Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First

Articles written by jim orr


Sorted by date  Results 26 - 50 of 150

Page Up

  • Event To Help Small Businesses Succeed During Sentinel Project

    Jim Orr, The Observer|Aug 3, 2023

    Kimball City Administrator Annette Brower has distributed information about the next STAR Roundtable session to help small businesses make the most of working with the federal govvernment and large contractors during the Sentinel missile project. The idea is to strategize. STAR is an acronym for Strategic Team Alliance Roundtable. The roundtable – a webinar being hosted by the Wyoming SBDC – will hegin 8 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 10. Small business representatives will be able to connect with panelists successfully performing as prime and sub...

  • Daum Finishes Well In NBA Shot

    Jim Orr, The Observer|Jul 20, 2023

    Mike Daum finished the NBA Summer League playing well enough to stay in the conversation for making a regular season NBA roster with the Sacramento Kings, his summer team, or another franchise that liked what it saw in the Dauminator. On July 11, Daum scored 22 points for the Kings against the Chicago Bulls. He scored on 5 of 9 three-point shots and brought in seven rebounds. On July 13 against the Minnesota Timberwolves, he had 8 points, but shot under 20 percent, and 4 rebounds. On July 15...

  • Daum's Summer Gig: NBA

    Jim Orr, The Observer|Jul 13, 2023

    The Dauminator is back in the states playing ball. The Sacramento Kings signed the Kimball basketball legend to their roster for the 2023 NBA Summer League. The 6-9 Daum, also a double-digit scorer with Derthona Basket in the Italian LBA league, plays center with the Kings and scored 6 points in the team’s 80-70 loss Monday to the Los Angeles Clippers in Las Vegas. He hit a pair of 3-pointers and contributed four rebounds, two assists and two blocks. Daum, now 27 and 235 pounds, continues to p...

  • Annexation On City's Front Burner Next Week

    Jim Orr, The Observer|Jun 15, 2023

    The Kimball City Council has two special meetings scheduled for next week to address and possibly approve the annexation of land along Highway 71 south of the city where Clean Harbors proposes a 60-acre, 120-lot housing development to help accommodate added workers due to its expansion. The first meeting is scheduled to begin 4 p.m. Wednesday, June 21, at the City Council Chambers. The main item on the agenda is the second reading of Ordinance 821 to annex the land. A public comment period also is on the agenda, but any comments would be for...

  • MEMORIAL DAY PLANS IN PLACE

    Jim Orr and Daria Anderson-Faden, The Observer|May 25, 2023

    Kimball's Memorial Day observance will begin at 10 a.m. Monday at the Kimball Cemetery. The VFW also will serve burgers and fixings at their hall at 227 South Chestnut. Donations will be accepted for the meal. Kimball resident and Kimball High School social studies teacher Matthew Shoup will be the speaker for 2023 service. Shoup served in the Army for 10 years with the 101st Airborne. He was deployed to Afghanistan from 2001-02 and Iraq from 2003-04. Shoup spent another year in Iraq with the...

  • Horns, Coyotes Make All-State

    Jim Orr, The Observer|May 11, 2023

    A dozen students from Kimball and Potter-Dix high schools made the grade this spring on a statewide list for excelling in academics and activities. The Nebraska School Activities Association released the names of students who received the Spring 2023 Nebraska Chiropractic Physicians Association Academic All-State Awards. Here they are: Kimball Boys Golf – Kyler Lusche, Landon Norberg. Music – Charlotte Hargreaves, Emma Patterson. Boys Track & Field – Justin Klosterman, Xavier Thomas Lewis. Girls Track & Field – Grace Anderson, Julia Winstro...

  • Broomfield Has Medical Emergency In Mexico

    Jim Orr, The Observer|Mar 23, 2023

    Dr. James Broomfield, a familiar name in Kimball healthcare circles, is recovering after suffering a medical emergency while on vacation in Mexico, according to a statement from his clinic. Broomfield most recently has practiced at Hometown Medical Group in Kimball, formerly known as Arrow Medical before a recent change of direction, and before that he was at Kimball Health Services. In a statement provided to the Observer, Hometown Medical said Broomfield would be “out of clinic for an u...

  • Late 2023 Completion Still Expected

    Jim Orr, The Observer|Mar 9, 2023

    Kimball Health Services still expects its new $43.5 million hospital to be completed in late 2023, but this winter's severe weather has slowed construction work that's now past the halfway point, KHS told the Observer. "Due to extreme cold and snow, construction crews were unable to work for seven to 10 days in the last few months, said Troy Kurz, KHS facilities director and project manager. The new structure fills much of the city block that was home to West Elementary School for so many...

  • Bob Pinkerton Dies

    Jim Orr, The Observer|Jan 26, 2023

    Bob Pinkerton, a giant in the world of community newspapering and a pillar of his own community in Kimball, has died. The former Western Nebraska Observer editor and publisher died at the age of 90 in Anthem, Ariz., where he lived in retirement. Mr. Pinkerton owned the Observer from 1962 to 1993, when he sold the Kimball paper to his daughter, Sherry. Under his direction, the Observer was a force in the glory days of print journalism, winning seven national newspaper awards and 71 state...

  • Another Midweek Storm For Kimball

    Jim Orr, The Observer|Jan 19, 2023

    Here we go again. Another midweek dose of severe winter weather was forecast for Kimball County and surrounding areas this week. The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning and forecast on Tuesday that 6 to 9 inches of snow could hit the area. Some other forecasts called for more snow. The City of Kimball made changes Tuesday morning in anticipation of the storm, canceling its 5:30 p.m. Tuesday City Council meeting due to the forecast – and also a lack of quorum of council members available to attend the meeting. In p...

  • Getting There

    Jim Orr, The Observer|Jan 19, 2023

    Construction carries on as Kimball's new $43.5 million hospital continues to take shape, but this area's harsh winter weather may have slowed the development a bit. "The project has experienced about a week's delay due to the snowy conditions this winter," Kerry Ferguson, Kimball Health Services director of community and foundation, told the Observer on Monday. "Hopes are we can make up this time later in the project." Prior to the weather delay, hospital officials said construction remained on...

  • Longhorns, Coyotes, Wildcats Ready To Return In 2023

    Jim Orr, The Observer|Dec 29, 2022

    The 2023 portions of the high school and junior high winter sports and activity seasons open next week. That means the Kimball, Potter-Dix and Banner County basketball players, wrestlers and cheerleaders are getting back at it. And let’s not forget about students in speech, band and FFA. Here’s a look at sports and activity schedules through January for the Longhorns, Coyotes and Wildcats. Kimball Longhorns Jan. 4, 3 p.m., HS BB @ South Platte Jan. 7, 4 p.m., HS BB vs Banner County Jan. 8, 2 p.m., HS BB vs Chase County Jan. 8, 9 a.m., HS WR...

  • NWS: Wind Chills Life-Threatening

    Jim Orr, The Observer|Dec 22, 2022

    And now Round 2. Following last week’s ferocious blizzard has come this week’s deep freeze. Temperatures were forecast on Tuesday to plummet from the mid-30s to minus 21 on Wednesday and on Thursday range from minus 7 to minus 15. Coupled with severe gusts and life-threatening wind chills of 50 to 65 below zero, the National Weather Service on Tuesday issued a Wind Chill Warning for noon Wednesday to 11 a.m. Friday for Kimball and nearby areas. NWS warned people that wind chills of this magnitude can cause frostbite in less than 5 minutes if...

  • Winter Whiteout

    Jim Orr, The Observer|Dec 15, 2022

    The blizzard that clobbered Kimball and the Panhandle on Tuesday lived up to the hype. The relentless winter storm bashed the area with gusts up to 65 mph, wickedly swirling snow that caused whiteout conditions for hours on end. By the time the worst of the storm was forecast to end late Wednesday, perhaps 12-18 inches of snows was expected to accumulate. A Panhandle Alert was issued late Tuesday afternoon urging people to stay off icy, snowpacked roads that should be used by emergency vehicles...

  • Tom Southard In Journalism Hall

    Jim Orr, The Observer|Oct 27, 2022

    Now it's official. Tom Southard, the longtime Western Nebraska Observer sportswriter and columnist, is a member of the Nebraska Journalism Hall of Fame. Southard was inducted posthumously Saturday night during a ceremony at the Graduate Hotel in Lincoln. Family members traveled across the state to attend and occupied a table directly in front of the podium during the dinner and ceremony. The hall's Class of 2022 included Southard, who passed away nearly two years ago, and five other inductees on...

  • Third Place Longhorns Have A Chance Friday

    Jim Orr, The Observer|Oct 6, 2022

    Another step forward in the Kimball Longhorns football program's comeback is within reach this Friday night at Hemingford. A road win. "We've obviously had our struggles, but I think we've been improving slowly but surely," coach Darrell Howitt told the Observer. "With Hemingford, we have an opportunity to continue moving in the right direction." Howitt said he considers Kimball, Hemingford and Morrill to be "in the same boat" this season, young teams looking to gain experience. He said...

  • Pain At The Pump Lessening, But It's Still There

    Jim Orr, The Observer|Sep 8, 2022

    The heart of summer travel season for drivers ended Labor Day weekend with gas prices quite lower than as recently as July 4 but still way higher than a year ago. In Kimball, the Observer found that prices at the pump for regular unleaded averaged $3.70 on Sunday. That was 7 cents higher than the Nebraska average and 9 cents lower than the national average, according to the GasBuddy, which monitors gas prices and offers the data to motorists. At Conoco, near I-80 Exit 20 in Kimball, staff told the Observer on Sunday that business from...

  • New Look For Observer

    Jim Orr, The Observer|Sep 8, 2022

    Readers will notice a change in this week’s Observer. It’s bigger. Physically bigger. We’ve changed printers, moving to the press operation in Douglas, Wyo., in an effort to improve service – which includes getting the paper to you on time whether you get it at home or buy it over the counter. As a side benefit, the press in Douglas uses a larger size of paper for printing newspapers that you will notice. The news and advertising area is about 1.5 inches wider and 2 inches taller than before. That space really ads up and gives us more space f...

  • LET THERE BE LIGHTS

    Jim Orr, The Observer|Sep 1, 2022

    Kimball electric departent workers were quite visible moving around downtown in late August, replacing brackets for the strings of lights that illuminate the tops of businesses in the commercial district. In the photo above, the electric department's Bobbie Muench, Brock Nollette and Luke Hessler work Monday on light brackets lining the Observer building on East 2nd Street....

  • First Game Back A Learning Experience For Horns

    Jim Orr, The Observer|Sep 1, 2022

    Kimball High School's resurrected Longhorns football team travels to Leyton this week after opening its new era last week with a challenging matchup against Hyannis. Game time for the non-conference game is 6 p.m. Friday at Leyton's field in Dalton. The Warriors are 1-0 on the young season after a 49-10 victory at Hemingford. For the 0-1 Longhorns, it's another formidable opponent as the football program re-establishes itself under new coach Darrell Howitt after missing last season due to lack...

  • Millers Do Well At Mike Trader's Basketball Camp

    Jim Orr, The Observer|Aug 25, 2022

    Here's some news that could bode well for Longhorns basketball in coming years. Young Kimball basketball players Braxton Miller and MacKenzie Miller recently participated in Mike Trader's Mid-America Basketball Camp and earned multiple awards. The camp ran July 17-20 at Central Community College in Columbus. In the Boys Major League, Braxton was an All-Star, won the Hustle Award, played on the three-on-three champion team with Michael Anderson of Geneva and Christian Conley of Friend, and was...

  • The Banner County News Is Here; Make Yourself At Home

    Jim Orr, The Observer|Aug 18, 2022

    Welcome to “The Banner County News!” This page, at least the upper portion of it, is meant to look like a newspaper’s front page. There’s a story behind this that I’d like to share with you. During my time as editor at the Harvey County Independent in Kansas, that paper actually featured three “front pages” on inside pages. To me, this was – and is – one of the greatest features I’ve ever seen in a newspaper for both how the pages look and what they contain. You see, the Independent was the product of three papers that merged – the Halste...

  • For Sale: Wheat Growers Hotel

    Jim Orr, The Observer|Aug 4, 2022

    Kimball's landmark Wheat Growers Hotel, a treasure chest of local history and lore, is on the market. Wheat Growers devotee Ed Avila, a former owner who reacquired the property 1½ years ago, told the Observer that he seeks a buyer dedicated to revitalizing the the once grand inn across from the railroad tracks at the corner of East 1st and South Oak. "Now is the right time," he said. Avila said he and his sister, Mitzie Johnson, have served as stewards of the iconic property since it was...

  • TAKING AIM AT NATIONALS

    Jim Orr, The Observer|Jul 7, 2022

    Kimball Longhorns trap team members and a travel partner from Potter-Dix are competing this week at Nationals in Mason, Mich. The Longhorns are Justin Klosterman, Nolan Cook, James McGinnis, Kambree Hottell and Cameron McGinnis. Representing Coyote Nation is Dawsen Monheiser. Brittany Cook, one of the Longhorn coaches, told the Observer that Thursday, July 7, is a practice day for the Panhandle delegation. Then it's down to business. The Longhorns will shoot as a team Friday. Next, on Saturday,...

  • ROADWORK AT THE UNDERPASS

    Jim Orr, The Observer|May 12, 2022

    Street repairs that began last week required the roadway to be narrowed to one lane at First and Chestnut streets on the south side of Kimball's underpass. Residents were urged to use caution when approaching. The new week opened Monday morning, above, with evidence of the project still evident. The street department expected to have the work done as soon as possible....

Page Down