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OUR NEXT ECONOMY
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THE NORTH PLATTE TELEGRAPH
Young people building future of North Platte The city is full of quality folk under 35 years of age By HEATHER JOHNSON
Brandon Raby
hjohnson@nptelegraph.com
At 33 years old, Brandon Raby is at war with yesterday — yesterday’s stereotype that skateboarding is for delinquents and that business owners should be older than 35. He is the owner of North Platte’s first and only skateboard store, Caravan Skate Shop. He’s also helping to spearhead the construction of a new skate park with the organization Skate to Create to give people another activity option. Raby is hoping the park will give artistic people a place to gather and help dispel some of the current myths about the sport he’s passionate about.
The key to progress is the people behind it. In the past year, The North Platte Telegraph has set out to find 35 individuals under 35 who are bucking the trend of leaving rural areas after they graduate from high school. Not only have those featured moved to North Platte, they’ve also proven they’re a force to be reckoned with when it comes to shaping business, education and volunteerism within the community. They are a good indicator of potential progress in the town. Here are the 21 featured so far — in them lies the future.
Brock and Emily Wurl It’s the same walk, from one end of the campus to the other, repeated each year on Homecoming. Brock Wurl, 29, popped the question to Emily, 30, now his wife, on the campus of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln on Homecoming in 2003, and the couple
married in August 2004. Each fall, they make the pilgrimage to Lincoln to take that same stroll they made the day they were engaged, a tradition they hope to continue until they’re old. The couple, both graduates of North Platte High School, moved back to North Platte in 2010 after Brock graduated from law school at UNL. Brock now works for Norman, Paloucek and Herman Law Offices in North Platte and Emily is a part-time recruiter for Mid-Plains Community College. Moving back to North Platte has allowed the couple to get involved with the community, including work re-starting the Fel-
lowship of Christian Athletes at NPHS and the Fifth Quarter during football season. They are both active at Bethel Evangelical Free Church, and this year Brock was involved with the James O’Rourke Triathlon.
Kris Rosenthal Kris Rosenthal, 26, works as a firefighter and paramedic for the North Platte Fire Department. He was one of three people from the agency honored in September for bravery in the line of duty after defusing a potentially deadly hostage situation. A native of North Platte, Rosenthal’s career as a lifesaver began at the North Platte Recreation Center. He worked as a lifeguard there — alongside brothers Justin and Ryan Thompson, who now also work for the fire department.
Christine Pfortmiller Christine Pfortmiller, 28, makes a living selling handcrafted accessories through her own Internetbased business, while balancing a marriage and four children under the age of 8. Pfortmiller’s mom taught her how to crochet when she was 12, and she began creating hats and scarves during college. She started selling her creations on the Internet and going to craft shows in 2007. In 2009, Pfortmiller began Pedestrian Designs. She makes her own patterns for her hats and purchases only fair-trade wool from companies that pay their workers a living wage. “I do everything,” she said. “Production, marketing, shipping, branding, everything. If I had a sheep I would probably make my own wool too.”
Garod Remus
Charlie Funk
Barb Frels
Kellie Golden
Vicki Holmes
Patty Hongsermeier
Peggy Janas
Cindy Chesley
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Twenty-seven-year-old Garod Remus is a 2002 graduate of North Platte High School. His father owns both Jerry Remus Chevrolet-Cadillac and Premier Toyota businesses and Garod continues to assume more responsibility. Unlike many up-andcoming professionals, Garod has the advantage of working in the same dealership his father started at in 1976. However, his full understanding of the time and effort that’s required to run a successful business was gained by working his way up through the ranks. He is currently the sales manager at the Chevy dealership where he has taken on some of the advertising responsibilities, trips to car auctions in Omaha and Denver, Colo. and online vehicle purchases.
Levi Gibbs
Traci Sawyer
Marilyn Schomp
Ashley Simpson
Sharon Skinner
Judy Splitt
Pat Thomas
Brenda Malcom
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Sandy Conrad
Belle Edwards
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Patty Engdahl
Joy Epler
June Robinson
Cynamon Eshleman
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Leslie Johns
Sheri Mullen
Jerry Nelson
Lawrence Ostendorf
Arleen Petersen
Nancy Faulhaber
Bruce Richman
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Levi Gibbs, 28, is a patrol officer for the North Platte Police Department. He’s been on the night shift since being hired on the force in 2006. A former Marine and combat veteran, Gibbs said he draws on his military background on the job — even in the pride he takes in his uniform and appearance; he was honored as best dressed of- Levi ficer short- Gibbs ly after being hired. Stationed as an infantryman in one of the most dangerous regions of Iraq, Ramadi, his battalion suffered the largest number of casualties that any U.S. battalion has had since Vietnam. Gibbs eventually rose to the rank of sergeant. At the end of 2004, his battalion returned stateside. He applied to be a military policeman in southern California, and began pursuing his dream of becoming a police officer. After eight months,
Gibbs was honorably discharged and returned home to North Platte. It’s his military background that continues to drive him to this day.
Chelsea Feusner
Chelsea Feusner, 29, takes her responsibilities as a woman in a leadership role seriously. She divides her time as parttime principal and parttime music teacher at Hall Elementary School. A graduate of Hastings College, Feusner’s first teaching position was in Elm Creek. When her husband was offered a job with North Platte Public Power District in 2007, the couple moved to North Platte. Feusner became involved in community music groups and was offered a position teaching at MidPlains Community College. From there, she went to teaching music at Jefferson Elementary, and when the position of part-time principal became available at Hall, she applied for that job. Feusner has a master’s degree in education administration from the University of Nebraska at Kearney.
Diana Diffendaffer
Diana Diffendaffer, 34year-old owner of the d.diff clothing boutique, is a fairly recent transplant to North Platte. She and her husband Clark and their two sons Brendan and Easton moved to Diana town in Diffendaffer June 2010. The young family became part of the community after Clark accepted a position at Great Plains Regional Medical Center. Diana said she was frustrated with the options for clothing shopping in North Platte, and online shopping didn’t appeal to her. As a result, she opened d.diff on Feb. 29. It features clothing more upscale than what is offered in chain stores. Clothing lines include Cut From the Cloth and Nic+Zoe, plus the Yummy Tummy smoothing line.
Katie Pinkerton In a time when an increasing number of people are moving away from rural areas, a new resident of North Platte is proving to be an exception. Katie Pinkerton, 27, moved to the community in September. Born and raised in Omaha, she never had any intention of ending up in a small town. Now, she has no intention of leaving. In 2010, she married Riley Pinkerton, a North Platte native, and was approached about a job with the U.S. Social Security Administration in Lincoln. In September, Riley was offered a job working as a hydrological technician for the U.S. Geological Survey department in North Platte and Katie transferred to the community’s SSA office. Katie has already fallen in love with the activities the community offers. She participated in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s, the Jingle Bell Fun Run and Walk and is thinking about joining the Business and Professional Women Club.
Kira Kautz Growing up in North Platte, Kira Kautz, 29, always knew she wanted to be a veterinarian. Animals, especially horses, are her passion. As a kid, she sometimes helped a local vet, Maggie Hanfeldt, who gave Kautz her first look into the world of ani-
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make her permanent career — chiropractic. Today, she not only lives in North Platte again, she also owns her own practice in the community: River Valley Chiropractic. Douglas is a member of the North Platte Area Chamber and Development Corporation. She employees one other person to help with clerical duties and has recently added student massage therapist Sara Powers. She’s currently considering plans for business expansion.
mal medicine. Kautz never imagined that one day she would be treating animals not only with traditional veterinary medicine, but also with techniques that are considered “alternative” even when practiced on humans. Now a veterinarian with Westfield Small Animal Clinic, she has incorporated acupuncture and chiropractic care into her work with pets. Kautz says the results can be Cory and Ashley dramatic—and, even when they’re being poked Johanson with acupuncture neeIt’s a North Platte love dles, the animals actually story. Not just one of high seem to enjoy it. school sweethearts, but also of love for family and Bryan Gentry friends, and the mid-Netown they’ve Before Bryan Gentry braska traveled the country as a called home most of their professional musician, be- lives. After college, Cory and fore he became a tattoo artist whose work graces Ashley Johanson moved the bodies of hundreds of back to their mutual people in North Platte and hometown of North Platte beyond, he was just anoth- and began making plans er kid with big dreams to raise a family. The couand talents just waiting to ple said they had a great educational experience in be discovered. It was the first of those North Platte, which they passions — musi c —that also wanted for their kids. Cory, who worked in the would eventually take the 27-year-old on a wild ride car and banking businessaround the world. It es in college, found emwould give him the ployment at two car dealchance to meet and tour erships in North Platte with many of his person- working his way up from a al idols and to make a liv- sales position to a manger ing performing music for of finance and sales. He said it was a natural thousands of fans. But, it was the second of transition to the commerGentry’s passions — art cial ag banker position he — that would bring the now holds with First NaNorth Platte native home tional Bank. Ashley has again. Now an artist at been a first-grade teacher Twizted Needle Tattoo, at Hershey Public Schools Gentry says the decision for eight years. to move home to North Platte, brought him back to the things he’d always cared about most—his family, his childhood friends and his art.
Shayna Dunn
Kassandra Douglas When Dr. Kassandra Douglas, 29, left North Platte after high school graduation her sights were set on the horizon, and she didn’t have any intention of going into the field she’s chosen to
Shayna Dunn, 30, is one of just a handful of women to ever work for the North Platte Fire Department, however, the idea of being a firefighter was nothing new to her when assistant chief Dennis Thompson encouraged her to join the department. It was like returning home. Dunn is a third-generation member of the NPFD, following in the footsteps of her grandfather, a battalion chief; her uncle,
OUR NEXT ECONOMY Chris Jarvis, at one time the assistant chief of the department and her father, David Dunn, also a firefighter and EMT.
Stephen McDowell and Nick Bryant Six nights a week, at a time when much of North Platte is sleeping, the pressroom at the Telegraph is wide-awake and buzzing with activity. At the center of the action are Stephen McDowell, 28, and Nick Bryant, 31. The pair of veteran press operators helped lead the Telegraph to its third straight Inland Press Association Print Quality Competition award this year. McDowell has worked in the Telegraph’s pressroom for eight years, and Bryant for six. The pair has become close friends as well as co-workers; however, when they’re at work, McDowell and Bryant say they’re focused on excellence. Bryant grew up in North Platte and attended North Platte High School, graduating in 1999. He spent time traveling and living in Colorado before returning to North Platte and starting his career as a press operator with the Telegraph. Bryant married his wife Kristy in 2007; they have three children, Gracelynn, Taylor and Gavin. McDowell originally hailed from Tuscon, Ariz., before moving to the North Platte area with his family. McDowell and his wife, Sarah, were married in 2005 and have two children, Owen and Haylie.
Kirsten Parker She might not be from North Platte originally, but no one would know it from her community involvement. Kirsten Parker, 34, has been a resident of North Platte for the past five years and has her hands in pretty much every volunteer opportunity the town has to offer. She is a native of Lincoln, but as a child, she spent weekends with her grandparents in Grand
Island. Her grandmother ran a free breakfast program in the community, which Parker helped with. Her love for helping people has continued throughout her life. Parker is currently in charge of the First National Bank’s special events and marketing efforts and has thrown herself into the many volunteer opportunities North Platte has to offer. She has been involved with Woofstock, a socializing event for dog lovers and fundraiser for the Paws-itive Partners Humane Society. Parker is also a member of the North Platte Downtown Association, has raised money for the American Red Cross, is involved with the local Court Appointed Special Advocates program and last year helped organize the community’s annual Alzheimer’s Memory Walk.
Levi Fisher T h i r t y - f o u r- ye a r- o l d Levi Fisher, community bank president at Equitable Bank, is from a ranching background. He grew up near Crawford, and today, runs a small cattle operation north of Hershey where he and his wife Keri raise two children. A graduate of Crawford High School and Chadron
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State College, Fisher began his career in banking in St. Paul, Neb. He was recruited to North Platte and seven years ago helped start Equitable Bank, which now also has branches in Omaha and Grand Island. Fisher said it was a natural move for him and his wife because they wanted their children, Mekenna, 8, and Peyton, 6, to grow up in the country and understand the importance of agriculture.
Bryan Bohn A native of Ravenna, Bryan Bohn, 31, is in his third year of teaching at Madison Middle School. After graduation from the University of Nebraska at Kearney, he taught music at Holdrege and Gothenburg before coming to North Platte. His music education began early, when he started taking piano lessons in kindergarten. Although Bohn has spent time performing, teaching has always been his calling. Since moving to North Platte, Bohn has become a member of the North Platte Municipal Band, the Sandhills Symphony Orchestra and the Hatchbacks. This year was Bohn’s first year as conductor of the Sandhills Symphony. He is married to Jenna Koperski-Bohn, who is the
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Andy Pull
Andy Pull’s decision to move to North Platte with his wife Lisa was “a God thing.” Fresh out of seminary school, he was looking at two places—his hometown of Fargo, N.D. and North Platte. Dan Reimer, senior pastor and Bethel Evangelical Church, had contacted 30year-old Pull about joining Bethel, but at the time Pull was a finalist for a position at a church near Fargo. Pull told Reimer to call him back in two weeks. In the meantime, the church in Fargo informed him that they were going to go with another candidate. Pull moved to North Platte, became the youth pastor at Bethel and was later promoted to associate pastor.
Matt Fosket In his role as advocate at the Bridge of Hope Child Advocacy Center in North Platte, Matt Matt F o s k e t Fosket
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THE NORTH PLATTE TELEGRAPH
NPCC Health complex construction on schedule Nursing program is popular, has waiting list By DIANE WETZEL dwetzel@nptelegraph.com
The new Health and Science Complex at North Platte Community College South Campus is scheduled to open later this summer. The new facility will be home to the college’s nursing, laboratory technician, dental assistant programs, as well as the math and science departments. Faculty is already packing up in preparation for the move into the new building later this summer, said NPCC vice-president Marcus Garstecki. “This is a project that has been talked about for quite a few years now,” Garstecki said. “When we kicked off our fundraising campaign about four years ago, there were naysayers, saying this might not be the right time with the economy. However, we had some tremendous local organizations and individuals step up to the
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works with the community’s most vulnerable residents and their families during extremely difficult times. Children who are suspected victims of child abuse go to Bridge of Hope. The facility and the staff coordinate with other professionals and agencies to help minimize the trauma children can suffer following the disclosure, investigation and intervention process. Fosket’s main role at
plate because they realized how important it is for North Platte and the surrounding communities.” Groundbreaking ceremonies took place in May 2011, and construction should be done by mid-July, he said. The college’s nursing program is a popular one, Garstecki said, and often has a waiting list for students. “The equipment they will be learning on is better than what we have seen,” Garstecki said. “We will be able to train future health care workers with high end technology.” Students looking for careers in the health field will be learning on the best equipment possible. “Even though our nursing programs are at their max for students, our other medical courses have room to grow,” he said. “Dental assistant is one of the faster growing occupations
the center is to work with the non-offending caregiver of the child. Fosket has also initiated and managed a volunteer program. He is active in the Lincoln County Child Abuse Prevention Council and is always looking for ways to educate people about child abuse prevention.
Jace Cain Jace Cain, a 25-year-old North Platte native, is taking a passion of his and turning it into a business. Three years ago, Cain began looking into CrossFit
out there and there is room in that program as well as in our medical laboratory technician program.” Students coming to North Platte Community College may know they want a career in the health field but be unsure of exactly what they want to study. “It’s a very skills specific field, and we have several tools to help them narrow their focus, to find out exactly what they want,” Garstecki said. The $9 million construction project is nearly paid for, he said. “We are close,” Garstecki said. “We hope to have it paid off by the time we open the doors. It has been a big project, and we have used local contractors. Hopefully the project has been a win/win for the college and the community.” This year, the NPCC also renovated the Learning Resource Center on the South
Diane Wetzel / The North Platte Telegraph
Construction of the new Health and Science Complex at North Platte Community College South Campus appears to be headed for completion right on schedule. Campus. The facelift included new carpet, paint, lights and furnishings. “It wasn’t an attractive facility for our students,” Garstecki said. “The remodel has been a great ad-
dition, and it is a much more welcoming place.” NPCC is continuing to provide a good education for its students. “Our governing board and our leadership have
put us on a good course to continually be moving forward,” Garstecki said. “We are always looking at ways to improve our facilities to benefit our faculty, staff and students.”
training, which focuses on repeated everyday movements in a high-intensity workout setting. He is making that the focus of his new gym, Cain Athletics, at 1204 West A Street in North Platte. His background as a registered nurse has helped by giving him insight into diseases and preventive measures. A North Platte High School graduate and longtime lifeguard with the city recreation department, Cain received his degree in nursing at MidPlains Community College.
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NP housing market doing well despite tough economy Rental availability is also improving, but is still not completely meeting the need By ANDREW BOTTRELL abottrell@nptelegraph.com
Bucking national trends, the North Platte housing market is steady. That’s according to Lincoln County Board of Realtors President Barb Booth. “In the last year, we’ve seen fewer houses listed, but more people looking,” she said. “Right now, we could use 100 more houses on the market.” Part of that steady housing market is the conservative nature of people and the economy in central Nebraska. “We have an Ag background. We’re very stable. Conservative is not a bad thing,” Booth said. She said the North Platte market is different in that it’s less fluid than the national market. Typically, she said, many families move every five years. “We don’t — we don’t even plan to do that,” she said. The rental market is also improving, Booth said, in both ter ms of availability and the retur n on investment for landlords, though she said it’s still not completely meeting market needs. One of the toughest aspects of the housing market in today’s economy is on young professionals moving into a market and deciding whether to rent or to buy. Typically, as lending standards get stiffer, Booth said, lenders are looking for the first pay stub from a
new job before they issue a home loan. That can be tough on professions like nurses and teachers that move into the North Platte market. “That puts a lot of pressure on those people,” she said. “You have to have that first pay stub from your next job.” That means a number of young professional enter into six-month, or one-year leases, before they have a chance to look at purchasing a home. When it comes time to buy a home, the board of Realtors suggests a credit score of at least 620, though 640 is preferable, and over 700 will likely guarantee your chances of receiving a home loan. “We show a lot of houses,” she said, however, standards for getting home loans have increased, therefore people who would have qualified five years ago can’t now. “Market value apparent has decreased [on homes].” Booth said lenders are also getting “pickier” about the homes that people choose, wanting them to be in good condition before issuing a loan to purchase the home. “[Banks] now know that they may end up with [the home],” she said. Appraisers in the Lincoln County are also backlogged, she said. “We can’t close in 30 days, or even 45 days. Two months — that’s a long time,” she said. There have even been
some cases, she said, where there are multiple offers on a particular home, and the home ends up being sold above market value, which she said was unusual a few years ago. “The secret in selling a home is pricing it right,” she said. Working with a realtor to compare similar homes is one of the most important aspects of preparing to sell a home, meaning finding other homes that are similar in size and amenities and finding out how much those homes sold for in the past. Booth also believes the conservative nature of central Nebraska’s people and economy plays into more responsible realtors, homebuyers and home sellers. “We have some very stable things,” she said. “We are blessed with a steady economy.” She also encouraged homebuyers to do research for entering into the market. For example, Booth said there is a federal grant available that will loan a first-time homebuyer money for a down payment and closing costs at 1 percent interest for the first seven years, and, as long as your payments aren’t late for the first five years, the final two years of that loan will be forgiven. Booth said there are a lot of opportunities for homebuyers, but they need to work with Realtors in finding those, and do their own research.
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Small businesses growing and expanding By ANDREW BOTTRELL abottrell@nptelegraph.com
This past year brought a number of new businesses, additions and new facilities to community stalwarts. n In February, Diana Diffendaffer opened up a new clothing boutique called d. diff at 605 South Jeffers Street. The new clothing boutique offers a more upscale clothing line than most chain stores, offering clothing lines that include Cut From the Cloth, Nic+Zoe and Yummy Tummy. The two level store features women’s clothing, shoes and accessories on the first floor and children’s fashions on the second. The name for the business comes from the labels that Diffendaffer used in her own sewing background. The store is open Monday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. n In April, Cain Athletics, specializing in CrossFit training opened at 1204 West A Street. Jace Cain, owner and trainer, is certified to teach CrossFit training, and offers various courses for all age levels and experience levels.
Andrew Bottrell / The North Platte Telegraph
Westfield Small Animal Clinic located in the Westfield Shopping Center recently doubled the size of the clinic and have expanded their services. The North Platte native first became interested in CrossFit training several years ago because that type of training uses every day motions, and teaches people to use proper technique, and then transfers that to a high intensity, gym workout. n Construction on the Health Complex at Mid Plains Community College South Campus along State Farm Road in North Platte began in 2011.
Andrew Bottrell / The North Platte Telegraph
Jace Cain opened his crossfit training facility at 1204 W. A St. offering courses for all age levels and experience levels.
The new facility, which is expected to be complete in 2012, will help expand the classroom space at the college. The health department will move from the North Campus to the South Campus, and much of the mathematics and science departments will also move into the facility. The $9 million project has been in the works, for nearly 20 years, the college said. n In July of 2011, Great Plains Heart Center’s cardiology clinic opened for business, with Dr. Arshad Ali leading the way. The new facility offers 24-hour, seven days a week interventional cardiology care, which provides both diagnostic and treatment services. The new clinic also gives the hospital the ability to offer stents, something patients previously had to travel to Lincoln or Denver to receive. Great Plains Regional Medical Center hopes the new heart center will be a referral site for physicians in an area that stretches from west of Kearney to Sidney and from McCook to Valentine. The clinic was temporarily housed in office space at 611 West Francis, but in August moved into the area south of the hospital’s emergency room,
previously occupied by the Nebraska Heart Institute. n Also in July of 2011, work began on renovating and upgrading office space at the east end of Francis Street, so that Allo Communications could move in. The communications based company out of Imperial provides television and Internet services through fiber optics, something that wasn’t available in North Platte to consumers. The fiber optics project is a $10 million investment and local contractors are being used to do the work. The office space on Francis will act as the retail center for North Platte. Allo has similar consumer-based fiber optics networks in Gering, Scottsbluff, Ogallala and Alliance. n This past year, Westfield Small Animal Clinic in the Westfield Shopping Center at 1821 West A Street doubled the size of their clinic and expanded services. Previously, the clinic operated a small kennel near the high school. In 2011, the clinic was able to expand and move the kennel service to the clinic in Westfield Shopping Cen-
ter. Now, they can offer 50 spaces, and have expanded their kennel services to include daily care and walking. The expansion also allowed them to increase the size of their lab. Dr. Craig Kelly said 95 percent of all lab work that needs to be done can be in-house, and results are mostly sameday. The addition also allowed for an expansion of their x-ray services and their laser surgery services.. Westfield Small Animal Clinic offers digital xrays, which helps lower their costs and provides on-spot x-ray services for patients and clients. Three veterinarians and three techs are employed by Westfield, and their services also include acupuncture and chiropractic care. n In September of 2011, Phelps Family Dentistry celebrated the opening of their brand new building at 221 South Jeffers, at the corner of C and Jeffers. In business since 2008, the family dentistry clinic expanded into a brand new building in 2011. The Phelps were able to purchase the building at 221 South Jeffers and remodel the entire facility, from the inside to the store front and even the roof. The remodel helped them expand their business and workflow, adding 3D imaging, which helps with their single visit crown service. That service allows patients to receive crowns in one visit, rather than having to come back twice to receive dental work. They were also able to pave the parking lot, which helps with aesthetics, and add 1300 square feet of leasing space next door. Depot Drug opened in January of 2012. n The Asia Palace also opened at their new location, 1318 South Chestnut. This past year, with the new location, the Asian restaurant expanded its menu and offers both instore dining and take out. The restaurant features Chinese, Fondue, Taiwanese and Thai.
Andrew Bottrell /The North Platte Telegraph
Vic’s Corn Popper has expanded and will soon be changing the name of the business.
n Vic’s Corn Popper in the Westfield Shopping Center also expanded in 2011, and is in the process of changing the name of the business in 2012. In 2011, Vic’s added The West Wing, doubling the size of the business for the second time, and allowing overflow space, as well as a party room, that is available for rent. It has also allowed Vic’s to bring in Shermie at the Piano to entertain customers on Wednesdays from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. n In September 2011, Pinpoint Communications completed a 1,700square foot data center at 1003 East State Farm Road. The facility is along Pinpoint’s Denver to Chicago fiber optics line, which will help strengthen the signal, and help lead to more infrastructure in North Platte. At the time, Pinpoint said the facility will help North Platte become a hub for activity between the eastern and western portions of the state. Pinpoint works with major telephone, Internet and telecom companies to send and receive signal through fiber optics. Pinpoint did not identify who the anchor tenant for the facility was, but said it was an earthstation uplink/downlink for a major wireless carrier.
NCTA completes its new Education Center in 2011 By DIANE WETZEL dwetzel@nptelegraph.com
On Nov. 18, 2011, a large crowd gathered in the auditorium in the new Nebraska Agriculture Industry Education Center on the campus of the Nebraska Technical College of Agriculture in Curtis to dedicate the facility. It was one of four major projects completed at the college in Curtis in the past three years, totaling $15 million. The four projects include the Education Center, a major addition to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, the Aggie Residence Hall, the Biomass project, which is designed to heat the campus with red cedar wood chips and
the George and Carol Garlick Aggie West Residence Hall. Planning for the project began in 2007 when state Sen. Lavon Heidemann chaired a legislative committee to look into the feasibility of the campus. The committee determined that while the faculty was ready to educate future generations of students, the campus, founded in 1913 was in dire need of new facilities and updating of current infrastructure. In 2008 the Nebraska Legislature agreed to appropriate $8.7 million for the project, contingent on the school funding a new residence hall and student union and a $1 million match.
After donating $1 million to the City of Curtis to build a new community center, former Curtis resident George Garlick then donated more than $800,000 to purchase Sunset Haven Nursing Home/Hillside Estates Assisted Living facility that had closed its doors and toward the construction of a new residence hall. During dedication ceremonies, NCTA Dean Weldon Sleight told the crowd that the expansion was possible because of a cooperative effort between government, the agriculture industry, and the generosity of more than 200 donors representing friends and alumni of the college.
Telegraph file photo
The new Industry Education Center at the Nebraska Technical College of Agriculture in Curtis was dedicated on Nov. 18, 2011.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR COUNTY HEALTH RANKS? Creating a Healthy Community Together West Central District Health Department is excited to announce the upcoming Community Health Improvement Planning meeting to be held: May 17th 9am - 3:30pm, Quality Inn & Suites located at 2102 South Jeffers North Platte. Lunch will be provided to all participants. Please RSVP to Shannon or Cindy by May 12th. The community plan will build on the assessments conducted through the Mobilizing for Action through Partnerships and Planning (MAPP) process, giving our community an opportunity to put the work we did together in September 2011 into action. Listed below are the community priorities determined through the MAPP assessments. • Access to Mental Health Care • Access to Health Care • Disease Prevention/Management • Domestic Violence and Child Abuse • Teen Pregnancy/Healthy Pregnancy
Our goal is to ensure that all participants have the opportunity to share their expertise during discussions around the health and well being of our community. If you want to contribute to this process but the above date does not work with your schedule, we still would like to hear from you, please contact West Central District Health Department. We encourage you to share this information with others. If you have questions or concerns or need additional information please contact
West Central District Health Department Shannon Vanderheiden, Executive Director 308.696.1201 Ext 224 vanderheidens@wcdhd.org or Cindy Glos, Assistant Director at 308.696.1201 Ext 225 glosc@wcdhd.org
Thank you for your time & commitment to the community!
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D6 SUNDAY, APRIL 29, 2012
THE NORTH PLATTE TELEGRAPH
New look coming into NP from south entrance Roger’s, A&W, Time Saver will be replaced by new building for NebraskaLand National Bank By ANDREW BOTTRELL abottrell@nptelegraph.com
2011 ushered in a number of changes to the southern entrance to North Platte on Highway 83. As the Nebraska Department of Roads continues a resurfacing project of the highway, NebraskaLand Bank has purchased the entire block between Jeffers and Dewey and Leota and Francis, with the intention of building a new main branch. In August 2011, the bank announced that it had purchased the Time Saver building and Rogers Fine Foods. In December, bank President Mike Jacobson announced they had also purchased A&W and the north end of the block as well. Nebraskaland Bank will begin construction on a new main branch sometime in 2012, while continuing operation at their downtown location. On April 25 Jacobson said the project is on schedule for a completion date of January 2014. “That’s still our official target date for completion. We’re right on schedule,
but it’s still early,” he said. Though not a lot of construction has started at the site, where A&W, Roger’s and Timesavers have been torn down, Jacobson said a lot of necessary behind-the-scenes work has been completed. “There are a lot of people that have been involved in the building construction,” Jacobson said. “We’re kind of like a duck, it may look like we’re just floating out there on the water, but our legs are moving pretty fast.” Jacobson said they are close to finalizing elevation sketches of the new, 60,000-foot, three-story facility, and the architects for the project are also working on final layout designs, as well. “We have the site plan done,” he said, saying he recently showed the bank board elevations that are close to finished. “The architects will bring us what we think will be a final set of elevations. Now they are working with structural engineers to get the rest of the design done.” Foundation work could begin as early as August, and Jacobson said steel for
the building will be on site in August and begin to be put together in September. “Between now and when the steel gets delivered to the site, they will do the site preparation – bringing in fill dirt and getting the right material where it needs to be, and build the basement.” Jacobson said there would be a restaurant-type component in the building, though he didn’t elaborate, saying there would be one building on the lot, running parallel with the lot boundaries, with parking and green space around the sides. There will be access to the drive-thrus from both Dewey and Jeffers, Jacobson said. There will also be a double ATM machine at the south end of the property, which will be operational before the completion of the full project. Jacobson said the ATMs will have the latest imaging technology, which will allow customers to make check deposits at that location. The ATMs will also have access from both Dewey and Jeffers. “You’ll be able to access it very conveniently going
Andrew Bottrell / The North Platte Telegraph
Out with the old, in with the new. The building that once housed Roger’s Fine Dining was demolished earlier this year to make room for NebraskaLand National Bank to build a new main branch between S. Jeffers St. and S. Dewey at the south entrance into North Platte. northbound and southbound,” Jacobson said. “We do plan to install double ATMs on the site, and they will be towards the south end of the site. Our plan is to develop that south end and use it for staging area during construction to stage the steel. And once the steel is gone, open up drive up ATMs at south end of the site.”
Gary Jones, who owns the Modern Muffler shop on that portion of the block subsequently announced that he had purchased the Royal Colonial and would be expanding his business on that plot, including the addition of a full service car wash. Purchases, construction and demolition continued on the ones in December,
as Centris Federal Credit Union announced they will construct a new branch at the corner of Phillip and Jeffers, where the Knights Inn Motel once stood. That building was torn down in December. Centris, currently located at 301 East Philip, said they will begin construction in the spring of 2012.
Great Plains Regional Medical Center steadily growing into future Renovation plans are in the works for a five-story addition By HEATHER JOHNSON hjohnson@nptelegraph.com
Great Plains Regional Medical Center has made great strides since a year ago when officials announced plans to expand both the hospital building and its services. The idea is to make the facility West Central Nebraska’s regional healthcare destination. In May 2011, media representatives were treated to a luncheon where Greg Nielsen, hospital CEO, called for “steady, sustainable growth over time.” The goals listed that day included: n Adding on to the hospital n Broadening the orthopedic, general surgery, oncology and cardiovascular programs n Increasing work in bariatrics, neuro-spine and interventional cardiology fields n Obtaining at least one quality award by 2012 n Maintaining The Joint Commission accreditation n Becoming a certified stroke center
Since then, every one of the goals has either been met or is in the process of being met. The Joint Commission accreditation was received, and 10 new physicians were hired, including two interventional cardiologists and a pulmonary medicine physician. Building renovation plans are currently in the works for a fivestory, 220,000-square foot addition where the atrium currently is. The project is anticipated to cost between $75 million and $85 million, which would be paid for with a bond issue. By July, the hospital’s cardiology clinic was open for business. In addition to providing diagnostic and treatment services 24-hours a day, seven days a week, the clinic also began offering stents. The move gave patients in the area the option of receiving the procedure closer to home, whereas before, they had to drive as far away as Lincoln or Denver, Colo. In August, GPRMC was certified as a primary stroke center—the first Nebraska hospital to receive the designation outside of Lincoln and Omaha. The facility received the Quest for Excellence award in November. It was presented for the work by GPRMC staff to identify early sepsis and manage severe sepsis and septic shock using evidence-based medicine. Sepsis, or blood poison-
ing, happens when bacteria overwhelm the bloodstream. It can be fatal if untreated. Barb Petersen, nurse practitioner, was recognized with the Caring Kind award. The award is given to healthcare employees who have demonstrated compassion for patients, cooperation with co-workers and dedication to excellence in their job responsibilities. David Pederson, chairman of the hospital board, was honored as Trustee of the Year for 2011 because of his leadership and support of the facility during its transition and growth. The hospital’s pharmacy also began offering 24-hours a day, seven days a week services, and the Knowledge Based Medication Administration program went into effect. KBMA uses barcode scanning to assure patients are receiving the proper dose of medicine correctly and at the right time. In-patient epilepsy monitoring is now available at the hospital, and the facility has added a neurologist certified in sleep medicine. That brings GPRMC closer to another goal, which is to become a certified sleep center. “We’re very pleased with the progress we’ve had,” said Nielsen. “We’re pleased, but not surprised we were able to accomplish so much in such a short time. We have the employees to make it happen.”
Buy it in the Classifieds 532-6000 Andrew Bottrell / The North Platte Telegraph YOUR SOURCE since 1881 www.nptelegraph.com
Great Plains Regional Medical Center in North Platte has made great strides in accomplishing a number of goals set in 2011. The plan to continue that process of growth has continued as the center is now working on a project that will renovate the facility with a five-story, 220,000 square foot addition in the near future.
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SUNDAY, APRIL 29, 2012
D7
New building means big changes for detention center Facility helps staff operate efficiently in processing larger inmate population By HEATHER JOHNSON hjohnson@nptelegraph.com
The Lincoln County Sheriff ’s Office and Detention Center might have had its problems during construction, but you wouldn’t know it by looking at the finished product. Nine months after the facility opened, the staff has settled into a daily routine and operations are running smoothly. “Everyone’s job learning and time management skills have really come into play,” said Jerome Kramer, sheriff. “We still have some shifts that are stressed for manpower, so overtime continues to be an issue. We’re right at the bare minimum to cover all the posts, and they’re mandatory positions, so we’ve been filling them with overtime.” Kramer said the inmate population has dropped the past couple of weeks — staying in the low 80s to high 70s. “It just unexpectedly spikes every now and then,” he said. That happened a couple of months after the July move-in. The population jumped to 120 prisoners — up from the 50 to 55 averaged in the old facility. The budget had been set up for 90. Kramer said at the time he didn’t know what caused the increase, but he thought it could have been because of suspended sentences and everyone showing up at once to serve time.
New facility averages 100 people per day Since the jail opened, it has averaged 100 people per day. All told, it’s had 1,650 prisoners through its doors and served around 90,000 meals. The washer and dryer have about 2,000 hours on them. “It was overwhelming for everybody at first,” said Kramer. “Learning new jobs in a new building was tough enough, but then we got hammered with a heavy population, too.” He said that’s why he didn’t do much advertising of the jail’s ability to house take-in prisoners. “We didn’t want to turn down money, but at the same time, we didn’t need anything else going on,” said Kramer. “A lot of the inmates that come from other counties are problem inmates. We are set up to handle them, and we’re getting to the point now where we could take in more.” The jail makes about $10,000 per month housing prisoners from other towns. It also raises over
$3,000 per month by charging inmates for candy bars and other personal items, and through fees for phone and Internet use. “The Internet part isn’t as popular as we thought it would be,” said Kramer. “We hoped it would eliminate the postal aspect altogether, but it hasn’t.”
Inmate worker program expanded Another change in the past year was the expansion of the inmate worker program. Prisoners now do all the janitorial work, the building and grounds chores and the majority of the kitchen labor. They also go outside the building. They help with maintenance across the street at the courthouse, which includes everything from pulling weeds and pouring concrete to stringing Christmas lights. A couple of prisoners spend four hours a day, five days a week working at the animal shelter. Some inmates are allowed credit for the community service that they do. “We didn’t do much of that kind of stuff out of the old jail because we didn’t have the separate housing unit we do now,” said Kramer. “If they would have gotten hold of contraband, it could have contaminated our entire facility.”
Teletgraph file photos
Above: The new Lincoln County Detention Center was completed and opened in August 2011. The building was a vast improvement over the previous jail and the visual of the front entrance shown here is much more effecient than the old.
Left: Jail personnel have greater security measures, while also being able to communicate with the public in the lobby of the new detention center.
NPCC offers GED program A GED program was implemented with the help of North Platte Community College, and the detention center recently had its third graduate. “We’ve also hired our own nurse and easily saved over a quarter of a million dollars, in part by not taking people to the emergency room,” said Kramer. “A large percentage of our inmates come to us with either physical or mental problems.” Next week, a mental health contractor will also be hired, which is also expected to save a lot of money. “Someone will come in from Great Plains Regional Medical Center,” said Kramer. “They will do the evaluations and preventative things to help avoid potential suicides and offer follow-up care for people who would otherwise go to the hospital. It’s a security issue. It’s easier to do those things in-house.”
Video saves time Also being done in-
house are video arraignments, which have cut down on the number of times prisoners have to be walked across the street to the courthouse. It’s something that’s saved time and manpower. “It’s nearly [equal to] an employee as far as workload is concerned,” said Kramer. “We also saved money on the equipment. The original bid was around $160,000 and we got it for about $40,000.” The videoconferencing room serves a dual purpose. It’s also used for church services. Other areas of the jail have become popular as well. “Our facility is used a lot by law enforcement related non-profits such as the Bridge of Hope Child Advocacy Center,” said Kramer. “They take advantage of our training and conference rooms.”
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A drug dog training seminar is planned for next month. It’s open to law enforcement from around the nation, and it’s the second year it’s been offered.
Partnership helps those looking at criminal justice career The jail also gets exposure by partnering with MPCC for a job-shadowing program. Kramer said not only does it help the students decide if they want to pursue a career in criminal justice; it gives the jail staff a chance to scope out prospective employees. The four cats that reside in the detention center have also garnered attention. They recently appeared in an Animal Planet documentary, and
have also been on “The Today Show,” and “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.” The inmates are responsible for taking care of the cats, which helps keep them from getting bored and getting into trouble. It also teaches them responsibility and gives them something to think about besides being locked up. “We were actually contacted two weeks ago by Homeland Security,” said Kramer. “They hope to implement a similar program at the federal level.”
Jail is meeting the needs He said overall, the jail is doing what it’s been designed for and is meeting all the needs. It’s designed for another 40 cells on the northeast corner, if it ever needs to be expanded. Kramer said he doesn’t know when that
will be. “Back when we had that big population spike, I would have said by this summer,” he said. “The intent by other people doing calculations was to get by with what we had for 20 years, and I never did believe that. I always thought we would need to add on after five. No one has a crystal ball to know for sure.” He said it would depend on the amount of crime and the law enforcement officers employed — not the city’s population. “We tried to get everything built into this bond issue to keep everything as cheap as possible,” said Kramer. “We own the brick, and the wiring is in place. If we added on, it would be dormitory type housing, which is the most inexpensive. So, if we had to expand, it wouldn’t break the bank.”
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THE NORTH PLATTE TELEGRAPH
Gothenburg project will help recruit new physicians Clinic opened in January that replaced building built in 1977 By DIANE WETZEL dwetzel@nptelegraph.com
With the dedication of a new physician’s clinic in 2012, Gothenburg Memorial Hospital is poised to grow. The $2.9 million clinic opened in January 2012 and houses offices for three physicians and two physician assistants with room for more. The facility was built on the site that was once home to a long-term care facility that closed in 2010. The 18,000 square foot addition replaced a clinic built in 1977. “The addition has the potential to house eight doctors and has a total of 21 exam rooms and two procedure rooms,” said Marcia Engel, human resources director at GMA. USDA Rural Development has approved a $2.5 million direct loan to the hospital to finance the project. The USDA has also issued a guarantee on a $500,000 loan made by Gothenburg State Bank.
Licensed for 12 beds, GMH serves the community of Gothenburg and portions of a four county area, including Dawson, Frontier, Custer and Lincoln. “Our intent in building the new clinic is to help in recruiting new physicians,” said Taci Bartlett, chief finance officer for GMH. “Our board of directors prides itself on staying ahead of the curve and thinking about new directors for the hospital.” Now the board is considering options for the former clinic, now sitting empty since the move to the new facility. “They are having some planning sessions and talking about the best use of space,” Bartlett said. “Whatever they decide will probable be our next big project.” The current hospital was built in 1969. A $3.5 million addition was built in 2004 to provide up to date medical care in the service area.
Courtesy photo
The lobby of the new Gothenburg physician’s clinic gives the Memorial Hospital an updated facility that will help in the recruitment of new physicians.
McCook Community Hospital expands facility Phase 2 will include a healing garden By DIANE WETZEL dwetzel@nptelegraph.com
The year 2011 was a year of building for McCook Community Hospital. A two-phase project with a $29 million price tag represents the largest ever building investment in McCook to date. January marked the completion and dedication of the new patient wing, adding 25,000 square feet to the hospital. The 25 single patient rooms offer three zones of care and many amenities for patients and family members, according to Candy Crosby, marketing director for Community Hospital Association of McCook. The second phase of the project began with the demolition of the former patient pods last spring and is expected to be completed in early May. The area situated between the existing hospital and the new patient wing represents 26,000 square feel of new space and 4,000 feet of remodeled space. The new state-of-the-art surgery wing includes multiple private pre-and post-surgery rooms with sliding glass doors and curtains for privacy. It also in-
cludes three larger operating suites with room for expansion and two fullyequipped endoscopy suites, Other areas included in phase 2 are a dedicated outpatient area for patients receiving injections and infusions, a four-bed observation area near the emergency room, a spacious pharmacy and expanded gift shop. It also features a large community meeting room with a gas fireplace, and private admission rooms for patients checking in. One of the highlights of phase 2 is the healing garden, designed to fill the area between the patient wing and existing hospital. It has seven themed areas, including the Garden Atrium, Butterfly Sanctuary and Prairieland Patio. In other progress news, Community Hospital added a second full-time surgeon to its medical staff. Dr. Brenda Kopriva joined the Surgical and Orthopedic Clinic. Two visiting surgeons from North Platte began seeing patients and performing surgery at Community Hospital, bringing the total to five visiting orthopedic surgeons on staff. Working with the Calla-
han Cancer Center and Dr. Maria DeVilla, oncologist from North Platte, Community Hospital developed a new chemotherapy outpatient program in 2011. Although limited in space, the program allows patients who are able to stay in McCook the ability to receive treatment close to home. In 2001, the McCook hospital supported 141 programs, reaching 39,431 people. Programs included healthcare screenings, educational seminars, and donations for community service groups, schools and other activities. Community benefits totaled $2,215,645, including charity care, unpaid cost of Medicare, community benefit services, subsidized health services, donations and community building activities. “Our hospital is led by astute leaders who have been planning and acting in the best interests of our patients, staff and community,” Crosby said.
Courtesy photo
Above: McCook Community Hospital has finished Phase 1 of an expansion project that included a new state-of-the-art surgery wing with multiple private pre- and post-surgery rooms. Below: An artist’s rendering of Phase 2 shows the healing garding that will fill the area between the patient wing and the existing hospital.
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Lake Maloney Golf Club clubhouse completed Membership growing following a successful fundraising effort By DIANE WETZEL dwetzel@nptelegraph.com
The new clubhouse at Lake Maloney Golf Club is up and running. Built to replace a ramshackle pro shop and clubhouse built in the 1960s, the new facility is the result of a successful fundraising effort by club members. “It was a very successful endeavor,” said board member and fundraising chairman Dr. Jim States. “We had a lot of donors step up and a lot of volunteer labor. We got it done in 90 days and we are pretty proud of it.” One fringe benefit to the successful fundraising campaign and subsequent new building is an increase in members, States said. “We are approaching
300 members now and we are excited about that,” he said. Lake Maloney Golf Course is described as a “challenging regulation course,” by Golfing Nebraska. Once a 18-hole sand green tract, members rebuilt the course and converted to grass greens in the 1990s. Located six miles south of North Platte on U.S. Highway 83 at 608 Birdie Lane, the course is open to the public. “Being able to raise the money in this economy is a real feat.” States said. “Letting people know there is a need, that is the key.” A formal ribbon cutting ceremony to officially dedicate the new clubhouse will take place in May.
Photos by Andrew Bottrell / The North Platte Telegraph
Above: The New Lake Maloney Clubhouse is completed and open for business. The interior is spacious with the pro shop area providing equipment and supplies. Below: The outside of the clubhouse has a patio with seating for golfers who wish to spend some time chatting with friends.
Buffalo Bill viaduct improves traffic flow across Interstate Access for residents of Lake Maloney is convenient By ANDREW BOTTRELL abottrell@nptelegraph.com
A project long in the works, and important to the future of North Platte, was completed in August. The Buffalo Bill extension was ready for its grand opening on Aug. 18, 2011. The south extension, which included the South Platte River bridge and a viaduct over the interstate was 40-years in the making. “That project has been on the books for many years,” said Jim Hawks, city administrator. “It’s an 80-20 local match program.” In a ceremony in August, long-time city council member Dan McGuire, and his wife, Tia, were the first to travel across the extension, from Leota to Walker Road, crossing both the South Platte River and Interstate 80. The corridor, which opens up the area to local traffic, also is allowing the city of North Platte to reevaluate the usage of Highway 83 — specifically the large traffic area between Phillip and Leota on Jeffers and Dewey. “It provides another way for ingress and egress to the city,” Hawks said. “It’s had a tremendous effect already on local traffic on the Highway 83 corridor.” Hawks said many people who are employed by the hospital, Union Pacific and the schools that live near Lake Maloney, or southwest of town,
Andrew Bottrell / The North Platte Telegraph
The Buffalo Bill viaduct was completed in 2011 and the traffic flow from both sides of I-80 has improved, cutting down the distance and time to access the northwest and southwest side of North Platte. are now utilizing the extension to get into and out of town. “I’ve heard nothing but good things,” Mayor Marc Kaschke said. “It will allow a whole new area to open up for development, as well.” Hawks said there has been some interest in some of the new locations for possible commercial businesses at Buffalo Bill and Walker Road. “There’s a lot of opportunity for economic development,” Hawks said.
“We already have water and power in that area. The opportunity to see the city grow out there is tremendous.” Also as a result of the new road, the city and Lincoln County Emergency Management were able to retool the largescale evacuation plan for the city. The new plan sends all traffic, west of Carr Avenue and south of the Union Pacific tracks, out of town utilizing Buffalo Bill Road, in the case of a largescale evacuation.
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THE NORTH PLATTE TELEGRAPH
Splash pad gives kids a great place to play The Memorial Park project named after Betty Keenan will open later this spring By ANDREW BOTTRELL abottrell@nptelegraph.com
The sound of kids splashing through water will be a new sound at Memorial Park this summer. Through a community-wide fundraising effort, the Betty Keenan Memorial Splash Pad at Memorial Park, 1000 East Fourth Street, will give kids of North Platte one more way to stay cool during the summer months. The final touches to the Splash Pad, which includes completing the landscape around the sides, are being applied early this spring, and it could be in operation by mid-May. There will also be several benches and a plaque dedicating the pad to Betty Keenan, which still need to be installed. “We look forward to that opening up so that kids have another place to go and cool off this summer,” said City Administrator Jim Hawks. Judy Pederson, who has helped spearhead the fundraising for the pad, said she’s proud of the new facility because all the funds for it were raised through grants and private donations, and because the pad will be free to use. Pederson thanked the Keenan family who donated half of the funds for the park. She also said they
received grants from the Mid-Nebraska Community Foundation, Peter Kiewit Foundation, the Union Pacific Foundation and private grants. The fundraising effort also included a picnic, which raised $1,100 in cash, Pederson said. She said Dan Keenan told her at the beginning of 2011, after several years of inquiries, that he’d like to see it completed that year. “That was the push that we needed to get it done,” she said. “We worked with a lot of great people.” The park, once open later this spring, will be operated by a push button on one of the aquatic features, and will operate for a set period of time. Pederson said the group of citizens looked at several different locations before deciding on Memorial Park, including along West Second Street on land that is designated as a future park for the city, and behind Sonic, along Highway 83, south of the South Platte River. Both locations didn’t work out, and the group chose Memorial Park, which Pederson said, ultimately, was a good choice, because the other aquatic opportunities for kids are on the north and southwest sides of the community.
“There was really nothing on the east side of town [for aquatics],” she said. “The east side of town made good sense.” Pederson said it energizes the park and gives families one more option. The park now has a pavilion for picnics and family reunions, horseshoe pits, a basketball court, tennis courts and the Splash Pad. “It will bring a lot of younger families over there,” she said. She also believes that kids who like to ride their bikes on that side of town will use it frequently, because they no longer will have to cross Highway 83, or the railroad tracks to get to an aquatic facility. Pederson said the park came in under the $175,000 they originally had planned to raise, but that they continued to raise that amount of money, setting some aside for maintenance, and possibly towards raising funds to build another splash pad in a different city park. She said because that was an option, they asked the builders of the park, Dostals Construction, out of Gretna, to put in interchangeable parts, so they could be swapped out in the future. “We tried to be as flexible as we could,” Pederson said.
Andrew Bottrell / The North Platte Telegraph
The Betty Keenan Memorial Splash Pad is nearly ready for use, as children will find it a fun place to play during the hot days of summer.
Renovation of 1913 Post Office should begin soon By DIANE WETZEL dwetzel@nptelegraph.com
The faded lady of downtown North Platte is looking a little sprightlier these days. The building known as the 1913 Post Office is now home to Creativity Unlimited Arts Council and one day will be the Prairie Arts Center. The building had sat empty for nine years after once being a hub for downtown activity. Once the center for government activities, the building at the corner of Fifth and Jeffers Streets was turned over to what was then North Platte College (later Mid-Plains Community
College) in 1964. In 2000, Alan Erickson bought the building and donated it to the city of North Platte. Plans to refurbish it into a new City Hall were dropped as being too costly. CUAC purchased the building from the city for $10,000 after raising $250,000 in cash and pledges. This month the bid process has begun for phase one of the renovation project, bringing the building up to Americans with Disabilities Act standards. “That means building the stair tower and putting in an elevator,” said Stephen Granger, archi-
tect for the project. “It means making bathrooms ADA compliant.” The construction should begin in the last part of May and take between 90 to 120 days to complete. Once that phase is finished, work will begin to develop the lower level of the building. This includes putting in mechanical infrastructure for electrical and heating and cooling and classrooms for ceramic pottery and metal sculpture projects. Volunteer workdays in February and March resulted in the removal of sheet rock walls and ceilings and a general clean
up to prepare for construction. “The grant money the group received will only go so far,” Granger said. “They are also continuing working to raise money.” Fundraising is ongoing for the project. On May 11 and 12, CUAC will have its annual Herb Market. Along with herbs, the group will have seashell covered terra cotta planters, frosted glass garden candle holders and other handcrafted items made from barn wood, handmade brooms and heirloom tomatoes. This year’s featured item is a hand crafted garden bench built by Gene
Gilsdorf and painted by Kay Cooper. CUAC’s vision is to create an education center
for the area, something that will be a focus point for the arts community in North Platte.
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Fifth Street sporting a new look downtown Project spruces up area with help from a Community Development Block Grant By ANDREW BOTTRELL abottrell@nptelegraph.com
Downtown got a facelift in 2011. North Platte completed a total rebuild of Fifth Street, between Dewey and Bailey, including new sidewalks, a wider parking area and brick driving lanes, to coincide with the city’s traditional brick roadways downtown. “It’s a vision for what else we can do down there,” said Lisa DeBord, president of the Downtown Association. Fully completed in December, the project began in October, and was paid for through a Community Development Block Grant, through the state of Nebraska. “That East Fifth Street project was another example of working with everybody,” Hawks said. “It acts as a selling point.” The project, the first of its kind that the city developed downtown, gives the city a guideline for future costs that might be incurred if all of the
brick streets are replaced. Hawks said the project came in right on budget. “Some of the local contractors were concerned [going in],” Hawks said. “Probably they learned some things, too. It was a learning experience for all of us.” Steele’s Construction, of North Platte, did most of the work for the city, which cost about $250,000, which city officials said gives them a guideline to what it would cost to renovate more of downtown. “The street before was maybe hard for elderly people to maneuver,” DeBord said. “Now it gives them a good surface, there’s good parking, ample light. The new light poles are beautiful. Everyone feels safer walking in that area.” The Nebraska Department of Roads has also agreed to partner with the city to rebuild Highway 83 from First Street to the Jeffers Viaduct, which could happen in the next few years. The improvement to
Andrew Bottrell / The North Platte Telegraph
The project to renovate Fifth Street between Jeffers and Bailey in downtown North Platte was recently completed. The street was totally rebuilt to give more space for parking, while keeping the historic bricks in place. Fifth Street also comes on the heels of the city knocking down several old and dilapidated buildings along Jeffers, just south of Sixth Street. In
2010, the city built a new parking lot, dedicated to Keith Blackledge, former Telegraph editor, which included an ornamental street clock, which was
funded by the local Rotary Clubs. “For downtown the encouraging thing is we improved the parking lot [at Jeffers and Sixth] and im-
proved Fifth Street,” Mayor Marc Kaschke said. “I’m encouraged that we’re finally making an investment downtown.”
Original Town works on Rail Town USA vision By DIANE WETZEL dwetzel@nptelegraph.com
One year ago, Rail Town USA took another step from concept to reality after the North Platte City Council approved a $50,000 grant and $25,000 loan to the Original Town Association. The OTA, the group behind the creation of the successful yearly Rail Fest Celebration, is looking to further capitalize on North Platte’s rich railroad heritage. To that end, the group hired California consultant Barry Howard. Howard and his company, Barry Howard Limited, have 35 years of experience in designing a wide variety of projects, many with railroad themes. North Platte received the official “Rail Town USA” designation in 2007. Howard first visited North Platte in early 2011.
The question, according to ORA chairman Dave Harrod, is whether or not North Platte could sustain a Rail Town USA complex featuring historical displays, shopping, and family friendly features. In January, Howard returned, accompanied by consultant Jill Bensley of JB Research Company, also based in California, to take another look. The two had a public meeting to hear ideas from the public about ways to make North Platte a destination instead of a pit stop along Interstate-80. At that time, the duo were planning to collect information for a needs and feasibility study. “You can have a lot of great ideas and sit around a table and talk about them forever, but that is just conversation,” Howard said during the meeting. “We are here to
Telegraph file photo
Water tower shroud The North Platte water tower got a face lift and fresh new coat of paint last year. The shroud protected the painters and prevented the paint from being blown about by the wind.
provide the next step.” In March, Howard and Bensley submitted an interim report. “When you read the report, you get a little queasy feeling in your stomach,” Harrold said. “It said from their perspective, we don’t have the critical mass of people dying to get to North Platte to see 13 attractions that are all disconnected. I tell them that I want more than another visitor attraction, but something that will lift North Platte up and across the finish line.” The report was revised, he said. “You can’t change the data, but you can look at what works and come up with some ideas,” Harrold said. Howard and Bensley will be back in North Platte during the first week in May to present their findings.
Telegraph file photo
Dave Harrold, left, of the North Platte Original Town Association, and Barry Howard, a California consultant spent some time in early 2011 looking at the city to help create a vision for the future. The results of the study will be released sometime in May.
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THE NORTH PLATTE TELEGRAPH
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