Touring Exeter: Gilbert's Park Brick Sign

This sign was erected during the Exeter Q125. On both sides of the sign bricks were available for purchase and engraving. It is a beautiful edition to the park.  Next to the sign are two camper parking spots with electrical hook up.

Touring Exeter: Exeter Historical Marker Sign

Journal Found in the Walls

 

There is a television show called “If Walls Could Talk” which explores unusual findings in older homes. They trace the history of the items to try and tell the story of past occupants of the home.

Exeter recently had it’s own version of this story.  Exeter residents Wayne and Rachel Vossler had some remodeling done to their kitchen and when one wall was removed a journal and some papers were found. 

Rachel began exploring the journals and found some names.  She started to ask about the names and one connected with her. She knew that one of her neighbors just one block away had family members with the same name so she decided to contact her.

In the meantime Rachel also spoke with another person in town and mentioned the name on the journals, Delores Rasmussen.  To her delight, Rachel found out that the original owner of the journals, which were dated from the early 1950’s, was alive and active in the area.

Rachel had contacted Delores’ daughter, Lori Walford. With this other friend in town, Rachel decided to surprise both Lori and Delores with the journal along with the other papers found. Lori, a history buff, was recently diagnosed with cancer. 

Both Lori and Delores were thrilled with the discovery.  The journal had been Delores’ in high school.  Much of her school papers from her freshman year were in the journal that contained several notebooks.  As Lori flipped through the pages of the journal she found all kinds of musical notes doodled here and there, “you could tell what Mom’s mind was on. . .music.”

Also with the journal was a copy of Delores’ freshman “Exeter Eagle.” She explained that each class made a “booklet” as she called it, every month.  There were also some copies of some of her old Exeter cheers. She had shared them with her children prior “and they died laughing.”

Her parents moved to the house where the Vossler’s now live in 1955 although she graduated in 1954.  She recalled spending some time in the house after she graduated from high school.  She figured that the papers and journal had been stored up in her parent’s attic and were along the edge of the wall and fell down into the open studs.

After spending some time sharing the journal together and talking about sharing it with the rest of the family when they gathered for the holidays Delores and Lori started to compare notes with Rachel on how the house looked when they purchased it and how it looked when Rasmussen’s owned it.

While the journal didn’t contain any money, the memories were precious for these women.

Odego Leadership Class Learns About Education

 

 Exeter-Milligan Students Haylee Sheffield, Joan Strate, Superintendent Paul Sheffield and Senior Kelsey Moore assist in the Odegeo Tour at Exeter-Milligan.

FILLMORE COUNTY - The Fillmore County Odegeo Leadership for Fillmore County class visited the Fillmore Central Schools, the Exeter-Milligan Schools, Shickley School and the Southeast Community classroom in Geneva for their December session focusing on education in the county.

Becky Adkisson, SCC Coordinator told the group about the SCC Adult Education program in Fillmore County and the area. She encouraged people to teach a class, let her know of people who might want to teach a class or take a class themselves.

Mr. Rose the FCS principal had Mrs. Talley, the business teacher talk about how she used the Smart Board technology in her classes. Then Mr. Mark Novell, Superintendent of the Fillmore Central Schools gave an overview of the district. Mark Wragge, Principal at Geneva Elementary gave a tour of the elementary school and Michele Rayburn, Success Coordinator gave and overview and tour of the Success and Tyke classrooms. The group enjoyed rolls and juice at the high school.

Class members also visited the Head Start center in Geneva. Audrey Rickers, Director, gave a tour of the facility and gave information about the program.

The Odegeo Leadership class also visited the Exeter-Milligan school district where Paul Sheffield, the Superintendent, talked about the district. Kelsey Moore, a Senior High student, explained the lap top computer program where students are given a laptop computer to use in and out of the classroom. Two sixth grade students assisted Mr. Sheffield with a tour of the Milligan facility. The class was treated to a school lunch in Milligan cafeteria.

Mr. Evan Wieseman, Superintendent of the Shickley Public School, gave an overview of the Shickley district and then the group toured the building. The class members enjoyed cookies and coffee after the tour in the Shickley cafeteria.

The ODEGEO class will meet again in January when the topic will be “Health and Human Services.”

The day ended with a presentation by Crystal Higgins, Beatrice Chair, who is an instructor in the SCC (Southeast Community College) Nursing Program and serves the students at the Geneva site.

Persons interested in learning more about the Fillmore County Odegeo leadership program should contact the Fillmore County Development Corporation at 759-4910 or go to www.fillmorecountydevelopment.org

Milligan to allow 2 a.m. Bar Closings - is Exeter next?

In October, the Village of Milligan became the second community in Fillmore County to pass the 2 a.m. bar closing allowed by LB 861.

 

The bill, introduced by District 32 Representative Russ Karpisek, requires that two-thirds of the governing board of a community approve the additional one hour extension. The Village Board of Milligan passed the bill unanimously.
Milligan Village Chairman Eric Milton saw the measure as business decision. “We had a business approach us and my opinion was to allow the businesses to make that decision for themselves. There were certain circumstances or certain things they wanted to stay open that late for. I don’t see that this will be relevant a lot of the time,” said Milton.

Elaine Korbelik, owner of Ron’s Tavern in downtown Milligan doesn’t have plans to invoke the new 2 a.m. closing. “I don’t know of anything right now. Maybe for some special occasion or something. At least we have the option, but so far we have no plans of doing it yet,” said Korbelik.

The other regular establishment in Milligan is Evening With Friends which is owned by Jon and Stephanie Nichols. Jon was interested in the time extension, “Times are going to go that way eventually. It most likely will only come into play on Friday’s and Saturday’s. I think it’s an opportunity for us to expand our business.”

As Nichols sees it, “In a rural location you are more of a destination rather than a rolling by point. Customers need the chance to have a place to stay.”

Milligan Village Board member Steve Briske felt, “It should be allowable for the people that wanted to use it.”
So far, the Exeter Village Board has not been approached with any requests for time extensions. 

John Graham, owner of John E’s is looking into bringing the issues before the Exeter Village Board. “We are looking at going before the Village Board after the New Year to ask about the 2 a.m. opening but we would only use it for special occasions and have no intention of staying open until 2 a.m. regularly.

Fillmore County Hospital Construction

The Fillmore County Hospital Construction project saw its first bit of cement poured on Monday, December 20th.  Dirt work has been almost constant the last few months with the project using dirt from a nearby farm.  Excavators, backhoes, dirt packers, tractors and other heavy equipment have been involved with the project.  Two homes have been removed with one more home and some outlying buildings yet to be removed.  The project is scheduled to be completed in 2012.  Currently there is a capitol campaign being initiated to help fund building the medical clinic at the new hospital site.

Exeter First National Bank holds Open House

Bethine Leif poured herself a cup of hot apple cider as she enjoyed the First National Bank Open House on Monday. Customers and residents were welcomed to refreshments during the all day event.

Santa Visits Exeter Saturday Morning

Cohen Harre was definitely staying close to Grandpa Kenny Harre and wasn't too interested in giving Santa his wish list.

 Brett Kallhoff wasn't getting any closer than he had to so Mom could take a picture.

 The Horne kids are experienced with Santa pictures. They got a great one and gave him their list as well.

The kids loved playing Christmas Bingo after they visited with Santa. Everyone got a Bingo and then a few got the opportunity to play cover-up as well.

Santa stopped for a last minute visit to Exeter Saturday morning.  Good girls and boys had a chance to give him their wish lists before he headed back to the North Pole.

 

After a picture with Santa each visitor received a goodie bag with fruit, candy and a toy in it courtesy of the Exeter Chamber of Commerce.  The Chamber also sponsored Christmas Bingo at the Legion hall.

 

Parents and kids enjoyed playing Bingo with the Christmas star at the center of each card as the free spot.  After a Bingo the kids were given a golden dollar.

 

In just one more week Santa will be back in Exeter to pay another visit to all the kids who have been nice.

Exeter-Milligan Athletes Recognized

The York News Times Recently named several Exeter-Milligan Athletes to their All-Area Teams.

Exeter-Milligan Volleyball players named were:

Claire White, Junior - Also was named on the D-1 First team by the Omaha World Herald
Kelsey Moore, Senior
Heather Pribyl, Senior - Also named Co-captain of the team - Also was named on the D-1 First team by the Omaha World Herald
Exeter-Milligan Football players named were:

Zach Jensen, Senior - Also named as an honorable mention on the Omaha World-Herald Class D2
Nolan White, Freshman (Nolan was the only Freshman named to the team and was second in receiving yards among players nominated to the team). Also named as an honorable mention on the Omaha World-Herald Class D2

Honorable Mention:

Cody Soukup, Senior

Congratulations to all!

New Temporary Cell Tower in Exeter

 Will cell service actually be possible in Exeter?  

Arriving in Exeter Monday afternoon was the first temporary cell tower. Although the Verizon tower is temporary, Verizon does plan to build a permanent tower on the east side of the Exeter school football field. The tower will be activated in a few days as power had not been connected to the site yet.

 In November, Jerry Carpenter, a representative of U.S.Cellular spoke to the Fillmore County Board of Supervisors about placing a new tower along Highway 6 just a few miles out of Exeter.  The Fillmore County Planning Commission held a hearing, Monday, December 20th and the Supervisors will hold a hearing on Tuesday, December 28th to approve the U.S. Cellular tower.