News

As the summer sun bathes the heart of Nebraska, an extraordinary initiative promises to illuminate the artistic souls of local youth. The Broadway Academy, a renowned nonprofit performing arts organization, is hosting its prestigious one-week theater camp in Central City from July 14 to July 21, 2024. For the first time, this vibrant cultural event moves to Central City, having previously enchanted audiences in Sutton, Neb. This year, the camp invites high school students aged 13 to 18, who are passionate about singing, acting, dancing, or any aspect of theater, to immerse themselves in a world of creativity and professional mentorship.

The 2024 Nebraska Grazing Conference will be Aug. 6 and 7 at the Younes Conference Center in Kearney, Nebraska. This year’s conference features speakers highlighting soil health and grasslands as well as a session on public wildlife and private rangelands.

As the middle of the grazing season approaches now is a good time to look at weather conditions over the past couple of months and the forecasts for the rest of the grazing season to gain some insight into the forage supply for the rest of the year. At this point most native cool-season range grasses have reached their peak standing forage and won’t put on more growth unless conditions are favorable this fall. Most warm-season grasses are in the middle of their rapid growth stage currently. Current moisture conditions as well as continued precipitation are important for warm-season growth. Over the past year most of the state has seen above average precipitation, including the vast majority of the Sandhills. Root-zone soil moisture has seen significant improvements across most of the state over the last year, a trend that has accelerated since early May. The exception is the western panhandle (and the broader Northern High Plains region) which has seen drought conditions develop. Portions of the southwest were drier than normal in the month of June as well, though precipitation has returned to portions of the southwest since the beginning of July.

Central City WWII vet Wayne Nielsen was honored for his service by being named admiral. Formerly known as an Admiral in the Navy of the Great State of Nebraska, Nielsen’s commission as a Nebraska Admiral is the highest honor paid to a citizen of the state, and was conferred upon Nielsen by recommendation of District 15 senator Charlie Janssen.