Welcome to Kearney, Nebraska, a gem in the American heartland that pulses with community spirit and rich history. With its strong sense of community and modern amenities, Kearney offers a harmonious blend of small-town charm and vibrant urban energy. Home to around 34,000 residents, this welcoming town is famous for its warm-hearted locals who greet everyone with open arms.
Nature enthusiasts can revel in the stunning beauty of the Platte River, especially
during the annual migration of the Sandhill Cranes, a spectacle like no other. Kearney's scenic parks and trails make it easy to stay active, whether you're biking along the trails or enjoying a peaceful afternoon picnic. The city's vibrant arts scene is alive in establishments like the Museum of Nebraska Art, which showcases the talent of local artists and enriches the cultural tapestry of the area.
Education and innovation thrive at the University of Nebraska at
Kearney, Nebraska
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Kearney, fostering a youthful and dynamic atmosphere. The local economy is robust, creating a nurturing environment for budding entrepreneurs and established businesses alike. In Kearney, Nebraska, the future is bright, and opportunities abound. It's a place where tradition meets forward-thinking, making it the perfect destination to call home.
Kearney, Nebraska
Kearney, Nebraska: The Heartbeat of the Heartland
Welcome to Kearney, Nebraska, a gem in the American heartland that pulses with community spirit and rich history. With its strong sense of community and modern amenities, Kearney offers a harmonious blend of small-town charm and vibrant urban energy. Home to around 34,000 residents, this welcoming town is famous for its warm-hearted locals who greet everyone with open arms.
Nature enthusiasts can revel in the stunning beauty of the Platte River, especially during the annual migration of the Sandhill Cranes, a spectacle like no other. Kearney's scenic parks and trails make it easy to stay active, whether you're biking along the trails or enjoying a peaceful afternoon picnic. The city's vibrant arts scene is alive in establishments like the Museum of Nebraska Art, which showcases the talent of local artists and enriches the cultural tapestry of the area.
Education and innovation thrive at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, fostering a youthful and dynamic atmosphere. The local economy is robust, creating a nurturing environment for budding entrepreneurs and established businesses alike. In Kearney, Nebraska, the future is bright, and opportunities abound. It's a place where tradition meets forward-thinking, making it the perfect destination to call home.
The Most Overlooked Pet Health Risk
Veterinarians often see cases in which a routine wellness visit uncovers a major, yet preventable, risk: untreated dental disease.Dental disease affects up to 80 percent of pets by age three and can lead to more than just bad breath or loose or missing teeth.Bacteria from plaque can spread into the
bloodstream and damage organs such as the heart, kidneys, and liver. This is especially concerning in older pets or those with existing medical conditions, such as heart murmurs. Regular dental exams and professional cleanings are essential to reduce these risks.Preventive care should go beyond
6 | HelloKearney, Nebraska • Winter Issue
The Most Overlooked Pet Health Risk
Veterinarians often see cases in which a routine wellness visit uncovers a major, yet preventable, risk: untreated dental disease.
Dental disease affects up to 80 percent of pets by age three and can lead to more than just bad breath or loose or missing teeth. Bacteria from plaque can spread into the bloodstream and damage organs such as the heart, kidneys, and liver. This is especially concerning in older pets or those with existing medical conditions, such as heart murmurs. Regular dental exams and professional cleanings are essential to reduce these risks.
Preventive care should go beyond weight and vaccinations. A veterinary team can offer advanced diagnostics and individualized wellness plans, ensuring early detection and treatment of hidden threats like dental disease. Veterinarians often see pets whose renal or cardiac health has deteriorated due to systemic effects of dental infections. In cases of advanced dental disease, veterinarians may also need to address the surgical impact of jaw or tooth root abscesses that stem from neglected oral health.
Pets may seem healthy on the surface, but beneath lethargy, appetite changes, or irritability, there may be pain from severe gum disease or broken teeth. These problems can go unnoticed at home but become evident during veterinary exams, when teeth, gums, and oral tissues are evaluated. It is highly recommended to establish a home dental care routine—such as tooth brushing, dental treats, and appropriate chew toys—as well as scheduling annual professional cleanings performed under general anesthesia.
Putting preventive dental care at the forefront of a pet’s health plan can greatly extend both lifespan and quality of life. It’s a relatively small investment that can prevent complex systemic illness, costly interventions, or even emergency surgery down the road. Preventive dental care dramatically reduces the risk of systemic organ damage in pets due to bacterial spread from gum infections.
Drs. Brandon and Paola (“Pao”) Beebout
advanced dental disease, veterinarians may also need to address the surgical impact of jaw or tooth root abscesses that stem from neglected oral health.Pets may seem healthy on the surface, but beneath lethargy, appetite changes, or irritability, there may be pain from severe gum disease or broken teeth. These problems can go unnoticed at home but become evident during veterinary exams, when teeth, gums, and oral tissues are evaluated. It is highly recommended to establish a home dental care routine—such as tooth brushing, dental treats, and appropriate chew toys—as well as scheduling annual professional cleanings performed under...
weight and vaccinations. A veterinary team can offer advanced diagnostics and individualized wellness plans, ensuring early detection and treatment of hidden threats like dental disease. Veterinarians often see pets whose renal or cardiac health has deteriorated due to systemic effects of dental infections. In cases of
Preventive dental care dramatically reduces the risk of systemic organ damage in pets due to bacterial spread from gum infections.
About the Author
Drs. Brandon and Paola (“Pao”) Beebout are the husband-and-wife veterinary team behind Beebout Veterinary Medical Center, which they purchased in 2020 to modernize and expand compassionate care in Kearney, Nebraska. Brandon, originally from Ainsworth, NE, specializes in internal medicine and orthopedics, while Pao, a native of Guaynabo, Puerto Rico and fluent in Spanish, focuses on soft tissue surgery and complex medical cases—together bringing advanced veterinary expertise and heartfelt ser...
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FEATURED STORY
Learning from Western Civilization: The Case for Classical Christian Education
by Anthony Splittgerber, Principal
At Zion Lutheran School in Kearney, Principal Anthony Splittgerber believes that the classical Christian education model remains essential in a changing world. Rooted in Scripture and the wisdom of Western civilization, this approach helps students grow not only in knowledge but also in virtue and faith. Families seeking more than academic performance are finding in it a model that speaks to both the heart and the mind.Classical Christian education traces its ideas back to ancient Greek philosophy and early Christian teaching. It follows the trivium, a method of learning
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Anthony Splittgerber, Principal
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Anthony Splittgerber serves as Principal and a 7–8th grade teacher at Zion Lutheran School in Kearney, Nebraska. An alumnus of Concordia University, Nebraska (’00, ’11), he received the LCMS Nebraska District Administrator of the Year award in 2017. He also served as general editor of his congregation’s 1913–2013 centennial history.
developed in the Middle Ages that includes grammar, logic, and rhetoric. These stages guide students from memorizing basic facts to reasoning clearly and finally to expressing truth persuasively. This kind of formation connects students with great thinkers from Aristotle to Dorothy Sayers and encourages them to consider the moral order of human life.Modern education often emphasizes speed, screens, and standardized results. The classical model instead centers on the enduring question of what it means to be human. It asks students to explore human nature, the soul, and the pursuit of truth. At Zion Lutheran
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Learning from Western Civilization: The Case for Classical Christian Education
At Zion Lutheran School in Kearney, Principal Anthony Splittgerber believes that the classical Christian education model remains essential in a changing world. Rooted in Scripture and the wisdom of Western civilization, this approach helps students grow not only in knowledge but also in virtue and faith. Families seeking more than academic performance are finding in it a model that speaks to both the heart and the mind.
Classical Christian education traces its ideas back to ancient Greek philosophy and early Christian teaching. It follows the trivium, a method of learning developed in the Middle Ages that includes grammar, logic, and rhetoric. These stages guide students from memorizing basic facts to reasoning clearly and finally to expressing truth persuasively. This kind of formation connects students with great thinkers from Aristotle to Dorothy Sayers and encourages them to consider the moral order of human life.
Modern education often emphasizes speed, screens, and standardized results. The classical model instead centers on the enduring question of what it means to be human. It asks students to explore human nature, the soul, and the pursuit of truth. At Zion Lutheran School, lessons draw directly from Scripture to show that all wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord. Rather than separating faith from learning, teachers demonstrate how every subject—science, literature, history—reveals God’s design for the world.
Splittgerber explains that this model forms students who can think clearly and live faithfully. “We want students to seek truth, love God, and serve others with humility,” he says. This sense of calling distinguishes classical Christian schools across the United States. The curriculum challenges students to read the great works of Western culture, to reason through complex ideas, and to measure those ideas against the teachings of Christ and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Classical Christian education also values common sense and discipline. Students learn not only the facts of history but the moral lessons of the 19th and 20th centuries. They see how societies rise and fall according to the virtues they uphold. In high school, they engage in discussion rather than debate, seeking wisdom rather than personal victory. This pursuit reflects a vision of education where truth is objective, goodness is real, and beauty points to God.
Classical Christian education seeks to restore a love for truth and virtue by shaping both intellect and character through Scripture and tradition.
In Kearney, Zion Lutheran School continues that tradition, providing a space where faith and reason walk together. It’s an education that resists trends, honors the past, and prepares students to live wisely in the modern world.
Classical Christian educationseeks torestore a lovefor truth and virtueby shaping bothintellect andcharacter through Scripture andtradition.
School, lessons draw directly from Scripture to show that all wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord. Rather than separating faith from learning, teachers demonstrate how every subject—science, literature, history—reveals God’s design for the world.Splittgerber explains that this model forms students who can think clearly and live faithfully. “We want students to seek truth, love God, and serve others with humility,” he says. This sense of calling distinguishes classical...
