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Again it was proven how our small town, rural communities come together when needed. A wildfire began northwest of my hometown of Burr Oak last week and quickly spread thanks to the lack of moisture and the strong winds. The hometown fire department quickly answered the call. As the fire continued to spread northward, more than 16 fire departments were called in to help. As the word spread about the fire, farmers from miles away and locally came driving their tractors and disks to work the ground to save homes, buildings and other properties....
After the wildfire last week and traffic accident, I’ve had trouble focusing. My mind keeps skipping from one topic to another. Consequently, I have a number of short topics for this week’s notebook entry. A few days ago I received notice of the annual meeting of the Nebraska Press Women’s group. A former Express co-worker, the late Blanche Bargen, faithfully attended the association’s meetings, shared their reports with me and served at least one term as association president. For a time I was even an association member. Yes, there was a t...
When I was growing up in Superior, just about everyone’s lawn had a bright yellow flowers which my mother told me were dandelions, a weed that didn’t belong in a lawn. My father, the practical banker, wanted our lawn to set a good example. At that time the only way to control those pesky yellow flowers was to dig them out. This task fell at first to my mother, but, as I grew older, this became a shared task. I was trusted with a sharp paring knife. I would be sent out with a galvanized pail and knife to remove the yellow scourge. My mother sho...
Presenting biblical answers to tough questions Q: How could a loving God send anyone to hell? A: I feel I need to answer this question in two stages: first to address it’s implications (i.e. how it is worded), then to address it’s essence (what God does and why). This question puts God in an unloving light before we’ve even begun. God is pictured as directly condemning people to hell who do not want to go there. The implications are that God is uncaring, harsh, and judgmental, while people are poor, innocent victims. This is quite far from...
It seems like I’m reading a book about WWII when I hear the current news of the war Russia started with Ukraine. To me there are similarities, except, of course, in this past week Russia seems to be getting the worse of it. I bring this up because last week I received another copy of the bi-monthly publication from ‘Nebraskans for Peace’. They sent the report to me because I was the editor of a newspaper, but even though I stopped working in that capacity, they continue sending the report. I, too, am for peace, but I get amused at times from...
My sinuses have let me know spring is here! The past two mornings, I have awakened with a pounding head. I have year-round allergies, but they are worse when everything starts waking up. I should have purchased stock in Claritin and Sudafed when I was younger to get a return on my investments. Friday afternoon, I got a wild hair and decided it was time to get back to work on the Money Pit. I’d been struggling with the texture on the ceiling for weeks and had only gotten about a quarter of it done. I was dreading the work of finishing it. T...
Citing a shortage of examiners, the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles is temporarily closing a number of driver’s license examination stations including the one at the Nuckolls County Courthouse. Normally the Nelson office is open from 8:15 to 12 and 1 to 4 p.m. every Tuesday. Not so next week. The office will be closed all-day on Tuesday, April 12. The Hebron office is normally open from 8:45 to 12 and 12:40 to 4 on Mondays. However, it will be closed the next two Mondays. On Monday the state web site indicated the Geneva office will c...
The Superior and Hardy communities were in shock Thursday after learning of a head-on two-car crash which took the life of a Superior Middle School student, Logan Roberts, 14, an eighth grader, and left two others hospitalized. A late season snow storm had left overnight perhaps as much as an inch of snow and 8 hundreths or so of moisture. For the most part walks and streets appeared to be dry but there were some very slick spots. As word of the accident reached the sheriff's office dispatch...
With the drought intensifying and a number of fires getting out of control, the City of Superior ordered the printing in this issue of The Express, the rules regarding recreational burning....
Brodstone Healthcare’s visitor restrictions were lifted Thursday with exception of COVID positive or suspected COVID patients. These patients are allowed two visitors at a time and will need to be coordinated with nursing staff. Both patients and visitors will continue to be screened upon entry and required to wear a mask while in the facility. All patients are to continue to enter through the North Entrance from 7 to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. on Saturday. All emergency situations will continue to go through t...
Prairie fires have been a major source of concern since the great plains were taken over by farmers and ranchers 150 years (+-) ago. Most farm families have stories of ancestors that plowed fire breaks around their homesteads. In current years, the threat of these fires has diminished greatly, but they still happen . . . even close to home. A year ago, a prairie fire burned north of Guide Rock to the east and south, ending up in Kansas. The Lawrence Volunteer Fire Dept. (LVFD) was called upon...
The long-standing tradition of Lenten Week breakfasts with lay speakers will continue next week in Superior. The breakfasts will be sponsored by the Nuckolls County Ministerial Alliance. Each will begin at 7 a.m. and is to conclude by 8 a.m. A lay speaker from each church will give the devotion and a freewill offering will be received for the ongoing ministry of the county ministerial association. Monday’s breakfast will be held at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church. Olive Hill will host the Tuesday breakfast. On Wednesday the breakfast will be at...
Last Tuesday was a frightening day for many area residents. The temperature climbed into the 80s and wind gusts at the Superior Municipal Airport topping out at 52 miles per hour combined with low relative humidity put the area into what the National Weather Service classifies as a Red Flag Warning because of the risk of fire. And the fires came. Probably all area fire departments responded to one or more calls. In some instances the fire fighters were called to a location where they had previously fought a fire. That was the case of the...
The fire last Tuesday could be seen for miles. Mark Sholtz, Guide Rock, was notified the fire was headed toward the farmstead of Shawn and Renee Ayer, his sister and brother-in-law’s farm. He immediately called his brother, Brad Sholtz, who was taking care of the Ayer livestock while Shawn was at work in Riverton. Shawn had been notified of the danger to his farm and was on his way home. Mark and Brad were waiting for Shawn to get there before letting his cattle out of the pasture south of the house when Mark received a call that the fire h...
The Jewell County Commissioners met, March 28 with commissioners Steve Greene and Brent Beck present. Carla J. Waugh, county clerk was present for the meeting. The following were present for office head meeting; Shannon Meier, ambulance director; Chris Petet, custodian; Alexandria Carabajal, county attorney; Cindy Becker, health administrator; and Kevin Peroutek, noxious weed director, emergency preparedness director and 911 coordinator. Those absent were Amanda Davis, register of deeds; Nora Rhoades, Post Rock Extension district director; Anna...
On Tuesday, March 29, the National Weather Service in Hastings saw a hot spot on their satellite. They informed Jewell County Dispatch at approximately 1:40 p.m. The fire was approximately 3 miles west of Burr Oak. Burr Oak volunteer fire fighters responded. With the high winds that afternoon, the fire was able to spread quickly. Burr Oak Volunteer Fire Department requested assistance from numerous other fire departments in Kansas and Nebraska. There were no fatalities, but one minor injury. It...
The regular meeting of the Mankato City Council was called to order by Mayor Justin Schoonover on March 8. Councilmen present were: Sam Becker, John Tyler, Kevin Ost, George Hennion and Lyle Dauner. Also present were Darrell Miller, city attorney, and Sharon McCormick, interim city clerk. Visitors present were: Sheriff Don Jacobs; city employees Matt Badger and Marvin McCormick; Don Koester - representing City Planning Commission; Trevor Elkins - Mahin Insurance; Amanda Horn - NCK Regional Planning Commission; Tiffany Hollerich - on behalf of...
Several people found it difficult to be where they needed to be to fight the fire last Tuesday because of the smoke and fast moving flames. Jon Thompson was one of the many firefighters who had a scary experience. Jon and Mike Harris were manning a 1,000 gallon water tank. When the tank was empty, they headed back to Burr Oak on the highway where smoke and flames were crossing the highway. Once the tank was filled Jon went back to the fire by himself. Because the fire and smoke were so bad on...
If you received a COVID-19 booster dose at least four months ago and are at least 50 years old and would like to receive your second booster, call the Jewell County Health Department. The department is taking names for first, second and boost doses for everyone 5 years of age and up. Following FDA and CDC recommendations, KDHE has authorized COVID-19 vaccine providers to offer a second booster dose of either Pfizer or Moderna for individuals aged 50+ and for certain immunocompromised individuals....
The largest fire in the area, near Burr Oak, Kansas, was not the only activity in the area recently. The men and women of the Nelson Fire Department have also been on the go, having a busy time. For the Kansas Prairie Fire, 15 members of the department spent about seven hours in Kansas. The Nelson volunteers used their own equipment which involved two grass rigs, the water wagon, the 'Equipment Vehicle' for transporting people and the use of the ambulance for the accident involving the Lawrence...
The ordinance book for any city is a "beyond boring" read. In fact, when I worked in the city office, I wanted to run away when revisions came in and the books needed to be updated. No matter how dry of a read they are, the citizens in any community need to familiarize themselves with the laws governing them. The City of Nelson recently adopted a Vacant Property Registration Provision. What does this mean for the residents of Nelson? Well, if you own a property you do not live in, this one may a...
The Lawrence-Nelson High School boys golf team opened their season last Tuesday with a quadrangular match at Superior. They were scheduled to play the Superior Invitational, Thursday but Inclement weather (snow and wind) led to the event being cancelled. The team competed at the Sandy Creek quadrangular meet at the Crooked Creek Golf Course in Clay Center Tuesday with match results unavailable at press time. The Raiders finished in second place at Superior with a team score of 200. Other teams at the match were Red Cloud, Bruning-Davenport-Shic...
The Lawrence-Nelson High School boys and girls track and field teams finally opened their 2022 outdoor season at Kenesaw last Tuesday. The first scheduled meet, at Sutton, was cancelled because of inclement weather. Other teams competing at Kenesaw were Axtell, Blue Hill, Doniphan-Trumbull, Red Cloud, Shelton, Silver lake, Franklin and Kenesaw. Elsa Jorgensen took third place in the 100 meter dash with her time of 14.47 seconds. Hanna Skinner ran the preliminary heat but failed to advance to the final round. Kara Menke earned fourth place...
The Rock Hills High School boys and girls track and field teams opened the season at the Bennington Varsity Meet Friday. The Grizzlies competed at the St. John’s Invitational at Beloit Tuesday. Meet results were unavailable at press time. The girls finished in 12th place, with seven points, in the 12 team Field. Other schools competing were Clifton-Clyde, Bennington, Eli-saline, Lincoln, St. John’s, Wakefield School, Tescott, Rural Vista, Wilson, Herrington and Canton-Galva. The boys finished in 10th place, with six points, in the 11 team fie...
The Rock Hills High School golf team opened the 2022 season Tuesday at the Smith Central Invitational. Match results were unavailable at press time. Jamie Harvey is serving as the head coach....
