Phillis Rose Brown age 98 formerly of Cambridge, passed away at the Holdrege Memorial Homes on January 4, 2021. She was a twin, born at home near Norman, Nebraska on January 19, 1922 to Christian and Agnes (Larsen) Sorensen. Phillis attended country school and later graduated from Cambridge High School in 1940.

Robert LeRoy Ruppert, age 82 of McCook, died January 3, 2021. He was born on April 18, 1938 to Jay and Doris (Meissner) Ruppert at Quick, NE (Frontier County). He married Velma Jean Speth on December 26, 1957 whom he was married to for 63 years.

A Private Family Mass of Christian Burial for Phyllis M. Hanson will be held on Saturday, January 9, 2021, at 10:30 a.m. at the St. John’s Catholic Church in Smithfield, Nebraska with Father Thomas Lux as Celebrant. Interment will follow at the Robb Cemetery at rural Gosper County, Nebraska. Phyllis’ mass will be live-streamed on the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home Facebook page: ( HYPERLINK “https://www.facebook.com/NelsonBauer-Funeral-Homes-m6o1113801622” https://www.facebook.com/Nelson-Bauer-FuneralHomes-111601113801622

We wrapped up the two weeks of our children being home from school for the holidays this week. It was enjoyable having them around during the day, but as they say: when you love someone, you’re still ready to see them go. Well, it’s something like that.

The Cornhusker State is the best place in the world to live, work, and raise a family. That’s not just something we say—it’s reflected in national data. On a per capita basis, Nebraska welcomes more babies into the world each year than almost any other state.

On Wednesday of this week we Legislature by swearing in eight new senators. Only five of them are truly new, as we are welcoming back three veterans who have chosen to return for another term. As always, committee chair elections provide a little drama for the first day. Hopefully this year that will be kept to a minimum. There are a few contested races as I am writing this, but anyone can self-nominate from the floor to be chairman of any committee, so all races could be contested. I am hopeful that does not happen because I am currently running unopposed for Chairman of the Executive Committee. There are nine members on the Executive Committee, three positions are elected by the entire body of the Legislature: the Speaker, the Chairman and Vice Chairman. The remaining six members of the Executive Committee are elected from their respective caucuses. The three caucuses are roughly the same as our Congressional districts. This ensures that representation from across the state is on the Executive Committee.

Did you know that the Air Force is in the weather business? In fact, some of the most advanced weather forecasting equipment in the world belongs to the U.S. Air Force, and it’s based right here in Nebraska.

CAMBRIDGE - Three residents of Cambridge’s Harvest Meadows subdivision have filed a lawsuit in Furnas County District Court to appeal the Cambridge City Council’s decision to grant a Conditional Use Permit for a lot in Harvest Meadows.