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by Carolyn Applegate | Nebraska Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Good guy or bad guy? Believe it or not, many insects in the landscape are beneficial to our gardens. When spotting insects in your landscape, it is important to first identify if they are beneficial or harmful. Plus, the beneficial insects can eat the bad guys, helping plants to flourish.

LINCOLN, NE – April 2, 2026, Governor Jim Pillen rescinded his most recently issued burn ban, which clears the way for burn permits to be issued through the authority of local fire chiefs or designated department members. The new executive order (2610) cites a reduction in the potential for drought-related emergencies across the state.

Addyson Hawthorne of Crookston has been selected to attend American Legion Auxiliary Cornhusker Girls State May 31- June 6, 2026 on the campus of the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. Hawthorne will study local, county and state government processes in this nonpartisan political learning experience.

I hope everyone had a blessed Easter. Despite the chill, the Cody Easter egg hunt was well attended by a crew of energetic young‘uns and one giant rabbit.

We were so blessed to receive moisture this past week! Some rain, and a little snow. We don’t care what form it came in, but it was an answer to prayer. St. Francis reported about 1.45” and Valentine had about Nick Stuetelberg of Mitchell spent Wednesday through Sunday with his uncle and aunt, Vern and Marlys Walkling. On Easter Sunday the Walklings had 33 at their home! Besides their children and grandchildren, joining them were LonnieandRenaeColeman,Brooks Coleman, Tyler and Marki Paskach and family of Omaha, Kim and Deb Markus, Ben and Montana Wegner and daughters Lydia, Eleanor and Paisley, James and Roth Doyle and Duncan Mosner. Prairey and Jamie Brennan and family were guests at Walklings on Thursday through Monday.

When I was young, I recall a clever little joke of sorts about a customer and a waitress, where a breakfast customer asks, “F U N E X?” The waitress replies, “S V F X.” Then the customer, “F U N E M?” And the reply was, “S V F M.” The customer then says, “O K, M and X.” The real meaning was, “Have you any eggs? Yes, We Have Eggs. Have you any ham? Yes, We have ham. OK, I’ll have ham and eggs.”

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service is proceeding under the Department of the Interior’s approved emergency permitting process to start construction of the Nebraska Public Power District’s R-Project Transmission Line.

What in the world is going on at the Bass Pro Shops in Olathe, KS? Look at all those game wardens, conservation officers and police milling around the boats in the Bass Pro. Was there some kind of crime taking place? Why on earth were there Nebraska conservation officers there? Were they lost?

During the week of March 29 to April 4, the following arrests were reported by the Valentine Police Department: • On March 29 at 12:08 a.m., a disturbance complaint in the 100 block of North Main Street lead to the arrest of a 24 year old Nebraska man for Third Degree Domestic Assault. • On April 3 at 10:50 a.m., a traffic stop in the 300 block of North Main Street lead to the arrest of a 26 year old South Dakota man on an outstanding arrest warrant for driving under the influence.

April 4, 2026 Omaha, NE — Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol have rescued the subject of an AMBER Alert from Wisconsin and arrested the person sought in connection with the abduction. Saturday afternoon, NSP received information that a vehicle associated with an AMBER Alert, which had been issued in Wisconsin for 8-year-old Irene Lentz, was believed to be driving in Nebraska.