Among incumbents choosing to NOT file for re-election this year are two long-time members of the Northeast Community College Board of Governors. Ken Echtenkamp of West Point and Jack Warrick of Meadow Grove will be stepping down at the end of the current year. Echtenkamp has been a member of the Board since 1979. Warrick has served since 1984. Warrick's district includes the city of Norfolk and Madison County, while Echtenkamp represents Cuming, Burt, Stanton, Thurston and part of Madison counties. Those interested in filing for these positions should contact the Nebraska Secretary of State or call Diane Reikofski at the college - 844-7055.
A Petersburg woman with an employment history in health care and economic development has been appointed to the Northeast Community College Board of Governors. Following a unanimous vote, Shirley Petsche of Petersburg was seated on the Board Thursday to complete the unexpired term of the late Nanci Lingenfelter of Plainview. She will represent District One, which includes Antelope, Garfield, Pierce, Wayne and Wheeler counties, as well as portions of Boone, Cedar and Madison counties. Petsche's term will expire on December 31st, 2012, and she has indicated plans to run for election to the Board that year.
Revenue from keno in Norfolk is far behind projections, but that may be changing. Big Red Keno chief counsel Bill Harvey says that, while still behind last year, receipts in December and January are showing an upward trend. Harvey says weather has slowed progress on Big Red's headquarters and restaurant in southwest Norfolk. He says the walls of the building are up, and crews have almost completed the roof. He says once the building is enclosed, weather will have less of an impact on progress.
The president of Nebraska's largest teachers union says the federal stimulus package saved more than 1,600 education jobs in the state. Jess Wolf made the remark to mark the one-year anniversary of the stimulus package. Nebraska got more than $1.5 billion in federal stimulus dollars meant to jolt the economy, with $234 million of that going to state aid for schools. Wolf says that without that money, "teachers and other school employees would have been laid off, class sizes would have ballooned and property taxes would have gone up."
Warm soup-- and a cold bath-- will be featured Sunday during the annual soup luncheon fundraiser for the nondenominational Christian organization Young Life. To help raise money for activities, a soup luncheon will be held beginning at noon at the Norfolk Knights of Columbus Hall. Eight kinds of soup will be served for a freewill offering. At 12:30, volunteers will take a "polar plunge" in an outdoor pool, also to help raise money for Young Life.
