The Nebraska Brand Committee, as a member of ILIA, is proud to host the 78th Annual International Livestock Identification Association (ILIA) Conference in Gering, from July 20–23. With the theme “Rendezvous on the Oregon Trail,” this year’s event promises a blend of cutting-edge livestock identification technology, rich Western heritage, and good old-fashioned Nebraska hospitality.

On July 3, the Ainsworth Municipal Golf Course hosted its youth tournament. Fifty golfers competed in different age categories.

The Ainsworth Public Library held its Summer Reading Program all of June. The theme this year was “Color Our World”. The library held 16 different fun-hours for toddlers, preschoolers, and K-4th grade during the month. A total of 190 children attended these fun sessions on the topics of color, dragons, dinosaurs, and butterflies.

Lunch Chef Salad Available Daily Thursday, July 10th: Deluxe cheeseburger, baked beans, potato salad, orange wedges and milk. Friday, July 11th: Chicken casserole, peas, cauliflower and baby carrots, pears, cornbread and milk.

Activities Thursday, July 10th: 10:30 a.m. - Bible Study with Dwight; 2:30 p.m.

This week, I want to highlight the Interim Study on the Niobrara National Scenic River, which I introduced as LR158. This study will examine the feasibility of Nebraska taking over administrative responsibility for the 76-mile stretch of the Niobrara Scenic River. Since its designation in 1991, this segment has been managed by the National Park Service, which, unlike most national park sites, owns very little land along the river. Instead, its stewardship has largely relied on partnerships with local landowners and community stakeholders.