Election 2024 Update: Bolton, Smith Elected To School Board

The 2024 general election is one for the history books.  

Now that the dust has settled, it's clear that change is coming not only to Washington, D.C., but also to the Dorchester School Board.

Three of six school board seats were on this year's ballot. Incumbent Shelly Lehr was re-elected. Joining her for new four-year terms will be Matt Bolton and Matt Smith, both DHS alumns and board newcomers.

Here are the school board election results:

Meanwhile, there will be no changes coming to the village board. 

 

The Dorchester Village Board had two open seats, and current board members Nancy Tellez and Tammie Lang sought re-election. No challengers filed to run for the board this year.

Here are Tuesday's election results for village board:

 

 

In the presidential contest, President-Elect Donald J. Trump received 3,719 votes in Saline County, more than double the 1,845 received by the Harris-Walz ticket. 

 

Tonight's Scary Movie: The Brain That Wouldn't Die

Every Halloween week, the Times airs scary classic movies or shows. It has become a tradition.

Tonight's movie is called "The Brain That Wouldn't Die" -- a 1962 horror film. This film was completed in 1959 under the working title "The Black Door," but was not theatrically released until May 1962 due to copyright issues.

The film focuses upon a mad doctor who develops a means to keep human body parts alive. He keeps his fiancée's severed head alive for days, and also keeps a lumbering, malformed brute (one of his earlier failed experiments) imprisoned in a closet.

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, the Times airs classic horror shows. It has become a tradition.

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 1956 and had a theatrical preview screening on March 15, 1957 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.

Tonight's Scary Movie: The Blob

Every Halloween week, the Times has airs scary classic shows. It has become a tradition.

Tonight's movie is called "The Blob" -- a 1958 horror film starring Steve McQueen (in his feature film debut). 

The movie was originally distributed as a double feature with "I Married a Monster from Outer Space."

"The Blob" is about a growing, corrosive, alien entity that crashes to Earth from outer space inside a meteorite. It envelops everything in its path in small towns in Pennsylvania -- growing larger, redder, and more aggressive, eventually becoming larger than a building.

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

Tonight's Scary Movie: 'Dark Night Of The Scarecrow'

Every Halloween week, the Dorchester Times airs scary classic shows. It has become a tradition.

Tonight's program is called "Dark Night of the Scarecrow" -- one of the most frightening made-for-TV shows ever produced. Watch the movie here.

"Dark Night of the Scarecrow" is a 1981 film. In a small Southern town, Charles Eliot "Bubba" Ritter -- a large but gentle, mentally challenged man -- befriends young Marylee Williams. Some of the townspeople are upset by the closeness between Marylee and Bubba, and the mean-spirited postman Otis Hazelrigg is the worst. 

When Marylee is mauled by a vicious dog and lies unconscious at a doctor's office, Otis promptly assumes that Bubba has murdered her even though Bubba saved her life. Otis and three friends – gas station attendant Skeeter Norris and farmer-cousins Philby and Harliss Hocker – form a lynch mob. 

Bubba's mother disguises him as a scarecrow and posts him in a nearby field to wait for the drama to cool down. The bloodhounds sniff Bubba out, and all four vigilantes empty multiple rounds from their guns, killing him. Afterwards, they discover that Marylee is, in fact alive, thanks to Bubba, whom they have just murdered. 

Acting fast, Otis places a pitchfork in Bubba's lifeless hands to make it appear as if he were attacking them with a weapon. The vigilantes are subsequently released because of lack of evidence against them (and blatant perjury by Otis) when the murder is brought to court.

And that's when the real horror begins.

Enjoy tonight's Halloween movie.  

But be sure to leave on an extra light. 

Rural Workforce Housing Funds Available

For years, this blog has highlighted the need of more housing options for Dorchester. 

Without viable housing -- including efforts to rehab existing homes -- small, rural communities fade away, as do their quality of life. 

We were encouraged a few years ago to learn that a non-profit group called Renew Dorchester was being formed to focus in part on housing projects, but we are unsure what became of the organization.

Now the Nebraska Department of Economic Development is currently accepting applications for funding under its 2024 Rural Workforce Housing Fund Program. (Here's an example of how the program is working in Imperial.)

To be eligible, non-profit entities -- which must be housing-related non-profits -- can submit a letter of intent by 6 p.m. Nov. 21. Full applications are due by 6 p.m. Jan. 15, 2025.

The RWHF program was established in 2017. The Nebraska Legislature allocated $12.5 million for a fourth program year in 2024. Eligible applicants are Nebraska-based 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), and 501(c)(6) non-profit housing or related service organizations. More details are available here. A copy of the guidelines can be requested by calling (402) 580-0713 or emailing nick.dropinski@nebraska.gov.

NEWS ROUND-UP: Wrapping Up Fall Sports; Tragedy For Former Dorchester Family

 

 

DHS Volleyball Wraps Up Regular Season: The Crossroads Conference Volleyball Tournament in York begins today (Saturday, Oct. 19), with the Lady Longhorns earning the CRC's third-seed slot. The Lady Longhorns (16-9) will play their first game at 5:30 p.m. this evening at the York Auditorium. Should DHS win, the team will advance to Monday's 6 p.m. contest. The tourney wraps up on Tuesday night, Oct. 22.

Dorchester Football Prepares for Season's Finale: The DHS football team will play their final contest of 2024 at Meridian on Friday, Oct. 25. The Longhorns (1-6) have struggled to keep games close this season, dropping their last three contests by a combined score of 163-27.  

Dorchester Junior High Wins Quiz Bowl: Dorchester took home the gold this past week when its "A Team" won the junior high quiz bowl in Osceola today. The DPS team captured the top prize by beating 19 other teams. Congrats to these top scholars.

Donna's Hair Creations to Be Temporarily Closed: Local barber and hair stylist Donna Parks is reportedly having surgery Nov. 19, according to her social media posts. Due to a six to eight week recovery period, Donna's Hair Creations will be closed likely until the Christmas period. Donna says she "will maintain my workload until the day of the surgery, potentially with increased intensity. To ensure continuity, please schedule appointments in advance by calling (402) 641-1734; I will be available, including on days off."

Blood Drive Is October 30: Dorchester Public School is asking area residents to participate in a blood drive set for Wednesday, Oct. 30, from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Visit RedCrossBlood.org and enter "Dorchester" to schedule an appointment.

DHS Alum Honored: Rachael (Rezabek) Biar, a 1990 graduate of DHS, was honored to receive the National Association of State Treasurers (NAST) Public Finance Employee of the Year award recently. Biar was recognized for her 30 years of public service and for helping all families achieve their education goals with 529 savings plans.

Former DPS Student Passes: Max Real Cisneros, 14, a former student of Dorchester, passed away following an automobile accident on Oct. 18. Max was a freshman at Friend-Exeter-Milligan High School. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Wednesday, Oct. 23 at 10:30 a.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Crete. Visitation with the family present will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 22 from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m. at Farmer Funeral Home in Exeter. See the full obituary.

Desert-Like Conditions Fuel Fires Across Nebraska

 

Drought persists across Nebraska, including Saline County. In fact, several weeks have passed since the last measurable rainfall.

September was the driest September in Nebraska in 132 years, experts say.

Meanwhile, windy and dry conditions are fueling field fires, brush fires, and wild fires. Red Flag Warnings are in effect for several counties. 

It was just a matter of time before the Dorchester area experienced one of these dangerous fires.

A major field fire occurred Friday roughly three miles southeast of Dorchester Friday, prompting emergency action by area farmers and volunteer firefighters.

The fire may have started from a ditch after a careless flick of a cigarette, according to reports. Regardless of the origin of the fire, it took nearly 20 tractors and discs working up roughly 80 acres of field to stop the blaze from advancing.

No significant property damage was reported.

According to the forecast, a reasonable chance of precipitation is expected Monday, although rain totals are expected to be small. The next chance of rain won't arrive until October 30.

The models used by the Dorchester Times show a wetter November, fortunately.

And experts say La Niña is expected to dominate in the winter months. This could mean more precipitation than normal in parts of the U.S., including southeast Nebraska.

First Killing Frost Comes Over Next 48 Hours

Brrrrrr.

The first killing frost arrives over the next 48 hours, right around the average timeline for our neck of the woods.

According to AccuWeather, temps are expected to dip to 28 degrees overnight into Tuesday morning. 

Meanwhile, a freeze watch is in effect for parts of central and eastern Nebraska late Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. Low temperatures could fall to the mid 20s.

Keep this in mind: These freezing temps are the coldest we will see over the next 10 days. 

In fact, freezing temperatures aren't expected to reappear in the Dorchester area until mid-November, according to forecasts.

As a point of reference, the average first frost date for our area is Oct. 12.

Developing...

NEWS ROUND-UP: Dorchester's Autumn Street Paving Projects

Dorchester's Autumn Street Paving Projects: Dorchester continues to add more concrete streets, as crews work to pave sections of Franklin Ave. and 8th Street that border the city park. Approved the the village board, the project will ensure paved streets surround the park, with the exception of the alley to the east. Meanwhile, Dorchester's main street, Washington Ave., is being resurfaced for the first time in more than 30 years. According to our records, the street was last resurfaced in the fall of 1991, or 33 years ago. In recent years, the street had become quite rough due to holes and cracks in the surface, especially as more semi-truck and trailer traffic utilizes the roadway.

Community Fall Clean-Up Begins Saturday: Dorchester's Community Fall Clean-Up will be from Saturday, Oct. 12 through Monday, Oct. 19. The dump site will be open Monday thru Friday 3-7 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

DHS Football Scores First Victory of 2024: The Dorchester football team picked up its first win of the 2024 campaign on Sept. 27, beating Harvard 58-12. The Longhorns, now 1-4, on the season, will take on Diller-Odell (4-1) this Friday, Oct. 11, in a contest at Nerud Field.

DHS Volleyball Team Hits Rough Patch: This blog may have jinxed the DHS volleyball team when we wrote on Sept. 24 that the Orange and Black Attack deserved to be in the Class D-2 top ten. Since defeating No. 8 Osceola, Dorchester has dropped five of its last nine contests. The Lady Longhorns now stand at 14-7 on the season. Next up for DHS is Cross County (13-11) in a Thursday road game (Oct. 10) and a home contest against Lincoln Parkview Christian ( 0-18) on Monday, Oct. 14.     

Missing Lincoln Woman Found in Dorchester: A woman who went missing from her home in southwest Lincoln was found in Dorchester, according to media reports. Charlotte Starkey, 75, had been missing since Sunday, according to the Lincoln Police Department. Police said her husband returned to their house near 16th and Burnham streets at about 2:30 p.m. and couldn’t find her. Around 6 a.m. Tuesday, LPD said Starkey was found “safe, healthy, and in good spirits.”

EPA Offers Recreation Grants: The U.S. EPA's Recreation Economy for Rural Communities program is accepting applications through Oct. 16. The program provides planning assistance to small towns and rural communities to help them boost their outdoor recreation economy and revitalize their main streets. Past projects have included promoting outdoor-oriented businesses and supporting economic growth and amenities in downtowns. Learn more.

Looking Back: Dorchester's Elmwood Pony Farm (And Rodeo)

Today we look back at one of the most intriguing pieces of Dorchester's past: the Thompson Elmwood Pony Farm. (Click on the accompanying pictures for a closer look.)

Owned and operated by Colonel W.J. Thompson, the Elmwood Pony Farm was located in the northeast corner of Dorchester. The farm sat on present day 10th Street, between Lincoln and Fulton Avenues -- home of the present-day "The Well" spa and health business.

Dating back to the 1890s, the Elmwood Pony Farm was one of the largest pony farms west of the Mississippi River. By the 1920s, the pony farm had become home to more than 300 ponies.  

Thompson's pony farm was a popular destination for children from miles around, according to accounts of longtime residents. Children who lived in the country were even permitted to take home a pony and ride it all summer, if they agreed to keep it fed well.

Each September, Colonel Thompson took as many as 35 Shetland ponies to the Nebraska State Fair for rides. He entered many more of the animals in the fair's show contests. All of the ponies were herded overland from Dorchester to Lincoln by Thompson farm employees.

In 1930, Colonel Thompson's son, Wallace, started the Thompson Rodeo. It was usually a three-day event held each fall, complete with fighting broncos, cowboys, clowns, trick riders, cowgirls, bull dodgers, concessions, rides, dancing and "whoopee." 

Dorchester's Thomspon rodeo attracted many top riders from around the country, as well as local talent.  An Oklahoma rider even came within 0.7 seconds of the world's record in calf roping at the Dorchester Rodeo.

At one time, more than 7,000 spectators were reported in attendance at the Dorchester Rodeo. 

Many people had high hopes that Dorchester would become a permanent rodeo on the famous circuit that included Cheyenne Frontier Days, as well as the Burwell and Sidney rodeos. 

But by 1940, the rodeo hit a spell of heavy rain and events were cancelled.

Then came World War II, and in 1942 the Thompson Rodeo closed its doors permanently, becoming another chapter in the history book of our community.

NEWS ROUND-UP: DHS Volleyball Makes Case For Top-10 Ranking

 

DHS Volleyball Sweeps No. 8 Osceola: Dorchester's Class D-2 volleyball team convincingly beat Class D-2's No. 8 Osceola Lady Bulldogs in three straight sets Tuesday night. In a contest held at the Dorchester gym, the Orange and Black Attack looked sharp, dominating Osceola (10-2) most of the contest. The DHS ladies are now 10-2 on the year and have adequately made the case that they should be ranked in Class D-2's top 10. Next up for the Lady Longhorns are High Plains Community (7-4) and Shelby/Rising City (4-7) in a Thursday triangular at High Plains. On Saturday, Sept. 28, DHS will travel to Waco to take on Omaha Christian Academy (6-4) and Nebraska Lutheran (6-6) in another triangular.

Shirley Kasl Turns 90: Shirley Kasl of Dorchester will celebrates her 90th birthday this week. She was born Sept. 25, 1934, in Wilber. Her family members include her son and daughter-in-law, George and Jen Kasl of Dorchester; four granddaughters; and two great-granddaughters. To help Shirley celebrate, cards may be sent to 1375 County Road I, Dorchester, NE 68343.

Farmers Cooperative to Build Major Facility Near Pawnee City: Farmers Cooperative has unveiled plans to build a grain shuttle loading facility near Pawnee City in southeast Nebraska. "The facility will feature a storage capacity of approximately 3.7 million bushels and will include a 110-car shuttle shipper on the BNSF railroad,” said Dale Hayek, senior vice president of grain at Farmers Cooperative. Construction is scheduled to begin this fall and the facility should be operational by the fall of 2026.

NEWS ROUND-UP: DHS Volleyball Off To 9-2 Start

 

(Photo credit: Sharon Axline)

Longhorn Volleyball Starts Strong: The Orange and Black Attack, also known as the Dorchester High School volleyball team, is taking Class D-2 by storm. The Lady Longhorns have stormed out of the gate, winning nine of the first 11 games in the 2024 campaign. On Tuesday night, Sept. 17, DHS beat both Nebraska Lutheran and Cedar Bluffs at the Dorchester Invitational, improving to 9-2 on the young season. Dorchester's only two losses so far have been to Weeping Water and Falls City Sacred Heart. Next up for DHS is Osceola (5-0) next Tuesday, Sept. 24, in a contest at home.

DHS Football Off to Tough Start: The Dorchester football team is off to an 0-3 start on the season. The Longhorns dropped their latest contest on Sept. 14 to Grand Island's Heartland Lutheran by a count of 42-28. (Check out these great action shots of the contest.) This week, Dorchester is off. Next up for DHS is Harvard (0-3) on Sept. 27 in a contest at beautiful Nerud Field.

Homecoming Week is Next Week: Sept. 23-27 is homecoming week at Dorchester Public Schools. See the spirit week themes. The homecoming bonfire and pep rally will be Wednesday evening, Sept. 25.

Worship Service in the Park This Sunday: This Sunday, Sept. 22, the Dorchester United Methodist Church will hold services in the Dorchester City Park at 9:30 a.m. Dorchester UMC is inviting the entire village to this community worship service. Come and meet the new Pastor, Cameron Miller, and stay for a free lunch after the service. All are welcome to attend.

Community Fall Clean-Up is Mid-October: Dorchester's Community Fall Clean-Up will be from Saturday, Oct. 12 through Monday, Oct. 19. The dump site will be open Monday thru Friday 3-7 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.