DHS Girls Drop CRC Semifinals Game In York

Photo by York News-Times.

Despite a fourth period surge, the Dorchester High School girls basketball team fell 25-35 on Tuesday evening to the No. 3 seed Meridian Mustangs in the CRC Tournament semifinals at the York City Auditorium. 

Just three nights earlier, the Lady Longhorns had taken down Nebraska Lutheran in the tourney's first round, 36-29.

The Meridian Mustangs (11-5) will meet the Exeter-Milligan Timberwolves at 6 p.m. on Thursday night.

But last night, Meridian senior Josiee Sobotka proved to be too much of a force for Meridian. 

The York newspaper reports: "Dorchester tried to keep pace as Jacee Zoubek scored five of her team-high 14 points in the first quarter. .. (But) Dorchester hit just 4 of 19 shots in the first half and they finished up 9 of 41, with a 5 of 28 effort on 3-point attempts.

"Dorchester made their run in the fourth quarter behind three-pointers from Kyra Creamer and Zoubek to trim the Mustangs double-digit lead to 28-25. ... Dorchester could not mount any kind of offense as they failed to score the final 5:38 of the game."

Scorers for DHS were Creamer 3, Duchek 4, J. Zoubek 14, Novak 4. 

Despite the loss, DHS showed amazing improvement from their first contest back in early December when they lost to the same Meridian team 25-45.

The Lady Longhorns are now 9-7 on the season. With just six regular season games left, next week is critical as DHS travels to Parkview Christian (0-14) on Tuesday, hosts Nebraska Lutheran (4-8) on Thursday, and then travels to Giltner (6-10) on Friday.

Marva Kasl Turns 82

A lot happened in 1938.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed into law the Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act.

Oil was discovered in Saudi Arabia.

Action Comics issued the first Superman comic.

Orson Welles' radio adaptation of The War of the Worlds was broadcast, causing mass panic in the eastern United States.

Adolf Hitler was Time magazine's "Man of the Year" (as most influential during the course of the year, not as "best" man of the year).  That same year, Hitler had abolished Germany's War Ministry and took direct control of the German military. 

Japan declared war on China.

Babe Ruth was signed as a Dodger’s coach for the rest of the season.

The average cost of new house had risen to $3,900, while the average wages per year hit $1,730.  The cost of a gallon of gasoline was 10 cents, compared to the cost of a loaf of bread, which was nine cents.

The average new car price rose to $763.

Most importantly, Dorchester's Marva Kasl was born.

Share your birthday wishes with Marva for her 82nd birthday on Jan. 28. 

Marva's mailing address is 110 Whitmar, Dorchester, NE 68343

Ten Reasons Small Schools Are Better

There always seems to be pressure coming down from Lincoln and the State Capitol for small schools to consolidate. We recently found an editorial from The Dorchester Star -- published in the mid-1940s -- blasting state lawmakers and the education commissioner for their suggestions way back then that Nebraska needed fewer school districts. 

However, one thing on which most readers (and most Nebraskans) can agree is that a small school education offers several advantages that cannot be duplicated by Class A or B-sized institutions.

Smaller schools know how to educate their students and typically can do it with better results than their larger counterparts.

In a recent report by the Rural School and Community Trust, Lorna Jimerson, Ed.D, offered her top 10 research-based reasons why smaller sized schools work better. The list below was forwarded to us by a loyal reader, and we thought it was important to share it with other readers of the Times.

Residents of the Dorchester Public School district should be encouraged to review the following from time to time:

'Top 10 Reasons Small Schools Work Better'

1. There is greater participation in extracurricular activities, which have been linked to academic success.
2. Small schools are safer.
3. Kids feel they belong.
4. Small class size allows more individualized instruction.
5. Good teaching methods are easier to implement.
6. Teachers feel better about their work.
7. Mixed-ability classes avoid condemning some students to low expectations.
8. Multi-age classes promote personalized learning and encourage positive social interactions.
9. Smaller districts mean less bureaucracy.
10. Smaller schools alleviate many problems of transitions to new schools, meaning new students can adjust more easily.

How Well Do You Know Dorchester's History?

How well do you know your Dorchester history?

The Times is here to help you brush up on your knowledge of Dorchester's earliest days, so you can impress friends, enlighten family members, and win your next game of Dorchester Trivial Pursuit.

Did you know the following facts?

• On July 4, 1871, the railroad reached Dorchester.

• Incorporated in 1881, Dorchester's population grew from 200 to 500 by 1882.

• In 1882, Dorchester had 90 buildings, 35 of which were businesses or public facilities. Brick buildings lined both sides of Washington Avenue for two blocks.

• Dorchester's longest-running newspaper was The Dorchester Star, which was published until 1950.

• By 1889, Dorchester's population reached 800, while the town housed an opera house, a two-story brick schoolhouse with a bell tower, and four churches.

• By the 1910s, Dorchester had electricity, a water tower and a fire department.

• Dorchester's main arteries, Highways 6 and 33, were graveled in the 1940s.

• Dorchester's first irrigation well was drilled on Chris Weber's farm and rural electrification was finished following World War II.

Dorchester's Buffalo Feed Is This Sunday, Jan. 26

January in Nebraska is a long month with few highlights, other than high school sports and snow.

But this Sunday, Jan. 26, will bring one of those highlights to Dorchester.

It is that time of year when area residents and visitors flock to Dorchester's main street to get their fill of the best buffalo served in all of Nebraska.

The Dorchester American Legion's annual January buffalo feed is a decades-long tradition.  

According to social media posts, the luncheon will begin at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 26th, and continue until 2 p.m. 

The evening dinner will start at 5 p.m. and continue until 7 p.m., or until supplies last. 

Meal includes buffalo roast, barbecue and meatloaf, with homemade sides, bread and beverage.

There will be multiple raffles, pickle cards and a cash bar.  

The event raises money for community projects and scholarships provided by the Legion. 

You will want to come early for this very popular event, as finding parking can be a challenge. Bring your friends!

Want To Run For Dorchester School Board? Filing Deadline Nears

In case you have been living under a rock, 2020 is an election year. 

That means decisions need to be made not only who will represent us in the White House, Congress and State Capitol, but also who represent us locally.

This includes who will make decisions for the patrons of the Dorchester Public School district.  

There are six members on the Dorchester Board of Education. Up for election this year, should the seek re-election, are incumbents Mike Hatfield, Neal Pavlish, and Kelli Schweitzer. 

If you'd like to serve on the Dorchester School Board, now is the time to file. According to an e-mail sent to the Times, March 2 is the filing deadline for non-incumbents. 

Learn more by visiting the Saline County Election Commissioners office in Wilber, or go to this website.

Bernice Weber Celebrates Her 84th Birthday

Cakes, candles and balloons!

January is a big birthday month in Dorchester.

One of Dorchester's longtime residents, Bernice Weber, is celebrating her 84th birthday.

This very energetic mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother worked nearly half a century at the Dorchester Bank, and then took up part-time work for the Village of Dorchester, along with her active at her church. 

You can send her a card at 419 County Rd. 1400, Dorchester, NE 68343.  

Happy 84th to Bernice!

DHS Girls Continue Winning Streak

The Lady Longhorns are on a stampede!

The Dorchester High School girls basketball team has put together an impressive run following their slow start to the 2019-20 season, assembling eight victories in their last nine contests. This streak includes Big D wins over both Friend and East Butler this week.

On Tuesday night, DHS overpowered next-door rival Friend, beating the Lady Bulldogs 44-26. 

Two nights later, Dorchester took care of business by defeating Class D-1 East Butler by a tally of 41-37.

The Lady Longhorns are now 8-4 at the halfway mark in the season.

Meanwhile, the DHS boys have hit a rough patch, falling to 3-8 on the year. This week, the boys dropped their games to previously winless Friend, 54-62, and to East Butler, 29-65.

Both Dorchester basketball teams need to stay hungry as they travel to Cross County in Stromsburg on Tuesday, Jan. 21, and then host Shelby-Rising City on Thursday, Jan. 23, at the DHS gymnasium.

Making Small Towns Cool Again

We pose a simple question: "Can small towns be a cool place to live in this day and age?"

According Dave Ivan of Michigan State University Extension, small towns can be cool -- if they are willing to follow some common success themes. Ivan says those themes are:

1. Encourage strong engagement between citizens, community organizations, and local government. For example, in St. Joseph, Mich., city leaders hold neighborhood town-hall gatherings in backyards all across the community. They also produce a unified community calendar and hand deliver it to residents. Coopersville, Mich., uses its town entry sign to salute a different non-profit, business person, and teacher each quarter.

2. Encourage local entrepreneurial investment. In New Carlisle, Indiana, Bill Owens expanded a floral shop into gifts, a furniture store, and transformed the community into a regional destination. This can also be a community initiative. In Ord, Neb., they developed a wealth transfer plan to strategically fund their community economic development initiatives. By asking people to give 5% of their estate back to the community, they now have $8.5 million in hand or in pledges.

3. Embrace change. This may be the hardest part for many small towns. New opportunities may require changes in all sorts of local laws, including zoning or change of leadership.

4. Actively pursue cultural elements to economic development. Consider the community of Wilber and the job that community does with Czech Days? Thousands of people from miles around descend on that town every August. It can work.

5. Reach out to community youth. It's simple -- the young people of today are the future of our community. Let's get them more involved in event planning and organizations and our business community. One idea employed by a small town in Michigan was to ask high school students to take pictures of what they like and dislike about the town, and have them present it at a future meeting. We adults need to see the world through younger eyes, too.

7. Retaining youth and attracting families. Create economic choices that are appealing to youth. Ord, Neb., for example, has a youth entrepreneurship program starting in grade schools. Another Nebraska town gave graduating high school seniors a mailbox with their name on it and a note that read: "We will always going to be your hometown. Go out, explore, learn, but come back home."

8. Know that in the long run, you may have to do the work yourself. Cool small towns cannot afford to wait for an outside savior. Argonia, Kan., lost their grocery store.  But they built a community convenience and grocery store. They are now building spec houses to sell at cost to new families. And if you enroll kids in the school, Argonia will even cover your closing costs.

Ivan says these are the keys to strong leadership and cool small towns. Most importantly, he advises to stand up to the CAVE people (Citizens Against Virtually Everything).

NEWS ROUND-UP: Friend Bulldogs Coming To Town Tuesday

Friend Dawgs Coming to Dorchester: Both DHS basketball teams are bracing for a visit this Tuesday, Jan. 14, from next-door rival Friend. The DHS varisity girls (6-4) have won their last six of seven contests, but were outgunned in last Thursday's game at Sterling, 19-44. Meanwhile, the DHS varisty boys (3-6) have struggled against their last two opponents. The Friend girls will come to Dorchester with a 0-13 record; the Friend boys with an 0-12 record. 

Dorchester Kids' Wrestling Tourney is Jan. 25: Wrestling fans, get ready. The Dorchester Wrestling Club will host its tourney on Sunday, Jan. 25, at the Dorchester School. This event will feature action for kids from kindergarten through 8th grade. For more information, click here.

Co-op Bathroom Camera Case Continues: The Crete paper reports that delays have caused the continuation of a case involving a camera placed in a women’s restroom at the Farmers Cooperative in Dorchester last spring. Joshua A. Hagemann, 37, of Wilber was arrested and confessed in an interview with police to placing a spy camera in the bathroom and capturing images of women in various states of undress. A hearing was set for last week. Hagemann could be facing up to four years imprisonment and 24 months post-release supervision.

Dorchester's Rachel Biar Is A Top Official For National College Savings Group

Dorchester High School graduate and rural resident Rachel (Rezabek) Biar has been elected to serve as serve as vice-chair of the national College Savings Plans Network (CSPN), a leading objective source of information about Section 529 college savings plans and prepaid tuition plans.

Biar, a 1990 DHS graduate, is the assistant Nebraska State Treasurer, a non-elected position under State Treasurer John Murante.

As Assistant Nebraska State Treasurer, Rachel is responsible for the administration, marketing and oversight of the state’s NEST 529 College Savings Plans.  Her knowledge and experience with 529 plans provide Nebraskans with a unique perspective on topics such as: determining the best college savings vehicle for parents and grandparents, marketing 529 plans, federal and state tax benefits, gift-tax benefits, estate planning advantages, and strategies of 529 plans. 

Her expertise in college savings plans is a benefit to Nebraska residents who are ready to begin saving for their loved one’s higher education.  

Rachel is an active member of the College Savings Foundation. She holds a bachelor's degree in political science and business administration from Nebraska Wesleyan University.

Ideas To Save Dorchester's Historic Buildings

NOTE: We first ran this post on April 18, 2016.

Last week, we were e-mailed pictures of Dorchester's historic telephone building in its current state of disrepair.

Windows shattered.  Trees growing around the foundation. Walls cracking. Roof sagging. Mice and other pests running along its base.

This once-proud building, with its unique southwestern-style architecture, is only a shadow of its former self.  

Roughly 90 years ago, the building was erected to serve as the Dorchester Telephone Building, where it housed the town's switchboard operators until the early 1950s, when dialing phones were installed.

After that, three businesses occupied the building: Guggenmos Insurance Co. (1950s and 1960s); Snip 'N Curl beauty salon (1970s); and a short-lived dime store (1980s).

Today, it is used for cheap storage.

While we realize that the old telephone building is private property -- and the current owners have every right to do with it what they please, as long as it meets village code -- owners of Dorchester's commercial buildings should know they own a special piece of the community's past.  

These buildings embody our town's yesteryear, as well as the memories of loved ones who called Dorchester home.

As this building deteriorates, so does a key piece of Dorchester's proud history.

This week, the Times staff asked a handful of residents what they would do to save this building and other commercial buildings like it.  Here are some of the edited e-mailed responses we received:

• "Such a neat building! Crying shame what is happening to it. This is why we need a group of town residents to focus on Dorchester's main street and its buildings. A project like this is too much for one owner or one family, but a group of citizens could pool resources, raise funds for preservation, reclamation and reuse.  Maybe the FBLA and the new superintendent could spearhead a long-term project to work on this building that could house a student-led business. What a great way to give back."

• "First, the board really needs to condemn the building. Can you imagine being a homeowner who lives next to it? (That's not fair to the person keeping up his property.) Second, Nebraska offers a 20% state tax credit for eligible expenditures made to rehabilitate, restore or preserve historic buildings.  If someone or group could buy the building, that credit would go a long way on such a small property. Go to http://www.nebraskahistory.org/histpres/nhtc.htm for more information."

• "I've heard 8 to 10 town people tell me they would pitch in with money to help buy this building in an attempt to save it. We need help from the town board. Why don't they discuss a blight tax as you folks mention on the Times blog?  I've never once heard them bring that up.  I don't even know who owns the property. You never see anyone working on it. It would make such a nice coffee shop, convenience store or other small business."

In Our Backyard: Who Or What Is Behind The Drones?

The drones have come to Dorchester. And it's about time that officials get to the bottom of this.

Tonight, the AP wire reports that the groups of drones have been spotted buzzing over much of Nebraska and eastern Colorado for weeks, unnerving residents. Supposedly, federal officials are working with state and local authorities to determine who is behind the mysterious nighttime flights.

These drones aren't your Wal-Mart specials flown by Billy Bob. 

According to the AP, "the drones reportedly have 6-foot (2-meter) wingspans and fly in grid-like patterns hundreds of feet in the air in groups of six to 10. The Federal Aviation Administration, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Air Force and the U.S. Army Forces Command have said they do not have information about the aircraft."

Meanwhile, News Channel Nebraska reports: Residents of Fairbury and Jefferson County have reported seeing large, fixed wing, military-style drones. The first reported sightings were on Jan. 3, with several more on Jan. 4-5. 

Jefferson and Saline County Emergency Manager John McKee says there have been anywhere from 10-15 of these aircraft spotted per night in the Fairbury area between Jan. 3-5.

There's also been reported sightings near Jansen, Harbine, Diller and Hebron since Sunday. There were some reported sightings in the Exeter, Strang and --yes -- Dorchester areas on Monday evening.

Judd Stewart, a volunteer firefighter with the Fairbury Rural Fire Department, is a registered drone pilot for Jefferson and Saline County Emergency Management. Stewart says the drones that he and his son Riley spotted near their property on Saturday night (Jan. 4) were nothing like the ones being used by local officials.

The FAA says it's taking the sightings seriously and working to find out who's operating the devices and why. Sheriff's officials say it appears that no laws are being broken.

Our thought: If Iran can take down a U.S. military drone, surely our state's National Guard can knock a few of these robotic birds from the sky to find out who's operating them -- and why?

We'd also like to see our state policymakers show a little more concern about this unsolved mystery. In case they haven't noticed, the war on terrorism has not come to an end.

DHS Basketball Teams Start 2020 With Wins

Roughly one-third of the 2019-2020 basketball season is already complete.

And fortunately, the new year has started on a very positive note for both Dorchester High School Longhorn varsity basketball teams.

On Saturday evening, Jan. 4, the Dorchester boys rallied from a 30-29 fourth period deficity to beat Cedar Bluffs 39-38 in a nail-biter. 

The Longhorns had to rely on aggressive offense from its veterans -- Collyn Brumment and Kohl Tyser -- as well as tough play from younger players like Brett Ladely.

Here's a look at the box score from Saturday night's home game:

Cedar Bluffs 7 13 10 8 -- 38 
Dorchester 4 17 8 10 -- 39 

Top scorers for DHS were: Brummett 18, Tyser 13, Thompson 4, Ladely 2, Hansen 2. 

The Dorchester boys are now 3-4 on the season.

Meanwhile, coming off their first place finish at the Weeping Water Holiday Basketball Tournament, the DHS girls soundly defeated Cedar Bluffs 43-34. At one time, DHS commanded a 36-16 lead. Here's the box score:

Cedar Bluffs 6 8 2 18 -- 34
Dorchester 20 9 7 7  -- 43

The Lady Longhorns are now 5-3 on the season.

Both the DHS boys and girls will travel to Lincoln for their next contest, taking on College View Academy this Tuesday, Jan. 7. 

Both College View teams have winning records so far in their 2019-2020 campaigns.

Latest Dorchester FBLA Honor: Creamer Is Nebraska FBLA Member Of The Month

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

Dorchester's FBLA charter has been active for 28 years. And over those years, Dorchester has emerged as a force in Nebraska when it comes to statewide and national competitions. 

Some examples of Dorchester FBLA's leadership: 

• Over the past decade, countless Longhorns have attended the FBLA State Leadership Conference in Omaha.  Their hard work paid off with numerous awards, top-ten finishes, and honorable mentions.

• In 2015, Dorchester took second place at the Nebraska FBLA competition for the Market Share Award.

• In the 2010-11 school year, Dorchester's Jessica Hansen was elected as Nebraska's FBLA state secretary. In the mid-1990s, DHS' Cory Rains was elected as the state FBLA president. Other Dorchester alumni have served as state FBLA officers over the years.

Now Dorchester's FBLA chapter has even more to be proud of. DHS senior and chapter President Kyra Creamer has been named member of the month for Nebraska FBLA. 

Creamer has several other FBLA honors under her belt, including the National Business Achievement Award – America Level. This is the top award for the four-level FBLA program. (Last summer, DHS' Haley Weber also earned this award.)

The Dorchester community can be proud of its FBLA chapter.

Time To Make An Offer: 903 Fulton Ave.

Dorchester's real estate market has been red hot for a long time. This as more people -- especially young families -- are realizing the advantages of small-town life.  

Dorchester has a lot going for it -- that is, if you prefer living in a safe, friendly and affordable community that has much potential for the future.

Consider what Dorchester has to offer:

• TOP-NOTCH SCHOOL: A 10-year-old K-12 school with some of the state's better educators. The lowest school tax levy in the county and one of the lower property rates in southeast Nebraska.  (And not constant property tax hikes like some of our next-door neighbors.)

• SAFE COMMUNITY: With a new water system and sewer system.

• LOWER COSTS: Affordable cost of living with lower property taxes compared to surrounding school districts.

• KEY BUSINESS: Headquarters for one of the state's largest agri-businesses (Farmers' Cooperative) and is situated on the thriving Burlington Northern Santa Fe rail line and along two major highways.

• GEOGRAPHIC ADVANTAGE: A quick drive to employers in Crete, Milford, Friend and Seward, and just 30 minutes to Lincoln and 10 minutes to I-80.  Yet all the advantages of a rural small town.

Despite the hot housing market in Dorchester, one particular home has not been snatched off the market in the typical 24-48 hour period -- a sign this property may have been overpriced. Now with the seasonal slowdown in home buying, this would be a great time to make an offer on this fine Dorchester property:  

903 Fulton Ave.: If you love high ceilings, spacious rooms and the character of old homes, but don't want old house issues, then this is the house for you! It sits on a large corner lot and is move in ready. Original wood floors and trim intact. Lots of updates: new roof, gutters, vinyl siding and windows on north side new in 2015; front porch, sidewalk, entry doors, furnace, cabinets/counters, light fixtures in '13; Main floor laundry with additional pantry cabinets and folding counter added with a hickory wood floor. Large rooms and plenty of closets. Note the spectacular walk in closet on the second floor -- could also function as office, nursery, or hobby room. Extensive flowers and a stone patio/walkway have been added. The double stall garage adds convenience and the patio offers a place to entertain. Sewer pipe and clean outs replaced in '17 from house to street too! Even a radon mitigation system has already been installed, ready for new owners to call it home. For more information, click here.

Reasons Why Small Towns Can Have A Bright Future

It's a new year. 2020 marks the Dorchester Times' 14th year of operations. Over the years, we've heard cynics, skeptics, and haters continue to doubt the viability of small rural communities such as ours.

So today, Jan. 1, we we are providing Dorchester fans (and fans of small rural towns everywhere) some ammunition to bolster their case for the towns and villages they love. 

Here are some important facts to show small-town America can have a bright future, if support by the proper vision, leadership, opportunities, and constant communication:

• People Are Actually Moving Here: The number of rural home mortgages has increased for five straight years, though the increase trails the rate in urban areas, and nearly twice as many millennials, according to the National Association of Realtors, bought home in small cities or rural areas last year than in denser urban areas.

• We Rock At Relationships: According to a 2019 NPR survey, most rural Americans (81%) say they feel attached to their local community, including 42% who say they are very attached and 39% who say they are somewhat attached. Relationships are also important to rural Americans, as half of rural Americans (50%) say their relationships with neighbors are extremely or very important to them. 

• Social Capital Is The Key Factor: In his newest publication "What Drives Quality of Life in Iowa Small Towns?", David Peters of Iowa State University looks at a variety of factors that attract and keep people in small towns in rural America. He found the strongest driver of quality of life were social capital and civic measures -- including participation in a community and whether the community provides social supports. Dorchester does this very well. (However, like Iowa, Dorchester needs to do a better job focusing on senior services.)

All of this -- combined with the traditional benefits of living in a small town and the basics of rejuvenating a small community -- makes it clear to see that small communities like Dorchester have great reason for optimism in the new year and new decade.

Happy 2020, Dorchester!

Colonel Potter always says it best.