Happy 2023 From The Times!

The Dorchester Times wishes all our readers a Happy New Year! 

Let's use the new year to focus on the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.  

We challenge everyone to work with their neighbors and neighboring communities to ensure a brighter tomorrow for Dorchester, Saline County, and this corner of the world.  

Thank you for another year online and for allowing us to be a part of your community life.

As you get ready for 2023 and all it will bring, we leave you with this quote:

"Here's to the new year ... (M)ay she be a damn sight better than the old one." 

-Colonel Sherman T. Potter, M*A*S*H*

Saline County Historical Society Board Members Are Our Citizens Of 2022

* Correction - 1/4/2023: Connie Strouf emailed the Times to let us know she is not president of the Saline County Historical Society, but that the organization's president is Larry Kaspar. Strouf added: "Between Larry and Judy Rada, past president, they are the backbone of the museum and I personally can't thank them enough for their leadership in making the Saline County Historical Museum 'the place to come to, to learn, and have fun!'"

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The Dorchester Times proudly names the board members of the Saline County Historical Society as the "Dorchester Citizens of 2022." All of them.

While many board members do not have a Dorchester address, their energy and passion for our county and its history have reinvigorated the south side of Dorchester and boosted the museum to a new level of energy not seen since its founding in the 1960s. See the list of board members here.

The Saline County Historical Museum is operated by volunteers. The board consists of 10 individuals that meet quarterly. 

It takes a dedicated volunteers working together to achieve a great quality of life. Our county museum -- led by Historical Society President Connie Strouf and former President Judy Rada -- not only make life in Dorchester and the surrounding area more enjoyable, they have renewed Saline County's sense of pride in its history. 

This year has been a great one at the museum -- from special events like a fall festival and a collection of roughly 80 nativity scenes, to numerous improvements inside every building located on the museum grounds.

Previous winners of the Dorchester Times' Citizen of the Year Award have been the small business owners of Dorchester, splash pad donors, Brent Zoubek, Greg Tyser, Peg Bergmeyer, Penny Keller, Carol Olson, Dale Hayek, Bill Velder.

Honorable mentions submitted to the Times by staff members either this year or in previous years include (in no particular order): The members of the Dorchester Volunteer Fire Dept. and Rescue, Dorchester Public School staff, Bret Cerny, Roger Miller, Judy Schweitzer, Bob and Marva Kasl, Daryl Schrunk, Andrea Pracheil, Julie and Joe Holly, Deanna Bird, Craig Bergmeyer, Amanda Cerny, Sarah Wenz, Tom Cerny, Larry Kaspar, Phil and Bernice Weber, Lyle Weber, Donna Parks, Shelly and Rose Bruha, Todd Axline, Jason and Kathy Duhrkop, Mike Pracheil, George Kasl, Ben Haufle, Marv Kohout, Matt Smith, Novak Auction Service, Don Eret, Steve Ottmann, Scott Pohl, Eric Stehlik, Joyce Karl, Adam Briggs, Rob Parks, John Bruha, Mark Bors, Joel Weber, LJ Barley, Mark Bartek, Allan Papik, Dan Nerud, Mike Nohavec, Brandon Bruha, Lisa and Kevin Veprovsky, Kelly Vyhnalek, and Sandy Rains.

Congratulations to our Times' Citizens of 2022.

Home For Sale: 208 E Depot St.

Dorchester's real estate market is has cooled off but remains strong. This as the days of easy, cheap money -- following nearly three years of money printing and massive government spending and handouts -- are coming to a close due to necessary Federal Reserve rate hikes to tamp down inflation and save the currency. This makes many homes in large cities, as well as acreages, unaffordable for the average buyer. Now Dorchester looks even more appealing to most folks looking for housing.

Consider what Dorchester has to offer:

• TOP-NOTCH SCHOOL: A newer K-12 school with smaller class sizes and some of the state's best educators. This means individualized attention for your child.

• A SAFE AND FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE COMMUNITY: With an upgraded water and sewer system, and a surplus of funding at Village Hall.

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

• KEY BUSINESSES AND PRIME LOCATION: Headquarters for one of the nation's largest agri-businesses (Farmers Cooperative) and situated on the Burlington Northern Santa Fe rail line and along two major highways.

• GEOGRAPHIC ADVANTAGE: A quick drive to employers in Crete, Milford, Friend, and Seward. Just 30 minutes to Lincoln and 12 minutes to I-80. Yet all the advantages of a small, close-knit community.

Here's a great Dorchester home that just hit the market:

208 E Depot St.: Open House on Dec. 30. Large corner lot with additional lot attached. This 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom ranch home has over 1,400 sq ft of finished living space on the main level. Primary bedroom with bath, first floor laundry, and large spacious rooms. Lots of possibilities with this one! Newer storage shed with garage door. Plenty of room to build a garage. Sits on more than half an acre. See the listing.

Looking Back: How Did Dorchester Get Its Name?

Just how did Dorchester get its name? That's been a topic of debate in our community for decades.

According to Dorchester's centennial book, published in 1981, the railroads formed land companies soon after the government gave away “every other section of land for ten miles on each side of any track laid.”  

In December 1870, the South Platte Land Co. received ownership of the section containing present-day Dorchester after the company erected one house in the center of the section -- a step taken to “improve” the land in order to comply with the federal Homestead Act.

The section was originally platted under the name "DeWitt," but that was changed soon after by an entry in the margin of the land company’s deed book, which noted that the name of the section was indeed Dorchester.

There are varied accounts of where the name "Dorchester" came from. A staff member of the Times reports that her great grandmother once recounted a story that our village was named after a town in southwest England.  

But a March 1967 account in The Crete News stated Thomas Doane, the chief engineer with Burlington Railroad, named it after Boston's largest neighborhood in his native Massachusetts. The name continued the alphabetical naming of towns along the new railroad line: Berks, Crete, Dorchester, Exeter, Fairmont, Grafton, Harvard, Inland, etc.

Another account mentioned in the Dorchester centennial book came from William Ferguson of Chicago, who said that C.E. Perkins, president of Burlington Railroad, and his wife named Dorchester and other railroad communities from their parlor in Burlington, Iowa. Mrs. Perkins was a native of the Boston area and she chose the name Dorchester for our town, according to Ferguson's explanation.

The mystery remains since the stories above are mired in controversy. It seems neither Doane nor the Perkins family had much to do with establishing the other towns along the current Burlington tracks that came to Dorchester in 1871 and runs through our community today.

If you have historical information on the naming of Dorchester, share it with fellow readers by leaving a comment or e-mailing us at Dorchester.Times@gmail.com.

Merry Christmas, Dorchester!

Is there anything better than Christmas in a small town?

Here's our Christmas music for you and your family on this special day.

Merry Christmas to all. Be safe -- we want you reading the Times in 2023.

NEWS ROUND-UP: 6-Month Ban on New Water Wells, Irrigation Expansion

Local NRD Imposes 6-Month Ban on New Water Wells: Tests conducted by the Lower Big Blue Natural Resources District -- the NRD that contains 95% of Saline County -- recently found that groundwater levels in several wells at record lows. As a result, at its Dec. 8 meeting, the NRD board imposed an immediate 180-day moratorium (or pause) on the construction of new wells. This includes halting any increase in irrigated acres in the district. A total of 45 wells recorded their lowest levels since the district has been measuring them. See the NRD's report here.  

Dorchester Legion Open Friday Morning, Dec. 23: The Legion Bar and Grill will be open tomorrow (Dec. 23) from 8 a.m. until 11 a.m. for coffee and donuts. Be safe if you venture out in the sub-zero temperature. But if you're going out anyway, you may as well come over and enjoy the warmth, TV, and good company.

Crete to Get Pump and Pantry Travel Center: Approximately three decades after Crete lost its Highway 33 truck stop on the west edge of the city, a new one will soon appear. Pump and Pantry will build a new travel center near the intersection of Highways 103 and 33. Construction will begin this spring. (We still think Dorchester would be a great spot for a long-haulers' stop since our community is nestled between Highways 33 and 6.)

Longtime County Treasurer Lila Witt Passes: Lila Witt, who served as Saline County treasurer for two decades and worked in the treasurer's office for nearly four decades, passed away Dec. 12. Her obituary is available here.

Dorchester's Imogene Hostetler Passes At 94

Longtime Dorchester resident Imogene Hostetler passed away Dec. 13 at the age of 94. Funeral services will be held Thursday, Dec. 29, at 10:30 a.m. at the Beth-El Community Church in Milford. Visitation will be Wednesday, Dec. 28, from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Beth-El Community Church with family greeting relatives and friends from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Imogene had been residing at an assisted care facility in Adams for the past few years. 

She was born on September 13, 1928, to Phillip and Verna (Stutzman) Stauffer at home in Milford, NE.

Imogene attended Stauffer School District #73 and graduated from Milford High School in 1946. In her youth she accepted Christ as her Savior and was baptized at East Fairview Mennonite Church near Milford. Later she became a member of Beth-El Mennonite Church where she served faithfully teaching Sunday school and bible school.

Imogene married Dale J. Hostetler on August 20, 1946.  They were married for 49 years and 9 months before Dale passed away in 1996.  To this union four children were born, Patsy, Sally, Robert and Jerry.  They lived on a farm in Milford and later moved to Dorchester.  Imogene enjoyed gardening, her flowers, pets, playing cards, Nebraska volleyball/football, car races and helping out on the farm.  She will always be remembered for her delicious homemade pies!

After raising her children, she went to work at Norden Laboratories in Lincoln as the supervisor for the small animal department for nearly 20 years.

She is survived by her three children Pat Hergenrader of Tempe, AZ, Sally (Ray) Kastanek of Roca, NE and Jerry (Cindy) Hostetler of Miramar Beach, FL, sister Elaine Burkey of Seward, NE sister-in-law Norma Jean Troyer of Albany, OR, 10 grandchildren Karen (Tracy) Hatton of Chandler, AZ, Dale J. (Darlene) Moser of Mesa, AZ, Brock (Jenny) Kastanek of Cortland, NE, Bubba (Brooke) Kastanek of Hickman, NE, Shawn Hostetler of Adams, NE, Patrice Jackson (Rod) of Lincoln, NE, Emily McGuire of Lincoln, NE, Amber (Scott) Sietz of Lincoln, NE and Ashley (Ron) Matulka of Ceresco, NE, Kevin (Ampone) Hergenrader of Scottsdale, AZ and 24 great grandchildren and three great, great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

Imogene was preceded in death by her husband Dale J. Hostetler, son Robert, son-in-law Leroy Hergenrader, parents Phillip and Verna Stauffer, father-in-law and mother-in-law Grant and Sadie Hostetler, brother and sister-in-law Cleve and Sally Stauffer and brother-in-law Willis Burkey.

Memorials may be given to the family or any of the following:  Women’s Auxiliary in Dorchester, Dorchester Fire Department; Goldcrest, Adams, NE; or Adams Fire Department. You may leave your sympathies online.

The Big Christmas Chill Of 2022

For more than a decade, we've shared stories about the blizzard of Christmas 2009. 

Now it appears we could have more stories to tell soon as another Christmas blizzard is set to impact us over the next few days.

As of Wednesday (Dec. 21) mid-morning, the Dorchester area was predicted to receive 3 to 6 inches. 

Flakes will start to fall beginning Wednesday afternoon and lasting through Thursday morning.

But the snow is only part of this developing story.

The kicker will be wind gusts up to 45 miles per hour -- making for blowing snow and wind chills as low as -45 degrees, according to the National Weather Service's winter storm warning for our area.

These are deadly conditions! Frostbite would effect exposed skin in a matter of a few minutes. 

Travel is strongly discouraged from Wednesday afternoon through Saturday morning.

Keep up to date on the latest conditions via AccuWeather, the Dorchester Times' official weather service provider.

Developing...

The Reason Behind Superintendent Schrunk's Resignation

It seems like just yesterday we were breaking the news that Daryl Schrunk had been selected as the new superintendent of Dorchester Public School. 

Now, nearly seven years later, we're announcing his upcoming departure, set for the end of June. (See our Dec. 17 News Round-up.)

Throughout his tenure here, Superintendent Schrunk made it his mission to grow the student body and boost community engagement. He was well received in our town, and his leadership will be missed in the school district and at the school itself.

Schrunk recently reached out to the Times to let our readers know the reason behind his resignation. He told this blog that he accepted the superintendent position in Randolph, Neb. to be closer to his family -- and that's the only reason he's leaving DPS. 

Schrunk shared with us a communication he sent the DPS board and staff after he had applied for the Randolph position. It read as follows:

"After much prayer and consideration, Lynelle and I have decided to apply for a position closer to family. We wanted to be upfront with everyone so that you heard it directly from us. I am applying for the Randolph Public School Superintendent position.  

"Randolph is less than 25 minutes away from Matt, Amber, and Charlotte, our granddaughter (currently 2 hours away). The location is less than 1 1/2 hours away (currently 3 hours 15 minutes) from my aging parents, who reside in LeMars, Iowa. It puts us 3 hours away from Kayla and Andy (currently 4 1/2 hours).  

"We are very, very happy at Dorchester and will only seek opportunities that would bring us closer to our family. We decided it best to especially let the DPS board and staff know throughout this process, as we know how rumors spread. Our decision is solely based on getting closer to family."

The Times staff has always appreciated the communication we've received from Superintendent Schrunk during his time at Dorchester. We thank him for his leadership and we wish him and his family the best in their next chapter.

NEWS ROUND-UP: Curtis Cogswell Set To Become New DPS Superintendent

Daryl Schrunk Resigns; Curtis Cogswell Will Be New DPS Superintendent: After seven years, the Dorchester School District will soon be getting a new superintendent. Current Superintendent Daryl Schrunk submitted his resignation to the DPS board at a special meeting earlier this month. Schrunk -- who has accepted the superintendent position in Randolph, Neb. to be closer to his family -- will continue to serve as Dorchester's superintendent through June. (Here are the board minutes from the special meeting held Dec. 1.) Less than two weeks after Schrunk's resignation, the DPS board announced that the district had hired former McCool Junction Superintendent Dr. Curtis Cogswell as the next DPS superintendent, with a starting date of July 1, 2023.

More on Curtis Cogswell: What's the story behind Dorchester's next superintendent? First of all, Curtis Cogswell has Saline County ties, having grown up on a farm in Friend. As an educational professional, he has the reputation as a rebuilder of schools and communities. For nearly two decades, he was superintendent at McCool Junction. According to reports, when he arrived at McCool in the early 2000s, there were concerns the school would have to close as its K-12 population had dropped to 148. Under Cogswell's leadership, McCool has nearly doubled in size. He holds his bachelor's from Peru State, his master’s from UNK, and his doctorate from Seton Hall.

DPS Christmas Break Begins Dec. 22: Dorchester Public School will be dismissing student Thursday, Dec. 22, at 2 p.m. for the Christmas break. Classes will resume the morning of Thursday, Jan. 5.

DHS Boys Basketball Team Faces Early Struggles: The Dorchester High School boys basketball team has had a slow start out of the gate this season. The boys are 0-4 and have lost all their games thus far by double digits. But the boys' next two opponents are also winless -- Cedar Bluffs on Dec. 20 and Heartland Lutheran on Dec. 22 -- so we like DHS' odds of picking up their first two victories in the week ahead. 

DHS Girls Now Above .500: The DHS Lady Longhorns basketball team is now 3-2 on the young season. The girls have shown improvement over their last two contests, beating Harvard 49-13 as well as a solid Osceola team by 38-24. DHS travels to Cedar Bluffs (0-3) Dec. 20 and will host Heartland Lutheran (0-4) on Dec. 22.

Former Dorchester Resident Richard Rathbun Passes: Former Dorchester resident Richard Joe Rathbun Sr of Milford passed away Dec. 6 at the Linden Village at the age of 74. His obituary is available here.

NEWS ROUND-UP: White Christmas? -40 Degrees In Mid-January?

White Christmas? Then -40 Degrees in January?: The start of winter is still two weeks away, but sources at AccuWeather say there's a chance of a white Christmas in our area. Precipitation is expected Friday, Dec. 23 and it may be enough to give us the white stuff that ol' Bing used to dream of. Then look out! Heavy snow is predicted the first week of January by the Farmers' Almanac. By mid-January, the Almanac predicts one of the coldest outbreaks of arctic air in several years. How cold? Try 40 degrees below zero! (Snow may be coming as early as this Thursday.)

Kohout Donates Christmas Tree to DPS: Marvin Kohout recently donated another Christmas tree to Dorchester Public School, according to DPS social media. Kohout is owner of Kohout's Christmas Trees, which has been in business since 1984.

Divises Celebrate 50th Anniversary: Wayne and Cindy Divis of Pleasant Hill recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. They were married Nov. 18, 1972 in David City. Their family members include children, daughter, Nikki Divis; son, Wayne Divis, and his wife, Amy; and daughter, Angie Trummer and her husband, Matt, and eight grandchildren. Greetings may be sent to them at 1612 County Road HH, Dorchester.

Christmas at the Museum Is This Saturday: This Saturday, Dec. 10, the Saline County Museum Historical Society will host an "Old Fashion Christmas at the Museum" from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Come early for a freewill chili and cinnamon roll lunch and stay until the end for a Christmas carol sing along. Organizers say the 68 nativity sets on display are worth a trip to see! 

Dorchester Remains a Low Cost-of-Living Leader: Compared to the rest of the country, Dorchester's cost of living is 23.2% lower than the U.S. average. That's according to the latest update from BestPlaces.net. Meanwhile, the median home cost in Dorchester is real estate is $116,600. Home appreciation the last 10 years has been 3.8%.

Looking Back: Threats of Violence Met Those Who Moved Methodist Church

Most of us from Saline County know about the messy conflict that occurred when Wilber residents traveled to Pleasant Hill in the mid-1870s to physically retrieve the courthouse following a countywide vote that made Wilber the new county seat. 

According to the story -- which has been told often over the generations -- it took roughly 160 wagon teams and 300 Wilber residents using force, including the threat of firearms, before the task could be completed.

But many are unaware of the conflict and threats of violence that occurred when the Methodist Church was moved to Dorchester from Pleasant Hill in 1880. 

According to "Andreas' History of the State of Nebraska," after Pleasant Hill was no longer the county seat, the Methodist Church Society dropped in numbers so rapidly that only a few dozen remained a short time after Wilber became the county seat. The pastor of the church organization, who resided in Dorchester, conceived the idea of securing the church building for his own community. Pleasant Hill, however, would not give it up.

An attorney was consulted. He told the Dorchester Methodists to go to Pleasant Hill, tear down the church, and bring it back to Dorchester. So a party was organized and traveled to Pleasant Hill with wagons to haul the lumber away. The Dorchester residents were met with threats of violence, but they kept on until the roof was torn off and nearly all of one side, as well. The floors were also torn up and some of the lumber loaded on the wagons. 

That's when an officer arrived and served an injunction on the Dorchester residents, who were ordered to leave Pleasant Hill at once. As the Dorchester wagons traveled north,the citizens of Pleasant Hill started to rebuild the church. 

Meanwhile, the district court was in session, but it sat hours away in Falls City. The attorney for the Dorchester parishioners hurried there -- by horse, of course. After securing a hearing, the injunction was dissolved and the court ruled in favor of the Dorchester Methodists. 

The attorney telegraphed the decision to Dorchester -- and the group immediately returned to Pleasant Hill, again tore down the church, moved it to Dorchester, and rebuilt it with an addition. 

The rest, as they say, is history.

Dorchester Basketball Season Tips Off Friday, Dec. 2

On Friday evening, Dec. 2, Dorchester High School's girls and boys basketball 2022-23 campaigns get underway. 

The Class D-1 Lady Longhorns have big expectations for the new season. Last year, the DHS girls finished 14-8, following a 13-9 performance the year before. With much more seasoned talent this year, and a deeper bench, the Lady Longhorns have are expected to surpass 15 wins under the guidance of veteran Coach Brandon Bruha.

The varsity Lady Longhorns will host Meridian at home at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 2. This full schedule for the DHS girls follows:

Meanwhile, the Class D-2 DHS boys team are confident they can improve on last season's disappointing 3-18 finish. With more veteran leaders on the team, the Longhorns are expected to be competitive in the Crossroads Conference. 

The DHS boys will play their opening contest tomorrow, Dec. 2, at home against Meridian with a 6 p.m. tip-off. Here's the boys' full schedule:

Dorchester's Janie Beranek Passes At 81

Dorchester's Janie Annetta Beranek, who had been residing for some time at Tabitha in Crete, passed away Thursday, Nov. 24, surrounded by her family.

A celebration of life will be held Saturday, Dec. 3 from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Dorchester United Methodist Church.

Janie was born on Feb. 26, 1941 in Omaha to Oren and Freda Fyrn (Todd) of DeWitt. As a young girl, Janie attended Milford Public Schools and was later united in marriage to Bob Burianek and to this union four children were born, Debra, Diane, Donna, and Dan. Together they lived in Lincoln and later bought a farm and lived near Pleasant Dale. 

Janie was a loving wife and mother and enjoyed raising her family and being a farm wife.  Janie was united in marriage to Roger Beranek on March 30, 1974, and had 41 years of marriage together. To this union two boys, Kevin and Kenny and a daughter Brenda were brought into this marriage. 

Janie enjoyed cleaning her house often, listening to country gospel music, doing word search games, watching her birds, and loved spending time with her grandchildren and great grandchildren. Janie received her certification as a Nursing Assistant and work for many health care facilities.

Janie is survived by her children and their spouses Debra and Brad Sharp, Park Rapids, MN, Diane and Bill Velder, Dorchester, Brenda and Tim Fisher, Aurora, CO, Kevin and Tracy Beranek, Milford, Donna and Dave Parks, Dorchester, Dan and Kelley Burianek, Pleasant Dale, 19 grandchildren, and 26 great grandchildren. A sister and Brother-in-law Peggy and Monty French, Lincoln, a brother Jim DeWitt, Milford, several nieces, nephews, and a host of relatives and friends.

Janie is preceded in death by her parents, husband Roger Beranek, son Kenneth Gene Beranek, grandson Charles David, sisters Alberta Jantze, Laura Harmon, Barbara Henkel, her twin sister Jeannie Maul, and brother Jerry DeWitt.

Condolences may be left here.

Santa Claus Is Coming To Town On Dec. 10

Hey, kids. The word is out: The big guy -- Santa Claus -- is coming to town.

Dorchester's "Morning with Santa" is set for Saturday, December 10, from 8 a.m. until 11 a.m. at the Dorchester Community Building and Legion Hall. 

Breakfast will be provided by Dorchester Community Foundation. (There is no charge for this special event. Free-will donations accepted.)

There will be several activities and crafts -- sponsored by the FBLA and EPAC -- for the kids before and after they meet with the jolly old elf himself. 

In years gone by -- when the event was sponsored by DACA (before a lawsuit brought an end to the organization) -- "Morning With Santa" featured activities organized by Dorchester's FBLA students, such as crafts, decorating of sugar cookies, making bead bracelets and bookmarks, making picture frames and more. Also, the Dorchester Legion was known to serve a breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage and toast.

Fifteen years ago, more than 65 area children attended this event. So let's try to match or exceed that turnout this year.

Developing...

NEWS ROUND-UP: Nativity Scenes At The Museum

(Photo: Julie Holly)

Nativity Scenes at the Saline County Museum: The Saline County Historical Society and county museum, located in south Dorchester, are making this an extra special Christmas season. During December -- from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesdays and Saturdays -- nativity scenes will be on display throughout the museum. At last report, there are at least 34 nativity sets, provided by Saline County citizens. On Saturday, Dec. 10, the historical society staff will host an "Old Fashion Christmas at the Museum" from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Don't miss out on this special opportunity to connect with you fellow Saline County residents, while checking out the imagery of this special time of year.

DPS Elementary Christmas Program, Dec. 5: One of the most anticipated school events of the year will be next Monday, Dec. 5. That's when the mighty elementary school students of Dorchester will host their annual Christmas program at 7 p.m. at the school. Don't forget that the high school Christmas concert will be a week later on Dec. 12, also at 7 p.m.

Janie Beranek Celebration of Life is Dec. 3: Dorchester's Janie Beranek passed away last week. While Times staff has been unable to locate an obituary, a celebration of life will be held Saturday, Dec. 3, from 1-4 p.m. at the Dorchester United Methodist Church. 

Alyssa Cochnar Now Master Martial Arts Instructor: DHS graduate Alyssa Cochnar, co-owner of Gold Star Martial Arts in Seward, Crete and Lincoln, recently achieved one of her lifelong goals by becoming a master instructor of martial arts, according to The Crete News.

Nerud Reappointed to Corn Board: Gov. Pete Ricketts has reappointed Dorchester's Dan Nerud to the Nebraska Corn Development, Utilization and Marketing Board.

Dorchester Youth Wrestling Sign-Up: Students from pre-kindergarten to eighth grade can sign up for Dorchester's youth wrestling program. The sign-up process and an initial parents' meeting will be held at the school cafeteria on Dec. 6 at 6 p.m. Questions? Call Matt at (402) 826-9303.

Can Small Towns Be Cool?

A posting on Small Biz Survival -- a blog dedicated to small and rural business interests -- once asked the $1 million question: "Can Small Towns Be Cool?" 

The answer: "You bet!"

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

1. Strong Engagement From Citizens, Community Organizations And Local Government. For example, in St. Joseph, Mich., approx. 8000 pop, city leaders hold neighborhood town hall gatherings in backyards all across town. They also produce a unified community calendar and hand-deliver it to residents. Coopersville, Mich., uses their town entry sign to salute a different nonprofit, business person, and teacher each quarter.

2. Local Entrepreneurial Investment. Ivan said this is often initiated by a local entrepreneur and then served as a tipping point to get others to invest. 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, such as economic gardening to grow entrepreneurs, where you may have village staff used to make things work for business. 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. Willingness To Change. This may be the hardest part for many towns.These new opportunities may require changes in all sorts of local laws, including zoning. Suttons

4. Actively Pursues Cultural Elements To Economic Development. The most common cultural elements include the arts. In Three Oaks, Mich., the creatives are working to integrate with the existing parades and local celebrations. So it can work.

5. Cultural Efforts Reach Out To Community Youth. New York Mills, Minn., established a cultural center that capitalizes on the natural amenities.

6. A Deliberate Effort To Engage Youth. There is a continuum of efforts to involve youth. You can do things to youth, or do for youth, or do with youth, Ivan said. It can be tough to get a town moved along the continuum. One idea was to provide disposable cameras to young leaders. Ask them to take pictures of what they like and dislike about the town, and have them present it at a future meeting. Can you imagine the impact this could have?

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. Brookfield gave kids a mailbox with their name on it. "Brookfield is always going to be your hometown. Go out, explore, learn, but come home."

8. Conviction That, In The Long Run, You Must Do It Yourself. Cool small towns are not waiting for an outside savior. Argonia, Kan., lost their grocery store. But they built a community convenience and grocery store. They are now doing spec houses to sell at cost to new families. And if you enroll kids in the school, Argonia will even cover your closing costs.
 

The real keys to small town success? Ivan says those keys are strong leadership and standing up to the CAVE people (Citizens Against Virtually Everything).
 

NEWS ROUND-UP: Kathy Palky Celebrates 80 Years

Kathy Palky Celebrates No. 80: Dorchester's very own Kathy Palky will celebrate her 80th birthday this week. She was born Nov. 21, 1942. Greetings may be sent to her at 631 State Hwy 15, Dorchester, NE 68343.

Shaw Is Top Vote-Getter for Village Board: The Dorchester Village Board's new member is also its leading vote recipient. Matt Shaw received 118 votes on Election Day, although he won't officially join the board until the January meeting. Incumbents Roger Miller and Sarah Wenz both received 93 votes a piece and both will return to the board. Current board member Kelly Vyhnalek did not file for re-election.

Hansen, Schnell, Vhynalek Re-elected to School Board: The Dorchester Public School board's three incumbents, who were unchallenged on Election Day, all received more than 230 votes in their runs for re-election. Matt Hansen received 242 votes, Carol Schnell received 237, and Steve Vyhnalek received 248. There were 10 write-ins.

DHS' Jirsa Selected for All-State Chorus -- Again: Ashton Jirsa, a DHS junior, has been selected to Nebraska's all-state high school chorus. He is one of just 54 tenors statewide. This year marks the third consecutive year Jirsa has been chosen to represent Dorchester and his school as part of the distinguished group.

Gov.-Elect Pillen Gets Look at NioCorp Project: Earlier this year, the Dorchester Times spotlighted the rare-earths mining effort in southeast Nebraska. Now Nebraska's incoming governor is learning more about the project near Elk Creek. "It’s important we don’t have to rely on China," Pillen told News Channel Nebraska. "This project is bigger than this community. It’s a big deal for our country." 

NEWS ROUND-UP: Three Dorchester Vets Honored

Dorchester Vets Honored: Three area veterans -- Kenny Nohavec, Jeff Novak, and Raymond Rezabek -- received quilts of valor during the Nov. 11 Veteran's Day program at Dorchester Public School. In case you missed it, check out our post on the Dorchester Legion and its 100-plus years as an important part our community.

DHS Basketball Practice Begins This Week: DHS basketball teams begin practice this week. There is much excitement surrounding both teams, which are expected to be quite competitive in the Crossroads Conference. Fans can get a look at the DHS boys' basketball schedule here. The girls' schedule has not yet been posted online.

Farmers Cooperative in the Spotlight: Farmers Cooperative, headquartered in Dorchester, was recently spotlighted by 10/11 News for cooperatives' impact on local communities. Farmers' CEO Allan Zumpfe told 10/11 that since 2002, the business has spent "about $400 million of capital expenditures in our communities." Much of that has been dedicated to improve the business' Dorchester facilities, including expanding and modernizing its office building twice over the past decade -- and paving Depot Ave. near the grain elevators, significantly reducing dust in our community. We thank Farmers for their commitment to Dorchester.

Drought Worsens in Nebraska: Some of the nation's worst drought conditions are in Nebraska, specifically the northwest and southwest sections of the Cornhusker State. As of Nov. 10, all of Saline County had been placed in the "severe drought" category.

Antiques Make a Great Christmas Gift: Tired of giving family and friends junk made in China? Dorchester's antiques store, Hedgehog & Hubbys, is urging Times readers to shop locally for their gifts. Owner Evelyn Thalmann reports that she has a full inventory of antiques, especially soup bowls and cookie jars, both of which make great gifts. Just knock on her home door to be let into the shop, which is located on Highway Spur 76E on the west edge of Dorchester.

Voters Under 30 Overwhelming Support Far-Left Candidates: Voters under the age of 30 voted for Democrats 28 times more often than the voted for Republicans, according to 2022 post-election data. This is far above the historical norm and proof that public education's politicalization and indoctrination has worked. Meanwhile, the number of students able to pass math, science, and reading tests has plummeted to modern-day lows. Two-thirds of your property tax dollars go to directly to your local school district. Those who pay the bills should be more involved with local K-12 leadership and curriculum.

LOOKING BACK: Dorchester's Main Street 112 Years Ago This Month

Meacham's Hardware store on the east side of Dorchester's main street in 1910.

It's duck hunting season in the late fall of 1910. What do you do? 

You walk -- or drive the Model T or take the horse -- to Dorchester's bustling business district on main street (Washington Ave.) and stop in at Meacham's Hardware to get hunting supplies. After all, in 1910, Meacham's Hardware billed itself at "The Winchester Store." 

Remember, this wasn't long after electric lights appeared in Dorchester, powered by electricity generated from a Pleasant Hill mill water wheel on Turkey Creek -- although electricity outages were common until around 1916, when an electric power was provided by the Blue River Power Company.

We found this amazing photograph, preserving for all of us proof of what Dorchester's main street storefronts looked like a century ago. (We had our photo editor enhance the picture so we could capture more detail for our readers. Click on the photo for a better view.)

Meacham's Hardware was in operation from 1903 until 1931, operated by Charles H. Meacham, Sr., and his son, Charles H. Meacham, Jr. (Charles Meacham, Jr. and his wife Mary's daughter Elizabeth Ann -- born in Dorchester in 1936 -- passed away in October 2015 in Overland Park, Kan.)

Of course, the building that housed Meacham's Hardware no longer exists. It was in the "Longanecker Building" -- destroyed by fire in 1973. The Longanecker Building stood where Tyser's Welding and Repair Is today.  

Meacham's Hardware occupied the northern most ground-level portion of the Longanecker Building, while Dr. Panter occupied the second story directly above.  C.W. Crain Insurance and Colson's Cafe were next door. Also in the building were Joy and Edward's Grocery, the telephone office, and a dentist's office.

A Trip Back In Time: 1938's Dorchester

Nineteen hundred and thirty-eight was nearly 85 years ago -- and it was a big year.

That year marked the first appearance of comic book superhero Superman, as well as Bugs Bunny.

Heavyweight boxing champion Joe Louis knocked out Max Schmeling in the first round of their rematch at Yankee Stadium in New York City.

Winston Churchill, in a broadcast address to the United States, condemned the Munich Agreement as a defeat and called upon America and western Europe to prepare for armed resistance against Adolf Hitler.

The minimum wage was established by law in the United States.

Orson Welles's radio adaptation of "The War of the Worlds" was broadcast, causing panic in various parts of the country.

And Dorchester's business community was bustling.  

How do we know? A few years ago, the Times received an e-mail from a reader who sent us several photos of advertisements from a 1938 edition of The Dorchester Leader, one of two newspapers in town at that time. (The other paper was The Dorchester Star.)

See if you recognize any of the business names in these ads:

NEWS ROUNDUP: Incumbents Seeking Re-Election For Dorchester Offices

Incumbents Seek Re-Election: Dorchester voters will see mostly familiar names on the ballot on Election Day, Nov. 8. All but one of the candidates on this year's ballot are current board members who are running for re-election. For the Dorchester Board of Education, the 2022 candidates are incumbents Carol Schnell and Matt Hansen. For the Dorchester Village Board, the candidates are Matt Shaw, who isn't currently on the board, and incumbent Sarah Wenz. We are hearing reports that more residents are interested in running in 2024, but more on that later.

Nov. 10 Is DPS Junior High Play: A 7 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 10, the Dorchester Junior High will present "Folk Tales" -- a whimsical children’s play featuring a creative collection of six different animal stories. There’s something for everyone in these delightful stories. The play will be in the school's multi-purpose room. $3 admission for kindergarten students through adults.

Investment Property for Sale: Looking for an investment property or starter home in Dorchester, one of southeast Nebraska's best small towns? Check out this house at 712 Stephens Ave., in the southwest quadrant of the village. It's a two-bedroom, one bath residence with 864 sq. ft. of living space. 

DeWitt Manufacturing Plant Closing Again?: The future of the former Vise-Grip plant in DeWitt appears up in the air again just a few years after it reopened. That's the report from the Beatrice Daily Sun, which says Malco Products, which bought the plant in 2016 and reopened it in 2019 to make Eagle Grip locking pliers, a product similar to Vise-Grip, announced this week that it plans to exit that business early next year after fulfilling all current customer orders.

Tonight's Scary Movie: The Thing From Another World

Every Halloween season for the last several years, the Times has aired scary classic shows. It has become a tradition.

This year, we've selected some of the scariest horror movies from the 1950s -- the golden era for Hollywood imagination.

Keep in mind that while these shows are family-friendly, we do not recommend that children under age 13 watch these alone -- or at all, for that matter.

Tonight's movie is called "The Thing From Another World" -- sometimes referred to as just "The Thing." It is a 1951 science fiction-horror film. Of note, James Arness -- the WWII veteran who would later go on to star in "Gunsmoke", the longest-running prime-time drama series in TV history -- plays The Thing. 

The film's storyline concerns a U.S. Air Force crew and scientists who find a crashed flying saucer and a humanoid body frozen in the Arctic ice near the craft. Returning to their remote research outpost with the body still in a block of ice, they are forced to defend themselves against a malevolent, indestructible plant-based alien when it is accidentally defrosted.

The film features wonderful special effects, especially for being more than 70 years old. The Thing is considered to be one of the great science fiction films of the 1950s. 

Enjoy tonight's Halloween movie. But be sure to leave on an extra light.

Tonight's Scary Movie: Plan 9 From Outer Space

Every Halloween week for the last several years, the Times has aired scary classic shows. It has become a tradition. This year, we've selected some of the scariest horror movies from the late 1950s -- the golden era for Hollywood imagination.

Tonight's movie is called "Plan 9 From Outer Space" -- a 1957 science-fiction horror film. The epitome of so-bad-it's-good cinema, Plan 9 is an unintentionally hilarious "thriller" from anti-genius Ed Wood that is justly celebrated for its staggering ineptitude.

The film was shot in November of 1956, and had a theatrical preview screening on March 15, 1957[4] at the Carlton Theatre in Los Angeles (the onscreen title at this time read "Grave Robbers from Outer Space"). It later went into general release on July 22, 1959 in Texas and several other southern states re-titled "Plan 9 from Outer Space."

The film's storyline concerns extraterrestrials who seek to stop humanity from creating a doomsday weapon that could destroy the universe. The aliens implement "Plan 9", a scheme to resurrect the Earth's dead, referred to as "ghouls." By causing chaos, the aliens hope the crisis will force humanity to listen to them; otherwise the aliens will destroy mankind with armies of the undead.

Enjoy tonight's Halloween movie. But be sure to leave on an extra light.