Lincoln, July 1, 2021 – Each year the Nebraska American Legion selects outstanding teachers who promote Americanism, patriotism, and support the veterans and activeduty military in their communities.

The community was ready to celebrate our nation’s birthday for sure! Main Street was lined with onlookers for the Lions Club parade. Even though it was supposed to be a hot day - it got up to 101 - people walked to the parade, then went over to Badger Memorial Field for the annual reading of the Declaration of Independence and participated in ringing the bell!

“Not all who wander are lost,” wrote JRR Tolkien in his epic tale, The Fellowship of the Rings. Tolkien observed how a situation might appear one way, but may be entirely different in reality.

Monday, June 28, 2021, the SEAT base plane was operational at Valentine Miller Field. “This is the earliest we’ve started,” said SEAT base manager Justin Nickless. “Due to the ‘party’ last week, there were a few starts.” Justin is referring to the lighting storms that came through the area causing several fires including the Brush Creek fire in Holt County that burned 6,640 acres which had cattle loss; 22 starts in Brown County including the Williams Fire on the Plum Creek Canyon that burned approximately 40 timber acres, and the Gilg Fire north of Long Pine that burned 10 timber acres.

According to FAASTeam Program Manager Mark Gaffney, the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award is the most prestigious award the FAA issues to pilots certified under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations. This award is named after the Wright Brothers, the first U.S. pilots. It recognizes individuals who have exhibited professionalism, skill, and aviation expertise for at least 50 years while piloting aircraft.

According to NOAA Weather, a record high temperature was set Wednesday, June 23, 2021 with 108 degrees, at Valentine. This breaks the old record of 107 set in 1937.