Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
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The incoming chief executive officer of Kimball Health Services said she not only recognizes the challenges of being in charge of Kimball's new $43 million hospital, she's ready to meet them head-on. "I am elated for the opportunity the Board of Directors has given me at KHS," said Cassie Gasseling, who takes over as CEO Jan. 17. "We have a great team here who puts patient care first and I look forward to continuing to work with them in a leadership role." A Kansas State University graduate,...
At the "topping" ceremony for Clean Harbors' Kimball expansion, company CEO Eric Gerstenberg said Tuesday that the construction phase of the new Kimball incinerator will be completed by 2024 and the incinerator operational by early 2025. "With the addition of this new incinerator and the jobs it brings, our commitment to Kimball and Western Nebraska will only deepen," he said. "Today is not just about acknowledging a milestone; it is about instituting a brighter and more prosperous future in...
Gov. Jim Pillen addressed a group of Kimball County residents on Monday afternoon during a town hall meeting at KCTS headquarters. Pillen said he wants to be the governor of everyone in Nebraska, all Nebraskans. He stressed that Nebraskans all have to live within their means, and a high priority for the state is to be more financially responsible. Pillen explained that four things are what he has focused on throughout his life and continues to focus on as governor: kids, taxes, agriculture and...
Korby D. Swantkoski, 57, of Bushnell, died in Kimball on Friday, August 18, 2023. Memorial services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday September 16, 2023 at the Sagebrush in Kimball. Friends may call at the funeral home on Friday, September 15, 2023 from 1:00 until 4:00 p.m. to sign the register book and leave condolences for the family. Friends may also visit www.cantrellfh.com to view his tribute wall and share stories with the family. Memorials may be given in memory of Korby to the family...
Kimball Health Services CEO Ken Hunter, RN-BSN, plans to retire in January, KHS announced Monday. Hunter, who turned 74 on Aug. 19, has served as CEO at the Kimball hospital and rural health clinic since January of 2011. He served two years as director of nursing at KHS after joining the staff as a night nurse in 2006. Hunter received the prestigious Nebraska Hospital Association's "Caring Kind" award in 2013. The award honors outstanding health care employees who have demonstrated compassion...
After months of negotiations and executive sessions, on Tuesday, Aug. 1, the Kimball County Commissioners voted to sell the High Point Welcome Center of Western Nebraska property located at 204 South Kimball Boulevard and the adjacent land to Big D Oil Co. of Rapid City, S.D. The selling price was $500,000. Big D Oil’s possible plan is to operate a truck stop at the site. It is a family owned business with 39 retail stores in western South Dakota, eastern Wyoming and northern Colorado. As for the welcome center’s future, it was not dis...
At the Kimball City Council meeting on July 18, City Administrator Annette Brower addressed key issues regarding the missile project. Brower said the Pioneer Camp will be in place in 2024 and the Housing Hub for hundreds of project workers at a time will be built and operational in 2025. The Pioneer Camp will house workers who will construct the hub. In another matter, Mayor John Morrison commented on a story on July 13 front page of the Observer about Hometown Hardware. Referring to a water main break that affected the business, Morrison said...
Here's a portion of the 150 acres that the City of Kimball annexed on the west side of Highway 71 on the south end of the city. Clean Harbors has acquired a 60-acre, 120-lot section of the land for housing to help accommodate new employees as it expands....
Over three days –Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of last week – the Kimball City Council annexed and rezoned 150 acres of land contiguous to the City of Kimball to the south. The council conducted all three readings of the ordinance within the week. On Tuesday evening, the council met for its regular meeting. The first item on the agenda was a public hearing on Ordinance No. 821, the annexation. With no comment from anyone, the council approved the first reading of the ordinance. The planning commission previously approved the annexation. Add...
Improvements and upgrades to the Kimball County Courthouse continue as the county commissioners’ previous approval for the purchase and installation of the chiller and boiler are currently happening. Last summer, the chiller quit and the boiler had reached the end of life for such equipment. The commissioners voted on Tuesday, June 20, at their regular meeting to move the ADA handicap-accessible ramp from the north entrance of the courthouse to the east entrance. Estimates have been provided for the move. In addition to the ramp, new parking s...
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...
At Tuesday's Kimball City Council meeting, Mayor John Morrison shared with the council and the public his thoughts on possible future acquisitions for the City of Kimball. Morrison expressed interest in acquiring the Evertson Well Service building east of Kimball with the intention of making it the Street Department building and shop. Currently, the street department shop is on the north side of Kimball on Main and Elm Streets. According to Morrison, the street department "is pretty sad. It is t...
The City of Kimball’s Town Hall meetings on Wednesday and Thursday of last week began the public involvement in the update for the city’s existing Comprehensive Plan. Marvin Planning, the company hired for the project, explained that a Comprehensive Plan is like a Business Plan for a Community. On Thursday, about 40 residents participated in the update at the KCTS building. In groups, residents discussed and listed their thoughts on five questions about Kimball, and then each group was able to report on their ideas. Question 1 – How would...
Cynthia D. Thacker, 69, of Kimball, died in Aurora, Colorado on Tuesday, April 11, 2023. Cremation has been held and Memorial Services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, April 21, 2023 at the Trinity United Methodist Church in Kimball with Pastor Lorri Kentner officiating. Private family inurnment will take place at a later date. Friends may visit www.cantrellfh.com to view her Tribute Wall and leave condolences and stories for the family. Memorials may be given in her memory to the family, t...
The Observer obtained the following program and list of scheduled attendees and speakers for the visit of U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts in Kimball on Wednesday, April 5. U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts’ Visit Wednesday April 5, 2023 2:00 P.M.– 4:00 P.M. Kimball County Transit 233 S Chestnut Street, Kimball, NE Welcome to Kimball Mayor Morrison – USAF Sentinel Projects and its effects on the community. Presentation from Clean Harbors Environmental Services on expansion and future growth: Brad Reader – Plant Facility Manager Lezah Saunders – Facility...
The Kimball City Council approved over $36,000 in grant money March 21 to local businesses through the Business Improvement Grant program. Lil Bit of Country, Joe Mejia Insurance, and Ondori Ramen & Sushi were businesses receiving grants. An LB 840 loan was approved to the Friends of the Goodhand Theater for $25,000 to purchase 300 black/red leather reclining/rocking theater chairs. Interviews are being conducted for the open position of the city clerk, and Creg Pike was appointed to serve on the interview committee. Interviews were planned...
Mayor John Morrison explained to the Observer the plans that Clean Harbors Inc. has to create a subdivision on 60 acres of land just across Highway 71 from Kimball Ace Hardware and to the west. The division, if it gains needed approvals, would be called "Project Lighthouse" because the term lighthouse is sometime described as being the beginning of a bay. The northeast corner of the subdivision would include Howard Street. Tuesday night, Clean Harbors executive Paul Whiting showed plans for the...
The Unicameral’s Revenue Committee heard testimony March 16 from Kimball city and county officials in support of Legislature Bill 100. LB 100 was introduced by Sen. Steve Erdman, District 47, who used to represent the Kimball area. The bill would amend the ImagiNE Act to allow certain waste treatment and disposal businesses to qualify for tax incentives. Qualifying businesses receive credits based on construction and the number of employees hired. Other available incentives include sales/use tax direct refunds and exemptions and personal p...
Highway Road Superintendent Randy Bymer summarized the effects the recent blizzard had on Kimball County roads. He started his report with the phrase, "We're pushing snow," then explained that one plow is down while there is trouble with another one, but they are busting through drifts as high as 13 feet in certain areas of the county. On Tuesday, crews were still widening out roads in the wake of the blizzard. Real troubled spots are generally a result of trees planted years ago south of Dix, south of Kimball and near County Road 46. A disaste...
When an airplane skeleton was recently unearthed at the old Castronics facility on the east side of Kimball, many individuals speculated on how it came to be buried there. The plane, considered a Vultee BT-13 Valiant, was built and used in the second phase of pilot training during World War II. After World War II, all of those planes were sold as surplus for a few hundred dollars. In 1951 the BT-13 sold for $700. The mid-training plane required the student pilot to master the two-way radio and...
The Kimball Longhorns boys basketball team hosts Hershey 6:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 16, in a non-district matchup to close the 2022 portion of it season. Kimball sits at second place in the district with a 1-1 record after its 68-31 win at Morrill on Saturday, Dec. 10. The Horns lost to Perkins County the night before, 59-47, and are 1-3 overall on the season. As for Hershey, the Panthers are 0-4 overall after losing, 57-40, to North Platte St. Pat's on Dec 10. Hershey and Kimball have played one...
The Nov. 1 Kimball City Council meeting opened with a postponement of a public hearing and a postponement of a vote on Ordinance No. 807 – for the proposed annexation of the Warner/Substation Property south of Horseshoe Hill area. The ordinance is expected to be voted on at the Nov. 15 meeting. The council switched to current business, which included a discussion of Ordinance No. 811 regarding the discharge of firearms. City Attorney Matt Turman told the council that the changes would clean up language and make the ordinance more up to date. C...
In a well-organized and business-like presentation, a group of juniors and seniors presented the possibility of having a school-sponsored extra-curricular activity known as an e-Sports team. E-Sports continues to grow in Nebraska. There are 71 schools in Nebraska, including regionally, Bridgeport, Banner County, Hemingford and Leyton. The proposal and presentation fell under Principal Danielle Reader's report. According to the students, the benefits of the program include greater student...
Clean Harbors' senior vice president of facility engineering, Paul Whiting, addressed the vendor partners, Clean Harbors employees, city and county officials, and citizens monitoring committee members at the Oct. 7 Milestone Recognition Event of the setting of the first steel columns for the second incinerator at the Kimball facility. The second incinerator is projected to be a $180 million investment expected to be completed by 2025 and create more than 100 permanent jobs for the area. The rota...
The Kimball County Board of Commissioners met for its first October meeting on Tuesday Oct. 4. Natasha McFaul from the High Point Welcome Center of Western Nebraska topped the agenda items. After a report on the center, McFaul was appointed interim county Tourism Director. McFaul said that the center still averages 30 visitors a day, with weekends being a few less. New hours for the center will be 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays. Paint classes continue at the center, and the souvenir and gift shops are still open....