The Elwood Public Schools Board of Education met on Monday, September 9th, 2024. The meeting was called to order at 7:30 p.m.

The Village of Oxford Board of Trustees held their open hearing for the 2025 budget immediately before opening their regular meeting on Monday, September 9, 2024. They will hold a special meeting at a later date to approve the budget.

The Indianola Vol. Fire & rescue held their annual “firemen’s family picnic” Saturday evening in the park! Some door prizes won by Isabella Lord, Ann Teel, Joellyn Davidson, Kylea Stritt, Brittany Vanpelt, Brooke Teel, Miranda Teel. There was awesome salads and deserts along with burgers, hotdogs, and steak sandwiches. Of course there was the traditional “fire truck” ride that the kids love!

Southern Valley Crowns Homecoming Royalty.

With land offices few and far between in Nebraska’s early days, how did the settlers know what land they were filing for? How did they know where the boundaries of their property were? The answers lie in the role of the surveyors who came before the settlers, braving adverse and sometimes hostile conditions to measure and mark out the land.

Bartley Board meeting filled with angry residents The Village of Bartley Board of Trustees held their regular meeting on Tuesday, September 10 in front of a packed house. At least 70 people attended the meeting, the majority in support of Village employee Jim Foster. Over 30 people spoke out on Foster’s behalf for nearly two hours after an emergency meeting on September 3 when the board called on him to resign or be fired. The reason given was a written complaint of sexual harassment. The board stated Foster had walked out of the meeting and no action could be taken.

It is miraculous to consider how much access and exposure we have to information through our computers, phones, televisions, radios and newspapers. Unfortunately, we need to be on guard because too much of this buzz can be false information.

Experts are calling it a “child care crisis.” We have too few child care workers, too few child care providers, and too many parents seeking care that can’t be found. Nine counties in Nebraska don’t have a single licensed child care facility. Tuition at child care centers is more expensive than tuition at the University of Nebraska. And the problem, sadly, is only getting worse.

Our country is headed down a path of fiscal disaster. The Biden-Harris administration has created high prices through their reckless spending. It’s contributed to a national debt of over $35 trillion. That’s over $266,000 per household. It’s a second mortgage for Nebraska families. It’s raised grocery prices 22%. It’s slowed growth and stifled opportunity. Over the past two weeks, I’ve held a series of Federal Spending Briefings across Nebraska to highlight how I’m fighting this reckless spending.

“Magic of Sensory Play” In the vibrant world of childhood, where every sight, sound, and texture offers a new adventure, sensory play holds a special significance. For young learners, engaging in sensory activities isn’t just about having fun—it’s a crucial part of their development.