National 4-H Week is Oct. 7-13.  This is a good time to share your 4-H experiences with a friend, neighbor or classmate and invite them to consider joining 4-H.

— WEAR A 4-H T-SHIRT CHALLENGE — The Challenge: Any person, including youth and adults, who want to show their 4-H support during National 4-H Week are asked to take a unique picture wearing a 4-H Shirt then post to Facebook or Twitter. The Picture Categories: Most People in One Photo; Random or Unique Location; and Best Pose. Best picture from each category will receive a prize!

— I received a number of responses to participate in the Wear a 4-H Shirt Photo Challenge on Wednesday, October 10 at Carhenge. I mentioned the time of 5:15 but that seemed kind of early for several. I am changing the time to 5:30. Can’t be much later as we will be out of daylight as well as bumping up against church and youth group activities. Wear your 4-H t-shirts and meet me there. Shouldn’t take long!!

— Some of you have mentioned you have 4-H t-shirts that your kids have outgrown and you would like to recycle them. Now would be a super time to do this. We have a few new members who could use a 4-H tee for some upcoming events. If you will drop your shirts by the office, I will find them a new home. Thanks for your help!

— Reminder: the office will be closed Monday, October 8 for Columbus Day.

— I just created a facebook page for BBC Extension. You can find it at University of Nebraska Extension — BOX BUTTE COUNTY. Feel free to join and post your comments, photos, etc. A great way to share!

Wishing you a great 4-H Week!

 

Deb Kraenow

Box Butte County 4-H Coordinator

415 Black Hills Ave.

Alliance NE 69301

308-762-5616

308-762-1343(fax)

dkraenow2@unl.edu

Alliance, NE – Crossman Trailer Inc., a new manufacturing company in Alliance Nebraska has finished production on their first Aluminum Gooseneck trailer. This 30 foot trailer has a 25 foot bed with 5 foot beavertail and flip ramps. It is constructed of aluminum and galvanized steel and has a 25,000 lbs GVWR (gross vehicle weight rating).

“Aluminum trailers have several key advantages over their steel competitors” says company president Mark Tolstedt, “the main one being, they don’t rust.”

Tolstedt went on to explain that because they don’t  rust they don’t need to be painted and they retain their resale value, facts proven by the gooseneck livestock trailer counterpart. “Their lightweight construction puts an aluminum trailer at 1500 lbs or more under their steel competitors weight which leads directly to fuel  savings and payload capacity for the owner.” The first trailer rolled out the door at 114 Cheyenne (former Pepsi building) on Sept 9th and was sold before completion. Three dealers have committed to inventory trailers for  Crossman Trailer, Avalon Trailers in Rickardsville IA, Pioneer Garage Inc, in Highmore SD, and K.R. Rauch in Billings MT.

Crossman Trailer in Alliance NE will also sell directly.

Company president, Mark Tolstedt, with 14 years of trailer design experience at Wilson Trailer in Sioux City IA, is responsible for the design and manufacture of this new line of aluminum trailers.

“The Crossman Trailer is built with the same attention to detail and durable construction that customers expect from the livestock and gooseneck trailer that I  designed at Wilson Trailer,” said Tolstedt.

A native of Alliance and a 1979 graduate of AHS, Mark, graduated from UNL in 1985 and took an engineering position with General Motors at  the Proving Grounds in Milford Michigan doing brake test and design.  In 1988, Mark and his wife Jill moved to Chicago where Mark worked for Elgin Sweeper in Elgin Illinois a much smaller company designing street sweepers, with broader project opportunities for his career.  In 1991 he began working for Wilson Trailer in Sioux City Iowa a move which brought his young family closer to his large extendedfamily in Nebraska.  While at Wilson Trailer, Tolstedt quickly advanced and left there in 2007 as the Director of Livestock and Gooseneck Engineering overseeing design of their semi-truck livestock trailers and their gooseneck livestock trailers.

For more information, contact:

Mark or Jill Tolstedt
Crossman Trailer
114 Cheyenne Ave   Alliance Nebraska  69301
308-761-0483  Cell: 308-760-3365
www.crossmantrailer.com

 

 

 

Homecoming Royalty was crowned Tuesday night at Alliance High School.

This year’s royalty include:

King and Queen – Kip Van Tilburg and Tessa Benson

Senior 1st Attendants – Mitch Pancost and Shae Brennan

Senior 2nd Attendants – Devon Oligmueller and Morgan Anthony

Junior Attendants – Devin Ushio and Rylee Trout

Sophomore Attendants – Walker Johnson and Kennedy Cyza

Freshman Attendants – Brady Fehlhafer and Bailey O’Connor

Homecoming activities continue with the Bulldog Volleyball team playing at Gordon-Rushville Thursday night, the Tennis Team competing at the state tournament in Lincoln Thursday and Friday, the homecoming parade Friday at 2 p.m., on Box Butte Avenue, the Alliance St. Agnes Academy chilli feed Friday from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., and the football vs. undefeated Scottsbluff Friday at 7 p.m., at Bulldog Stadium.

 

 

 

The 3rd Annual Making a Difference Motorcycle Poker Run held September 30, sponsored by William’s Jewelers Brad and Sue Williams, raised an impressive $2,500 for Jane’s Closet at Box Butte General Hospital.

On hand for the check presentation recently were, l-r: Williams Jewelers staff Stephanie Escamilla, Erin Gorsuch, Sue Williams, Jane’s Closet representative Lori Mazanec, Williams Jewelers staff Brad Williams, Dianna Reed and Mary Robbins.

A total of 120 riders on 85 motorcycles took part in the Alliance to Hemingford, Scottsbluff, Bridgeport ride, returning to Alliance to draw their poker hands and enjoy a barbeque while waiting to see who won.

Poker Run winners were: 1st – Rhonda Hamm, diamond pendent; 2nd – Charles Hamm, pink Pulsar watch; 3rd – Carol Bell pink ceramic ring; and 4th – Reece Jensen, Stamper Black Hills Gold watch.

Jane’s Closet provides monetary support for cancer patients and their families. Requests for assistance can be made by calling 308-762-4357 ext. 3428.

The Chadron School District is moving toward reestablishing a vocational ag program and FFA at Chadron High School.

Superintendent Dr Caroline Winchester says the plan is to “think outside the box” and use instructors from Chadron State College to avoid having to add staff

Winchester says the proposal would require some adjustments to state rules, so she’s also been working with the Nebraska Department of Education on the idea.

The ag industry has been pushing the legislature and the Education Department in recent years to expand ag education in Nebraska schools, and two legislative committee held a hearing on the issue last Friday in Lincoln.

Winchester says she was able to use that hearing to make additional contacts and hold additional talks on the Chadron district’s idea that leave her very optimistic it can be done.

She also hopes to use Chadron State to help Chadron High School strengthen and expand its offerings in the botany area.

Listen:

Winchester ag-1

Winchester ag-2

Winchester ag-3