Senator’s Note
Senator Loren Lippincott • District 34 THE STATE OF OUR STATE Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen delivered his 2026 State of the State address to the Nebraska Legislature on January 15th at the capitol.
News
Poll: Connections matter to rural Nebraskans
Most rural Nebraskans continue to think positively about their communities, according to the latest results from the 2025 Nebraska Rural Poll. Respondents rate their communities as friendly, trusting, and supportive and say it would be difficult to leave.
From Our Files
10 YEARS AGO The community of family and friends that make up the High Plains Community school district is in mourning this week after the Thursday death of High Plains sophomore Austin Fritz who passed away from what health officials are describing as an apparent case of meningitis.
CCHS CELEBRATES COMMUNITY
Senior Night is always special, but last Tuesday evening, Central City High School made the event a major celebration. On the mat at the Bison Activity Dome, Central City faced the Jeffs from Fairbury High School in both boys’ and girls’ wrestling duals last week.
TeamMates going strong in Central City
January is National Mentoring Month across the United States, a month dedicated to recognizing, promoting, and celebrating mentorship programs across the nation.
JPC tables permit for data center
The Merrick County Joint Planning Commission elected to take some additional time to dig into the impact that a proposed data center would have on Merrick County residents before allowing the project to move forward.
“I BLEED GREEN”
Prososki retires after fifty-one years with John Deere After fifty-one years spent working with John Deere equipment across several states, AKRS Service Manager Mark Prososki is preparing to close his long and storied career.
Senator’s Note
Senator Loren Lippincott • District 34 In 1984 President Ronald Reagan designated January 22nd as National Sanctity of Human Life Day. On that date in 1973 the U.S.
Farm Bureau urges property tax reform
Nebraska Farm Bureau is urging state lawmakers to make property tax reform a top priority in the 2026 legislative session with an emphasis on taking steps to slow the growth in property tax collections.
CANDIDATES CONTINUE TO FILE
Election offices in Nebraska opened for candidate filings for the 2026 primary election on Monday, January 5th. Since then, a few individuals have filed for offices in Merrick County.