BARTLEY - The Southwest Board of Education gathered Monday for a brief meeting to discuss the preschool application process and guidelines and to purchase a new piece of equipment for the district. After approval of minutes and claims and the presentation of the Treasurer's Report, the Board received notification of the upcoming Superintendent evaluation in accordance with Board Policy 4057.

A Memorial Service for Eldon C. Booker will be held on Friday, October 22, 2021 at 10:30 a.m. at the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege, Nebraska. Inurnment will be held at the Edison Cemetery, Edison, Nebraska, at a later date.

Rex Mishler, passed away peacefully, with his wife by his side on September 5, 2021 following a brief illness. Rex was born in Cambridge, Nebraska on July 26, 1946; the only child of Robert and Wilma Mishler.

Michael Glen James, age 66, of Arapahoe, Nebraska passed away on Saturday, October 2, 2021 at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska. He was born on December 20, 1954 in Norton, Kansas to Glen and Norma (McConnell) James. Mike grew up south of Holbrook, Nebraska and attend school thru the fourth grade at Hendley, Nebraska and then attended Arapahoe High School. After his schooling, he worked for the railroad at Alliance, Nebraska. He would then enlisted in the U.S. Navy and serve until 1987. After his service was completed, he worked for Rex Danielson doing auto body work in Kearney, Nebraska and also worked for Art’s Building Supply of Elwood constructing metal buildings. In June of 1990, he started working for Adam’s Construction of Arapahoe, Nebraska. He would work with them until his retirement in 2020.

John William Chamberlin, 84 of Chapman, Kansas passed away peacefully September 28, 2021 at Enterprise Estates Nursing Home. He was born in rural Chapman in 1936 the son of Ralph and Frances (Hill) Chamberlin. He attended Fragrant Hill one room grade school and graduated from Dickinson County Community High School. John married Marjorie Sautter and they established their home north of Chapman. They had four children, Michael, Patricia, Randall and Rodney. He was a farmer and operated a road grader for Dickinson County. He was a member of the Alida United Methodist Church. He served his church in various ways. He really enjoyed being a youth leader and youth Sunday School teacher and singing in church choir. He enjoyed all sports and coached youth basketball and was a 4-H leader. He attended as many of his kids, grandkids and great-grandkids activities as possible.

John A. Hanson, age 94, of Arapahoe, Nebraska passed away on Thursday, September 16, 2021 at the C.A. Mues Good Samaritan Center in Arapahoe, Nebraska. He was born on September 14, 1927 in Yutan, Nebraska to Harry & Dorothy (Jacobs) Hanson, the second of six children.

A Memorial Graveside Service for Verda L. Covey will be held on Friday, October 15, 2021, at 11:00 a.m.

In the last couple years, I have developed a renewed awe and appreciation of our scientists around the world who work for entire careers to advance science and medicine in their laboratories and beyond. One such scientist is Dr. Barry Marshall. Marshall is an Australian physician scientist, who in the early 1980’s along with his cohort Dr. Robin Warren, initiated a paradigm shift in the world’s understanding of gastrointestinal disease when they discovered the bacterium Helicobacter pylori. Prior to that, peptic ulcer disease was thought to be due entirely to lifestyle factors and stress. Marshall and Warren were ultimately able to show that H. pylori played a major role in maybe 80 percent of ulcers worldwide at that time. H. pylori is an unusual bacterium in that it can grow and thrive in a highly acidic environment like the stomach, and for that reason it was difficult to grow in culture. It was found to be widespread around the world, partly due to poor water sanitation systems. The bacteria can invade the surface of the stomach and duodenum, causing inflammation of the stomach or gastritis, ulcers, and rarely, stomach cancer. We now know that if H. pylori is a causative factor in a patient’s stomach ulcers, eradication of the bacteria is an essential part of curing the patient’s disease.

The last 18 months have been a roller coaster for the entire world. While many places have struggled, even in America, Nebraskans have come together to power through the pandemic. Our healthcare professionals have worked with compassion and skill to care for Nebraskans. Communities have supported their local businesses throughout the pandemic. Employers have overcome market disruptions to preserve and create jobs. Parents and schools worked to get kids back in the classroom. Our ag producers once again showed that they can be counted on to feed the nation and world. None of this has been easy, but Nebraskans have been up to the challenge.

As you know, we have just concluded the special legislative session to draw new boundary lines for the districts of five elected and one appointed group in our state; the House of Representatives, the Legislature, the Nebraska Public Service Commission, the State Board of Education, the University of Nebraska Board of Regents, and the Nebraska Supreme Court. This decennial process is required by both the United States and Nebraska Constitutions on the heels of a U.S. census.