Home For Sale: 1109 N Washington

 

Dorchester's real estate market remains strong despite the days of easy, cheap money -- following nearly years of money printing necessitated by massive government spending -- are coming to a close. 

Many homes in large cities, as well as most acreages, have become unaffordable for the average buyer. Dorchester looks even more appealing now to most folks in the market for a home.

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 Dorchester home that just hit the market:

1109 N Washington Ave.: At $217,000, this is an affordable four-bedroom home. Take a look at the sq. ft. in this lovely home. Has over 1,500 on each level, so it gives you over 3,000 sq. ft. of finished living space. This could be used as a fifth bedroom and the main level has two of those bedrooms, along with a huge open living room, dining room and kitchen areas and main floor laundry. All of this is located on over a half acre on the north end of Dorchester, just minutes from Lincoln. See the listing.

Looking Back: The Oil Wells Of Dorchester

Can you imagine oil prospectors drilling in Saline County?

It has happened before.

As petroleum power became a reality early last century, there was active exploration for oil in the Dorchester area. 

Pictured at the right is an oil well drilled just outside Dorchester in August of 1925. The well proved unsuccessful and was discontinued in 1927. But the search for an oil field continued for several years, including a 3,500-foot prospect well on the William Mumma farm in 1933.

You may be asking: Nebraska an oil state? According to the Nebraska State Historical Society, the first publicized report of oil in Nebraska was an 1883 newspaper account of a "vein of petroleum" discovered in Richardson County. Over the next 57 years, the search for oil consumed thousands of dollars, and hundreds of wells were drilled throughout Nebraska. Traces of oil were reported at various locations across the state, but Nebraska did not have a producing well until 1940.

In 1940, the Pawnee Royalty Company reported that one of their wells began producing and averaged 169 barrels daily for the first 60 days. The well easily qualified for a $15,000 bonus offered by the Nebraska Legislature for the first oil well in the state to produce at least 50 barrels daily for 60 consecutive days. Interestingly, the well was located about five miles east of the "vein of petroleum" reported in 1883.

Nebraska's crude oil production peaked in 1963. So it's clear that with high oil prices, our state offers oil resources if the Biden administration stays out of producers' way. 

 

Here are the Nebraska counties where most production occurs today. Nebraska's oil production is now largely centered in the southwestern panhandle, although a sustained resurgence in oil prices would certainly rekindle interest in continuing oil production in other areas of the state, if it exists.

We are interested in what our readers know regarding Nebraska's oil production history and capacity.

NEWS ROUND-UP: Dorchester Girls Hit 16 Wins; Preparing For Sub-District

(Photo: Sharon Axline)

DHS Girls Capture 16 Wins in Regular Season: After falling to Class D-1's No. 9 McCool Junction Friday, Feb. 9, the Dorchester High School girls basketball team concluded its regular season 16-6. The Lady Longhorns won an impressive 13 games over their last 16 contests. Now the team must win to see another game as DHS takes on Diller-Odell (11-8) at the D1-1 Subdistrict Tournament at Johnson-Brock High School this Tuesday, Feb. 13, at 7:45 p.m. The winner will face No. 4 Johnson-Brock (19-2) on Thursday, Feb. 15, at 6:30 p.m. A demanding task lies ahead for the DHS girls, but this is why they play the game.

Dorchester Village Board Meeting Monday Night: The Village of Dorchester Board of Trustees will hold its regular monthly meeting Monday, Feb. 12, at Farmers Cooperative, Entrance Door #2 at 6:30 p.m. The meeting is open to the public. 

Village of Dorchester Conducting Survey: Dorchester's Village government is sending out surveys to residents this month. Watch your mail. Residents are asked to please complete the surveys and return them at your earliest convenience.

Defending the Corn Checkoff:  Dorchester farmer Dan Nerud, who is also District 1 director for the Nebraska Corn Board, has penned this editorial to tout the realized benefits of the corn checkoff. According to Nerud, the past five years of the checkoff have increased the value of corn and value-added products by over $4.2 billion.

Cornhole Shootout is Feb. 17 at Tabor: Speaking of corn, get ready for the fourth annual cornhole shootout at Tabor Lodge on Saturday, Feb. 17. Registration is from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Pre-registration is appreciated. For questions or pre-registration, call Mike Pracheil (Pickle) at (402) 641-1921. Shooting starts at 1 p.m. Food and beverages will be available

Harold Axline Celebration Of Life: Feb. 10, 1 To 4 P.M.

Dorchester's Harold Allen Axline was born on Nov. 11, 1944 to Art and Mary (Britton) Axline. He passed away at home on Tuesday, Feb. 6 at age 79.  

Harold attended kindergarten through the 12th grade at Dorchester and graduated with the class of 1963. Harold married Sharon Nohavec on April 11, 1964 in Crete.  The couple had three children: Todd, Tim and Julie.  

Harold worked at the Dorchester Co-op beginning May 1, 1964 and was the feed mill manager until he retired on Dec. 31, 2011. He continued to work as a courier for Farmers Cooperative up through the present time. He was on the Dorchester Volunteer Fire Department beginning Oct. 2, 1966 until November 1991. During this time, he was the fire chief for five years. 

Harold was on the town board from 1987 to 2010. He was a member of the Dorchester Jolly 30 Fisherman’s Club; a lifetime member of the Nebraska One Box Pheasant Hunt; and a member of the Dorchester United Methodist Church.  

He loved to spend time with his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. His hobbies included: hunting, fishing, trapping, and traveling. 

Harold was preceded in death by his parents, and siblings: Mary Ellen Klopp, Ardie Mortensen, Alta Weber, and Harry Axline. He is survived by his wife: Sharon. Sons:  Todd and Colleen Axline, Tim Axline and Lori Medinger. Daughter: Julie and Bob Behrens. Grandchildren and spouses: Dylan and Lexi Axline, Dusty and Amber Axline, Derek Axline and fiancé Ashley Schwisow, Meredith and Wessley Kohout, Avery and Nate Beach, Baylor Behrens and Paxton Behrens. Honorary grandson:  Ian Abbott. Step grandchildren: Brandon Schwisow, Justin Schwisow. Great grandchildren: Graham Kohout and Ottillee Beach.  

A Celebration of Life & Open House will be held Saturday, Feb. 10, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Dorchester Legion. In lieu of flowers, memorials are in care of the family for future designation. Cards may be sent to Sharon Axline, 407 West 8th Street, Dorchester, NE 68343. Arrangements entrusted to Kuncl Funeral Home in Crete.

Looking Back: Dorchester's Rich Baseball History

Spring is only six weeks away.

So are the sounds of children's laughter and the crack (or ping) of the bat coming from Nerud Field.

Dorchester is home to rich baseball history. Our community was known as a baseball town as early as the start of the 1900s. 

The village's rough-and-tumble young men gained a reputation for their ability to beat teams from towns much larger in population.  

Town-team baseball -- played by teens and men in their 20s, 30s, and 40s -- was a main attraction for many eastern and central Nebraska towns in the first half of the 20th century until the 1950s, when youth baseball gained in popularity.

In those early days, most games were played during free time on Sundays, according to old timers. By 1900, the teams from Dorchester became more organized and well-practiced.

Readers will recall a while back, we stumbled upon a photo taken by Russell Freidell (DHS Class of 1907) who captured a perfect image of the 1909 Dorchester baseball team -- one of the best baseball teams in southeast Nebraska at the time, according to records.

Thanks to an e-mail from a reader, we have images of the uniform worn by the 1918 Dorchester club. The century-old jersey top, which is in perfect condition, was worn by the Dorchester team from 1918 through the early 1920s.  

This particular jersey, housed in the Saline County Museum, was donated by the late Thomas Jarrett, whose parents owned Jarrett Hardware and sponsored the jersey. (Each uniform was sponsored by a different Dorchester business of that era.) It sports the big, black letter "D," similar to those on the uniforms worn by the 1909 club in Freidell's photograph.

Also stored in the museum is the Dorchester's baseball club's jersey worn from the mid-1920s through the start of the Great Depression. It's fancier in design, with the town's name spelled out and with flashier colors on the thick wool material.

At last check, neither Dorchester uniform is currently on display in the county museum. We hope that the museum caretakers can find a way to properly display, protect and preserve these magnificent relics of Dorchester's glorious past.

In the meantime, let's count down the days until spring. Let's count down the days until we hear: "Play ball!"

GUIDANCE: Five Ways To Deal With Negative People In A Small Town

Every community -- regardless of size -- has its share of negative residents. It's just that in a small town, everyone knows who those negative people are. Nowadays, social media platforms make it even easier to spot them.  

These are the folks who can spot flaws in the best of situations. They are the ones who like to air their negativity publicly. They believe that nobody could do the job better than them, if ever they were around to actually help.

Putting up with constant negativity is draining, at best. At worst, it's a morale killer that negatively affects the attitudes of fellow residents.

Here are five simple strategies for dealing with negative people in a small town:

1.) Don’t write off the negativity. It’s easy to dismiss negative attitudes and comments with remarks like, “That’s just the way he/she is.” But sometimes, negative people are pointing out real problems and legitimate concerns that can and must be addressed. Town leaders, school administrators, business owners, and group organizers need to take into consideration all serious comments and complaints, even if from the consistently-negative crowd.

2.) Consider the circumstances. If an always-negative resident is coping with a personal matter that is affecting his/her behavior, be sympathetic. In a small town, we often hear what other people said, but we don't know the circumstances that may have prompted the comments. The truth is, those persistently negative people probably have a big void in their lives. 

3.) Make Negative Nancy and Ned part of the solution. Sometimes, community leaders simply need to let those negative folks know that their concerns are being heard. It would make more sense for them to tell someone who can do something about it, instead of airing their negative comments for all to hear or read. Establishing a special committee and offering a committee spot to the negative person would put the burden on Mr./Ms. Negative to be part of the solution.

4.) Be rational in your approach. Negativity is mostly emotional, so don't combat emotion with more emotion; combat negativity with facts. Example: If someone is constantly saying the cost of living is too high in Dorchester, show them Dorchester easily has the lowest school levy in Saline County; show them that Nebraska, overall, is one of the 15 least expensive states in which to live. 

5.) Know when to say goodbye. At the end of the day, some people only want to complain and wear a constant frown. Perhaps they feel isolated or can't see it's their own attitude acting as an impediment to making their community a bit better. For these folks, it's best to leave them alone and not give them a platform.

Looking Back: Dorchester's Political Past

It may come as a surprise to current Dorchester-area residents, but our community has played a role in Nebraska's political history.

Research by the Dorchester Times' staff has uncovered at least eight Dorchester residents or natives who have served in the Nebraska Legislature.

Of course, it should be noted that from 1866 until 1937, Nebraska had a bicameral legislature with both a state senate and state house of representatives. (Many today argue Nebraska needs to return to a two-chamber legislature because too much power rests with 49 lawmakers under the current system.)

When Nebraska implemented its unique unicameral legislature in late 1937, the number of state lawmakers declined from 133 in the bicameral to 43 in the stand-alone chamber. Today, the Cornhusker State 49 state senators. 

Despite large legislative branch of of Nebraska's first 70 years, we are still impressed by the lengthy list of Dorchester’s past elected leaders.

Here is a list of the Dorchester residents and natives who served in our state legislature:

• T.B. Parker (1877-79)
• John J. Edicott (1899-1901)
• William H. Beekly (1901-1903)
• John Chab (1909-11)
• Fred Gustus Johnson (1907-09; 1917-20)
• Charles H. Meacham, Jr. (1923-29)
• Allen J. Murphy (1921-23)
• Don Eret (1983-87)

Of the above public servants, Fred Gustus Johnson, who lived from 1876–1951, was the most prominent. He went on to serve as lieutenant governor and a member of the U.S. House.

A Republican, Johnson was born on a farm near Dorchester. He graduated from DHS in 1893 and from the UNL College of Law in 1903; he was admitted to the bar the same year. He set up practice in Dorchester and farmed on the side. In 1911, he moved Hastings to continue his law practice.

Johnson was elected to the Nebraska House of Representatives from 1907 to 1909, and again from 1917 to 1919. He was elected to the Nebraska Senate in 1919. In 1923, Johnson went on to become Nebraska's lieutenant governor.

Johnson reached the apex of his political career in 1929, when he was elected to serve as a U.S. congressman from Nebraska's 5th district. He ran in 1930 and 1932, but failed to be re-elected, as Republicans fell out of favor during the Great Depression. He was later elected as a county judge.

Johnson died April 30, 1951. He is buried in Parkview Cemetery in Hastings.

A Look At Saline County's Cizek Log Cabin

Those who regularly read this blog know our staff members are fans of the Saline County Museum as well as the historical society volunteers who make it such a great place to visit.

One of the top attractions at the museum is the Cizek log cabin, built in 1869 -- two years after Nebraska became a state -- about five miles south and three miles west of Crete.

The cabin belonged to Wenzel Jiri Cizek and his wife Katherina Havlicek Cizek, who emigrated to the U.S. in 1864. 

The couple had a son (Joseph) and daughter (Maria). The Cizeks lived in a dugout until the one-room log cabin was built. 

Native Americans often would visit the family to beg for food and corn, according to museum documents.

The Cizeks did their own butchering, fried the meat and stored it in rendered lard and stoneware jars. They stored this meat, along with fruits and vegetables, in deep caves. 

They also made soap, churned their own butter, and dried fruit for the winter.

For entertainment, the Cizeks held occasional parties -- called "posviceni" -- with nearby neighbors. The children often played ball games. 

Wrestling, boxing, hunting, and fishing were also popular with the boys.

The log cabin was donated to the Saline County Historical Society in 1971, when the structure was moved to the museum campus. 

You can visit the cabin at the museum, which is open Wednesdays and Saturdays from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Happy 90th, Betty Kliment!

A lot was happening in 1934.

 

Bonnie and Clyde, along with John Dillinger, were robbing banks and terrorizing towns. All three also met their maker that year.

Baseball legend Babe Ruth hit his 700th home run.

And Dorchester's Betty Kliment was born.

Betty turns 90 years young this month.

Happy birthday to this wonderful resident of our community.

Please help her celebrate by sending a card to:

Betty Kliment
P.O. Box 111
Dorchester, NE 68343

DHS Girls Basketball Team Takes Third At CRC

 

The DHS girls basketball team earlier today captured third place at the Crossroads Conference Tournament in York, defeating the High Plains Storm for the second time this season. 

The Lady Longhorns won the consolation game 35-20. 

Dorchester junior Baylor Behrens led all players with 16 points. Gabrielle Theis added eight and Bailey Theis six. 

This marks the best finish for a Dorchester basketball team in the CRC Tournament in many seasons.

As reported by the York News-Times, Dorchester led by only 20-13 as the teams went to the final quarter, but a three-pointer and two conventional baskets by Gabrielle Theis, along with a pair of free throws by Baylor Behrens, put the game out of reach.

The Lady Longhorns, now 12-5 on the season, have just five regular season games remaining, including a contest at East Butler on Monday, Jan. 29. 

DHS is in a position to exceed 15 wins this season, which would put this team in very select company as part of Dorchester's basketball history, regardless of gender.

NEWS ROUND-UP: The Winter Storm From Hell

Video Shows Whiteout Conditions in Dorchester: Sub-zero air temps and extreme wind chills. Snow. Blowing snow. The winter storms of January 2024 will be long remembered. This week, the ongoing winter from hell presented us with sudden whiteout conditions, which caused vehicular chaos across much of central and eastern Nebraska, thanks to a snow squall that brought intense snow and winds. This video shot near Dorchester is making the rounds on the internet. And this video shows what downtown Dorchester looked like during the squall.

Village Dump Closed: Dorchester's dump site is closed for the winter, in case you needed the update. It will be open again this spring.

City Slickers Looking for Part-Time Help: Dorchester's City Slickers Bar and Grill is looking for help on its Burger Fridays. Hours will be 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Call (402) 946-2171.

DHS Girls Improve to 9-4: Dorchester's varsity girls basketball team has improved to 9-4 as the team heads to the Crossroads Conference Tournament, which begins today in York. Only five games remain in the 2023/24 regular season following the CRC tournament. Check out these action photos of the girls' most recent game from Sharon Axline. (Update: On Saturday, Jan. 20, the Dorchester girls basketball team won their CRC tournament game against Hampton, 67-28.)

Gov. Pillen Gets Real: It's good to see Gov. Jim Pillen appears to have abandoned his proposed two-cent increase in state sales taxes, which would give Nebraska the highest state sales tax rate in the nation at 7.5 cents. Such a move would kill Nebraska's retail sector, as well as car and farm implement dealers. Pillen is right, however, to spotlight the insane property tax increases imposed by school boards, county boards, and city councils, all of which are unnecessarily taking advantage of soaring valuations. It's time to put hard caps on total tax increases allowed by these entities. State senators can do so by threatening their state aid.

Dorchester Was Pioneer in Nebraska Eight-Man Football: Eight-man football made it’s Nebraska debut in 1954, making room for schools outgrowing the six-man man game. As noted in this column, there were 16 teams competing in this initial campaign, a southern division known as the Trailways Conference and a northern group deemed the Corntassel Conference. The Trailways Conference included Milford, Exeter, Beaver Crossing, Dorchester, Utica, Fairmont, and Western. We think it would be great to see DHS playing eight-man football again.

Comparing Dorchester's Costs-Of-Living

We've said it before but it bears repeating: Dorchester has a lot going for it if you are looking for the following:

• Living in a safe, friendly and affordable small-town community.

• Sending your kids to a newer K-12 school with quality staff members who aren't driven by political agendas. 

• Living in a village with friendly, engaged citizens that are always looking for ways to improve.

• Being close to many area employers and just 25 minutes to Lincoln.  

But perhaps Dorchester's biggest benefits are its affordable housing and costs-of-living, with the lowest school tax levy rates in the county and one of the lower property rates in southeast Nebraska.

The Dorchester Times has run the numbers -- and they show that those living in Lincoln or Omaha, especially if they desire a close-knit, smaller community and saving money for the future, may want to consider relocating to Dorchester. Here's why:

Dorchester Vs. Lincoln

Dorchester's median home listing price is around $95,000 compared to Lincoln's $341,100. So a couple or individual could live in a home in Dorchester for roughly $246,000 less, right up front.  

Then, over a decade, that couple would save tens of thousands of dollars on property taxes, according to tax data.

We estimate that over 10 years, a couple or individual would save roughly $100,000 just on housing costs and property taxes by moving from Lincoln to Dorchester. (What could you do with an extra $100,000? Remember, this is just the average.)

Of course, this doesn't include the intangibles such as safety, quality of a child's upbringing, knowing your neighbors, peace and quiet, etc.

Dorchester Vs. Omaha

Omaha's median home cost is $335,000 compared to Dorchester's $95,000.  A couple or individual could live in the same grade of home in Dorchester for roughly $240,000 less. Again, over 10 years, that couple would save roughly tens of thousands of dollars on property taxes.

Inflation -- caused mostly by the government's money printing, hiring, and mandates, like minimum wage hikes -- is going to force many Americans to take a crash course in personal economics. 

When they do, they would be wise to recognize the financial advantages of small-town living.

Up to 7.5" Snow, Severe Cold Set To Slam Our Area

Old Man Winter has us firmly in his grip, with no intentions of letting go any time soon.

In addition to 4 to 5 inches of snow that fell earlier this week, up to another 7.5 inches of the white stuff is set to hit the Saline County area starting tomorrow mid-afternoon and continuing though Friday evening, based on different forecasting systems.

Moreover, due to extremely dangerous cold temperatures, the snow won't be melting for a while.

According to AccuWeather, we won't see high temperatures above 14 degrees until next Wednesday. Highs on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday will be between -7 degrees and 1 degree. Yes, those are the daily high temps.

Wind chill watches and winter weather advisories have been issued.

More snow is forecast for Jan. 26 and Feb. 1.

Stay safe out there! Follow our official weather forecasting service for the latest.

Developing...

Dorchester Studying Plan To Pave Streets, Boost Housing

Over the past month, Dorchester's elected leaders and village staff have been working to gather comments from residents regarding plans to improve Dorchester's streets.

The graphic above illustrates Dorchester's street improvement options. Village officials are working with Olsson, a Lincoln-based engineering and design firm, on this plan.

As the photo shows, proposed gap-pavement projects (see the pink-colored streets) would ensure Dorchster has another fully paved street (11th Street) connecting main street to the spur on the west side of town. 

At its Dec. 1 board meeting, the village board approved a six-year street improvement plan. Also, board member Roger Miller was voted by his peers to be the village's streets officer.

We know what you're thinking: Most Dorchester residents have heard promises of street plans before -- and little if any improvement has occurred since the early 1980s, the last time a street was paved in our town. But now there appears to be a more focused effort to enhance the village's streets. 

We hope this is the case because paved streets are the key to attract new housing and refurbished housing. Paved streets will bring more families to Dorchester; boost student enrollment; enhance the business community; and grow our quality of life.

At the same Dec. 1 meeting, the village board also approved a workforce housing incentive plan tied to Nebraska's Community Development Law. Read the Dec. 1 meeting minutes for more details.

Stay tuned. And get engaged if you want to see these improvements happen sooner.

DHS Alum Randy Slepicka Passes At 64

On Dec. 19, former DHS alumnus Randy M. Slepicka (Class of 1978), age 64, of Glencoe, Minn. passed away at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis. Funeral services were held Dec. 27.

Randy Marvin Slepicka was born Nov. 1, 1959 in Hebron, the son of Marvin and Donna (Kelch) Slepicka.

Randy, a sports enthusiast who grew up in Dorchester, where he attended Dorchester High School and played multiple sports for the Longhorns. His passion for sports continued into his adult life, as he joined the Mayer Mudcats and made lifelong friends when he moved to Minnesota in 1998. Not only was Randy skilled in football, baseball, basketball, and track and field, but he also excelled in volleyball. His natural ability made all sports look effortless, earning him admiration from his peers. Randy also had a great love of nature and spent many hours hunting and fishing

Beyond his athletic achievements, Randy took immense pride in his family. He cherished his children and grandchildren, always finding joy in playfully teasing them. Even the adults couldn't escape his playful banter. Randy had a youthful spirit and a humble attitude, always willing to lend a helping hand and even give the shirt off his back to those in need. His parents instilled in him strong values and a deep sense of prioritizing family above all else.

The full obituary may be read here.

Dorchester Hoops: Jr. High Boys, DHS Girls Shine

 

 

(Photo: Julie Behrens)

The high school basketball season is officially at its halfway point. And the DHS Lady Longhorns are on a serious winning streak.

Over the past few weeks, the Dorchester girls, now 8-3 on the season, have won five consecutive games, handily beating Cedar Bluffs, Heartland Lutheran, Lewiston, Sterling, and Lincoln's College View Academy.

In the process, individual Longhorns have shined, including Gabrielle Theis, who on Dec. 19 set a new school record for three-point shots made in a single game. Theis nailed eight buckets from behind the arch to bury the Class C2 team from Cedar Bluffs.

The Lady Longhorns now prepare for critical home contests against East Butler (4-6) on Jan. 11 and Giltner (2-6) on Jan. 12. DHS will travel to Class C2 Cross County (11-1) on Jan. 16, and will return to Dorchester Jan. 18 to host Shelby-Rising City  (5-4) before the Crossroads Conference in York Jan. 20-26.

Meanwhile, Dorchester's junior high boys basketball squad captured third place at the Bee Basketball Tournament. With a dozen Longhorn boys on the junior high team, Dorchester took part in three contests this week at the famous "Bee hive" just north of Seward.

With DHS suffering from a shortage of boys playing basketball for several years, Longhorn fans are eyeing a surge of talent coming through the school pipeline over the next several seasons.