To earn dean’s list distinctions in SDSU’s colleges, students must have completed a minimum of 12 credits and must have earned at least a 3.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale. Overall, 4,147 students from 40 states and 31 foreign nations are on the list. Congratulations to these distinguished scholars on earning this academic achievement.

Students on the list include: Lane Heimes of Hartington, a student in SDSU’s College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences.

Dylan Heine of Hartington, a student in SDSU’s College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences.

Sarah Karnes of Hartington, a student in SDSU’s College of Nursing.

Benjamin Kleinschmit of Hartington, a student in SDSU’s College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences.

Paul Kleinschmit of Hartington, a student in SDSU’s Jerome J. Lohr College of Engineering.

Melayna McGregor of Hartington, a student in SDSU’s College of Natural Sciences.

Meredith McGregor of Hartington, a student in SDSU’s College of Education and Human Sciences.

Madalynn Graham of Laurel, a student in SDSU’s College of Natural Sciences.

Abigail Lipp of Laurel, a student in SDSU’s College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences.

Bradyn Urwiler of Laurel, a student in SDSU’s College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences.

Brayden Shearer of Randolph, a student in SDSU’s College of Education and Human Sciencess.

Jordan will be entering Pre-school the fall of 2026.

Jordan and his pet, Dino the dinosaur, love to visit the library to get fresh books. His favorite books are about puppies. He likes playing with the magnet tiles and the floor puzzles.

This program was launched to get children ready for school, and to encourage more parent/child library visits. Books are logged and prizes are awarded along the way. One of the best ways to encourage pre-reading skills is to spend time sharing books each and every day! Reading provides a solid foundation, a key to school and learning success.

Interested in learning more about this reading adventure for your child? Please stop by or call the Hartington Public Library at 402-254-6245.

Nebraska’s Natural Resources Districts recognize students from kindergarten to twelfth grade, who competed in the annual "Home is Where the Habit is" Conservation Poster Contest. Students winning in the state competition included K-1: Sawyer Suckstorf, Norfolk, Nebraska (Lower Elkhorn NRD); 2-3: Gemma Mueller, Norfolk, Nebraska (Lower Elkhorn NRD); 4-6: Clara Steen, Fordyce, Nebraska (Lewis & Clark NRD); 7-9: Kiersten Hans, Wynot, Nebraska (Lewis & Clark NRD); and 10-12: Ember Chavez, Purdum, Nebraska (Upper Loup NRD) Each NRD selects a winner from their district contest to compete in the state competition. The state winners take home a $25 prize and will go on to compete in the National Association of Conserva tion Districts (NACD) poster contest for a chance to win $200. National winners are selected at the NACD annual conference in February.

For more information on the poster contest, visit the NARD website or contact Megan Grimes at mgrimes@nrdnet.org.

He was 82.

Long before he became one of Nebraska’s most respected com munity bankers, Richard E. "Rick" Adkins, Jr. was just a young man learning the ropes at a small-town bank in Geneva. It was 1971, and banking was still done face-to-face across a counter, with a handshake often sealing the deal more firmly than a signature.

For Adkins, those early years at Geneva State Bank became the foundation for a career devoted to serving rural communities — places where he believed strong banks and strong people were inseparable. That belief would guide him for more than five decades in the banking industry.

After two years in Geneva, Adkins moved north to Laurel, joining what was then Security National Bank as a loan o$cer.

It didn’t take very long for the Osmond native to become a trust ed name across Cedar County. Whether a farmer needed to restructure a loan after a tough harvest or a young couple was ready to take on their first mortgage, Adkins quickly earned a reputation for listening first and deciding second - a quality that would define the rest of his professional life.

In 1980, at a time when the agricultural economy was heading into some of the most challenging years rural America had ever seen, Adkins was elected President, CEO, and Chairman of the Board of Security Bank. It was a daunting role for any banker, but he stepped into it with the combination of steadiness and empathy that people would come to expect from him.

Under his leadership, Security Bank weathered the storms of the 1980s farm crisis and emerged stronger, expanding its reach and investing in new communities across northeast Nebraska. Branches in places like Osmond, Hartington, Allen, and Coleridge grew under his watch, reflect- ing his belief that rural banking wasn't just about financial transactions - it was about keeping small towns strong and vital.

That hometown philosophy led to statewide recognition. In 1999, Adkins was elected President of the Nebraska Bankers Association. From that position, he helped guide banks across the state through shifting regula tions, technological change, and the evolving role of rural financial institutions. On a national level, he served on several key American Bankers Association committees, lending a Nebraska voice to discussions on agriculture, community banking, and government relations.

But the work that mattered most to Adkins rarely made head lines. It happened in the quiet corners of community life — the places where he always felt most at home.

He served on the Laurel Cham ber of Commerce, the Cedar County Fair Board, the County Extension Service, and the 4-H Council.

He volunteered at his church and supported youth activities. He took the same steady approach to community service that he did to banking: listen, help where you can, and never forget who you're doing the work for.

Outside the bank, Adkins found another lifelong passion - American Quarter Horses.

He spent years exhibiting and promoting the breed, eventually serving as a National Director of the American Quarter Horse As sociation, representing Nebraska.

He also served as president of the Nebraska Quarter Horse Associa tion, continuing the same kind of relationship-driven leadership he was known for in banking.

Adkins and his wife, Joan, raised four children in Laurel, all graduates of Laurel–Concord High School. Their family story is interwoven with the community - a reflection of the deep bond he cultivated not just as a banker, but as a neighbor.

Today, Adkins is recognized not only for his long tenure at Security Bank, but for his decades of dedication to rural Nebraska. His legacy is measured not just in bank growth or committee titles, but in the trust of the people he served - thousands of small-town customers who knew that when they walked into the bank, they'd be greeted by someone who understood their lives.

In an era of consolidations, mergers, and online transactions, Adkins remained a reminder of what community banking was always meant to be - personal, local, and grounded in the land and the people who work it. A complete obituary can be found inside this week's issue of the Cedar County News.

In an 11-page letter Monday to Steve Corsi, chief executive of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Foley's team alleged "ongoing financial abuse" in the personal assistance services (PAS) program that helps Medicaideligible Nebraskans with mobility, hygiene and housekeeping.

“Numerous PAS caregivers con tinue to milk the program with false, inflated and duplicate billings," Foley said, adding that the alarm to DHHS was his o$ce's third since February 2024.

Information uncovered by the audit team was forwarded to law enforcement for review of possible legal violations.

In one case, the auditors said, a caregiver had been authorized to de liver 66 hours of personal assistance services a week despite holding down a full-time job as a school bus driver. Auditors identified 28 days during which the caregiver billed DHHS for performing client services at the exact times she was documented to have been driving students. In another example, Foley described a personal caregiver who billed DHHS for 70 days of client services while working full-time for a family counseling business. He said that created an “impossible scenario” of the caregiver working more than 24 hours in each of 45 days during a three-month period reviewed.

“Some of these caregivers claim to be performing work schedules that would make the Energizer Bunny look like a slacker," said Foley.

That caregiver had tapped into other public programs as well, including the larger personal care services (PCS) budget and foster care. Particularly troubling to the auditor was that the caregiver in that case provided help to two adult clients who lived in her home. And one, a relative, was on the sex oender registry for having been convicted of felony sex tra$cking of children in 2014. Living in the home as well, said Foley, was a 14-year-old girl in the state foster care system.

He said the caregiver appeared to have been purposefully deceitful in failing to disclose to foster care agencies that the past oender lived in the house. In seeking personal care aid, the provider reportedly claimed the relative lived in a back yard "cabin," for which cleaning was authorized.

"When the audit team reported this bizarre and unsafe domestic ar rangement, DHHS removed the foster child from the home," Foley said.

The findings surfaced during the ongoing statewide annual audit and were reported to Corsi early due to "urgent need for corrective action," the letter said.

For fiscal year 2025, PAS expenses totaled $10.5 million, of which the federal government covers 60% of costs and the state pays 40%.

4-H Achievement Award during the annual Cedar 4-H awards banquet this weekend.

Broadway Lanes Burnell’s Foodtown Carhart Lumber Cedar County News Northeast Nebraska News Cedar County Veterinary Services Cedar Knox Public Power District Cedar Security Bank Cedar Title & Escrow LLC Central Valley Ag Christensen Well & Irrigation, Inc.

Creamer Auction Company LLC City of Hartington D&J Variety Deano’s Mini Mart Don Miller Land Co. Inc.

D&K Trailer Inc. - Coleridge Don Peterson Associates Real Estate Family 1st Dental Farm & Ranch Co. - Tim Kuchta Fay’s Furniture & Floor Covering Feilmeier Electric Fischer Feed & Supply First Chiropractic Center-Hartington Floral Designs Folkers Bros. Garage, Inc.

Folkers Painting, LLC Fordyce Coop Globe Event Center Grossenburg Implement Hartelco Hartington Ace Hardware Hartington Auto & Truck Parts Hartington Feed & Chick Hartington Tree Service Hefner Oil - Coleridge Heine Electric & Irrigation Holan Title & Escrow LLC Hiway 84 Auto & RV Wash Integrity Insurance Group Jerry’s Service J&H Cleaning Services Jody Koch Construction & Excavation, Inc.

Jon Arens Construction Jones Feed & Grain Trucking Keith’s Package Liquor Kennedy Pier Loftus, Reynolds & Brandt LLP Keiser Ag & Irrigation Koch Seed Knights of Columbus Insurance - Craig Pfeifer Kramer Tile Leise Tax & Bookkeeping Mark Bruning Trucking Mayer Signs Midwest Tree Moving Milbrath Sayler Bookkeeping & Tax Service

Miller Painting MR. Golf Car, Inc. Nebraska Land Tiling, LLC Nebraska Realty

Deb Addison, Realtor Northeast Ag Consulting/Pioneer Northeast Pipe & Panel NP Mart Pinkelman Sales Inc.

Premier Lawn & Landscaping & Snow Removal RaDec Construction Co., Inc.

REPS – Russell & Karen Flamig Rodeo’s Bar and Grill Security Bank Shiftr, Joan Steffen SKCI Inc.

State Farm Insurance - David Bassing Steffen Drug Steffen Hay Grinding Subway T&R Butcher Block - JT Allen, Fordyce Textures Hair Salon Top Crop Whitmire & Associates Realty & Property Management Whole Hog Genetics Wiebelhaus Service/Farmers Union Wiechelman Repair, Inc.

Wieseler Crop Insurance Wintz Funeral Home Wynot Oil LLC X-Pert Lawn & Landscaping

Broadway Lanes Burnell’s Foodtown Carhart Lumber Cedar County News Northeast Nebraska News Cedar County Veterinary Services Cedar Knox Public Power District Cedar Security Bank Cedar Title & Escrow LLC Central Valley Ag Christensen Well & Irrigation, Inc.

Creamer Auction Company LLC City of Hartington D&J Variety Deano’s Mini Mart Don Miller Land Co. Inc.

D&K Trailer Inc. - Coleridge Don Peterson Associates Real Estate Family 1st Dental Farm & Ranch Co. - Tim Kuchta Fay’s Furniture & Floor Covering Feilmeier Electric Fischer Feed & Supply First Chiropractic Center-Hartington Floral Designs Folkers Bros. Garage, Inc.

Folkers Painting, LLC Fordyce Coop Globe Event Center Grossenburg Implement Hartelco Hartington Ace Hardware Hartington Auto & Truck Parts Hartington Feed & Chick Hartington Tree Service Hefner Oil - Coleridge Heine Electric & Irrigation Holan Title & Escrow LLC Hiway 84 Auto & RV Wash Integrity Insurance Group Jerry’s Service J&H Cleaning Services Jody Koch Construction & Excavation, Inc.

Jon Arens Construction Jones Feed & Grain Trucking Keith’s Package Liquor Kennedy Pier Loftus, Reynolds & Brandt LLP Keiser Ag & Irrigation Koch Seed Knights of Columbus Insurance - Craig Pfeifer Kramer Tile Leise Tax & Bookkeeping Mark Bruning Trucking Mayer Signs Midwest Tree Moving Milbrath Sayler Bookkeeping & Tax Service

Miller Painting MR. Golf Car, Inc. Nebraska Land Tiling, LLC Nebraska Realty

Deb Addison, Realtor Northeast Ag Consulting/Pioneer Northeast Pipe & Panel NP Mart Pinkelman Sales Inc.

Premier Lawn & Landscaping & Snow Removal RaDec Construction Co., Inc.

REPS – Russell & Karen Flamig Rodeo’s Bar and Grill Security Bank Shiftr, Joan Steffen SKCI Inc.

State Farm Insurance - David Bassing Steffen Drug Steffen Hay Grinding Subway T&R Butcher Block - JT Allen, Fordyce Textures Hair Salon Top Crop Whitmire & Associates Realty & Property Management Whole Hog Genetics Wiebelhaus Service/Farmers Union Wiechelman Repair, Inc.

Wieseler Crop Insurance Wintz Funeral Home Wynot Oil LLC X-Pert Lawn & Landscaping

Broadway Lanes Burnell’s Foodtown Carhart Lumber Cedar County News Northeast Nebraska News Cedar County Veterinary Services Cedar Knox Public Power District Cedar Security Bank Cedar Title & Escrow LLC Central Valley Ag Christensen Well & Irrigation, Inc.

Creamer Auction Company LLC City of Hartington D&J Variety Deano’s Mini Mart Don Miller Land Co. Inc.

D&K Trailer Inc. - Coleridge Don Peterson Associates Real Estate Family 1st Dental Farm & Ranch Co. - Tim Kuchta Fay’s Furniture & Floor Covering Feilmeier Electric Fischer Feed & Supply First Chiropractic Center-Hartington Floral Designs Folkers Bros. Garage, Inc.

Folkers Painting, LLC Fordyce Coop Globe Event Center Grossenburg Implement Hartelco Hartington Ace Hardware Hartington Auto & Truck Parts Hartington Feed & Chick Hartington Tree Service Hefner Oil - Coleridge Heine Electric & Irrigation Holan Title & Escrow LLC Hiway 84 Auto & RV Wash Integrity Insurance Group Jerry’s Service J&H Cleaning Services Jody Koch Construction & Excavation, Inc.

Jon Arens Construction Jones Feed & Grain Trucking Keith’s Package Liquor Kennedy Pier Loftus, Reynolds & Brandt LLP Keiser Ag & Irrigation Koch Seed Knights of Columbus Insurance - Craig Pfeifer Kramer Tile Leise Tax & Bookkeeping Mark Bruning Trucking Mayer Signs Midwest Tree Moving Milbrath Sayler Bookkeeping & Tax Service MR. Golf Car, Inc.

Nebraska Land Tiling, LLC Nebraska Realty Deb Addison, Realtor Northeast Ag Consulting/Pioneer Northeast Pipe & Panel NP Mart Pinkelman Sales Inc.

Premier Lawn & Landscaping & Snow Removal RaDec Construction Co., Inc.

REPS – Russell & Karen Flamig Rodeo’s Bar and Grill Security Bank Shiftr, Joan Steffen SKCI Inc.

State Farm Insurance - David Bassing Steffen Drug Steffen Hay Grinding Subway T&R Butcher Block - JT Allen, Fordyce Textures Hair Salon Top Crop Whitmire & Associates Realty & Property Management

Whole Hog Genetics Wiebelhaus Service/Farmers Union Wiechelman Repair, Inc.

Wieseler Crop Insurance Wintz Funeral Home Wynot Oil LLC X-Pert Lawn & Landscaping

www.skcicrop.com

cvacoop.com

The following is the information currently available.

FIRST QUARTER HIGH HONOR ROLL (3.5+ GPA) SENIORS:

McKenzie Bruning, Carmen Buschkamp, Emilie Claussen, Aaralynn Collier, Cole Heimes***, Kiara McCray, Cohen Paden, Alejandra Reyes, Abi Rice***, Cole Rosener, Jack Steffen***, Maddie Steffen

 JUNIORS:

Jade Ford, Dane Gotch, Kora Kneifl, Mason Krause, Brayden Lammers, Ellie Lammers, Wendy Reyes, Isaac Santiago***, Dolcie Sudbeck, Katelyn Wubben, Trynity Zach 

SOPHOMORES:

Aidan Anderson***, Landon Clark, Emily Clmer, Ali Ford, Lincoln Grutsch, Jason Heimes, Sophia Johnson, Tansey Kneifl, Anna Lammers, Maximus McCray, Adeline Pinkelman, Ashlynn Pinkelman, Gabe Reyes***, Austin Sudbeck 

FRESHMEN:

Ella Eickhoff, Kloe Fischer, Natalee Hart***, Allison Huesers, Vayda Lippert, Jaden Opfer***, Ziva Stratman***, Katelyn Uldrich***, Alyk Zach 

EIGHTH GRADE:

Ashlynn Dailey, Cody Edwards, Henry Folkers, Dylan Heikes, Nathan Heimes*** Ella Kelly, Nora Lange, Olivia Olsen, Jacob Pinkelman, Gabe Sovereign***, Axel Sudbeck

SEVENTH GRADE:

Nathan Brummels, Lucas Davies, Brooklyn Fischer, Celia Gall, Lily Heikes, Caleb Heimes, Abrie Humphries, Haleigh Lammers, Rylan Lammers, Rex Lippert*** Quinn Stratman, Lauren Uldrich***, Kate Wiedenfeld *** Denotes All A’s 

HONOR ROLL (3.0-3.499 GPA) SENIORS:

Logan Opfer, Alex Reineke, Ayden Rosener 

JUNIORS:

Kassydi Anderson, Keatyn Arens, Kaylee Christensen, Hazel hochstein, Carter Kelly, Lainey Morten, Ashton Wakely, 

SOPHOMORES:

Karissa Bruning, Colton Cavanaugh, Davey Folkers, Cris Kneifl, Cell Martell, Ty Opfer 

FRESHMEN:

Autumn Anderson, Kyptin Collier, Hayden Eickhoff, Tyler Johnson 

EIGHTH GRADE:

Colter Feilmeier, Hadley Grutsch, Scout Heimes, Gage Jacobs, Elena Reyes, Jocelyn Reyes, Wyatt Rice 

SEVENTH GRADE:

Kyler Anderson, Camryn Bruning, Cayce Cameron, Brody Dickes, Harper Folkers, Merrick Folkers, Waylan Grutsch,Evan Hart, Ella Hoeppner, Emma Hoeppner, Randall Huesers, Jerze Hunt, Brooke Kalin, Rylan Lammers, Londynn Morten,Willa Sage, Stella Sudbeck, Anthony Thoene, Logan Thoene, Harrison Winkelbauer

LINCOLN — “Every Moment” was the theme this year for the 97th Nebraska FFA State Convention, with 32 members of the Hartington- Newcastle FFA Chapter among the 7,800 blue jackets that invaded downtown Lincoln last week. Students have put in long hours in order to prepare for the state competition that took place over three days. Students from both Cedar Catholic and Hartington Newcastle took to the challenge to compete and represent the community in ten contests, the state choir, delegates, and receiving top awards.

The first day of the contest was focusing on Leadership Development Events. Breah Steffen and Karissa Bruning competed in Agricultural Demonstration. They showed their skills of Goat Showmanship, and answered questions from the judges, they received a bronze award at the state competition.

Sr. Public Speaking was a pre-written competition, Ava Stewart took to the challenge of writing a speech entitled “The Effect of CRISPR/Cas9 Technology on Genetic Diversity in Beef Cattle.” She presented and made her way into the Finals which was top six. She was on stage on Friday to receive her award of second place individual. We had three members of our group selected to be a part of the State FFA Choir, Aaralynn Collier is a four year member of the choir and she received a solo this year, Kyptin Collier, and Jayden Lordemann sang their hearts out at all the major sessions.

The Agricultural Proficiency awards honor FFA members who, through their Supervised Agricultural Experience, have developed specialized skills they can apply toward their future careers. Five students sent on their proficiency applications to the state competition. Ava Noecker and Ava Stewart were chosen to be State Finalists, where they had to interview in order to be awarded for first, second or third place.

Ava Noecker’s proficiency was in Dairy Production, she took first place and will have her application sent on to the National Competition this fall. Ava Stewart’s proficiency was on Swine Production, and she took second place.

Career Development events focused on more hands-on contests, Floriculture was the first contest to happen. The team placed 58th, with top individual was Maddie Steffen at 101st. Other teammates included Mckenzie Bruning, Kora Kneifl, and Katelyn Wubben.

Agronomy had an early morning but they rose to the challenge by team placing 45th, top individual members were Graham Potts 97th, Jason Heimes, Cole Heimes and Gabe Reyes. Livestock Management is a team-based competition with individual knowledge based components on six different species- bases. The team placed 19th and members consisted of Ava Noecker, Ava Stewart, Gus Lammers, Breah Steffen, Karissa Bruning and Adeline Pinkelman.

The Welding competition is designed to promote and create an interest in welding. The HNS team placed 56th. The top individuals were Ty Opfer in arc welding 30th, Josiah Christensen in tig welding 32nd, Cris Kneifl in oa welding 54th, and Castin Pinkleman in mig welding 57th.

The Agriscience team placed 100th. Calley Stewart was top individual on the team at 127th. Other members included Marek Heimes, Elsie Haahr and Gus Lammers.

Livestock Judging was early to start there Friday but students identify, evaluate the difference in breeding and market livestock. The team placed 54th, with top individuals Ava Noecker 76th individual, Breah Steffen placed 118th, other teammates included Quinn Hochstein and Ashton Wakeley.

Poultry Evaluation blends practical hands-on experience with the basic knowledge of the poultry industry. This year’s team placed 23rd, teammates included Calley Stewart, Ava Stewart, Ali Ford and Jade Ford.

On Friday, ten seniors got to walk across the stage in order to receive the top award, the Nebraska State FFA Degree. Mckenzie Bruning, Nicholas Coleman, Aaralynn Collier, Cole Heimes, Benjamin Klenschmit, Matthew Loecker, Ava Noecker, Castin Pinkleman, Claire Rolfes and Maddie Steffen applied with a written application and did an in-person interview about their SAE and FFA involvement in order to receive the top honor that can be received within high school.

The HNS FFA members also recognized FFA teach/sponsor Emma Lammers upon receiving her Honorary State FFA Degree for going above and beyond for things in the classroom, school and for the chapter.

The reading, free and open to the public, will begin at 2 p.m. in the second-floor lounge of the Humanities Building. This event will be livestreamed on the Plains Writers Series Facebook page.

Jensen is the author of “The Smoke of You: A Memoir of Love During & After Deployment,” published by MilSpeak Books in 2023.

The Fiction Slam will follow the Plains Writers Series reading. The slam will be held at 7 p.m. at the Max Bar and Grill in downtown Wayne. Registration begins at 6:30 p.m. for slam participants who need to bring two original short stories and the $5 registration fee. The slam is also free and open to the public. For more information, visit www.wscpress.com. Amber Jensen completed her undergraduate studies in English and Spanish at South Dakota State University. After teaching English in Mexico for five years, she continued her studies in literature and writing, earning a graduate degree at SDSU and a master of fine arts degree in Creative Writing from the University of New Orleans.

Encouraged by mentors in both programs, Jensen began drafting essays, finding homes for some of them in “North Dakota Quarterly,” “Narrative Inquiry,” at “Oh-Dark-Thirty,” and in Red, White, & True: Stories from Military Veterans and Their Families WWII to Present. These essays are now part of her first book, “The Smoke of You: A Memoir of Love During & After Deployment,” published by MilSpeak Books.

The Plains Writers Series is held several times a year at Wayne State and has been an integral part of the college’s history since 1977. This reading series generally features Great Plains authors and artists in a one or two-day event that is free and open to the public. The Plains Writers Series brings attention to the prose and poetry of Great Plains writers through reading and interacting with area audiences.

The Plains Writers Series provides a forum for Nebraska’s contemporary writers and poets to share their work with Nebraska readers. The content of the project is literature, especially that of rural Nebraska. Literature will be the entire focus of the series throughout the day in the form of readings, questions and answer sessions, one-on-one conversations between the audience members, and the authors presenting their work. Following the readings, a poetry or fiction slam is held in downtown Wayne.

For more information about the Plains Writers Series, contact Chad Christensen, managing editor of the WSC Press and director of the Plains Writers Series, at wscpress@wsc.

The UNL Haskell Ag Lab will be hosting Winter Fest on Saturday, Dec. 7 from 9 a.m. to noon.

Winter Fest is a winter workshop for adults and youth that will be both fun and educational.

The UNL Haskell Ag Lab is located at 57905 866 Road, Concord, NE.

Highlights of the event include winter preparedness, winter weather on landscapes, a wreath workshop, numerous youth activities involving winter weather, ornaments, games and more.

Kim Bearnes, Stanton County Extension Educator from the Nebraska EDEN Team, will lead a session in preparing your homes, vehicles, and yourselves for the winter season.

This session aims to equip participants with the knowledge and resources necessary to help you face those Nebraska winter challenges safely and confidently.

Another session will be led by Ian Peterson, Horticulture Extension Educator, on winter weather on your landscapes.

Winter weather brings about a time to see our landscape in a different light - snow-capped shrubs, rustling leaves still clinging to branches and wildlife scrounging around for seeds and nuts.

Cold temperatures, temperature swings and storms also create potential risks for our plants. Learn about conditions such as frost cracking and plant heaving; what to do when heavy snow damages a tree; and preventative steps to keep your landscape as healthy as possible through the dormant season.

The wreath workshop cost is $30 per wreath. All other activities are free. All children must have an adult on site. Snacks will be available for everyone attending.

Register for the wreath workshop by calling 402-5842261. Limited spots are available. No pre-registration is needed for the other activities.

The following is the list of 4-H exhibitors and the ribbons earned currently available.

Aaron Heine, Aerospace, Rocket Self designed, red, SR* Adalynn Zach, Heritage - Level 1, Family Traditions Exhibit, wooden spool doll: displayed in basket, purple Adelyn Reifenrath, Photography Unit II, Creative Techniques & Lighting Display or Print, Spike Glass, blue; Photography Unit II, Abstract Photography Display or Print, Gum, purple; Photography Unit II, Expression Throught Color Display or Print, Red Glass, purple; Visual Art Mediums, Original Pencil Drawing, Girl, purple Ali Ford, Food Preservation, Pickled Exhibit - 1 Jar, beets, blue; Food Preservation, Jelled Exhibit - 1 Jar, rhubard cherry, blue; Food Preservation, 1 jar Tomato Exhibit, salsa, purple Allie Freeman, Design Decision, Accessory- Original Floral Design, Sola Fower Arrangement: pine, yellow, orange flowers, burplap with white polka dot bow, red; Food Preservation, Baked Item made with Frozen Produce, cherry bars, red; Human Development, Language and Literacy Development, Letter Game, purple; Welding, Welding Art, welded snowmen, blue; Welding, Welding Article, welded yard cross, blue; Wildlife Habitat, Feeders / Waterers, bird waterer, blue Alma White, Design Decision, C257019 - Accessory - Recycled/Upcycled Item for Home, bike rim, purple Andee English, Visual Art Mediums, C260001 - Original Acrylic Painting, waterfall: blue with silver streaks, tree to left with pink & white blossoms, blue Ava Stewart, Computers, Computer Slideshow Presentation - Unit 2, “weaning and stress relief in Beef Cattle”, blue; Heritage - Level II, Story or Illustration of a historical event, Tower of Babel magazine, blue; STEAM Clothing 3 A Stitch Further, Dress or Formal, dress, purple; Veterinary Science, Veterinary Science Large Animal Display, red Bentley Sears, Entomology, Insect Poster/Display, life cycle of blue swallowtail butterfly, blue; Floriculture, Dahlia, blue Forestry, Cross Section, cross section of tree, purple; Horticulture, Slicing Cucumbers, purple; Veterinary Science, Veterinary Science Large Animal Display, dehorning of calf, purple Brady Heimes, Beyond The Needle, Embellished Garment With Original Design, tye dye shirt, blue Braeden Gubbels, Photography Unit II, Creative Techniques & Lighting Display or Print, Light Ball, blue; Photography Unit III, Advanced Composition Print, Glass Wall Reflection, blue Breah Steffen, STEAM Clothing 2 - Simply Sewing, Bottom, white & red flowered skirt, blue Brianna Jensen, Field Crops, Corn, purple; Field Crops, Soybeans, purple; Floriculture, Sedum, purple; Floriculture, Rudbeckia/Black-Eyed Susan, Black-Eyed Susan, blue; Horticulture, Parsley, blue; Brianna Jensen, Visual Art Mediums, Original Acrylic Painting, sun: vivid colors (almost neon), red; Wildlife Habitat, Feeders / Waterers, bird feeder/waterer, blue Brooklyn Haahr, Design Decision, Accessory-Orig made from Wood, wooden flag, blue Brooklyn Lenhoff, Design Decision, Accessory- 3-D, flower canvas, blue; Horticulture, Mint, red Calley Stewart, Computers, Computer Slideshow Presentation - Unit 2, career ready journey, blue; Shopping in Style, binder, purple, Chesney Foxhoven, Visual Art Mediums, Original Pencil Drawing, You Rock, red; Visual Art Mediums, Original Charcoal Drawing, acorn, blue Clara Wuebben, Entomology, Insect Habitats, Bee hotel, blue Cody Edwards, Design Decision, Furniture-Recycled/Remade, dog kennel from side table, red Duke Sorenson, Harvesting Equipment, Wildlife Harvesting Equipment Board Exhibit, Muskrat trap: display on board, blue; Harvesting Equipment, Inventing Wildlife/Fish Harvesting Equipment, Aid or Accessory, Portable Pocket, blue Eli Stewart, Aerospace, Rocket, rocket & stand, blue; Computers, Printing, rocket holder, purple; Welding, Plasma Cutter/Welding Design, cordless tool organizer, purple Elle White, Visual Art Mediums, Original Oil Painting, dandelion painting, blue, Emma Birger, Design Decision, Furniture- Recycled/Remade, Resin wood coffee table, purple, Erin Engel, Design Decision, Accessory- 3-D, fabric tie wreath, purple; Erin Engel, Photography Unit III, Level 3 Portfolio, Portfolio, purple, SR; Visual Art Mediums, Original Ceramic Pottery, Raku vase: cream w/ horizontal green lines, vertical textured lines, blue, Evie Freeman, Citizenship, Patriotic or Cultural Fine Arts, Flag Painting, blue; Visual Art Mediums, Original Pencil Drawing, colored pencil art, blue; Visual Arts Themes, Original Art Inspired by People, Family Heart Art, red; Welding, H920003 - Welding Art, Welded Snails, red; Welding, Welding Article, Welded Yard Snowflake, blue, Faith Urwiler, Cooking 401, Foam Cake, Chaffon cake, purple; Design Decision, Accessory- 3-D, diamond art coffee: Central Perk, blue; Visual Arts Themes, Original Art Inspired by Plants or Animals, Ink Art (RoseMary) the goat, blue; Visual Arts Themes, Original Art Inspired by Artist’s Choice, Hubba Bubba Car Candy, red Grady Stewart, Aerospace, Rocket, rocket & stand, blue; Wildlife and How They Live, Wildlife Tracks, wildlife track box, purple, SR Hadley Nordby, Wildlife and How They Live, D340008 - Wildlife Diorama, Sonoran Desert: wooden exterior, blue Heidi Lewon, Beyond The Needle, Fashion Accessory, bracelet, blue; Cooking 201, Coffee Cake, raspberry coffee cake, red; Cooking 401, Double Crust Fruit Pie, Apple Double Crusted Pie, purple, SR; Design Decision, Accessory - 2-D, Home Sweet Home, purple; Design Decision, Accessory-Orig made from Metal, Wire Cross, purple, Hunter Kuchta, Horticulture, Snap Beans Jackson Hall, Cooking 301, White Bread, purple Jacy Nelson, Human Development, Social Emotional Development, ring toss game:flamingo in cement bucket, blue; Photography Unit II, Candid Photography Display or Exhibit Print, Football Throw, blue Jade Ford, Food Preservation, Jelled Exhibit - 1 Jar, apple jelly, purple; Horticulture, Broccoli, green comet, blue; Visual Art Mediums, Original Pencil Drawing, dragon, red Jayden Lordemann, Food Preservation, dried fruit, dried cinn. Apple, strawberry, banana, blue; Food Preservation, fruit leather, blueberry apple, cinn. Apple, cherry apple, purple Jeffrey Heine, Aerospace, Rocket Self designed, red, SR Kendra Schmit, Computers, Computer Slideshow Presentation - Unit 2, slideshow, blue; Safety, Disaster Kit, Grey 4-H Bag, blue; STEAM Clothing 2 - Simply Sewing - Dress, sundress: sage green with tie straps, blue Kennedy Hall, Floriculture, G770065 - Desert Garden, purple Kynlee Steffen, Horticulture, Yellow Summer Squash, blue; Horticulture, Sage, purple; Quilt Quest, Quilt, Corner Play, blue; STEAM Clothing 2 - Simply Sewing, Bottom, Blue Paisley Wrap Skirt, purple Levi Steffen, Floriculture, Petunia, blue, Floriculture, Zinnia, red; Floriculture, G770023 - Other Annual or Biennial, red Luke Erwin, Cooking 201, Biscuits or Scones, lemon blueberry scones, blue; Cooking 201, Coffee Cake, strawberry coffee cake, blue; Cooking 301, Specialty Rolls, Braid, red; Cooking 401, Ethnic Foods Exhibit, Rosettes, purple; Cooking 401, Foam Cake, Angel Food Cake, purple; General Foods, Cooking Basic Recipe File, purple Luke Freeman, Welding, Welding Article, spider, blue Luke Schmit, Electricity, Electrical or Electronic Part ID, Irrigation Parts, blue Lydia Heine, Cooking 401, Candy, gummy treats, purple Maleah Heimes, Photography Unit II, Expression Throught Color Display or Print, Lettuce, blue; STEAM Clothing 2 - Simply Sewing, Upcycled Garment, shades of pink/purple dress, blue; STEAM Clothing 2 - Simply Sewing, Two-piece Outfit, denim wrap skirt and white shirt, blue Malyla Zach, Heritage - Level 1, Family Traditions Exhibit, wooden spool doll: displayed in basket, purple, SR Mary Heine, Aerospace, Rocket Any Skill with wooden fins, painted by hand/brush, rocket with wood fins, blue Morgan Kuchta, Horticulture, Okra, red Nolan Nordby, Wildlife and How They Live, Wildlife Diorama, Central Forest Grasslands Transition: wooden exterior, blue Oakley Sorenson, Horticulture, European Pears, Bartlett, red; Visual Art Mediums, Original Pencil Drawing, Crazy cow: cow face outline with colorful pattern background, blue; Visual Arts Themes, Original Art Inspired by Artist’s Choice, Ear Tag Farm Landscape, blue, Rowen Conaway, Visual Art Mediums, Original Single Media Not Listed, diamond art fox, blue; Wildlife and How They Live, Wildlife Diorama, Woodland Forest, blue Ruth Heimes, Beyond The Needle, Embellished Garment With Original Design, tie-dye shirt, blue Sadie Nelson, Design Decision, Accessory - 3-D, 3D Wall Art: doilies & flowers on blue backgroun, blue; Food Preservation, dried herbs, basil, sage, parsley, purple Sawyer Tanderup, Visual Art Mediums, Original Acrylic Painting, deer, purple Sawyer Lenhoff, Floriculture, Coneflower, blue Sophie Gubbels, Photography Unit II, Creative Techniques & Lighting Display or Print, Home Plate, red Sophie Nelson, Cooking 201, E410004 - Healthy Baked Product, flourless PBJ cookies, purple Stella Graham, Human Development, Babysitting Kit, clear tote with black lid & handle, blue; My Financial Futures, SMART Financial Goals, red; Quilt Quest, C229051- Quilt, Jelly Roll Quilt, blue Trynity Zach, Photography Unit III, Portrait Print, “Lil Bro” with upside down sunglasses, pacifier, white husker shirt, blue Cody Edwards, Rabbits, Breeding Rabbits: Lionhead Jr. Buck, purple; Rabbits, Breeding Rabbits: Lionhead Jr. Doe, purple; Rabbits, Breeding Rabbits: Netherland Dwarf Jr. Buck, blue; Rabbits, Intermediate Showmanship, blue Kennedy Hall, Rabbits, Breeding Rabbits: Holland Lop Jr. Buck, purple Kennedy Hall, Rabbits, Breeding Rabbits: Holland Lop Jr. Doe, blue Brianna Jensen, Fashion Show, blue Blake Klug, Sheep, Breeding Sheep: Commercial Meat Breed Ewe Lambs, purple; Blake Klug, Sheep, Market Sheep- Crossbred Market Lambs, blue; Blake Klug, Sheep, Senior Showmanship, blue Emmett Klug, Sheep, Breeding Sheep: Commercial Meat Breed Ewe Lambs (Born 9/1/23 & after), blue; Emmett Klug, Sheep, Market Sheep- Crossbred Market Lambs, purple; Emmett Klug, Sheep, Junior Showmanship, blue Heidi Lewon, Fashion Show, Beyond the Needle: Embellished Garment with Original Design, purple; Heidi Lewon, Fashion Show, Shopping In Style Purchased Outfit & Written Report, purple Ava Stewart, Poultry, Game Bantams: Old English Black Cock, blue; Ava Stewart, Poultry, Game Bantams: Old English Black Hen, blue; Ava Stewart, Poultry, Senior Showmanship, purple; Ava Stewart, Poultry, SCCL-Non Game Bantams: Japanese Black Tail White Cock, blue Calley Stewart, Poultry RCCL Bantams: Wyandotte Partridge Cock, blue; Calley Stewart, Poultry RCCL Bantams: Wyandotte Partridge Hen blue; Calley Stewart, Poultry Senior Showmanship, blue; Calley Stewart, Fashion Show, Shopping In Style Purchased Outfit & Written Report, purple SR*- Special Recognition

In Tuesday night’s primary election, Thelen and Lucas Stueckrath did not receive enough votes to move on in the race. Thelen received 139 votes and Stueckrath, 55.

In a field of eight candidates for three open spots, the top six move on to face off in the general election in November including Cody Backer with 299 votes; Chris Winkelbauer, 245 votes; Tiffany Gatzemeyer, 185; Marvin Nordhues, 175; Corby Robinson, 160; and Anson Dockhorn, 150 votes.

“It’s hard when there’s so many candidates to spread the votes around,” Thelen said. “All of them are very good and good luck to everybody in the general.”

Stueckrath said he wasn’t sure why the votes didn’t fall his way.

“It is what it is,” he said.

Thelen said he would be open to running again.

“If the right situation comes about I think I would,” he said.

Backer is the incumbent, having served on the board already for two terms and looking to keep his seat for a third term. He said his record on the board may have resonated with voters.

“I want to thank everyone for voting for me and I’m just going to keep doing what’s in the best interest for the school and the kids,” he said.

Hartington-Newcastle Public Schools’ Jazz Band took home the trophy plaque, as each judge gave them a superior rating.

Large Groups which are adjudicated by three judges have the opportunity to earn a plaque and District Medals when all three judges give them a superior rating or a one (1). Again this year the Hartington Newcastle Jazz Band took home a plaque by earning 1-1-1= 1 + plaque.

Jazz Band Members include, Abby Aberson- Piano, Drummers- Cortana Williams, Gabe Sovereign, Emily Climer, Scout Heimes, Bass Guitar - Kaydence McCray, Alto Sax - Cris Kneifl,Cam Cameron, Kloe Fischer, Karli Bruning, Nora Lange; Tenor Sax- Kora Kneifl, Katelyn Uldrich, Ali Ford, Brooklynn Peters, Bair Sax - Issac Santiago. Trombone- Kyptin Collier, Adan Anderson, Braydon Lammers, Henry Folkers, Nathan Heimes, Owen Hart, Dylan Heikes, Ashlynn Dailey,Trumpet-Trynity Zach, Alyk Zach, Logan Kneifl, Allison Huesers, Elena Reyes, Ryell Haug. Director Mrs. Hahne said the judges commented on dynamics and rich tone of the band.

Concert Band brought home an excellent rating. 2-21=2 They were 1 point away from a Superior Rating.

Concert Band Members include: Flute-AbbyAnderson, Kaydence McCray, Ali Ford, Kloe Fischer, Clarinets-Karli Bruning, Kora Kneifl, Issac Santiago, Katelyn Uldrich, Nora Lange, Alto Saxophones- Cris Kneifl, Cam Carl, French Horns- Aidan Anderson, Ashlynn Dailey, Trumpets-Trynity Zach, Ryell Haug, Alyk Zach, Logan Kneifl, Allison Huesers, Elena Reyes. TemorSax-Brooklynn Peters, Baritone-Axel Sudbeck, Jacob Hagen, Trombone-Brayden Lammers, Owen Hart, Nathan Heimes, Henry Folkers, Tuba-Kyptin Collier, Dylan Heikes, Percussion- Emily Climer, Scout Heimes, Gabe Sovereign, Cortana Williams, Kaylee Ptak and Violet Sage.

Kaydence McCray earned an excellent rating on her flute solo.

Thursday, April 25: Breakfast: Pancake on a Stick, Fruit, Juice, Milk; Lunch: Tater Tot Casserole, Bread, Fresh Veggies, Applesauce, Milk.

Friday, April 26: Breakfast: Assorted Cereal Bars, Fruit, Juice, Milk; Lunch: Chicken Quesadilla, Lettuce/ Tomatoes/Red Peppers, Pineapple, Milk.

Monday, April 29: Breakfast: Assorted Cereal, Fruit, Juice, Milk; Lunch: Chicken Nuggets, Cheesy Green Beans, Fresh Veggies, Mandarin Oranges, Milk.

Tuesday, April 30: Breakfast: French Toast Sticks, Juice, Milk; Lunch: Mandarin Orange Chicken, Rice, Bread, Fresh Veggies, Pears, Milk. May Menu Unavailable.

HOLY TRINITY / CEDAR CATHOLIC SCHOOLS

Thursday, April 25: Burritos, French Fries, Fruit & Veggie Bar, Milk.

Friday, April 26: BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich, Seasoned Fries, Fruit & Veggie Bar, Milk.

Monday, April 29: Chicken Shape?? Mashed Potatoes/Gravy, Peas, Sr. Schubert Roll, Fruit & Veggie Bar, Milk.

Tuesday, April 30: Taverns, Cubed Potatoes, Cubed Potatoes, Baked Beans, Fruit & Veggie Bar, Milk. May Menu Unavailable.

WYNOT PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Thursday, April 25: Breakfast: Eggbake & Banana Bread; Lunch: Sausage Pizza, Letuce, Apple Salad, Peanut Butter Bar, Milk.

Friday, April 26: Breakfast: Muffins; Lunch: Tavern, Pickles, Baked Beans, Macaroni Salad, Strawberries & Bananas, Milk.

Monday, April 29: Breakfast: Dutch Waffle & Yogurt; Lunch: Chicken Nuggets, Potato Wedges, Cheesy Green Beans, Pineapple, Bun, Milk

Tuesday, April 30: Breakfast: Pancakes & Sausage; Lunch: Chicken Wraps with Fixings, Tater Tots, Watermelon, Jell-O Cake, Milk. May Menu Unavailable.

Fiction Titles

The Darling Girls, Sally Hepworth Toxic Prey, John Sandford She’s Not Sorry, Mary Kubica One by One, Freida McFadden After Annie, Anna Quindlen End of Story, AJ Finn Everyone is Watching, Heather Gudenkauf Expiration Dates, Rebecca Serle Good Half Gone, Tarryn Fischer Every Single Secret, Christina Dodd Non-Fiction

2024 One Book, One Nebraska Dancing with the Octopus: A Memoir of a Crime, Debora Harding Arthur: The Dog Who Crossed the Jungle to Find a Home, Mikael Lindnord Billy the Kid and Jesse James: Outlaws of the Legendary West, Bill Markley Geronimo and Sitting Bull, Bill Markley Juvenile Fiction

The Last Firehawk Series bk. 1-12, Katrina Charman A to Z Animal Mysteries Series bk. 1-4-Ron Roy’s The 169-Story Treehouse: Doppelganger Doom, Andy Griffiths Beach Pug, Kyla May Dog Man: The Scarlet Shedder, Dav Pilkey Picture Books

Eeny and Her Sisters, Jane Yolen Buffalo Fluffalo, Bess Kalb A Friend for Eddy, Phuc Tran This Little Kitty in the Garden, Karen Obuhanych Hen in the Bed, Katrina Charman Bubbly Beautiful Kitty-Corn Shannon Hale Big, Vashti Harrison

DVDs

The Paw Patrol Mighty Wish Elemental Kindness Matters Trolls Band Together Watch for Adventure Begins at your Library, the 2024 Summer Reading Program, starting June 6- July 12, PreS (4 years old) through fifth grade.

The library’s hours are Monday- Thursday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; and Saturday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Call or visit the library to reserve a title, (402) 254-6245, or reserve online at libraries.ne.gov/ hartington There is a two-week checkout on all books and magazines with renewals; and a three-day check-out on DVDs. The Omaha World Herald and Yankton Press & Dakotan newspapers are available daily, as is the Cedar County News.