NEWS ROUND-UP: Drought Returns To Saline County

Drought Returns To Saline County: Deadly wildfires are plaguing western and parts of central Nebraska, fueled by worsening drought. The Morrill Fire alone has burned a record amount of land in our state. Now drought is returning to Saline County and eastern Nebraska, as illustrated by UNL's updated drought monitor. As for precipitation, none is expected for the foreseeable future. In fact, very warm temperatures and extremely low humidity levels have our area in a fire warning for the weekend. The next chance at rain comes Monday, March 30, according to weather models. The Times staff's work with several AI models shows that early April will likely bring a wet early part of that month.

Dorchester Community Foundation Fund Fish Fry, April 3: We have learned that the Dorchester Community Foundation Fund is planning to hold its first-ever fish fry. The event is set for Friday, April 3, starting at 5 p.m. at the Dorchester American Legion Hall and Community Building. Details emerging.

April 11 is Dorchester Volunteer Fire Department Brisket Meal: On Saturday, April 11, the Dorchester Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department will host its brisket mean and silent auction fundraiser. Dinner will be served from 4:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. at the fire hall. Orders to go will also be available by calling 402-826-7346.

Museum Hosting Session on Storm-Damaged Trees: Just in time for the start of spring. This Saturday morning, March 21, starting at 9 a.m., Nicole Stoner with the Nebraska Extension Office will be at the Saline County Museum. Her topic of discussion will be tree care, including dealing with the damage your trees had in the storms last year, what to do with damaged trees, and how to plant new trees.

Dorchester School Play, March 26 and 29: The spring play at Dorchester High School this year is "Murders in the Heir." The play is an interactive comedy you won't want to miss. The audience has the opportunity to choose the murderer, which can make things very interesting. The performance dates are Thursday, March 26, and Sunday, March 29.

Looking Back: 79 Seasons Ago, Alumni Were On DHS' Regular Season Schedule

The Dorchester High School's 2026 alumni basketball tourney will be held this week, March 20 and 21. 

 

According an email sent to the Times, five teams will participate in the 2026 tourney, which marks more than 30 years of this event that helps the school's athletics program raise extra funds.

 

The Dorchester Community Foundation Fund's annual steak feed will also take place that same weekend on Saturday evening. It should be a swinging weekend in Dorchester, as usual.

Today, we're taking the time machine back to December 1946.That's when the Dorchester alumni challenged the DHS boys varsity basketball team in a Friday night match-up on the tiles of DHS' gymnasium (the "old gym," which was torn down in 2008). 

The picture to the right is from Dorchester's 1946-47 season.

That first contest of the '46-'47 campaign was the opening game for the high school boys. Back then, most smaller communities had "town teams" of adult males -- and Dorchester claimed one of the better town teams for basketball and baseball, according to old timers and history books.

The Dorchester Star reported the DHS boys lost to the DHS alumni by a tally of 16-27, unable to recover from a 7-12 halftime deficit.  

The Star reported, "Earl Parks, Tom Parks, Harold Fette and Leonard Bures (the DHS captain) looked good for the high school team," as Don Pisar, W. Plouzek, Dale Arnold and Harry Axline also saw plenty of action for the Longhorns.  

"Doc" Tobiska was the star for the "old grads." 

 

Interestingly enough, the alumni team went on to play other games that season against opponents like the Crete VFW.

NEWS ROUND-UP: Village of Dorchester Spending Sees 216% Jump

 

 

Village Spending Sees 216% Jump: The Village of Dorchester budget for the current 2025-26 fiscal year, approved last fall by the village board, increased total disbursements and transfers of funds by 216%. That is $7.74 million for the current fiscal year compared to $2.45 million the previous year. Key line items were water ($2.5 million), electrical utilities ($1.1 million), and streets ($1.7 million). The village budget is available for public viewing since it is filed with the Nebraska Auditor of Public Accounts. See it here. If you're interested in the spending of school districts, counties, and other communities in Nebraska, see this page.

Dorchester Kindergarten Roundup, April 1 and 2: A DPS social media post reports that registration for Dorchester's kindergarten class for next school year will be held April 1 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Then the annual DPS Kindergarten Roundup will be the following day, April 2, starting at 12:15 p.m., giving the students a chance to meet their fellow little Longhorns. Call Mrs. Schindler for questions at bailey.schindler@dorchester.org.

Village Office Closed Third Week of March: According to the village government website, the village office will be closed the week of March 16. No other details are provided. It simply reads: "The Village office will be closed the week of March 16 - March 20. Please plan accordingly. If you have an emergency, please call the Utility cell (402-381-8442) or the Clerk cell (402-381-8644)."

Saline Center Consignment Sale, March 15: As a reminder, Saline Center will host its 42nd annual consignment sale Sunday, March 15, starting at 9:30 a.m. If you missed our original story, read it here.

Anti-Teen-Drinking Event Set for April 8 in Milford: The Todd Becker Foundation will host a community outreach event in Milford on April 8 at the Milford High School. The foundation is working with area churches to conduct this free program, which is open to the public. The Todd Becker Foundation is a non-profit that started in Kearney in the spring of 2005 following the death of 18-year-old high school student Todd Becker in an alcohol-related car accident. Visit toddbecker.org for more information.

Dorchester's Steak And Hamburger Feed, March 21

Ring in spring with a tasty steak or burger at the Dorchester Community Hall and Legion Hall on Saturday, March 21.  

In the process, you'll be helping Dorchester improve itself.

The Dorchester Community Foundation Fund's Annual Steak and Hamburger Feed will be held in conjunction with the Dorchester High School Alumni Basketball Tourney.

The feed will take place from 5 p.m. until approximately 9 p.m.

For those who don't want to dine in, to-go orders will be available by calling 402-461-7050 or 402-525-5705.

Those who have been to this event in the past know it's some of the best beef available anywhere -- and served in a small-town, friendly environment. 

Funds raised will help support the Foundation Fund's projects. 

This event has been one of the most popular in Dorchester for the past decade. And the food always gets top-notch reviews.

 

In previous years, the event has raised as much as $2,500 after expenses -- helping support many worthwhile initiatives, including the bleacher shade at Nerud Field, the "Welcome to Dorchester" signs, the directory at the Dorchester Cemetery, and the water park.

Come out and support Dorchester March 21.

NEWS ROUND-UP: Pickleball Comes To Dorchester

Pickleball Comes to Dorchester: Pickleball is sweeping the nation. It's a paddle sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong, played on a compact court, making it easy for all ages to learn. Now pickleball is coming to Dorchester. Starting March 7 at the school gym, Dorchester Community Pickleball will kick off its casual, open-court Saturday mornings, from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. This non-competitive gathering will prioritize connection over scores, inviting players of all ages and skill levels — regardless of whether they live in Dorchester or are just passing through — to drop in for a game. No teams to join or sign-up sheets to navigate, the focus remains entirely on friendly play. See the group's Facebook page.

Earthquake Rattles Southeast and Southern Nebraska: If you felt your house shake and rumble early this afternoon (Sunday, March 1), yes -- that was an earthquake. Early reports indicate that a 4.1 magnitude earthquake that hit Cowles, Nebraska, which is near Red Cloud. More information available at the USGS website. Developing...

New Business Coming to Dorchester's Main Street: According to a social media announcement, "Country Cheesecake Co. will be transitioning into Lola Sue's LLC. Same delicious cheesecake and more! We will be moving into a storefront, where Tiffy's Cafe was formerly located in downtown Dorchester ... Stay tuned for hours we will be available." According to the announcement, the store on the northeast corner of Washington Ave. and 8th Street is expected to be open in June. The owners say that coffee and other drinks will be available, along with limited breakfast and lunch menus, as well as baked goods/desserts. 

Village Job Openings: The Village of Dorchester is still in search of a qualified individual to serve as a full-time assistant utility superintendent, according to the Village government's site. This long-term position will perform duties in the day-to-day operations and maintenance of the sewer and water systems; streets; storm drainage; parks; city equipment; public buildings; heavy equipment operations; and other tasks as assigned for the Village of Dorchester. The village is also seeking a dependable Dump Site Attendant responsible for monitoring disposal of branches, leaves, and grass clippings. Call the Village Clerk at (402) 946-3201, if interested.

Basketball Seasons End For Both DHS Teams: On Feb. 19, the DHS girls basketball season concluded following a 65-33 loss to Falls City Sacred Heart in the sub-district final. Earlier that week, DHS beat Diller-Odell 38-31 in the first-round sub-district contest. The Lady Longhorns end the season at 15-9. Coach Brandon Bruha told The Crete News he was proud of his team, despite finishing short of their goals. The team loses three seniors. Meanwhile, the DHS boys lost to Nebraska Lutheran 21-38 in their sub-district game, finishing 1-21 on the season. It's been a tough decade for the DHS boys basketball program, but an influx of young talent starting next year promises to flip the script.

March 15 Soup Luncheon: The ladies at the Methodist Church are planning an event that's sure to tantalize the taste buds. The annual soup luncheon will be held Sunday, March 15, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Dorchester Methodist Church. Whether you fancy chili, clam chowder, chicken noodle, or liver dumpling, you'll savor every spoonful. This is a free-will offering event. 

Southeast Nebraska As Earthquake Country? You Bet

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, an earthquake hitting 4.1 on the Richter Scale struck around 1 p.m. today, March 1, in Webster County, located in south-central Nebraska near the Kansas border.

While this is considered “light” and not likely to cause damage, the quake was felt in Dorchester by several residents.  

Nebraska Public Media reports that earthquakes are relatively rare in Nebraska, but the state does usually record one or two minor quakes per year. The last time Nebraska recorded a quake of a magnitude 4 or above was in December 2023, also in Webster County.

Southeast Nebraska lives under a minor threat of earthquakes. The Humboldt Fault Zone is a normal fault or series of faults that extends from Nebraska southwestwardly through most of Kansas -- all the way to Oklahoma City.  The Humboldt line is close enough to the Saline County that we would certainly feel the impact of a major quake.

Most of the impact of a quake in southeastern Nebraska would likely do the most damage in southeast Nebraska up north to the Platte River area in Cass County, according to historical records.

Keep in mind that Nebraska (and Kansas, for that matter) is not particularly earthquake prone, ranking near the bottom of the 50 states by damage caused.

When it comes to potential for damage, northwest Nebraska claims the highest probability in our state.

But also remember this: The Humboldt Fault had the largest earthquake in Kansas history with the 1867 Manhattan, Kansas earthquake. It happened near the town of Wamego and was estimated at about 5.5 on the Richter scale. Reportedly it was felt as far away as Dubuque, Iowa. 

Had Dorchester been around then, we're quite certain residents then would have felt it, too.

During the 1800's, Nebraska experienced some rather strong quakes, with one in 1811 in New Madrid, which registered an 8.1 and produced thousands of aftershocks. The earthquake was felt as far away as Washington, D.C. In strength, this quake superseded an 1877 quake, considered the strongest quake on record since it did serious damage in Lincoln and Omaha.

An article in "Nebraska Life" magazine reports that the New Madrid Fault Zone "is at greater risk of earthquakes that any location east of the Rocky Mountains."

There is speculation among experts that there is a connection between the Nebraska plates and others in the U.S. -- even in Alaska.

In March, 1964, there was a 9.2 quake in Prince William Sound, Alaska. This was the strongest earthquake ever recorded in the U.S., measuring 9.2 on the Richter scale. Merriman, Neb., on the same day, had four quakes, each about four minutes apart, which registered at 5.1 and impacted a 90,000 square mile area. 

This same scenario has occurred several times.