Over the past two weekends, seniors have graduated at Arapahoe, Cambridge, Elwood, Southern Valley and Southwest high schools. Students in eacgh graduating classes have been awarded scholarships to continue their education through local giving as well as through national scholarship programs or even their post-secondary school of choice.

ARAPAHOE - Arapahoe High School held commencement for its Class of 2021 this weekend, rehashing memories of the past while looking to the future for the class of graduates. Pictured are family and friends posing with graduates in the post-ceremony receiving line.

We are in the home stretch of wrapping up this first session of the 107th Legislature and it certainly has felt like an extra long session. The Speaker of the Legislature has announced that the last day will likely be May 27th. There are still several bills yet to be addressed this session and we will continue to work on them until the end. My colleagues and I will be back sometime this fall for a special session to address redistricting, but I think we are all ready for the lull in-between and I am certainly ready to get back home on the farm.

Back pain can be disabling, not only in terms of employment but also in terms of social connections. This point was never more clear to me than when I saw Maria, a 56-year-old experiencing severe low back pain for nearly five years. The pain prevented her from standing or walking for more than five minutes at a time and had cost her the job she loved. Maria shared with me her one heart-wrenching goal; she wanted to hold her first grandchild, a six-month-old baby boy. Doing so had caused pain so intense it put her in bed for a full day afterwards.

When I speak with the farmers, ranchers, manufacturers, and other businesses in the Third District, a common theme is the importance of trade to our state’s economic success. This week, the Ways and Means Committee held our annual hearing on the administration's trade policy agenda, where members of the committee had their first opportunity to hear from and question Ambassador Katherine Tai, our recently confirmed United States Trade Representative (USTR). I appreciated the opportunity to urge the Biden Administration to enforce existing trade agreements and reiterate the necessity of renewing Trade Promotional Authority and completing pending free trade agreements that would not only benefit Nebraska, but our nation as a whole.

From the 1940s until 1999, all quarters looked essentially the same. The U.S. Mint had been using the same design on every new quarter for more than 60 years – George Washington on one side, and a bald eagle on the other.

Charleen M. Bennett, 90 years of age, of McCook, Nebraska, formerly of Edison, Nebraska, passed away on Monday, May 10, 2021, at Great Plains Health in North Platte, Nebraska.

On April 28,2021 (J.R.) James Knifley, went to heaven to go fishing with his Dad-Paul Knifley, Grandpa-William B.Kruger, Grandma & Grandpa-Betty&Elmer Hyde, Grandma-Mildred Knifley, Aunt&Uncle-Alberta& Bill Hannah, Uncles-Dave Denton & Albert(Bud) Kruger, Sister- Debbie Brown, Brother- Lee Knifley,and cousins. His love for his family was stong & unconditional. His love of life and gentle nature with children will live on in the hearts of us he leaves behind : His Mother-Cindy Knifley-Free,Step-dad-Wade Free,Grandma-Betty Kruger, Wife-Adrianna, Children- Jessica, Jason, Alex, Jay, Shane. Grandbabies-Desmin, Timbre, Aubree. Brothers & Sister- Tim Knifley Paul Knifley jr.,Evelyn Hartwell. Aunts & Uncles- Bill & Pam Kruger, Tootie Denton, Roberta Kruger, Bill & Annette Newcomb, Ron & Linda Kruger, Gary & Jamai Kruger, Patti & Shawn Adler .and numerous cousins, nieces & nephews. Services are pending.

Betty Ann Grissom, age 81, of Arapahoe, Nebraska passed away peacefully at home on Tuesday, May 11, 2021. She was born on May 17, 1939 in Ashdown, Arkansas to Raymond and Odell (Cooper) Robbins.