News From Bancroft Senior Center

October 6, 2015 Leave a comment


The senior center provides Information and Assistance to any individual who is looking for services for themselves or another person 60 years and older, the center manager and/or center participant can provide information to individuals on services available within the community. We link individuals to the services and opportunities that are available within or beyond the community itself. We will then establish adequate follow-up procedures to see that their needs were met. For more information call 402-648-3387.

*If you are 60 years and older and need information on programs designed to help keep you in your home longer or if you need legal help, contact Connie at 402-648-3387 or in the evening at 402-648-7648.

* We have the following medical equipment to loan out on an as need basis, wheel chair, bath seats, toilet seat riser and portable toilet chair, crutches or walkers. Call 402-648-3387 during office hours.

Meals on Wheels

*Would you like to get Meals on Wheels? Anyone over the age of 60 years and lives within the city limits are eligible for these meals. You may sign up anytime for the Meals on Wheels program; you can get the meals delivered however many times you want them each week. You must call 402-687-2332 before 8:30 a.m. if you want a meal that day. The suggested donation for the meals is $4.00.

Weekly Activities:

Wed. Oct. 7: The melody chime group will practice at 9:00 am. Come for coffee at 10:00 am. Fun bingo will be played at 2:00

Thurs. Oct. 8: Rolls and coffee served from 9:00 am. until noon. Tai Chi class at 9:30 am. and the walking ex class at 10:45 am. Flu shots will be given at the center between 12:15 and 1:15 pm. Sign up to play in the pitch tournament at 1:30 pm. Make your reservation for tomorrows meal.

Fri. Oct. 9: The Farmers Market is open today from 9:00 – 11:00 am. Baked spaghetti will be served at noon. There is a pinochle and hand & foot tournament at 1:30 pm.

Mon .Oct. 12: Stop in for coffee and visit. The golf card game will be played 1:30 pm.

Tues. Oct. 13: Tai Chi class is at 9:30 am. and walking ex. class at 10:45 am. Stop in for coffee at 10:00 am. Hand and foot will be played at 1:30 pm.

Wed. Oct. 14: The melody chime group will practice at 9:00 am. Join us for coffee at 10:00 am. Sign up to play 5-handed pinochle at 1:30 pm.

 

 

*Please note that flu shots will be given Oct. 8 from 12:15 – 1:15 pm. The incorrect date was printed in the monthly newsletter.

 

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Medicaid Myth Buster #2: Source and Quality of Care

October 6, 2015 Leave a comment


By Jon M. Bailey, Guest Writer

A constant complaint about Medicaid is that fewer healthcare providers take patients on public insurance programs, and the resulting quality of care suffers.
The facts, however, tell a different story. According to the Commonwealth Fund Biennial Health Insurance Survey nearly all Medicaid (95%) and private coverage patients (94%) have a regular source of health care. The quality of care (rated excellent or very good) is higher for Medicaid patients (55%) than for those with private insurance (53%).
Unfortunately, uninsured people are severely disadvantaged in both respects. Only 77% of those without insurance have a regular source of health care. And only 40% of uninsured rate their care as excellent or very good, compared to 55% of those with Medicaid.
Those with private insurance are slightly better able to schedule a same day or next day medical appointment (58%) compared to those on Medicaid (53%) or uninsured (43%). But those on Medicaid have physicians and physician staff who know their medical history; 86% for those on Medicaid compared to 84% for those with private insurance and 77% of the uninsured.
Those who oppose expanding Medicaid, as provided in the Affordable Care Act, use these myths to support their arguments. But the facts tell us that the right choice, the only moral choice, is to extend Medicaid coverage to the hundreds of thousands who fall into the Coverage Gap, where working Americans who don’t currently qualify for Medicaid and whose income is too low to participate in the new health insurance marketplace.

Jon M. Bailey is a rural policy and research expert and former Center for Rural Affairs Policy and Research Director. Contact him at jonmbailey1@gmail.com.

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Cougars Beat Allen, Raise Record to 3-2

October 6, 2015 Leave a comment


By Clare Wiltse, Sports Contributor

The Northeast Cougars raised their record to 3-2 with 72-6 win over  (2-3) Allen.  They are undefeated in district play with a 2-0 record.  Next up for the Maroon is (1-4) Winside in a home contest.

“We jumped on them early,” said Coach Maresh.  The Cougars scored on their first three possessions and a pick six by Montana Riecken gave them a 28-0 lead.  “It was his pure athletic ability to make a one-hand snag and return it for a TD; you cannot coach that into a player.” stated the Coach.

The junior quarterback continued to lead the offensive attack with 208 yards on the ground and passed for 106.  Riecken scored five touchdowns.

“It was a team effort.  With the big lead we got to sub a lot.  Seven players scored and everyone had a defensive tackle.”

The Cougars piled up 491 total yards.  They rushed for 374 and passed for 117. Northeast had 38 rushes for a 9.8 average.  They went 6 for 7 in passing.

Riecken carried  13 times for 208 yards.  Benny Estrada carried 10 times for 104 yards.  Marcus Hegy added 57 yards and Jacob Whitaker carried for 10 yards.

Riecken passes found Jayden Vetick twice for 36 yards and Jon Christiansen twice for 36 yards and a TD.  Tyler Kroger had a 38 yard reception.   Jacob Whitaker and Dustin Burgett teamed up for an 11 yard TD pass.

The Eagles were limited to 135 yards on the ground and 18 yards passing.  The Cougar defense held them to as meager 2.8 yards for carry and had five takeaways.  Allen completed only four of nine passes with two interceptions.

Maresh added that Marcus Hegy had a standout night.  The senior linebacker had a team-high 13 tackles, 3 being solos.  He caused and recovered a fumble.

Defense

Solo    Assisted     TFL Sack FR FC Int
Marcus Hegy 3 13 1 1
Jacob Whitaker 2 1 1
Jayden Vetick 2 5 1
Mont. Riecken 4 7 1
Dustin Burgett 1 4 .5
Benny Estrada 1
Dean Gibbs 1
Tyler  Hardeman 3 7 1 .5 1
Bren Shatto 2 9 1 .5
Joey O’Connor 1 1 1
Nick Ronnfeldt 3 .5
Jon Christiansen 4 3 1
Tyler Kroger 2 12                     1
Seth Totten 1
Cole Christoffersen 1 1

LDNE 28 24 8 12 -72
Allen 6 0 0 0 -6

1st    Quarter

Hegy 3 yard TD run 8-0
2pt no good

Riecken 10 yard run  16-0
Hegy run good

Riecken 16 yard run  22-0
Pass no good

Riecken 29 INT return  28-0
Run No good

#22 Allen 3 yard run
pass no good 28-6

2nd   Quarter

Hegy 20 yard TD run
Fumble recovery good Nick Ronnfeldt  36-6

Riecken 53 yard TD run               44-6
Hegy run good

24 yard TD pass from Riecken to Christiansen
Hegy run good   52-6

3rd   Quarter

Riecken 55 yard TD run
Riecken pass to Kroger good 60-6

4th   Quarter

Whitaker to Dustin Burgett 11 yard TD pass 66-6
pass no good

Benny Estrada 49 yard TD run 72-6
Run no good

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Lady Cougars Improve on Record

October 6, 2015 Leave a comment


By Clare Wiltse, Sports Contributor

It was a busy week for the Northeast  Lady Cougars.  LDNE had seven matches and were able to win four of them.  They have a record of 9-13

Tuesday they journeyed to Wisner for a double triangular competition which put them up against Howells-Dodge and Madison.  The Lady Jaguars are a top ten team in D-1 with a 12-5 record and the Cougars took them to a third game before falling, 2-1.  Northeast out hit Howells-Dodge 38 to 31 in kills and had 7 ace serves to three for H-D.  Brianne Haskell had a match high 14 kills.

Madison with a 2-14 record was a tune up game before they  took on Howells-Dodge.  Northeast swept them 2-0.  Both setters,  Lexie and Mickayla had 11 set assists.

Thursday took the girls to Boys Town  where they beat the hosts in straight sets, 25-7 and 25-12.  They had 13 ace serves against the (6-12) Cowgirls.  Lexie Bacon had 5.

The main event was the contest against (15-4) Cedar Bluffs.  The Wildcats were rated in the top ten in D-1 and lead the Cougars’ sub-district in power points.  After losing the first set, the Cougars came back with a 25-17 win and finished them off 25-22.

“It was a great match up for us. We have had a lot of close games that have not ended in our favor. Cedar Bluffs is a good team and it was a great win for our girls,” said Coach Hathaway.  “We have a possibility to meet up again with Cedar Bluffs. We know we have the capabilities to win that game and it will be a battle. “

Saturday was the Clarkson Tournament.  The Cougars started the brackets against Clarkson/Leigh.  The second match of the season the (7-10)  Patriots took the Cougars to a five set match.  This time the Cougars won easily taking 25-9 and 25-22 wins.

In the semi-finals Northeast took on David City Aquinas.  The (7-7) Monarchs lost four of their first five matches.  They are six and three since then with two losses to rated teams. LDNE took the first game 25-21, but lost 25-18 and 25-19 in the next two.  Both Brianne Haskell and Kelly Wakeley had 9 kills.

Northeast finished in fourth place after losing to Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family 2-0.  The (13-6) Bulldogs have beaten Northeast twice this season with their tall front line.

Northeast has a road match at (2-19) Logan View and will host (10-10) Bancroft-Rosalie this  week.

“B-R is a good team. We are excited to play B-R because we are a fairly evenly matched team. It will be a good match for sure and I believe that defense will be the key to winning that game,” said the Coach.

Next week they will have their last home match when (15-3) North Bend Central come to Lyons.  The Tigers are rated in C-1.  It will be another tough match for the girls.  Coach Hathaway commented,  “I think our schedule helps us out quite a bit. We don’t play “easy” teams by any means. Our schedule is challenging which is what our program need in order to move forward. ”

The EHC tournament starts October 15 with the Cougars being seeded tenth in the sixteen team league.

Wisner Double Triangular

26-24  LDNE
25-23  H-D
25-22  H-D

Abby Peterson  15 digs
Brandi Simonsen  2 aces
Brianne Haskell  1 ace  14 kills  1 block  18 digs
Kelly Wakeley  9 kills  20 digs
Lexie Bacon   18 set assists  13 digs
Madie Ronnfeldt  2 aces  5 kills  1 block  4 digs
Mickayla Petersen  1 ace   4 kills  2 blocks  12 set assists  9 digs
Sophia Henneman  1 ace   1 dig
Tessie Collins  6 kills  1 dig

25-20  LDNE
25-14  LDNE

Abby Peterson  17 digs
Brandi Simonsen  1 dig
Brianne Haskell  1 ace  8 kills  8 digs
Kelly Wakeley  1 ace   5 kills  14digs
Lexie Bacon 1 kill  11 set assists  2 digs
Libby Henneman  1 set assist  2  digs
Madie Ronnfeldt   4 kills  1 block  1 dig
Mickayla Petersen  12 aces   2 kills   11 set assists  3 digs
Tessie Collins  4 kills   1 set assist  1 dig

Boys Town Double Triangular

25-18  CB
25-17  LDNE
25-22  LDNE

Abby Peterson  21 digs
Brandi Simonsen  3 digs
Brianne Haskell     5 kills   14 digs
Kelly Wakeley  1 ace  10 kills  18 digs
Lexie Bacon   18 set assists  16 digs
Madie Ronnfeldt    6 kills  3 blocks  2 digs
Mickayla Petersen   5 kills  3 blocks  12 set assists  9 digs
Sophia Henneman  2 digs
Tessie Collins  6 kills  1 block  3 digs

25-7    LDNE
25-12  LDNE

Abby Peterson  3 digs
Brandi Simonsen  1 ace  3 digs
Brianne Haskell  3 aces  3 kills  7 digs
Kelly Wakeley  1 ace   4 kills  8 digs
Lexie Bacon  5 aces  2 kills 10 set assists  4 digs
Madie Ronnfeldt  3 kills  1 block
Mickayla Petersen     1 kill  1 block  6 set assists  1 dig
Sophia Henneman  2 ace s  2 dig
Tessie Collins  5 kills  2 blocks   1 set assist

Clarkson Tournament

25-9    LDNE
25-22  LDNE

Abby Peterson  11 digs
Brandi Simonsen   2 digs
Brianne Haskell  4 kills  1 block  10 digs
Kelly Wakeley  1 ace   6 kills  4 digs
Lexie Bacon  3 aces  7 set assists  3 digs
Madie Ronnfeldt  3 kills  4 blocks  1 dig
Mickayla Petersen  2 kills  2 blocks 8 set assists  4 digs
Tessie Collins  2 kills  2 blocks

25-21  DCA
25-18  LDNE
25-19  DCA

Abby Peterson  1 set assist 18 digs
Brandi Simonsen   3 digs
Brianne Haskell   9 kills  12 digs
Kelly Wakeley  1 ace   9 kills  20 digs
Lexie Bacon  1 ace  1 kill  18 set assists  6 digs
Madie Ronnfeldt  3 kills  2 block  s  6 digs
Mickayla Petersen  7 kills 11 set assists  9 digs
Sophia Henneman  2 digs
Tessie Collins  4 kills  1 block   1 dig

25-20  HLHF
25-20  HLHF

Abby Peterson  8 digs
Brianne Haskell   1 ace  8 kills  9 digs
Kelly Wakeley  1 ace   6 kills  9 digs
Lexie Bacon  13 set assists  3 digs
Madie Ronnfeldt  3 kills  1 block   1 digs
Mickayla Petersen  2 kills  5 set assists
Sophia Henneman  1 dig
Tessie Collins  2 kills  1 block   1 dig

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Marie Vander Veen of Wakefield NE

October 6, 2015 Leave a comment


Marie Vander Veen of Wakefield, NE, passed away Monday, October 5, 2015 at the Wakefield Health Care Center.

Funeral services are pending with Bressler-Munderloh-Smith Funeral Home in Wakefield, NE.

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John W. Shamburg, 79, of Herman NE

October 5, 2015 Leave a comment


John W. Shamburg, age 79, of Herman, Nebraska passed away October 4, 2015 at Good Shepherd Lutheran Community in Blair. Funeral Services will be held Wednesday, October 7, 2015 at 10 a.m. at The Herman Community Church in Herman. Visitation will be held Tuesday, October 6th from 6 to 8 p.m. at Campbell Aman Funeral Home in Blair. Campbell Aman Funeral Home in Blair is in charge of arrangements.

John W. Shamburg was born on June 23, 1936 in Tekamah, Nebraska to Waldo and Jessie (Skinner) Shamburg. As a young child he enjoyed traveling with his father as he worked all over the country. When he was six the family moved to a farm near Herman. He was very active showing sheep and cattle and showed at the state fair for over 50 years. He attended 4-H club Congress in 1954 in Chicago. He attended Herman High School and graduated with the class of 1955. After high school he worked shearing sheep in a three county area. In 1962 he was an IFYE (International Farm Youth Exchange) and was an exchange student in Peru. He was a partner in the family dairy farm. In 1976 he married Janet Clark in Enon Valley, Pennsylvania. He served as a 4-H leader for over 40 years. He enjoyed attending IFYE conferences throughout the United States. He also enjoyed history, especially local and family history, and visiting with people.

He is survived by son Dan Shamburg of Tekamah, daughter Sara Koelling and husband Shawn of Ord, brother Bill Shamburg of Herman, and 6 grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his parents, and sister-in-law Alice Shamburg.

John Shamburg

John Shamburg

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Ad Specials At Kat Country Hub

October 5, 2015 1 Comment


Kat Country Hub is running a sale on holiday ads beginning now and continuing through December 15th. This special is for businesses and individuals wanting to run ads for anything related to Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas.

For line ads the special will be: First week, $6, second week, $3. Third week free. If more weeks are needed, then the following weeks will be $3 with last week free.

For a submitted boxed ad: Price will be determined upon size. Each week will be half off of the regular price.

Please contact Kat Country Hub for details and to submit the ad. Email is katcountryhub@gmail.com. Phone 402-317-9513 or Facebook message me on my Facebook, Denise Gilliland, or my business Facebook Kat Country Hub.

I am in the holiday mood, so am being very generous to everyone, wanting to give back to my readers. Thank you for reading my paper! Happy holidays!

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Kats’ Korner: Stay Strong, Changing Seasons, Harvest Moon Pumpkin Patch

October 5, 2015 Leave a comment


“I learned that it is the weak who are cruel and that gentleness is to be expected only from the strong.”–Leo Rosten

It takes a strong person to stay silent and walk away from those that choose to be confrontational and rude. This quote reminds me that strong individuals are silent, not being mean and hurtful to others.

I believe everyone, at one time or another, has had someone that seems to enjoy being mean and hurtful towards them. Throughout life, I have discovered being the same way towards them only escalates the situation, never resolving a situation, only making matters worse.

It took me getting older, and hopefully wiser, to realize I don’t like drama in my life. I am much happier not addressing argumentative people. Their anger is not my anger, their drama is not my drama. Walking away, staying silent, takes away the fuel needed to keep the anger and drama going.

Every day is a blessing from God. Every morning, I smile upon waking up, remember all of what I am thankful for, begin my day with happiness and a smile on my face.

I hope that my few words have enlightened those with anger and drama in their lives. I know I have become a stronger person the last few years, finding peace in my life.

—————————————————————-Kats’ Korner———————————————————————-

Autumn has arrived. I have to say I do enjoy the colors of autumn, but I don’t care for colder weather. I have been busy decorating the house with new fall decorations. Harvest has started. Farmers are busy bringing in their crops, working hard all hours of the day and night, to feed everyone. Keep them in your prayers! Remember to thank a farmer for all of their hard work.

I enjoy the heat of summer. But, to each season, there is beauty to bestow. Winter will be upon us before we know it and the snow will fly. I enjoy watching a light snowfall, especially at Christmas time. I will be honest and say, I don’t enjoy the snow the rest of the season, or the cold!

Spring is a beautiful season as well. The grass becoming a beautiful green carpet, leaves springing to life on trees, flowers blooming in every color imaginable. The farmers planting their crops to grow and harvest in the fall.

As the Bible, Ecclesiastes 3 says: To every thing there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven.

We are all fortunate to enjoy every season, the seasons of our lives.

—————————————————————–Kats’ Korner———————————————————————-

We had our granddaughter, Penelope, over the weekend. She is 10 months old. She is adorable. Yes, we would be prejudice. We love being grandparents!

We took her to the Harvest Moon Pumpkin Patch just north of Oakland Saturday night. She is too little to enjoy much of it, but we had fun taking her. She won’t remember, but we took several pictures we can show her when she is older. It was a great day for us to remember and cherish always!

We did take her for a ride on the go carts, went through the corn maze, walked all over, seeing many people we knew. It was very busy! We stopped for a snack and, before we left, bought her a big pumpkin to carve later!

Thanks Terry Wallerstedt and family for all the work you do, providing such a beautiful place to enjoy the autumn season. We had a wonderful time!

Thought for the day: Enjoy the seasons of your life. Remember, stay strong!

Have a great week!

Denise Gilliland, Editor and Chief of Kat Country Hub, with granddaughter Penelope at Harvest Moon Pumpkin Patch. Photo Credit/Jeff Gilliland.

Denise Gilliland, Editor and Chief of Kat Country Hub, with granddaughter Penelope at Harvest Moon Pumpkin Patch. Photo Credit/Jeff Gilliland.

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Compassion and Prosperity

October 5, 2015 Leave a comment


By Senator Deb Fischer

“I am happy that America continues to be, for many, a land of dreams.”

 

These words were spoken by Pope Francis during his recent address to a joint meeting of Congress. I was humbled and honored to join the American people in welcoming Pope Francis to our country. The touching events of his visit have been truly remarkable.

 

I was pleased to have Dr. Maryanne Stevens, president of the College of Saint Mary in Omaha, as my guest for the pope’s historic address. In the spirit of Pope Francis, Dr. Stevens is passionate about educating others to serve those in need. She possesses an unwavering commitment to service. Also, nearly 100 Nebraskans received tickets through my office to view a telecast of the pope’s address on the West Lawn of the Capitol. There, they received a blessing and prayer as Pope Francis addressed the crowd from the speaker’s balcony. Many of them traveled well over a thousand miles to Washington for this special moment. I am so glad they were able to share this profound experience.

 

The message Pope Francis delivered was moving, and I believe it connects with all Americans. We all understand the need to care for one another. We are all entrusted with the responsibility to care for the least among us. We need to care for our world. We must respect life, religious freedom, and liberty. This universal message of compassion is powerful and should be taken to heart.

 

I am inspired as I reflect on our many blessings, both as Nebraskans and as Americans. In Nebraska, we are blessed with wonderful people, spacious skies, and productive land. This is especially evident during this time of year – the harvest. Across our state, Nebraskans are reaping the bounty of their work.

 

September 20 through September 26 marked National Farm Safety and Health Week. Nebraska feeds the world, and agriculture is central to the viability of our state. As our farmers and ranchers dutifully tend land and livestock each and every day, they also face many dangers when carrying out their responsibilities. To secure the prosperity of their land, our producers must have the right knowledge, tools, and resources to remain safe and successful.

 

At the federal level, we need responsible policies that will allow our producers to do their job, which is to feed the world. This is critical, not only for our state’s economy, but also for a hungry and growing global population. This means putting a halt to burdensome regulations that are harming our farmers, ranchers, and their families.

 

Please know that I will continue working to address these challenges. By working together, we can help ensure that Nebraska will continue to provide America and the world with the safest and most affordable food supply.

 

As I reflect on the compassion and prosperity that fills our nation, I am reminded how blessed we are to live in, as Pope Francis so aptly pointed out, “the land of the free and the home of the brave.”

 

Thank you for participating in the democratic process. I look forward to visiting with you again next week.

U.S. Senator Deb Fischer

U.S. Senator Deb Fischer

 

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Easing the Tax Burden

October 5, 2015 Leave a comment


By Governor Pete Ricketts

One of the primary focuses of my administration has been providing meaningful tax relief for hardworking Nebraskans.  Whether I am visiting with ranchers at a coffee shop in Chadron or a small business owner at a town hall event in Falls City, I hear firsthand how Nebraska’s high taxes impact communities, businesses, and families across our state.  Easing tax rates even slightly can make a big difference because it keeps more of your paycheck in your pocket.  It helps the small business owner who is looking for a way to expand their operation or the family trying to find enough money in their budget to make their rent or mortgage payment.

 

These are the type of stories that motivated me to make property tax relief my number one focus this past legislative session.  Our efforts were met with success, and my proposal to deliver over $400 million in property tax relief – an over 45% increase over past budgets – through the Property Tax Credit Relief Fund received legislative approval.  This will provide tax relief for all Nebraska property owners.  The tax credit will be applied to your tax bill directly, and many will see the credit noted on their bills for their 2015 property taxes.

 

While this tax relief was significant and a step in the right direction, there is more still to be done.  The Tax Foundation’s 2015 State Business Tax Climate Index ranks Nebraska as 29th best in overall tax competitiveness as well as 12th highest in property taxes and 26th highest in income taxes.  These rankings show that Nebraska is a high tax state, and is, at best, middling when compared to other states.  There is nothing competitive about being middle-of-the-pack, and we must continue to look for new ways to bring tax rates down so that we can provide tax relief that will keep hardworking families here in our state and create more high quality jobs.

 

Right now, members of the Legislature are studying education funding and property taxes to develop proposals for the upcoming legislative session.  Last year, numerous proposals to make structural changes to how we levy property and income taxes were introduced by senators, however, no proposals that provide long-term structural relief advanced from the Revenue Committee.  This fall, senators have already discussed a wide variety of potential tax reforms ranging from a property tax revenue freeze to calculating land valuations on a 10-year average instead of the current 3-year average.  The conversation has only just begun, and senators will welcome your input as they continue to talk about potential proposals that could impact your tax bills.

 

As we approach next year, my team is working with legislative groups interested in tax reform, talking to tax experts, and preparing tax reform proposals.  In the coming weeks and months, I would encourage you to share your property tax bill with your local and state representatives as you have conversations with them.  Because property tax is a locally administered tax, long-term relief will require cooperation from both state and local government.  As we continue to look for ways to improve Nebraska’s tax competitiveness, I hope that you will share your ideas on tax reform with my office at pete.ricketts@nebraska.gov and 402-471-2244.

Governor Pete Ricketts

Governor Pete Ricketts

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