The Sandhills Prairie Refuge Association (SPRA) is a non-profit refuge friends group supporting scientific, historical, and educational projects on the Fort Niobrara, Valentine, and Seier National Wildlife Refuges. The refuges are part of the National Wildlife Refuge System administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. TheSPRAboard of directors are concerned about inadequate staffing and funding of the refuges. The refuges are important to Nebraska and the local community.

Part of my agreement with them included pursing my MBA in Healthcare Management while I working there, which I completed and really enjoyed. As COO, my responsibilities included multiple departments, which expanded over time and included: Plant Operations, Environmental Services or housekeeping, IT, and eventually ended up with dietary, all our clinics, and rehabilitation departments. I managed several projects including minor renovations, a kitchen-cafeteria remodel, different clinic projects, a daycare for our employees children, and a new electronic health record change. It was a cool experience.”

If you were really quiet - really, really, quiet, you could hear the thirsty ground soaking in all the moisture that we were blessed with. Last week was interesting - or madness - with blizzard like conditions, Tuesday, March 4, which left a total of 2.2 inches of snow behind, and .21 inches of moisture. The winds were gusty, with the highest at 50 mph.

Leo Brinda Unit #90 American Legion Auxiliary is sponsoring the annual Poppy Poster contest for second through 12th grade, with entries due by April 7, 2025. For more information, contact Michelle Garwood at 402-389-1655.

Game two pitted the second- seeded Hay Springs Hawks (13-9) against the third-seeded Crawford Rams (8-13). During the regular season, the Hawks dispatched the Rams on two occasions.Unfortunatelyforthe Rams, the third time was not a charm as the Hawks swooped to victory. The game was not absent of drama, as sure-shooting Crawford junior, Taylor Homan putonascoringclinicduringthe first quarter of action, which propelledCrawfordtoa9-21lead over Hay Springs. Homan also reached a basketball milestone when he drained a three-point shot that netted him over 1,000 careerpoints.Behindhisefforts, Crawford headed to halftime leading 22-34. At the conclusion of the third quarter, it became apparent that Hay Springs had weathered the first half Ram stampede. Although trailing 4549attheendof thethirdquarter, momentum had shifted toward the Hawks. Throughout the fourth quarter, both teams traded scores in a dramatic fashion. A technical foul on Crawford resulted in Hay Springs taking the lead for the first time in the game, but the contest remained undetermined until free throws turned the tide for the Hawks. With nine seconds left in regulation, the Hawks led 61-60, and they sealed the victory by making three free throws following Crawford fouls. With the win, the Hawks set up an intriguing subdistrict championship game against the Cowboys. This season, Hay Springs and Cody-Kilgore have faced one another three times. Despite an early season blowout win against the Hawks, the Cowboys have lost two close games to Hay Springs by a total of five points.

Round one action in the D2-12 subdistrict tournament tipped off in Cody, NE, as the Cowboys (14-8) earned the top seed for the postseason series. Game one featured the Cowboys against the fourth-seeded Sioux County Warriors (6-13). The Cowboys previously defeated the Warriors twice during the regular season, and this matchup ended in similar fashion: a Cowboy victory, 62-37.