 Weather permitting, Great Plains Communications will begin repairs on phone lines that were damaged due to last month's flooding.
Repairs will be starting tomorrow and will be taking place on west 4th Street between the bridge and Mill Street on the cut across road. If you are using the cut across road, the Village of Oakdale strongly suggests to use an alternate route and not to expect the repairmen to move equipment to let you through. Repairs are expected to be completed within a day. The Village of Oakdale will start replacing culverts and repairing Mill Street at the beginning of next week.  About 80 youth turned out Saturday afternoon for the annual Oakdale Easter Egg Hunt. Organizers thanked everyone in the community for the donations, which helped purchase the candy, prizes and stuffed animals for the youth.  The Oakdale Easter Egg hunt schedule for Saturday has been postponed due to the weather. The hunt will now be Saturday, April 20, at the Oakdale Park at 1 p.m.
 Due to safety concerns and continuous maintenance, a county blacktop between Highway 14 and the Village of Oakdale may be closed permanently to non-local heavy trucks.
During Monday’s Oakdale Village Council meeting, members unanimously approved creating a resolution that prohibits any vehicle over a 6 ton axle to go through the town, except for Sixth Street near the elevator. Local trucks and services would still be allowed and annual permits would be available. Only non-local heavy trucks would be impacted. “There is no possible way for a vehicle to come off the Oakdale Cut Across and into town without crossing there, so we need to follow suit,” County Road Superintendent Casey Dittrich told commissioners Tuesday morning. “I don’t think that’s a bad deal. Right now it’s barricaded and open only to local traffic with the bridge out. We’re going to keep it that way.” While the Oakdale board voted to create the resolution, it must be approved before a change is made. However, even after that, the county must make a decision on if it wants to proceed. “It’s tearing up our roads through town, and we’re responsible financially for fixing the road at the bridge. We want to close it down,” said Oakdale counsel member Angie Boyer. Everyone in attendance at the Oakdale meeting supported closure of the route and had no issues with permits for such reason as harvest or hauling hay. “They used to shut that down two weeks before Easter and keep it closed for 90 days after to let the ground dry out,” said Steve Jockens, who lives just west of Oakdale on the blacktop. “In the spring, it just tears the road to pieces.” Previously, the truck route — or Oakdale Cut Across as it’s widely known — saw abundant heavy truck traffic. However since the flooding, it’s now open to only local traffic. Heavy truck traffic, village officials said, has continuously led to maintenance by the county. Lowering the truck traffic, they said, would save tax dollars. Dittrich said he is hoping to discuss the truck route at the county level more in May. He said the county has to decide whether it follows suit with Oakdale and issues a 6 ton limit as well. If the county does not, a driver could legally be on the blacktop but receive a citation as soon as they enter Oakdale village limits. The Village of Oakdale is patrolled by the Antelope County Sheriff’s Department, so it would be the county issuing tickets in Oakdale.  The North Central District Health Department will be offering Tetanus vaccinations for those who have been in contact with floodwater.
Those who should consider getting the tetanus vaccine include first responders who have been exposed to floodwaters, individuals who have a wound that was exposed to floodwater or if it has been five years since your last vaccine. The NCDHD will be offering Tetanus vaccine at the following locations:
NCDHD will continue to have tetanus vaccine available at their office in downtown O’Neill. The office is open 8a-4:30p. If you have insurance, please bring your card along. If you do not have insurance, there will be no charge.  The Oakdale Volunteer Fire Department and Lois Johnson Memorial Library are having a fish fry on Friday, March 29, from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Oakdale Community Center. The fish fry will be all you can eat, including fish, salads, potatoes, drink and dessert. Adults are $10 and children 12 and under are $5. Proceeds will be used to fund the library and for OVFD equipment and training.
 A gas meter was struck by a vehicle Thursday night in Oakdale, leading to a gas leak in an alley near 6th and Wilson Streets, according to the Antelope County Sheriff's Department. The Oakdale Fire Department assisted Black Hills Energy with the leak. The Sheriff's Department, Nebraska State Patrol and Neligh Rescue also were on scene. No injuries were reported. This story will be updated when more information becomes available.  A female was partially pinned beneath a vehicle and air lifted from the scene of a one-vehicle accident on Thursday night.
The Antelope County Sheriff’s Department said a 2004 Ford Focus four door bearing Massachusetts license plates was discovered in a field resting on its passenger side at 8:13 p.m. south of Highway 275 near the Ag Agronomy Center in Oakdale. According to officials, 40-year-old Angelia M. Brown of Neligh was partially pinned and required extrication by the Neligh-Oakdale Jaws of Life. She was transported by LifeNet to Mercy Medical in Sioux City, Iowa, from the scene. The other occupant, Christopher M. Lopez, 32 of Neligh, was transported by Neligh Rescue to Antelope Memorial Hospital. Both occupants were intoxicated and denied operating the vehicle at the time of the accident, according to the Sheriff’s Department. Officials said the Ford Focus was traveling west on Highway 275 when the driver lost control. An over correction caused the vehicle to go into a skid, striking the snowpacked south shoulder and causing the vehicle to enter into a roll, according to law enforcement. The Antelope County Sheriff’s Department, Neligh Police Department, Nebraska State Patrol, along with Oakdale Fire, Neligh Fire, Neligh-Oakdale Jaws of Life and Neligh Rescue responded to the scene. The accident remains under investigation by the Antelope County Sheriff’s Office and the Nebraska State Patrol.  Zia Moore, a 2017 graduate of Neligh-Oakdale, was one of two dozen students receiving their white coats recently from Northeast Community College's veterinary technology program in Norfolk.
Members of the class of 2019 received their veterinary technician’s pins. Members of the Class of 2020 were awarded a monogrammed white coat to mark their formal acceptance into the program. Dr. Mike Cooper, veterinary technology program director, opened the ceremony followed by comments from Lyle Kathol, vice president of educational services and Stacey Aldag, math instructor. Josh Schlote, veterinary technology instructor, administered the Vet Tech’s oath to the students. Veterinary Technician Instructor Dr. Amanda Hafer and Veterinary Technology Club President Terri Molt, Albion, also spoke at the event. Kathol remarked on the significance of the ceremony for the students. “Life is all about first steps. You took a first step when you entered college. Shortly, you’ll take your first formal step toward your veterinary technician career by taking an oath to serve in a career field that will be challenging but also very rewarding and, as you may already know, definitely time consuming. This first step is a journey that will be the most fantastic journey you will ever take. The white coat you are donned with today indicates your acceptance of another level of responsibility and dedication. Wear it with pride and never forget this first step.” Hafer detailed the many types of care veterinary technicians perform each day as part of their work. “Those of you who have received your pins or your coats are working toward earning an associate of applied science degree in veterinary technology, a degree that strongly supports caring for animals, caring for their owners, caring about science and medicine, caring about food safety and caring about continuing education, so that you can be the best licensed veterinary technicians out in the field.” Friends, family members and supporters of the students attended the ceremony. Students who received their white coats at the ceremony included Morgan Bideaux, Lincoln; Sara Bulin, Bruning; Erika Burritt, Osceola; Kendra Cooper, Lincoln; Laurel Driver, Hartington; Ranger Gunville, Eagle Butte, SD; Justine Hartmann, Armour, SD; Hannah Hilger, Hartford, SD; Korey Huffman, Decatur; Mariah Jensen, Gresham; Josephine Jonas, Avon, SD; Marcus Kinney, Lincoln; Courtney Mangus, Fullerton; Annastasia McCracken, Cozad; Melissa McFarland, Norfolk; Nikole Mewhirter, Albion; Zia Moore, Oakdale; Melissa Mootz, Beatrice; Mina Murphy, Arlington; Dara Ness, Kennebec, SD; Alexa Roper, Lincoln; Mia Scott, Columbus; Clare Sidner, Lincoln; and Taylor Stephens, Lincoln. These sophomore students were pinned at the ceremony: Kimberly Calderon, Wakefield; Gabrielle Dwinell, Winside; Rachel Eisenbruan, Rapid City, SD; Morgan Eisenhauer, Beemer; Megan Fink, Wausa; Samantha Glassmeyer, Laurel; Ashley Harlow, Norfolk; Caitlin Manzey, Watertown, SD; and Terri Molt, Albion.  The blacktop between Oakdale and Highway 14 is closed Saturday afternoon due to a gas leak about a mile west of town. The aroma of gas could be smelled a mile away from the leak.
Black Hills Energy employees are on scene, as are the Oakdale Fire Department, Neligh Rescue. Antelope Sheriff's Department and Nebraska State Patrol. Officials said those living nearby are not in danger. |
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