News

Lincoln, July 31, 2024 — Whenever the topic of biosecurity comes up, it’s no surprise that many people might find their attention waning due to the complexity of the issue or because they don’t feel they have experienced a biosecurity problem. The reality is that every producer has encountered some sort of biosecurity risk or event at one point or another and may not have been fully aware or didn’t consider the “biosecurity” aspect of the matter.

Hopefuls will audition face-toface with an ‘American Idol’ producer in search for the next superstar. They will be “in” Nebraska, Wednesday, August 14.

Incidents/Arrests On 07/15/2024 at 4:19 a.m., officers from the Valentine Police Department and the Cherry County Sheriff’s Office responded to the 100 block of North Thatcher Street regarding a report of a burglary in progress and shots fired. A 27 year old South Dakota man has been identified as a suspect.

Vehicular heatstroke is one of the leading causes of non-crash, vehicle-related death for children 14 and younger in the United States. Parents and caregivers who think child heatstroke deaths could “never” happen on their watch should think again. Tragically, “never” does happen. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Region 7, which includes Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska urges parents and caregivers to learn about and share critical information about the dangers of leaving children alone in hot cars. Help us spread the word: Once You Park, Stop, Look, Lock.

Donors urged to give as extreme heat, travel plans threaten already low blood levels Aug. 5, 2024 — The American Red Cross is experiencing an emergency blood shortage as the nation faces dangerous levels of heat and people head out for final summer travel plans.

Nebraska. It’s not for everyone. And neither is the prairie for some, but not for others. For the latter, the utilization of prairie plants in your planted landscapes is not only aesthetically pleasing but extremely beneficial in many ways. So why plant the prairie? Experts from the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum explain that from pollination to improving air quality, native prairie plants do an excellent job of providing essential food and shelter for native pollinators such as bees, wasps, and butterflies as well as reduce the amount of ground level toxins into the air as generated by lawn maintenance equipment. Native plantings, especially in larger, open spaces, provide not only educational opportunities but also biodiverse environments where the energy-dense plant structures convert into fuels. And if you’re looking at the bigger picture, these fuels can expand from the very basic residential landscape into grazing and hay production.

Parents and children can work together to ensure the transition back to the classroom is as seamless as possible. Children will soon be trading in the chimes of neighborhood ice cream trucks for the bells of school as summer vacation gives way to the startof anewacademicyear.August through September is prime backto- school season, with children all across the country stocking their backpacks and shopping for new school wardrobes.

One of the most beloved of American birds, and deservedly so, is the eastern bluebird. Although primarily an eastern species, its range extends across much of Nebraska. Its population suffered in past decades as non-native house sparrows and European starlings out-competed bluebirds for tree cavity nesting sites. Many people and organizations came to their aid, erecting nesting boxes that bluebirds will readily use. Two such organizations are the North American Bluebird Society, and Bluebirds Across Nebraska.

The American Hiking Society (AHS) volunteered a week of their time to work on the Fort Falls Trail at Fort Niobrara NWR and helped with installation of two benches on the CCC Fire Tower Trail at Valentine NWR. Seven volunteers spent four long days in the sun clearing vegetation, rerouting the trail to prevent erosion, placing logs in areas to slow erosion, and putting dirt in areas that did have erosion.

Every Olympian had their start, quite possibly this could be the start for our area youth. Only time will tell! Congratulations GNST on your season.