By NCTA News The NCTA Crops Judging Team opened their season on a high note by placing first in the 2-year college division. The competition was held on Saturday, February 24, at Hutchinson Community College in Hutchinson, KS. Agronomy Professor Dr. Brad Ramsdale, coach, shared of the event, “The Hutchinson Crops Contest was another great learning experience for the students. The students have worked very hard during our practices the last six months and I’m very proud of their accomplishments.” The official 4-member team was Chase Glover, Tyler Keener, Leah Schutz, and Jay Mintling. Others competed unofficially. Individual Awards: Tyler Keener was 1st overall individual, 1st in Math Exam, 1st in Lab Practical, 2nd in Plant/Seed ID; Leah Schutz was 2nd overall individual, 1st in Plant/Seed ID, 2nd in Math Exam, and 2nd in Agronomic Knowledge Exam; Chase Glover was 3rd in Plant/Seed ID NCTA will host the next regional competition on our Curtis campus on March 23.

The Cambridge Area Rotary Club is delighted to announce that Paul Harris awards have been presented to Sarah Nickerson, Kate Warner, Lori Harding, and Lisa Shifflet over the past few weeks. The club convenes every Wednesday at noon at the Senior Center. If you’re interested in attending a meeting or becoming a member, please reach out to Debbi Runner or any Rotary Club member for more information.

Erin and Baylor Sheffi eld of Grand Island were Saturday afternoon callers of Roland and Jan Sheffield and all attended the Community Carnival in the evening. Tonya and Kirsta Dishman and Tyler and Taylor Horalek, Lawson and Judd of Haxtun, CO were weekend guests of Norma Darnall and attended the Community Carnival.

Along with the changing of clocks to daylight savings time comes the disruptions in sleep patterns. Southwest Nebraska Public Health Department (SWNPHD) recommends taking steps to reduce the impact of the time change and get a healthy amount of rest.

Fourth-semester welding student, Cody Flint has been working the last few weeks with instructor Dan Stehlik to program the robotic welder in the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture Welding Department. Once the calibrations were re-installed, various movements and welding instructions could be programmed into the Fanuc arm. Cody has set up patterns for the arm to follow a square, to follow a circle, and then to weld the patterns on a plate of steel.

LINCOLN, NEB. – Nebraska Farm Bureau is excited to announce the establishment of the Nebraska Ag Legal Professionals Group, a dedicated initiative aimed at assisting farmers and ranchers in estate and succession planning. This innovative group will focus on providing specialized legal counsel to farm and ranch families, ensuring a smooth transition of assets and securing a sustainable future for agricultural legacies.

BEAVER CITY – Upon the recommendation of the planning commission, the city council approved a building permit for the construction of a livestock barn at the fairgrounds. Submitted by the Furnas County Agricultural Society, the proposal stipulates that the steel building will be used to house sheep, goats, and hogs during the annual county fair.

According to Jim Cave, who serves as chair of the Beaver City Planning Commission, the proposed new livestock barn will benefit the entire area. “I’m excited for the 4-H kids, but this project is going to be good for the entire county,” he said.

By Guyla Mills To appear on the May 14 primary ballot, incumbents had a filing deadline of February 15 and non-incumbent candidates had until March 1 to throw their proverbial hat in the ring. Village board races appear only on the general ballot, so incumbents have until July 15 to file with new candidates having an August 1 deadline to file for office.