Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
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About 25 people attended state Sen. Brian Hardin's Town Hall meeting Saturday in Kimball. Hardin represents Kimball, Banner, and Scottts Bluff counties in Unicameral District 48. Hardin discussed some recent issues in the Nebraska Legislature, including information about the Sentinel missile project. For the Kimball area, it is big news. "The project has been pushed back," he said. "Frankly, if it was not pushed back because the rockets aren't working," he said. "We really would have needed to o...
An affidavit the Kimball Policeman Andrew Lawson shared with the Observer details the arrest and confiscation of suspected heroin, fentanyl, methamphetamine and marijuana in the parking lot of Kwik Stop. According to the affidavit, on April 22, Lawson was dispatched to locate a red Honda SUV in response to a driving complaint on Highway 71. The vehicle was discovered in the parking lot of Kwik Stop. “Lawson learned the driver, Shawn McNett of Scottsbluff, had multiple extraditable warrants,” according to the affidavit. McNett was han...
The Dix Road – Road 59 – will receive a double chip seal this summer. Bids for the double chip seal project were approved by the Kimball County Commissioners at the Tuesday, May 2, meeting. Top Coat, Inc. received the chip seal bid for $279,879.52. The project is scheduled to start mid-July. The chip seal rock hauling bid of $35,125 from Pine Bluffs Gravel was also accepted for the Dix Road. Highway Superintendent Randy Bymer estimated that the Road 59 project cost was now at $406,750, although labor, rental of the packer and some other ite...
Celebrating Arbor Day, Gotte Park received six new trees to increase the number of trees in the park to well over 100. Street department employees Jim Shoup, Jon Heidemann, Mark Nelson and Stacy Daily received help from 23 Mary Lynch fourth graders as they planted the trees and "got their hands dirty," according to Shoup. The 7- to 8-foot trees were donated by the SPNR District and included a Hackberry tree, two Cork trees, a Flowering Lilac, a Locust tree, and a Hybrid Elm. Other attendees...
Mary Lynch Elementary students sent over $3,300 to the American Heart Association this year. Second grader Mason Anderson, 8 years old, raised $1,000, while the brother-sister team of Katie Hawthorne and Timothy Hawthorne each raised over $500. The program is called the Kids Heart Challenge. The Hawthorne grandparents donated $100 to both Katie and Timothy if they jumped rope for an hour. They both were successful. Timothy is a fourth grader and Katie is a fifth grader. The Kids Heart Challenge...
Good morning, and happy May! I don't know about you, but I can not believe it is May already, I think I am about a month behind. Everyone is talking about school getting out, graduations and summer. About time for all of that, yet somehow I feel like it should be the 1st of April. One sure sign of the end of the year at the school house is the annual Spring concert. The pre-K through 12th grades will perform for you this Thursday, May 4th at 6 p.m. Art projects will be on display to view either before or after the concert also. The following da...
Agencies throughout the area came together to provide a learning experience for Kimball High School students and a chance to work in unison. Kimball Health Services used the mock accident at Kimball Jr./Sr. High School to practice for a mass casualty. The event involved the Kimball County Sheriff's Office and dispatch, Kimball Volunteer Fire Department, Nebraska State Patrol, Kimball Health Services EMS, Kimball Police Department, Air Link, UC Health Lifeline and Cantrell Funeral Home. Others in...
The Nebraska State Patrol served a search warrant to the Kimball Police Department, Kimball County Sheriff’s Office, and the Kimball County Attorney’s Office on April 12. On April 21, the search warrant was filed in District Court and made available to the public. Key to the warrant is an investigation into whether uncertified Kimball police officers were doing work that should have been done by certified officers. The search warrant was issued on a written affidavit and executed to obtain “law enforcement documents to include but not limit...
The Kimball City Council met in special session on Tuesday April 25 at 2 p.m. to officially accept the resignation of Police Chief Andy Bremer. The resignation was approved 4-0. Bremer resigned on Thursday, April 20, stating "personal reasons," according to an email from Mayor John Morrison. Morrison said in the email, "He was a good chief and I reluctantly accepted his resignation." Bremer told the Observer that he served as a Kimball policeman for three years before becoming chief. He has...
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...
Good morning! Good to see a few tractors in the fields and more getting ready! Beautiful weather we are having but still awfully dry. With the appearance of MAY, well I am thinking it won't be long before school will be out, seems crazy. Until that much awaited day , for some anyway, the students at Banner are keeping busy. The annual FFA Banquet is scheduled for tonight, Thursday, April 27th and I believe everyone is invited for a meal and a silent auction. Call the school at 436-7152 to make s...
Discussion of making the Kimball County Annex building into a local Law Enforcement Center was one of the newest topics at the Kimball County Commissioners meeting on Tuesday. A motion was made to engage the city in discussions about the idea. The Extension Office is housed in the annex, but Commissioner Carl Stander spoke with Shane Hays, who said he has considered renting his building to house the Extension Office for $3,000 a month. Talks will be arranged with the sheriff, chief of police,...
QUESTION: Several years ago we voted in a sale tax increase for city improvements. How was this bill written? Can the revenue be used for upgrading our wastewater treatment and other improvements? Or would it have to go back on the ballot? ANSWER: After many phone calls, emails and trips to the courthouse, the Observer has learned that there are three special elections that may help readers understand the topics of the special elections. The special election in July 1998 was the original Kimball City Sales Tax to Fund Economic Development. The...
Larry Brower has been saving Kimball County residents and businesses thousands of dollars annually for the past 25 years. Last year, from Kimball to Alliance to York, he saved folks over $600,000. Anyone on the Choice Gas program can call Brower. He can save you money and does everything for you, including filling out the forms for no charge. Brower said, "No one else can come close to the price. I go with whoever is the cheapest (natral gas provider). He said he can arrange a cost of 45 cents...
Kimball County and Kimball County Transit Service administrator Christy Warner have received recognition for their work and leadership to meet Panhandle transit needs. Nebraska Legislature Resolution 51 – introduced by Brian Hardin of District 48, Steve Erdman of District 47 and Mike Jacobson of District 42 – acknowledges that community transportation is a growing need in the Panhandle and that through the leadership of Warner, the operation has grown immensely. KCTS covers the fifth lar...
Good morning to you and yours. Beautiful clear blue skies here this morning, at least for awhile. The school students have been busy, as always. Today, April 20th, there is District Music at WNCC, an all-day event. Tomorrow through Sunday is the Gering high school performance of “Footloose!” Bet that is a good one. Maybe some of our music students will be able to take it in. Showtime is 7 p.m. There is high school track at Pine Bluffs on the 21st beginning at 9 a.m. and at the school house there will be some fresh new faces as pre-K and kin...
Introducing Potter-Dix Jr./Sr. High School's April Students of the Month. From left are Kennedy Knoll, Jaclyn Worth, Joshua Kasten, Callen McConnell and Jacina Wilbur. Not pictured: Skyler LaBeau....
LINCOLN – The vital role of community newspapers in open government and keeping citizens informed was a central theme of last week's Nebraska Newspaper Annual Convention – and the Observer was rewarded for its commitment to the cause with several awards for excellent work in 2022. The event at the Lincoln Marriott Cornhusker Hotel celebrated NPA's 150th anniversary year in grand fashion with three days of festivities, meetings and professional sessions, including the annual Better Newspaper Con...
Both Mary Lynch Elementary School and Kimball Jr./Sr. High School will receive some much needed attention during the summer months. Bids were received, and the Kimball School Board accepted bids Monday for new flooring, asphalt, and an entrance vestibule for the high school. The Mary Lynch Elementary parking and driveway will be repaired and receive asphalt paving, as well as the workshop area at the Jr./Sr. High School. Flooring will be poured in the north and south hallways, art room, and FCS...
The Observer interviewed Paula Tarnago on Tuesday, her second day as Kimball city clerk. Tarnago said she was "excited to make this my long term home." Tarnago was recently hired to replace Kim Barnwell, who is moving. The City Council approved the appointment at the Tuesday evening meeting. Tarnago said she is settling into her new position and "looking forward to being a part of this family." She explained that "I like to learn new things, I like challenges, and I love helping people. I...
Ordinance #814, the Semi-Truck Parking Ordinance, was the main topic of discussion at the Kimball City Council meeting on Tuesday, April 4. The ordinance read that "No one shall allow, permit or suffer any semitrailer or truck-tractor to be parked or stored on public streets or private lots in the City of Kimball Residential Zoning districts R1 and R3 as defined in the City of Kimball Zoning Ordinance #736." When the public discussion opened, resident and over-the-road trucker Dan Schildhauer...
On April 4, after 108 days in jail, a brother and sister from Pennsylvania have been released from jail with time served. Brett Donohue, 22, and Diamond Donohue, 19, were arrested on Dec. 18 and charged with three felonies, including possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, possession of marijuana (more than 1 pound) and no Drug tax stamp. In the case of Diamond Donohue, Count 1 for delivery, distribution, possession of controlled substance was dismissed. For Count 2 for possession of more than 1 pound of marijuana, she...
On a beautiful spring day, Easter egg hunters were out in force at the annual Easter Egg Hunt in Gotte Park. More than 3,000 eggs were prepared for the April 8 event hosted by the New Hope Assembly of God Church Youth Group in Kimball. Numerous prizes donated by local businesses were also won by area kids....
Banner County High School FFA results from the Nebraska State Convention in late March saw the Meats Judging team placing 10th in the state. The team received a blue ribbon, as well as each member. Team members are Adam Knaub, Brendyn Onstott, Jacob Parsons, and Tobey May. Logan Mason received a red ribbon and was a member of the Agriscience team, which also included Abigayle Jones and Micah Dittbenner. The Environmental and Natural Resources team received a white ribbon at the state contest...