Saturday night was the annual Cub Scout Blue and Gold Banquet held at the Ella Missing Community Center in Arapahoe. They enjoyed a soup supper, cake auction, and they received their badges for the year. Parents pinned badges on their scout and Mark Hamel of Heartland Partners Realty auctioned off the cakes that were made and decorated by each of the scouts. Money raised goes towards camps and other expenses.

February 29th is designated as Rare Disease Day. Throughout the last year, with community and school efforts combined, Elwood Public Schools raised over $4000 to show their support for the four students who each have their very own Rare Disease. The money will be given out equally between four different organizations chosen by their parents.

The Arapahoe Junior Class attended the Tri Valley Health System Career Fair at the hospital in Cambridge last week. .

ARAPAHOE – The school board conducted their monthly business in just over one hour on March 10. The board approved the Wonders Curriculum for the next six years for K-6th grades.

The Elwood Speech Team competed at Maxwell on Saturday, March 8, with Kara Brockman placing 1st in Persuasive Speaking, 4th in Extemporaneous, and 5th in Triathlon (overall performance in 3 events). Christdolyn Hagan and Adrianna Seberger earned 4th place in Duet Acting.

2025 Phelps-Gosper YQCA Save the Dates · Sunday, March 16 @ 5:00 PM – Holdrege, NE (Ag Center – Middle Room) · Thursday, May 29 @ 6:00 PM – Elwood, NE (Civic Center – Legion Hall) · Sunday, June 8 @ 2:30 PM – Bertrand, NE (Immanuel Lutheran Church) Make sure to contact the Phelps or Gosper County offi ce for a $3 coupon code per youth prior to signing up! Sign up must be completed online for both online training and in person training. When attending an in-person training, these coupon codes will help your family complete this requirement free of cost.

SOUTHERN VALLEY - Following 28 years at the district and 16 as an administrator, Mark Grove formally announced his retirement as Southern Valley elementary principal in January. In February, Southern Valley announced his replacement.

LINCOLN – VIsit Nebraska is excited to announce the stops included in the 2025 Nebraska Passport program. The Passport inspires Nebraskans and tourists to travel throughout the state collecting stamps to earn prizes while also supporting Nebraska’s tourism destinations and local businesses.

Nebraska Examiner LINCOLN — One of Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen’s priorities advanced to the second round of debate with a vote on Monday, as a statewide cell phone ban in schools inched closer to becoming law.

The NCTA Ag Mechanics Club shared a farm toy display at the Aurora Farm Toy Show on February 23. The display was awarded the Best of Show. The Club has been invited to show their display at the Kearney and Aurora Farm Toy Shows in February 2026. The display was constructed by NCTA Club members Tristan Martin, Sierra Kingsbury, Tera Horky, Alex Wenzbauer, Jacob Martinson, and Wyatt Ozenbaugh. The display featured a dairy barn, chicken coop, a sheep barn, grain bins, a farrowing house, a swine finishing building, a center pivot, and a flood irrigation field. Over 100 guests attended the show of displays and farm toy vendors. The unique aspect of the NCTA exhibit was that the only purchased toys were the animals and the toy machinery. The buildings, fences, feed bunks, bins, center pivot, etc. were built by the members. The swine and dairy buildings also included screened windows and 9-volt exhaust fans. The windmill wheel was powered by a 9-volt battery as was the pump at the reuse irrigation pit/hog lagoon for the flood irrigation field.