Trail of Lights Open with More Lights and Features
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www.cityoflex.com
December 2022 # 98
Trail of Lights Open with More Lights and Features
This is the second year of lighting up
Kirkpatrick Memorial Park with our
Trail of Lights. New lighted areas
this year include lighting the outer
trees around the trail, a
Messerschmidt donated collection of
holiday lights, a Christmas train,
beach snowmen and wave of lights
in the area of the Lexington Family
Aquatic Center.
Dawson Public Power District
donated time to light the southeast
section of the trail, including several
tall spruce trees and a large linden.
Shotkoski Hay Company once again
donated hay bales throughout the
park, the largest section being the
hay bale Christmas tree that stands
more than 30 feet high. Many
volunteers helped decorate the park
along with a long list of sponsors
who donated some of the large
holiday scenery throughout the
park. A list of sponsors that helped
make this project possible is
displayed on the trail.
City Offices: 406 E 7th Street Lexington, NE 68850 308-324-2341
December 2022 2
Veterans Pavilion Project Making Great Progress
Construction has recently started
on a Veterans Memorial Pavilion at
the south end of Kirkpatrick
Memorial Park. When finished, the
project will include an
amphitheater and five stations
honoring five branches of the
military. The project has been
made possible by many generous
donations and fund-raising work
by the Veterans Memorial Steering
Committee and the Lexington
Community Foundation. The goal
is to have the project completed in (looking northwest)
time for a grand opening on
Memorial Day weekend 2023.
(looking northeast)
City Offices: 406 E 7th Street Lexington, NE 68850 308-324-2341
December 2022 3
Library Library Hours
Mon-Thur: 9 am - 8 pm
News Fri & Sat: 9 am - 5 pm
Sunday: CLOSED
907 N Washington
(308) 324-2151
by Jennifer Norton
Library Director “When I have a little money, I buy books; and if I have any left, I buy
food and clothes.” - Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus
Booked for December’s Family Fun
Lunch is Night will be Monday,
back! Join December 19, from 5:30 -
us for a light 8:00 p.m. We’ll do crafts,
lunch and a cookie decorating, snowman
fun dress-up and more! A light
program on meal will be provided.
December 8
at 11:30 December’s program features
a.m. Please holiday music with Cheryl and Like us
pre-register with the library Dennis Burnside. on
Facebook
308-324-2151.
City Offices: 406 E 7th Street Lexington, NE 68850 308-324-2341
December 2022 4 City Offices: 406 E 7th Street Lexington, NE 68850 308-324-2341
December 2022 5
EnergyWise Tip: Holiday Efficiency Savings
by NPPD Energy Efficiency and off at the appropriate times – a window to cool down is
Program Manager typically on at dusk and off at very inefficient, especially if
Cory Fuehrer bedtime. To safely control exter- you forget to close the
ior lights around your home, use window afterward. If you are
The cost of decking the halls, a weatherproof outdoor timer. baking, turn the oven off
devouring delectable holiday when finished and leave the
treats, imbibing fine spirits and Consider decorations with few or door open to circulate extra
celebrating with family and no lights. Reflective ornaments, heat into the room.
friends over the holidays can candles, ribbons and garland
really add up. Here are a few make the most of low-lighting For those who may feel a
efficiency ideas to lighten their conditions. They can be used little chilled, add another
impact on your finances, throughout the house to layer of clothing or grab a
schedules and the decorate staircases, entryways, blanket rather than turning
environment. mantels or wherever else you the thermostat up.
want to add some holiday cheer.
Decorating When operating holiday lights, Considering this is the only
If you haven’t already, switch turn off room lights. This time of the year you can get
to LED Christmas lights. LED enhances the holiday mood away with wearing your
Christmas lights last longer while providing sufficient lighting favorite ugly Christmas
and only use about 10% of for most activities. Note that sweater or Santa hat, why
the electricity when compared fireplaces also provide warm, not take advantage of the
to traditional incandescent ambient light. Just remember to opportunity?
bulbs that produce the same close the flue when the fireplace
amount of light. Pre-lit, fiber is cold and not in use to ensure Cooking
optic trees and decorations heat isn't escaping up the While creating your culinary
also use LEDs with the added chimney. delights, keep the lid on pots
benefit of being shatterproof, and pans and the oven door
shock-resistant, and cool to Heating closed. Food will cook faster
the touch. When you have guests, turn and require less energy while
down the thermostat and take cooking. Use a timer to
Use a timer for all holiday advantage of the body heat they prevent overcooking and the
lights. Set it to automatically generate. Waiting until guests
turn your holiday lights on are too warm and then open-ing (continues on next page)
City Offices: 406 E 7th Street Lexington, NE 68850 308-324-2341
December 2022 6
Holiday Efficiency Savings
The City’s website has tools
(continued from previous page) to help you save energy and money.
oven light to check on your food’s
progress. Remember it takes about the
same amount of energy to heat an oven
full of food as it does a nearly empty one.
When possible, bake several dishes at the
same time.
For smaller cooking tasks, use kitchen
appliances like the microwave or toaster
oven. Save the oven for larger and longer
cooking projects like roasting a turkey or
ham. Rather than grabbing a pot for tasks
like melting chocolate, making cocoa or Interactive Energy Home
warming up leftovers, use the microwave
to reduce energy usage by 50% or more.
Shopping
Give the gift of energy efficiency. When Look for this button at
considering household appliances and www.cityoflex.com/departments/utilties
electronics, look for the ENERGY STAR®
label. ENERGY STAR-certified products use
up to 60% less electricity than non-certified
products. Visit www.energystar.gov for a
list of qualified ideas to ensure your gift will
save energy for years to come.
Shop locally. Not only will it save time and
energy by not making an extended
shopping trip, but it also helps support
small businesses in your area. Are you
more of an online shopper? Check out Like us on Facebook!
https://buynebraska.com, https://
grownebraska.org and https://fromne.com Get the latest scoops about what’s going
for a huge selection of great gifts from on in Lexington!
retailers right here in Nebraska.
Facebook users: be sure to search for “City of
Lexington Utilities System, in partnership Lexington, Nebraska” (not to be confused
with Nebraska Public Power District, want with the generic page the Facebook folks
to help you make the most of this holiday created). Only our official page gives you
season! For additional ways you can the latest news and updates.
become more EnergyWiseSM, visit with
https://www.facebook.com/pages/City-of-
Lexington Utilities System or go to
Lexington-Nebraska/157277430966096
www.nppd.com.
City Offices: 406 E 7th Street Lexington, NE 68850 308-324-2341
December 2022 7
HOLIDAY
HOLIDAY SCHEDULE
SCHEDULE
Friday & Saturday
December 23 & 24
City Offices closed
Monday, Dec. 26
City Offices closed
Monday, January 2
City Offices closed
City Offices: 406 E 7th Street Lexington, NE 68850 308-324-2341
December 2022 8
GGC Happenings
407 East 6th Street
Joining us for our Birthday Luncheon will be Roger and
Deb Wells, a local couple who perform a musical duo
featuring guitar and soprano voice. Both are incredibly
talented and we’re fortunate to have them perform for
us. Come to the Grand Generation Center on Friday,
December 9, and enjoy some nice Christmas music!
City Offices: 406 E 7th Street Lexington, NE 68850 308-324-2341
December 2022 9
Lexington Receives “Free Fall Trees”
This flowering
crab tree was
planted on the
north side of the
Northwest Hike-
Bike Trail Phase
1. Shown left to
right: Tree Board
members Dave
Stenberg and
Tom Nelson, and
Assistant City
Manager Dennis
Burnside.
Lexington received five free fall trees this fall,
which were planted along the hike-bike trail
in the northwest. All five were received
through a “Free Trees for Fall Planting” grant
offered through the Nebraska Statewide
Arboretum, and funded by the Nebraska
Environmental Trust. The Nebraska Forest
Service was also instrumental in organizing
the program. One goal of the grant is to
remind Nebraskans that fall is an excellent
time to plant trees.
Earlier this year the Lexington Tree Board
applied for this competitive grant. This is the
11th consecutive year Lexington has received
free fall trees so, since 2012, that’s 105 free
trees for Lexington so far!
In 2023 and beyond, the City will plant more
trees along trails, and in parks, cemeteries,
green spaces, and in new developments.
City Offices: 406 E 7th Street Lexington, NE 68850 308-324-2341
December 2022 10
ice removal
Lexington snow and ice removal
Winter weather is upon us and announcements of possible Snow In addition, during a Snow
the City would like to remind Emergency situations where Emergency, parking in the
citizens of the following points substantial snowfall is Downtown area is prohibited. In
related to snow removal. There is experienced or anticipated. non-emergency times, citizens are
also an Emergency Snow Route still encouraged to move their
map on the next page. parked vehicles off of the street in
Property owners are required a reasonable period of time after
to remove snow and ice from snowfall to allow City crews
sidewalks abutting their prop- access to remove the snow and
erty, within 48 hours of the ice. Information regarding the
snowfall. Removal of snow removal of snow in your area
and ice from sidewalks not of the City can be obtained
only ensures safe passage by contacting Tom Nelson
for pedestrians (including at 308-324-5995.
school children), but also
limits liability. Someone who The City of Lexington would
sustains injuries from slipping like to reiterate that snow
on ice might claim their injuries and ice removal is important
resulted from property owner for vehicular traffic as well as
neglect. Please remember that Pedestrian traffic.
snow and ice removed from your
property is not to be placed into the In times of a declared Snow Please take the time to do
street. Instead move it to non- Emergency, parking along streets your part to keep our streets and
paved areas. in the designated Snow sidewalks safe. The City of
The City needs the cooperation Emergency Route is prohibited. Lexington thanks everyone for
of all citizens as we work to remove Commercial Areas may also be their cooperation and prompt
snow and ice from the streets. included (see Snow Route map). attention to this issue.
Citizens are encouraged to listen to Citizens living along these
local radio stations or read the local routes are encouraged to comply
newspaper (including online) for with the prohibition and move
● dispose of furniture, appliances, pallets, and
other large items (small fee may apply)
● recycle paper, plastic, and cardboard
● pick up free wood chips or compost
801 West Vine St.
308-324-5995
Mon. - Fri.
8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
City Offices: 406 E 7th Street Lexington, NE 68850 308-324-2341December 2022 11 City Offices: 406 E 7th Street Lexington, NE 68850 308-324-2341
December 2022 12 City Offices: 406 E 7th Street Lexington, NE 68850 308-324-2341
December 2022 13 City Offices: 406 E 7th Street Lexington, NE 68850 308-324-2341
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Space
S p a c e Heater
H e a t e r Safety
S afe t y
You might be turning on a space on the heater and start a fire.
heater to keep warm in this cool ● Do not use extension cords with
weather. However, you might not space heaters unless absolutely
know that thousands of fires are necessary. If you have to use
caused every year by space an extension cord, make sure it
heaters, especially improperly used has a power rating as high or
ones. The National Fire Protection higher as that of the heater
Association says in 2011, space itself. Keep the cord stretched
heaters were involved in about out and do not allow it to
17,850 home fires. become buried under rugs
or carpeting. Don’t place
anything on top of the
cord. If the cord ever
● Space heaters take a lot of
feels even slightly
electricity. They can overload the
warm, discontinue use.
home’s wiring, especially if other
● Inspect the heater's
high-wattage appliance are on at
cord periodically to look
the same time. This may cause
for frayed wire or
overheating of circuits, which may
damaged insulation. Do
lead to fires.
not use a space heater
● Make sure the space heater you
with a damaged cord.
are buying is certified and labeled
● Check periodically for
as such on the box (such as
a secure plug/outlet fit. If
Underwriters Laboratory).
the plug becomes very
● If you have a liquid-fueled space
hot, the outlet may need
heater, use only the fuel
to be replaced by a qualified
Here are some safety tips from recommended by the
technician. This could be the sign
Underwriters Laboratories (UL) and manufacturer. The wrong fuel
of a potential home wiring issue.
other sources: could burn hotter than the
equipment was designed for and
● Always read and follow the cause a serious fire.
manufacturer's ● When refueling, turn off the heater
recommendations. and let it cool down completely
● Every level of your home should before adding fuel. Wipe away
have a working smoke detector any spills promptly.
that is tested on a monthly basis. ● Before you buy a kerosene
● Keep all space heaters three feet heater, check with your local fire
away from anything that could department to ensure that it is
catch on fire. legal in your area.
● Make sure the space heater ● Kerosene heaters have a different
includes a tip-over switch to type of threat with the potential of
ensure that it shuts off if it carbon monoxide poisoning, so
accidentally tips over. ● Use space heaters only as a
take that into consideration.
● NEVER leave a space heater supplementary, small-area
unattended. sources of heat. They are not
● NEVER use a space heater in intended to replace the home's
the room where you will be heating system, and turning the
sleeping. central heating system down too
● NEVER place heaters on low may result in water pipes
furniture. They are designed to bursting.
be placed on the floor. ● Don’t use a space heater to dry
● Unless the heater is designed for your wet clothes or pull it closer
use outdoors or in bathrooms, do when you are in a bath tub.
not use in damp, wet areas. ● Keep pets and children away
● NEVER place heaters where from space heaters.
towels or other objects could fallYou can also read
