2021 in Review: Jan. 15 was once again a popular date for new babies

Jan. 6, 2021

RANDOLPH — The cost of a gallon of gas was 36 cents. The Beatles decided to call it quits. “Monday nNight Football” and the soap opera “All My Children” made their debuts.

Yes, 1970 was quite a year but in a significantly more memorable way for Sam and Nancy Reineke of Randolph on Dec. 1, 1970, the couple purchased Gambles in Randolph and the business has been a mainstay in the community ever since – 50 years and counting - now known as Sam’s Hardware Hank.

“I still get a check now and then for Gambles,” Sam said with a chuckle.

Sam worked for Glen Stingley (nancy’s uncle) at Gambles five years before purchasing the building which he accounts for being in the right place at the right time when the Stingleys decided to retire. But he was always interested in having his own store.

“We were young people. (I don’t know) how many people told us ‘You guys are going to go broke. You’re going to lose everything. You kids are crazy,’ ” Sam said.

Perhaps those first weeks and months, the Reinekes could not help but question whether those naysayers were right with the long hours they put in at the store. When they took over Dec. 1, there was no Christmas inventory. They wanted more of everything in the store and so they “really ordered,” Nancy said.

“That first truck about murdered us,” Sam said.

Jan. 13, 2021

RANDOLPH — It’s a real win-win situation at Randolph Public Schools.

Students get real-world working experience. At the same time, the community is provided a service.

Cardinal Creative, the newest school-based business at Randolph High School, is essentially a graphic design and print shop. Products and services include large-format posters and banners, wrapped canvas printing, decal printing, image editing and type setting, to name a few.

Ryan Surber teaches K-12 art at Randolph Public Schools. His photo and digital art class at the high school is undertaking Cardinal Creative work.

The curriculum and idea for the business first started with Lindsay Miller, Surber’s predecessor.

At that time, the photo and digital art class had a stronger focus on photography. When Surber joined Randolph Public Schools in the Fall of 2019, he brought 12 years of experience in all things graphic design – marketing design for promotional items, printed goods, web graphic design and website design, brand standardization, and advertising in all sorts RECO of mediums.

Jan. 13, 2021

RANDOLPH — Traffic will slow down on three streets in town when speed bumps are installed as discussed at the Randolph City Council meeting last week.

The Council approved installation locations for speed bumps on East Kemp Street, South Main Street, and South Douglas Street.

“The majority of complaints were from people on Main Street (about this issue),’’ said Josh Rayford, deputy city clerk.

Additional quotes for the work will be gathered as well as more research on the size of the speed bump and how each would be attached to the street. Two signs per speed bump will be posted at each location.

Along with the potential for speed bumps, other thoroughfares may be getting a new look – with fresh signage.

Jan. 20, 2021

RANDOLPH — Randolph Public School teachers and staff may be vaccinated for COVID-19 in early February.

That is the latest news from the Northeast Nebraska Public Health Department in Wayne and relayed to the Randolph Public School Board at its Jan. 11 meeting.

Supt. Jeff Hoesing said the Moderna vaccine would be made available to teachers, staff and substitute teachers. After conducting a survey, 75 percent of the Randolph school staff indicated they were interested in receiving the vaccine.

“We aren’t making it mandatory,’’ he said. “I will tell people that we don’t know when we will have it (access to start the vaccine) again.”

* Knights of Columbus will ranked oversee #6 in the permanent vaccinations life insuran The health department partnered with other Statista schools to independently may survey get more the than vaccine 16,000 custo and its possible before Randolph. There will be about a week’s notice before the vaccination begins, Hoesing said.

It is not known when students would have a vaccine available to them.

In other school board news, Randolph Elementary School will begin using a new reading curriculum to help achieve goals set for by the NebraskaREADS initiative.

Jan. 20,2021

RANDOLPH — Randolph’s New Year’s baby has arrived.

Maeryn Lea Jorgensen, the daughter of Joshua and Amber Jorgensen was born Friday, Jan. 15, 2021 at 8:30 a.m. at Avera Sacred Heart Hospital, Yankton, SD.

She weighed 7 pounds 8 ounces, and measured 18.5 inches long. She is welcomed home by big brother Henry(3.5 years old).

Grandparents are Donald and Judith Jorgensen, Randolph; Lea Ann Thomas, Creighton; and Rod and Amy Thomas, Creighton.

Great-grandparents are Darlene Jorgensen, Coleridge; Roger Jorgensen, Coleridge; Sharon Hart, Creighton; and Louise Thomas, Creighton.

Maeryn Lea Jorgensen is the fourth New Year baby in the last four years to be born on Jan. 15.

Jan. 27, 2021

RANDOLPH — Mel Spader is a walking, talking advertisement for Randolph’s Team-Mates mentoring program.

Those that know him and have worked alongside him to start the local TeamMates chapter describe him as being positive, passionate and persistent.

“He felt so strongly that this is something that he wanted to bring to Randolph. It was his determination (that got the program going) and he did a lot of the legwork,” said LaDonna Leiting, current TeamMates Board secretary.>

Leiting was behind Spader in those early days when the chapter and board were formed in October 2002, along with Lisa Linville and Pat Dominisse. EST.

“Those three women — they’re pretty much the ones that made it work,” Spader said.

Spader served as a substitute teacher at Randolph High School and saw the need first-hand: some students could use a positive adult influence in their life.

“I don’t care if you’re the top of your class or the bottom, you still need a mentor,” Spader said “Every kid needs somebody outside the family that cares.”

He researched some other mentoring programs but ultimately landed on TeamMates, originated by former Husker football coach Tom Osborne and his wife, Nancy.

The Osbornes started TeamMates in 1991 with 22 University of Nebraska-Lincoln football players paired with Lincoln middle school students. The program has now expanded to serve more than 10,000 students through 170 school-based chapters in five states.