Blizzard knocks power out for hours (27 hours for some customers) in Exeter

Exeter was not too far south of the bullseye for a storm that hit just after midnight on March 19.  The storm started with rain/sleet and quickly turned from ice to a heavy wet snow.  Exeter received over 10 inches that were nearly impossible to scoop.  Wednesday morning around 8 a.m. power went out in the southeast part of town with the rest of town losing power around 11 a.m.  School had been called off the night before.

Along with the storm were strong winds that piled the snow up into drifts and impaled it on windows and trees.  Power lines and poles were snapped by the weight of the ice and snow build up on lines and many trees, especially pine/spruce trees lost branches because of the weight.  Just a mile south of Exeter power lines were down for several weeks.  (Power utility workers were seen on the road working on April 7).

Power was restored to most of Exeter late in the evening on March 19 but southeast Exeter residents didn't get power back until 11 a.m. on March 20. There was no school March 19,20 or 21.  Many rural roads were not plowed and there were impassible roads.  

Heavy wet snow clung to the evergreen trees in Exeter breaking many branches.

The heavy wet snow was very difficult to scoop but fortunately most of it was gone by the weekend.

Trees were bent and broken by the heavy wet snow.

 The day before the storm, Tuesday, March 18, had a high of 80 degrees with lots of trees budding and blooming.

EMF boys ready to start track season

EMF Senior boys on the track team include (from the left): Mark Milton, Jacob Yocum, Chase Paulsen, Will Vyhnalek and Mason Vossler.

EMF Boys Track team picture from left (front row): Mason Vossler, Chase Paulsen, Mark Milton, Will Vyhnalek, Jacob Yocum; (second row) Head Coach Brian Murphy, Caleb Black, Zach Vossler, Josiah Oceguera, Hunter Svehla, Christian Conley, Assistant Coach Victoria Schwab; (third row) Assistant Coach Madalyn Fousek, Keltyn Kirchhoff, Evan Brahmstedt, Adrien Mueller, Gabriel Covarrubias , Zayde Arp, Truman Milton, Andrew Fennel; back row Assistant Coach Lori Klooz, Titus Petersen, Will Kallhoff, Josiah Oceguera, Kameron Schluter, Derek Conley, and Assistant Coach John Clouse. Tyrell Fennel is not pictured.
 

EMF girls gear up for track season

EMF Senior girls on the track team include (from the left): Kierra Papik, Lily Jeffries, Ashley Braun, Ella Archer and Reagan Bartley.

 EMF girls track team pictured from left (front row): Lily Jeffries, Kierra Papik, Ella Archer, Ashley Braun, Reagan Bartley; (second row) Head Coach Brian Murphy, Assistant Coach Madalynn Fousek, Kaydence Haase, Babe Weber, Selah Petersen, Assistant Coach Lori Klooz and Assistant Coach Victoria Schwab; (third row) Sophia Weber, Aniston Meints, Malorie Lawver, Cheyenne Krupicka, Lindsey Landis, Gracie Vyhnalek, Assistant Coach John Clouse; (top row) Aubrey Bachle, Ensley Stahl, Miley Ricenbaw, Meredith Paulsen, Reese Tuttle, Tori Bresson, MaKenna Burchett and Emily Bartels.

Medicare Information Session

 

EMF's falls in first round of State Tournament

EMF played a very tough Summerland team at Devaney on Thursday morning.  The EMF Bobcats had the lead after the first quarter but struggled to keep up with Summerland the rest of the game. Final was 55-68.  Summerland lost on Friday to Archbishop Bergan (that EMF beat in sub-district play).  Cross County and Archbishop Bergan will meet for the championship on Saturday.

 

Ties and Tiaras

 

Death Notice: Judith M. "Judy" Dinneen

 

Judith M. “Judy” Dinneen, age 85, of Exeter, Nebraska, passed away on Saturday, March 8, 2025 at CHI Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney, Nebraska. A Mass of Christian Burial will be Wednesday, March 12, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Stephen Catholic Church in Exeter, NE. A Graveside Service will be in the Exeter Cemetery. Public visitation will be Tuesday, March 11, 2025 from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. with family present from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Rosary being prayed at 7:00 p.m., all at Farmer Funeral Home in Exeter, Nebraska . Memorials are suggested to Exeter Cemetery or Mourning Hope Grief Support.

Exeter-Milligan Update: 7th Brains

 

7^th Grade Brains

By Sara Pella, Exeter-Milligan Middle School Language Arts Instructor

 

The 7th-grade English class has been busy studying the brain and how it works. They read a series about a man named Phineas Gage. He was a railroad worker in the 1800s who survived a serious brain injury. One day, an explosion sent a heavy iron rod through his skull, damaging the front part of his brain. Amazingly, he lived, but his personality changed. Before the accident, he was responsible and friendly, but afterward, he became rude and had trouble controlling his emotions. Scientists studied his injury to learn how the brain affects personality and behavior.

His story helped people understand that different parts of the brain have different jobs.

 

As we were reading the series, we made paper brain caps to help us understand the different parts of the brain and their functions. Once the Phneas Gage series was finished, we learned about how the brain affects teens and their decision-making. The 7th graders had some great discussion points, relating them to their own day-to-day lives.

We have now moved on to Edgar Allan Poe. They read parts of The Tell-Tale Heart and once they finished, they got into 2 groups and debated if the man in Tell-Tale Heart was legally sane or insane according to the M’Naghten Rule. This led to a lot of discussion about the brain from previous texts as well.

The brain is a complex and powerful organ that shapes thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Phineas Gage’s accident revealed how brain injuries can alter personality, while Edgar Allan Poe’s The Tell-Tale Heart explores the impact of guilt and paranoia on the mind. Similarly, teenage brains, still developing, are influenced by emotions and impulse control, highlighting the brain’s constant evolution. The 7th-grade class has had a great time studying all the different aspects of the brain.

Pictured L-R: Crosby Oldehoeft, Liam Capek, Archer Kanode, Gracelyn Becker, and Axel Erdkamp

EMF Plays at Devaney

 The #5 seeded EMF Boys Bobcat Basektball team will meet #4 Summerland at the Bob Devaney sports center on Thursday March 13 at 10:45 a.m.

Find ticket information here:

Exeter-Mililgan Update: Uno, Dos, Tres. . .

 

Uno, Dos, Tres..

By Amanda Pettygrove, Exeter-Milligan Kindergarten Teacher

The kindergarten students at Exeter-Milligan have been on an exciting language-learning adventure with the help of a special guest! High school student Kmila has been visiting the class to teach them Spanish, with our new focus being counting all the way to 100.

To make learning fun, the students played an interactive game called Feed the Silly Monster. They even gave their monster a creative name—Silly Blue Stripes! During the game, students practiced their Spanish numbers while "feeding" Silly Blue Stripes. Laughter and learning filled the classroom as they worked together to master their new skill.

This has been such a fun way for our students to explore another language.  Kmila has done a wonderful job engaging them and making learning exciting.

Thanks to Kmila’s guidance and the students’ enthusiasm, counting in Spanish has become a favorite classroom activity. The young learners are already looking forward to their next lesson!

 

Kmila Benitez helps students practice their counting in Spanish.

Lennon Gilmer takes her turn to feed Silly Blue Stripes.