Exeter Native Carson Stokebrand Honored

Carson Stokebrand, of Exeter, was recently honored at the Boy Scouts Cornhusker Council Annual Recognition Dinner. Carson was awarded the Young American Award which was first awarded in 1968.

The award is given to a student age 19 through 25 to achighlight publicly the importance of their achievements and service to their community, state, and nation.

Recipients have to be nominated for this award and may or may not be a member of the Boy Scouts of America.

In order to be considered for this award nominees must have achieved outstanding accomplishments in the fields of art, athletics, business, community service, education, government, humanities, literature, math, music, religion, and science. Community service that adds to the quality of life and above average scholastic grade point average are also requirements.

The recipients are chosen based on completion of an extensive applications, letters of recommendation and records of the nominee's involvements in organizations, leadership roles and recognitions they may have received.

Stokebrand is an Eagle Scout with six palms. He was Valedictorian of his class at Exeter-Milligan High School and just graduated from Concordian University in Seward with High Distinction with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication with an emphasis in Journalism and Public Relations. He also received a Bachelor of Arts in History with a minor in Marketing.

Stokebrand was also named Outstanding Graduate in the Jouranlism and Public Relations program. He has been accepted inot graduate school at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He will be in the Broadcast Journalism masters program. Stokebrand is the son of Mark and Rhonda Stokebrand of Exeter.

Exeter-Milligan Field Day - Fun For All!

Exeter-Milligan elementary students had a beautiful afternoon for this year's annual Field Day events.

Friday's activities drew a large crowd of over 200 for the afternoon track and field events. Students were able to participate in relays, running events, potato sack races, tug-of-war, softball throw and an obstacle course along with the traditional field events. Third through sixth graders were allowed to participate in up to four events.

With the support of their parents and teachers, the elementary students along with their teachers, faculty and staff were guided in the many events. High school students also assisted in the running of the events.

At the end of the day's activities, students along with their parents and other family members enjoyed a walk around the track before receiving their prizes from the bike rodeo held in the morning.

Exeter-Milligan K-6 Students Enjoy Bike Rodeo

Friday, May 1, was a special day for the elementary students at the Exeter-Milligan school. It was a day of combined fun and learning for the kindergarten through sixth graders.

The morning started with a special bike safety video and helmet fitting. The students were invited to bring their bikes to school and all of the grades met at the Exeter site for a bike rodeo.

Junior high and high school members of the FCCLA marked out an eight station bike rodeo on the elementary playground and some of the street that was closed off. The older students practiced at each station after they were ready.

When it was time for the rodeo to begin the students were divided up into eight groups and traveled between the different stations. The bicycle inspection station was manned by village marshal's Mark McFarland and Brian McFarland. Other stations included riding around cones, navigating curves and stopping quickly.

Despite the cool, damp weather the students enjoyed the event. Prior to the rodeo, the kindergarten, first and second graders were treated to a bicycle safety session with Natalie Kingston from Public Health Solutions. On Friday the third, fourth, fifth and sixth graders also had a brief safety session and both groups witnessed the melon drop. Kingston dropped a small watermelon with a bicycle helmet on it and then without the helmet. The students got a first hand look at how a helmet can protect their head.

The event was orchestrated by the No Child Left on their Behind program through a grant received by the Exeter community. Members of the community as well as Exeter-Milligan faculty and staff volunteered their time to coordinate the program. The bike rodeo kit was provided by State Farm Insurance Company.

Through the grant monies, the program funded a helmet program for Kindergarten, first, second and third graders. Students were able to buy good quality helmets at a greatly reduced price. The funds raised will go to purchasing helmets for each incoming kindergarten class.

As one of the final parts of the program students in kindergarten through sixth grade who ride their bikes to school with their helmets on will receive a sticker each time and after they have collected enough stickers will be rewarded with a sports equipment prize.

The goal of the No Child Left on their Behind program is to promote more physical activity among our children and our communities. After the field day event, participants in the bike rodeo received sports activity prizes purchased with grant funds as well as prizes donated by Black Hills Energy and Army National Guard prizes donated by Zac Hartmann.

First National Bank in Exeter Celebrates 75th Anniversary Open House on Tuesday

The First National Bank in Exeter will hold an Open House to celebrate 75 years of operation serving the community of Exeter on Tuesday, May 12th starting at 8:00 a.m.

At 8:30 on Tuesday morning Troy Thornton, Assistant Deputy Comptroller of the OCC will present Jim McCabe with a certificate of recognition. The OCC (Office of the Comptroller of the Currency) charters, regulates and supervises all national banks. McCabe serves as the CEO and Chairman of the Board for the bank.

The First National Bank in Exeter has been continuously family owned and operated since the depression era when H.M. Link obtained a charter for the bank through several trips by rail to Washington D.C. The Bank reopened March 21, 1934 with H.M. Link as president and Frank N. Craven, A.W. Dyer, Lesher T. Blouch, Guy J. Phelps and H.M. Link as stockholders.

The current bank building was completed in 1966 two doors south of the original bank. The hometown bank offers all of the services of a large bank including internet and telephone banking. Other products the bank offers include HSA’s, IRA’s Visa Debit cards, home mortgages, first time home buyer/down payment assistance loans along with many other traditional banking products.

It’s no wonder that McCabe “credits much of the success of the bank on its dedicate staff and faithful customers,” many of the helpful staff have been employed with the bank over ten years, some over twenty years.

During the open house the bank will be serving cake and refreshments while customers can enjoy a display of interesting items from the past 75 years.

pictured are from the left: Kay Due, Kristi Horne, Tammy Sladek, Patty Rocole, Sharla Dinnee, Sharon Mueller, Vice-President and Alan Emshoff, President. Not pictured: Jim McCabe, CEO and Chairman of the Board.

Exeter Senior Center hosts Senior to Senior Breakfast Friday morning

The 8th annual Senior to Senior Breakfast hosted by the Exeter Senior Center was held Friday, May 8th at the Exeter Senior Cener.

Most of the 18 seniors attended with many of their grandparents. They were served a nice breakfast with homemade cinnamon rolls, donuts, egg casserole, coffee and juice.

The Senior Class introduced their grandparents and honored guests. Many guests were local but others traveled from as far away as Maryland, Indiana and other states.

A male and female name were drawn for a Casey's gift card and the winners were Amber Filipi and Travis Oliva.

Exeter-Milligan Superintendent Signs Contract /Explains Stimulus Funds Purpose

After serving the Exeter-Milligan school district as interim Superintendent, Paul Sheffield has been offered a full two year contract by the school board and has accepted.

The new contract will go into effect on July 1, 2009 for the next two years. According to Sheffield, the interim contract "had no guarantee. It was a trial period for each of us."

The school district under Sheffield's guidance is currently projecting itself into the future. Two new programs the district will be implementing are designed to assist students with skills and technology.

The new federally mandated reading requirements require a RT1 model. The reading mastery program will be implemented this fall for K- 6. "It has interventions built in. It will have everybody on the same page," according to Sheffield.

The second up and coming new thing will be the one to one laptop initiative. The school will be leasing Apple laptops for seventh through 12th graders starting in the 2010-2011 school year. This fall the teachers will all get an Apple laptop and spend a year training and adapting their curriculum to the laptop.

"There is a cost but I've found some funding to cover them. Our costs will go up but the receipts will go up as well. The laptops will go a long way in preparing kids for skills for the 21st century and college or the workforce. We want to prepare them and get our kids ahead," explained Sheffield.

As far as stimulus funding, Sheffield announced that the school will get part of two different packages. One is funds marked for the Title I program and will be $20,000 over the next few years. Unfortunately that amount cannot be used to helped the current budget but must be spent above what is currently budgeted.

The second part of the package will be for IDEA. "This $62,000 will help pay for the laptop initiative and a reading coach to help with the transition into the reading mastery program," explained Sheffield.

Sheffield reflected on the past year, "This year went amazingly fast. I enjoyed it very much. It is still different for me with no principal duties."

The Sheffield family will be moving to Exeter this summer with daughter Haylee entering the fifth grade at Exeter-Milligan this fall and son Devin in eighth grade.

Exeter Village Marshal Requests Compliance on Parked Vehicles

Exeter Village Marshal

202 S. Exeter Ave.

Exeter, NE 68351

In light of some recent complaints, the Village of Exeter and the Exeter Village Marshal’s Office would like to remind the residents of Exeter of the laws involving parked vehicles. Here are a few:

• Unregistered vehicles or vehicles with plates more than thirty days past expiration may not be parked on public streets. (State Statue 60-3,164)
• Vehicles may be considered abandoned after 96 hours or less on public streets and 7 days on private property. (State Statute 60-1901)
• No vehicle may be parked in one place for more than 48 hours on any public street within the Village of Exeter. (Village Ord. 5-509)
• Non-Operating or wrecked vehicles may not be left sitting in the open for more than 30 days on any property within the Village of Exeter unless a hobbyist permit has been issued by the village. (Village Ord. 6-323)

The Exeter Village Marshal’s office would like to encourage the residents of Exeter to begin moving any vehicles that are inoperable into a garage, behind privacy fencing, or removing them altogether. The marshal’s office will be giving residents a reasonable amount of time for voluntary compliance before taking further enforcement actions. If such vehicles are not removed, violators will be notified and additional actions will be taken.

5/6/09

H1 N1 What is it all about? Exeter Care Center DON Shares at Exeter Senior Center

The Exeter Care Center Director of Nursing, Laura Lea and Social Services Director Margaret Petro shared lots of information with the lunchgoers at the Exeter Senior Center on Tuesday.

The two passed out several informational packets on the H1N1, Swine Flu, that has spread throughout the United States.

Currently the World Health Organization has set the pandemic level at orange, level 5 which is one level just below massive pandemic.

Lea spoke to the group bout how this flu is "different from the seasonal flu. . .it has a different genetic make-up than the swine flu of many years ago."

She emphasized that it has really nothing to do with pigs or pork and they have found that it spreads rapidly from human to human.

Right now it seems that the cases are taking a turn toward slowing down but Lea warned that "this type will slow down and then turn up again. I encourage you if you are feeling achy, tired and have respiratory chest symptoms and a fever to call your doctor first before showing up at the office or emergency room to be tested."

There are two medications on the market right now that can help if you can take with in 2 - 3 days of feeling the symptoms. A warning to all that there are several reported scams online offering this medication.

Several cases have been confirmed in Nebraska but right now only one case actually originated in Nebraska. The Sarpy county female is not currently hospitalized.

Lea reported that the average age of those becoming sick is 17 with the majority 20 or younger.

As with all viruses Lea urged people to wash hands often as "flu viruses and other germs can live two hours or longer on hard environmental surfaces like tables, doorknobs, and desks."

The Care Center also provided bottles of hand sanitizer for those in attendance, encouraging them to wash and sanitize often. Lea encouraged those who felt sick to stay at home to avoid spreading the flu. If disinfectants are not available a solution of 1 tablespoon chlorine bleach to 1 quart of water to disinfect surfaces. Remember to wear gloves to protect your hands.

Currently no vaccine is ready for the H1N1 virus - it will likely take 4 - 6 months to develop, test and begin production.

Deck pouring continues around pool

Most of the area around the bathhouse is poured
Making sure the deck is smooth and level!!! What a difference that will be from the old pool.

Monday morning found another session of concrete pours as crews began to work their way around the pool, pouring the decking. The cement in the pool will have to cure for 30 days before it can be painted and used this year.

Co Op begins Grain Bin Construction

Equipment arrived this week as construction began on the new grain bin at the Farmer's Cooperative in Exeter. Last week electrical crews worked to move power poles and light poles to make access to the new scale easier.

The pilings are being drilled for the new storage bin.