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 Nebraska Press Association is celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2023, and Observer publisher Jim Orr helped create the logo that it will use all year to commemorate the milestone. Orr won a contest among NPA members to design the logo. More than 20 entries were submitted statewide. Newspaper managers and staff, including graphic artists and advertising designers, were invited to enter. Orr's submission added elements to the existing NPA logo for the anniversary year. "It's a great honor...
A Pennsylvania brother/sister pair who were arrested before Christmas on I-80 with a suspected 50 pounds of marijuana are still in jail. Brett Donohue, 22, waived his preliminary hearing and the case has already been moved to District Court. He was scheduled to be arraigned 1 p.m. Jan. 3. He is being held in Kimball. Meanwhile, Diamond Donohue, 19, is scheduled for a preliminary hearing at 10:45 a.m. Jan. 25 in Kimball County Court. She is being held in Garden County. Both Brett and Diamond are charged with three felonies: possession with...
Some might say it's been an uphill climb to get through the last couple of weeks of winter – with the blizzard, then the minus 20s, then the freezing rain covered with fluffy white stuff. This photo was taken late Monday afternoon on Chestnut Street as it declines toward the underpass. See more weather photos on Page B5....
On Jan. 1, the inheritance tax that Nebraskans pay was reduced from the highest category of 18% to 15% – but the actual final percentage one pays depends on the relationship to the deceased. The closer the relative, the lower the rate. And 15% is the cap. The Unicameral also increased the exemption amount from $10,000 to $25,000. Additional changes include anyone under 22 years old will not pay Nebraska’s inheritance tax at all. Nebraska is one of only five states that still have a state inheritance tax. According to CEO Jim Vokal of the Pla...
Good morning and Happy New Year! The last 2/3 have been pretty tough, so hope for better this year. Things are now moving in a slower pace, but we all know that is temporary. The Midwest Theater will show the movie "Strange World" January 6th & 7th at 7:30 p.m. and on the 8th as a matinee at 1:30 p.m. This one is rated PG. Here is a heads-up! On January 12th the Midwest will be featuring two Grand Ole Opry members, Dailey & Vincent. These two artist have won many awards for their talents...
At the Kimball City Council meeting Dec. 20, Mayor John Morrison reported that he is trying to learn and "read as much as possible." He said the city had been run well over the past years, and he stressed that an excellent job was done clearing the streets after the first blizzard this past month. The council approved the renewal of the liquor license for the Panhandle Cooperative Association/Main Street market in a 2-1-1 vote. Council members Gabe Ingram and Christy Warner voted aye to approve...
The home of Drew and Sheryl Biesecker at 210 W. 9th St., above, placed first among homes in the 2022 edition of the Santa's Helpers Kimball Christmas Lighting Contest. Second place went to Charlie and Cheryl Paul at 316. S. Chestnut St., and third went to Bob and Helen Donner at 706 S. Elm St. The winner of the contest for businesses was Shavonne Singleton's Farm Bureau Financial Services at 215 S. Chestnut. See other photo on Page A2....
The Nebraska State Patrol arrested a brother/sister duo Dec. 18 on I-80 at mile marker 20. The two, Brett A. Donohue and Diamond A. Donohue, have been charged with three felonies: Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance, Possession of Marijuana (more than 1 pound), and No Drug Tax Stamp. The affidavit by a Nebraska state trooper observed a black 2021 Jeep with Texas plates traveling 82 mph in a 75 mph zone at mile marker 18. When the vehicle was stopped, the driver, Brett A....
The new, long-awaited Dollar Tree/Family Dollar combo store in Kimball plans a soft opening Jan. 5 with a grand opening to follow. The new manager, Michelle Renter, said trucks with products will begin arriving this week at the store along Highway 30. Renter said at this time time some employees have been hired, but the company is always looking for more. She said the employees have been working and gaining experience at other stores and are pretty excited about "finally" get the Kimball store...
The winner among businesses in the 2022 Santa's Helpers Kimball Christmas Lighting Contest is Shavonne Singleton's Farm Bureau Financial Services at 215 S. Chestnut....
The Banner Country School Christmas Program was postponed due to the blizzard but finally performed on Dec. 20 under the direction of Vocal and Instrumental Director Sandy Wounded Arrow. Members of the third grade, fourth grade and fifth grade sang a variety of Christmas songs....
Good morning, saying Goodbye to 2022 and Welcoming 2023. Wishing a Happy New Year to your house from me. This past year has seemed to fly by, especially the past three months. I have spoken with several people who feel this same way. Maybe this year life will settle down a little bit and calm down. That would be OK with me. However, at this point who knows? For all of you who wanted a white Christmas, we sure had that! I still am driving through a tunnel of snow in order to get to the house. During Christmas break one of the kids was riding a...
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...
Known throughout the Kimball area for her cooking and baking, Judie Martin reflects that she started cooking "out of necessity." In 1974 when they, her husband Bob and herself, bought the A&W in Kimball, Judie said she wasn't very interested in cooking but began making the hamburgers at the A&W on west Highway 30. Judie explained that things were off to a good start because Boeing was still in Kimball – "We thought we had a goldmine" – but when Boeing began to leave, reality set in and Jud...
And now Round 2. Following last week’s ferocious blizzard has come this week’s deep freeze. Temperatures were forecast on Tuesday to plummet from the mid-30s to minus 21 on Wednesday and on Thursday range from minus 7 to minus 15. Coupled with severe gusts and life-threatening wind chills of 50 to 65 below zero, the National Weather Service on Tuesday issued a Wind Chill Warning for noon Wednesday to 11 a.m. Friday for Kimball and nearby areas. NWS warned people that wind chills of this magnitude can cause frostbite in less than 5 minutes if...
Good morning! This snow storm that we were hit with this final couple of weeks in 2022 sure put a stop to everything. I mean everything everywhere. We were completely snowed in from Tuesday morning through Saturday afternoon. Thanks to a good and helpful neighbor, we were finally able to get out late through the pasture. My driveway was full of snow the full length and width with drifts as high as the trees, and I have some pretty tall trees. Thankfully again, the county came to make a path...
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 blizzard that clobbered Kimball and the Panhandle on Tuesday lived up to the hype. The relentless winter storm bashed the area with gusts up to 65 mph, wickedly swirling snow that caused whiteout conditions for hours on end. By the time the worst of the storm was forecast to end late Wednesday, perhaps 12-18 inches of snows was expected to accumulate. A Panhandle Alert was issued late Tuesday afternoon urging people to stay off icy, snowpacked roads that should be used by emergency vehicles...
Family Dollar/Dollar Tree appears to be moving forward with its Kimball Store #33191. On Tuesday night at the Kimball City Council meeting, Family Dollar applied for and received a Class B liquor license for beer. Family Dollar agent James Balli said the store will be like a "small grocery store". Balli stressed that Family Dollar will do training, have a scanner to check ages and have video surveillance. According to Balli their violation rate is .004%. Balli was the only speaker at the 12...
The trial for William Shane Serrano on five felony charges was set on Dec. 12 for March 13-16. According to the entries of record, jury selection will begin on March 13 at 8:30 a.m. The pretrial is scheduled for March 7 at 9 a.m. The charges include: • Count 1 – manslaughter. • Count 2 – attempted first-degree murder. • Count 3 – attempted terroristic threats. • Count 4 – attempted terroristic threats. • Count 5 – possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. Until recently, Serrano was held in the Kimball County Jail, but no...
A reception for Kimball County employees Larry Engstrom, Linda Williams and Harry Gillway was held at the KCTS building on Friday. On Dec. 31, Linda Williams will be done working in the Kimball County Jail, and she said she is "looking forward to it, but a little nervous." After 37 years she said her retirement plans include "doing things she has never had time to do." Her retirement will start with cleaning closets and drawers, walking and riding her stationary bike more, and more importantly v...
Holiday Heroes, formerly Shop With a Cop, celebrated its 12th year of providing a special Christmas for area children. Participating in the event were the Kimball Volunteer Fire Department, KVFD Ladies Auxiliary, VFW Ladies Auxiliary, Nebraska State Patrol, Red Knights, Kimball Police Department and the Kimball County Sheriff's Office. Festivities included the breakfast at the Kimball Fire Hall and kids getting the chance to shop at Dollar General. Donations to the cause, once again, made it...
In the top photo, John Morrison takes his oath of office as mayor while City Council members Christy Warner and Creg Pike look on. Bottom photo, former Mayor Keith Prunty, rear center, makes the rounds in the crowded meeting room....
Breakfast with Santa at the Banner County School on Saturday included wagon rides, craft projects for kids, Santa and a pancake feed. Rick Henderson and his crew, along with Hollywood and Coal, spent the morning giving wagon rides....
Well good morning. Here is hoping that you have fared well over this past week with all of the cold. We are fast approaching the Christmas season and one of the current projects is a toy/clothes drive for the family of Dylan Charvat, who died in an accident at the Sugar Factory Terminal on November 8th. To help, please call 308-631-4627 or email [email protected] or 308-225-1594 or [email protected] for sizes and genders for the kids and their mom. Today, the 15th, is the last day, so please don’t delay! Also on the 15th, there will be a B...