Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
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There are more than 900,000 child care workers across the United States. Think of the impact they have on the millions of young children and families they serve. Trusted early educators allow parents to work. They help businesses run at full speed. As small business owners, they invest their dollars right back into their communities. And, Buffett Early Childhood Institute Executive Director Walter Gilliam argues, the early childhood workforce just might be the linchpin to our country’s economic...
A South Dakota man and a Neligh woman are facing charges in Antelope County related to the theft of wire from center pivot irrigation systems. The owner of one system estimated the value of the wire stolen from 10 towers on his farm at nearly $9,000, not including labor and equipment costs for repair. Christopher Barta, 29, of Irene is set to appear Sept. 6, in front of the Honorable Donna Taylor on two Class 2A felony counts, conspiracy to commit theft by unlawful taking and conspiracy to commit criminal mischief, both alleged between April 1...
There's a certain charm and nostalgia related to farmers markets in rural communities. The tradition of farmers, gardeners, artisans and bakers bringing their wares to town to sell at the market has been around for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. From Aug. 6 to 12, communities across the country will come together to celebrate National Farmers Market Week, highlighting the role these venues play in supporting healthy communities, growing local food systems, and stimulating rural...
Editor’s note: The Nebraska Community Foundation is a Flatwater Free Press sponsor. It has been edited by Flatwater Free Press staff. The roughly 370 miles between North Omaha and the heart of southwest Nebraska aren’t slowing a group of Nebraskans from forging relationships that they hope will serve as a model for bridging the gulf between rural and urban communities. In less than a year, residents from either end of that span have crossed the state to experience how the other side lives – from mock cattle auctions in Ogallala to a Junet...
In a state that’s 92% farmland, one of the biggest issues we face in our health care system is disparate outcomes for our rural population. Eighty-five of Nebraska’s rural communities are considered medically underserved areas, and that’s just for primary care services. This is concerning — rural populations are significantly more vulnerable to health inequities and poor, often preventable outcomes. The age-adjusted death rate in rural areas is 20% higher than that of urban areas. There’s a relatively simple solution: More rural health care pro...
Midwest culture is unique. We "America's Heartlanders" are known for our outdoor hobbies, farming, winter survival strategies, hard work and country living. We are also known for our politeness. It is at times an autopilot response to hold a door open, greet another with a smile, drop off treats for a neighbor or when running into someone familiar ask, "how are you?" How often have we asked, "how are you" and heard the answer, "good" or "fine" or even answered this question ourselves this way....
The Antelope County road department will receive two new pieces of equipment that will, in the long run, mean savings for the county, according to department head Aaron Boggs. Commissioners approved the purchase of a paving machine for $500,000 and a milling machine, valued at $542,000, during the May 9 meeting in Neligh. Following a rehash of the cost to fix roads, ranging from $300,000 to $900,000 for hot mix and at least $1 million for concrete, Boggs told commissioners it comes down to...
Having an estate plan in place is so important. Doing so can save time, money and stress for your loved ones, not to mention prevent unnecessary family disagreements. If you are reading this, take it as your sign to finally get that plan in place. I assure you, it’s easier than most people think. When it comes to determining how you will distribute your assets, it’s wise to talk with a professional advisor about the impact those assets may have on the people you love. The truth is, not all ass...
This week saw the Legislature continue the discussion of the governor’s school finance and tax package. LB 243, as amended by the Revenue Committee, would make a series of changes aimed at easing the financial impact of increasing property tax valuations on Nebraska’s local property taxpayers. Among changes proposed, the measure would increase the minimum amount of relief granted under the Property Tax Credit Act to $388 million in tax year 2024 and $560 million by tax year 2029. This amo...
Visit Page this Friday for a community fish fry. The all-you-can-eat event will be held from 5 to 8 p.m., March 31, at the Kountry Korner Cafe. Ages 12 to adult may dine for $10. The price for kids up to age 11 will be $5. The cafe will serve $2 beers during the fish fry. Sealed bids are also being accepted for an Agsense Field Commander, with a retail value of $1,500. Bids may be placed in boxes at the cafe or Farmers Store or mailed to 50420 868th Road, Page, NE 68766. Bids must be received by April 15 and the winner announced April 17. All...
How many sheets of 8.5-inch by 11-inch paper will it take to construct an apparatus to reach and move a ping pong ball from point A to point B? Cassie Livingston, Jaelyn Shaver and Sierra Thomson know it the answer: Five sheets, two paper clips and a whole lot of tape. The trio won the team engineering challenge at the SkillsUSA Middle School Conference, March 1, in Grand Island. Each participant decided to participate in the engineering event for different reasons. Livingston said she wanted...
Can you name one of the 10 movies nominated for Best Picture at this year’s Academy Awards? Better yet, have you watched any of the movies being considered? I want to see “Top Gun: Maverick.” I’ve heard good things about “The Fabelmans” and “Everything Everywhere All At Once.” I saw the original “All Quiet On The Western Front.” Does that count? My family never missed the annual award show. It turned into a contest, where we’d cast our votes for the top acting and film awards. Later in life, Mom...
Beth Corymb is a fourth-generation farmer living in Scottsbluff. Although she grew up on her family's farm, she was not always sure that was the life she wanted to pursue. "I left for 37 years because I wanted to experience something different, but I told myself never to forget," Corymb said. She went to college to study music, but after taking an ecological course, she said her mind was opened to the reality of what was happening to the earth. She was soon introduced to the concept of...
Nebraska Community Foundation received a $5,000 grant for the Antelope County 4-H Youth Enrichment Center. The grant is provided through Farm Credit Services of America’s (FCSAmerica) Working Here Fund. The Working Here Fund grant will be used to help build a new, modern, multi-use facility that can be used year-round for 4-H activities. The new building will provide space for poultry and rabbits during the Antelope County Fair and the 4-H council and staff will provide year-round programing in the facility. “The new facility will offer a cli...
Crowded hallways, cramped classrooms, chaotic assemblies. Many students face these battles every time they walk into the place they call school. No matter the personal struggles students face at home, they must walk into school the next morning with a smile on their face and deal with anxieties of everyday life. Mike Donahue, a motivational speaker, visited Summerland Public School, Jan. 23, to share his insights with students, speak on the topic of mental health awareness and address struggles...
Mike Donahue understands pressure teenagers face. The Massachusetts native grew up "in a dysfunctional home" and internalized the pain and pressure he felt. Eventually, that led to a pattern of bullying, feeding his emotions with the devaluing of someone else. After a stint in the U.S. Air Force and as a youth pastor in Colorado, Donahue, who now lives in Omaha, visits schools across the world, sharing a message about knowing one's worth. Donahue addressed Summerland parents and patrons,...
As Justin Taubenheim combined soybeans in a Buffalo County field on an October afternoon, he thought about why he does it. "I'm not farming to get rich,” he said. “I'm farming to maintain a legacy, a way of life. Faith, family and farming, in that order. The farm is kinda like the icing on the cake." Taubenheim, 31, sports fewer gray hairs than your normal Nebraska farmer. The average age of a principal Nebraska farm or ranch operator: 56.4 years old, according to census figures. The rising worry: There won’t be a next generation to carry...
A Nebraska-based motivational speaker will give multiple presentations to Summerland patrons, staff and students next week. Mike Donahue, founder and director of Value Up, will discuss self-value and school culture, during a session open to the public, Sunday, Jan. 22, at 6 p.m., in the auxiliary gym. On Monday, Jan. 23, Summerland School will have a 10 a.m. late start, so Donahue can address staff members. Throughout the day, he will give presentations to all student groups, according to...
This week, Governor Pete Ricketts is leading a trade mission to Japan to promote Nebraska's quality ag products and to pitch Nebraska as a top destination for international investment. The governor and trade delegation will meet with government officials, promote Nebraska beef, pork, ethanol and other ag products and encourage Japanese businesses to invest in Nebraska. Delegates on the mission include representatives from ag businesses, state commodity organizations, Nebraska Farm Bureau, the De...
A decision on proposed planning and zoning regulations in Holt County will wait until at least Nov. 16. That's the next time county supervisors will meet in regular session, at 9:45 a.m., at the courthouse in O'Neill. For more than two and one-half hours area residents presented testimony, covering carbon dioxide pipelines, solar farms and wind energy, during an Oct. 31 public hearing. At the conclusion, county lawmakers failed to advance a motion, by Doug Frahm, which would have accepted all...
First of all, thank you for giving me the opportunity to address your group about the proposed planning commission changes. I thought we had killed this a while back and would not hear from the commission until they had a complete plan that had been thoroughly vetted. I have been on quite a few boards in my life. I can appreciate that you are doing what you think is best. I would ask you to consider an additional point of view. • I had a conversation at Elgin a few years back, that sounded like what I believe is happening again here, now. I w...
Practicing music is not everyone’s forte, but psychology may help. A study published in June suggests that musicians practice more effectively when given information about the psychology of practice. UNL professor Robert Woody, who has a doctorate in music education, conducted the study with 100 undergraduate music students to see if using cognitive psychology skills in their practice made it more efficient. “It’s hard work, and so I do like to teach people how to make practice more tolerable and how to make it more efficient so that they...
Random thoughts on a Monday (and Tuesday): • Ego tries to mask itself with confidence and, usually, comes up short. Isn’t it better to show your real self and admit failures and be gracious when you find success? • Procrastination is a fickle friend.She keeps promising to assist with a few projects and then she pulls me aside and commands all my attention elsewhere. • I should have meal prepped today’s lunch. A German chocolate cupcake doesn’t contain a lot of nutritional value, even if it has c...
Ask any beginning farmer or rancher about the greatest challenge to starting an operation and the most common answer is access to land and operational assets. A program aimed at helping new producers get a head start, while giving back to farmers and ranchers ready to pass on assets, may be able to help. Through Nebraska's Beginning Farmer Tax Credit Act, administered as part of the NextGen program, asset owners can earn state income tax credit each year, for three years, when they rent land or...
The Village of Ewing will receive 10 trees for the park project, after receiving a grant from the Ten Free Trees program, an effort of the Nebraska Forest Service and the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum. Village officials will plant trees Sunday, Oct. 2, at 2 p.m. Volunteer help is required to fulfill grant obligations. Village officials said equipment will be available to dig holes, so planting should go quickly. For more information, contact the Ewing village office at 402-626-7718. The village’s ongoing project replaces old trees that are d...
