Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
Sorted by date Results 51 - 75 of 115
Kimball County Tourism Director Jessica Rocha submitted her resignation to the Kimball County Commissioners at the August 2 regular county board meeting. Rocha will continue until August 12 as the County Tourism Director. She has been in the position for three and a half years. According to Rocha, she has accepted a job as the executive secretary for the superintendent for Pine Bluffs Schools. The commissioners approved the Master Human Resources Outsourcing Agreement between Zelle, LLC and Kimball County to provide HR Services. County...
On July 11, Clean Harbors Inc. submitted an Approval to Construct Request to the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy. This request is to continue construction for the implementation of the new rotary kiln incinerator infrastructure. The projected completion date for the new rotary kiln incinerator is mid-2024. The approval to submit to NDEE allows Clean Harbors to continue the existing construction activities for the areas of the new incinerator layout. According to Alyssa King from... Full story
Kimball's Tom O'Brien will step onto the stage again this week in the Theatre West production of "Legally Blonde." Legally Blonde runs July 14-16, and then July 20-23 in the Judy Chaloupka Theater at WNCC in Scottsbluff. In recent weeks, O'Brien and the rest of the cast have been hitting the rehearsal schedule hard. O'Brien plays the part of Professor Callahan, who is a "villainous and conniving" law professor at Harvard Law School. His character routinely picks on and humiliates law student...
Two significant matters, one a proposed development and one a permit renewal, are unfolding five miles south of Kimball at Clean Harbors Environmental Services Inc. Clean Harbors has applied to the the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy to begin construction of the foundation for a new incinerator, a proposed development that has gained much attention in the Kimball area. Copies of that application are available to review or obtain from the department. Mike Chrisenbery, Clean Harbors vice president of environmental compliance,...
The Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy has temporarily withdrawn its intent to renew Clean Harbors Environmental Services' permit regarding hazardous waste storage, treatment and disposal under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. The NDEE notified the Observer about the decision in a letter dated June 8, saying it needed to “reconsider several conditions of the permit.” The NDEE also postponed the June 14 public information session regarding the permit. When a new date has been determined, the NDEE said it “will re-pu...
The 48th District of the Nebraska Unicameral now includes Kimball, Banner and Scotts Bluff counties due to redistricting. The 48th seat is currently held by John Stinner, but he will term out at the end of this year. So this year, 24 of the even-numbered seats among the 49 legislative districts of the Unicameral will elect representatives. Due to redistricting, Sen. Steve Erdman no longer will represent this area. Following are responses to Observer questions from the five candidates looking to...
Clean Harbors submitted the winning bid of $1,000 to purchase two lots combined (Parcels 530018519 and 530018527) across from the Kimball County Manor at the most recent Kimball City Council meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 15. The Clean Harbors proposal would “develop much needed multi-unit housing to support our need to attract 100 new workers to Kimball in 2023 and 2024.” The Clean Harbors proposal is for an 8-unit, 7,000-square-foot multifamily building with units of 2 bedrooms, 2 baths of approximately 875 square foot each. Brian Johnson from Joh...
The Kimball City Council convened at 6 p.m. Jan 18 for its regular meeting. The council voted to change the meeting date to once a month. Meetings will be on the third Tuesday for the next couple of months until there is more on their agenda. Kimball Library Director Amber Sweetland gave her annual report to the board highlighting youth and teen programs, active attendance at the library and computer usage. In addition, the library has 26 periodical and two newspaper subscriptions. Matt Shoup from the electric department gave a presentation on...
Kimball Health Services (KHS) leadership on Thursday, Jan. 13, announced a $2.2 million fundraising campaign to complete funding for a new hospital in Kimball opening in the fall of 2023. Standing on the site where the hospital will be constructed, officials announced a lead gift of $500,000 from Bonnie Risk to kick off the fundraising campaign. Her contribution brings the private gifts committed to $1.5 million. Risk has been a longtime advocate for Kimball Health Services and is a member of...
The Kimball City Council met with a full agenda on Tuesday, Nov. 16, with a variety of discussion items. Topping the list of items was the approval of needed new sidewalks, gutters, pavement, ADA ramps, and pads at Dollar General. The council had expected two bids but only received one from Hennings Construction, Inc., Gering, for $14,120.74. The weather will determine when the project will begin and be completed. Two ordinances, 796 and 797, were amended by the council to clean up language and clarify the meaning. Ordinance 796 deals with...
James (Jim) Nelson, a long-time resident of Kimball County, died unexpectedly from natural causes in his home on May 30, 2021 at the age of 64. He was born in Sidney, Ne on September 20, 1956, to Harvey and Peggy Nelson. Upon graduation from Dix High School, Jim attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln where he earned a degree in Ag Economics. He was a member of Alpha Gamma Sigma, and legendary ski trips with friends in his DIY conversion van were a highlight of his college years. In 1985,... Full story
Nebraska Lt. Gov. Mike Foley travelled west for a stop in Kimball on Monday. The stop included a a tour of the town and a visit to Clean Harbors, plus visits to Kimball Health Services and the Kimball Public Schools. Foley told the Observer that he came to Kimball for two reasons. “I like to get out across the state and meet the economic development folks and find out what is really going in these communities.,” he said. “There is a lot happening in Kimball and about to happen, as we all know.... Full story
Cowboys and cowgirls from Texas, Arizona, Colorado, Wyoming, South Dakota, and Nebraska sorted steers in Kimball for the Halligan Agency LLC Ranch Sorting. Kimball was a prelude to ranch sorting at Cheyenne Frontier Days, known as the Big Daddy beginning on Thursday and concluding Aug. 1. The Big Daddy is also a Cinch-sanctioned event. Taking home a trophy headstall were weekend highpoint winners in the youth division Grady Watkins from Cheyenne; beginner/rookie division Ciara Coleman from...
Clean Harbors is looking into a major expansion at its facility south of Kimball that would involve construction of a second incinerator and could create about 100 jobs. The company released this statement to the Observer on Tuesday from Clean Harbors spokesman Jim Buckley: “Clean Harbors is exploring the potential of expanding the capacity at its Kimball, Neb., facility by building a second incinerator. This state-of-the-art incineration unit, which will exceed all state and federal emissions control standards, will go through a rigorous p...
The winter sports season ends with the announcements of all-conference selections for the Western Trails Conference – and Kimball High School had a number of athletes who were named and recognized. Among the Longhorn wrestlers, 145-pounder Trey Schindler earned a place on the All-WTC team for his performance during the 2020-21 season. On top of that, three Kimball student-athletes were named as wrestling honorable mentions, adding to the school's mat legacy. They are Aaron Gillming at 106 p...
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Monday issued a release Monday that the United States and the state of Nebraska announced a settlement with Clean Harbors Environmental Services Inc. to address alleged violations of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, Clean Air Act, and Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act at the company’s commercial hazardous waste incinerator in Kimball County. The alleged violations included failure to manage and contain hazardous wastes; failure to comply with air emission limits; failure t...
Clean Harbors Vice President for Compliance and Regulatory Affairs Phillip Retallic spoke to the Western Nebraska Observer on Tuesday about the alleged violations and the settlement reached at the Kimball Clean Harbors Environmental Service facility. The action, he said, is “a consummation negotiations between all the parties, Clean Harbors Environmental Services, U.S. EPA Region 7 and the Nebraska Department of Environmental Protection.” Retallic continued to explain: “There were a number of allegations that were included in several notic...
Kimball School Board appears to be the most sought after position in the local elections as nine candidates are vying for three positions. The Observer presented the candidates with questions and requested a photo. Although many voters will be voting early by mail, the primary is May 12 and the nine candidates will be narrowed down to six individuals for the general election. Jennifer Griebel I was born and raised in Colorado, but shortly after nursing school I moved to Kimball, Nebraska where I met my husband (also a Colorado native) and we...
The mystery of the drones in Colorado, Nebraska and now Kansas continues. The sighting of drones has all the area up in arms. Where are they from, who is flying them and, of course, why? Beginning about Dec. 20 and continuing to the present, there appear to be sightings almost every night from Grand Island to Morgan County, Colorado. That includes this past week in the Dix and Clean Harbors areas of Kimball County – and on Monday, Jan 6, night sightings were reported in the Scotts Bluff County a...
More than 200 people took a shot last weekend to avoid the flu or just stay healthy this winter. They attended the Kimball Community Health Fair and Flu Clinic at the Kimball Health Services north campus. They walked in. They drove through outside for flu shots in their vehicles. Either way, they were tested or received a vaccination. "We had 220 people come through the health fair to receive low-cost blood testing over the two days, and gave 159 flu shots in the drive-through and walk-in flu...
David E. Barrett, 73, of Kimball, died at his home in Kimball on Friday, October 25, 2019. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 2, 2019 at the Trinity United Methodist Church in Kimball with Pastor Roger Gillming officiating. Burial will be held in the Kimball Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home on Friday from 1:00 until 6:00 p.m. Friends may also visit www.cantrellfh.com to view David's Tribute Wall and leave condolences and stories for the family. Memori...
There will be plenty of treats in the Kimball area this Halloween, along with extra police and sheriff's patrols to promote safety – and minimize tricks. The annual Halloween parade in downtown Kimball, sponsored by Points West Community Bank, will start at 4 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 31, at Kimball Public Library. Almost all Kimball businesses will participate and hand out candy to kids, organizers said. As of Tuesday afternoon, the list of participating businesses looked like this: Points West C...
The 2018-19 Kimball High School Sports Banquet and Awards Night was held this past week with a very large turnout of both athletes and adult fans along with entire families. Danielle Reader served as Master of Ceremonies for the evening and did a very good job of keeping things entertaining and moving right along. Dave and Darla Klinkhammer provided the delicious beef for the meal complete with all the other sides. A trivia game was played with questions pertaining to naming former Kimball High...