Thomas S. Elliott, 52, of Monticello IL

March 16, 2016 Leave a comment


Thomas S. Elliott, 52, of Monticello, passed away at 8:15 a.m., Sunday, March 13, 2016. Tom was born on October 18, 1963 in Macomb, IL the son of Robert K. Elliott and Christy E. (Hausmann) Elliott. He married Christine Marie Bures on August 29, 2003 in Monticello. She passed away on January 23, 2016.

Tom is survived by his daughters, Kayla Elliott and Jenna Elliott both of Mowequa; son, Matthew Pieper (Raechel) of Normal; grandchildren, Liam and Elise Pieper; mother, Christy Elliott of Urbana; and sister, Lori L. Elliott of Urbana. Also surviving are Marilyn and Ken Bures; sisters-in-law, Carin and Melissa; brothers-in-law, Carl and Andy Bures; along with a large number of spouses and children.

He was preceded in death by his wife and father. Tom worked as an IT Administrator at the University of Illinois. Tom served in the U.S. Marine Corp and was a member of the USO. He was also a member of the NRA and the Gun Owners of America. Tom was proud to be a long time blood donor and he enjoyed camping, fishing, hunting, various nature groups, jogging, any sporting events and anything computer related. Most of all Tom loved spending time with his family, grandchildren and his large group of rowdy friends often led by his bestfriend Mike Astrosky. Above all else, Tom was an upstanding father. He always went out of his way to be everything his family needed. Late night phone calls from his girls about whatever they were going through to always providing them with things they needed. He wasn’t just a rock for his girls, if any family or friends were in need they could count on him. Tom was a giver and made sure everyone’s needs were met before his by donating to a number of charities. The world is truly a poorer place with his passing.

A visitation will be held from 6:00-8:00 p.m., Thursday, March 17, 2016 at the Mackey-Wright Funeral Home, Monticello. A funeral service will be held at 10:00 a.m., Friday, March 18, 2016 at the Mackey-Wright Funeral Home with Rev. Kurtis Bueltmann officiating and burial will be held in Monticello Township Cemetery at 11:30 a.m. In lieu of flowers charitable donations to a worthy cancer charity or the USO to support our troops at uso.org will be greatly appreciated.

Thomas Elliott

Thomas Elliott

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Barbara Jean Buck, 64, of Sioux City IA

March 15, 2016 Leave a comment


Barbara Jean Buck, 64 years, of Sioux City, Iowa, passed away Saturday, March 12, 2016 at the Hallmark Care Center in Sioux City.

SERVICES WILL BE HELD AT A LATER DATE

 

Memorial Contribution: Donor’s Choice.
Pelan Funeral Services is in charge of arrangements.

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Upcoming Reminders

March 15, 2016 Leave a comment


Oakland Heights is having their annual Easter Bazaar on Fri., March 18th from 8:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. Everyone is welcome. There will be crafts and goodies available for everyone’s Easter pleasure.

The Oakland City Council will have their monthly meeting Mon., March 21st at 5:30 p.m. The meeting is open to the public. The agenda is on file at the Oakland City Office. 

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Happenings at Oakland Heights

March 15, 2016 Leave a comment


Oakland Heights News by Nancy Silvey

We have a couple of special events this week, on Thursday March 17th at 2:30 pm is the St. Patrick’s Day party and then on Friday March 18th is the annual Easter Bazaar from 8:30 am to 1:00 pm. Next week we have many Easter services going on. On Thursday March 24th is the Maundy Thursday Church service at 2:30 pm given by Pastor Hoden. Then on Friday March 25th is the Good Friday Church service at 2:30 pm given by Pastor Hineline. Then on Easter Sunday March 27th is an Easter Brunch for residents, family and friends starting at 8:00 am. We also have a resident celebrating a birthday, Delwin Benne on March 23rd.

Church Service for Sunday March 20th at 2:30 pm will be given by the First Baptist Church with a luncheon served afterwards. On Monday March 21st is Communion given by the First Lutheran Church at 2:30 pm. On Tuesday March 22nd is Catholic Mass at 9:30 am given by Father Paul.

Activities for the week of March 14th   to March 19th are as follows, Reading with Marilyn, Manicures, Sing a Long, Coffee and Conversation. Bingo the w/Staff, Bible Fellowship, Saturday morning video, and Lawrence Walk.

Volunteers signing in last week were; Judy Nelson, Betty Hanna, Mary Donavan, Anne Anderson, Patty Miller, Cathi McMurtry, Di Ruwe, Bonnie Fleischman, Pat Anderson, Nadine Anderson, Sly Rouse, and Seth Anderson.

Guests signing in last week was; Karen Rosenboom to see Dolores Anderson, Murph, Jim and Jo Johnson here to see Dale and Jeanette Johnson. And Mack and Karen Jackson here to visit Karen Brand.see Dale and Jeanette Johnson.adine Anderson

 

 

 

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March is Bake and Take Month

March 15, 2016 Leave a comment


March is Bake and Take Month

By Mary Loftis, Extension Assistant

March is Bake & Take Month, a time when wheat organizations encourage others to bake a wheat food and share it with family, friends, neighbors, co-workers and shut-ins. In honor of the month, the Nebraska What Board is again sponsoring recipe cards and stickers for any 4-H groups or other organizations that wish to participate. This year’s recipes include low-cal, fat free brownies and fudge cookie bars. Those interested in participating or who have questions can contact the Nebraska Wheat Board office at 402-471-2358 orwheat.board@nebraska.gov. There is no cost for the supplies, and no limit on the number that can be requested. Those wishing to preview the recipes before requesting materials can find them listed on the Wheat Board’s website homepage at: http://www.nebraskawheat.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/2016-Bake-Take-cards-for-print.pdf. Whether you use their recipes or a favorite of your own, you’ll be providing not only a tasty treat for someone else, you’ll be doing a feel-good and taste-good community service as well!

 

4-H Snow/Snowless Sculpture Contest

Our raw materials for the 4-H Snow Sculpture have come and gone, but you are NOT limited to snow as your 4-H sculpture medium. If you choose not to use snow as your artistic medium, we’ll take any semi-permanent 4-H promotion. Hay sculptures, signs etc. are all acceptable mediums. There will again be individual and club entry divisions. The categories are: 1) Greenest, 2) Most Creative and 3) Best Message. Put your thinking caps on and come up with a 4-H promotion entry, then send or bring in a picture of it, with you or your 4-H Club in the picture to Mary Loftis at mloftis2@unl.edu by Monday, March 14.

 

STATE FAIR BOOK UPDATES & CHANGES

The 2016 4-H State Fair book is available online. The animal exhibits at this link: http://go.unl.edu/nsd2 and the static exhibits at: http://go.unl.edu/ey74. The Burt County Fair book very closely follows the state fair book so as you begin thinking about your fair exhibits please feel free to check out the State Fair book. Our county Fair book will be available hopefully in May.

 

Burt County 4-H Scholarships

All Burt County 4-H Seniors should have received several scholarship applications in the mail from the Burt County Extension Office. A copy of these scholarships also was sent to the Burt County High School counselors. If you need another copy please give us a call at 402-374-2929 or stop by the office or your guidance counselor’s office to get one. Entry deadlines vary of these scholarships, but the Burt County 4-H Council and East Oaks Jacob Johnson Scholarship deadlines are March 25th while the Bev Weiland Memorial Scholarship due date is April 15th.

 

Cody Bachtell is pictured with the snow sculpture he created for the contest. Photo Credit JoAnn Bachtell.

Cody Bachtell is pictured with the snow sculpture he created for the contest. Photo Credit JoAnn Bachtell.

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Arvilla Kenaston, 81, of Springview NE

March 15, 2016 Leave a comment


Arvilla Kenaston, age 81, of Springview, Nebraska passed away Sunday, March 6, 2016, at Valley View Senior Living Center in Ord, NE.  Memorial services will be held 1 p.m. Saturday, March 26, 2016 at New Apostolic Church in Ainsworth, NE with pastor Val Fletcher officiating. Memorials may be directed to the family. Stokely Funeral Home in West Point, NE is assisting with arrangements.

Arvilla Joyce Kenaston was born March 27, 1934 in Crawford, NE to Oscar and Alta (Allan) Pratt.  She attended Ainsworth High School and on July 12, 1952, Arvilla married Robert Kenaston in Long Pine, NE.  The couple raised cattle on the family ranch North of Springview for many years. The couple played many dances and shows all over the mid-west with family members and numerous other entertainers including Yankton, SD radio personality, Ben Norman.  Arvilla owned the Corner Café in Springview in the 80’s and 90’s and later worked at Flynn’s Café before her retirement.  As a dobro and lap steel guitar player, she was a member of the National Traditional Country Music Association Hall of Fame, promoter and organizer of the Country & Western Fiddler’s Jamboree held annually in Springview, NE for 48 years, was an avid participant in country and bluegrass music festivals, loved to dance and enjoyed playing music with her children and friends.  She loved playing cards with the Springview Card Club, she taught her kids and grandkids how to play and she enjoyed many winning hands.

Arvilla is survived by son Roger (Sharon) Kenaston of Lyons, NE; daughter Vanessa Kenaston of Springview, NE; grandchildren Bobbi Jo Lytle of Ord, NE, Martin (Jennifer) Kenaston of Dakota City, NE, Clifford (Brittany) Heyden of Long Pine, NE and Jesse Heese of Millboro, SD; great grandchildren, Shelbi, Shelden & Stetsen Lytle, Alison & Lindsay LaFleur, Katelynn & Brianna Kenaston; Bailey Devall and Mia Heyden; sister and brother in law Marlene (Robert) Arent of Nampa, ID  and other special family members.  She was preceded in death by her parents; brothers and sisters Allen (Wanda) Pratt, Esther (Stephen) Saxton, Johnny (Myrtle) Pratt, Ruby (Howard) Henderson, Elvin (Stella) Pratt, Donna Rae (Steve) Farmer; and husband, Bob in 2013.

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St. Francis Memorial Hospital Health Fair

March 15, 2016 Leave a comment


St. Francis Memorial Hospital HEALTH FAIR

Saturday, March 19, 2016 7:00 am—10:00 am

SERVICES AVAILABLE

Blood Pressure & Heart Rate
Oxygen Saturation
Metabolic Testing Information
Dr Pitz Orthopaedic Clinic Northeast Eye Care
Dodge Dental
The Bridge Crisis Center
St Francis Memorial Hospital Patient Portal Midwest Respiratory – CPAP, Sleep Study Parkinson’s Exercise Group
Dr Bittles Varicose Vein Clinic Creighton Model FertilityCare – Linda Cihacek St Francis Home Health and Social Services WoodmenLife – Fingerprint ID’s Unused Prescription Medication Drop Off DOT Drug & Alcohol Consortium – St Francis Business Health
Elkhorn Logan Valley Public Health Department -Colon Cancer Screening Kits
-Skin Cancer Screening
100 Calorie Snacks – Deborah Willcox, Dietitian Slim By Design Food Demonstration – 8:30 am By Deb Schroeder, Extension Office

LOW-COST SCREENINGS

Wellness Panel (includes CBC, CMP, Lipid Panel)

$40

TSH (thyroid)

$20

PSA (prostate, males only)

$20

Hemoglobin A1C (blood sugar)

$20

Payment is due at the time of registration. **10-12 hour fasting is required. Drink plenty of water and take medications if possible.**

FOOD AND REFRESHMENTS PROVIDED!

430 North Monitor West Point, NE 68788 http://www.fcswp.org 402-372-2404

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Busy Week for Nebraska’s Legislature

March 14, 2016 Leave a comment


By Senator Lydia Brasch

Our ninth week of session – Days 34 through 37 of our 60-day session – adjourned Thursday.

On Monday, and part of Tuesday, we debated and defeated LB371, which created the Nebraska Council for Educational Success. The council would have consisted of 21 members, including the Governor, the Commissioner of Education, the Chancellor and President of the Nebraska State College System, Commissioner of Labor, and an individual representing the business interests. There also would have been one parent on the council with a child in any of grades K-12. The objective of this council would have essentially been to recommend policy changes to the Education Committee of the Legislature.

The proponents argued a new council was necessary because of term limits, since the council would help add consistency and permanency to Nebraska’s educational policy. Opponents countered two councils already exist with many of the same goals and individuals: the P-16 Council and the council created by Governor Ricketts. LB371 would have been duplicative and also carried a fiscal note of $50,000 from the state’s general fund and $250,000 from the Department of Education’s budget. I voted no with the opponents.

LB919 advanced to Select File. This bill expands the use of problem-solving courts in Nebraska. Problem-solving courts use evidence-based outcomes to achieve positive results to address specific needs and problems that could not be addressed in traditional courts. Problem-solving courts promote results that benefit the offender, the victim, and communities. Types of problems addressed by these courts are drug abuse, mental illness, DUI’s, and domestic violence. The bill expands the use to include problem-solving courts for veterans to help address the issues unique to our nation’s soldiers.

Another bill debated was LB83 – it advanced to Select File with a small majority. The amendment to LB83 replaced the bill entirely and redefined the word “employer” in Neb. Rev. Stat. 48-1220. For the purposes of discriminatory wage practices based on sex, employer shall now mean “any person engaged in an industry who has two or more employees for each working day in each of twenty or more calendar weeks in the current or preceding calendar year[.]” Prior to LB83, the definition of employer applied to any person engaged in an industry who has fifteen or more employees. The smaller number of two employees creates more burdens for our smaller, rural businesses, including women in agriculture. It was made into a gender issue on the floor of the Legislature. I did not support this bill.

Finally, an additional bill that merits mentioning is LB344. This bill was hotly debated on Thursday. It would grant NRDs the authority to issue general obligation bonds for the purpose of financing all or part of the cost of non-revenue-producing water projects authorized by law. Issuance of the bonds shall be approved by two-thirds of the members of the board of directors of the district. I, along with other senators, argued that Nebraskans right now are struggling to pay their property taxes, so why introduce another avenue through which the people would be charged more property taxes? I oppose this legislation.

Please contact me; my administrative aide, Katie Wattermann; or my legislative aide, Brett Waite, with questions or concerns at (402) 471-2728 or by email at lbrasch@leg.ne.gov; or stop by Room 1016 if you are in the Capitol. If you would like to follow the Legislature online you can visit http://netnebraska.org/basic-page/television/live-demand-state-government. Live broadcasting is also available on NET2.

Keeping the Good Life growing in Nebraska,

Senator Lydia Brasch, District 16

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Market Report

March 14, 2016 Leave a comment


Markets

3/14/16@11:07am
Dow -12.87
S&P -6.49
Nasdaq -3.72

Crude oil moved higher and the U.S Dollar moved lower last week, which positively influenced stock and commodity prices.  U.S. stocks fell this morning, offering clues to the course of monetary policy this year.  The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 25 points, or 0.1%, to 17188 shortly after the opening bell. The S&P 500 dropped 0.2%, and the Nasdaq Composite declined 0.3%.

Crude oil has slid more than 70% from its peak in ’14.  However, U.S. oil prices are up more than 45% from a 13 year low in February which came to an end after major producers held discussions about capping output.  As the bullish sentiment increases, the oil market remains supportive.  Could this rally lead to its own demise?  Higher prices will likely encourage shale producers to ramp up output again, muddying any forecasts for shrinking U.S. supply. Shale wells can be drilled and fracked within a matter of months, compared with the years it can take to complete other types of oil wells.

April Crude Oil

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Grain Markets

3/14/16@11:10am
May Corn +3’0 @ $3.68’0
May Beans+0’2 @ $8.96’0

 

Last trading day for March futures

 

In the News: El Nino may be weakening, but it is still clobbering crops in the Asia-Pacific region, effecting sugar, rice and palm oil production. http://www.wsj.com/articles/el-nino-may-be-weakening-but-it-is-still-clobbering-crops-1457953780

 

Corn:

The funds continue to increase their net short position and go further in to record territory.  Beneficial rains throughout the southern plains with more to come.  Nearby corns resistance in the low to mid $3.70’s.  We have seen a bit of a bounce in corn but fundamentally nothing has changed.

 

Beans:

May futures broke through the 50 and 100 day moving averages last week on its 8 day run closing higher and higher.  Farmer selling remains steady as prices rise.  Processor basis levers steady to weaker as they take more bushels.

 

As beans seem to push higher there is likely some resistance at $9, as many have offers in at those levels for the nearby.  Much of this rally comes from short covering, and funds seem to be adding some additional shorts as the market keeping us under $9 for the May.

 

Weather

After unseasonably warm weather in the Midwest, cooler temps on the way.  Still mild weather and some chances of thunderstorms tonight.

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New Cars:

 

New vehicle sales in the U.S came in at 17.5 million in 2015.  Used car sales (mostly subprime borrowers) has also been on the rise.  Total volume of U.S auto loans now reaching an all-time high of close to $1 trillion.  Impressive growth for the industry.

The concerning part is the default rate.  Through February, about 12% of the underlying loans were at least 30 days past due, a third of which were more than 60 days delinquent. In another 2.6% of loans, borrowers had filed for bankruptcy or the vehicles had been repossessed.  This from Equifax.

Those borrowers are at the outer fringe of the auto market. Still, the high level of missed payments for loans made so recently is a warning sign for an industry that needs every customer it can get to keep sales increasing at a record pace.  It will be interesting to see where auto makers go from here.

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Read more here: http://www.wsj.com/articles/subprime-flashback-early-defaults-are-a-warning-sign-for-auto-sales-1457862187

 

Greg Mockenhaupt

ProEdge Risk Management Consultant

P: (402) 685-5613 | Greg.Mockenhaupt@cvacoop.com

1007 County Road O

Oakland, NE 68045

www.cvacoop.com

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Oakland City Office Closed for Funeral

March 14, 2016 Leave a comment


The Oakland city clerks office will close at 1:45 p.m. today due to a funeral. Please leave water payments in the drop box. Sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.

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