By Dr. Melissa Dittberner In South Dakota and across the whole United States, addiction and mental health struggles touch every community. Yet far too often, people suffer in silence—not because help isn’t available, but because stigma keeps them from reaching for it.

Agriculture is the heart and soul of what we do in Nebraska. Family farms, ranches, and agribusinesses are the backbone of communities across Nebraska. The One Big Beautiful Bill helps producers today and lays the foundation for strong agricultural growth tomorrow. It grows our economy at home and will help gain new markets abroad. The One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) secures the future for those who feed and fuel America.

Squash plants are thriving in this summer heat, and for many gardeners, that means the harvest is just beginning. But before you start planning your next zucchini bread or squash casserole, you might need to consider who else is eyeing your crop—and I’m not just talking about your neighbors.

ELWOOD – The Center for Rural Affairs facilitated a conversation on the importance of local grocery stores in rural America at the Elwood Public Library on July 29. The stated purpose was to provide an opportunity for community members to discuss the importance of local grocery markets and other retail stores in addition to reflecting on the impact that the closure of the Elwood Hometown Cooperative Market in March has had.

The 2025 Frontier County Fair Turtle Race was held Friday, August 1 at 6:00 pm. The race was exciting and competitors brought some fast turtles to try their luck at winning a medal! 22 kids, ages Pre-K through high school, raced turtles in the shade at the fairgrounds in Stockville. Kids were divided into racing categories based on the grade they are going into this fall. The winners of each age category received a medal on a red, white, and blue lanyard sponsored by Tyron Lenz Construction of Curtis.

The lion’s share of time during Monday night’s 90-minute Beaver city council meeting was spent discussing what to do about the surge in utility bills that occurred for the mid-June through mid-July billing cycle.

BEAVER CITY – Karen Hardenbrook is grateful. Although the past five years have been a roller coaster, the widow of Larry Hardenbrook says she couldn’t have gotten through the long ordeal if it wasn’t for her faith in God, her family, and town.

LINCOLN - The Nebraska Public Service Commission (PSC) reminds consumers that beginning August 1, Black Hills Energy began charging higher rates for its natural gas customers in Nebraska. The interim rate increase is in conjunction with the company’s rate case (NG-124) currently before the Commission.

CAMBRIDGE – Jan tenBensel of Cambridge was elected to the 15-member National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) Board last month in Washington, D.C. during the group’s annual Corn Congress.

7/21/25: Disturbance, 709 Locust St., Arapahoe, NE, report of neighbor parked to obstruct driveway, believes could be retaliation; Welfare check, 407 West St., Arapahoe, NE, dispatched to a report of a female walking along the railroad tracks in Arapahoe, possibly talking to herself. Deputy made contact and found the famle was wearing earbuds and singing while walking.