Get Punchy with the NCTA Ranch Horse Team By NCTA News featuring excerpts from the NCTA Ranch Horse Team (FaceBook) The experiences gained by NCTA Ranch Horse Team student members go far beyond horsemanship. Joanna Hergenreder, coach and assistant professor of animal science, attests to this breadth, “We have been working really hard to build a positive learning environment where we build each other up. We are getting stuff done and still having lots of fun! Our focus this semester has been integrity, teamwork, focus, positivity, determination, and we have been building our mental toughness as well.”

The Arapahoe City Council met on Tuesday, April 2 at 7:30 pm for their regular meeting. Before the council meeting an open hearing for the community redevelopment authority was held to approve the sale of lots 10, 11, and 12. The lots were sold to Cakin Care of Business. There was some brief discussion and the building may be complete much sooner than originally thought. It might be up by the end of May.

BARTLEY – The Village Board of Trustees held their regular meeting on April 9, 2024. With three of the five trustees in attendance, the board had a quorum and was able to conduct business.

ARAPAHOE – The topic of finding solutions to fiscal challenges was front and center during the regular school board meeting on April 8. Last year, the Legislature passed LB 243, that establishes a 3 percent annual cap (with some exceptions) on how much school districts can increase property taxes.

Cambridge Board of Education met on Monday, April 9, 2024, at 6:00 p.m. After the Pledge of Allegiance, Board President Amy Sines pointed out the Nebraska Open Meetings Act posted. The Board approved the agenda and Board of Education meeting minutes from the March meeting.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Region 7, which includes Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska is participating in a national high-visibility enforcement effort, April 4-8, 2024, to deter distracted driving. Law enforcement officers in region 7 and across the country will work together to enforce texting and distracteddriving laws and remind drivers: Put the Phone Away or Pay. This effort comes during April, which is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month.

After two previously planned Lambing/Kidding Schools were snowed out (January near Beatrice and February near Scottsbluff), the weather permitted the third clinic to be held. About twenty people attended the workshop on March 16 at the NCTA campus in Curtis.

The Village of Oxford Board of Trustees once again had lengthy discussion on utility rates. An ordinance was prepared with a $1 per department flat fee raise and a 3% increase in electrical kilowatt usage following the discussion at the last meeting. The incoming electricity has gone up 7% over the last two years.

Those attending the annual Golden Generation Gala enjoyed an evening of good food and great entertainment. The Gala, this year with the theme “A Magical Night”, is a big event for the Hilltop Event Center – Golden Generation as one of their biggest fundraisers of the year.

The Elwood Gala held March 16 was a resounding success, drawing in support from 150 generous donors and welcoming nearly 300 attendees. This annual event serves as the cornerstone of funding for the Elwood Area Foundation, providing vital resources to sustain a wide array of community-driven programs.