NEWS ROUND-UP: State Roads Job Available In Dorchester

• Happy Easter From The Times:  The Times wishes our readers a happy Easter -- even if the weather could be better.  May you and your families enjoy the holiday together and remember the significance of this day. “He has risen!”

• State Roads Job Available In Dorchester:  The Nebraska Department of Transportation is currently accepting applications for a Highway Maintenance Worker Senior in Dorchester.  Starting pay is around $15.18 per hour.  Great benefits include paid holiday, vacation, and sick leave as well as a retirement match of over 150%.  Job duties will include operating trucks and other light equipment to complete highway maintenance work; and operating tractors with various attachments including disc, harrows, seeders, 15 foot mowers, sprayers and hand mowers to maintain highways and highway right of ways.  For the job's details, click here or go to www.statejobs.nebraska.gov.

• Several Incumbents, One Newcomer Apply for Dorchester Boards:  Some familiar names will be on this year's ballot for Dorchester School Board and Village Board.  Three incumbents are running again for DPS board -- Matt Hansen, Carol Schnell and Steve Vyhnalek​.  No challengers filed for any of the three school school board seats that are up in 2018.  Meanwhile, for the two village board seats that are up this year, Dean Pracheil has filed to serve again, while Tom Cerney has filed as a newcomer, although Cerney has served on the board before.  (Correction: We are told that the three village seats to be elected this year are currently held by Dean Pracheil, LJ Barley, and Todd Jensen. These three seats will be voted on in the general election. Residents of Dorchester have from February to July to file.)

• Dorchester Library Needs Visitors -- Or It Will Close:  Use it or lose it, folks! According to a flyer spotted around town, the Dorchester Community Library, located on our main street, needs more visitors or it will be closed.  As the flyer says, the library is a free resource.  If they don't have a book you're looking for, they will order it for you.  Read a magazine and pay no subscription costs.  Hours are Wednesday 4:00 to 6:00 p.m., and Saturdays 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.  Volunteers are also needed.  Call the village at 402.946.3571 if you'd like to help.  

• Friend Swimming Pool May Close, According To Report:  A paid advertisement in the Friend Sentinel says that Friend leaders are considering closing the Friend municipal pool.  "Many days, there are more lifeguards on duty than actual swimmers," said Patrick Gates, a Friend official.  It is believed that the Friend pool is one of the very last of its design, which may predate World War II, and the pool suffers from severe water loss.  Gates said, "When I was a kid, the place to be all summer was at the pool," but today, "with all the technology, the kids just seem to have other things to do and the limited number of daily attendees is almost unbelievable." It appears Friend leaders are weighing whether to make costly repairs to the pool or bus Friend children to nearby pools or splash pads.  

• Report Says Shopko in Crete Could Be Closing: Perhaps more signs of the struggling main street retail community.  We have received via e-mail two unconfirmed reports that Shopko in Crete may soon be closing.  One report said that the building that currently houses the department store on Crete's main street could even be torn down.  It's still just a rumor at this point.

Donkey Basketball Fundraiser For FBLA Draws Over 600

Photo Credits: Sharon Axline

On Monday night, March 26, donkey basketball was reintroduced to Dorchester. 

Older readers may recall Dorchester used to host these events long ago.  A new generation was able to experience this form of entertainment. 

The donkeys were provided by Dairyland Donkey Basketball as fundraiser for the Dorchester Future Business Leaders of America chapter.  

All proceeds will benefit DHS' FBLA national qualifiers.

According to reports, the event was extremely successful. More than 600 people attended.  

The last time the gym was that full was during basketball showdowns with Friend, Wilber or Lincoln Christian two to four decades ago, according to one observer.  

Greg Tyser's team took the trophy, defeating the FBLA team and the DHS alumni team to take the title. 

The DHS FBLA posted this comment following the event: "The FBLA members were blessed with such a great community to support them in their endeavors. Many thanks to those who helped make this event a success! ... We appreciate everything you did to make these games a riot, and supporting our 'hot beef sundae' meal before the game."

Donkey basketball is a variation on the standard game of basketball, played on a standard basketball court, but in which the players ride donkeys.  

Donkey basketball has been practiced in the United States since the 1930s.

One observer said: "If laughter was gold, that gym was a gold mine. ...I can't remember seeing so many people, in the same place, laughing so much all at the same time.  It was so great."

NEWS ROUND-UP: Bird, Zoubek, Hoffman Earn All-State Honors

Bird, Zoubek Get All-State Honors: The Lincoln Journal Star recently named Dorchester's Makenna Bird and Abbey Zoubek to its Class D-2 honorable mention lineup for 2017-18 girls high school basketball.  Nice job to these two DHS standouts.

Daisha Hoffman Earns 6th Place At State Speech Contest: Dorchester High School's Daisha Hoffman represented her school and community at Nebraska's State Speech Competition last week at the University of Nebraska-Kearney, earning sixth place in Class D-2.   This followed Hoffman's stellar performance at the district speech competition at Lincoln Southwest High School on March 13 and her first-place finish in the conference speech meet Feb. 21. Nice going, Daisha, for your impressive accomplishment.

Study Shows Happiest Teens Use Smartphones, Digital Media Less Than Hour A Day:  Get off that phone, kid! Parents -- you, too! A new study by researchers at San Diego State University and the University of Georgia examined data on more than a million 8th, 10th, and 12th grade students. The authors found that teens who spent more time hanging out with friends in person and less time texting or video chatting were happier than those who spent more time in front of a screen.  There was a notable increase in overall life satisfaction for students who participated in more extracurricular activities or sports, as well as those who read actual print publications more frequently. The study showed that the happiest teens were those who spent less than an hour per day on digital media. Studies have shown self-esteem and life satisfaction levels dropped sharply after 2012, which is the same year that the number of Americans who owned a smartphone jumped over 50 percent.  (Not willing to cut social media and smartphone time to less than an hour? Then don't complain about your foul mood.)

Legislature Passes Bill To Let Towns Crack Down On Vacant Property Owners

In recent years, small town residents across Nebraska have complained about vacant properties, only to be told by lawyers or judges that there is little the law allows town officials to do about them.

Be warned, vacant property owners: That is changing soon, for both residential and commercial property owners.

An informed reader tells us the Legislative Bill 256, a bill that would crack down on the problem of vacant properties, has been passed by the legislature and signed by the governor.  The bill passed 47-0 on March 15.  The governor signed the bill March 21.  It will become law of the land on the third week of June.

The bill, introduced by State Senator Tom Briese of Albion, will provide communities a real tool to address vacant property challenges.  

According to the legislature's website and a summary, Legislative Bill 256 would adopt the Vacant Property Registration Act. Under the Act, municipalities would have the authority to enact vacant property registration ordinances (VPROs) to identify and register vacant properties, collect fees to compensate for the public costs of property vacancy, plan for the rehabilitation of vacant properties, and encourage the occupancy of such properties.

The registry could apply to commercial or residential property.  

An amendment to the bill exempts vacant properties that are advertised in good faith for sale or lease.  Also, town officials could conduct inspections of vacant properties.

If OK'd by Dorchester village officials, a vacant property registration ordinance would be adopted.  Here is what would happen to owners of vacant properties:

1.) Owners would be require to register a property that has been vacant for 180 days or longer.  

2.) An initial registration fee of no more than $250 for a residential property and $1,000 for a commercial property would be assessed. 

3.) Supplemental fees would be allowed.  Unpaid registration fees and fines would become a lien on the applicable property upon notice to the county.

Last year, Greg Ptacek, economic development director for the city of Neligh, testified in support of the bill. Approximately 10% of Neligh’s housing stock currently sits vacant, he said.  “If we were to take 5% of those houses and put them back on the market … we would have about 4,000 [more] homes in Nebraska,” Ptacek said.

Lynn Rex of the League of Nebraska Municipalities also testified in support of the bill.  She said, the bill would give small and medium-sized communities more ways to encourage owners of problem properties to cooperate with city government and find solutions. “Financial pressure does work when you’re trying to deal with vacant properties,” Rex said.

Developing...

NEWS ROUND-UP: Coffee With Superintendent Schrunk, March 27

Tuesday Morning Coffee Event With DPS Superintendent: This Tuesday, March 27, at 7 a.m. at City Slickers restaurant in downtown Dorchester, Dorchester Public Schools Superintendent Daryl Schrunk will host a "Coffee with the Superintendent" event for parents and other district patrons.  He will provide an update on school matters, as well as take questions.  The Times staff is very impressed with this initiative -- the first of its kind in our area.

DHS Journalism Program Continues To Accumulate Honors:  Congratulations to the Dorchester High School journalism program.  We are told that over 30 schools competed in this year's Journalism Education Association contest, and that most of the schools were from Class A institutions.  Makenna Bird received an "excellent" in Yearbook Theme Copy Writing and honorable mentions in Yearbook Feature Writing and Yearbook Sports Feature Writing.  Zoe McKnight received honorable mention in News/Feature Photography.  Harmony Shepherd received honorable mentions in Yearbook Theme Copy Writing and Photo/Artistic Illustration.  Breanna Muff received an "excellent" in News/Feature Photography. The entire Dorchester yearbook staff from 2016-17 received honorable mention for Yearbook Theme Development. The journalism students are advised by Mrs. Sandy Severance. 

Dorchester Kindergarten Registration Is This Tuesday, March 27:  Do you know a child who will be going to Dorchester Public School's Kindergarten next year? Dorchester's Kindergarten registration for school year 2018-19 will be Tuesday, March 27, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.  Then, on Thursday (March 29), Kindergarten Round-Up will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.  For more information, call Mrs. Carroll at 402-946-2781.

Rural Counties Making Comeback: We were sent a national news story about some long-declining small towns and farming and manufacturing counties across the country that are now adding people.  It seems that population growth in many large cities is starting to cool down, due to the expense of living in urban America and the declining quality of life. Heavily agricultural areas "likely still have fewer jobs, but may be attractive to people looking for low-cost areas to retire or cut costs," said Doug Farquhar, program director for rural development at the National Conference of State Legislatures.  The same source who e-mailed this story also shared a chart that shows Saline County is one of just 15 Nebraska counties that has grown over the last 17 years.  This is good news for Dorchester, which has so much potential.  Now is the time for town leaders, organizations and even students to compile a long-term plan for housing, education, streets, businesses and overall quality of life.  

Former Village Employee Earl Parks Passes At 87

Earl H. Parks, 87, of Beatrice passed away at the Beatrice Community Hospital Sunday morning, March 18, 2018. He was born on March 27, 1930 on a farm near Dorchester to Howard and Olga (Freitag) Parks, graduated from Dorchester High School in 1947. 

Earl served his country in the U.S. Army from January 1952 until January 1954. Earl married the love of his life, Karen A. Kenney, on Aug. 24, 1954 and of this union three sons were born, Kenneth, John, and Larry. He had worked on the construction crew, building the CO-OP elevator. He attended Milford Trade School from 1954-1955 where he completed electrical coursework and then went to work for the village of Dorchester as an electrician, town marshall, or anything else that needed to be done. In August of 1962, Earl moved his family to Beatrice and started working for Norris Public Power District for 33 years, retiring May 1, 1995.

He was a member of the United Methodist Church in Dorchester; Lifetime member of the American Legion Club in Dorchester; Beatrice VFW Club and Eagles Club; and longtime member of Hidden Acres Golf Club.  Earl was a loving, kind and caring man who enjoyed spending time with his family. He liked to play baseball and softball as a young man, and enjoyed bowling and became an avid golfer.

Survivors include his wife Karen; 3 sons, Kenneth (Brenda) Parks of Crete, John Parks of Beatrice, and Larry (Tracy) Parks of College Station, Texas; 5 grandchildren Jason Parks of Chandler, Arizona, Cameron, Sydney, Shelby and Jacob Parks, all of College Station; great grandson Kyler Parks of Chandler, AZ; and several cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents, father and mother in law John & Bertha Kenney, and great grandson Christian Michael Parks.

Memorial services were today, March 22, at the United Methodist Church in Dorchester with Pastor Paixao Baptista officiating.  Burial of ashes were at the Dorchester Cemetery with military graveside services provided by the Dorchester American Legion and Nebraska National Guard. 

In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established to the family's choice with the funeral home in charge. Sign Earl's online guest book and view his video tribute after completed at www.ghchapel.com.

Estimate: Weekend Crowd Topped 2500, Raising Over $8000

The St. Patrick's Day weekend was quite profitable for Dorchester organizations, according to several reports, and brought a multitude of visitors to town.  

The annual Dorchester Alumni Basketball Tournament was the main event, attracting several former DHS players, as well as their family members and fans.  Social media reports that the tournament was won by the Drew Denker team, with the Brandon Bruha team finishing as runner-up.

The Dorchester Community Foundation's Annual Steak and Hamburger Feed was held Saturday evening, March 17, at the Dorchester American Legion Hall and Community Building.  

An estimated 2,500 people visited the village over three days based on figures collected by two of our staff members.

A community contact said he estimated that the Foundation and school raised more than $8,000 when accounting for sponsorships, admissions and fees, dinner sales, and raffle ticket sales.

In addition, both dining establishments in Dorchester -- Big T's and City Slickers -- drew large crowds throughout the weekend.  The Dorchester American Legion raised funds from the open cash bar during the Foundation's dinner.

Funds raised from the Foundation's steak dinner will help support the planned splash pad project.  

Funds from the alumni tournament will go towards DHS athletic activities, including the new six-man football program.

On a separate note, the Times has learned that the 2018 Dorchester Alumi Golf Tournament will be June 2.  Call DHS Athletic Director Brent Zoubek at 402-946-2781 for details or to register.

NEWS ROUND-UP: Dorchester Students Excel In Statewide Competitions

Dorchester Design Selected As Statewide Winner For White House Easter Egg Roll:  Dorchester Public School has long been noted for its first-class art program, but now the program is receiving major national attention.  The Easter egg design submitted by Dorchester art students has been selected by the Nebraska Department of Education to represent the Cornhusker State at the White House Easter Egg Roll on April 2.  All schools across the country were invited to decorate an egg that represents their state or territory, using specific guidelines.  Dorchester students sat down with Mrs. Stacy Lutjemeyer, DPS' K-12 art instructor, and decided what to put on the design.  Students looked up Nebraska's state emblems and brainstormed how they would work into a design, while Mrs. Lutjemeyer sketched possible designs.  The students' final design was submitted to the State Department of Education and was selected by state officials as the state winner to be displayed at the White House Egg Roll.  Congratulations to Dorchester's creative art students for this national honor! (UPDATE: See the Friend Sentinel's article on this achievement by clicking here.)

Daisha Hoffman To Represent DHS At State Speech Contest: Dorchester High School's Daisha Hoffman will be representing her school and community at Nebraska's State Speech Competition this coming weekend at the University of Nebraska-Kearney.   This big news follows Daisha's stellar performance at the district speech competition at Lincoln Southwest High School on March 13 and her first-place finish in the conference speech meet Feb. 21. Congratulations to Daisha on this amazing accomplishment!

Dorchester's FBLA Adds To Its Long History Of Statewide Honors: This blog has often reported on the many accomplishments of Dorchester's Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) chapter.  Now we add more awards to that long list.  This past week, several DHS students attended the University of Nebraska's Business Day event, competing against students from all across Nebraska, including students from Class A, Class B, Class C and Class D schools.  The following Longhorn students walked away from the event with awards:

• Makenna Bird - 1st place - Business Calculations 
• Jacee Zoubek - 1st place - Financial Math
• Kyra Creamer - 2nd place - FBLA Principles and Procedures 
• Josh Thompson - 2nd place - Financial Math
• Josh Thompson - 3rd place - Introduction to Business 
• Dorchester - 2nd place - Chapter Scoring

For those who are unfamiliar, the (FBLA) is a nationwide career and technical student organization.  FBLA is the largest student-run organization in the United States.  Over the years, Dorchester has become a force to be reckoned within the FBLA universe and its statewide competitions, and DHS has produced several statewide FBLA officers.

Source: Groundbreaking For Splash Pad 'Very Close'

An e-mail to the Dorchester Times confirms Dorchester could have its own small water park at the city park by this summer.

Groundbreaking could occur this spring, according to the e-mail.

A source who wishes to remain anonymous wrote the Times this week to say that members who sit on a splash pad committee affiliated with the Dorchester Community Foundation recently received bids on the project. The committee is in the final stages of making decisions, we're told.

"If all goes well, groundbreaking will take place this spring and we could have the splash pad up and running in July," the source said.

She noted that much of the timing will depend on how quickly remaining funds are raised for the project.

The Dorchester Community Foundation has raised around $110,000 of the estimated $150,000 in funds needed to construct the proposed splash pad, according to a promotional "thermometer" located on the Dorchester main street median.

The foundation is planning its popular steak and hamburger feed for this Saturday, March 17, where more funds will be raised. Also, Dorchester students have been selling raffle tickets to help raise funds.

A splash pad is a small scale water park without a pool, but includes several water fountain or spray type features to help cool anyone off on those hot summer days. There are no lifeguard expenses, as with a pool, and it shuts off automatically when there is no activity. 

  

The Foundation's March 17 dinners can be eaten at the community hall, or prepared to go (just call 402-946-3791). Delivery will also be offered in town to those that may not be able to make it downtown. 

The Times encourages everyone to give generously so the splash pad can happen sooner rather than later.

Donations, made payable to the Dorchester Community Foundation Fund, can be mailed to: Peg Bergmeyer, 101 Washington Ave., Dorchester, NE 68343; or Dale Hayek, 652 County Road 1200, Dorchester, NE 68343.

The Dorchester Foundation is a non-profit subsidiary of the Nebraska Community Foundation, so all donations are tax deductible.

Norm Sokolik Passes At Age 66

UPDATE: The Associated Press has reported the following: A 67-year-old man was killed in a fatal crash on March 10 in Saline County, authorities said. The Saline County Sheriff's Office said an investigation shows a 2002 Ford Ranger, driven by Norman Sokolik, 67, was driving west on County Road K when it attempted to turn North. While attempting to turn onto County Road 1300, the vehicle was not able to remain on the roadway and ended up on its side. Upon arrival, Sokolik was found deceased. The other passenger, Karen Sokolik, 63, was transported to a Lincoln hospital for her injuries. The crash is still under investigation.

Norman F. Sokolik passed away on March 10, 2018. He was born April 5, 1951, in Crete to Frank and Viola (Smisek) Sokolik. He was raised east of Milligan until the family moved to the farm south of Dorchester.  He graduated from Dorchester High School in 1969. 

He earned a degree from Southeast Community College – Milford in Building Construction Technology. He worked for Kenneth Kreshel before forming a partnership as Quality Construction. He later worked with Doug Oliva. 

Norm and Karen Jean Zelenka were united in marriage on November 8, 1980, at the Exeter United Methodist Church. They made their home on the Smisek family farm south of Dorchester where he took great pride in farming. Norm enjoyed his time road-tripping in the “buggy”; being Dede to his 10 grandchildren and travelling to see their many activities; browsing Menards for more unnecessary tools; giving construction advice to his daughters on their projects (“well that’s not quite how I would have done it, but I suppose it’ll work”); searching for the next community cookbook he could find at thrift shops; Friday night trips for lottery tickets and scratch cards; and socializing with his many, many friends at establishments throughout eastern Nebraska. 

As Norm had more time on his hands, he thoroughly enjoyed reading magazines, newspapers or maps so he could plan his next adventure. He enjoyed trips to the “home place” near Western whether it was to check the crops, go deer hunting with his wife and girls, nephew Dan, and then eventually his sons-in-law, or bummin’ around. He took great pride in that land that just this past year was awarded the Pioneer Farm Award for 100 years in the Sokolik name. 

Norm is survived by his wife, Karen Jean (Zelenka); daughters, Nikole (Jason) Marschman, Krystal (A.J.) Novak, Ashley (Ryan) Volk, and Katelyn (Kyle) Vrtiska; grandchildren, Tony, Addison, and Sophie Marschman; Samantha and Jacob Novak; Josiah, Trenten, and Ally Volk; and Quinn and Finley Vrtiska; sister, Carolyn (Virgil) Wahl; brothers-in-law, Ron (Bonnie) Zelenka, Gary Zelenka; sister-in-law, Susan (Richard) Brandow; and many nieces and nephews. 

He is preceded in death by his parents, Frank and Viola; and uncle, Joe Sokolik. Memorial donations in Norm’s name can be made to the Dorchester Community Foundation Fund towards the Splash Pad, Dorchester Volunteer Fire Department, Dorchester American Legion, Dorchester United Methodist Church or your favorite watering hole, where you are instructed to tie a few on and tell a few stories of the great Norm Sokolik. 

Celebration of Life: Wednesday, 11 a.m., Kuncl Funeral Home, Wilber.  Casual attire please. Visitation: Tuesday, 4 – 7 p.m., funeral home.

Bird Earns State's FBLA Member Award For March

The Times has learned that Makenna Bird was this week named the Nebraska FBLA member of the month. 

Makenna, a DHS senior, has served in many officer positions, including chapter president this year. She has qualified for FBLA nationals, and received numerous honorable mentions and places at the organization's state leadership conference (SLC) and business competitions around Nebraska. 

Bird will compete at SLC again this year and at UNK's business day this Friday, March 16.

For those who are unfamiliar, the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) is a nationwide career and technical student organization.  FBLA is the largest student-run organization in the United States.  

DHS did not have an FBLA charter until the 1991-92 school year.  A quarter century later, while numbers in some other DHS activities have declined, DHS' FBLA membership remains strong -- impressive for a Class D school.  (DHS dropped from Class C to Class D in school year 1991-92, ironically.) 

Over the years, Dorchester has become a force to be reckoned within the FBLA universe and its statewide competitions.  In 2015, Dorchester took second place at the statewide FBLA competition for the Market Share Award, for example.

In the 2010-11 school year, Jessica Hansen, who received honorable mention top five percent in the areas of cyber security and sports management at the state FBLA competition, was elected as Nebraska's FBLA state secretary.

Other Dorchester students have served as state FBLA officers, as well, dating back to the 1990s.

The Dorchester Public School community should be proud of its FBLA chapter and the strong interest in business demonstrated by its many students.

REDUCED: Dorchester Houses For Sale

Dorchester is one of Nebraska's best little communities under 1,000 -- and it is getting noticed for the right reasons. 

Consider what our community has to offer:

• A newer K-12 school, built in 2008, with small class sizes and a big school budget surplus (meaning property taxes won't spike).
• A clean, peaceful, safe community, with a new water park coming to the city park soon.
• A new water tower and sewer infrastructure.
• The lowest school property tax levy in Saline County.
• Affordable living.
• One of the largest agri-businesses headquarters (Farmers Cooperative) in the state.
• Friendly, helpful neighbors in a closely knit community.
• A 10-minute drive from employers in Crete, Milford and Seward. And just 25 minutes to Lincoln. Located next to two major highways and near I-80.

However, one challenge facing Dorchester is housing supply.  We've heard from readers who've said they would like to move to Dorchester, if only good homes were available.

Today, we showcase the latest Dorchester home available right now.  And it's a dandy! If you're ready to call Dorchester home, we encourage you to take a look.  Make Dorchester your home and grow with our community.

404 W 11th St.:  UPDATE - This home had been listed as "pending" a few weeks ago, but is now relisted with a realtor for $145,000, considerably lower than the seller had been asking.  Keep in mind the total tax assessment is $106,035, but that doesn't always include recent interior improvements. With four bedrooms and 1 bathroom, as well as 1,380 sq. ft., this home is for sale by owner.  It's a great home for a single family and is close to the Dorchester school. Remodeled with many updates just three years ago, renovations include roof, a/c, furnace, and water heater. Nice big corner lot for kids to play and on a quiet street. Large, new shop building is included with a whopping 1125 square feet. Must be pre-approved for a walk-through.  For more details and several pictures, click here.

508 Lincoln Ave.:  $60,000.  Sturdy two-story home with two bedrooms, living room, bathroom, dining room and large kitchen on main floor. Upstairs has a split stairway with two bedrooms on each side for a total of six bedrooms! Plus a second furnace for the upstairs. Large attractive lot. HUD Homes are sold "as is." FHA financing (Insured Escrow) 203K eligible subject to FHA appraisal. 

Photos Show Commitment Of Dorchester's Volunteer First Responders

We've said it before; we'll write it again: The volunteers of the Dorchester Fire and Rescue Department make a big sacrifice to serve and protect the residents of our area, and the department is vital to our community.

The devotion and commitment of DVFD personnel were captured on film this past weekend by local photographer Sharon Axline.  

Axline took photos of the fire department's live fire training as firefighters took down the long-abandoned home at the intersection of Jefferson Ave. and 9th St.  

It was encouraging to see Friend FD volunteers take part in the joint training exercise since the units often have to work together on large fires.

Leaders of the DVFD for 2018 are:

• Fire Chief - Brant Pracheil;

• Assistant Fire Chief - Todd Axline;

• Rescue Captain - Matt Steuk;

• Assistant Rescue Captain - Cory Schlueter; and

• Secretary/Treasurer - Chad Tuttle.

Hats off to our community's first responders and their leaders for serving Dorchester and the surrounding countryside.

If you'd like to show your appreciation and donate to the DVFD, you may do so by sending a contribution to:

Dorchester Volunteer Fire Dept. 
P.O. Box 36
Dorchester, NE  68343 

Or if you'd like information on becoming a volunteer yourself, talk to one of the members today.

Dorchester Students' Artwork On Display At State Capitol

Dorchester Public School's got talent.

In honor of Youth Art Month, members of the Nebraska Art Teacher's Association were encourages to send two student artworks to be on display at the State Capitol.  

This year, DHS art instructor Mrs. Lutjemeyer sent in paintings from Atley Zoubek's (DPS fifth grade) and Diego Avellan's (DHS senior). 

Atley's watercolor painting is of her dog.  Diego's prisma color and acrylic painting is of a hummingbird.

The pieces has been on display at the capitol starting March 5.  You can see the paintings there until this Saturday, March 17.  

The students and their families are invited to attend a March 17 ceremony honoring the artists.

Congratulations to these budding Dorchester artists.

SCHOOL NEWS: Kindergarten Registration Set For March 27

Dorchester Kindergarten Registration will be held March 27:  Dorchester's Kindergarten registration for school year 2018-19 will be Tuesday, March 27, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.  Then, the following Thursday (March 29), Kindergarten Round-Up will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.  For more information, call Mrs. Carroll at 402-946-2781.

DHS Musical Will be April 13 and 14: The DHS spring musical will be April 13 and 14.  This year's musical is titled "Seussical the Musical."

Elementary Spring Concert is March 22:  The Dorchester Elementary spring concert will be March 22 at 7 p.m.  The theme of the concert will be "Songs from Around the World."  There will also be a "Make A Wish" silent auction held by the DPS Student Council.  The items will be set out by 6:30 p.m. and the bids will close 15 minutes after the concert.

Vacant Home On 9th St. Taken Down By Firefighters Saturday Morning

Photo by Sharon Axline

This morning, Dorchester was relieved of one of its most prominent vacant properties and eyesores.

While there are roughly two dozen neglected properties throughout Dorchester that are in need of immediate repair or removal, perhaps no site commanded more community attention than the long-abandoned home at the intersection of Jefferson Ave. and 9th St.  

It stuck out like a mangled thumb on a well-traveled street.

On Saturday morning, March 10, the Dorchester Volunteer Fire Department, with assistance from Friend firefighters, burned down the blighted property.

The house had recently been acquired by Dale and Deanna Bird, who spent months cleaning up the two lots on which the house sat.  

In a social media post, Deanna Bird wrote, "The house was too far gone to save. It had black mold in it, and the floors were so weak that we fell through a couple times."

Today's action clears the way for new housing to be placed on a paved street in Dorchester, just two blocks from the school. 

Developing...

Kohouts Celebrate 45th Wedding Anniversary;Tabor Hall Memories

The Feb. 15 edition of Fraternal Herald -- an official publication of Western Fraternal Life -- reports that Lorraine and Marvin Kohout of rural Dorchester recently celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary.

Congratulations to the Kohouts.

***

The same issue of the magazine features two brief accounts of Tabor Lodge, the well-known Czech community hall just south of Dorchester.

One account about Tabor Hall, written by Clarice Sabata, goes like this: 

"Our lodge in Dorchester, Neb. had dances every weekend. The whole family went and there were no babysitters. Mom and dad danced the night away while children learned to dance by dancing with their parents or each other. The teenagers eyed each other from various groups across the floor. Babies and toddlers were bounced on the knees of babičky (grandmothers). When the young ones got tired, they were put in a special corner of the hall that had a raised platform with protective sides built up to the wall. The tots were nestled in their blankets, while grandparents sat in chairs around the platform to keep an eye on them while tapping their toes to the music. On hot summer nights, cut-outs in the wall were opened to let any breezes in.  In winter, the pot-bellied stoves were used near the baby area and dining area. At midnight, the music stopped and all the happy people went home to prepare for a workweek ahead while anticipating the next dance."

Another story about Tabor Hall comes from Darlene Musil, who wrote:

"I became a member of No. 74 in Dorchester, Neb. as an infant. My dad had an orchestra, so I was introduced to dances at an early age. As a young child, I remember running and sliding on the dance floor. ... The day I was married in July 1954, the temperature was 107. There were very few dry clothes at the Charvari dance. Even with the windows open, it was stifling.  Our 25th and 40th anniversary dances were celebrated at Tabor, so there are many memories."

Tabor Lodge was organized Oct. 8, 1899, in Pleasant Hill -- the former county seat -- located two miles east of the lodge building's current location.  Tabor Lodge Hall was constructed in 1914 and dedicated Sept. 27, 19I4.  During WWI, when Czechoslovakia became involved, Tabor Lodge organized a chapter of the Czech National Association and raised several thousand dollars to help in the war effort.  Language classes were conducted at the hall.  The hall also helped promote the Sokol movement -- gymnastics designed to create and preserve a "sleek, well-tuned body."  

At one time, Tabor Lodge held the distinction of being the largest Czech lodge in Nebraska. 

By 1934, the organization had an urgent need for more space. A large dance pavilion was added to the existing lodge -- and the renovated, expanded Tabor Hall re-opened in June 1934 with a huge dance.  Soon, Tabor Hall became known to almost everyone in the Saline County area as it hosted political functions, farm organizations, class reunions, graduations, parties, flea markets, and wedding/anniversary celebrations.

In 1981, the building received an extensive makeover and restoration.  The ceiling was lowered to provide for a more energy efficient space. The walls were adorned with advertising signs as local businesses purchased their space and provided the sign painting.

Today, 104 years after its construction, Tabor Hall is well maintained by the members of Tabor Lodge.  The building still serves as a social hub for Saline County, regardless of ethnicity or family background.  Tabor Hall is a historical gem; its importance in shaping our regional community cannot be overlooked.

NEWS ROUND-UP: Hoffman Pleads Not Guilty

DHS Gets New Boards To Mark Athletic Records:  Through social media, we've learned that Bruce and Brent Zoubek recently hung new athletic record boards at Dorchester High School.  The boards were funded with donations from the DHS Booster Club, D-Club, Youth Wrestling Club, and Novak Auction.  In other sports news, we're told that DHS' Makenna Bird and Ridge Hoffman were recently selected to the CRC Basketball honorable mention teams. Makenna will play in the CRC vs. Goldenrod All-Star Game on May 25 in Central City.

Hoffman Pleads Not Guilty:  10/11 News reports that Dorchester Village Board Chairman and former Crete High School teacher Matthew T. Hoffman pleaded not guilty in Saline County Court on Wednesday morning.  Hoffman, 41, is facing two charges of second-degree sexual assault of a protected individual and one charge of first-degree sexual assault.  A pretrial conference for Hoffman has been scheduled for May 2 at 9:30 a.m. Hoffman was arrested by the Saline County Sheriff's Office on Jan. 17 and was released on bail later in the month. Details surrounding the reported incidents are outlined in an affidavit for a search warrant issued on Feb. 2, that resulted in the possession of Hoffman’s work computer.  The superintendent of Crete Public Schools confirmed that Hoffman voluntarily resigned his position at Crete High School on Feb. 19.

Friend School Board Eliminates Principal Position:  The Friend newspaper reports that next-door in Friend, the FPS school board has voted to eliminate a principal position.  The move appears to be for budgetary reasons.  Friend Superintendent David Kraus said Alyson Dickinson, who is currently both the elementary school principal and the K-12 guidance counselor, will become the school’s full time K-12 counselor and curriculum and assessment director.  Kraus said the school will advertise for a K-12 principal.

Health Care Event In Friend, March 24:  The Friend Community Healthcare System will hosts its annual health fair from 7 to 11 a.m. Saturday, March 24, at the Friend Community Building.  The event will include health screening profiles, lab draws and free blood pressure checks.  The Waffleman will be serving waffles, and proceeds will go toward the Friend hospital. Registration for the health fair may be done by calling (402) 947-2541 or online at www.friendmed.org. Registration is encouraged but not required.  Anyone who does labwork needs to fast 10 to 14 hours before the event. No food and drink other than water is allowed.

DPS Educators Lutjemeyer, Ridpath Nominated For National LifeChanger Award

The Times has learned that Dorchester Public School's art teacher Stacy Lutjemeyer and Title One teacher Karma Ridpath have been nominated for the 2017-2018 national LifeChanger of the Year award.

Sponsored by the National Life Group Foundation, LifeChanger of the Year recognizes and rewards the very best K-12 educators and school district employees across the United States who are making a difference in the lives of students by exemplifying excellence, positive influence and leadership.

The press release sent to the Times says, "Lutjemeyer brings passion and enthusiasm to her classroom and helps her students proudly display their work throughout the school. She’s very active outside of her classroom, planning sports events, staff gatherings and more to improve her school’s atmosphere. She works to expand networking opportunities for her students, and to help them expand their peer networks.

"Ridpath is a positive leader who holds her students to a high standard. She spends countless hours after school, on weekends and during the summer preparing lesson plans and finding new and creative ways to make a positive impact in the classroom. She is considered a mentor among her colleagues, and is deeply involved in her community outside of school."

Every school year, LifeChanger of the Year receives hundreds of nominations from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Seventeen individual LifeChanger of the Year awards will be given during the 2017-2018 school year.  The grand prize winner will receive $10,000 to be shared with their school/district.  Four grand prize finalists will receive $5,000 to be shared with their school/district. And 10 LifeChanger Award winners will receive $3,000 to be shared with their school/district.

Winners are announced via surprise award ceremonies held at their schools. Winners are chosen by a selection committee comprised of former winners and education professionals. Nominees must be K-12 teachers or school district employees. 

To view Ms. Lutjemeyer and Ms. Ridpath’s LifeChanger of the Year nominee profiles, visit www.LifeChangeroftheYear.com.