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* Funeral Service notes: (see more on obit page) * Betty Jane Ogden, 85, of O'Neill 10 a.m. Feb. 4 * Meeting minutes or information located below for: Jan. 17 Brown County Commissioners Jan. 11 Ainsworth City Council Jan. 9 Ainsworth Community Schools Board of Education Jan. 3 Brown County Commissioners * Brown County Sheriff's Report and Rock County Sheriff's Report below... Traffic Accident (Posted Feb. 3) The Brown County Sheriff's Department investigated a
two-vehicle accident that occurred on Jan. 24 in Ainsworth. * Good wins Ainsworth Middle School spelling bee (Posted Feb. 3) Ainsworth seventh-grade student Emma Good outlasted classmate Miranda Raymond for the first-place trophy in the Ainsworth Middle School oral spelling bee, held Friday in the Learning Center. Sydney Lukasiewicz and Vanessa Taylor tied for third in the fifth- through eighth-grade bee. Raven Stewart was the winner of the fourth grade bee, with Natalie Saner Second and Sloan Raymond finishing third. Leanna Holloway bested six other third-grade spellers for the top spot. Aubree Arens took second and Cheyenne Bunch received the third-place ribbon. In the second grade bee, the winner was Ben Flynn. Caleb Allen finished a close second as the two went back and forth, spelling word after word correctly before nearly exhausting the second grade word list. Brody Denny finished third in the second grade competition. Getting their first spelling bee experience, six first-grade students competed Friday, with Moriah Cheatum earning the first place trophy. Caleb Kinkaid finished second and Dakota Stutzman was third. The students advanced to Friday’s spelling bee by finishing amongst the top of their class in a written spelling test on Wednesday. * Magarys win anniversary roses from Rusty Petal and KBRB (Posted Feb. 1) Brenda
and Roger Magary of Ainsworth are the January winners of one dozen anniversary
roses from the Rusty Petal and KBRB Radio. * Foundation announces $7,000 in grant funding available (Posted Feb. 1) The Brown County Foundation Fund has announced that $7,000 is being made available for the 2012 Community Project Grants. Applicants may apply for grant funds up to a maximum of $5,000. The amount available for project grants is significantly higher than in previous years due to the contributions being made to the Endowment Fund. As the Endowment Fund continues to grow, the amount of the grants will continue to grow. Applicants for 2012 funds may obtain a copy of the guidelines and an application by downloading the form from www.ainsworthlinks.com, writing the Foundation at P.O. Box 323, Ainsworth, NE 69210 or calling Susan Spann. The completed applications are due April 1. As in previous years, the grants are to assist civic groups and organizations with their volunteer projects. The projects considered for grant funds must contribute to the betterment of life in Brown County.
* Scholarships available through the Brown County Foundation
(Posted Feb. 1)
The Brown County Foundation will award several scholarships to graduating seniors as well as upper class college students and non-traditional students. A $500 scholarship, established through the Jan O’Hare Memorial Fund, is awarded to an Ainsworth High School graduate currently enrolled in a teacher preparation program, with preference given to the student in his/her final year of preparation. Jan O’Hare served the Ainsworth Community Schools as the gifted education coordinator in McAndrew Elementary School during the 1980s and vocal music instructor in the Ainsworth Middle/High School until her retirement in 2008. A $500 scholarship will be awarded to an Ainsworth High School graduate or a recipient of a GED Certificate in Brown County. The applicant must be enrolled full-time pursuing an undergraduate degree and must have successfully completed his/her first year of college at a vocational school, community college, college or university. A $500 scholarship will be awarded to an applicant who lives full-time in Brown County and is enrolled, or intending to enroll, in a vocational school, community college, or college program. Students enrolled in distance learning, computer on-line, and locally offered post-secondary courses are eligible to apply. Students enrolled in high school are not eligible. Applications for the scholarships may be obtained from Ainsworth High School Counselor Sherry Campbell, Brown County Foundation Scholarship Committee Chairperson Scott Steinhauser (scottbobstein@hotmail.com), or on the Web at www.ainsworthlinks.com/found.html . Applications are to be returned to Scott Steinhauser, 724 N. Maple, Ainsworth, NE 69210 by April 1. Donor-advised scholarships will also be awarded to 2012 graduates of Ainsworth High School through the Brown County Foundation. Scholarships for 2012 include the following: Adkisson Family, Ainsworth Alumni, Skinner Memorial, Tansy Pitcher Forbes, Roy Aten and Elizabeth Aten , and First National Bank. For more details, seniors should contact Ainsworth High School Counselor Sherry Campbell. Applications are to be returned to the counselor’s office by April 1. * Deadlines to file for Primary Election seats approaching (Posted Jan. 31) The first election filing deadline is approaching, with incumbent candidates in primary elections required to file for office by Feb. 15. Non-incumbent candidates in primary elections have until March 1 to file for local, county or state office. The primary election schedule is light locally, with the major races coming at the U.S. Senate and 43rd District Legislature levels. Four candidates have filed thus far to replace Deb Fischer as the state senator for District 43. Fischer is being forced out of the seat due to term limits after serving in the Legislature for eight years. Submitting the paperwork to run for the 43rd District seat are Jack Anderson of Lakeside, Albert Davis of Hyannis, Ernie Fellows of Mills and Cash Ostrander of Gordon. With four candidates already in the field, the issue will appear on the May 15 Primary Election ballot, with the top two advancing to the Nov. 6 General Election. Fischer has announced her bid to replace U.S. Sen. Ben Nelson, who chose not to seek a third term in the Senate. Fischer, a Republican has not yet formally filed for U.S. Senate, but six other candidates have. Those candidates include Republicans Don Stenberg of Gretna, the current state treasurer; Jon Bruning of Lincoln, the state’s attorney general; and Spencer Zimmerman of Omaha. Democratic candidates for Senate include Larry Marvin of Fremont, Steven Lustgarten of Omaha and Sherman Yates of Lincoln. Former U.S. Sen. Bob Kerrey has hinted at a possible run for the Democratic nomination, but has not yet filed. In Brown County, the county commissioner seat held by Republican Buddy Small is up for election. Small has re-filed for the seat. No other candidates have filed thus far. Three seats are up on the Ainsworth Community Schools Board of Education. Those seats belong to Mark Johnson, Angie Davis and Lisa Chohon. Two candidates – Bradley Wilkins and Aaron Jackman – have filed for the seats. If six or fewer candidates file, the school board race will only appear on the General Election ballot. Two seats are expiring for Ainsworth City Council, those held by Doug Weiss and Kent Taylor. No one has filed yet for City Council. If four or fewer candidates file for the council seats, the race will only appear on the General Election ballot. Two seats are expiring on the Long Pine City Council, those held by Audrey Vandeventer and Joyce Micheel. Vandeventer has filed to retain her seat on the council. Two seats are open on the Johnstown Village Board, belonging to Dan West and Jeremiah Dailey. No one has filed yet for those seats. Greg Wilke has filed to retain his District 5 seat on the Middle Niobrara Natural Resources District Board of Directors. Other district seats coming open include Roger Brede’s post on the KBR Rural Public Power Board of Directors, and Renee Adkisson’s seat on the Educational Service Unit District 17 Board of Directors. Two six-year terms on the Ainsworth Airport Board of Directors, positions held by Jerry Allen and Doug Pankowski, are expiring. Neither candidate has filed as of yet. Brown County will have only one polling location in 2012 – the Ainsworth Conference Center. There will not be a polling location in Long Pine this year, according to County Clerk Janet Huggins. In Rock County, the county commissioner seat held by Dennis Jilg is expiring. James Schoenberg of Bassett has filed for the position from the Republican Party. Three seats on the Rock County Public School Board of Education are expiring. Those seats are currently held by Tim Shaw, Wade Hollenbeck and Chad Peterson. Two Bassett City Council seats and the Bassett mayor position are also expiring. The council seats currently belong to Mitriann Bussinger and Reno Gordon. Gary Williams is the current mayor. Those candidates have until Feb. 15 to re-file for the seats, while newcomers have until March 1. One six-year term, that belonging currently to James Nelson, is open on the Rock County Airport Authority. Nelson has filed to retain the position. A four-year term on the Airport Authority is also expiring. That seat belonged to the late Bill Austin. No one has filed for that position to date. The city of Bassett will have an issue on the Primary Election ballot, asking voters whether or not the city of Bassett should prohibit the fluoridation of the city’s water system. In Keya Paha County, Republican Mike Tuerk has filed to retain his seat as the Keya Paha County West District Commissioner. * Ainsworth Speech Team competes in the Gordon-Rushville Invitational (Posted Jan. 30) Gordon-Rushville Invitational 1st: Katie Brown—Informative Speaking Conner Kozisek—Extemporaneous Speaking 2nd: Katie Wilkins—Humorous Prose Katie Wilkins—Persuasive Speaking Lars Johnson & Conner Kozisek—Duet Acting 4th: Clay Chohon—Informative Speaking 5th: Boston Lucht & Reyna Martinez—Duet Acting Superiors: Stevie Parker—Humorous Prose Nathaniel Goodloe—Humorous Prose Hallie Bower—Poetry TyLinn Dodd—Serious Prose Hayley Murphy—Serious Prose Maggie Steinhauser—Serious Prose Amanda Theis—Informative Speaking Quentin Wagner—Informative Speaking Hallie Bower—Persuasive Speaking Alan Hurless & Nathan Bauer—Duet Acting Hayley Murphy & Jayne Barrow—Duet Acting Lydia Allen & Ellie Carr—Duet Acting Sami VonHeeder & Clay Chohon—Duet Acting Nathan Bauer, Katie Brown, Clay Chohon, Stevie Parker, Amanda Theis—OID
Team: 1st in Classes C/D 2nd of 9 overall 1st in Classes A/B: Gering “We had a really good showing at Gordon,” Ainsworth coach
Mary Rau said. “The speakers who broke finals did very well in that round. Five
combined champions and runners-up out of nine events is a successful day in my
book. Going to Gordon gives us a peek at our upcoming district competition, so
it’s a good place to test the waters. It’s tough on the novices, though, because
they competed with varsity level speakers for the first time. We’re halfway
through the regular season now, so things are starting to shape up nicely.” * Recent cases from Brown County Court (Posted Jan. 26) In addition to fines, each case carries $48 in court costs Kevin G. Fobroy, age 29, of Ainsworth, charged with criminal mischief between $200 and $500, fined $50 and ordered to pay $197 in restitution. Garry W. Denny, 67, of Ainsworth, hunting/fishing/trapping without a permit, $200 and $1,000 in liquidation damages. Monty J. Painter, 32, of Springview, violation of load contents requirements, $100. Rochelle Marie Johnson, 49, of Drumright, Okla., speeding 6-10 mph over the limit, $25. Kristina I. Steward, 51, of Ainsworth, speeding 6-10 mph over the limit, $25. Erica M. Spanyers, 21, of Dorchester, speeding 6-10 mph over the limit, $25. Travis L. Harvey, 21, of Valentine, speeding 16-20 mph over the limit, $125. Jonathan S. Werner, 31, of Lincoln, second offense driving under the influence, $400 and sentenced to seven days in jail and driver’s license revoked for six months; also charged with first offense refusal to submit to a test, $400 and seven days in jail. Brian S. Judy, 33, of Omaha, speeding 6-10 mph over the limit, $25. Brenda S. Jones, 47, of Johnstown, speeding 6-10 mph over the limit, $25. Michael Colton Tharp, 18, of Johnstown, no operator’s license, $75. Dennis D. Nelsen, 68, of Crete, speeding 6-10 mph over the limit, $25. Stanley Leroy Smith, 73, of Torrington, Wyo., speeding 6-10 mph over the limit, $25. William A. Eginton, 54, of Storm Lake, Iowa, speeding 6-10 mph over the limit, $25. Eric D. Hansen, 21, of Stanton, speeding 6-10 mph over the limit, $25. Bryon W. Painter, 39, of Long Pine, issuing a no-account check, $100. Riley J. Painter, 18, of Long Pine, issuing a no-account check, $50. * Historical Society exhibit displays cream station (Posted Jan. 26) The Brown County Historical Society announced a new exhibit entitled “Farm to Market” in the south lobby of the First National Bank. The exhibit showcases the Community Produce Cream Station that was operated in Ainsworth back in the 1940s. It was located on Third Street at the site of the present day barber shop. The exhibit is divided into two window displays. One features a variety of equipment that was used by Community Produce to determine the butterfat of the cream that the farmers brought in to sell. The price that they were paid depended on the percentage of butterfat in their cream…the higher the fat, the higher the price. There is also equipment on display that was used to “candle” eggs to be that they were good. There is also an oak swivel desk chair and a huge log book that was used to keep track of the daily transactions. Community Produce was managed by Dale Steele from 1946-48. His brother, Darrel, loaned the Historical Society most of the artifacts for the display. The second window shows a milk house and a farm kitchen. Highlights of that display are a cream separator, a “ milker”, a T-shaped milk stool, some wooden egg cases, butter molds and two types of butter churns – one with a dasher in a crock and the other with paddles in a jar. The exhibit, prepared by Darrel and Ruth Ann Steele and Carol Larson, will remain in place for a few months and is open during regular business hours of the Lentz Agency and the Flynn Law Office. The public is invited to stop by and have a look at the nostalgic display that is sure to spark some memories of the good old days. * Traffic Accident (Posted Jan. 26) The Brown County Sheriff’s Department investigated a one-vehicle accident that occurred on Tuesday, Jan. 24, north of Long Pine. According to the sheriff’s department report, at 4:31 p.m. Tuesday on a private drive 1.5 miles north and a half mile east of Long Pine, a 2008 Chevy pickup, driven by Jacob Olberding, 28, of Stuart, was down a hill pulling an empty trailer when the vehicle began to slide due to icy conditions. Olberding applied the emergency brake, and the truck slid sideways and struck a tree. No injuries were reported. Damage to the Chevy was estimated at $2,500. * Sheriff's department asks for public assistance in solving theft from school (Posted Jan. 24) The Brown County Sheriff's Department is seeking
information from the public regarding a theft of cash and several iPods from the
Ainsworth Community Schools locker room. * Hospital Board closes loan for CT scanner, addition project (Posted Jan. 23) The Brown County Hospital Board of Trustees closed on a loan for the CT scanner and hospital addition project during the board’s meeting Jan. 16. The resolution approved by the board authorized the signing of all closing documents associated with the U.S. Department of Agriculture loan for the project and appoints Hospital Administrator Shannon Sorensen to sign documents on behalf of the Board of Trustees. Chief Financial Officer Matt Sells said the loan will be serviced strictly from the hospital’s operations budget, and the cost of the loan would be less monthly than the hospital’s current lease on a CT scanner. Sells said Prochaska & Associates was on site Jan. 4 to review the design documents for the building addition to house the CT scanner. The process is currently on schedule for ground breaking in late March or early April. The USDA loan documentation should be finalized by Feb. 1. Sorensen and Sells credited Brown County Attorney David Streich for helping to finalize the documentation. In other business during the Jan. 16 meeting, the Board of Trustees accepted the resignation of Dr. Annette Miller. Miller, whose last day with the Brown County Hospital is March 25, has accepted a position with a hospital at Kearney. The board thanked Miller for her years of service to the area. Director of Nursing Tammy Brown reported Medicare confirmed the hospital’s recent attestation for meeting meaningful use criteria with its electronic health records system, putting the facility in line to receive $350,000 in incentive payments within the next few months, pending review from Medicare. Sells told the board the 2011 Fiscal Year cost report has been filed with Medicare and Medicaid, and the hospital should receive a payment of $168,000 in qualifying payments for services provided to Medicare and Medicaid patients. A recent resolution by the Brown County Commissioners was discussed. The resolution pre-approved all hospital capital purchases of equipment or improvements less than $50,000. All hospital purchases of equipment or improvements in excess of $50,000 will need to be taken to the commissioners for approval. Previously, the commissioners had pre-approved all capital improvement purchases less than $10,000. Sells advised the board that LB 995 was proposed recently in the Nebraska Legislature, which, if approved, would modify current statutes governing the operation of county hospitals. Contracts for urine specimen collection and breath alcohol testing will be submitted to local employers, including the county, in the next week for approval. This service would be available for employers at their request for pre-employment screening and post-incident testing. Lisa Fischer reviewed the Retirement Plan Annual Report with the board. In compliance with state statutes, the report must be filed with the state on an annual basis. The Strategic Quality Support System agreement was reviewed and approved. The Strategic Quality Support System is a computer software system that enhances the hospital’s quality improvement studies, policies and procedures review, and allows interdepartmental communication and tracking of assigned tasks. Sells said part of the recently received SHIP Grant would fully fund the purchase of the software. The hospital has been engaging in the values collaborative trainings by Joe Tye, CEO of Values Coach Inc. in transforming to a culture of accountable ownership. At the conclusion of the 12 Core Action Values Trainings, Tye is available for on-site trainings and consultation. The board approved having Tye present a one-day session at the hospital. Registered Nurse Crystal Dailey presented the board with information regarding the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems. HCAHPS is a standardized survey of hospital patients’ unique perspectives on hospital care for the purpose of providing the public with comparable information on hospital quality. Brown County Hospital plans to begin contracting with a third party to conduct HCAHPS surveys of patients this year and will also begin reporting results as part of the program. The board reviewed and approved its Home Health License Renewal. The board voted to retain Mike Kreycik as president of the Board of Trustees, Leanne Maxwell as secretary, and Mike Schrad as treasurer. * Ainsworth speech team competes at Broken Bow (Posted Jan. 23) Broken Bow Invitational ==Varsity== 2nd: Clay Chohon—Informative Speaking 5th: Katie Wilkins—Persuasive Speaking Katie Wilkins—Humorous Prose 9th: Katie Brown—Informative Speaking Superiors: Hallie Bower—Poetry Wacey Gallegos—Poetry Wacey Gallegos—Serious Prose Maggie Steinhauser—Serious Prose TyLinn Dodd—Serious Prose Stevie Parker—Humorous Prose Jessica Bartak—Informative Speaking Hallie Bower—Persuasive Speaking Rob Maxwell—Extemporaneous Speaking Jayne Barrow & Hayley Murphy—Duet Acting Clay Chohon & Sami VonHeeder—Duet Acting Melissa Franklin & Amanda Theis—Duet Acting Nathan Bauer, Katie Brown, Clay Chohon, Stevie Parker, Amanda Theis—OID Alan Hurless, Lars Johnson, Rob Maxwell, Hayley Murphy, Jedd Raymond—OID ==Novice== 3rd: Damen Cleal, Arianna Fletcher, Nathaniel Goodloe, Laura Peters, Maikayla Weiss—OID 8th: Nathaniel Goodloe—Humorous Prose 10th: Karen Lam—Informative Speaking No team scores kept. “This was a tough tournament for us as usual,” Coach Mary Rau said. “The finals were full of speakers from North Platte, Gothenburg and Minden. I was pleased by the team’s effort. We didn’t have many entries break finals, but the majority of the team were in the top 20 in their event. We just need to keep working and polishing our presentations.” The next competition for the speech team will be in Gordon on Saturday, January 28, with rounds slated to begin at 8:30 a.m. * Traffic Accident (Posted Jan. 21) The Brown County Sheriff's Department investigated a
vehicle-deer accident that occurred on Friday, Jan. 20. * State Department denies Keystone XL Pipeline permit (Posted Jan. 18) On Wednesday, the Department of State recommended to President Obama that the presidential permit for the proposed Keystone XL Pipeline be denied and, that at this time, the TransCanada Keystone XL Pipeline be determined not to serve the national interest. The President concurred with the department’s recommendation, which it indicated was predicated on the fact that the state department does not have sufficient time to obtain the information necessary to assess whether the project, in its current state, is in the national interest. Since 2008, the department has been conducting a review of TransCanada’s permit application for the proposed Keystone XL Pipeline project. As a result of the review process, particularly given the concentration of concerns regarding the proposed route through the Sand Hills area of Nebraska, on Nov. 10, 2011, the department announced it could not make a national interest determination regarding the permit application without additional information. Specifically, the department called for an assessment of alternative pipeline routes that avoided the uniquely sensitive terrain of the Sand Hills in Nebraska. The department estimated, based on prior projects of similar length and scope, that it could complete the necessary review to make a decision by the first quarter of 2013. In consultations with the State of Nebraska and TransCanada, they agreed with the estimated timeline. On Dec. 23, 2011, the Congress passed the Temporary Payroll Tax Cut Continuation Act of 2011. The Act provided 60 days for the president to determine whether the Keystone XL pipeline is in the national interest – which the state department said is an insufficient time period for such a determination. The department’s denial of the permit application does not preclude any subsequent permit application or applications for similar projects. * Commissioners approve hospital addition; Miller leaving for Kearney (Posted Jan. 18) The Brown County Hospital received a green light from the Brown County Commissioners Tuesday on a more than $1 million project to purchase a CT scanner and build an addition onto the hospital to house the new scanner. Hospital Chief Financial Officer Matt Sells said the monthly payments on the rural economic development loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture would actually be lower than what the hospital is currently paying each month to lease a CT scanner. “The project will be funded completely by the hospital’s operations,” Sells said. “We have an operating margin of 3.7 percent. Our inpatient visits are up 12 percent this year, and our outpatient visits are up 11 percent.” In an unhappy note, Sells said the Hospital Board of Trustees on Monday received a letter of resignation from Dr. Annette Miller. Sells said Miller accepted a position with a Kearney hospital, and her last day with the Ainsworth facility would be March 25. “We will be actively recruiting one or two doctors,” Sells said.” I think we can find a replacement, but we will have to have a competitive income package. We will work with Dr. Campbell and figure out whether it will be the clinic or the hospital who employs the next physician.” In another hospital item, the board approved an agreement with the Brown County Hospital to have CDL drug and alcohol testing performed by the hospital staff. The county will be charged $75 for each breath test, and $50 for urine testing. In other news during Tuesday’s meeting, following a public hearing, the commissioners approved the one- and six-year roads plan for the county. Highway Superintendent Lloyd Smith said the county’s plan did not change much from the previous year. “A majority of the projects are maintenance projects,” Smith said. “It can sometimes be hard to follow the plan when you have flooding issues and other things that come up with Mother Nature.” Smith said there has been a change at the federal level regarding federal aid projects. Beginning in 2014, Smith said there will no longer be federal aid construction projects. “Instead of federal aid projects, federal money will be disbursed annually as surface transportation funds,” Smith said. “You will actually have some dollars to work with instead of having to apply for a federal aid project.” Smith estimated the county could receive in the neighborhood of $50,000 in federal roads funding annually, and $50,000 in federal funding for bridges. He said the money is to be used for capital improvements, not day-to-day maintenance. With the change, Smith said the state of Nebraska is asking counties to withdraw the current federal aid project applications on file. The board discussed the withdrawal, but balked Tuesday at withdrawing the project, citing a need to gather more information. Weed Superintendent Doug Mulligan presented the board with his annual weed report. Mulligan said he issued four 10-day notices to landowners to spray their noxious weeds in 2011. Three of the four complied with the request, while one property was sprayed by a contractor, with the cost billed to the landowner. Landowners are required to monitor their property and spray any noxious weed infestations that are found. Mulligan said he performed 286 weed inspections during 2011, and only 167 acres on one parcel had to be force sprayed. His report showed 22,100 of the 776,864 acres in Brown County were infested at some level with leafy spurge, by far the most prevalent noxious weed found in the county. Mulligan classified 5,200 acres as severely infested, and another 5,475 acres as moderately infested by leafy spurge. Mulligan’s report indicated 1,848 acres in the county with Canada thistle, 185 acres of purple loosestrife, and 30 acres of knapweeds. There was little or no presence of the other noxious weed species, including musk thistle, plumeless thistle, saltcedar, phragmites and knotweeds. The commissioners approved a 3.5 percent cost of living pay increase for the weed superintendent, zoning administrator, veterans service officer, custodian and roads department employees. Commissioner Reagan Wiebelhaus said those employees did not get much in the way of a raise the previous year. The increase becomes effective in February. Jerry Ehlers, representing the Nebraska Community Improvement Program volunteer committees, asked the county to incorporate its future improvement projects in the NCIP strategic plan. The board agreed to come up with potential projects and discuss them with Ehlers during the board’s Feb. 7 meeting. Zoning Administrator Dean Jochem expressed his concerns to the board regarding a pending agreement between the Niobrara Council and the National Parks Service on the management of the Niobrara Scenic River. Jochem said he believed the Parks Service planned to assert more control over the river’s management and circumvent the council and its member counties. “This agreement would use a 2007 boundary for the scenic river, which includes much more ground than the current 1996 boundary,” Jochem said. “The Parks Service also plans to cut its financial assistance to the Niobrara Council from $131,000 to $50,400.” The board reviewed and approved a list of four applicants to the Brown County Ambulance Association. Struggling with numbers, the association made a recent push to recruit new members. Shining light on the lack of numbers, the association received four applications for membership, including Heidi O’Day of Johnstown, Audrey Vandeventer of Long Pine, and Michelle Sease and Joshua Titus of Ainsworth. The board approved the four applicants. The board approved a three-year contract with CPA Michael Pommer to conduct the county’s audit of accounts. The three-year contract is for a total of $22,000. The board re-appointed Glen Baker to represent the county on the Northeast Nebraska Area Agency on Aging Advisory Board. The commissioners acknowledged a letter received by Laura Cordes taking issue with solid waste fees being refunded by the county. Cordes said she continued to pay garbage fees for her residence in Ainsworth even after she moved away and the house was vacant. She asked the county to refund those fees, since she did not create any waste while her house was unoccupied. The county took no action since the house was located in the city of Ainsworth. The board’s next meeting is scheduled for 8:15 a.m. Feb. 7. * Lions Club holds monthly meeting (Posted Jan. 17) The Ainsworth Lions Club held its regular monthly meeting on January 16. Since several Lions Club members do not have a Lions Club shirt, the following options were reviewed: Todd Mundhenke contacted a vender offering a shirt, with Lions Club emblem, for $25-30; Jerry Ehlers had information from Custom Sports of Battle Creek (Glenn Morgan) offering a shirt for $16, plus an estimated cost of $5.00 for the Lions Club emblem (a catalog was available for other shirt options); Phil Fuchs indicated that he would contact Keller’s Custom Embroidery for additional shirt options. The Lions Club provides a shirt for new members, with replacement shirts to be purchased by the member. A survey will be taken to determine how many Lions Club Members would want a replacement shirt for the one they currently have. A decision is be made at the February Lions Club meeting. Lions Club District 38-I has initiated the 2011-12 Individual Assistance Fund raffle ticket sales. The Individual Assistance Fund is intended to provide financial assistance to an area resident with a medical problem associated with sight, hearing, or diabetes who is unable to afford the cost of medical care. District 38-I will match the Ainsworth Lions Club contribution up to $350. Additional assistance up to $750 is also available from Nebraska Lions Foundation. The board authorized the purchase of the club’s allotment of 200 tickets for $200, with the club conducting a membership drawing, should the club win one of the raffle prizes. The District 38-I Mid-Winter Conference will be held in Broken Bow on Jan. 27-28. Ehlers indicated he plans to attend the District Governor’s Cabinet Meeting scheduled for 1 p.m. on Jan. 27. Members are invited to ride along. With the resignation of Gary Kinzie as 1st Vice-President, a discussion was held regarding options to fill the position. Cobb was approved to be moved up to the position of 1st Vice-President, thereby vacating the position of 2nd Vice-President for the balance of the year. The club approved a contribution of $25 in Chamber Bucks to the Post Prom Committee. The board also approved the renewal of four subscriptions to the Norfolk Daily News for the Brown County Hospital. The board approved medical funding up to the maximum allowed by the club for an individual medical hardship request. * Ainsworth speech team opens season at Valentine (Posted Jan. 16) The Ainsworth speech team finished third Saturday in the Valentine Ice Breaker, the opening event of the 2012 speech season. Individually, Ainsworth had two winners - Katie Brown in informative speaking and Conner Kozisek in extemporaneous speaking. Valentine Ice Breaker ==Varsity== 1st: Katie Brown—Informative Speaking Conner Kozisek—Extemporaneous Speaking 2nd: Clay Chohon—Informative Speaking Lars Johnson & Conner Kozisek—Duet Acting Alan Hurless, Lars Johnson, Rob Maxwell, Hayley Murphy, Jedd Raymond—OID 4th: Hallie Bower—Poetry Maggie Steinhauser—Serious Prose 6th: Aaron Goodloe—Entertainment Speaking Superiors: Hallie Bower—Persuasive Speaking Jessica Bartak—Informative Speaking Amanda Theis—Informative Speaking Boston Lucht & Reyna Martinez—Duet Acting ==Novice== 1st: Nathaniel Goodloe—Humorous Prose
Team: 3rd of 6 “We had a decent first outing,” Ainsworth coach Mary Rau
said. “We are hit hard this year when there are out of town basketball games
that begin in the middle of the afternoon. Many of this year’s novices are also
basketball players and had to miss the first contest. Nathaniel Goodloe, Katie
Brown, and Conner Kozisek had a great day, bringing home gold from their first
competition. The rest of varsity made a strong showing also, and another week of
practice will do wonders for us. * Recent cases from Brown County Court (Posted Jan. 12) In addition to fines, each case carries $48 in court costs Timothy D. Imus, age 45, of Wolbach, charged with being overweight on an axle or group of axles, fined $25. Keith L. Johnson, 19, of Ainsworth, abandoning or cruelly neglecting an animal, $100. Justin R. Nelson, 33, of Ainsworth, careless driving, $100; possession of an open alcohol container in a vehicle, $50. Nolan R. Koehn, 23, of Omaha, possession of an open alcohol container in a vehicle, $50. Jerry D. Smith, 46, of Fremont, speeding 6-10 mph, $25. Joel N. Joedeman, 24, of Ainsworth, no registration in vehicle, $25. Robin F. Jameson, 50, of Hyannis, speeding 6-10 mph, $25. Tammy S. Kelly, 50, of Ainsworth, first offense reckless driving, fined $400 and sentenced to six months probation. Brandon J. Lichti, 27, of Lincoln, speeding 6-10 mph, $25. Dakota W. Gibson, 17, of Ainsworth, two counts of operating a vehicle without a license, fined $50 for each count; also charged with a curfew violation, $25. Manuel L. Rodriguez, 38, of Coral Gables, Fla., speeding 6-10 mph, $25. Isaiah Garcia, 27, of Norfolk, violation of deer regulations, $100. Daniel C. Garner, 36, of Valentine, speeding 6-10 mph, $25. Richard D. Weller, 57, of Long Pine, two counts of being overweight on an axle or group of axles, fined $750 on each count; also charged with a violation of load content requirements, fined $100. Jorge A. Grajeda, 59, of Kirkwood, Mo., speeding 6-10 mph, $25. Brad Anthony Held, 27, of Pine Ridge, S.D., speeding 6-10 mph, $25. Travis T. Smith, 26, of Nemaha, Iowa, speeding 6-10 mph, $25. Fidel B. Duque, 72, of Anson, Texas, speeding 6-10 mph, $25. Amelia S. Shane, 20, of Atkinson, speeding 6-10 mph, $25. Casey P. Gabel, 29, of O’Neill, speeding 6-10 mph, $25. Logan W. Crosser, 18, of Bassett, driving under suspension, $100. Dustin D. Grafe, 36, of Clarks, violation of deer regulations, $100. Carma J. Koch, 40, of Bassett, issuing a no-account check, fined $50 and ordered to pay $119 in restitution. Kelly E. Schmaltz, 50, of Scottsbluff, charged with counts of exceeding width limits and marking and brake violations, fined a total of $170. Kurt L. Micheel, 39, of Newport, speeding 6-10 mph, $25. Christopher D. Johnson, 27, of Stanton, speeding 6-10 mph, $25. Jess P. Paprocki, 38, of Rochester, N.Y., speeding 6-10 mph, $25; no operator’s license, $75; possession of drug paraphernalia, $100; possession of less than 1 ounce of marijuana, $250; first offense reckless driving, $500; refusal to submit to a preliminary test, $100. Cody A. Norgart, 22, of Spencer, Iowa, no valid registration, $25. Stephen M. Marten, 28, of Hastings, speeding 11-15 mph, $75. Thomas J. Woten, 27, of South Sioux City, speeding 11-15 mph, $75. Chad L. Olson, 36, of Valentine, speeding 6-10 mph, $25. * City Council finalizes street and sewer project (Posted Jan. 12) The Ainsworth City Council, by a 3-1 vote Wednesday, finalized the street and sewer improvement project undertaken in the city in 2011, and property owners along the streets that were paved will be assessed for a portion of the paving costs. Olsson Associates Engineer Jess Hurlbert provided the City Council with the final project costs, and an estimate of the assessment property owners will face. “The total cost of the project was just over $1.4 million,” Olsson said. “Of that total, the city will be responsible for $1.025 million and property owners will be assessed $376,839.” While the assessments won’t be finalized until February’s council meeting, Hurlbert said the assessments will fall between $39 and $52.50 per foot, depending on the street. Hurlbert’s projections show the cost of paving East Second Street at $77.96 per foot, with the property owner responsible for half that cost, or $38.98. For a property owner with 60 feet of street frontage, the assessment would be $2,338. The paving on Oak Street cost $84.17 per foot. The property owner’s share for a 60-foot lot on that street would cost $2,525. Paving work on Zero and Harrington streets cost $92.71 per foot. Property owners will pay $46.36 per foot, $2,781 for a home with 60 feet of street frontage. Osborne Street on the west side of the city cost $95.14 per foot to complete the paving work, with property owners responsible for $2,854 if they have 60 feet of street frontage. The most expensive street to pave was Woodward Street, at a cost of $105.15 per foot. Property owners with a standard lot of 60 feet will be responsible for $3,154. The assessments will not be finalized until February’s council meeting. At that time, property owners will be given information on providing their 2010 tax return to the city to see if they qualify as low to moderate income and become eligible for having grant dollars the city received pay for their assessment. The sewer work, which was not assessed to residents, totaled $452,769, and the city was also responsible for 100 percent of the cost of paving all intersections, which amounted to $196,261. The remaining $753,679 in paving costs is to be split between the city and property owners along the paved streets, which amounts to the $376,839 that property owners will pay. Property owners, if they do not qualify for grant funds, will have the option of paying the assessment in one lump sum or spreading the assessment out up to 15 years on their property taxes, with interest charged. Hurlbert said Olsson Associates will perform a walk-through of the entire project at the 11-month mark after the project’s completion. “There are a couple areas that are not draining properly on East Second Street,” Hurlbert said. “We tried to grind the concrete, but it still isn’t draining. The contractor is probably going to have to address that area.” More information will be released during the council’s February meeting, when the assessments are finalized by ordinance. The council approved finalizing the project itself by a 3-1 vote, with Councilman Jake Adkisson voting against. Councilman Kent Taylor said he believed the project went well. “I think there are some others along those streets who now wish they had the paving done,” Taylor said. The council briefly discussed undertaking another paving project in a year or two after residents have now seen the quality of the new streets and have a better idea on what the assessment costs would be. In another streets item during Wednesday’s meeting, the council discussed projects to place on the city’s one-year streets plan. Streets Foreman Monte Goshorn suggested widening the intersection at Highway 20 and the Meadville Road be placed on the one-year program. Councilman Doug Weiss that intersection should be a priority project for the city this year. Councilman Chuck Osborn said, “When Highway 20 is redone by the state in Ainsworth, that intersection will just get torn up and replaced anyway. I think we should wait for the state.” Weiss agreed it would not be wise to widen the intersection only to have the state come in and tear up the improvement within a two or three-year period. “We can keep it in the one-year plan and roll it over until the state comes in,” Weiss said. The council also debated pouring millings onto South Street from Oak Street west to Ulrich Street. The street currently has a gravel surface. “That street has been on the six-year plan for 10 years,” Goshorn told the council. “We created millings to place on that street.” Osborn suggested the city try putting millings down on South Street between Oak Street and Highway 7. South Street already has curb and gutter in that stretch. “We can put South Street from Oak Street to Highway 7 on the one year plan and see how it goes, and put South Street from Highway 7 to Ulrich on the six-year plan,” Osborn said. A public hearing on the streets plan will be held during February’s meeting. The council agreed to pay $120,825 to McNeilus Trucking for the 2012 garbage truck the city purchased and is operating. Mayor Russ Moody said McNeilus and Freightliner agreed to provide an additional one year of warranty coverage on the truck free of charge after the truck was delivered with improper bolts that caused the rear differential to lock up. The truck was driven from Minnesota to Ainsworth with the differential locked in before the problem was discovered. The company also agreed to deduct $77 from the total bill, the cost the city paid to Frontier Diesel to replace the bolts and correct the problem. The council voted to demolish a restroom at East City Park located northeast of the swimming pool. The restroom is in need of substantial repairs. Moody said that restroom was in no better shape than the one near the football field that was torn down. Osborn said that restroom has been vandalized several times, and with the new restroom near the football field to go along with restrooms at the softball field and at the pool, this one was no longer necessary. The council appointed Taylor to serve on the LB 840 and Community Development Block Grant Re-Use Program loan default committee. The consent agenda approved Wednesday included a payment of $30,000 to Hallock Construction for the library addition project, and a payment of $750 to Baker and Associates for architect fees on the library project. Prior to adjourning, Moody reported the city had a 30-day option to purchase a used generator to operate the seven sanitation lift systems in the city should the city’s power go out for an extended period. The generator's price tag is $5,000.
“The
generator is in good shape,” Moody said. “It could also run the lights and some
outlets in the conference center in an emergency.” The council’s next meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Feb. 8. * Traffic Accident (Posted Jan. 11) The Brown County Sheriff's Department investigated a
one-vehicle accident that occurred on Friday, Jan. 6. * Traffic Accident (Posted Jan. 10) The Brown County Sheriff's Department investigated a
two-vehicle accident that occurred on Friday, Jan. 6. * School Board reorganizes for the 2012 year (Posted Jan. 10)
The Ainsworth Community Schools Board of Education reorganized for 2012 Monday,
with Mark Johnson elected to again serve as the board’s president. * Traffic Accident (Posted Jan. 9) The Brown County Sheriff's Department investigated a
vehicle-deer accident that occurred on Saturday, Jan. 7. * Lions Club Board of Directors meet (Posted Jan. 9) The Ainsworth Lions Club Board of Directors met Friday. First Vice-President Gary Kinzie requested that his Lions Club membership be transferred from active to at-large status due to family issues that could require his presence in Boyd County for the foreseeable future. The directors approved the request. Due to Kinzie’s at-large status, a discussion was held regarding the vacant first vice-president position. It was decided that Second Vice-President Lion Cobb should be given his preference as to moving up to first vice-president for the balance of the year and then serve as president next year, or retain his current second vice-president position. If Cobb would prefer to continue in his present position, President Larry Rice indicated he would be willing to serve another year as president. Either way, a new second vice-president would be needed for next year. The directors presented a few names of members to consider for this position next year. The club received 200 tickets for the Lions District 38-I Individual Assistance Program. In the past, the club has purchased 110 tickets, and then conducted its own drawing, if the club has a winner. It was decided that this issue should be placed on the Jan. 16 membership meeting to decide if the club should purchase the 110 tickets as in the past or the full allotment of 200, or if the club membership wants to begin a campaign to sell the tickets. Rice submitted his report regarding the preparation for the Lions Club Christmas Party. The Entertainment Committee, Sarah Williams and Pat Jones, also presented a report. Rice donated all costs associated with the meal, as well as the theater tickets for the youth in attendance. Williams and Jones also donated all costs associated with providing entertainment for the evening. The directors reviewed area residents for possible membership in the Lions Club. Each director indicated the names of prospective members they would contact. The Lions Club District 38-I Mid-Winter Conference is scheduled for Jan. 27-28 at Broken Bow. Jerry Ehlers indicated he plans to attend the sessions on Saturday, Jan. 28, and invited anyone who would like to go along. Ehlers indicated that three Lions Club members had not yet paid their 2011-12 dues. It was decided that the sponsoring Lions Club member should contact their respective delinquent Lion to determine their status with the club. It was reported that Todd Mundhenke is checking on the availability of Lions Club shirts, as well as window stickers for business display. Ehlers indicated he has contacted a sporting goods outlet for a quote on shirts. Rice reported he has consulted with Ainsworth City Administrator Kristi Thornburg regarding assistance with the planting of trees at the parks and cemeteries this spring. John Mead has been recommended for membership in the Ainsworth Lions Club by the Lions Club Membership Committee. Rice is the sponsor. The board approved Mead’s membership. * Foundation welcomes new members; reaches 2011 endowment fund goal (Posted Jan. 9) The Brown County Foundation Fund Advisory Committee
welcomed 15 new lifetime members and five new annual members during its annual
membership drive. * Traffic Accident (Posted Jan. 7)
The Brown
County Sheriff’s Department investigated a vehicle-deer accident that occurred
on Thursday, Jan. 5. * Ainsworth FFA program finishes second in district competition (Posted Jan. 5)
The Ainsworth FFA program qualified several members for the state leadership
contest by placing them in the top two Wednesday during the District Leadership
Skills Event at O’Neill. * Philben wins Geography Bee (Posted Jan. 4) Jayden Philben, an eighth-grade student at Ainsworth Middle School, won the school-level competition of the National Geographic Bee Wednesday. Cole Sundquist, a seventh-grader and last year's bee winner, was the runner-up, and eighth-grade student Kyle Erthum finished third. * Hospital receives some leeway in reporting equipment purchases to county (Posted Jan. 3)
Brown County Hospital will have more leeway to make equipment purchases and
building improvements following lengthy discussion Tuesday with the Brown County
Commissioners. * Middle School Geography Bee finalists selected (Posted Jan. 3) Ainsworth Middle School School finalists have been selected
for the annual National Geography Bee. The Bee will be held at 8:15 a.m.
Wednesday, Jan. 4, in the Learning Center. The public is invited to attend. * Traffic Accident (Posted Dec. 30) The Brown County Sheriff's Department investigated a
two-vehicle accident that occurred on Thursday, Dec. 29. * Sheriff's department investigating burglary, vandalism (Posted Dec. 28)
The Brown County Sheriff’s Department is seeking the public’s assistance in
solving a pair of recent crimes. * Hospital Board approves purchase of 17 patient beds (Posted Dec. 26)
The Brown County Hospital Board of Trustees approved the purchase of 17 new
patient beds during the board’s recent meeting. * Chamber of Commerce announces Week 4 Holiday Bucks winners (Posted Dec. 26) The Ainsworth Area Chamber of Commerce drew its final
Holiday Bucks winners, with $500 awarded during the fifth and final week of the
contest. Ruth Baker, Ainsworth . . .
$17.12, Needles-N-Pins Winners can pick up their holiday bucks from the Ainsworth Area Chamber of Commerce office. The holiday bucks promotion awarded $2,000 to those who shopped Ainsworth Area Chamber of Commerce member businesses during the holiday season. * Recent cases from Brown County District Court (Posted Dec. 22)
Deborah Rachel Fairchild appeared in Brown County District Court Thursday for
sentencing following a conviction of criminal attempt/distribution of a
controlled substance, a Class IV felony. * Traffic Accident (Posted Dec. 22)
The Brown County Sheriff’s
Department investigated a one-vehicle accident that occurred on Wednesday, Dec.
21. * Traffic Accident (Posted Dec. 21) The Brown County Sheriff’s Department investigated a
one-vehicle accident that occurred on Sunday, Dec. 18. * Commissioners purchase road signs adjacent to major roadways in county (Posted Dec. 20) Drivers will notice a difference this spring when using the
main routes in the county, as the Brown County Commissioners approved the
purchase of 87 signs Tuesday to mark road names as part of the new E-911 mapping
project. * Chamber of Commerce announces Week 4 Holiday Bucks winners (Posted Dec. 19) The Ainsworth Area Chamber of Commerce Holiday Bucks
promotion continues, and Week 4 winners of $375 in chamber bucks have been
drawn. Janice Pennington, Ainsworth . . . $9.55 Bomgaars Winners can pick up their holiday bucks from the Ainsworth Area Chamber of Commerce office. The holiday bucks promotion continues through Christmas, with a total of $2,000 being awarded to those who shop Ainsworth Area Chamber of Commerce member businesses. * Traffic Accident (Posted Dec. 15) The Brown County Sheriff's Department investigated a
two-vehicle accident that occurred on Dec. 6. * Recent cases from Brown County Court (Posted Dec. 15) In addition to fines, each case carries $48 in court costs * Street assessments to be completed by February (Posted Dec. 15) Ainsworth property owners along the streets that were paved
this year should learn by January or February what their assessments will be for
the new concrete streets. * School Board approves bus lease; Williams named Principal of the Year (Posted Dec. 13) The Ainsworth Community Schools Board of Education approved
the two-year lease of a 2011 Chevy bus on Monday, replacing a rural route bus
that can no longer be used to transport students.
(Photo courtesy of Frank Beel south of Johnstown)
(Photo courtesy of Lendi Goochey taken south of Johnstown) * Severe storms, tornadoes rip through the area Thursday evening (Posted Aug. 12) The National Weather Service monitored a line of powerful
thunderstorms that developed Thursday evening across eastern Cherry, Brown, Keya
Paha, Rock, Boyd and western Holt counties. * Brown County Sheriff’s Office Weekly Summary
Jan. 22
Calls for Service: 24 Citations issued: 3 Crime Stopper calls: 0 Defect Cards issued: 5 Handguns Applied for: 5 911 Calls received: 4 Paper Service served: 10 Phone Calls: 142 Titles Inspected: 11 Verbal & Written Warnings issued: 2 December
Summary 2011Year End Totals Accidents Investigated –
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