Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
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COVID-19 took a backseat to Halloween as the first ever "Kimball Trick or Trunk" was a huge success, according to organizers Sarah Stull, Amira Moore and Dawn Hickman. With 27 individuals or groups handing out treats and goodies, hundreds of kids and parents attended the event. The outdoor event took place at the high school parking lot. Some groups had elaborate decorations, while others just passed out candy from a simple setting. Sarah Stull said, "We had a huge turnout. The Dairy Queen made...
In 2018, the Nebraska Unicameral passed LB657 (Nebraska Hemp Farming Act) and in 2019 Governor Rickett's signed LB 657 into law thus legalizing plant hemp as an alternative crop. The Nebraska Hemp Farming Act addressed the cultivation, handling, marketing and processing of hemp. Medical marijuana and recreational marijuana are illegal in Nebraska. Only CBD oil and other products made from hemp are legal for possession and consumption according to the Farm Bill of 2018. The finished hemp must tes...
Prairie Animal Hospital in Kimball saw more than 100 cats and dogs during the two days of the Halloween Vaccine Clinic. Prairie Animal Hospital has been running the Halloween Vaccine Clinic for the past seven years. The only rule to participate in the clinic was for cats and dogs to be in costume. The reward for dog owners was discount shots for their pets. Rabies shots were $10, distemper/parvo $10, and distemper/parvo/lepto $15. Cat owners also benefited from the dress-up days. Their pets...
The Longhorn Building topped the list of agenda items under current business at the Oct. 20 Kimball City Council meeting. The council approved Mayor Keith Prunty’s signature on the Quit Claim Deed and other ownership documents to SK Hays Companies LLC. Council members Kim Baliman, Creg Pike and James Shields were in attendance. Matt Bright was absent. A number of Business Facade Improvement Grants were approved, including those for Karen’s Kitchen and Kimball Fitness Center, and a Business Infrastructure Improvement Grant was approved for Sin...
Kimball County’s most recent active COVID-19 case number is 7, but the Panhandle remains in the middle of the high spread category on the risk dial. Last week, the case count was 42. This week, as of Tuesday afternoon, Kimball County has experienced 48 cases of COVID-19, but 41 have recovered, according to the Panhandle Public Health District, therefore leaving 7 active cases. On Monday, Gov. Pete Ricketts held a press briefing explaining the future plan to deliver the COVID-19 vaccines available. The vaccines is expected to be limited early o...
The recent fire on Horseshoe Hill created a little excitement for a couple of horses in an adjacent pasture. Owner Krystal Moody wanted to assure everyone that “the horses were moved to safety shortly after the fire started. They are safe and sound.” The horses appeared to be a bit confused when the flames got close. Krystal said that she was worried they were going to run into the fire for a bit. She is very thankful that it wasn't worse and that a fence separated the horses from the fire. The...
Children will still be able to celebrate Halloween on Saturday, Oct. 31, even with COVID-19 circulating in the Panhandle. Kimballites Dawn Hinton, Amira Moore and Sarah Stull have organized a “trick or trunk” located in the high school parking lot on Saturday from 5-7 p.m. Setup for the “trunks” is at 4 p.m. Everyone is welcome and all ages are invited to participated. At last count about 30 vehicles will be spread throughout the parking lot. Local businesses have also donated candy for the event. The usual downtown business Halloween Parade...
Panhandle Geotechnical and Environmental began working at the stoplight area in Kimball on Monday morning. According to Mayor Keith Prunty, PGE has contracted with the state to drill about 30 wells in the immediate area to remove petroleum that was discovered in the soil and groundwater when underground petroleum tanks were removed about 30 years ago. Prunty said it will take about six weeks to drill all the wells and then four years, at least, to remove the petroleum from the soil and groundwat...
The Panhandle Public Health District’s risk dial has move further into the orange area this week due to the fact that Nebraska and Panhandle COVID-19 cases have increased. According to information from PPHD, Kimball County has 14 active cases as of Tuesday afternoon. Kimball County has experienced a total of 42 cases, and 28 have recovered. Based on the past three weeks of information, the risk level is a combination of data including positivity rates compared to population and the total number of tests given in each area. The risk level a...
As COVID-19 increases in Nebraska, the assistant director of Panhandle Public Health District, Jessica Davies, helped answer some informational questions about the pandemic. Davies told the Observer that the Panhandle is in a spike and backed that up with numbers. She reported that from March to May the Panhandle had 100 cases total. From Monday Oct. 12 through Thursday the 15th, the Panhandle registered 131 cases in that four-day period – which is a huge increase in cases throughout the Panhandle. Davis responded to comments in reference to t...
A selection committee appointed Rich Flores on Wednesday to fill the vacancy on the Kimball County Board of Commissioners created by Commissioner Brandon Mossberg’s resignation when he moved out of the county. The term will end in January 2023. Following is the original report on the commission vacancy in the print edition of the Observer, which went to press before Flores was appointed: Interviews for the vacancy on the Kimball County Board of Commissioners were planned for Wednesday, Oct. 21. The interviews were open to the public, b...
The Eagles Auxiliary is planning a fundraiser for the Tiffani and Broc Dye family. The spaghetti supper fundraiser is scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 1, at the Eagles. Tiffani and Broc have two daughters, Braelynn, 4, and Rayah, 1. Rayah was born with a chromosomal deficiency a year ago on Nov. 3. Multiple trips to Denver, medical equipment, surgeries and respiratory infections are just a few of the hurdles the family has encountered this past year. More of Rayah's story will appear in the Observer...
Jerry Darnell the VP of Agriculture for Western Sugar of Scottsbluff said as of Monday morning 60% of the beet harvest has been completed in the area. He was very pleased with the sugar content from the Kimball piling site as it is 19.86 percent. Darnell said that is "tremendous sugar" and they have "great tonnage" from the Kimball piling, which is a swing pile as it will either be processed in Fort Morgan, Colo., or Scottsbluff. The Kimball site will eventually handle 110,00 tons of sugar...
Nebraska’s Governor Pete Ricketts has updated the directed health measures that will be effective from Oct. 21 to Nov. 30 in response to the increase in COVID-19 cases in Nebraska. In addition, the governor has also initiated a new campaign to stay safe from COVID-19: “Avoid the Three C’s.” The “Avoid the Three C’s” campaign is intended to slow the spread of the virus. The campaign includes avoiding crowded places, avoiding close contact and finally avoiding confined spaces. The governor’s new directed health measure will focus on elective pro...
A grassfire burned about 20 to 30 acres on Horse Shoe Hill, south of 9th Street on Wednesday, Oct. 7, according to Kimball Fire Chief Andrew Bohac. A worker was in the area of County Road 43 and was either using a welder or grinder, which produced a spark. No structures were damaged, although the fire came close to a few buildings owned by Brandon Mossberg. "It just burned up the grass," Mossberg said. "Everything else for the most part was good." According to Bohac, the department had a "busy...
The COVID-19 Risk Dial has inched its way into the orange or high spread category for the week of Oct. 12 to 19 for an additional six counties in the Panhandle, including Kimball County. Five counties remain in the yellow zone. Box Butte County had previously been in the orange category. Panhandle Public Health District reported on Oct. 12 that Kimball County has one new case in the age 19 and under bracket and no new reported cases in adults. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Kimball County has had 31 confirmed cases, with 23...
Long time Kimball School Board member Lynn Vogel submitted her letter of resignation at the regular board meeting on Monday, Oct. 12. Vogel and her husband will be moving out of the area. Vogel stated in her letter: “I am proud of our collective achievements and the significant progress the Board has made toward improving our Kimball Public School system. As a board and as individuals, your commitment toward maintaining the Board’s Level of Excellence is commendable, i.e. Policy 203.09. I feel lucky to have volunteered by your side these pas...
While working in the kitchen at the Potter-Dix Elementary School, cook Shirley Skaja heard about the Small Towns Matter contest. She and her associate Teresa Loghry both filled out nomination forms. Shirley's nomination was the winning entry, which was announced at the ceremony. Shirley is originally from Denver and has only been in the Panhandle a few years, but she loves the area's small towns. "I went to a really big school," she said. "I now just love the small town atmosphere." She also...
The Kimball Volunteer Fire Department Annual Open House was Oct. 7 at the Kimball Fire Hall. The department worked with all the COVID-19 rules, had a drive-thru lane and seating was spaced out throughout the fire hall. People were encouraged to check out the equipment and the building updates. Although reports indicated the numbers were down due to the COVID, the department still had a good showing....
Mary James of Dix said, "I am just going to sit back and enjoy my party." And party they did on a beautiful Saturday afternoon Oct. 3, they partied on the front and side lawns of Mary's home just across from the Potter-Dix Elementary School. There were tents and tables, and Mark Whetham had BBQ brisket and pork, salads and birthday cake. There was music and beer and about 100 guests. Mary continued to express her appreciation. "It was really good of these kids to do this." For two years, Corey...
Thursday, Oct. 1, Kimball County residents discovered that COVID-19 has revisited the county with Panhandle Public Health District reporting two cases – one community spread and one close contact. Local rumors had proceeded the official COVID-19 numbers from PPHD, and then on Monday, Oct. 5, another five cases of COVID-19 were reported to have infected the county through the community spread method. According to Jessica Davies at PPHD, “Community spread just means we were unable to determine where they contracted COVID as opposed to close con...
Brittany Cook, the president and founder of Kimball H.E.L.P.S. is originally from Crook, Colo., and attended Caliche High School. Caliche School was a tight-knit school system with a huge support system, key ingredients were volunteerism and a strong parent-teacher organization. When Brittany and Travis Cook’s oldest son started school Brittany knew she wanted to help create support for the Kimball School and her own children. The Kimball H.E.L.P.S. motto is “be the change” and “be a part of...
Kimball School Superintendent Trevor Anderson, right, held a "Coffee with the Superintendent" event Thursday, Oct. 1, at Vince's Corner. The open forum event let earlybirds ask questions and gain information about the school....
The Kimball Public Library Book Sale started the 94th Annual Farmer's Day off on Friday afternoon with a large crowd of bookworms getting a bag of books for bargain prices. Following the book sale was the Kimball Community Trail Fund bike races in downtown Kimball. Although the number of riders was small everyone was able to win a prize. There was a big crowd on Friday night at the Goodhand Theatre the movie "Dolittle." About 140 people packed the theatre for the free showing. Saturday morning...
The Kimball Nutrition establishment held its open house on Saturday, Sept. 19, in the renovated Longhorn Building. Owners Brittanie Shaw and Kye Hudson have nutrition stores in Scottsbluff and Gering and now one in Kimball. Brittanie is originally from Gering, but gained her experience in nutrition in Dallas, Texas. "This was the best grand opening we have had and we are thrilled to be in Kimball," Brittanie says....