Have you noticed that the grass is starting to turn green and the perennials are starting to grow? That must mean that spring is here!
Monday night’s storm also showed us how different the weather is from just a few weeks ago. I think most of the towns in this area were without power for about three hours and the Eagle area was hit by a possible tornado. Thankfully no one was seriously injured.
I understand quite a few people from Weeping Water decided to head to Louisville (where they still had power) to eat at Subway and Gambino’s. It’s always nice when neighboring communities support each other’s businesses.
Now for the bad news—did I hear that there is SNOW in the forecast? YIKES!!
Was a HUGE Success!!
All the hard work paid off last Friday night when the annual PTO Carnival came to town. It was a HUGE success! There were baskets, raffle prizes, games, food, a quilt, and lots and lots of people having fun. A silent auction was held for the baskets and the quilt and the winners of the raffle prizes were decided at the end of the night. Everyone had a great time and the PTO raised a lot of money to benefit the Weeping Water Public School.
The PTO would like to sincerely thank all sponsors, basket auction winners, those who purchased raffle tickets, students, teachers, and community members for their support. We couldn’t have done it without you. We’ll see you next year.
PTO CARNIVAL RESULTS
Basket Auction
Pre-K Baking Basket #1 Trisha Charache $41
Pre-K Baking Basket #2 Becky Thomas $25
Kindergarten NE Basket Janice Hermann $37
Kinder. Gardening Basket Shelly Wilson $30
1st Grade BBQ Basket #1 Brandy Ahrens $50
1st Grade BBQ Basket #2 Rick Wilson $45
2nd Grade Movie Basket #1 Jodi Nissen $45
2nd Grade Movie Basket #2 Rick Wilson $30
2nd Grade Spa Basket #1 Mickey Backhaus $28
2nd Grade Spa Basket #2 Trisha Charache $30
3rd Grade Scrap Booking Basket #1 Candi Rathe $25
3rd Grade Scrap Booking Basket #2 Janice Hermann $30
4th Grade Game Night Stacy Barber $37
4th Grade Hunting Basket Trisha Charache $80
5th Grade Sports Basket Gary Blumer $40
5th Grade Fishing Bakset Shawn Hammons $70
6th Grade Cat Basket Jancie Amick $19
6th Grade Dog Basket Michael Williams $30
PCS Avon Basket Jodi McAfee $30
PCS Cryin’Creek Basket Micky Backhaus $58
PCS Tammy’s Soap Shack Shelly Wilson $55
PCS Carol’s Flower & Gift Shelly Wilson $45
WW Quilt Donate by Mark & Candi Rathe Sherry Vogler $95
Raffle Winners
Prize Donated By Winner
$20 Target Card Target Jack Flannagan
Nintendo DS Ahrens Grain LLC Jodi Nash
$10 Dairy Sweet Card Dairy Sweet Renee Sheehan
State Farm Camo Set State Farm Mackenzie Fleming
WW Basketball Sweatshirt PTO Billy Harms
Fingers & Toes Basket Lori Stackpole Adam Karstens
Ipod PTO Deb Lance
$10 Mary’s This N’ That Card PTO Deb Gjerde
$10 Express Lanes Card PTO Lori Gilbert
Radio Controlled Truck Chad & Michell Heath Trisha Charache
Giant Hershey’s Bar Stop N’ Shop Amanda May
Bloom Where your Planted Party Bloom Where Your Planted Savannah Barrett
State Farm Teddy Bear & Penny Bank State Farm Aimee Morlan
WW Basketball T-shirt PTO Hailey Guhl
$10 Cenex Card PTO Cathy Dillehay
$20 Happy Tails Grooming Happy Tails Grooming Mike McAfee
WW Drawstring Bag PTO Mike McFarland
Beauty Control Basket Carmen Garner Lexie Bauers
WW Basketball T-shirt PTO Melissa Soto
$15 Itunes Card William & Brandy Ahrens Heather Harrah
WW Stadium Chair PTO Steve Nissen
WW Drawstring Bag PTO Chris Ruppert
$50 Wal-Mart Card Martin Marietta Madison March
Cryin’Creek Candle Basket Cryin’Creek Candles Jake Meeske
Nintendo Wii Wal-Mart Cathy Smith
In addition to what we have listed above we also thank the following for their donations and for supporting our PTO carnival;
James Wessels $50
Dr. Neumann $25
Westover Rock & Sand $50
Tammys Soap Shack $20 & all the wrap for the baskets
R&R Wilson Welding 1 box of Candy Bars
Annett’s Catering Buns for concessions
Scott & Sherry Vogler Buns for concessions
Kerford Limestone $100
PCS $600 & four $100 Baskets
Creative Edge Graphics WW Indian labels Bubbles
Martin Marietta 1 box of Candy Bars
Stop N’ Shop 2 boxes of Candy Bars
James & Carmen Garner 2 cases of Water
Meeske Auto Parts 1 box of candy bars and the use of their display window.
Cargill in NE City 40lbs. of beef for concession
Helen Sweeney $20
COME ON, I KNOW YOU CAN MAKE IT!
BROOKLYN IS DOING SOME JAILTIME!
The Wednesday Night Steak Dinners at the Congregational Church in Weeping Water will continue until the end of April. The dinners are served from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. and can be eaten in, carried out, or delivered. This fundraiser has been a huge success and the food is delicious! There are just a few more nights to enjoy the food, atmosphere, and fellowship, so come on over to the Congregational Church this Wednesday and enjoy a great meal.
To order carryout or delivery, please call Annette at (402) 267-7445 or (402) 660-8112. You can also call Chris at (402) 297-0293.
Pollock and Carp
Chicken Gizzards & Livers
Friday, March 26, 2009
5:30 p.m.
$7.00 per person
American Legion
Carryout Available
For Immediate Release: My Personal Bills for 2009 – Part II
March 20, 2009, Lincoln - In 2008 I was asked by the Amputee Coalition of Nebraska to introduce a bill to require that prosthetic limbs be covered by insurance plans in Nebraska. The lifetime for artificial limbs depends on many factors, including age, activity level and overall health status. The Veterans Administration and the National Guard offer coverage, without limitations, for limbs that are lost during active duty. However, private insurance companies have been modifying policies to include caps for prosthetic coverage. Insurance coverage for prosthetic limbs would ultimately save money, because individuals who receive proper care could lead productive lives and avoid the need for assistance from the state Medicaid program. The bill was not advanced by the Banking, Commerce and Insurance Committee last year, because Committee members wanted to know the cost of this coverage to employers and policyholders.
The Amputee Coalition commissioned a cost study and found that the average impact on premiums would be 0.03% to 0.06% for commercial insurance policyholders in Nebraska. I am one of those small business employers, who provides health insurance. I have studied the numbers and personally think the minimal potential cost for my business and for me is worth it to provide a higher quality of life to those who need this coverage.
I introduced LB 149 this year to, again, seek insurance coverage for prosthetic limbs. The leading private insurance provider in Nebraska offered, and I accepted, amendment language to secure the provider’s support for LB 149. Eleven states have already passed legislation that is similar to LB 149. Hopefully, Nebraska will soon offer this help to its citizens.
Frequently a senator becomes the point-person in the body for on-going policy matters. Former Senators Ray Janssen and Vickie McDonald filled this role for problem gambling issues in the Legislature. Before she left last year, Senator McDonald asked me to continue their work.
The Nebraska Lottery was created by a popular vote and action by the Legislature. The citizens who voted for the lottery did so, in part, because they were assured that Lottery revenue would benefit education, the environment, and, more recently, the State Fair, and that treatment would be available to individuals, for whom problem gambling is an addictive disorder. The Lottery Act created a program within the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to manage gambling services. The Act also created the State Committee on Problem Gambling to make funding and policy decisions to guide the work that is done at DHHS.
This year I attended the governor’s proclamation signing to name March as Problem Gambling Awareness Month. I participated in a legislative breakfast briefing that was attended by other senators, gambling counselors, recovering gamblers and members of the State Committee on Problem Gambling. I also introduced LB 189 to make technical corrections to the statutes that pertain to problem gambling services. LB 189 was signed by the governor in February.
As the state continues its sponsorship of gambling activities and benefits from the revenues they generate, more and more individuals will become problem gamblers. The state must provide help for these problem gamblers and everyone else who is adversely impacted by their behavior. As the need for help increases, so, too, will the need for policy makers who understand the problems and are willing to act.
LB 377 was introduced in response to federal law changes under the Housing and Economic Recovery Act. LB 377 would potentially allow Nebraska governmental units to credit enhance their bonds with letters of credit issued by or confirmed by a U.S. governmental enterprise, such as the Federal Home Loan Bank of Topeka. Such a letter would greatly enhance the bond’s marketability to provide lower interest costs for the governmental unit. LB 377 would give political subdivisions the authority to take advantage of the new federal changes through 2010. The bill is awaiting Final Reading and will become law when it is signed by the governor.
I appreciate the opportunity you have given me to represent District 2 in the Nebraska Legislature.
We welcome your contacts by mail, phone or email.
Senator Dave Pankonin
State Capitol
PO Box 94604
Lincoln, NE 68509
(402) 471-2613
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Louisville’s Parade
Louisville's B.U.I.L.D. GROUP (Businesses United In Louisville's Development) would like to invite you to join us in our Annual Spring Parade-one of the largest in the area!
Date: Saturday, May 16th
Time: 1:00 PM - Line up at Noon on Cherry St
This can be a great opportunity to bring exposure to your town. We encourage participation by businesses as well as churches, schools, civic and private groups.
We love to see imaginative floats but welcome vehicles and walkers.
Entry forms can be found at louisvillenebraska.com under Events.
Deadline for entries is Friday, May 8th
For questions call Dee 402-234-7705 or Nancy 402-670-9016
Along with the parade we will have entertainment on Main Street, food vendors and an art fair from 10:00-5:00 - an "Air Your Art In Louisville" event.
Our businesses will be open for shopping and restaurants invite you to stop in for a bite to eat.
Louisville Art Gallery will host its annual Thrown & Blown....artists, glass blowers, pottery and jewelry makers will have demonstrations and goods for sale Saturday and Sunday.
Bring your family and make a day of it in Downtown Louisville!
April 17, 2009
Nebraska Wesleyan Campus, Lincoln, NE
Relay For Life brings more than 3.5 million people from across the country together each year to celebrate the lives of those who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost, and fight back against a disease that affects so many.
Samantha Wessels, a 2008 graduate of Weeping Water High School, recently contacted me about spreading awareness about Nebraska Wesleyan’s upcoming “Relay for Life” event to be held on April 17th. She is on the Survivorship committee and is contacting area towns looking for cancer survivors who might like to participate and be honored during the festivities. Survivors will get a free t-shirt and goodie bag and will be honored during the Survivorship Ceremony.
“Relay for Life” is an all-night event, with the teams walking around the track all night, taking turns in a relay. However, the Survivorship Ceremony will be held earlier in the evening.
Those who are cancer survivors and would like to participate in the relay and meet with other cancer survivors can call Samantha Wessels at 402-297-1643 or email her at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. She will then mail/email them a Survivor’s packet with all the information needed for the event.
Even if you aren’t a cancer survivor, you can still make a donation. Wesleyan has almost 40 teams signed up to compete for donations this year. Samantha’s team is called the “Plainswomen”. There are ten girls on her team and their goal for donations is $1,000. If you would like to make a donation, you can write a check to the American Cancer Society and mail it to Samantha at:
Samantha Wessels
5000 St Paul Ave SMB 9029
Lincoln, NE 68504
You can also donate online with a credit card by going to the Wesleyan website at http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR?pg=entry&fr_id=16948. Make sure you specify that you want your donation to be credited to the “Plainswomen” team.
CONCERT SERIES
Weeping Water Christian Church
306 West H St.
Weeping Water, NE 68463
FATHER’S VOICE
April 4, 2009
For more information about these concerts,
call Ken at 402-269-5508
FOR YOUR INFORMATION
- The Weeping Water Public Library now has wireless internet service for community use. Please stop in and check out this new service.
CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS
Wednesday, March 25:
- School early dismissal @ 1:30 p.m.
- Steak Dinner at the First Congregational United Church of Christ in Weeping Water 5-8 p.m.
Thursday, March 26:
- Weeping Water High School Musical “State Fair” in the Auditorium @ 7:30 p.m.
Friday, March 27:
- American Legion Fish Fry @ 5:30 p.m.
- Weeping Water High School Musical “State Fair” in the Auditorium @ 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 28:
- Close-up leaves for Washington D.C.