Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Brett Kaczor and Greg Thramer, of Ewing Family Foods, reinforce plans to wipe out COVID-19. Toilet paper may be in demand, and several rolls may have been distributed during Saturday's cruise night.
Ewing Fire and Rescue parade down Nebraska Street, Saturday evening. A large contingency of cruisers toured the village, escorted by local fire department volunteers.
Members of Page Fire and Rescue travel along Highway 45A, Saturday evening.
Kaylee Thiele waves at passersby along Clearwater's Main Street.
Cruisers in Orchard, including Waylon and Julie Petsche, along with their daughter, Aylah and driver, Tammy Cheatum, search for bears in the community. Local fire department members blared sirens and lights, at 7 p.m., in honor of Clifford Erb.
Chubby Checker's 1959 classic "The Twist" blasted from cars, pickups, SUVs and the occasional minivan traveling the main drag in area towns Saturday night.
Unlike a scene from the 1950s or early '60s, carloads of teenagers didn't unload and fill a local malt shop, sharing cheeseburgers and sipping chocolate shakes from separate straws.
In the age of COVID-19, participants of the coronavirus Cruise Night, sponsored by KBRX, in O'Neill, remained in their vehicles, took a few whips along Main Street and practiced social distancing.
Many cruisers also ventured from town to town, supporting local eating establishments offering curbside service.
Scott Poese, owner of KBRX, said cruise night sprang from idea into action after he received a text from a friend saying several cruise nights happened in towns around Nebraska the prior weekend.
"Some were planned last minute and just put out on social media and some had flyers made and were promoted in advance," Poese said. "Here (at KBRX), we encouraged all of the towns in our area to be a part of cruise night and cruise their local town and enjoy a meal."
Food specials were offered in Atkinson, Butte, Center, Chambers, Clearwater, Elgin, Ewing, Lynch, Neligh, Niobrara, O'Neill, Orchard and Page and were announced throughout the evening by Poese and Mike Walker.
Fire departments in several towns joined in the fun.
Members of the Ewing Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department led a parade of cars around town. Page Volunteer Fire Department members cruised 45B in the ambulance, while Orchard Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department members blared sirens and lights, in memory of longtime Orchard resident, Clifford Erb.
For some, the evening brought back memories of days gone by, a time when life was less hectic. For youngsters, the idea of cruising through a town's business district was something new.
Poese said the station has received positive feedback on the event, which got people out of the house, "if just for an hour or two of cruising."
"Most importantly, (it was) a chance to enjoy a meal or drink and cruise around and wave at your neighbors while supporting our local businesses," Poese said. "Anything we can do right now to help our local businesses, we should do it."
Using local curbside or delivery service or purchasing a gift card that can be used now or later supports local businesses.
"Our local businesses support a lot of what goes on, not only in their community, but our whole area," Poese said. "They need us now more than ever."
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