Santa Fe Times News

Santa Fe R-10 Foundation: Providing for present & future support

The Santa Fe R-10 Foundation, Inc. was incorporated as a Missouri non-for-profit corporation on May 10, 1994. The Foundation is governed by a nine member board of directors. One board member represents the District Board of Education and one represents District administration. The other board members are comprised of private citizens residing in the District. Current board members presiding are: Howard Dieckhoff, President; Deana Aversman, Vice President; Dennis Rolf, Secretary/ Treasurer; Merle Dierking, Lisa Nevels, Mike Knipmeyer, Randy Sleeper, and Amy Tracy. Since its inception, the Foundation has grown significantly and currently serves as an independent funding source for eighteen scholarships. In addition to providing academic scholarships to students and graduates of the District, the Foundation’s goals are to provide high-quality education by purchasing equipment and supplies which cannot be readily acquired with District funds, and to establish an endowment fund for long-term support of the District.

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Blackburn resident is HHC Employee of the Month

The Higginsville Habilitation Center April 2026 Team Member of the Month was Anna Hunter of Blackburn. She was selected because she is a very hard-working person that goes above and beyond in what she does. HHC recently started EHR (Electronic Health Record) and during this process Anna was very helpful, making sure everyone knew what they were doing, working many days in a row and being available. If someone needs assistance, they can ask her and she doesn’t mind taking the time to go over it making sure they understand. She also does things like working overtime and coming in at undesirable hours to help with coverage (hours like 2 a.m.). She has been flexible with people coming in to do things even when she doesn’t have to and she communicates well. She makes sure everyone knows if she will not be attending something or if something needs to be rescheduled.

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Lexington Area Chamber of Commerce Announces New Executive Director

The Lexington Area Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the selection of Jill Nienhiser as its new Executive Director. Nienhiser was selected based on her strong leadership and management experience, community engagement, and vision for the future. As Executive Director, Nienhiser will oversee Chamber operations, membership engagement, community relations, partnerships, and strategic initiatives supporting the Lexington community. The position also provides oversight and coordination related to the Chamber’s affiliated operations. Nienhiser brings over 25 years of experience in consulting and working with commercial, nonprofit, and governmental organizations, along with a strong commitment to collaboration, community growth, and organizational leadership. Nienhiser said, 'I grew up in Lexington and have enjoyed being back. I'm excited to take on this new role helping to promote local businesses and community events. I look forward to meeting business owners and anyone interested in helping our town flourish.' Nienhiser will officially begin the role on June 1, 2026.

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