Rural Living 2016

AUG. 22, 2016

See you S.M.I.LPG.E .2

‘A hou s memoe full of ries PG . 10 ’

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NORFOLK DAILY NEWS, MONDAY, AUGUST 22, 2016

See you S.M.I.L.E. Ranch hosts horse lessons for variety of riders

By MARCELLA MERCER

mmercer@norfolkdailynews.com

MADISON – Every Tuesday, 5-year-old Abriella Cochran gets ready for something special.

The young girl has Rett syndrome, which is a neurological disorder that makes it difficult for her to do everything from speak to eat.

But on Tuesdays, she often giggles and grins, waiting for the moment she and her father, Julian Cochran, pull away from their home in Humphrey and head for her therapy session.

Their destination lies out in the country, northwest of Madison, and could almost be missed if not for the sign at the turn-off detailed with a big, yellow smiley face.

The minute Julian Cochran parks his van in front of the tack shed, workers come out to greet him and take over getting Abriella ready.

But ter f ly- pat ter ned

braces get strapped onto her shins. A pink helmet is fastened on, matching her My Little Pony T-shirt. Employees lift her out of her wheelchair and support her so she can stand.

Soon, it’s one-two-three and she’s hoisted onto the pony, Cookie.

This therapist has no advanced degrees. She can’t even talk.

And yet, according to Julian Cochran, seeing Cookie — along with the workers who help Abriella ride her — has helped his daughter progress more than anything else has.

FOR 25 YEARS, S.M.I.L.E. (Stephanie’s Miracles in Loving Equine) has provided riding lessons for clients with a spectrum of conditions.

Patty Prauner, S.M.I.L.E.’s owner, is particular about what she calls the organization’s service.

“We call it a riding lesson because these kids hear

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therapy and work and exercise all the time,” she said.

“So they’re here to get a riding lesson and learn to ride a horse to the best of their ability and have fun doing it.”

From blindness to autism, riders’ conditions vary in severity and scope.

Most riders have some form of a disability, but others come to improve their self-esteem or learn more about horses.

There are seven steps to a session, which include tasks from brushing to placing the saddle.

Riders complete the step as best as they’re able, allowing them to develop things like their fine motor skills, speech and self-discipline.

JAKE WRAGGE/DAILY NEWS Riding itself develops muscle tone and social FIVE-YEAR-OLD Abriella Cochran of Humphrey smiles during a riding lesson reskills as the rider inter- cently at S.M.I.L.E. near Madison. She’s assisted by the program’s owner, Patty acts with the horse and the Prauner, and workers Nicole Jackson and Gene Galyen.

S.M.I.L.E. workers who accompanied by S.M.I.L.E. “But like I told my husband, College, which allows her to guide them. workers at their sides. ‘What’s riskier, farming or view riders with a different Many riders slowly circle the arena on their horses, More advanced visitors can this?’ We’ve taken risks our perspective. ride solo at a quicker pace, whole lives, and then things “I love a challenge,” she fetching rings from trees just fell into place.” said. “I’ve had parents tell or teaching the horse to The upswing began me, ‘Oh, my gosh, I’m so obey their commands. once she moved S.M.I.L.E. sorry he’s acting this way,’ across the road to its cur- and I’m like, ‘Don’t be. I’m learning from this. I’m TODAY, S.M.I.L.E. rent five-acre location. serves around 135 riders After that, she gradually watching him grow and I’m every week with 15 horses. enlisted family and other growing at the same time.’ ” April Osborn’s goal is to But when Prauner first help to add the tack shed, began in 1992, she started covered riding arena and open her own riding prowith a single rider, the pro- fences, so the program was gram like S.M.I.L.E one gram’s namesake, Stepha- capable of serving more day. nie Preusker of Battle students.

“I cannot wait to come Creek.

The work of local groups here every day,” she said.

As an infant, Preusker and the contributions of “Even though the children suffered complications donors remain essential in get frustrated, to see them from spinal meningitis keeping the place running accomplish a small task, such as they get a horse to that caused her difficulty and costs low for riders. turn that did not want to liswalking or moving easily. Prauner and Stephanie’s VOLUNTEERS AND ten, then they have so much mother, Barb Preusker, employees with a passion confidence going forward. thought the then-5-year-old for S.M.I.L.E.’s work are It’s unreal how rewarding girl might benefit from rid- also necessary to the orga- that is.” ing a pony.

With as long as S.M.I.L.E. nization, Prauner said. Most Once Prauner saw the of the workers have been has been operating, some of lessons helped Stephanie, spending their summers the horses are decades old. improving her posture and there for several years, bepromoting muscle tone, she coming close friends, and AT FIRST, PRAUNER continued on from there, sometimes, using their ex- looked for older horses, as taking on more riders and perience at S.M.I.L.E. to they tended to be more dochorses to keep up with de- pave the way to careers in ile. Then visitors grew older mand. teaching, family sciences — even Stephanie still rides But it’s expensive to take and health fields.

— and S.M.I.L.E. began cacare of horses, especially Nicole Jackson of Madi- tering to more adults. ones that undergo the wear son has worked at S.M.I.L.E With the increase in the and tear of several riders a for six years, first as a weight burden for the alday. Around 2000, Prauner volunteer and then as a ready stiff, mature horses, almost shut the business full-time employee. The Prauner has been seeking down because of costs.

19-year-old studies special out younger animals, which “I took risks,” she said. education at Wayne State ►Please see SMILE, page 3 124731

NORFOLK DAILY NEWS, MONDAY, AUGUST 22, 2016

SMILE

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tend to be pricier and require the investment of training.

“But we do everything we can to keep the horses comfortable and happy,” Prauner said.

Healthy horses allow Prauner to keep making wonders happen.

After coming to ride, children who had to be carried onto a horse have started to walk, or even run. One kid went from silence to speaking 24 new words, including “halter.”

years old. With Abriella, her parent’s noticed regression at about 9 months old, and her ability to walk, speak and use her hands well slipped away by the time she was 2.

But when Abriella’s session is over, and the workers pop her off Cookie, they generally have good news for dad.

They still have to hold her lightly so she sits upright, but her core strength is better. She’s started talking again, too, and although she doesn’t speak every ride, her giggles ring out as the workers help her back into her chair.

ANOTHER NOTICEABLE difference is in the confidence many of the riders develop over their sessions. Twenty-year-old Maria Broekemeier of Norfolk has been coming to S.M.I.L.E. for five years.

Horses are one of her favorite animals, JERRY GUENTHER/DAILY NEWS but it wasn’t always that way.

SOME OF THE MEN who helped to make the Veterans Memorial at Coleridge a “The first time I came out here, I was reality are Duane Heithold (from left), Paul Wemhoff, Mert Hahne, Dale Engelman actually afraid,” she said. “I’d never been around big animals before, and as I came and Virgil Bayne. out more and more I got used to them.”

Now, Broekemeier is one of around 24 S.M.I.L.E. riders who participate in equestrian events at the Nebraska Special Olympics in Grand Island.

“It’s important for them because a lot COLERIDGE’S NEW memo- of them don’t get to compete in sports,” Prauner said. rial includes But a lot of the time, the results of flowers, four S.M.I.L.E. are more subtle. black granite One of the most devastating aspects of panels with syndrome is that it often doesn’t apnames of vet- Rett’s pear until a child is a few months to a few

JULIAN COCHRAN said coming to S.M.I.L.E regularly this summer has made things easier at home, too. Playing with her 9-month-old brother Kyson on the floor is less of a struggle now that Abriella can sit upright.

Most importantly though, she’s just happier.

“I love coming out here,” he said. “Knowing how happy she is and how well she’s taken care of, how she’s progressing, it brings you to tears almost. I think it did a couple times.”

Sometimes, Prauner suggests the results of S.M.I.L.E. come from simple causes. She told Julian Cochran if he had a nice, little pony in front of him, he’d be inspired and cheerful, too.

But after 25 years of the program, Prauner makes a point of acknowledging that she’s seen incredible things.

“Miracles happen here,” she said.

Continued from Page 2—

Standing at attention Coleridge residents have monumental remembrance to veterans

erans, a monument stone, flags and other items designed to honor veterans.

By JERRY GUENTHER

regional@norfolkdailynews.com

COLERIDGE — About this time last year, talks began about establishing a memorial that would pay tribute to all of the service members from the Coleridge area.

And unlike many places where talks don’t get past the conversation stage, some members of Coleridge American Legion Post 114 took the bull by its horns and made the idea a reality.

A committee made up of Dale Engelman, Mert Hahne, Duane Heithold and John Hoffart headed the effort, raising “a little north” of $100,000 for the monument, said Hahne, who was commander of the Coleridge American Legion at the time.

Virgil Bayne also got involved and alone raised about 55 percent of the funds.

Hahne said Coleridge was considered by many to be the most patriotic community in the nation during World War I and World War II. There were a total of 225 soldiers who served who had Coleridge addresses

JERRY GUENTHER/DAILY NEWS

during those wars, including 109 in World War I. That’s impressive, especially when considering the town had a population of about 600 people then.

The idea for the monument actually originated from village board member Greg Meier, who brought it up during a board meeting last August. The village donated a lot for it in the downtown area.

Engelman then went to 31 cities to view various memorials and research the idea. From there, eight concepts were put together ,and the one that best suited Coleridge was chosen.

While the memorial was recently completed, a few names are still being engraved this month. By August, there will be 543 names on it, with room for 620 on the front and 260 on the back. The cost is $120 for each brick.

The oldest names go back

to the Civil War, with all of the wars represented, along with the National Guard.

There’s even a section devoted to families.

The veterans said Mr. and Mrs. Elroy Hefner also raised a lot of funds and were generous toward getting the project going.

People may still order bricks by going to Facebook and looking up “Project Camp, Coleridge Area Memorial Plaza.”

There were 18 contractors involved in doing the work. Some of the major ones included West Point Monument, Plainview Monument, Signature Stone of Norfolk, P and E Electric in Hartington, Country Nursery of Wayne and Anderson Construction of Coleridge.

Major contributors included the Cedar County commissioners, Security Bank, Cedar County Convention & Tourism Board and Coleridge Carvers.

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NORFOLK DAILY NEWS, MONDAY, AUGUST 22, 2016

Crescendo Opera house to be restored to original state

By DELORES MEISTER

regional@norfolkdailynews.com

SNYDER — What’s new in this town of 300 is actually something very old — 116 years of age to be precise.

The 1900 Snyder Opera House standing here is being restored to its original grandeur and will be used as a museum.

“I’ve planned to do this for the past 20 years,” said Dan Kreikemeier of Danko Emergency Equipment Co., the building’s present owner. “This is the first time I can find the time to work on this project.”

The building’s past grandeur is all there beneath layers of dust, broken plaster, wainscoting, tin ceiling, the faded painted medallions on the wall, and the dark varnished sculptured woodwork.

The two-story building at one time had two business places on the ground floor with large store-front windows. Inside is a grand

JAKE WRAGGE/DAILY NEWS

WANDA BACKUS, owner of J’s Place in Pierce, puts sprinkles on a Pierce Pounder.

DELORES MEISTER/CORRESPONDENT

THE FORMER opera house in Snyder is being renovated and rehabilitated. staircase leading to the large second floor opera house with a stage on the west end and an upperrailed mezzanine on the east.

The box office is above the steps, and two smaller cloakrooms are off the main room. Original green

drapes surround the windows covered with white lace curtains.

The stage curtain was preserved in storage from the time the upstairs ballroom was no longer used.

The room was used for many social functions, ►Please see OPERA, page 5

The first bite is the easiest Daily News’ staff, family take on Pierce diner’s food challenge

By GRACE PETERSEN

gpetersen@norfolkdailynews.com

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PIERCE — The Pierce Pounder isn’t your run-of-the-mill ice cream sundae.

Just ask anybody who has attempted to eat it.

Found at J’s Place in Pierce, the Pierce Pounder is made up of about 6 ounces of either a cookie or brownie, up to 1!-W pounds of white, chocolate or swirl soft-serve ice cream, three to five toppings, whipped cream, sprinkles and a cherry.

Overall, the Pounder could weigh more than 3 pounds.

Wanda Backus of Pierce, owner of J’s Place, introduced the sundae — which has quickly become a food challenge among local and area residents — at the end of June. The challenge is only successful if the customer doesn’t “toss their cookies,” five minutes after finishing, Backus said.

“When we did it, we wondered if anyone could eat it at one time,” Backus said. “It was just kind of a fun and inventive thing we can do.”

Backus always gives her customers a few pointers before attempting to eat the monstrous amount of ice cream.

First, she said, eat something light before coming in, but not something sweet.

And speaking of sweet, Backus said customers need to choose their toppings wisely. Having a topping that is too sweet gets to people, she said. But having chewy toppings isn’t a great idea, either.

“We had (a customer) last night, and all

JAKE WRAGGE/DAILY NEWS

ELIZABETH HARRIS of Pierce, daughter of Kathryn and Dana Harris, takes a bite of her Pierce Pounder. he had was peanuts, cashews and pecans,” Backus said. “He hit the wall, and it was hard.”

The last piece of advice is to eat the brownie or cookie first.

“Most people get hooked by the cookie or brownie at the end,” Backus said. “Get that done first.” *** The Daily News wanted to join in on the fun — depending on what side of the ice cream you’re on — and have a challenge between staff members and staff members’ teenage children. The contestants not only had to finish the Pounder but also had to do it quickly.

►Please see BITE, page 5

NORFOLK DAILY NEWS, MONDAY, AUGUST 22, 2016

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Opera

JAKE WRAGGE/DAILY NEWS

THE PIERCE POUNDER at J’s Place includes a cookie or brownie, up to 1½ pounds of soft-serve ice cream, three to five toppings, whipped cream, sprinkles and a cherry.

Bite

Continued from Page 4—

On the staff members’ side it was Tyler Eisenbraun, production manager; Matt Petersen, systems manager; and Jake Wragge, photographer.

The teens — all from Pierce — were Elizabeth Harris, daughter of Kathryn and Dana Harris; Gabe Behmer, son of Tom and Kris Behmer; and Justin Larson, son of Andrea Larson.

Up to the day of the challenge, the quickest the Pounder was eaten was 12 minutes.

On average, it takes customers about 20 minutes, Backus said. One customer even took three hours.

“One guy did it in three hours and then threw up. His wife did it in 40 minutes. They are very competitive,” Backus said. “He didn’t care how long it was going to take. He was going to eat it until it was done.”

Some of the contestants came ill-prepared. Gabe ate four doughnuts before taking on the challenge, while Wragge ate a full meal beforehand.

Of the six contestants, four finished — Eisenbraun, Petersen, Wragge and Justin, though that wasn’t easy.

Justin put the garbage can by him, just in case. He also stood by the bathroom door, taking deep breaths so he wouldn’t get sick.

Wragge struggled with his choice of syrups, which were chocolate, strawberry and cherry. He even poured water into his ice cream/syrup mixture to thin it out.

“This is the grossest thing I have eaten in my entire life,” Wragge said.

Petersen said he was good until he got to the bottom of the Pounder.

“The ice cream is OK,” Petersen said.

“That first cookie, you hit the wall and you’re like, ‘Whoa.’ ” But it was a breeze for Eisenbraun who set a new record at 7 minutes and 19 seconds.

The last two participants, Elizabeth and Gabe, couldn’t finish. But Gabe came close with just melted ice cream and his cookies.

Backus said she plans to keep the Pierce Pounder indefinitely because she likes creating a fun environment for her customers.

“I want to bring some fun interaction, a place for the kids to go, families to be able to go to and just have a good time,” Backus said. “It’s a fun, family place to be.”

Continued from Page 4— graduations, parties, dances, live theater and, later, movies with seating capacity for 900 people.

With dances, there were seats along the side of the dance floor and from the mezzanine, spectators could watch the dancers.

The west wall stage has a door leading to the outside bandstand balcony.

In the early days, local politicians could speak from the opera house balcony.

When Kreikemeier points to the center of the ballroom floor, one can see the markings of a basketball court.

“In the 1940s and before, this was a place for Snyder’s basketball games.

Basketball hoops were on the north and south walls,” Kreikemeier said. “A guy who used to play up here told me about the time the basketball rolled down the steps, out the door, all the way to the railroad track.

They had to stop the game until the basketball was brought back in.”

The building was built by the town founder Con-

COURTESY PHOTO

COLE KREIKEMEIER is tearing off the ceiling sheeting to repair the supporting rafters of the secondfloor outdoor bandstand at the former opera house in Snyder. In the pre-electric pre-automotive days of 1900, bands played from there for the people coming to town on Saturday nights. rad Schneider for $15,000 and continued in family ownership for several generations. In recent years, Kreikemeier purchased it to use for storage.

Once restored, it will house a museum of Snyder artifacts, including waterwell procurement devices, John Deere engines, fire

fighting and safety renovations that have come about through the efforts of local entrepreneurs in the Snyder community.

“There’s a lot of good stuff out there, and this would be the perfect place to preserve and display the town’s heritage,” he said.

PIERCE POUNDER CONTESTANTS Tyler Eisenbraun: 7 minutes, 19 seconds Matt Petersen: 14 minutes, 12 seconds Jake Wragge: 24 minutes, 34 seconds Elizabeth Harris: Didn’t finish Gabe Behmer: Didn’t finish Justin Larson: 35 minutes

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NORFOLK DAILY NEWS, MONDAY, AUGUST 22, 2016

Golf pro takes a swing at teaching the next generation

By ANDREA LARSON

alarson@norfolkdailynews.com

STANTON — From Stanton to Lincoln to the Dakota Dunes and back to Northeast Nebraska, Reed Schellen has taken one very important thing with him the whole way.

His love for the game of golf.

Schellen, the golf pro at Elkhorn Acres Golf Course in Stanton for the past two years, grew up in Stanton before getting his degree in professional golf management at the University of Nebraska-lincoln and becoming a PGA golf professional.

Formerly a golf pro at the Dakota Dunes Country Club, Schellen said he moved back to rural Norfolk with his wife, Erinn, and 8-month-old son Will in order to be closer to family.

Schellen said getting back to his hometown course has been great, and he has enjoyed the opportunity to run Elkhorn Acres the way he’s always wanted to see it done.

“I’m trying to generate interest and just have our trajectory increase every year. ... We have all of the amenities and offer the same stuff an 18-hole-course would, and actually more than in some area cities,” Schellen said.

In his quest to continuously improve the Stanton course, Schellen has recently implemented several new programs at the nine-hole facility, including a Junior Golf Academy.

The academy takes place on Mondays from 4 to 6 p.m. and provides golf instruction for kids in kindergarten through 12th grade. There are spring, summer and fall sessions, with the spring and fall sessions being completely free. The summer session is a paid golf instruction and camp to learn chipping, driving and putting.

“The academy is all about fundamentals, learning the game, etiquette. It’s a less-intimidating time for kids to

SARAH NOEL/DAILY NEWS

YOUNG GOLFERS work on their game during the Junior Golf Academy, under the instruction of golf pro Reed Schellen at the Elkhorn Acres Golf Course in Stanton. come out and actually get golf clubs in their hands. People who have never thought about playing golf can come out, and I’ll show them where the clubhouse is, tell them exactly what they need to do, where the counter is and how everything works at a golf course,” Schellen said.

Youths taking part in the academy are not required to have a parent to be a member of the golf course, and participants may be from Stanton or the surrounding area. ►Please see PRO, page 7

GET A TRUCK BUILT FOR FOLKS IN CENTRAL NEBRASKA

Restored tractor reinvigorates spirit

By NICK BENES

nbenes@norfolkdailynews.com

NELIGH — The pride and joy of Harlan Good drives through the Antelope County Fair every year.

It has for every year since “seven or eight years ago,” he said.

That’s when Good restored a 1944 John Deere Model A tractor that his father acquired brand new.

In the World War II era, not many tractors were built. A brass plate on the tractor has “A-26-44” on it, signifying that it was the 26th tractor manufactured that year.

A friend of his, Fred Noles, who operated John Deere dealerships in Clearwater and Neligh, said tractors with that type of nameplate are scarce.

“He told me that very few of them ever had that brass serial number on them,” Good said.

Since not many tractors were available due to the war, a drawing was held to determine who could buy the new tractors.

“It was a lottery deal,

“It was a lottery deal, and his number was drawn.

We had a sign out there for helping friends and neighbors with the tractor.”

HARLAN GOOD ON ACQUIRING HIS TRACTOR IN 1944.

and his number was drawn,” Good said. “We had a sign out there for helping friends and neighbors with the tractor.”

Good, who was 12 years old at the time, vividly recalled how much the tractor was used.

“At the time, it was a big tractor. We would pull the corn picker,” he said. “We farmed a section of land with it. But we wouldn’t ever rake hay with it. We had horses still for something like that. We wouldn’t waste fuel on something like that.”

At one point, Good’s father took out the magneto ►See TRACTOR, page 7

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Pro

Continued from Page 6—

The kids get PGA instruction and the chance to golf with other juniors as they are introduced to the game.

“We’re really proud of what we’re doing here.

Developing golfers is one

NORFOLK DAILY NEWS, MONDAY, AUGUST 22, 2016

of our main goals in the PGA. Right now the market in golfers has kind of plateaued ... but if you can get the kids out here, get them involved and get them excited about golf, they’re hopefully going to ask their parents to come out and go

golfing,” Schellen said.

The sport is as competitive or relaxing as the golfer wants it to be, and it’s an activity the whole family can enjoy, he said.

Young golfers not only learn how to play the game, but they also develop a mul-

titude of skills, etiquette and sportsmanship when they become golfers.

“They learn about personal responsibility and accountability. Golf is built on trust and honor and being able to call rules and penalties on yourself,” Schellen said.

The kids he instructs aren’t the only ones benefiting from the junior academy, Schellen said. He also feels great when he sees them taking even one thing away from a lesson.

“Getting (the kids) out here with their friends and other golfers, it’s just great to see. When the kids progress and take an interest in golf to where maybe they’ll be on the golf team in high school is great, but it’s also great to see them just out on the weekends with their parents or their friends. It’s such a bonus for me to see the progression and enjoy the entertainment for the kids,” Schellen said. *** Want to learn more?

Find out about the Junior Golf Academy and other programs, including Women’s Night and Couple’s Golf, at www.elkhorn acresgolf.com/ or on Facebook at Elkhorn Acres Golf Course.

JAKE WRAGGE/DAILY NEWS

REED SCHELLEN, golf pro at Elkhorn Acres Golf Course in Stanton, practices his putt on the green.

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NICK BENES/DAILY NEWS

HARLAN GOOD of Neligh gets his restored 1944 John Deere Model A tractor started at his farm northwest of Neligh.

Tractor

Continued from Page 6—

— similar to a distributor in a car motor. But the part subsequently was difficult to find.

“It sat in the feedlot,” said Good’s wife, Shirley.

Since it couldn’t run, the tractor sat for 38 years.

“My sister and I were in the shop, getting ready for a sale, and she came out from under the bench, and here was the magneto for the tractor,” Good said.

That gave him the impetus to restore the tractor. That Model A, and a John Deere 3020 that his father bought

►Please see TRACTOR, page 8

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NORFOLK DAILY NEWS, MONDAY, AUGUST 22, 2016

Tractor

Continued from Page 7—

brand new in 1966, were both restored, and both have made it to the Antelope County Fair since.

“I wish I had a dollar for every hour we spent on that thing,” Harlan said. “I would be a rich man.”

But it becomes obvious in visiting with the couple that riches can come from something other than dollars.

A frame has plenty of photos of the tractor, both before and after restoration. Even at 85 years old, and needing neighbor Paul Rudloff to come and help crank the tractor to start it, Harlan still gets a big smile when he’s behind the wheel.

“I love to drive that thing,” he said.

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NICK BENES/DAILY NEWS

85-YEAR-OLD Harlan Good of Neligh stands with a neighbor, Bryce Rudloff, next to his restored 1944 John Deere Model A tractor on his rural Neligh farm.

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NORFOLK DAILY NEWS, MONDAY, AUGUST 22, 2016

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Osmond has strong economic base

By MIKE BUHLER

mbuhler@norfolkdailynews.com

OSMOND — When people think of cities in Nebraska that have strong business and industrial bases, they might be surprised to see Osmond on that list.

They shouldn’t be.

Osmond, population 783, is the home of several strong businesses, including Big John Manufacturing, Aschoff Construction, West-Hodson Lumber, Lind & Gubbels Construction and LG Pumping — plus the Osmond General Hospital.

“We’re very fortunate,” Osmond Mayor James Bessmer said. “We’re fortunate to have the developers that we have.”

Aaron Gutz, who is part of the HOME Team of Osmond (HOME standing for Helping “We are very Osmond Mainproud of our tain Excellence), small-business echoes Bessowners. The mer’s sentiments.

“We are very community has proud of our been really forsmall-business tunate to have owners,” he said. people with “The commustrong entrepre- nity has been really fortunate to neurial skill set have people with work tirelessly strong entreprefor success.” neurial skill set AARON GUTZ work tirelessly HOME TEAM for success. Not only have they developed strong businesses for themselves and excellent employment for our community, but they also are very charitable, both financially to community organizations and with their time in developing young talent within and even in competing businesses.”

The lineup of businesses in Osmond includes health care, insurance, financial, retail, construction, manufacturing, agricultural service and supply, and local dealerships of international companies.

“We would also be wrong to forget the balance with local agriculture, as they continue to be partners in success to each other,” Gutz said.

At the heart of Osmond’s business and

MIKE BUHLER/DAILY NEWS

LOCATED ON Highway 20 in Pierce County, Osmond has a strong economic base despite having fewer than 800 residents.

BIG JOHN MANUFACTURING is one of many businesses located on State Street in Osmond that fuels the town’s economy.

MIKE BUHLER/DAILY NEWS

industrial community is State Street, the town’s version of Main Street (although there is a Main Street in Osmond). State Street is home base for Big John Manufacturing, Lind & Gubbels Inc. and West

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Hodson Lumber and Concrete. Dr. David Johnson also is a strong part of the Osmond community, and the presence of a local hospital is a big plus, too.

“We continually get positive comments

from other communities on the activity and appeal of our downtown district,” Gutz said. “We also have several businesses located along Highway 20 and Highway 121 that have expanded and are key contributors to the community.”

Gutz said he believes that among the keys to Osmond’s success in the business and industrial sectors are the local roots of many business and the community’s work ethic.

“The vast majority of businesses in the community grew up here, went to school here, and have come home to embody the challenge of owning and managing their own business,” Gutz said. “There is also an understanding that although hard work and intelligence is required, everyone down to the person will point to several others that directly contributed to their success and education in business.

“I definitely see a difference in the number of youth that hold demanding local jobs during the summer and their success following high school or college. Work ethic is instilled in us all when we are young.”

While Gutz does not make any claims to know the future, he is optimistic about the future of Osmond — and its business base.

“The future is difficult to predict, but the businesses that are here are rooted in the need for goods and services that have stood the test of time — health care, education, agriculture, construction, finance and manufacturing,” Gutz said. “The best attribute of people and businesses that wish to survive is the ability to adapt.

“Matching good people with respect to producing good products and service will continue to correlate to success. They will have to navigate many changes, including many will have to decide when and who to transition their business. The toughest challenge for the next generation is to remember that the success came from dedication, respect of each other, and the help of others.”

Bessmer said he believes that Osmond has just the right blend to be the strong community that it is.

“Osmond’s a unique community,” Bessmer said. “If something comes up that Osmond needs, there’s people out there that see to it that it’s done.”

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NORFOLK DAILY NEWS, MONDAY, AUGUST 22, 2016

Wayne museum: ‘A house full of memories’

By MARY PAT HOAG

THE WAYNE COUNTY MUSEUM, which dates to 1976, sits at the corner of Lincoln and Seventh streets in Wayne. The Victorianized colonial-style mansion was built from 1900 to 1902.

mhoag@norfolkdailynews.com

WAYNE — Walking into the stately Wightman-Ley mansion is like stepping into an early 1900s lifestyle.

W.C. Wightman, a physician, oversaw construction of the Victorianized colonialstyle house from 1900 to 1902. The cost was about $13,000.

In 1912, the Wightman family relocated to California with the home sold to banker Rollie W. Ley for about $6,000.

In 1976, Ley’s heirs donated the house to the Wayne County Historical Society for use as a museum. Two years later, the prominent house earned National Register of Historic Places status.

The non-air-conditioned mansion is available for tours Sunday afternoons from Memorial Day to Labor Day “unless it’s terribly hot,” said Lorita Tomkins of Wayne.

She serves as the Wayne County Historical Society secretary.

The group is committed to maintaining the history of the county through the preservation of and education about historical artifacts, with the museum a way of protecting and preserving Wayne County’s rich history.

Tomkins said, “The house is full of memories of bygone years.”

The museum is made “to look like an affluent family’s home at the turn of the 20th century,” Tomkins said. While “not the most opulent home,” it is opulent for that era, the rural Wayne native said.

MARY PAT HOAG/DAILY NEWS

The home was “very gracious” back in its day with its many distinctive details, Tomkins said. These include oak woodwork carvings above the windows and doorways; intricate parquet floors in four of the first-floor rooms; four marble coalburning fireplaces and 11 stained glass windows — all original to the house.

The house has two floors, plus a basement containing agricultural-related items and primitives, as well as the attic where early-day clothing and photographs are

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stored. Five bedrooms are on the second floor.

The furnishings — all donated — include a 36-starred U.S. flag; a desk designed for Wayne County for the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893; and a mantle clock used in the first Wayne County Courthouse at LaPorte. (LaPorte became the county seat in 1873, with the county seat moved to Wayne in 1883.)

A tour of the museum can be self-guided or a one-hour led tour. Area schoolchildren — primarily third- through fifth-graders — tour the museum to learn historical facts about the museum, as well as Wayne County history, Tomkins said.

Features of some of the rooms include: Main floor, reception hall — oak paneling, a courting corner and a built-in bookcase with curved glass doors; Front parlor — Now known as the music room with various instruments displayed, including four accordions, a zither, a violin and a parlor pump organ, as well as two Victrola phonographs.

Back parlor — The adjoining back parlor, which is like a family room, is furnished with a china hutch, fireplace, sewing machine, and a couch and chairs.

Dining room — Features a built-in china hutch. The communion set from the nowclosed Bethany Presbyterian Church, rural Carroll, sits on the hutch. Four missionstyle dining room chairs, donated by the Ley family and representing about 1912-15, surround the dining room table.

Kitchen — The items include a gas stove, a refrigerator purchased in 1926 (first electric refrigerator the home had), baby high chair, drop-leaf table, and displays of aprons and kitchen utensils.

Second floor, summer bedroom, now known as the military room — Houses memorabilia from several wars. Jim Davis, a 1953 Wayne High School graduate and four-star general living in Wayne, donated uniforms and items from his military career.

A special item is a 36-starred U.S. flag from 1866, prior to Nebraska becoming the 37th state the following year.

Wayne County room — An office-oriented setting. One of the typewriters on dis-

play is a double-keyed typewriter, allowing one to type both lowercase and uppercase letters without shifting.

Hired girl’s room — Bed covered with a quilt, as well as a straw-filled mattress that came to Wayne County via a covered wagon in 1870, as well as a cabinet filled with men’s items.

Another bedroom — Ladies’ apparel, including white muslin “open-air” bloomers from 1870, as well as boudoir items.

Nursery — Includes a baby bed, toys, doll buggy and children’s clothes, as well as an 1865 wicker cradle with netting.

Master bedroom — Contains an Eastlake bedroom set, an 1865 cradle, a 1900 porcelain pot, and a pitcher and bowl set.

Bathroom — features border tile, a clawfoot tub, pedestal sink and a pull-chain toilet.

Prior to the museum’s establishment in 1976, Tomkins said the nearby courthouse contained a museum room.

Tomkins joined the historical society in 1984, shortly after the flood of the museum in late 1983. A radiator had broken upstairs, Tomkins said, adding that the water came down through the house, washed sand out of the plaster, severely damaged the parquet floors and peeled wallpaper off the walls.

One hundred thousand gallons of water coursed through the water meter, Tomkins said, “and, of course, we didn’t have flood insurance so nothing was covered.”

From January through August 1984, many community volunteers came to the rescue and “helped with the restoration and cleanup work,” she said. “If not for them, I don’t know what we would have done.”

Today, there are only a handful of active historical society volunteers. The group seeks more members, especially younger members. ►Please see WAYNE, page 11

MARY PAT HOAG/DAILY NEWS

LORITA TOMKINS stands next to a Wayne County desk that was designed for the 1893 World Fair in Chicago.

Also shown is the intricately patterned parquet floor.

NORFOLK DAILY NEWS, MONDAY, AUGUST 22, 2016

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Honey business’ family ties provide sweet memories

By ERIN BELL

ebell@norfolkdailynews.com

RANDOLPH — There’s this photo.

Rick Dominisse can’t find it at the moment, but his eyes light up when he talks about it.

It’s of his father, who has since died. In it, he’s standing in front of a truck he used when he started Dominisse Honey Farms in 1941.

Rick now owns the honey production and sales company in Randolph, so he re-enacted his father’s photo three months ago with his wife, Karen.

He’d like to blow up the photo of his father to hang in his office, ideally to display side-by-side with the re-enactment.

To Rick, those photos represent an important part of Dominisse Honey Farms, now in its 75th year.

Family.

And it’s a family who has been a part of Randolph history.

Whether you’re visiting Randolph or just Randolph’s city website, you’ll see bees.

One of Randolph’s signs is decorated with a bee, as is Randolph’s home webpage, which is furthermore accompanied by the phrase “A great place to bee!”

Randolph even used to have a Honey Fest.

Why? Randolph — a town of less than 1,000 — was once known as the “Honey Capital of the Nation” based upon the per capita number of beekeeping family businesses located here in the mid-1900s.

“The reason this area was so good is that it was fertile, and there was so much sweet clover back in the day — sweet clover and then alfalfa,” Rick said.

The plants were good honey makers for bees.

“Now, there aren’t many bees here because of the farmers,” he said. “Farming has kind of taken out a lot of the acres that the bees would use.”

That could be part of the reason the beekeeping businesses began to disappear at Randolph.

But whatever factors contributed, Dominisse Honey Farms seems to be one of the last honey producers left in town, and probably the last bee-keeping business that started in the 1900s.

Rick’s father began his work in honey production when he took a job with Kuhl Apiaries. The business was run by brothers Dave, Al and Frank Kuhl and located east of Randolph.

The Kuhl brothers had connections with Miller Honey Company in California, which supplied bees

ERIN BELL/DAILY NEWS

RICK DOMINISSE, who owns Dominisse Honey Farms Inc., with his wife, Karen, inserts sealed frames of honey into a machine that cuts the seal off. His honey production company was started in the 1940s by his father during the time period Randolph had the title of “Honey Capital of the Nation.” to the Midwest in the summers.

In the winters, the workers from Kuhl Apiaries went to California to reproduce colonies.

Rick’s dad was one of those workers, making the trip to the West Coast at the age of 19.

He doesn’t know his father’s

Wayne

whole story.

“You never ask all the questions growing up,” Rick said.

But he does know that it was his dad’s connections with the Kuhls that helped him — and many other Randolph residents — start his own honey production

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In addition to freewill donations given when touring the museum, it also relies on annual fundraisers.

The Friends of Wayne County Museum stages two rotating fundraisers, either a Christmas tour of homes in December or a gala in the museum with volunteers decorating each room for the holiday. This year’s gala will be the evening of Saturday, Nov. 19.

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company.

“They leased,” Rick said. “They all leased (their bees).”

After leasing for several decades, Rick’s father bought his bees in 1963.

Rick and his brother, Gary, would take over the business in 1975, after having helped with the business for several years.

Rick grew up around bees.

“At 9 years old, we were in the bee yards,” he said.

The “we” is referring to not only Gary, but also Rick’s sister.

They were put to work, Rick said, but they always had fun.

“It was fun to go out there with your dad as a kid,” he said. “ … It was always a relaxed atmosphere in our extracting (honey).”

Gary and Rick carried on the tradition by getting their own families involved when they took over.

Their children grew up working in the warehouse, where they extract honey, as well as the bee yards.

Even Karen — who when they were married said, “there’s no way I’ll work with those (darn) bees” — came around.

“But it took about five years,” Karen said.

Rick now leases bees again. He ►Please see HONEY, page 13

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SHOWN IN THE reception hall of the Wightman-Ley mansion are a baby carriage from 1890, an intricate parquet floor, a hot water radiator and two stained glass windows.

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NORFOLK DAILY NEWS, MONDAY, AUGUST 22, 2016

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13-A

COURTESY IMAGE

THIS IS THE replica of a tow truck that Garrett Russman of Country Welding in Wisner took on for a customer. It’s an example of the artistic side of the business.

Fabrication one of many talents on display at Country Welding Special to the Daily News

WISNER — Have a breakdown and can’t find the part? The place to go is Country Welding in Wisner.

Looking for some place with artistic talent to make decorative items?

Country Welding might just be the place for that, too.

Wyatt Russman and his crew are not only expert welders but also occasionally create needed machinery parts.

Fabrication is just one of their talents.

Russman and his father, Mark, each hold a degree in welding. Wyatt’s twin brother, Garrett, and Troy Bales and Chuck Lierman, round out the workforce at the business. The reality is that probably any project requested of them can be done.

Bales, for example, specializes in building box scrapers. The box scraper is a popular item locally and throughout the United States. Mark Russman is proficient at constructing gates, continuous fencing panels, cattle scratchers and bale feeders, while

Honey

Continued from Page 11—

has about 2,400 hives At its peak, Dominisse Honey Farms ran about 4,000 hives. During that time, Rick and Gary — who got out of the business about 16 years ago — would take the hives to Texas in the winter to grow their colonies.

Now that Rick is on his own and getting closer to retirement, he just keeps hives in Nebraska and North Dakota and extracts honey with the help of local workers.

“We’re family, we own it, but we’ve hired hundreds of high school kids, you know, guys, gals, locals around town come in and help ex-

Lierman is adept in overall welding and operative knowledge.

Some other business items Country Welding has made are custom-built livestock facilities, seed tenders, workbenches and a huge smoker/cooker.

The two twin brothers’ artistic talent shine through when making decorative items. A business sign and step railings are examples of Wyatt’s work that can be seen at Simple Pleasures Salon, east of Wisner on Highway 275.

They also have made replicas of farm equipment and of an airboat that the two young men had made previously. Wall decorations, fire pits and lawn and garden ornaments are some other items they have made. Nancy Bruning is one of their satisfied customers.

She brought in a photograph of her late husband’s tow truck. She asked them to make a detailed replica of it for a memorial.

Garrett Russman took on the job.

The result? Bruning said it was amazing.

tract,” he said. “There are a lot of people in town that have worked bees.”

Once the honey is extracted, which is normally ready to be done after July 4, it’s shipped all around the United States. The Dominisses sell to a middle man, who packages the honey to sell to companies like Nabisco.

They also sell raw honey to locals.

Their honey comes in different varieties, including sweet clover, alfalfa and soybean.

“This is what they use for people with allergies,” Karen said. “This is the way they should eat it, raw like this, not out of a gro-

cery store.”

She said some people won’t buy honey from anyone else.

But Dominisse Honey Farms won’t be around forever, Rick said. His children have pursued other careers, so once Karen and Rick decide to retire, the business will, too.

Still, the company has had a good run in the once “Honey Capital of the Nation.”

And the Dominisses are proud of it.

“The proudest thing is that this has been in the family,” Rick said. “I know it would mean a lot to our dad, if he was around, that we are still doing it.”

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NORFOLK DAILY NEWS, MONDAY, AUGUST 22, 2016

Meadow Grove welcoming community

By SHERYL SCHMECKPEPER living@norfolkdailynews.com

MEADOW GROVE — Andy Bossard and Bill Osborn probably could have been doing something other than covering a concrete pillar with bricks on a recent hot summer day.

But they didn’t mind doing their part to create a new sign welcoming visitors to the village of Meadow Grove, located just 15 miles west of Norfolk.

According to the Tilden Meadow Grove Community Foundation’s website, Meadow Grove was named by officials with the Fremont and Missouri Valley Railroad because of its proximity to a meadow to the west and a cottonwood grove of trees to the south.

Perry Lewis, a settler who SHERYL SCHMECKPEPER/DAILY NEWS migrated from New York, homesteaded the site as a timber claim BILL OSBORN of Tilden applies brick to a new “welcome to Meadow Grove” sign that was erectin 1868. ed this summer. The sign was a project of the Tilden-Meadow Grove Community Foundation.

Later, Lewis gave away lots to those who would build and start Foundation. Its goal is to improve issue that Tilden and Meadow area, we are hopeful that it will.

Meadow Grove’s quality of life Grove voters recently approved.

Elkhorn Valley Schools is a great a new business.

The $17 million proposal calls school district,” Tegeler said.

In the early years, Meadow which, in turn, will encourage “This building project is proof Grove was visited by trains trav- people and businesses to move for an addition for grades seven eling east and west. Farmers there — a phenomenon Ross to 12 to be built onto the existing to anyone looking to move to the K-6 building in Tilden. area that we are a school district bought and sold goods there and Tegeler has experienced.

He and his wife, Kirby, relooked to the community for enIt also calls for demolition supportive of education and willturned to the area in June of of the old grades 7-12 build- ing to go the extra mile to give tertainment and activities.

Although the population never 2013. The couple have two boys, ings that were built in 1913 and our children the best learning ages 6 and 3.

1922, along with demolition of environment possible.” exceeded 500, Meadow Grove residents have the town bustled “Family is two metal buildings built in the The foundation is an with life. very important 1960s. Funds also will be used to more to celebrate than the instalto both of us,” renovate a building constructed lation of a new sign and approval There’s not as affiliate of the Neof improvements to the schools.

Ross Tegeler in 1987. much activity in braska Community “As the communities of Members of the community said. “We are Meadow Grove Foundation. Its goal is both from the Meadow Grove and Tilden are foundation are raising money for today as there Tilden and connected, a progressive school projects that will benefit the two was 100 years to improve Meadow Meadow Grove helps keep a community thriv- communities. ago, but the vil- Grove’s quality of life communities ... ing. Schools remain the focal lage still offers which, in turn, will enSo far, they’ve purchased and were deeply point of our communities, sup- playground equipment for the amenities and courage people and motivated to try porting our families in addition towns’ parks, have funded an quality of life not to return to the to businesses, organizations and infrastructure study of downfound in larger businesses to move there. area to raise our churches,” Tegeler said. communities. town Tilden and scholarships for children close to The new school may offer graduating high school students, That is why their grandpar- other benefits. For instance, erected the welcome sign outthe Tilden-Meadow Grove Community Founda- ents and other family members. there is hope it will encourage side of Tilden and created a website, which is TMGcommunity tion chose to erect the welcome In addition, there were great job economic development. opportunities for us here.” sign on the east end of town.

“While the intention of the foundation.org.

The foundation is an affiliThe Tegelers’ children will school building project was not Funds are raised through priate of the Nebraska Community benefit from the school bond solely to entice people to the vate donations and events.

Love of beauty, color expressed in expansive garden beds

By TAMMY MARSHALL

regional@norfolkdailynews.com

ORCHARD — For nine months of every year, Mary Pfanstiel of rural Orchard can be found teaching K-12 art at Neligh-Oakdale Public Schools.

But during the summer months, Pfanstiel spends as much time, if not more, in her flower gardens every day as she does in the classroom during a typical school day.

Pfanstiel’s love of beauty and color — along with her expressive side — come across in the numerous flower beds dotting her expansive yard. Mary She estimates Pfanstiel that she spends of rural Orbetween six to eight hours each chard devotday tending to ed 25 years her flowers. to her rural Looking at home and her yard, one its yard. sees an abundance of tiger lilies. Pfanstiel calls them a “hardy” flower that goes well with her approach to gardening.

“I’m a perennial, hardy, survive-onyour-own gardener,” she said.

She’s devoted 25 years to her rural home and its yard.

The house was built in 1959 by her paternal grandparents, Pete and Darlene Cooper, and it sits three miles south of Orchard directly across from her parents’ farm where she grew up.

Her parents, Jim and Yvonne Cooper, still farm that land, and they own land near Ewing and north of Grove Lake.

Pfanstiel graduated from Orchard Public Schools and moved away from the area long enough to get a couple of college degrees and her teacher’s certificate. She spent her first year of teaching in Bellevue as the elementary art consultant there.

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Garden Continued from Page 14—

levue, but “I covered 12 elementary schools, so I might see 700-1,000 students every week.” Because of that, she added, “I never formed that rapport with the students and the staff.”

When the Neligh-Oakdale art position opened, she saw it as the perfect opportunity to reconnect with her family in the area. She also knew her grandparents’ house was available since both of them had passed away, and the house had been sitting empty for a few years.

What she loves most about living in the country near Orchard is “the simplicity of life. Everything seems to be toned down a notch.” She has also really enjoyed being around to watch her nephews and nieces grow up.

What she enjoys most about teaching in a small PHOTOS BY TAMMY MARSHALL/CORRESPONDENT town is the connection she THE EXTENSIVE flower gardens make the home of Mary and Tim Pfanstiel of gets to make with her sturural Orchard a colorful oasis in the rural countryside. She is the art teacher with dents over the years.

Neligh-Oakdale Schools but spends her summer months focused on her garden- “Being a K-12 teacher, I can see the progression ing projects. of students over the years.

After teaching someone for 12 years, he becomes more than a student to me,” she said. “I get to watch the stu►See GARDEN, page 16

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Bloomfield garden helps residents grow in faith, fellowship

By LINDA WUEBBEN

regional@norfolkdailynews.com

BLOOMFIELD — Christ Memorial Methodist Church here invites all local residents to take advantage of the community garden that is thriving where its old parsonage used to stand.

“We like to feed ourselves, and we want to make sure others get fed, too,” Ken Gill said with a laugh.

A longtime member, Gill supervises the garden along with Jack Sazama.

“About three years ago, all the pastors in Bloomfield started talking about having a community garden,” said Trudy Hanke.

As pastor of Christ Memorial, she struggled with other church leaders for an idea of where to put it. They all recognized the need.

“One Sunday late in May, a group stood visiting after church, looking to the south at the empty lot. It hit us, right here is a good spot,”

Hanke said.

Church members got busy planning, and it wasn’t long, behold a small garden was growing.

Hanke said the garden is open to anyone to weed, help harvest the vast array vegetables grown in its fences or taste the bountiful results. Gill and Sazama coordinate the efforts but have never had to spend any church funds for seeds or plants.

Residents drop off donations, including money that comes in handy when hoses were needed or fencing had to be raised to keep the furry friends from eating the tender new plants.

The church community is grateful for the FFA chapter at the high school, which raises plants in a greenhouse as part of classroom training and donates whatever is left at season’s end.

This year the garden started with 65 tomato ►See FAITH, page 16

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NORFOLK DAILY NEWS, MONDAY, AUGUST 22, 2016

Garden

Faith

dent grow as an artist and as a person. I like seeing their personalities grow with them.”

Fourteen years ago, she married Tim Pfanstiel, an Osmond native who owned a body shop in Orchard when she met him. Three years ago, he started working as a janitor at the school in Orchard. Over the years, he has helped Mary redo parts of their house, and he has put on an addition and a large deck.

Pfanstiel’s favorite place, though, when she’s at home in the summer is her gardens. Anyone traveling down the county road south of Orchard will easily spot those gardens’ vibrant flowers.

plants and 20 pepper plants along with potatoes, cauliflower and broccoli plants.

Along the way the garden kept getting bigger. This year it measures 50 feet by 140 feet, the size of the lot, and it is covered from end to end. The Bloomfield School custodians haul all of the grass clippings to the garden for Gill and Sazama to spread and other residents do the same.

“We invite people to pick what they need for a day or two, or the same for a neighbor, but we like to see the vegetables spread out,” Hanke said.

At week’s end, the vegetables are picked and are available after worship services so nothing spoils in the garden. Nothing ever spoils after it’s picked either.

The week’s harvest also is spread out to the elderly in the city’s apartments and assisted living and also the low income housing facility. Many of those residents are former gardeners and are appreciative of the fresh vegetables to supplement their daily meals.

The 126-year-old church also houses the Knox County Pantry, which offers a box of assorted non-perishable canned items to those in need and a mobile food pantry.

“We are here to provide proof of the loving generosity of God, and if people learn to know God because of it, we have done our job,” Hanke said.

Continued from Page 15—

Continued from Page 15—

“

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YANKTON, S.D. (AP) — With a project as arduous as moving an entire museum’s worth of artifacts to another location, that museum needs all of the help it can get. Yankton’s Dakota Territorial Museum recently got some needed assistance.

Independent conservationist Terri Schindel of Estes Park, Colo., visited the museum late last month to help prepare some of the museum’s more fragile artifacts for the move to the Mead Building. This included sewing protective nets onto very old and worn flags and onto a dress worn by a lady-in-waiting for Great Britain’s Queen Victoria. Schindel’s area of expertise is textiles.

Museum director Crystal Nelson said she was grateful for the extra assistance.

“Terri is not only helping us get ready for the move, but is also doing a basic assessment of what the items

“When we get to the new facility, we want to do a better job taking care of the collection pieces, so we won’t have them on display all the time.”

CRYSTAL NELSON YANKTON’S DAKOTA TERRITORIAL MUSEUM DIRECTOR

will need before it goes on exhibit so we don’t have to take it out and revisit it again before then,” she said.

“We don’t want to potentially damage it more than we have to.”

Schindel also assisted with training museum workers and volunteers about cleaning, rehousing and preparation work for the move, as well as how to package textile items.

“The volunteers have done basic level training with me and advanced training with Terri,” Nelson said. “They’re working on their projects, and Terri’s helping them so they can keep working on them.”

The textiles they were working on, like the 36-star flag created in either the 1860s or 1870s, will most likely be in storage for several years before being unpackaged. This is due to what museum space will be available before and after the move, though Nelson hopes to eventually use it in an exhibit.

“When we get to the new facility, we want to do a better job taking care of the collection pieces, so we won’t have them on display all the time,” she said.

“They will go on a rotation basis so they can have some rest and recovery between their exhibition times.” ►Please see MOVE, page 17

NORFOLK DAILY NEWS, MONDAY, AUGUST 22, 2016

Move

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Continued from Page 16—

Schindel’s presence was secured through an Institute of Museum and Library Services grant the museum received in 2014.

She will eventually return to help prepare more artifacts for the move as part of the grant.

She has also helped the museum apply for federal grants in the past.

Schindel, who graduated from conservation school in 1988, has worked as a conservator of the U.S. Army in Washington, D.C., and the Buffalo Bill Historical Center in Cody, Wyo. She currently travels throughout South Dakota, North Dakota, Wyoming, Colorado and Montana to help various museums with their conservation projects.

“I teach people in small, rural and tribal museums collection care and conservation,” she said.

She enjoys learning the history of the artifacts she works on.

“Our ancestors kept the most important things to them, and almost all those items end up in local history THE ASSOCIATED PRESS museums,” she said. “Local history is where you find the CRYSTAL NELSON and Terri Schindel sew a protective net onto a 36-star flag that previously flew at the A.F. Hayworth house in Yankton, S.D. Schindel was in Yankton helping the Dakota Territorial Museum package artifacts in preparation of the move to the Mead Building. really amazing artifacts.”

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Achieving greatness Childhood goals still motivating young man in ring

By CALYN DUNKLAU

cdunklau@norfolkdailynews.com

WINSIDE — The passion and dedication to high school wrestling in this Wayne County community may be unmatched anywhere else.

Photos, plaques and trophies adorn the wall of champions in Winside High School’s front hallway before entering the gym. It was that wall that lit a fire in Kassius Kayne (whose real name is Kassius Holdorf).

The goal was to make it there.

“I loved it, and I was pretty good,” Kayne said of wrestling as a kid. “I won almost every tournament as a kid, and even up into junior high, I was always winning and competing.”

Eventually, the competition got stiffer. Trying to cut weight to 119 pounds wasn’t in the cards, but moving to 130 didn’t work out

AN EXPANSION PROJECT at St. John’s Lutheran School in Battle Creek has kept workers busy this summer in moving the project forward.

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►Please see RING, page 20

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NORFOLK DAILY NEWS, MONDAY, AUGUST 22, 2016

COURTESY PHOTO

KASSIUS KAYNE connects a hit with a recent opponent in the ring on July 16. Kayne, who graduated from Winside, credits the small town with shaping his championship goals.

Ring Continued from Page 19—

COURTESY PHOTO

well either during his freshman year in high school. He couldn’t beat out the Winside variety wrestler at that weight so it became his motivation.

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KASSIUS KAYNE crouches near a state wrestling “I really pushed myself trophy. Kayne wrestled through his childhood and into to get better. Winside has a high school where he made it to state several times. reputation for having good wrestlers,” he said.

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Due to some near misses, Kayne wasn’t able to earn a gold medal at the state wrestling meet while in high school, but it never detered him from the sport.

He went on to wrestle at a junior college in Minnesota for a while. Later, when Kayne moved back to Winside, he kept in contact with a college friend who had gotten into mixed martial arts fighting. “(He) had a fight and invited me, so I drove up to see him fight in Sioux Falls.

He won, and at the end he asked me if it was something I would like to do,” Kayne said.

Kayne’s answer included something about working a lot and not having a whole lot of extra time. But when he received a phone call a week later about it, he decided to give it a try.

Having only four weeks to train for his first fight was a challenge in itself, and paired with Kayne’s lack of experience — Kayne had little knowledge of boxing, for example — it seemed to be a tall order.

And his family agreed.

“When my family heard, they tried to talk me out of it. I got calls from my grandparents asking me not do do it, also my uncle, but they couldn’t change my mind. This was something I wanted, so I did it,” he said.

He trained the way he did during wrestling season and felt he was ready by the time the fight rolled around.

In the ballroom of a Brookings, S.D., hotel, Kayne won his first MMA fight in the second round by TKO, or technical knockout.

He hadn’t even returned home before receiving a phone call from a manager.

“He said he saw my fight and wanted to get me on one of his shows,” Kayne said.

From there, things have been a whirlwind.

After checking out the gyms in Omaha the manager suggested, Kayne began fighting as an amateur. His record hit 17-3 prior to his moving to the professional ranks. Currently, his pro record is 8-3.

Kayne had the opportunity to fight for a welterweight title on July 16, but lost by decision.

“I can’t let a loss slow me down,” Kayne said. “You have to keep working and getting better and training.

My overall goal within the next five years is to be active in the UFC and working toward becoming a world champion.”

Until he physically can’t do it anymore, Kayne’s plans for a championship belt stay at the forefront of his mind — along with those who are backing him the whole way.

“I gain new friends and new fans after every fight.

That pushes me to go as hard as I can and to never give up until I physically can’t go anymore,” he said.

He gives credit to Winside, not only for helping to mold his dreams of being a champion, but also for the support he receives.

“People who know me tell me all the time how much they love to support me in what I do. That pushes me harder. To come from a place where not a lot of people know the town, let alone a person from there, and to have grown up in that town — to be chasing my dreams and have the support of family and friends from the community of Winside is such a special thing,” he said.

JAKE WRAGGE/DAILY NEWS

THE HALL OF CHAMPIONS, shown here, is a collection of state trophies, photos and plaques with names and records in Winside’s school. The wall caught Kayne’s attention as a child, and he became determined to have his own photo and record on it.

NORFOLK DAILY NEWS, MONDAY, AUGUST 22, 2016

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Tilden rolls out welcome mat with patriotism

By TOM BEHMER

tbehmer@norfolkdailynews.com

TILDEN — Passing through a small, rural community isn’t often met with pomp or circumstance.

For a group of American Legion Riders making the trek from Norfolk to O’Neill on a recent Thursday afternoon, that wasn’t the case.

In fact, they were met with both as they passed through this town of just under 1,000 that sits on the western edge of Madison County — a stone’s throw from neighboring Antelope County.

Escorting the Remembering Our Fallen traveling memorial as it ventured for display in O’Neill, the Legion Riders were met by several members of the community.

The fire department adorned one of the two trucks that welcomed the riders with a U.S. flag, while both flashed their lights. Police Chief Bob Petersen did the same with his cruiser, and an ambulance sat across Highway

275 with lights flashing atop its white, blue and red body.

Representatives of the Tilden American Legion Auxiliary waved flags to honor the riders, as well as the fallen Nebraska soldiers represented by the memorial, and other community members either stood alongside the highway or sat in their cars — some honking their horns — as the group drove through town.

Down the street from the auxiliary members, a group of young girls also waved flags with the riders waving and honking to show their appreciation.

Barb Eggers, representing the auxiliary, was one of the first people lined up to watch the processional.

She remembers when, shortly after its creation in 2010, Tilden hosted the traveling memorial — created to honor soldiers who have fallen following the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001 — in conjunction with the town’s annual ►See TILDEN, page 23

TOM BEHMER/DAILY NEWS

MEMBERS OF THE Legion Riders escort the Remembering Our Fallen memorial through Tilden last month.

The memorial was being taken to O’Neill for display.

‘Shell Creek summers’ a Newman Grove tradition

By MARCELLA MERCER

mmercer@norfolkdailynews.com

NEWMAN GROVE — John Johnson remembers spending summers splashing in Shell Creek. Back then, the skinny stream that meanders around here still had shells in it, too.

The farmer has lived his entire life next to the waterway, which drains into the Platte River, but it doesn’t look anything like when he was younger.

Since 1988, complaints of fish kills in the creek have attracted the attention of groups from the Lower Platte North Natural Resources District to law enforcement. The water pooled cloudy and pungent in some places, and streamed by with contaminants where it flowed.

In the 1990s, officials said the stream had become too polluted to support much, if any, fish. By 1999, locals formed the Shell Creek Watershed Improvement Group to understand and combat the area’s soil erosion, flooding and diminished water quality.

The speculation for decades has been that someone’s illegally dumping livestock manure into the creek, although run-off from farms and eroded soil could also be slipping into the water and adding to the problem.

But despite the efforts of several govern-

In the fall, the students present their findings to the public and the program’s sponsors, who use the information to monitor the creek and as a factor in regulatory policies for the waterway. mental agencies, the source of the contamination has never been confirmed.

Now, hardly anyone goes near the water.

That’s why when Johnson spies the Newman Grove Public Schools van pulled over on a gravel road near the creek, it’s worth stopping for. Students amble around, each with a job to do, taking notes on clipboards, dragging nets through the creek while wearing forest-green waders and stashing old juice jugs filled with murky water in the van.

Johnson rolls down the window of his white truck, cornstalks wedged in his grill from being in the field, and calls over Mark Seier, a science teacher at the school.

“Checking the water?” Johnson asks.

The “Shell Creek summers,” as some call them, have been a Newman Grove tradition ►Please see CREEK, page 22

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NORFOLK DAILY NEWS, MONDAY, AUGUST 22, 2016

Creek

Continued from Page 21—

for 15 years.

For two days each month from May to August, around 20 students — or nearly half of the high school — have collected samples and measurements to determine the water quality of the Shell Creek watershed. Back in the school science lab, they spend more days performing and analyzing the tests.

In the fall, the students present their findings to the public and the program’s sponsors, who use the information to monitor the creek and as a factor in regulatory policies for the waterway.

At the request of the watershed improvement group, students began testing the creek in 2002 under the guidance of Seier and another teacher, Gene Wissenburg.

The goal was to gather information about the creek’s water quality and spread awareness about the waterway in the community.

With the funding of local organizations, the Newman Grove Public Schools science department recruited volunteers and dove right in.

The first year was dedicated to finding macroinvertibrates, organisms that have different levels of sensitivity to problems in water quality.

The next year, the group began chemical studies to determine the creek’s Water Quality Index, a score based on nine tests to determine whether the water quality ranges from “very bad” to “excellent.”

In general, their results have shown the creek’s water falling into the fair to medium range.

Over the years, the program evolved, gathering more volunteers. It expanded to test Beaver Creek to provide a comparison for the Shell Creek results. And since the water quality often took a dip with more rain, a flood study was added at the request of the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality in 2007.

Farther south, the water is also tested by Schuyler Central High School, although watershed monitoring hasn’t caught on elsewhere in the area.

“I think this would be a great way to teach citizen science,” Seier said. “Every school in the state belongs to a watershed.”

Currently, Seier only works part time at the school, but he still oversees the testing with the help of science teacher Danielle Amen and agricultural teacher Kylie Sweeter.

At this point, though, Seier watches more than he instructs. As about 15 students arrive in the science classroom at 8 a.m. on July 20, most of them know what to do to get ready for the day.

To participate in the project, students have to be at least a sophomore, and sometimes people even return to test a year or two after graduating.

“The great thing about this, is that the older kids really take ownership,” Seier said.

When he asks the group if they have any questions or concerns before heading out, he’s met with silence for a moment.

Sixteen-year-old Levi Krueger drums

►Please see CREEK, page 23

MARCELLA MERCER/DAILY NEWS

HENRY RAMAEKERS, MARK Seier and Jacob Potmesil measure the flow of a testing site in the Shell Creek near Newman Grove.

Our website will automatically adapt to whatever size screen you are viewing. Whether a full-sized computer, smartphone, tablet or Smart TV. The redesigned site also will feature, for the first time, easy links and access to websites of Norfolk radio stations WJAG, 106 Kix and Lite Rock 97.5.

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NORFOLK DAILY NEWS, MONDAY, AUGUST 22, 2016

Creek

Tilden

Continued from Page 22—

his hands on the desk where he’s sitting.

“Let’s do this,” he says, and the rest of the classroom chatters as they spring up and head to the vans. With six sites to test, they students split into two groups, Seier’s van heading north and Sweeter’s to the south.

Kreueger’s one of those clad in waders, ready for getting in the water.

His favorite class is biology, so it makes sense that he’d be interested in the program. But his father also is a farmer, and if what the group learns about the creek is important to his dad, then it’s important to him, too, he said.

People want to know what’s draining out of their fields and into the water.

Down in the creek, he’s discovered a buffalo skull, a geocache and a basketball. Yet there’s also been signs of life, like fish and even a turtle last year.

“It’s a fun-filled environment where we learn a lot of things,” he said. “It’s so much better than being in a classroom.”

Hannah Haase is checking off her third summer at Shell Creek.

For many students, coming to the test site has to be crammed into busy schedules. On other days, Haase works as a lifeguard, ambulance technician and at an agricultural business.

She likes working with the chemicals and plugging the numbers though, so she makes time for the program. Besides, it’s an excuse to hang out with her classmates.

“It’s also the social aspect of it all. You get to be around all your friends and it’s fun,” she said.

In a couple of years, Seier’s thinking of retiring and passing along leadership of the project to other teachers.

For now though, he’ll continue on with the monitoring. Tagging along with the group on that Wednesday was one of Seier’s greatest motivations for continuing the project, a

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Continued from Page 21— Prairie Days celebration..

And while it won’t be there for the annual community festival at the end of the month, Eggers appreciates the approach founder Bill Williams of Omaha takes when planning and coordinating the memorial’s tour of the state.

“They usually try and coordinate with a town festival,” Eggers said, “so lots of people can view it.”

Area residents have several chances to view it through the remainder of the year.

It was at the Cherry County Fair in Valentine between Tuesday, Aug. 9, and Sunday, Aug. 14.

It will then visit several other communities before making its final stop in the area when it will be housed at a site to be determined in West Point for nearly two weeks beginning Oct. 17.

MARCELLA MERCER/DAILY NEWS

CODY NELSON HANDS Payton Nelson a jug full of water from the Shell Creek near Newman Grove for use in tests to determine the creek’s water quality. red-haired, 9-year-old boy. Earlier in the day, Henry Ramaekers said he was going to repurpose one of the nets used to capture macroinvertebrates to catch Pokemon, but he understands his grandfather’s purpose at the waterway.

“I’m working for the day when my grandkids can go back and safely play in the creek,” Seier said.

As he drives, Seier passes one of six highway signs put up last year featuring designs by students to promote the watershed.

He hopes the attention the school’s brought to the creek might have discouraged people from continuing to contaminate it. But it’s not the school’s job to figure out

the reasons behind the pollution, he said.

“We’re here to figure out what it is, and someone else will figure out why,” he said. “We’re not pointing blame.”

People have noticed the group’s efforts though. Students have garnered enough awards, letters from senators and medals to line the bottom shelf of a small trophy case in the school’s entryway. The program’s been utilized for science fair entries and FFA projects, and it’s also been a key factor in several scholarships students have received.

“They feel like they’re accomplishing something,” Seier said.

It seems like they are. In recent years, Seier said the data appears to indicate that the water quality is improving.

When Haase started calculating WQI numbers last year, she could hardly believe the results.

“I ran to Mr. Seier, like ‘Oh, my gosh, we don’t have any bads this year!’ ” she said.

The better measurements aren’t conclusive of anything, and the creek is still far from being safe.

But the group is optimistic.

“There’s never been a creek of not-safe water made so you can swim in it,” Kreuger said. “It’d be nice if we could be the first ones to change that.”

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