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

Articles from the March 1, 2018 edition


Sorted by date  Results 1 - 15 of 15

  • Students treated to a flag demo for County Government Day

    Mar 1, 2018

  • Today is non-incumbents' deadline to file for office

    Tonia Copeland|Mar 1, 2018

    With the first filing deadline past and the final one looming, incumbents planning to run for office, have filed and non-incumbents must do so by 5 p.m. tomorrow, Friday, March 1. At the time of this writing, 27 candidates have filed for various public offices. Kimball County has two open County Commissioner offices up for election and incumbents Larry Engstrom and Daria Anderson have both filed for reelection as Democrats. Currently, there are no other interested parties listed. Sherry Winstrom has filed for reelection as the Kimball County...

  • No contraband found at Kimball High School

    Tonia Copeland|Mar 1, 2018

    The difference a year makes can be huge. During a full school lockdown on Wednesday, Feb. 21, the Kimball Police Department, along with Kimball Public Schools, Kimball County Sheriff’s Office, the Deuel County canine unit and the Nebraska State Patrol, performed a contraband search at the Kimball Jr. Sr. High School. This year, Kimball Police Chief Andy Bremer said, no contraband was found, and when compared with last year’s search, that is a vast improvement. “The fact that we found nothing is a huge improvement. I couldn’t be more proud;...

  • District hires new superintendent

    Tonia Copeland|Mar 1, 2018

    After interviewing three candidates, a new leader for Kimball Public Schools has been hired and is expected to start July 1, 2018. Dr. Elizabeth Owens, of Ivanhoe, Va., will be taking over as Kimball Public Schools’ Superintendent. The Kimball School Board held a public meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 27 to approve Owens’ contract for two years. Owens completed her Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education with a concentration in philosophy at the University of Virginia’s College at Wise, Va. She followed with a master’s degree in special educati...

  • Second Annual Redneck Gala was a big success

    Dakota Kuhns|Mar 1, 2018

    Mullets, muck boots, tattoos, slippers, bibs, long underwear, you name it, you saw it last Friday night at the Kimball Event Center. The 2nd Annual Redneck Gala was once again a success, a great meal of barbecue ribs, chicken wings, and beer brats with beans and chips was served, the band Boom Twang took the stage a little after seven and the night was ready to get kicked off. Many community members came out to the event, as well as, some from the surrounding area, including Gering, Scottsbluff,...

  • Aaron Davis urges others to focus on family and live life to the fullest

    Tonia Copeland|Mar 1, 2018

    Kimball has not invited a speaker to the school in three years, until last Wednesday, Feb. 21, when Aaron Davis, who prefers to be called a thought provoker instead of a motivational speaker, spoke in the Harry E. McNees Auditorium. Davis, part of the 1994 National Championship Nebraska football team encouraged those in attendance to truly listen with engaging and humorous stories. "Even if we think we got all the answers, we have to slow down and listen," Davis said. "Listening doesn't cost...

  • Road Dept. decides on 4 10-hr. days

    Dakota Kuhns|Mar 1, 2018

    Kimball County Weed Department will be getting another pickup to spray weeds this coming season. The County Commissioners opened one sealed bid for the purchase of one used 4x4 pickup for the weed department at their regular meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 20. The only bid received, from Wolf Automotive, provided a used 2012 Chevy Silverado, automatic, three-quarter ton, extended cab, long box, gas pickup with 93,154 miles on it for the price of $15,749. According to Rick Wangler, County Weed Superintendent, this is the best pickup he has looked at to...

  • Dollar General Re-Grand Opening

    Mar 1, 2018

    Kimball’s own Dollar General has undergone some major changes in the past few weeks. Many of the locals were first in line to see this transformation. With walls painted and isles changed around, nearly every customer walking through the newly remodeled building commented that the store looked bigger and better. Dollar General held its Re-Grand Opening February, 8 with the Kimball-Banner County Chamber and the Chamber Ambassadors on hand. Pictured, from left, are Kimball City Administrator D...

  • Services will continue for PHG consumers, transition to last through June

    Mar 1, 2018

    After decades of service, Panhandle Health Group, formerly Panhandle Mental Health Center, will be closing its doors across the Panhandle, following a public meeting on Thursday, Feb. 15 in Gering. “The consumers should have been prepared better. I know mental health is a huge issue,” Kimball County Commissioner Daria Anderson-Faden said. “It was a hard decision. If there was any other way to do this, we would have, but there really wasn’t.” Doors will not be closed immediately and the transition is expected to take until June, according...

  • Local artists recognized and displayed

    Tonia Copeland|Mar 1, 2018

    Several local artists have recently been recognized regionally this month, first at the Cheyenne Camera Club 2017 Awards ceremony on Thursday, Feb. 15, in Cheyenne and at the West Nebraska Art Center’s 36th Annual IMAGE exhibit in Scottsbluff. Celebrated local photographer, Kimberly Sharples, earned runner-up in the Photographer of the Year for the Cheyenne Camera Club, as well as, taking first place in scenic category, second in fauna and third in both creative and scenic – in which she also received honorable mentions. Alycia Vrbas was nam...

  • Coyotes take MAC Speech - Champs for nearly three consecutive decades

    Mar 1, 2018

    Following countless hours of practice, Potter-Dix earned first place at the Minuteman Activities Conference Speech competition, held on Wednesday, Feb. 21, at Potter-Dix. "People, and even the students, don't really know the time and dedication it takes to be successful at speech. It's just like practicing and performing for any sport," head coach Chandell Oleson said. "The skills these students learn in speech will be utilized for the rest of their lives." Oleson, with assistant coaches...

  • Longhorns end Season with Sub-District loss to Bridgeport

    Tom Southard|Mar 1, 2018

    The season ended for the Kimball High boy's basketball team with a 57-46 loss to Bridgeport in sub-district tournament play, closing out their year with a record of 4 wins and 16 losses. Bridgeport advanced to the district playoff by virtue of a win over Bayard in the sub-district finals and then lost a heart-breaker, 43-42, to Perkins County in the District playoff. Kimball opened the game with a three pointer by Colton Mielke, but had a poor night shooting after that opening trey. They...

  • Youth wrestling results

    Mar 1, 2018

    Mitchell Wrestling Club Tournament Results for Kimball Wrestling Club 6 & Under 32-34 Angus Moeller’s place is 1st and has scored 19.50 team points. Round 1 - Angus Moeller (Kimball Wrestling Club) won by tech fall over Carson Stroud (Alliance Wrestling Club) (TF 19-4) Round 2 - Angus Moeller (Kimball Wrestling Club) won by fall over Andrew Lara (Mitchell Wrestling Club) (Fall 1:24) Round 3 - Angus Moeller (Kimball Wrestling Club) won by fall over Dakota Rohde (Tri-State Grapplers) (Fall 0:49) 6 & Under 49-53 Trajan Johnson’s place is 3rd and h...

  • Junior High boys short on numbers

    Tom Southard|Mar 1, 2018

    The Junior High boy’s basketball program is short on numbers and thus, resulted in short on wins this past season. “We take 13 players combined to the games,” said Coach Dane Wurdeman. “The 7th graders are having a hard time scoring and taking care of the ball. Lack of experience is showing, but they got better through the season,” Wurdeman said. Wurdeman praised the play of Thomas Muldoon. “Thomas is the leader on the team at point guard. He passes the ball well and gets the team into our offense. Azael Floes has also been a standout fo...

  • Jock Talk

    Tom Southard|Mar 1, 2018

    State Tournaments are about all that remains of the High School Basketball season, and already, the wrestling is complete and spring sports practice has officially gotten underway. What’s more, we have some March competition scheduled for you fans. Mark March 17th down for the Chadron State Indoor track and field meet that Kimball, and a lot of area high schools, will take part in. Put March 24th on your sports calendars as the date of the Kimball Invitational track and field meet, and March 29th is also the date for the Bayard C-D meet. M...