Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
Sorted by date Results 126 - 150 of 185
This week marks the sixth anniversary of the fire that destroyed the nationally registered historic stone building located at 126 S. Chestnut after nearly 115 years of operation. Once the "old stone store," the building was built from locally quarried limestone in 1894 and opened on January 5, 1895. History states that the building was first a general merchandise store at the ground level and a community dinner and dance floor on the second level of the building, owned by John Biggs. At the...
According to Mayor Keith Prunty, the recent response from Kimball and the surrounding communities to reopen the Goodhand Theatre, has been very positive. The first informal meeting was held on Dec. 3, and the hopes are to have a functioning digital theater for the community to enjoy, stated the mayor. Although they are only in the beginning stages of trying to put together a non-profit in the name of Friends of the Goodhand, a board of directors and officers for the board are now in place. An agreement is being drawn up between the “Friends o...
Dix residents lost their post office this week, with services temporarily suspended effective Wednesday, Dec. 30, and with just days notice. According to Dix Postmaster, Kay Atkins, she did not receive enough time to pass on the written notice to customers in a more timely manner. In fact, the only written notice was dated Dec. 23, 2015, however, printed notices were posted in the community prior to the notice received by mail. A deteriorating building with possible mold issues was to blame for...
Staying involved has always been a priority for lifetime Kimballite Jason Lockwood, who continually challenges himself to do more. "Inertia is a wonderful mechanism," he said. "Things in motion tend to stay in motion and I suppose I am one of those things always on the go." Born to Jim and Teresa Lockwood, his family has farmed and ranched in Kimball County for four generations. His paternal grandmother, Wilma has lived her entire life in the Bushnell area and farmed there along side her husband...
The Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality assigned Panhandle Geotechnical and Environmental the task of completing a physical inspection and environmental assessment on the parking lot of the Kimball County Annex building at 209 East 3rd Street. During the 1950s and into the 1960s the property housed underground fuel tanks that are believed to have been last used in the 70s. According to Brian Hilbert, Project Manager and Environmental Scientist with PG&E, the tanks were removed in 1994,...
Kimball County Commissioners questioned the $2 fee charged to county residents on their utility bills under the itemization of landfill fees and further considered the an interlocal agreement made with the City of Kimball concerning the landfill and disposal services. During the most recent board meeting Mayor Keith Prunty and City Council members Christy Warner and James Schnell were joined by Larissa Binod, Director of Keep Kimball Beautiful and Spud Rowley from the Kimball Recycle Center. “In researching, the question and concern was, when t...
No doubt living in the area, you are familiar with, have read about on social media, or have heard of, the Bountiful Basket program that takes place on a bi-weekly basis. In the beginning, Shelly Norberg of Bushnell found the program in the nearby community of Albin, Wyoming, and began working with others, such as Amira Moore to bring it coop to Kimball County. It was Hilary Cook who took the steps necessary to make that happen. She attended another Bountiful Basket site and did...
Not many of us can recall our first Christmas, much less recount it for family and friends. Guro Litlere will soon celebrate her first Christmas in the United States and will undoubtedly recount it for her friend and family at home. Litlere, Kimball's foreign exchange student, comes from a small Norwegian village, Voss. There Litlere lives with her father, Tor Arne, an engineer, her mother, Gunvor, an outdoor Kindergarten teacher, and her two younger sisters, Anja, 14 and Oda Marlén, who is 9...
“Leave it in a better state than when it was given to you.” That is a motto Airport Authority Board Chairman Jason Lockwood adheres to and a quote that was stated to him, by the former airport chairman, the late Ken Risk. Renovations are planned for Kimball’s Robert E. Arraj airport, according to Lockwood. The property, which is more than half a century old, is projected to see new runway lights and a new beacon by early 2017, at an approximate cost of $150,000. Although just four licensed pilots operate from the local facility, he explained th...
Kimball County Sheriff Harry Gillway and Linda Williams, Kimball County Jail Administrator, presented information to the Kimball County Commissioners regarding additional security equipment for the Kimball County jail and courthouse. Gillway and Williams sought board approval for the purchase of security equipment needed at the Kimball County Jail. Purchase of the equipment would be almost entirely reimbursed with funding through the Nebraska Intergovernmental Risk Management Association, or NIRMA, which recognizes the safety/risk management...
Traveling through Kimball decades ago with his young family, Glynn Felkins never imagined he would one day call Kimball his home. Originally from Commerce City, Colo., Felkins said he has no regrets moving to Kimball with his wife of 52 years, Ann. "We used to come through Kimball when we would go to Crawford to visit Ann's parents," Felkins said. "We used to stop at the old drive-in, Dogs-n-Suds, and then take the kids to the park, never knowing that we would someday live here." Felkins was a c...
This beautifully lit angel yard ornament can be seen gracing a Kimball yard. For some, driving around town to admire the local decorations is an annual Christmas tradition....
Consideration of purchasing a new rescue vehicle for the Kimball County ambulance service has been ongoing for four years, according to director Carla Goranson. Recently the issue was moved to the front burner when the Kimball County Board of Commissioners placed a state-wide ad, the week of Oct. 29 through Nov. 5, requesting bids on the ambulance sought. One bid was received for the Commissioner's meeting on Dec. 1, by Firefox Rescue Equipment Service out of York. The bid offered a 2016 Chevy D...
Choosing to trade a somewhat urban lifestyle in Colorado for a more peaceful rural life in Banner County fits the Whelchel family just fine. Laura, her husband, Dave, and two children are glad they did just 16 years ago. "It was getting too populated where we were in Colorado," Laura said. "We always came here to go camping and we always enjoyed it, so we thought, 'Well, we'll just look for a farm.'" When they found their current home, she said they just decided to jump in. Their family has also...
Kimball's Mary Lynch Elementary School has reached the million dollar mark in the "Receipts for Cash" program with Main Street Market. According to teacher Amy McManigal, who is in her third year of collecting receipts for the program, every $100,000 receipts collected earns the school $1,000 from Main Street Market. McManigal's neighbor, Jan Levesque, volunteers time inputing receipt information on a spreadsheet. Monies collected in the past has purchased play ground balls, backpacks and...
At the most recent Kimball Park and Recreation Board meeting, Nov. 17, the Park and Recreation Superintendent, Jeremy Williams addressed both the County Commissioners and the City Council for money to purchase several pieces of equipment to replace older units. The conversation began at the August board meeting. City Administrator Daniel Ortiz stated that much of the equipment used at Kimball’s golf course is aging and the equipment Williams has to work with has begun to negatively impact the maintenance of the golf course. At that time W...
“Items under Reports are informational only and are not subject to discussion.” That line, seen in the Nov. 17 City Council agenda, caught the attention of the Kimball County Commissioner’s when Kimball County Deputy Clerk Josie Morgan handed the board a copy of the agenda. “What is this that their reports are not subject to discussion?” inquired Commissioner Tim Nolting. Nolting then addressed the funding the 2012 Board of Public Works voted to add, as a line item, to utility bills specifically for the local recycling center - a line item...