Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
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Inmate Jordan Crews has a new set of charges to contend with from an incident on March 13 in the Kimball County Jail. The new charges include a 3A felony assault by a confined person-no weapon and misdemeanor criminal mischief. Crews was transferred to the Lincoln County Detention Center and is being held on a bond of $25,000. He is scheduled to appear March 27 for a Kimball County Court status of waiver of preliminary hearing. Crews is represented by Stacy Bach. Crews, 27, was arrested on March 9 during a Kimball drug bust and charged with pos...
Kimball County commissioners Rich Flores, and Carl Stander voted to approve, if necessary, on Tuesday, March 19, the transfer of $210,000 from the inheritance fund to the general fund to pay KCTS payroll and bills due to a holdup in state funding. The discussion prior to the vote focused on cutting transit services, such as shutting routes down. Administrator Christy Warner said, “Everything is connected,” and a public hearing must be held in order to shut services down. The financial operation of the KCTS has been crippled because rei...
The Kimball High School senior civics class was assigned a project by teacher Jeri Ferguson to create a presentation about a community recreational center, an idea that has been discussed for years in the Kimball area. This project was divided into different groups. Each group was responsible for researching a specific aspect of the recreation center, such as the programs offered, funding sources or potential locations. The students worked collaboratively to compile their findings and create a...
Organizer Donna Linn said more than 25 people donated blood and platelets during the blood drive from 1-6 p.m. Monday, March 11, at The Sagebrush in Kimball. One of them was local veterinarian Dr. Mimi Shaw, above left, shown finishing up her blood draw....
Last week’s Observer article “A Look At Kimball Land Swap Plan” stirred some discussion among residents on the practicality of the land swap. Under the Kimball Rec land swap plan, four ballfields on 44 acres at the Rec Center would be exchanged for 4.5 acres that include the former Windbreak Restaurant and two golf sheds. The Windbreak Restaurant would be remodeled into a Four Winds Golf Course pro shop with a possible bar. The entity in charge of the land swap or conversion is the Park and Rec Executive Board. Residents have expressed inter...
See something. Say something. That was the message. The Kimball County Transit Service building was packed with local and state law enforcement, politicians, city and county employees, a group from Sidney, and citizens interested in learning about threat assessments and the need to report suspicious activity. Nebraskans are of the mindset to mind your own business, but speaker Lt. Monty Lovelace, director of the Nebraska Fusion Center, said those days are over. He said people need to be vigilant...
Keep Kimball Beautiful scored big again in the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy financial awards. In response to being awarded the money, Director Spud Rowley said, "The totes are coming to the alleyways." He said the totes are in high demand, and he is constantly being asked for alley totes for residents to place recyclables to be collected The Kimball facility, operational for 42 years and functioning out of the city building for the past 30 years, received three different grants...
Preparations are being made for the construction of apartments across the street from Kimball County Manor, top center, for employees of expanding Clean Harbors Environmental Services. The lots were leveled and infrastructure has been installed. The premanufactured units should be arriving soon, and expectations are that the 16 units will be ready for occupancy sometime in May. There are eight one-bedroom rentals, four two-bedroom units, and 4-three bedroom units planned....
Nate Entingh of Kimball adds a bag of shoes to the many shoes that local folks donated to help the needy. The annual shoe drive organized by Heather and Nate Entingh netted 103 bags of shoes. Volunteers of all ages hauled bags up stairs and loaded them on a truck. Bags had 25 pairs of shoes and weighed 50 to 60 pounds. In addition to helping those who need shoes, the 103 bags will bring back $1,000 to the Positive Spaces effort and be earmarked for Kimball parks. The Entinghs continue to take...
Banner County FFA adviser Bill Gifford reported that 200 people were in attendance at the recent 2nd ever FFA auction. The FFA Boosters served the meal and feedback has been very positive on the event. Gifford said, "I think we collected nearly $20,000 in donations this year, and we were overwhelmed with that number. "We really are grateful to our community and the surrounding communities that supported us. It is very humbling to think that so many can be so generous in so many ways to support...
A presentation from the Kimball FFA Parliamentary Procedure team topped the agenda Monday at the Kimball School Board meeting. Using Robert's Rules of Order, they conducted a mock meeting in preparation for the state FFA contest. The presentation was done by team members Nolan Cook, Landon Norberg, Grace Anderson, Aubrey Culek and Hayden Sours. Meanwhile, Superintendent Trevor Anderson reported two more donations of locally raised beef in February, making the total beef donations five for the...
A search warrant resulting in multiple Kimball arrests was executed on March 9 at separate residences by the Kimball County Sheriff’s Office. The sheriff’s department was assisted by the Kimball police and the Nebraska State Patrol. A traffic stop in the 600 block of Burg Street produced stolen items as well as a white powdery substance on the person of Jordan Crews. Crews, 27 was arrested and charged for possession of a controlled substance (meth) and possession of stolen property with a bon...
The "land swap" at the Rec Area should be a topic of interest to taxpayers, baseball/softball players and golfers. It is not actually called a land swap by the Nebraska Game and Parks, but it is called a conversion – outdoor recreation land is being converted to other outdoor recreation land. Hannah Jones from Nebraska Game and Parks said that the Kimball Rec Area conversion is in the "early stages" and "it is not a short process." The lengthy process is meant to safeguard outdoor recreation l...
The Kimball County Commissioners met in regular session on Tuesday morning to hear from department heads on the workings of the county government. Heads of the roads, buildings and grounds, veterans office and KCTS gave the commissioners updates and reports. Veterans Service Officer Program Coordinator Darcee Wheeland reported on new veterans numbers, military records and medical record requests for December 2023 and January 2024. County veterans receive more than $80,000 in benefits from the Veterans Administration each month. Newly appointed...
From the smallest to the largest, all counties in Nebraska elect a sheriff. The county sheriffs throughout Nebraska have several duties and responsibilities, with their number one responsibility law enforcement. State statutes requires the sheriff to serve, execute and return writs or other legal process issued by a lawful authority. The sheriff shall prepare and file an annual inventory statement of county personal property in his or her custody. The sheriff has charge and custody of the jail...
The Banner County School Speech Team earned second place at the Minuteman Activities Conference competition on Saturday, Feb. 24, in South Platte. "These kids have a lot of talent," said Rick Caudillo, Banner County School speech coach. "Not only do they participate in speech, many of them are also involved in basketball, FFA and other activities," he said. "This shows their commitment to working hard to achieve their goals."...
The Kimball Police Department received approval on two items at the Kimball City Council meeting on Feb. 20. A CargoGlide for a department pickup received approval for this budget season, and the council approved the purchase of a drug dog for the 2024-25 budget year. The CargoGlide, priced at $5,657.99, will provide storage for traffic cones, spikes, pepperballs, evidence collection kits, ballistic shields and instructor gear. Chief Jose Ruiz also received approval for a canine program to be started; this would include a female yellow lab....
Several ribbon cuttings were conducted for different folks associated with the new Kimball Health Services hospital. This one involved the hospital present and past leading figures. From left are board Chairman Jim Cederburg, past CEO Ken Hunter and new CEO Cassie Gasseling....
A high speed chase which began in Scotts Bluff County, went through Banner County and Kimball County occurred Wednesday (today) just after 1:00 p.m. The chase ended when the Kimball County Sheriff's department put spikes out north of the Kimball exit on Highway 71. The female suspect was taken back to Scotts Bluff County. Speeds were in excess of 100 m.p.h....
New housing is taking shape in Kimball to accommodate new hires needed for the major Clean Harbors expansion. In addition to other residential growth that Clean Harbors is backing locally, the environmental services giant has contracted with a company to bring mobile homes into Kimball. Stahla's Trailer Park, above, is the sight of 25 such new mobile homes that are being set up and prepared as rentals....
Gov. Pillen arrived in Kimball for the Kimball Health Services hospital ribbon cutting on Monday, Feb 26, but he also tended to other business. The governor and his entourage landed on the newly resurfaced Kimball Municipal Airport runway 10/28 and found the landing was incredible. The resurfacing project recently received a 2023 Project of the Year award from the state. Before the ribbon cutting, Pillen met with KCTS staff and toured Kimball Public Schools. Pillen and members of his Department...
The Kimball community came out en masse for Kimball Health Services new hospital ribbon cutting on Monday, Feb. 26. On a windy day, an estimated 200 or more people crammed into the entryway and clinic waiting area while officials were recognized and spoke of the process to develop the facility. Gov. Jim Pillen started off the ceremony with a message of congratulations. "This is a big, big deal for rural Nebraska, for Kimball, for your community," he said. Pillen spoke about what a fantastic...
The annual Kimball Public Schools spelling bee was held Wednesday, Jan. 31. Twenty-four students ranging from fourth through eighth grade filled the chairs on the stage of Harry E. McNees Auditorium in anticipation of their turn to spell their way to victory. Fourth grade spellers participating in the event included Meera Chaudhari in first place in her grade, Ay'sel Gusman, Adie Weinbender, Laural Norberg, and Barry Baber, Jr. Fifth grade contestants were Barrett Brown in first place, Chloe...
The wildfire that began 8.6 miles northeast of North Platte on Monday morning continued to burn as of Tuesday afternoon. The Betty’s Way Fire has consumed 71,022 acres, according to a press release from the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency, with the hopes of some containment later on Tuesday. With winds over 40 mph the fire continues to spread east, and evacuations have been issued. According to Emergency Management Region 22 (Scottsbluff and Banner counties), local departments have responded to the mutual aid request by taking firemen a...
Next up for the new – and now open – Kimball Health Services hospital is next week's ribbon cutting celebration with Gov. Jim Pillen in attendance. Patient services shifted to the facility from the old hospital at 7 a.m. Monday. The 505 S. Burg St. location, home to the hospital since 1950, is out. The new address, 255 W. 4th St., is in. "We're very pleased with how the move has gone so far, with only a few small items to be moved yet between buildings," Kerry Ferguson, KHS community rel...