Coming into the 2023 2024 school year, there were certainly a number of high school athletes, locally, that had high expectations for themselves and their teams, but I don’t know that even the most extreme optimist could have envisioned the great successes enjoyed by those wearing our school colors this past year.

The annual Bartley Days celebration is this weekend, June 1st through 2nd. This year's theme is 'Dino Days'.

State track took several local athletes to Omaha.

Fourteen local athletes compete at 2024 CSO All-Star basketball game.

CAMBRIDGE - Fourteen local athletes were selected to compete in the annual CSO All-Star basketball game hosted in Cambridge. Ann Bose of Southern Valley, Jalen Kent of Cambridge, Bryn Lampe of Southwest, Berkley Warner of Arapahoe, and Brylyn Springer of Cambridge competed for the east girls. For the west girls, Stella Heapy and Sienna Houghtelling represented Medicine Valley. Southern Valley’s Kamden Bose, Southwest’s Hunter Blume, and Cambridge’s Carson Trompke, Ben Hoberty, and Brohdey Wood played for the east boys. For the west boys, Hadyn Farr and Jeremiah Ingison were selected to compete.

Just like everyone, I have enjoyed the moisture we've been blessed with lately. I will say that, as someone who works with hogs and baseball fields about every day, I am getting tired of mud. But I will deal with it.

Safety First when Packing a Lunch May 25 was National Brown-Bag-It Day, celebrating the convenience and health benefits of lunches packed at home. Carrying lunch to work or school is a great way to use leftovers from home, helping to eliminate food waste. While preparing and packing a lunch does take time, it is estimated that American families can save $500 per year just by taking lunch from home! Saving money and reducing food waste are excellent reasons to brown-bag-it says Debbie Kuenning, Nebraska Extension 4-H Educator based in Chase Perkins Counties. Follow these tips to make sure your lunch and the lunches you pack for others are food safe.

Tuesday, May 21st Furnas County held their annual babysitting clinic in Arapahoe at the Ella Missing Center. At this clinic the youth were able to learn the right way to make a bottle, how to properly change a diaper, pick ageappropriate games and toys for children, learn what to do when basic first aid is needed.

NORTH PLATTE - Southern Valley’s Kamden Bose closed out his high school golf career amongst the best in the State and all five local qualifiers for the Class D State Golf Tournament finished in the top half of the field last week.

On Wednesday, May 22nd Furnas County Extension held their first ever Clover Kid Camp! We had a successful turnout. Mornings started off with The Pledge of Allegiance & learning the 4-H Pledge, then each youth were able to take home their own old glory. Next, they went outside and played Simon Says as well as a new game called telephone. The youth were able to take away from both games about why we need to be a good listener and what could happen if we are not good listeners. Next, we talked about the people we can trust, youth were able to draw on a piece of paper who they thought they could trust.