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News

Brown County American Legion Auxiliary

The Ainsworth American Legion Auxiliary met August 22, 2023. Following the annual carryin family picnic and a prayer by Chaplain Katie Rau, President Marilyn Anderson called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.

Turning Lane From Main Street East Onto Highway 20 has Changed

Drivers turning east from Main Street onto Highway 20 have noticed white striping on the east side of Main Street, where the right turning lane use to be. Carl Hart of NDOT said, 'With the new construction of the Main Street intersection, NDOT didn't make any geometry changes to the intersection, but new ADA compliant sidewalk and crosswalk ramps were installed at the intersection.' 'After observing traffic movements at the intersection, it was noticed that trucks, turning to the east onto Highway 20 from Main Street, had trailer encroachment onto the sidewalk ramps, potentially endangering pedestrians waiting at the crosswalk, or encroaching on the westbound lane of Highway 20 as indicated in the above diagram.' 'The Department evaluated the traffic count for the intersection and due to the numbers, it was decided to make the intersection one single approach,' said Hart.

Brown County Commissioners Approve $3.91 Million Property Tax Request

Following a public hearing to set the final personal property tax request, the commissioners voted unanimously to approve a $3,914,282.54 property tax request. The $3.91 million property tax for 2023-24 is 18.5% higher than the 2022-23 property tax request of $3,193.366.87.

Mountain Lion in Valentine No Longer a Threat

The Valentine Police Department had been monitoring the whereabouts of a mountain lion for the past couple weeks, and confirmed a second sighting within the Valentine city limits via video evidence early last week.

Brown County Court Docket

Summarized - All Cases Include $ 50.00 Court Cost Christy A. Cozad: Speeding 06-10 MPH, $25.00 Fine; Nebraska State Patrol - Trooper Aaron Nilson.

Legislative Notes

Last week I wrote about the “pink postcard” many citizens received announcing an increase of their property taxes was being considered by a “local unit of government” (LUG). I am still receiving quite a number of calls and messages from constituents commenting about this subject.

Capitol News

Nothing ruins a public hearing on a legislative bill like the public showing up. Wait, what? A former boss said it years ago at the end of a particularly long day of hearings at the State Capitol.

Exercise for Healthier Aging

We all know that exercise is great for our overall health. Exercise is important for our cardiovascular health of course, which is why the American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise every week. No less importantly, and especially as we get older, another huge benefit of exercise is in fall and injury prevention.