detection is essential to controlling the disease, according to Wilke. In March, avian influenza was detected in a commercial flock in Butler County and backyard flocks in Merrick and Holt counties, and...
The Kimball Cobras Trampoline and Tumbling team members showed off their skills at the State meet at WNCC in Scottsbluff on April 2. And show off they did with four young ladies winning State Championship in their division. Level Five state champion Shaylee Markum, 8, put it all into perspective when she said, "I got two first and a second, when I figured it out I went, REALLY!" She received first in floor or tumbling and the double mini. When competing in the floor she starts her routine... Full story
The Kimball County Board of Commissioners met in regular session on Tuesday to receive an update on Kimball Health Services. Kayla Fennell was appointed to replace M. Timothy Nolting on the Kimball Health Service Board of Trustees. Nolting recently resigned his seat on the board. Kimball Health Services CEO Ken Hunter explained an important change in the emergency room staffing method. KHS has contracted with Aligned Providers, a Wyoming company, to staff its emergency room. Aligned Providers provides ERs with specifically ER trained...
Mark your calendars for Monday, April 11, and Thursday, April 14. The City of Kimball has announced that the power supplier Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) will be shutting down electricity to Kimball parts of those two days. On Monday, the power will be shut down for 2 hours but Thursday, make a plan because from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., the WAPA power will be shut off. The City asks businesses and residents to prepare for the two days, although the City Power Plant will operate to supply backup power. Officials caution that there will... Full story
The Kimball School Board met for a special meeting on March 29. With all members present, a vote on the purchase and replacement of seating in the Harry McNees Auditorium was the main item on the agenda. According to Superintendent Trevor Anderson, there are now 763 seats in the auditorium. The board voted to replace the seats with 450 new larger seats with the cost not to exceed $107,199.50. The Kimball School Foundation has pledged $20,000 for the new seats. More information will be released,...
In the March 17 edition of the Observer, U.S. Sens. Fischer and Sasse were asked about the chance of lifting the federal gasoline tax due to help offset surging fuel costs. On March 29, Sen. Deb Fischer's office responded to the question about lifting the federal gas tax. Here is part of her response.: “Russia has used energy exports to strengthen their economic and political influence over Europe for far too long. This is why in March of 2021, nearly a year before the invasion of Ukraine, I joined a group of my Republican colleagues in c...
Rich Patterson from Hometown Hardware says he sees the new Kimball Ace Hardware store as a benefit to everyone – including his business. "Competition is good," Patterson said. "There is nothing wrong with competition. It will be beneficial for both of us and the community. It will keep people in town. "They are going to have things that I don't have, and I will have things that they won't have." As for the future, Patterson indicated that they "may diversify back into major appliances," and h... Full story
"We will be opening, it will be new and exciting," said Deb Fiehtner, owner of the new Sugar Shack in Kimball. The Sugar Shack will open in mid-April with much of the same menu, she said, as the old Dairy Queen. Fiehtner wanted to assure everyone that they will have the same shakes, sundaes, cakes, hamburgers, hot dogs, the famous Hickory Burger, and chocolate jimmies. A "Blizzard" just won't be called a "Blizzard." Get used to saying, "I'll have a Reese's Pieces Sugar Storm." Fiehtner...
With all seriousness and total concentration, Mark Nelson from the Kimball Volunteer Fire Department team shoots for two during Donkey Basketball on Monday evening at the Kimball High School gym. As for just about everyone in the crowd, the whole night was a laughing matter. See story, other photo on Page B6.... Full story
The Kimball Jr/Sr High School gym was full of basketball fans Monday night as Donkey Basketball took center stage. Kimball Ranch Rodeo sponsored the event as a fundraiser. Four teams competed for the championship title, with Teacher's Pets crushing their opponents. The first game pitted Teacher's Pets against the Banner County Wrecking Crew. Then the Eh Ranch Rough Riders took on the Hot Shots. Finally, on their home court, the Teacher's Pets team outscored the Rough Riders in the final...
A young woman left her home and family in Ukraine to study abroad at the University of Wyoming in January. But just about a month after arriving in the United States, Anastasiia Pereverten said, "The war is happening. I was shocked during the first 20 minutes of the whole-scale war on the 24th of February. Later, gradually comes the recognition of the war destroying your homeland and killing thousands of civilians. "I cannot describe this feeling, but 'shock' is too weak for that. It is... Full story
Kimball Street Superintendent Jim Shoup asked the City Council to change the speed limit on south Chestnut Street at the March council meeting. The change will occur from FVC to Sixth Street. The speed limit will be 35 mph, which is a decrease of 5 mph. From Sixth Street to Fourth Street, the speed limit will be 30 mph, and from Fourth Street to the stoplight, the speed limit will be 25 mph. The council approved the decrease in the speed limit presented. In other business, Potter-Dix Post Prom received $400 in Keno Funds to purchase local gift...
Nora Robinson of Kimball was selected recently by Gov. Pete Rickets to serve on the state Early Childhood Education Endowment board. This three-year commitment requires meeting three times a year. Like many boards, it is an unpaid position and does not require Unicameral approval, although some boards do require legislative approval. Robinson currently works at ESU 13 as the Panhandle Early Learning Connections Coordinator. Before working at ESU 13, she taught elementary school in Kimball. According to the description for the program: The...
A reader recently sent this question to the Observer: “Why have none of the candidates from the coming election not put ads in the paper telling us who they are and what is their platform? True people know each other in a small community, but those of us who have just moved here do not know them.” Great question. For the primary election, which is May 10, only one race will be contested and that is the sheriff’s race. The Observer has reached out to both candidates and asked them a series of questions. Those questions and answers will appea...
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... Full story
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... Full story
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.... Full story
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... Full story