On Thursday, April 9th, 2026, at 3:40 p.m., a meeting conducted by Southwest Public Schools will take place at the high school library in Bartley. The purpose of this meeting will be to provide an opportunity for parents who have parentally placed their child in an approved and/or accredited non-public school or exempt home school and representatives of non-public schools to participate in the development of a plan for providing special education services to children with disabilities who attend an approved and/or accredited non-public schools and exempt home schools which are within the Southwest Public School district for the 2026-2027 school year.

March is National Nutrition Month and Southwest Nebraska Public Health Department (SWNPHD) encourages residents to focus on making informed food choices and developing healthy eating habits. By making small, sustainable changes, families across southwest Nebraska can build healthier habits that last well beyond the month of March.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a serious contagious disease caused by bacteria that typically affects the lungs but can also impact other parts of the body. TB spreads through the air when a person with active TB disease coughs, speaks, or sings. There are two forms of TB.

KEARNEY - Twenty area students will continue their speech seasons into this weekend after qualifying for the NSAA State Speech Meet in Kearney. In Class D2, Elwood’s Kara Brockman took first place in both Extemporaneous Speaking and Persuasive Speaking at the District D2-4 Meet in Litchfield.

The USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in partnership with the Lower Republican Natural Resources District (NRD) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers prepared a draft “Turkey Creek Watershed Plan, Furnas and Gosper Counties, Nebraska” in December 2025.

For lake goers headed west across the Medicine Creek Reservoir Dam, looking south will see activity, trucks and equipment. Last fall, the Bureau of Reclamation awarded a contract for construction work to begin. The project is twofold. Bureau Operations and Maintenance Manager Craig Scott said part one consisted of concrete repairs to the main walls on the outlet works. Prior to beginning work, large tubes and a culvert were installed and a road over top to make it easier for trucks with long trailers and large equipment to navigate. When larger water releases occur, splashing takes place so the walls of the outlet works were made taller and concrete was patched.

HOLDREGE - The Cambridge High School Quiz Bowl team finished second place at the ESU 11 meet in Holdrege Thursday, clinching a berth at the State Meet, which will be held in Hastings April 20. The Trojans’ team of Trev Burke, Micah Gerlach, Colton Gross, Henry Shoemaker, Graham Shoemaker, Reid Huxoll, Briar Gunderson, Lydia McGowen and Gideon Bogardus finished runner-up to Holdrege at the meet.

When Tyler Tanner’s half-court heave rattled the east rim at Oklahoma City’s Paycom Center Saturday night then bounced out and down to the floor, I think time stopped for about a second. Did that all really just happen? To borrow a word from Jeff Foxworthy, it was pandalerium.

CAMBRIDGE - The Cambridge, Hi-Line and Southern Valley track and field teams opened their track seasons Friday at the Cambridge Relays. The event provided ample opportunity to get athletes a look at numerous events.

If you would like to send a card to Matthew (Mattie) Harpst and make his day fun, they can be sent to 814 Flannery Ave., Cambridge, NE 69022.