Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
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With a comfortable win now under their belts, the Kimball Longhorns get another home game opportunity this Friday – but it will be quite the challenge. Here come the Irish of North Platte St. Pat's. Game time is 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 13, at Keith Staehr Field. The Longhorns evened their record at 1-1 with a 54-26 win Saturday with an eight-touchdown performance against the visiting Bayard Tigers. Senior Noe Trevino led the way with five touchdowns, while the defense contained Bayard much of the g...
The old Kimball hospital, which is up for sale, was put to good use last week. Kimball Police Chief Jose Ruiz said Kimball police officers and Morrill County Sheriff's Office deputies participated in a crucial training session there Aug. 28 that was focused on building clearing and emergency responses to active threats. He said invitations to participate also were extended to the Kimball County and Cheyenne County sheriff's offices and the Sidney Police Department, but those agencies were unable...
The Kimball County Sheriff's Office has a new deputy, Nate Lousberg. Lousberg was sworn in as an officer last week by Michele Woods at the county courthouse. He told the Observer that he grew up in the small town of Fleming, Colo, about 20 miles east of Sterling. Serving in the Marines is part of his story. "I spent about 10 years in active service to our country with the United States Marine Corps," he said. "During that 10-year period, I spent about 4 and a half years outside the U.S., mostly...
The Banner County School graduating class of 1974 gathered recently to celebrate their 50th year anniversary. Alums toured the school on Saturday, Aug. 24, as part of their weekend activities. From left to right in the front row are Jane Olsen Baker, Shirley Hewlett Shore, Bertha Bybee Webb, Diana Wyatt Freese, Steve Linn, Kenny Youngs, Brad Brown and Margie Kappen (with grandkids Reese and Ray). Back row: Steve Isom, Jeanne Larson Baltensperger, Steve Lease, Keith Youngs, Ron Brown, Rick...
Kimball bull rider Cody Brinkman continued his winning ways with a first place showing in bull riding Monday at the Nebraska State Fair High School Rodeo in Grand Island. His score/time was 70.00. The Nebraska High School Rodeo Association competition was held over Labor Day weekend in Nelson and Grand Island. Cody attends Kimball High School and has competed strongly on the rodeo and wrestling teams....
Kimball Longhorns football kicks off its home season 1 p.m. Saturday, hosting the Bayard Tigers at Keith Staehr Field. The Horns look to get on the winning track after losing their opener, 30-12, on Aug. 29 in a nonconference battle of Longhorns at Hyannis. The Kimball football program showed some defensive progress in the game, compared to their showing against Hyannis last year. Hyannis won that game, 58-20. After Bayard, North Platte St. Pat's come to town to play under the Friday night...
The David Hagstrom family was awarded the Nebraska Pioneer Farm Award by AKSARBEN Foundation and Nebraska Farm Bureau at the Kimball/Banner Fair BBQ. The award is given to honor families for 100 years of farm ownership. Erick A. Hagstrom came to America from his hometown of Gastrikland, Sweden at the age of 18. He spent 2 years living in Sioux City, Iowa with his older sister and her husband. In 1900, Erick moved to Kimball County Nebraska and laid claim to a homestead within Section 30-14-55....
The Sentinel missile project – which received the green light to proceed in July after a review by the Department of Defense – announced last Wednesday that it would hold a town hall meeting on Tuesday this week at The Sagebrush in Kimball. A similar town hall was set for Sidney a day later. The intent of the meetings was to inform local public and landowners about relevant future construction plans and facts concerning the Sentinel program, according to a statement from F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming. The short-notice town hall mee...
LINCOLN – Gov. Jim Pillen on Monday requested a federal major disaster declaration for Nebraska counties impacted by winter storm conditions on April 6 and 7. The request includes the following eight counties: Banner, Cheyenne, Dawes, Garden, Kimball, Morrill, Scotts Bluff and Sioux. What began with thunderstorms and heavy rains developed into a system that produced freezing rain, snow, strong winds and blizzard conditions. The most significant damage was to power systems, including downed power lines. The five utility systems affected by t...
A team effort helped the sixth annual Casino Night benefit Kimball Health Services on Saturday at The Sagebrush. "We had lots of fun on the gaming floor and during the silent and live auction to raise money for new surgical equipment at Kimball Health Services," said Kerry Ferguson, director of community relations and foundation at KHS. Ferguson gave a "special shout-out" to the KHS staff, foundation board members and other volunteers who made it happen. They include KHS staff Nicole Snyder,...
The Kimball and Pine Bluffs trap teams got together for a friendly "border war" on April 28, with 22 shooters from Kimball and 14 from Pine shooting two rounds in Kimball. They were mixed teams with shooters from both communities forming each team. The top three Kimball shooters were Teague Mazza with 46 points and Grace Anderson and Nolan Cook with 45 points each. Later it was a time for families, friends, hamburgers and hotdogs for the shooters....
The Lady Longhorns basketball team battled to win its fourth game of the season Tuesday night at Mitchell, 44-41. Now it’s on to today’s Jan. 25 matchup at 5:30 p.m. with visiting Sutherland and a rematch 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 27, at North Platte St. Pat’s. Then comes the WTC. Kimball is seeded No. 7 and opens tourney play Feb. 1 at No. 2 Bayard. The winner will advance to face the winner of the No. 3 Gordon-Rushville and No. 6 Hemingford game in a 3:30 p.m. contest Feb. 2 at WNCC. Kimball Coach Jaclyn Burks commented on her team’s 51-28 los...
Korean, Vietnam and Desert Storm war veterans will be traveling through Kimball on Thursday, Sept. 7, en route to Washington to see their War Memorials. The 14th Honor Flight Mission delegation will be stopping by the High Point Visitors Center, a place that has welcomed the Honor Flight in the past. Steve Thomlison, Patriot Guard Riders senior ride captain, released a mission statement telling of their estimated time of arrival through Kimball. Five or six vans carrying the veterans are being escorted into town from Chadron via Alliance, Minat...
The Kimball Longhorns football team hosts Leyton at 7 p.m. Friday in their home opener after losing their first game of the season Aug. 25 at Hyannis, 58-20. Kimball and Leyton are both 0-1 going into the matchup. Leyton opened with a 58-18 non-conference loss to Hemingford. Longhorns coach Darrell Howitt sees growth in his rebuilding football program. "We are definitely a different team than a year ago," he told the Observer. "I kind of knew that Hyannis was physical pretty solid football team. Every year, they are physical and that is...
It's on to Gering on Friday, Sept. 1, for Kimball XC following its 2023 opening meet last week at Scottbluff. Start time is 11 a.m. for the high school and 1 p.m. for junior high. "What a great way to start the season," coach Tiffany Johnson said. "The cross country team ... all ran with determination and drive! We are excited to see what all unfolds this season." Kimball earned two medals at Scottsbluff with Braxton Miller finishing 10th with a new personal best, running under 20, and Braylon...
The Lincoln Highway has a special place in Kimball history. Now two crosswalks have been painted on Chestnut Street at the corner with 2nd Street to commemorate the highway's original route through town. The Lincoln Highway was the first transcontinental highway across the United States. It officially opened in 1913, even though it wasn't completely paved until years later. Initially, it went through the downtown area of most of the towns it intersected, but it has since changed course slightly...
The Kimball varsity track and field team was able to compete in the 2023 Morrill Early Bird meet Saturday before winter made another visit to the area. "It was a great day to kick off the track season," coach Tiffany Johnson said. "The kids had great attitudes and we finished with quite a few Prs." Here are some of the highlights: • Julia Winstrom placed 4th in the 100. • Addisyn Olson placed 5th in the Triple Jump. • Girls 4x100 – Winstrom, Olson, Jade O'Rourke and Emma Novotny ran well. ...
It's on to the C12 Subdistrict final Thursday in Gordon, weather permitting, for the Kimball Longhorns boys basketball team after its 53-45 win over Bayard on Monday in the first round. The Horns went into Subdistricts after holding on for a 53-52 victory last Friday at Mitchell. They go into the final looking for their fourth straight win. Here's Kimball head coach Chad Miller's take on the Mitchell game and how his team is looking as the season winds down – and heats up. "Mitchell's game this...
This is the second of two installments of the Observer’s Q&A with local candidates in contested races. This week we present the candidated for Kimball Kimball County commissioner, Kimball School Board and Banner County commissioner. For each race featured in this report, candidates are listed in alphabetical order. Larry Engsrom Kimball County Commissioner Candidate Briefly describe your background and professional and political experience. I’m a farmer, rancher. Married we have two sons and a granddaughter. I am active in the First Eng...
A large wildfire south of Gering destroyed three homes as August began on Monday and damaged several others as it continued to spread through the dry vegetation in Nebraska’s Wildcat Hills. As of Monday afternoon, aerial surveillance showed the Carter Canyon Fire to be at 15,591 acres, an increase from 13,051 acres yesterday due to significant wind-driven runs. The fire remains at 30 percent contained, not because of lost containment line, but increases in acreage. “Fire managers are exp...
With the turn of 10 ceremonial golden shovels, Kimball Health Services officials broke ground May 11 on a new $43.6 million hospital, kicking off a long-awaited 18-month construction project to replace its 70-year-old facility. Completion of the new 61,200 square foot hospital on the playground of the former West Elementary School, located two blocks from the current facility in Kimball, is expected in the fall of 2023. A pair of 40-year USDA loans totaling $34.2 million, $6.4 million in...
Freshman Kyler Lusche placed third at the Bayard Invite and Western Trails Conference golf meet on Tuesday, May 10. Lusche shot 42-41 for 83. In team standings, Kimball tied with Bayard for eighth place at 424. Rounding out the team for Kimball were Connor Deboodt shooting a 109, followed by Bransyn Kiefer with a 115 and Landon Norberg completed the 18 holes with a 117. Mitchell won the Bayard Invite with a 356 and the top golfer was Cael Peters, who shot a 76. Kimball will have played on Wednesday at their home course and districts is...
The Kimball boys and girls track teams go into the district meet Thursday, May 12, at Mitchell after a competitive showing at last week's Cheyenne County meet in Leyton. Pole vaulters Trey Schindler and James McGinnis both cleared 11 feet to tag team for first and second, while Kaitlin Heeg took first in the triple jump and 100-meter hurdles. Also enjoying a first place finish was Banner County's Riley Jones in the high jump. Here are the Kimball and Banner County top placers at the Cheyenne...
The Kimball boys golf team was scheduled to return for some home cooking at its Four Winds Golf Course home Thursday this week after hosting the SPVA conference tournament last Friday. However, the annual local invite could be held next Wednesday at best, weather permitting. But if it’s canceled at that time, it won’t be held at all this year. Meanwhile, freshman Kyler Lusche shot a 78 on his home course to win the SPVA conference title. The Kimball team score was 402. The rest of the Kimball team played solid on the Four Winds course with Tre...
The Kimball boys and girls track teams found tough competion at the Bayard CD Invite. The girls placed 13th with 25 points, while Bayard was first with 79. The boys placed 15th with 4 points, while Pine Bluffs was first with 86. They're now in a busy stretch of the season. The Longhorns returned to action on Tuesday, April 5, at Creek Valley and next compete Saturday, April 9 in Holyoke. At Bayard, senior Katie Heeg placed third in the triple jump finals (31 feet, 5 inches), fourth in the...