News

Forecasters said it was going to rain. Thunderstorms were coming. As the sun set with spectacular colors, giant clouds rolled - covering the nearly full moon. The colors shifted to grey and deep blue hues indicating a storm was on its way.

Remember to save the date, Tuesday, July 30, 2024 from 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m., at the Valentine Family and Aquatic Center.

The highest percentage of carbon monoxide exposures occur during the winter months. However, carbon monoxide exposures can happen any time of year, especially during natural disasters and power outages. It is imperative that the citizens understand the dangers, the symptoms and how to prevent poisoning from carbon monoxide.

LINCOLN – The Nebraska Child Care Cost Model, a new tool developed in collaboration with First Five Nebraska and Prenatal to Five Fiscal Strategies (P5FS), shows users how the expense of delivering high-quality child care services relates to actual revenue earned by providers. The tool is a crucial step toward creating a sustainable infrastructure that supports the economic viability of early childhood programs while keeping costs in check for Nebraska families.

Two female and one male peregrine falcon chicks from the nest box near the top of the Nebraska Capitol building in Lincoln were banded and given a checkup June 12. “The banding went very well and all three chicks appear to be in very good shape,” said Joel Jorgensen, nongame bird program manager for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.

Isaac K. Watson, Valentine.

The Summer Solstice, falling on June 20, marks the longest day of the year and the official beginning of summer - a season beloved by many. A time-honored tradition among various cultures is to greet this day by watching the sunrise. In honor of this tradition, Mixbook conducted a survey of 3,000 respondents to identify the best spots in the country to witness the sunrise on the Summer Solstice, based on personal experiences. This survey helped curate a list of the top 150 places nationwide (and in each state) to experience this magical moment. Here are the top 10 locations (nationwide): 1. Lake Tahoe, NV - The top pick across the country was the eastern shore of Lake Tahoe. In particular around Sand Harbor, it provides beautiful sunrise views over the clear blue waters and surrounding mountains.

A healthy lawn thrives with the right amount of water and nutrients. Lawn care is a year-long process. Even when the sun isn't very strong and the temperatures are cold, a lawn still needs water. That water requirement multiplies when higher temperatures lead to increased evaporation.

Late May and June are the months when we frequently see both native and non-native forbs begin to flower in range and pasture. This is a good time of the year to be on the alert and look out for these “pretty flowers” and for other plants that you may not recognize. Seeing something you haven’t seen before? Go check it out. Those “pretty flowers” or plants you don’t recognize may be a plant that is an invasive species. Early detection and rapid response are critical to helping to keep noxious weeds at bay. By identifying and dealing with invasive species when they are few, the cost and impact of their presence can be minimized.

June is National Pollinator Month and it’s a great time to celebrate all the pollinators that play an important role in producing food, fiber, medicine, and more that we rely on. When you think of pollinators, bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds are likely the first that come to mind. But moths, wasps, beetles, flies, bats, and some other birds also help pollinate our gardens. More than 80% of all flowering plant species, including 180,000 different species and more than 1,200 crops, rely on them for pollination.