Southwest Nebraska Public Health Department (SWNPHD) has seen a large increase in reports of Influenza A and COVID-19 cases over the past few weeks. Respiratory illnesses like these affect your lungs and airways and share common symptoms like fever and cough. As cold weather continues and people spend less time outdoors, respiratory illnesses spread more easily.

St. John Lutheran Church, Ashcreek, south of McCook is pleased to announce the installation of their new Pastor, Reverend James Helms Jr. He is pictured here with his wife Jessica and their three children. Their Sunday schedule is Bible class at 9:30 a.m. and Divine Service at 10:30 a.m.

(Pictures top to bottom) Arapahoe placed first, Cambridge placed second, and Medicine Valley placed third at the Southwest Junior High Quiz Bowl. .

By Greg Heiberger, PhD & Ashley Mc-Connell, MS When we asked ChatGPT if it was a good idea to invest in education it responded with the wisdom and confidence of a sentient being who believes they are on the cusp of knowing everything. It told me the reason to invest in education and yourself is primarily financial, using examples like increased lifetime earnings, career stability, etc.

Difficulty sleeping is an common concern we hear about in primary care. Many of us will have trouble sleeping on occasion, but when that is a per, sistent pattern causing distress or functional impairment, we call it insomnia. Insomnia can mean difficulty falling asleep, difficulty maintaining sleep, or waking early unable to fall back asleep.

This week, we celebrate National School Choice Week. As Senator, common-sense education policy is a top priority.

At 8 a.m. every Wednesday that both chambers of Congress are in session, all five members of Nebraska’s federal delegation gather for a long-standing tradition: the Nebraska Breakfast.

Weather! Still not talking about it except to say that the days are nice for creature comfort. St.

Trenton, Neb. — January 30, 2026 — Baleigh Lashley, local Health & Wellbeing Instructor, is participating in a new pilot partnership with the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center aimed at strengthening cancer prevention and screening efforts in rural communities.

Alicia Fantasia Tracy, 35, of Arapahoe, Nebraska passed on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, as the result of an auto accident northeast of Arapahoe, Nebraska. She was born on September 10, 1990 in Scottsbluff, Nebraska to Armando Escamilla and Marietta Porcupine. At the age of eight, Alicia came to live with Duane and Lois Bishop of Beaver City, who became a loving and steady presence in her life.