For the past few months, I’ve been fielding questions about the baby formula crisis. Make no mistake, the shortage of baby formula is indeed a crisis.

Two hundred forty-six years ago, our Founding Fathers bravely defied the most powerful nation on earth and put pen to paper to assert an eternal, self-evident truth: All men are created equal. We are endowed by our Creator with inalienable rights that no government can justly take away. This recognition is what makes our country so unique. What unites us as Americans is neither religion, ancestry, nor language. Rather, it’s our shared commitment to the truth of equal human dignity. Every Independence Day, we honor the men and women who started the great American experiment all those years ago. And we celebrate the triumph of the principles we hold dear. America is at its best when we honor our founding principles; our greatest suffering and division have come from neglecting them.

Well, getting older has its rewards but also has its problems. At a recent visit to the orthopedist to check out a continuing hip problem, they discovered I had a high blood pressure reading - too high. So, after visiting with the specialist and deciding to get an MRI and try to find the cause of hip pain, the nurse took another blood pressure.

I always enjoy visiting with Nebraskans and seeing the exciting developments happening across our state. As part of a recent state work period, I had the chance to spend the day in Hastings and participate in a series of business tours. In this week’s column, I’d like to tell you a little bit about what I saw that day.

Roger Houser of Elwood is the fourth winner of a 2022 Ford F-150 XLT 4x4 Crew Cab Flex Fuel truck in the 27th edition of the Nebraska Lottery’s $2 Truck$ & Buck$ Scratch game. Houser purchased his winning Truck$ & Buck$ ticket at The Red Barn at 107 N Smith Ave.

Abby Andrews spent May 23-June 8 as a volunteer with the organization Volunteers Around the World, serving the low-income population of Cusco, Peru, a city in the Peruvian Andes. Andrews’ team worked at a clinic assisting two doctors and a pharmacist.

ARAPAHOE - Arapahoe Rehab & Fitness, a new physical therapy location, opened in Arapahoe last week with plans to soon expand into a 24-hour fitness center as well. Since opening Cribelli Physical Therapy in Cambridge four-and-a-half years ago, Brett Cribelli said most thoughts of business expansion included moving east into the Arapahoe area.

Tri Valley Health System has purchased the Arapahoe and Oxford Physical Therapy Clinics from Southwest Nebraska Physical Therapy (SWNPT). After many years of being privileged to provide physical therapy services in the Arapahoe and Oxford communities, SWNPT had decided it was time to make a change and to discontinue providing services in these communities.

{ FROM OUR FILES } Arapahoe Public Mirror 10 years ago Kim Hammond became the new owner of Williams Bros. purchasing the business from Norma Steele.

Michael J. Heskett, age 59, passed away at the Community Hospital of McCook on May 3, 2022. He was born on October 20, 1962, in McCook to Marvin R and Verna I. (Hill). Mike attended grade school and high school in McCook. Michael enjoyed many TV shows especially, The Dukes of Hazard, Incredible Hulk. He would wintered in Arizona with his parents for six months of the year. There, his parents square danced, and Michael would enjoy the music and watch them dance. He was a social person and was loved by all. Michael loved to go out to eat whether it be at Mac’s in McCook or Shirley K’s Coffee Shop in Cambridge. He was employed at SWATS doing various jobs. Michael lived at home till his parents moved into Cambridge Manor on Halloween in 2001. Michael then went to live in a group home in McCook. Cremation was chosen by family and a Memorial service was June 4, 2022 at the Herrmann- Jones Funeral Chapel in McCook with Rev. Tim Burke officiating. Inurnment in the Memorial Park Cemetery. Friends may leave online condolences at herrmannfh. com. Memorials may be left in Michael’s name to the Southwest Area Training Center.