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 process and deadlines continue on the recall petition for Kimball Mayor John Morrison. Morrison provided his defense statement to Kimball County Clerk Cathy Sibal, and that statement and the recall statement appear on the first pages of the recall petition. Lines for 20 signatures appear on each page after the statements. Recall petitioner Ronald Buchart was scheduled to pick up the petitions on Wednesday, Nov. 13, at about noon. He will have 30 days to gather signatures and submit the pages, then return them to the clerk’s office. After t...
Claiming not to be an emotional guy, Air Force Col. Stephen M. Kravitsky, the keynote speaker at the Veterans Day program in Kimball, said he got a little emotional when a group of high school students sang the national anthem and the elementary students sang the "Armed Forces Salute" on Monday, Nov. 11. The anthem was beautifully sung by Rachel Berger, Skyla Stierwalt, Grace Moore, Renee Murdoch, Parker Fredrick and Connor Markum. Their voices resonated with pride and respect. The "Armed...
With the Nov. 5 election in the books two years after he was appointed to the Banner County Commissioner, Don Lease was elected in his own right to a four-year term. He had 314 votes, 10 write-in votes and 65 undervotes (undervotes are the number of ballots left blank on that issue). Banner County School Board had three seats open and three individuals vying for those seats. Jacob Knaub and John-Robert J. Faden tallied up 277 votes each, and Laura Baker had 252. There also were 10 write-in votes and 318 undervotes. All three individuals will...
Good morning and here we are being thankful for the moisture that we received this past weekend! Not a whole lot going on this week as Veterans Day was observed this past Monday and now we are in anticipation of Thanksgiving. However, until then we will carry on as usual. Today, November 14th between 10 and 11 a.m. the Wildcat Hills Homeschool Program will be offered, and at 1 p.m. you can take that painting class I mentioned last week that is closer to home. Meet at the Banner County Museum to join a “Holiday Barn Paint Class.” The picture is...
Eldon Cramer and the American Legion Post 36 Color Guard presented the colors and the 13 point flag ceremony during the Veterans Day program at Banner County School. National Honor Society students and sponsors Kaitlin Knaub and Kinsey Groves assisted, and Mical Cooper organized the musical numbers....
After 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Kimball County Clerk Cathy Sibal released the unofficial results of the Nov. 5 general election. Official results will not be available until the canvassing board meets on Nov. 13. On the local scene, Kimball County Agricultural Society requested up to a 1.15 cents levy on $100 of taxable valuation was narrowly passed by the voters with 853 voting yes and 789 voting no. The other levy request from the Plains Historical Society was successful by a slim margin of 818 for...
Cheyenne County Communications Center Director Heidi Gillespie spoke Monday with the Cheyenne County commissioners about the Kimball Police Department potentially moving its dispatching services into the Cheyenne County Communications Center. Gillespie said the move could be made easily with existing equipment, and changes to service coverage areas (like 9-1-1) would be updated at Lincoln for no charge to the county. Kimball Police Chief Jose Ruiz was at the meeting and told the commissioners that their communications department entered into a...
The energy and excitement was palpable as Brogran Cross, 8, and Breklyn Cross, 6, described their recent Make-A-Wish trip and gifts. Brogan and Breklyn are active and happy kids, participating in such activities as volleyball, basketball and football at recess and P.E. And riding horses. Brogan is the typical older sibling, not one bit shy, as he took charge of the interview for this story by sharing both of their experiences. But eventually, his sister Breklyn got to tell her story. Banner...
Organizer Tammy Land said that the Halloween Trick or Trunk event on Chestnut Street had 22 businesses and individual spots along with the Kimball High School Honor Society and the rodeo queens handing out candy. Over 300 kids converged on the area to show off costumes and parade down the street....
Brad Hottell said, "The military changed my life." Brad graduated from Kimball High School in 2003 with no direction or "zero goals" in mind, but circumstances led him to enlist in the U.S. Army before his graduation. He left for Fort Knox, Kentucky, and basic training shortly after graduation. Landing in Fort Knox was the first time Brad had been outside of Nebraska. After basic training, he was assigned to live at Fort Lewis, Washington, until deployments. He said, "All the units I was with co...
Clouds of smoke could be seen from Kimball at just past noon on Thursday, Oct. 24, as the Kimball Volunteer Fire Department was called into action for a large and fast moving grass fire south of I-80 just across from the Four Winds Golf Course. Emergency Management 21 said that 245 acres were burned and fortunately the fire ran into a green wheat field, which halted its southeast progress. Fire Chief Andrew Bohac said the fire started on the interstate right of way but the cause is...
Plans for the 2025 Longhorn All-Class Reunion are being solidified with the dates set for July 3-6, 2025. The reunion committee is on a special mission to find the oldest living graduate of KCHS, with a keen focus on the graduates of 1957, 1958, and 1960. Your presence is not just desired, but it’s crucial to make this event truly memorable. With an influx of individuals hitting the town of Kimball, the All-School Reunion committee is asking for residents with extra rooms to offer up a place for alumni to stay. The Kimball Public School F...
A recall process has begun on Kimball’s Mayor John Morrison with the filing of the Recall Petition Filing Form. The form was filed Oct. 22 by Ronald C. Buchart. Recall is a lengthy process in the state of Nebraska; the process could take up to 80 days with deadlines and certifications. In this case, for a recall election to occur, 280 valid signatures must be gathered, which is 35% of those that voted in the last general election. An attachment to the recall form included these reasons for the recall form: • Raised community property tax levy d...
Several weeks ago, incumbent Senator Deb Fischer was interviewed by the Observer during her visit to Kimball. In an effort to provide fair coverage, the Observer contacted her opponent, Independent Dan Osborn for an interview. The long-awaited election is Nov. 5, and Osborn was crisscrossing the western part of the state. While in Sidney on Monday, the Observer met with him for a brief interview. Osborn noted that as he travelled throughout the state, Nebraskans expressed concern about the economy/inflation, immigration and the border, and...
For the second time in two days, Gloria Gonzales went missing last week. She was found both times but not without a very long and extensive search in Kimball and surrounding areas, a credit to the dedication of the search teams. Numerous agencies were involved in the search for Gonzales, including CERT teams from Kimball, Scottsbluff and Sidney, the Nebraska State Patrol with a drone, Kimball police, the Kimball Volunteer Fire Department, Kimball County Sheriff's Office, Kimball EMS, and Region...
In Kimball County Court, Eldon B. Lewis waived his right to a preliminary hearing last week and was bound over to District Court on the charge of intentional cruelty to an animal. Lewis will appear in District court on Nov. 5 for arraignment. Lewis, 27, of Kimball is accused of a Class 3A felony, intential cruelty to an animal, during an alleged Oct. 8 incident in which he killed and ate a pet cat....
Over 400 Kimball County voters have cast early ballots for the November 5 election. With early voting continuing through November 4, and then polling places opening on November 5 from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., the time to make your voice heard is now. The polling places are the Sagebrush in Kimball, Bushnell Fire Hall, and the Dix Fire Hall. At the forefront of the local ballot issues are the property tax levies for the Kimball County Agricultural Society and the Plains Historical Society. If approved, these levies will be in effect for five year...
Kimball woodcarver Don Story said, "I don't sell anything; I have never sold a carving; I give a lot of them away." Story shared some of his carvings and his love of the skill with the crowd at the Kimball Friendship Center last week. Each and every carving is a work of art with tiny details and intricate designs. Every Christmas, he makes an ornament for his kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids, that is, 19 ornaments he will make. He began his carving days while delivering fuel, waiting for the...
Eldon B. Lewis, 27, of Kimball, has been arraigned and appeared in court again on Wednesday, Oct. 23. Lewis is accused of a Class 3A felony, intentional cruelty to an animal, during an alleged Oct. 8 incident in Kimball in which he killed and ate a pet cat. Mark L. Kovarik, attorney for Kimball County, said in a complaint that Eldon Lewis “then and there … knowingly and intentionally, cruelly mistreated an animal by intentional torture, repeated beating, or mutilation of the animal.” In addition to the felony, Lewis is charged with viola...
The Sons of the Union Soldiers of the Civil War ceremoniously honored George W. Beard, the last Civil War Union soldier to be buried in Kimball during a brief ceremony at 11 a.m. Oct. 19 at Kimball Cemetery. The ceremony was conducted by the organization's John Surman. Beard's grave is highlighted by a Grand Army of the Republic marker. This marker, a symbol of his service and dedication to the Union, serves as a poignant reminder of his contributions. Beard was in his 30s when he fought for...
The Kimball County Emergency Dispatch is open and staffed 24/7, 365 days a year, to field calls for various agencies making response times as quick as possible. Last year, county dispatch answered 7,244 calls for Kimball Fire Department, Kimball ambulance, the Kimball Police Department, Bushnell Fire, Dix Fire and, of course, public calls. On occasion, they receive calls out of Banner County for fire response. Dispatchers sit on the third floor of the Kimball County Courthouse and often are need...
Former Kimball City Councilman and former Mayor Greg Robinson was appointed by current Mayor John Morrison to fill a council seat left vacant by the resignation of Don Muench. Robinson’s appointment was approved at the Oct. 15, 2024 meeting by the council in a 3-0 vote, and the former Larsen’s Jewelry Store owner will assume his duties in November. Morrison said in December there would be two new council members with no experience, and he felt he needed to appoint someone with experience. An executive session completed the council meeting. How...
Kimball's annual Trick or Trunk event and Halloween parade will occur on Oct. 31 from 4 to 6 p.m. on Chestnut Street. Anyone and everyone, from those in businesses and other individuals, are encouraged to reserve a spot for their own "trick or trunk." The event is organized by Tammy Land at Plummer Insurance, who can be reached at 308-235-7312. Cash prizes will be awarded to the best themed trunk, trailer, pickup bed or decorated table. The plans mark a change for Trick or Trunk, which has been...
George Thomas Adcock was born in Henry County, Kentucky, on July 18, 1848. He was the son of Elijah and Susana Adcock, which was sometimes spelled as Atcock or even Adtock. He was the 4th of a known 5 children. By 1860, he was listed as a farm laborer for the James G. Evans and Nancy Lyons Evans family in New Salem, Illinois. One of their daughters was a 3-year old named Ida Evans. At the age of 15 years and 10 months, he enlisted May 15, 1864, for a 100-day enlistment period in Company G of...
Eleven law enforcement personnel converged on 404 Myrtle St. in Kimball shortly after 9:30 a.m. Friday, Oct. 11, to execute a search warrant in reference to possible animal cruelty case. In an affidavit, Kimball Police Officer Logan Luft stated that Eldon Blake Lewis, 27, was being investigated for capturing, killing, skinning, eating and keeping the head of his ex-wife's cat. While Lewis was detained in the patrol car, the household, garage and property were searched. Luft's affidavit states...