News

From treating kids with health disorders to keeping seniors fed, Rural Community Impact Grants are helping people thrive in Hamilton, Howard, Merrick Counties, and rural communities in Hall County. The Heartland United Way is announcing the availability of at least $30,000 for local nonprofit organizations in 2025.

Corn for grain production in Nebraska based on year-end surveys is estimated at 1.80 billion bushels, up 4% from 2023, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Yield of 188 bushels per acre is up 6 bushels from last year. Farmers harvested 9.59 million acres of corn for grain, up 1% from 2023. Corn for silage production is 5.88 million tons, up 24% from last year. Silage yield of 21.0 tons per acre is up 4.0 tons from last year. Corn for silage harvested acreage of 280,000 acres is unchanged from last year. Corn acreage planted for all purposes is 10.1 million acres, up 1% from last year.

January 24, 2025 - Nebraska feedlots, with capacities of 1,000 or more head, contained 2.58 million cattle on feed on January 1, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. This inventory was up 1% from last year.

The Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) has opened the application process for high school juniors and seniors interested in attending the Nebraska Agricultural Youth Institute (NAYI). NAYI is one of Nebraska’s biggest agriculture youth outreach events. The five-day program brings together students to network with ag leaders, learn more about the industry, and discover careers available in agriculture. NDA helps sponsor and coordinate NAYI every year. This year’s theme is “Agriculture: It’s in our Genes.”

Warren and Bonnie (Harrie) Hudnall celebrated their 65th Wedding anniversary. They were married Jan.

For more than three decades, the Republican-Nonpareil Person of the Year award has celebrated the individuals and groups who exemplify dedication, leadership, and service in Central City and the surrounding communities. This year, the announcement of the honoree will look a little different. Instead of revealing the winner in the newspaper beforehand, the recipient will be announced live at the annual Central City Area Chamber of Commerce Gala. Following the gala, a full profile of the honoree will be published in next week’s edition of the newspaper.

The Merrick County GOP will host its monthly meeting on Monday, Feb. 3, 2025, at ISI Solar, located at 1620 19th Street in Central City. Coffee and cookies will be served at 6:30 p.m., with the meeting to follow at 7 p.m.