The Post Podcast

(PODCAST) "Craig Baxter's Kenya Dream with Rotary" - Kim Baxter

North Platte, Neb. - Kim Baxter is an optometrist who has been doing mission trips to provide eye care in developing countries for many years, including to Kenya.  

About 13 years ago, Kim went on a trip to Kenya with his son Craig, and they were deeply impacted by the poverty and lack of access to healthcare, especially for newborns and expectant mothers.   

 After Craig's tragic passing a few years later, Kim worked with his local Rotary club to secure a large global grant from Rotary International to provide medical equipment and training to a hospital in Kenya.  

"Lots of this has to do with Craig, so his spirit is very much enthralled and a big part of it,” said Kim Baxter.  

After Craig's passing, Kim made a promise to continue the work in Kenya in his son's memory, which led to a major global grant project through Rotary to improve the maternity ward and neonatal care at a hospital in western Kenya. This project was highly successful, reducing infant mortality at the hospital by 60% and leading to significant improvements in the hospital's facilities and equipment.   

Baxter and his Rotary club have continued to go on annual eye care missions to Kenya, providing eye exams and glasses to thousands of people who have never had access to such care.  

The Rotary Club is working to build and equip a medical clinic called the "Craig Memorial Dispensary" in Kenya, named after a Kim’s son Craig.  There was initial setback when the local village leader reneged on a promise to donate land for the clinic, but they found an abandoned clinic that they will renovate instead.   

The club is working on a $250,000 global grant from Rotary International to provide medical equipment and other infrastructure for the clinic. This project has attracted partnerships with the Kenyan government, a local university, and other Rotary clubs that are providing additional funding and resources.  

 The clinic will provide medical services and training opportunities for local students, helping to address a shortage of healthcare access in the region. 

 This project has involved many volunteers and donors from the local community and Rotary network and has been described as a story of "divine intervention" and people coming together to do good.  

 "For anybody out there that thinks they can't make a difference in the world, particularly, I'm thankful to be a Rotarian because it's linked me up with many other Rotarians. It's given us access to the Rotary Foundation funds for these big projects, these big global grant projects that without that kind of funding behind us, we wouldn't be able to ever get off the ground with the magnitude of the projects that we've been involved in is tremendous,” said Baxter. 

Hershey Volunteer Fire Department Annual Spaghetti Dinner

North Platte, Neb. - The Hershey Volunteer Fire Department is back again for its annual Free will donation Spaghetti Dinner at the Hershey School Cafeteria. The event is taking place from 11Am to 2 PM with all you can eat spaghetti with meat sauce, Homemade buns and deserts all with a free will donation.

Heartland Singers Concert this Sunday in North Platte

The Heartland Singers are having a spring concert on Sunday afternoon at 3pm at the First Baptist Church on McDonald Road in North Platte. Mike Douty spoke with the post about the concert Sunday. A Free Will Donation will be taken during the show.

Perkins County Fair having Rock Concert at Fair with Eve 6

Kasey Kroeker from the Perkins County Fair Board announced on Friday, that the fair will host Rock group Eve 6 on Friday, July 18. Tickets onsale today at www.PerkinsCountyFair.com

Ogallala City Council Recap - City clears way for historic preservation zoning to help create space for low income housing

Ogallala, Ne - The Ogallala City Council held their regular March meeting on Tuesday (March 25). The Council approved adding Jeffrey Lampmann to the Ogallala Tree Board. It's a two-year term.  

The Council had a discussion with the public on the speed limit heading west on highway 30 towards the sale barn. City Manager Kevin Wilkins said "we had a citizen address the speed limits on Highway 30 as it goes towards a sale barn. I think they made a credible case for the state of Nebraska to examine the speed zone changes as it migrates out towards the intersection of Highway 30 and the bypass." The speed limit increases to 50mph right before the sale barn. "We will ask the State to take a look at that" Wilkins said. 

Action items heard by the council included an amendment to the agreement for consulting services with the Airport Improvement Program Project. Wilkens said this was just housekeeping to approve a 3rd party FAA requirement for payment to an engineering firm who already had worked on the Searle Field master layout plan. The council approved the item. 

Also, the council talked about amending section 31.07 of the Municipal Coade Regulating Historic Preservation. "We amended a section of the municipal code related to the historic preservation commission a year ago," according to Wilkins. "I was trying to streamline the commission, so I took out some language the State preferred; in addition, we're adding some additional language that allows for historic overlays." He said, "so you have a historic structure that may be zoned residential or commercial. You could put an overlay over that zoning designation for historic purposes. What that does is set you up for some additional tax credits or funding." Wilkins said that right now the primary intent of this is a proposed project at the Ogallala Middle School for 44 units of mixed to low-income housing there. Wilkins says "this helps facilitate moving that project forward. It gives that project additional points for the Nebraska Investment Finance Authority application." It could potentially get that area a Historic tax credit. Wilkens went on to say, "we're anticipating doing a historic overlay on that particular block where the Middle school sits and then incorporating the auditorium into that." The Council passed the motion.  

The Council also approved the installation of two automated license plate readers in Ogallala. One permanent reader on the viaduct and a mobile license plate reader. The readers can scan a license plate and automatically relay plates that are in the system for BOLO or Amber Alerts to law enforcement officials in the city and county. This is a statewide system already in place in other cities around Nebraska including North Platte and Kearney. 

The Ogallala City Council will meet again April 8. 

 

 

(Audio) People's Health gearing up for Wild Night at Wild Bills this Friday

North Platte Post

North Platte, Neb. - People's Health in North Platte is back again to education young adults with their focus this time around on high school students with the annual Wild Night. This event is taking place Friday at Wild Bills from 4:00pm - 6:00pm.

Students have the opportunity to attend the event and earn a passport card and attend all the different agencies to learn. The event is geared around health. After students complete their passport, they will get a card and that card can get them free laser tag, bowling and pizza. Their will be raffles and giveaways. Students are asked to bring their HS ID with them

POST Canon Rath chatted with Elizabeth Thayer about the upcoming event. To learn more, checkout the podcast below.

(Audio) North Platte City Council Meeting, March 18th recap

North Platte Post

North Platte, Neb. - The North Platte city council held a regular meeting on March 18th and different agendas were discussed amongst the council. Topics this session included adopt resolution to approve the one and six road plan for 2024-2030, accept the certification of completion for street improvement district No. 362 (Willow Street Bridge over UPRR) and more. 

On Wednesday, Post Canon Rath chatted with North Platte Mayor Brandon Kelliher about the different topics from the council meeting. If you would like to learn more in-depth of what went on during the March 18th, North Platte City Council meeting check out the podcast below or check out the video below the podcast.

The Wildwoods will play Willow & Oak Sunday for Ogallala Regional Arts Council

Ogallala, Ne - The Ogallala Regional Arts Council is hosting another concert this Sunday, this time at the new Willow & Oak Event Center at 801 Diamond Springs Trail on the north side of Ogallala. According to ORAC's Barb Jeffries, three members of the Council drove to Red Cloud a year ago to see The Wildwoods and said "they fell in love with their music". Jeffries and Elisha McBride joined Derek Beck on Thursday's Sandhills Spotlight on Z93.5 Country to talk about the show.

The Wildwoods have become a force in the folk scene, boasting accolades like being finalists at the FreshGrass Music Festival Band competition and Gems on VHS "Gems in the Rough" competition in 2023. Their songwriting prowess is underscored by semi-final placements in the International Songwriting competition, with tracks like "Untitled" and "Way of Train." Recognized consistently at the Omaha Arts and Entertainment Awards, they were crowned "Best Band" by the Lincoln Journal Star’s Lincoln Choice Awards in 2022.

The doors will open for the concert at 3:00pm Mountain time, at Willow and Oak. Food and drinks will be available for purchase.

 

The Ogallala Regional Arts Council is able to bring entertainment to the area with the support of the Nebraska Arts Council, the Nebraska Cultural Endowment, and through the sale of tickets and memberships. Members will be admitted with membership cards. Individual tickets may also be purchased at the door. Individual tickets are $15 for adults and $7 for students.

 

Ogallala Regional Arts Council brings quality arts and entertainment to our community with the support of the Nebraska Arts Council, the Nebraska Cultural Endowment, donations, and your purchase of tickets or memberships. Thank you for your support! For more information about this program, email ogallalaarts@gmail.com

Homeschool Students can get agriculture classes and join FFA in Nebraska

North Platte, Ne - March is National Agriculture Month, and Eagle Media is spotlighting businesses and organizations giving back to agriculure this month. For years, homeschool students either had to take a minimum number of classes at public schools to participate in Future Farmers of America, or missed out entirely. Now a new Nebraska Agriculture Acadamy has entered the picture over the last few years. It started with former public school teachers Breann Zimmer, and Ann Dvorak in 2022 and they ave since been joined by Katie Shadbolt who are all Nebraska Certified Agriculture Educators. The three teamed up to create an online agriculture education academy for homeschool students.

Zimmer, who joined Derek Beck this week on Sandhills Spotlight on Z 93.5 Country says, "The Nebraska Agriculture Academy provides hybrid education to students grades 7-12. Our goal is to make it possible for homeschool students across Nebraska to participate in FFA and learn about agriculture."

Get more information here. Enjoy the conversation with Zimmer and Derek Beck.

Ogallala Boys fall in opening round of the NSAA State Boys Basketball Tournament to Doniphan Trumbull 57-45

The Ogallala Boys' Basketball team put forth their best effort, making comeback; after comeback, but in the end, it wasn't enough. They fell in the opening round of the NSAA State Boys' Basketball Tournament to Doniphan Trumbull 57-45.
 
The game was heard on Flatrock 100.7 FM with play-by-play by Paxton Gordon.