Ainsworth Art Guild met March 22 at the Joe Nelson home. Seven attendees answered roll and welcomed new member Pam Carroll. Members reviewed and volunteered for several duties to prepare for the annual spring show beginning Saturday, April 12, at the Ainsworth Public Library. Martha Rasmussen and Audrey Wilson are preparing awards for art entries selected for the state conference held in June at North Platte. Judge for the spring show is Ashley Frerichs, art instructor at Rock County Public Schools. Audrey Wilson will reserve a space for the lunch meeting following the judging of the show. The door prize for this year will be two art kits and the drawing will be held at the conclusion of the show on April 28. Viewers are invited to sign the guest book during the two-week exhibit to enter the drawing. They may also vote on their favorite artwork by casting a ballot for the Viewers’ Choice Award.

Twenty high school seniors from across the state will attend the University of Nebraska at Kearney as part of scholarship programs that prepare them for high-demand careers in law, government and public administration.

March 30 Received a report of power lines sparking in southeast Brown County. KBR was contacted.

A delegation of Nebraska Farm Bureau (NEFB) members traveled to Washington, D.C. to push for key agricultural policies that will benefit Nebraska farmers and ranchers. Their discussions centered on securing a robust new Farm Bill, expanding trade with new international partners, and extending the provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. The visit featured a meeting with U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Brooke Rollins, who listened to the concerns and priorities from a combined group of farm and ranch Farm Bureau members from Nebraska, Iowa, and Illinois.

On March 27, Adrian Smith (R-NE), John Larson (D-CT), Michelle Fischbach (R-MN), and Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) introduced the Rural Veterinary Workforce Act, legislation to help address the shortages in essential veterinary services facing rural communities.

U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) was ranked sixth in effectiveness out of 49 Republican senators during the 118th Congress by the Center for Effective Lawmaking.