News

The Nebraska Game and Parks is implementing a temporary ban on campfires, effective immediately, at all Nebraska state park areas and wildlife management areas. First responders are stretched thin in many areas of the state as they react to fires where dry conditions and high winds persist.

Two adult male mountain lions were harvested March 16 during the Pine Ridge Unit Auxiliary Season, meeting the overall limit of 12 and closing the 2026 hunting season. The Niobrara and Wildcat Hills units closed during Season One.

Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) will be contracting with Osmose Utility Services to conduct inspections on the distribution, subtransmission, and transmission system across the state. The inspections will begin in March and last through June.

Agriculture is the heart and soul of what we do in Nebraska. Family farms and ranches are the backbone of our communities. But times in farm country are tough. High input costs and low commodity prices are keeping our farmers up at night. That’s why I’m fighting to keep more money in the pockets of Nebraska farmers and ranchers.

(Editor’s note: This story contains allegations of sexual abuse of children. If you suspect that a child has been abused, call 800652-1999 or report online.) Staff at the agency that runs the Youth Rehabilitation and Treatment Center determined months ago that the issue is not systemic, an internal document shows.

Nearly 100 middle and high school students were on campus Wednesday for a history competition hosted by the University of Nebraska at Kearney. Students from Ainsworth, Bassett, Burwell, Loup City and Keya Paha County participated in the Nebraska National History Day district contest, sponsored by the UNK Department of History.

Every year I ask my students, “How old is old?” The answers vary, but the most honest response I’ve ever received came from a patient who said, “Old is 10 years older than my age.” We all tend to push aging just out of reach, as though it belongs to someone else. As a physical therapist, professor and researcher in aging, I see the consequences of that distance every day.

Agriculture has always been at the heart of Nebraska. It drives our economy, supports rural communities, and gives families a reason to stay, return, and build a future close to home.

The 21st annual Nebraska Sandhills Cowboy Hall of Fame banquet and induction ceremony will be held June 6 at the 4-H building at the Cherry County Fairgrounds in Valentine. Social hour will begin at 4 p.m., the benefit auction will take place at 5 p.m., banquet at 6 p.m.

The House Committee on Agriculture advanced the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 by a bipartisan vote of 34–17, marking an important step forward in reauthorizing the nation’s farm bill. “We applaud Chairman Thompson and the House Agriculture Committee for advancing the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, which reauthorizes critical farm programs sorghum growers depend on to manage risk and remain competitive,” said NSP Chair Amy France, a farmer from Scott City, Kan.