News

The Ainsworth Area Chamber of Commerce held its Spring Fling Gala on Saturday, March 28. The event was complete with a raffle, silent auction, steak dinner, awards, and music by BJ Jamison.

Alpha Delta Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma met March 21 for lunch at Big John’s in Ainsworth. Four members answered roll call and made a donation to Read Aloud Nebraska/CASA project.

Close Encounters of the Zoning Kind The Nebraska Legislature began talking about “extraterrestrials” the other day, and well, who could pass up writing about that? I have a buddy who insists that an alien craft hovered over his acreage outside of Ashland. There’s another buddy who is convinced that he was followed by an alien ship while driving down a remote western Nebraska highway.

Ainsworth Elks officers recently presented grant funds to the Ainsworth Ministerial Association for the local food pantry, and another check to the Ainsworth Senior Center (pictured above) for their Meals on Wheels program.

With the extension of the governor’s statewide burn ban, guests at Nebraska Game and Parks’ properties are reminded that a temporary ban on campfires remains at all Nebraska state park areas and wildlife management areas.

The American Red Cross continues to support communities affected by the wildfires across Nebraska, with trained volunteers providing assistance and coordinating closely with local officials as the situation evolves.

The North Central Nebraska RC&D met in Bassett on March 11. The meeting was led by Chairman Mike Burge.

With recent wildfires affecting parts of Nebraska, many producers are feeling overwhelmed and wondering what the first steps are after everything settles. Once everyone is safe and accounted for, there are two important steps to take right away.

Wildfires occurring in western and central Nebraska mirror a broader trend of increasing wildfire frequency and magnitude across the western United States. While the immediate impacts of wildfire are devastating to beef production and rural communities, the effects of wildfire smoke may also pose risks to both human and animal health. In the weeks and months following a wildfire event, producers should remain vigilant and monitor calves for signs of respiratory disease or illness.

Over the last several days, we have been reminded how quickly life can change. Across Nebraska, wildfires are tearing through more than 800,000 acres and counting.