NEWS ROUNDUP: Dozens Participate In DPS Basketball Camp

Nearly 50 Future DHS Stars Participate in B-Ball Camp: More than 45 young Longhorns are taking part in the Dorchester Youth Basketball Camp held this week. The camp is being conducted for students going into grades 1 through 8. Some observers say DHS should have a basketball team heading to the state tourney in the next few years. We will see.

Hydrant Flushing July 6 and 7: The Village of Dorchester will be flushing hydrants on July 6 and 7. While the water is safe to drink, you should avoid washing laundry during scheduled flushing times, as the flushed sediment could discolor white clothing. Wait until the water runs clear at the tap, then wash a load of dark clothes first. You should also avoid using hot water until the cold water runs clear.

Dorchester Library Hours: Get your kid away from those screens and get them a book! The Dorchester Public Library, located on main street next to the bank, will be open Saturdays from noon to 2 p.m. and the following Wednesdays from noon to 2 p.m. on June 29 and July 13 and 27.

Dorchester's Dump Site Hours: In case you didn't know, the Dorchester dump site is open. Mondays and Wednesdays 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. -- weather permitting, of course.

Ten Acres For Sale South Of Dorchester

After two years of Federal Reserve printing and Congress approving handouts, the days of easy, cheap money are quickly coming to an end.

Now might be the time to look for some land as an investment or as a place to build your rural homestead.

Just south of Dorchester, on County Road 1300, you'll find a 10-plus acre plot with a spring-fed creek, mature trees and a great site for a potential pond. This would be a great location for your hideaway cabin and time to rejuvenate. 

There is a shallow well on the property and electricity is just across the road. There's also access to the property on the east side, and the west side is accessed via an easement from the gravel road south of the property.

For more details, click here.

NEWS ROUNDUP: Ready, Set, Go To Dorchester Garage Sales

Ready, Set, Go to Garage Sales: Dorchester Community Garage Sales Weekend is set for June 24 and 25. Call the Village office at (402) 946-3201 if you would like to be put on the list. Maps will be available this week (June 20-24).

Legion Bar and Grill Plans Big July 4 Event: On Monday, July 4, the Dorchester Sons of the American Legion will hold its annual BBQ from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. This will be the first time this event will take place since the Dorchester American Legion Bar and Grill has been operating on a regular basis -- so turnout is expected to be strong. Also, the Junior Legion Auxiliary's ice social will take place from noon until 2 p.m. Bingo will starts at 2 p.m. and the bar will be open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Enjoy your Independence Day at the Legion Hall!

Woodworking Items for Sale: Evelyn Thalmann, owner of Hedgehog and Hubby's Antiques in Dorchester, tells the Times that there are many woodworking items for sell at the shop, including bags of screws, nails, hinges, knobs, mirrors, lid risers -- marked to sell cheap in time for the community garage sales. According to Evelyn, her late husband Ernie bought the items from Doug Torson when he sold hardware supplies next to the now-closed Dorchester grocery store.

Speaking of the Dorchester Grocery Store: Just before the pandemic broke, the Times was informed that a Crete businessman was exploring the possibility of bringing a grocery story to Dorchester. We realize the challenges of operating a grocery store, but think Dorchester leaders -- included elected officials and volunteers at the Foundation and Renew Dorchester -- should make this a priority.

Village Leaders Look at 'Accessory Structures': According to legal definitions, an accessory structure means a structure that is detached from and clearly incidental and subordinate to the principal use of or structure on a lot. For residential uses these include garages, garden and tool sheds, and playhouses. Seems simple, right? According to meeting minutes, the Dorchester village board is currently discussing accessory structures and how they are impacted by Village Ordinance No. 2022-04, which relates to such buildings in residential districts. Learn more by attending the next village board meeting in July.

Looking Back: Dorchester's July 4 Parade In 1908

Imagine the year is 1908.

Theodore Roosevelt is president. 

Oklahoma has just joined the union as our 46th state. 

The first around-the-world car race has started in New York City.

And it just happens to be Independence Day.  

If you were in Dorchester that particular year -- and you had a front row seat for the village's celebrated Fourth of July parade -- the scene would have looked like this. (Click the image above for a better view.)

The amazing image comes from a postcard we've stumbled across. The scene was captured by Dorchester's famous early photographer Russell Freidell.

The theme of Dorchester's 1908 Fourth of July Parade was "Comic Parade."

The Times encourages readers to share images from Dorchester's past with us. Simply send us scanned photos or postcards to dorchester.times@gmail.com.

FLASHBACK: On Day One, Biden Kills Jobs In Saline County Area

The following news article was published by this blog Jan. 22, 2021 -- less than 18 months ago. As the U.S. average price for gasoline exceeds $5, and diesel has eclipsed $6, we are republishing this editorial. It's a a reminder Joe Biden and the New Green Deal activists who pull the puppet strings -- like Jane Kleeb, leader of the Nebraska Democrat Party -- kicked off this energy-driven economic spiral. (A few days later, Fox Business reported from main street Dorchester.)

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This aerial photo, published by the AP and Omaha World-Herald, shows thousands of sections of pipes located just east of Dorchester -- pipes that were to be used for the already-started Keystone XL pipeline. They represent billions of dollars of private-sector investment, thousands of well-paying U.S. jobs, and America's recently achieved energy independence.

But construction on the Keystone XL oil pipeline has been halted as incoming U.S. President Joe Biden this week revoked the pipeline's permit.

The move is not only being criticized as unfair and possibly illegal, it's also expected to have significant and negative consequences for Saline County's area economy.

More than 1,000 jobs, the majority unionized, will be eliminated in the coming weeks as ongoing construction is shut down.

One county official we emailed said Saline County "will definitely feel a hit."

In the Dorchester area, economic losses will include lost construction jobs, along with a dramatic reduction in use of local services and businesses -- including restaurants, hotels, and retailers.

Property owners will also take a hit without the existence of a second Keystone pipeline. (See our analysis that showed the property tax relief delivered by the original Keystone pipeline.) 

The 1,700-mile Keystone XL pipeline was supposed to carry roughly 800,000 barrels of oil a day from Alberta to the Texas Gulf Coast, passing through Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas and Oklahoma.

Marty Durbin, president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Global Energy Institute, said Biden’s decision is not grounded in science and will put thousands of Americans out of work,

“The pipeline — the most studied infrastructure project in American history — is already under construction and has cleared countless legal and environmental hurdles,” Durbin said in a statement. “This is a politically motivated decision that is not grounded in science. It will harm consumers and put thousands of Americans in the building trades out of work.”

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NEWS ROUNDUP: Free Youth Basketball Camp, June 28-29

Dorchester Youth Basketball Camp is June 28-29: Kids, get ready to work on your b-ball skills! On June 28 and 29, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. both days, Dorchester Public Schools is hosting a youth basketball camp for all kids going into grades 1 through 8. There's no need to sign up -- and the camp will be free. Just show up the day of the camps and be ready to learn from the high school coaches and athletes. If you have any questions, you can contact Coach Brandon Bruha at brandon.bruha@dorchesterschool.org.

Multiple Forms Available on Village's Website: Want to start making you Dorchester utilities payment by having it automatically deducted from your checking or savings account? You can do it with this form. Need a hobbyist permit so you can keep your immobilized vehicle parked in town for up to 90 days? Use this form. Several forms for multiple activities -- from starting utility service to getting a zoning permit -- are available on the Village of Dorchester's site under "forms" at the menu atop the homepage.

Young Dorchester Angler Wins Prizes: A young Dorchester angler took two top prizes from the Lower Big Blue Natural Resources District and Swan 5 Advisory Council's 20th annual free family fishing day and youth fishing and casting derby, held late last month at the Willard L. Meyer Recreation Area near Tobias. In the ages 13-18 category, Keith Kemmerling reeled in the most fish, and he also won the casting contest. Impressive work, Keith!

Mackenzie Luzum Takes Top Honor in Nebraska Art Contest: In the world of art, Mackenzie Luzum received third place in a statewide contest of 7th, 8th, and 9th graders. She used prisma colors to create the image of a large-mouth bass on matte board. Check out Mackenzie's creation.

DHS Alum Makes Midland Dean's List: Abigail Zoubek, a 2021 DHS graduate, has made the dean's list at Midland University. She recently completed her freshman year, majoring in exercise science.

Time to Register for July 4 Stampede: On Monday, July 4, as part of the village's Independence Day celebration, Dorchester will host the annual Longhorn Stampede. Participants can choose from a 1-mile, 2-mile, or 5K fun run/walk. The event will start at 7:30 a.m. Register by June 15 to receive a T-shirt or tank top. 

Saluting Dorchester's Medal Of Honor Recipient

Very few towns in America can claim a Medal of Honor recipient. Dorchester is one of the handful of towns that can.

The Medal of Honor is the nation's highest award for valor in action against an enemy force. It has been awarded fewer than 3,500 times.

On July 1, 1863, 20-year-old Sgt. Jefferson Coates found himself in the first day of the Battle of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The Union soldier displayed heroism and "unsurpassed courage in battle, where he had both eyes shot out," according to a citation from the U.S. Government. After Sgt. Coates was removed from the battlefield by the comrades who had witnessed his heroic actions, doctors determined that an enemy ball had passed though both of his eye sockets.

Three years later, the Medal of Honor was awarded to Sgt. Coates. He was one of 64 Union soldiers to earn the nation's highest honor for his actions during the Battle of Gettysburg.

Sgt. Coates was born in Grant County, Wisconsin. He served in Company H, 7th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, which was part of the Army of the Potomac’s famous "Iron Brigade."

Following the war, Coates moved west to Nebraska, despite his blindness. A homesteader, he settled southwest of Dorchester in rural Saline County. He died young on Jan. 27, 1880, at the age of 36, and was laid to rest in the Dorchester Cemetery.

According to a 1999 article by Dorchester's Jan Stehlik, Sgt. Coates was the first soldier buried in the Dorchester Cemetery. The Dorchester Star reported on May 5,1882, that "Mrs. Coates has had a fine monument in memory of her deceased husband erected".

When Dorchester's last "Old Soldier," Jeremiah Wilhelm, was buried 60 years later in 1942, the number of Civil War veterans resting in the town's cemetery had grown to 49.

Only 32 Medal of Honor recipients are buried in Nebraska. Dorchester is honored and privileged to serve as Sgt. Coates' final resting place. The next time you're at the cemetery, take a few minutes to honor one of America's most decorated heroes. And count your blessings that there are still defenders of freedom like Sgt. Coates.

Can You Identify This Dorchester Home From 113 Years Ago?

A while ago, we asked readers if they could identify one of Dorchester's more stately larger homes as it appeared in a photograph from 1910.

It only took about 30 minutes until the correct guess came in, as the winning reader recognized the home to be that of present-day owners Dean and Becky Pracheil.

Today, we go back a year earlier to 1909. 

The photograph above shows a line of homes on "Residence Street" -- which is not a name of any Dorchester streets today. (Even an 1885 plot map of Dorchester doesn't show a Residence Street.)

Click on the photo if you need a closer view.

Let us know if you know what home this is in the forefront of the photograph. 

Leave your guesses in the comments section below.

NEWS ROUNDUP: Farmers Co-Op Donates to New Bleachers Project

Farmers Co-op Makes Donation to Bleachers: Farmers Cooperative recently presented the Dorchester Community Foundation Fund with a donation of $3,750 to help pay for bleacher/shade structure project for the baseball field. Foundation members Peg Bermeyer and Judy Schweitzer accepted the donation from Dale Hayek.

New Weight Room Schedule at DPS: The Dorchester Public School weight room for student athletes' summer lifting has become too crowded due to demand, so DPS staff has modified weight room hours, at least for the month of June. Some afternoon hours may be added once detasseling starts. New hours are Monday-Thursday: girls 6:30-7:30 a.m.; boys 7:30-8:30 a.m.

Cerney, Perez Will Represent Dorchester at Boys' State: Fernando Perez and Jacob Cerny have been selected to represent Dorchester at Cornhusker Boys' State. Sponsored by the Nebraska American Legion, Boys' State gives young men a look at how local, state, and federal government works.

Turn In Your Old U.S. Flags at Legion Hall: Flag Day is June 14. For those who have old American flags they wish to retire, a bin has been set up on the Dorchester American Legion Bar. Turn them in soon!

DHS Girls' Basketball Golf Fundraiser is July 31: The DHS Girls' Basketball Golf Tournament is set for Sunday, July 31. Details here or call Coach Brandon Bruha at (402) 326-3858.

Free Stuff Up For Grabs Now

Maybe you need a roof rake.

Perhaps some furniture? Or shelves?

Maybe some mice-chasing, snake-killing kittens?

A circuit weight machine?

Workout machine? A diswasher? 

A computer monitor?

Maybe a piano? Or pallets?

All of these items and more are up for grabs in our area -- and they are all free.

The Times has scanned the "free" section of Craigslist just for our readers. Have a look by clicking here.

In this era of Washington, DC-induced inflation, and with many business leaders saying very hard times are coming, maybe free is the way to go, while it still lasts.

Just a legal disclaimer: The Dorchester Times is in no way affiliated with Craigslist or its users and assumes no responsibility whatsoever for the quality (or lack thereof) when it comes to the items listed or the people listing them. Remember, you typically get what you pay for.

Don't forget to check out what's for sale in the Dorchester area by clicking here.