Frances Ellen (Colton) Miller, 106 years old, departed this earthly life, on March 29, 2022. She was born March 25, 1916, to Ernest and Faith (Tibbetts) Colton on her family farm, 17 miles north of Cambridge, at Orafino, Frontier County, NE. Frances grew up with her two older sisters, Myrtle, and Muriel. She attended a Frontier County Rural School through the 8th grade and attended Cambridge High School, graduating in 1934. She went on to receive her teaching certificate and taught for a few years in a rural school. She loved the children, participating in activities with them, even playing baseball in her dress and heels. She also attended Beauty School and owned her own hair salon.

Post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, was first listed as a medical diagnosis in 1980. However, it has been recognized and called by many different names throughout history. The first recorded description of PTSD is in the Epic of Gilgamesh which dates back to 2100 B.C. In The Iliad and The Odyssey, Homer wrote about Trojan War soldiers exhibiting the symptoms of PTSD. Shakespeare described a character in King Henry IV who suffered from post-traumatic nightmares.

The tax reform bill, LB 873, which I discussed at length last week, will provide over 900 million dollars in reduced taxes for the citizens of the state of Nebraska over a 5-year period. You may see other articles criticizing this tax change, saying that there was no tax break for middle or low income taxpayers, but this is absolutely not true. I want to set the record straight, if you pay income taxes, you get a tax break. Some additional funds for property tax relief were included to help rectify the situation of the overburden/overreliance on property taxes in the state, especially in K-12 education and community colleges. Those were two of the big components in LB 873, in addition to the phase out of the state income tax on social security benefits.

Presidents, especially those of different parties, have a history of reversing their predecessor’s policies once they are sworn in. This is not unusual. But a president inheriting a policy with bipartisan support that has helped keep America safe for two years, and choosing to reverse it anyway? That is very unusual.

As this update goes to press, the Nebraska Legislature will have completed 57 days of this year’s 60-day legislative session. Much of the focus and debate this week has been on taxes.

FURNAS, GOSPER COUNTY - With critical fire weather warnings issued throughout the end of last week, conditions were ideal for a wildfire to start and spread quickly last Thursday afternoon. In a rural field near the Frontier and Gosper county line, a dead tree fell in the near-60 miles per hour wind gusts, striking power lines, which created sparks and started a fire in the field.

In the District 2 Furnas County Commissioner’s race, incumbent Dennis Tegtman from Stamford is being challenged by Billy Frye from Beaver City in the May 10 primary. Since both candidates are Republicans, only one will advance to the general election ballot in November.

While responding to the Road 739 Fire Thursday, a two-vehicle accident occurred on Highway 283, claiming the life of Elwood Volunteer Fire Department Chief Darren Krull and injuring Phelps County Emergency Manager Justin Norris. Both vehicles involved were assisting in the fire response.

ELWOOD - The Southwest girls finished runner-up at the Hi-Line Invite Friday, leading four local teams in the 13-team fields at the first invite of the season. The Roughriders won 11 medals at the meet, led by Anastasia Gallegos, who took first in both the 100 and 300 hurdles events.

Brodie Mitchell Cade Schmidt Treven Critchfield.