News From Bancroft Senior Center

July 7, 2015 Leave a comment


The senior center provides Information and Assistance to any individual who is looking for services for themselves or another person 60 years and older, the center manager and/or center participant can provide information to individuals on services available within the community. We link individuals to the services and opportunities that are available within or beyond the community itself. We will then establish adequate follow-up procedures to see that their needs were met. For more information call 402-648-3387.

*If you are 60 years and older and need information on programs designed to help keep you in your home longer or if you need legal help, contact Connie at 402-648-3387 or in the evening at 402-648-7648.

* We have the following medical equipment to loan out on an as need basis, wheel chair, bath seats, toilet seat riser and portable toilet chair, crutches or walkers. Call 402-648-3387 during office hours.

Meals on Wheels

*Would you like to get Meals on Wheels? Anyone over the age of 60 years and lives within the city limits are eligible for these meals. You may sign up anytime for the Meals on Wheels program; you can get the meals delivered however many times you want them each week. You must call 402-687-2332 before 8:30 a.m. if you want a meal that day. The suggested donation for the meals is $4.00.

Weekly Activities:

Wed. July 8: Melody chimers will practice at 9:00. Join us for coffee at 10:00. Will play chicken foot dominoes at 1:30. Have you made your reservation for the noon meal on Friday, July 10th? The melody chimers will entertain at 11:30 on the 10th.

Thurs. July 9: Rolls and coffee served from 9:00 until noon. Tai Chi class at 9:30 and the walking ex class at 10:45. Come and play in the pitch tournament at 1:30; remember to sign up.

Fri. July 10: Pool tournament today. Melody chimers entertain at 11:30. At our noon meal we will have ice cream and cake for dessert to recognize the 50th anniversary of the Older American’s Act. Sign up to play in the pinochle and hand & foot tournament at 1:30.

Mon .July 13: Will play fun bingo at 2:00.

Tues. July 14: Tai Chi class is at 9:30 and the walking ex. class at 10:45. Stop in for coffee at 10:00. Sign up to play pitch today at 1:30.

Wed. July 15: Melody chimers will practice at 9:00. Join us for coffee time at 10:00. Have you made your reservation for the noon meal on Friday, July 10th? The melody chimers will entertain us at 11:30 on July 10th.

 

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Market Report

July 6, 2015 Leave a comment


Markets 10:11am

Dow -36.54
S&P -3.83

Nasdaq -5.25

 

U.S. stocks fell today after Greeks resoundingly rejected creditors conditions for further financial aid, pushing their country closer to bankruptcy and a potential exit from the Eurozone.

 

Grain Markets @ 10:02am

Sept corn -6 @ $4.22

Dec Corn -6 @ $4.31 ¼

Aug Beans -15 ¾ @ $10.22 ½

Nov Beans -15 ¼ @ $10.15

 

June 30th report last week proved the market had been trading higher stock levels, once the USDA showed a reduction in the stock number the market reacted in a VERY positive fashion seeing levels in both corn and beans that we haven’t seen since late Dec ’14.  This rally on top of the strength we were seeing a week and a half prior due to weather concerns, and planting condition.  With the strength we saw, one might think there was a bit of an overreaction and that we may see some pull back, at least in the short term.

 

The post report rally filled many offers, including the “High Price Offer” strategy I mentioned last Monday making offers just under market limits (New crop corn had a $4.32 limit, and New crop beans at $10.40 limit) both corn and beans hitting those levels the following day.  No one could predict the outcome, but you can definitely prepare for it with offers.

 

Strategy: I am sure many folks rewarded the rally/gift and made some sort sale.  While the market is up in some fashion, another strategy would be a minimum price contract or floor strategy, this is a less expensive way to protect your downside risk, but keep upside potential.  Look at it as insurance.

 

Weather: still remains a significant factor, and continues to add upside potential to the grain market.  However, weather is unpredictable and it could just as easily give us some sunshine and a break in the rain.   In this case the market will quickly remove the weather premium, and take back some of the strength we have been able to capitalize on.  As long as the rain keeps coming we are likely to continue to see weather premium.

 

Last ProEdge meeting is tomorrow at Hooper Fire Hall @ 9am if you are interested in attending

 

Greg Mockenhaupt

ProEdge Risk Management Consultant

P: (402) 685-5613 | C: (402) 380-9855 | Greg.Mockenhaupt@cvacoop.com

1007 County Road O

Oakland, NE 68045

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Oakland Library Hosting Kids Movie Night

July 6, 2015 Leave a comment


The Library will be hosting Kids Movie Night every Wednesday night in July from 6 to 8 pm! This Wednesday night we will be showing the adorable little brown bear who has been the star of over 20 books by Michael Bond…can you guess the name of the movie? Bring your pillows and blankets and snuggle in for an enjoyable evening @ the library!

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Oakland’s July 3rd Party in the Park

July 6, 2015 Leave a comment


A fun time was had by all at the July 3rd Party in the Park in Oakland. All photos credit of Denise Gilliland/Editor and Chief, Kat Country Hub.

A fun time was had by all at the July 3rd Party in the Park in Oakland. All photos credit of Denise Gilliland/Editor and Chief, Kat Country Hub.

DSC06722 DSC06723 DSC06724 DSC06726 DSC06727

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Lyons City Council Agenda

July 6, 2015 Leave a comment


 

A Copy of the “Open Meetings Act” Has Been Posted on the Bulletin Board on the North Side in the Council Chambers.

 

LYONS CITY COUNCIL

AGENDA

July 7, 2015 – 5:30 P.M.

 

The City Council reserves the right to go into Executive Session at any time as deemed appropriate and in accordance with State Statute.

 

  1. ROUTINE BUSINESS

 

  1. Meeting called to order.

 

  1. PUBLIC HEARING
  1. Mayor Fuston to open a Budget Public Hearing to consider AMENDING the Adopted 2014-2015 budget.

Close Hearing.

 

 

    III. CONSENT AGENDA

Recommended Action: Approval of Consent Agenda

NOTE: All items are automatically approved when the Consent Agenda is approved unless moved to the Regular Agenda by the request of any single Council member.

  1. Dispense with reading of minutes of meeting held June 2.
  2. Claims as presented.
  3. Treasurer report.
  4. Clerk Report of Mayoral Action of June 2 meeting: Resolution No 2015-3: Policy for Terms and Conditions for Use of Lyons Community Center was signed.

 

Motion and second to approve the Consent Agenda/Tabulation of Vote.

 

 

  1. REGULAR AGENDA / NEW BUSINESS

Consideration and Action:

 

 

  1. Chad Kehrt of Olsson Associates – Update on the Lyons Community Center Project.

 

  1. Approve/not approve Change Order No.5 for an increase of 5,597.00 on the Community Center.
  1. Motion and second from Council members.
  2. Tabulation of votes.

 

  1. Approve/not approve Pay Request #8 for $73,919.20 to Fauss Construction on the Community Center.
  1. Motion and second from Council members.
  2. Tabulation of votes.

 

  1. Graham Christensen of Burt County Wind – Talk about wind and solar energy.

 

  1. Jerry Ludwig – Talk about Veteran Memorial at the Lyons mini-green east of the Library.

 

  1. Wyatt Frass – Discuss the Byway Art Project.

 

  1. Tim Slaughter of Farm and Home Insurance – City insurance review.

 

  1. Duane Lammers with AFLAC – Present information on different health and accident policies.

 

  1. Pam Thomsen – Discuss current Community Center rates for non-profits.

 

 

 

 

LYONS CITY COUNCIL

AGENDA

July 7, 2015 – 5:30 P.M.

 

 

  1. Approve/not approve the recommendation from the Planning Commission to issue a the building permit to Three Rivers Housing Development Corp for a new construction ranch house with basement and have an address of 240 S 5th St, Lyons, NE. (formerly had an address of 500 Pearl St).
  1. Motion and second from Council Members.
  2. Tabulation of votes.

 

  1. Consider Ordinance 719: Amend the adopted 2014-2015 Budget.
    1. Motion to suspend the Statutory requirement of reading on three separate days.
    2. Motion and second from Council Members to adopt Ordinance 719.
    3. Tabulation of votes.

 

  1. Consider Resolution No 2015-4: Adopt the Lower Elkhorn NR Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan. (This plan is updated every five years.)
    1. Motion and second from Council Members.
    2. Tabulation of votes.

 

  1. Police report by Chief Buck.

 

  1. Library & Grant reports by Mike Heavrin.

 

  1. PEO is requesting to use the mini green on SW corner of 3rd and Main St for a garage sale on August 21 and 22. They will not interfere with the Farmers Market as they plan to be south of the Farmers Market area.

 

  1. Utilities report.
  1. Speed bumps.
  2. Main St repairs.
  3. Swimming pool – rules & regulations/certifications on lifeguards/number of lifeguards on duty.
  4. Condemned properties-Red Placard.
  5. Condemned properties-Yellow Placard
  6. Recycling help.
  7. Dead trees.
  8. Surplus equipment.
  9. High Service Pump at Water Plant.

 

  1. Clerk’s Report.
  1. Income Statement – General.
  2. Income Statement – Utility.
  3. Budget Reports – General and Utility.
  4. Are there any special projects to budget for Fiscal Year 2015/2016 from the Council? Need amounts to    budget.
  5. Set up a Budget Workshop meeting for later July.
  6. Main St at the Railroad crossing will be closed on Thursday and Friday, July 9 and 10. BNSF will be working on the crossing.

 

  1. Discuss utility accounts and delinquent accounts.

 

  1. Discuss additional pay to the Community Center janitor for extra hours of cleaning the City Office and dishes in the kitchen.

 

  1. Executive Session – Personnel Review of Jorma Hedges.

 

  1. Motion and second by Council members to adjourn the meeting.
  2. Tabulation of vote.

 

 

 

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Forage Options for a Wet Spring

July 6, 2015 Leave a comment


By John Wilson, Extension Educator

The extra moisture this spring has created some challenges for most farmers, but it may provide some opportunities for those who can use some forages… either in their own livestock operation or if they can sell it. There are two different situations where this might occur… after oat or wheat harvest OR when corn or soybean acres were flooded out and it is too late to replant. The only difference is, in the second situation we need to consider what herbicides might have been applied.

            At this time of year, several crops can be planted for silage. An early maturing corn is one possibility if you plant it thick, although the yield might not be very high. A better choice for a late planting might be forage sorghum. Use high grain producing hybrids if available. The best choice of all for short-season silage might be sunflowers. They will survive a light frost and yield well under most conditions.

            If you want hay instead of silage, plant teff, sorghum-sudan hybrids, or pearl or foxtail millet. A hay crop exceeding two tons per acre still can be grown if planted soon and rain is timely. Another hay or silage alternative is solid-seeded soybeans. You can also get a couple tons of good forage from taller, full season varieties. Oats planted in early August is another option. They will yield over two tons if moisture and fertility is good and a hard freeze comes a little late.

            Also consider planting turnips and oats in late July or early August for fall pasture. You might need to burn down weeds with glyphosate to conserve soil moisture before planting. With a few timely rains in August and September, both oats and turnips produce high quality feed in a short time… and, they are inexpensive to plant.

            If replanting flooded out crop ground, check the label of the herbicides used previously. Many will have restrictions or limitations on grazing or feeding the forage grown after their application. Also, unless you used only glyphosate, other herbicides also might injure newly-planted forages.

            For instance, many corn herbicides will injure pearl or foxtail millet and teff. But, sudangrass, forage sorghum, or sorghum-sudan hybrids will tolerate moderate levels of atrazine… and safened seed can be used if Dual or Bicep-like herbicides have been applied. Consider drilling bin-run corn for silage or late season pasture, when herbicides eliminate other possibilities.

            Soybean herbicides, other than glyphosate, cause even bigger problems for replanting forages. All summer grasses are sensitive to most soybean herbicides. Sunflowers for silage and soybeans for hay or silage are among the few alternatives compatible with soybean herbicide carryover.

            Rain has also caused problems for hay producers. If rained on, the feed value of the hay is lowered… and many times, in a rush to put hay up, it gets baled or stacked too wet, which causes mold or heat damage to develop.

            Sometimes a bigger problem is the long-term damage to the regrowing plants. Driving over the field when the soil is wet will injure regrowth and can cause soil compaction. But, not driving on the field leaves an even bigger problem with the windrows.

            If they stay there until the next cutting, plants underneath will be smothered. This not only lowers yield, it creates a problem where grasses and broadleaf weeds infest the killed strips. These weeds will contaminate all subsequent cuttings. In addition, if rained on windrows are left in the field, they frequently plug your mower when you take the next cutting.

            So remove that hay any way you can… bale it, chop it, even blow it back on the ground as mulch. You may need to damage plants by driving on them to turn hay to speed drying and get sunlight to plants underneath. But it will prevent old windrows from ruining future cuttings.

            The heavy rains have made life difficult in many ways. But these are a few options for salvaging something from acres that have been flooded or an additional benefit for those with small grains, oats or wheat, in their operation.

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Genesis Oil Painting Workshop

July 6, 2015 Leave a comment


These Genesis Oil Painting workshop participants show off their skills with their painted apple. Included in the photo are: Cody Bachtell, Connor Davis, Michael Bracht, Alex Davis, Justice Rempe and Mary Loftis. Photo Credit/Becky Davis.

These Genesis Oil Painting workshop participants show off their skills with their painted apple. Included in the photo are: Cody Bachtell, Connor Davis, Michael Bracht, Alex Davis, Justice Rempe and Mary Loftis. Photo Credit/Becky Davis.

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Clover Kid Camp, Painting and More Painting

July 6, 2015 Leave a comment


 

By Mary Loftis, Extension Assistant

Clover Kid Camp

The Clover Kid Camp was held on the Burt County Fairgrounds on Tuesday, June 23 with 15 young 4-H members (ages 5-7) attending.

The activities for the day involved workshops which could end up as county fair exhibits for these budding 4-H members. They decorated a t-shirt with ice cube dye, painted a storage box, make a bird feeder out of a milk jug and made homemade play dough. Of course there were lots of opportunities for fun including games, relays and just helping fill water balloons at the hydrant…can you say “WET?”

Thanks to the help of Junior Leaders, Cody Bachtell, Ellie Glup, Cassidy Goering and Faith Roscoe the young 4-H members had a blast. JoAnn Bachtell graciously offered to help with activities in the 4-H Building while I focused on the ones in and near the 4-H Kitchen.

In three hours of camp we had four projects done for each Clover Kid, games played, snack eaten and memories made. Hopefully these Clover Kids come back next year if age eligible or if they are 8-11 they could go to the 4-H Adventure Camp we share with Cuming County or better yet, go to the Eastern Nebraska 4-H Center for an overnight camping experience.

My best feedback for the day was a young camper asking if they came back tomorrow. I said, “No, sorry, it’s just a one day camp” and she said “But you’re fun and I want to come back!” That was the best “evaluation” I could ever get!

 

Painting Workshop X 2

Two painting workshops were offered in Burt County on Thursday, June 25 at the Oakland Vet’s Building. The afternoon session was an acrylic painting workshop and the evening session used Genesis Artists Oil Paints.

We’ve done acrylic painting workshops for 11 years and I still love the different techniques we learn with each different painting. I’ve got a nice variety of paintings to show for my efforts (between taking pictures of everyone else) over the years.

This year the group almost decided to paint an underwater scene until we saw a beautiful picture of a lighthouse our painter had done with another group. We voted on which picture to paint and the lighthouse won.

Making the striped, but blended bright background colors of the painting was amazing, then using a pattern, we traced the lighthouse shape on the canvas. We still had to use a steady hand to make the outline of it and to fill and shade the shape, but everyone took home an excellent picture of the seashore with the lighthouse.

The Genesis Artists Oil painting workshop that evening not only brought a new painting medium to our 4-H members, it brought a new set of skills and painting terms. We learned how this different medium works (it is an oil, but becomes set when heated to 275 degrees) and you use less than a fingernail’s amount of each color to paint our small project. The blending and smoothing of this paint was amazing. We used filbert brushes, a mop brush, outlining brush and used glazing to provide additional depth and shine.

This was a very interesting medium and focused on creating a true depth of field in the picture showing the variation in the curved light/dark surfaces of an apple. I am sure the judges at the fair will be amazed when they interview the 4-H members about their painting and they tell them they painted, blended, and baked it three times, glazed it, and finally varnished it to finish the project. (We didn’t have time for that, but our painter promised to send us some.)

The 4-H slogan is “Learning by doing” and that’s exacting what the 4-H members and even a few parents did through the camp activities and the painting workshops held last week. Now on to more exciting events…

 

Quick Reminders:

Fremont 4-H Fair, July 8-11 at Christensen Field in Fremont.

Pie Day I: Thursday, July 16, Tekamah Methodist Church 8:00 a.m.-2:00?

Clothing Project & Modeling Pre-entry Deadline: Monday, July 20

Bicycle Rodeo: July 23, Oakland Lutheran Church 6:30 p.m.

Pie Day II: July 25, Vet’s Building, Oakland 8:00 a.m.-2:00?

Tractor Driving Contest: July 28, Lee Valley Farms, Tekamah

Clothing, Fashion Show, Presentation & Life Challenge Contest: July 31, Tekamah Aud.

 

Clover Kid Camp participants and their projects are proudly displayed before heading home. Back row: Junior Leaders: Faith Roscoe, Ellie Glup, Cassidy Goering and Cody Bachtell Middle Row: Carolyn Magnusson, Gavin Johnson, Parke Loftis, Lyndsey Johnson, Brinley Eriksen, Karley Eriksen Madeline Pearson, Sydney Olsen and Tate Penke. Front Row: Hope Roscoe, Mady Davis, Karson Olsen, Linden Anderson, Caroline Davis, and Brooklyn Richards. Photo Credit/Mary Loftis.

Clover Kid Camp participants and their projects are proudly displayed before heading home.
Back row: Junior Leaders: Faith Roscoe, Ellie Glup, Cassidy Goering and Cody Bachtell
Middle Row: Carolyn Magnusson, Gavin Johnson, Parke Loftis, Lyndsey Johnson, Brinley Eriksen, Karley Eriksen Madeline Pearson, Sydney Olsen and Tate Penke.
Front Row: Hope Roscoe, Mady Davis, Karson Olsen, Linden Anderson, Caroline Davis, and Brooklyn Richards. Photo Credit/Mary Loftis.

The water relay was a hit with the 4-H Clover Kid Campers as they took turns pouring a cup of water over their heads for their team member to catch behind them. Photo Credit/Mary Loftis.

The water relay was a hit with the 4-H Clover Kid Campers as they took turns pouring a cup of water over their heads for their team member to catch behind them. Photo Credit/Mary Loftis.

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Capitol Falcon Chick Named for Fallen Omaha Police Officer

July 6, 2015 Leave a comment


LINCOLN – Honoring a fallen Omaha police officer, the public chose the name “Orozco” for the peregrine falcon chick raised in a nest box at the Nebraska Capitol.

The name was revealed in a ceremony outside the Capitol on June 26. Officer Kerrie Orozco, 29, was killed in the line of duty on May 30.

A contest was held this month to name the falcon. The public submitted online name suggestions. A list of finalists was selected by a committee and the public voted to determine a winner. A total of 507 initial submissions and 1,560 votes were cast during the contest.

The four people who suggested the winning name were recognized at the ceremony, as well. State Sen. Kate Bolz, Amanda Horner and Rebecca McCoy, all of Lincoln, as well as Matt Manhart of the Omaha Police Department, each received a framed certificate and a one-year subscription to NEBRASKAland Magazine.

The chick, which hatched on May 10 from the nest box on the 18th floor of the Capitol, has fledged and has been exploring the area surrounding the Capitol ever since. The falcon pair which raised the chick has nested at the Capitol since 2005. Tens of thousands of people from around the world have watched the chick hatch, grow and fledge on the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission’s popular FalconCam at OutdoorNebraska.org.

The Capitol’s peregrine falcons have successfully produced 22 offspring over the past 11 years. Five of them have nested elsewhere as adults: two in Omaha, two in Topeka, Kan., and one in Woodlands, Texas.

-30-

Nebraska Games and Parks Commission
2200 North 33rd Street
Lincoln, NE 68503
402.471.0641
www.OutdoorNebraska.org

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Nebraska’a Renewable Future

July 6, 2015 Leave a comment


By Governor Pete Ricketts

Agriculture is Nebraska’s number one industry, and that is why growing agriculture is so critical to growing our state. Ethanol is one of the key growth industries in Nebraska agriculture that has added billions in revenue and thousands of jobs to our economy over the past decade. Thanks to the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS), passed in 2005, Nebraska’s ethanol production has tripled from 566 million gallons to about 2 billion gallons in just 10 years.  

 

Before the advent of the RFS, ethanol slowly took root in Nebraska in spite of critics who made their case against it. In 1985, Chief Ethanol Fuels built Nebraska’s first ethanol plant in Hastings. Over the next 20 years, ten more plants were built. 

 

In our state, ethanol has become one side of what some call the “Golden Triangle” along with corn and cattle. Nebraska earned its reputation as “the Beef State” in part because of our abundant corn supply, which serves as the primary feed for cattle and results in high-quality beef. As more ethanol plants were built, cattle feeders began to use distillers grain, a high-quality feed that is a co-product of the ethanol production process. Distillers grain has become the preferred feedstock of many cattle feeders because of its feed value and performance advantages, helping put Nebraska at the top of all cattle feeding states in 2013 and 2014. 

 

Since the passage of the RFS, Nebraska has built over a dozen additional ethanol plants and expanded production at several others. Today, Nebraska’s 24 ethanol plants add jobs, property tax base, and economic growth to communities from Bridgeport to Blair. The Nebraska ethanol industry has invested over $5 billion in capital investments in our state and supports 4,400 jobs including 1,300 direct jobs. All this has added up to Nebraska ranking as the second-largest ethanol producer nationally.

 

Early critics of ethanol warned that producing fuel from corn or similar feedstocks would compete with putting food on the table – a belief that proven untrue. While this criticism and others have been discredited as the ethanol industry has grown and consumers have become familiar with the fuel, the ethanol industry is under a new assault by President Obama’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA has a proposal on the table that would slash billions of gallons from the RFS, effectively reducing demand for corn ethanol. This proposal represents a step away from policies previously set at the federal level to utilize cleaner-burning fuels and diversify our country’s energy portfolio as our nation seeks new and innovative ways to achieve energy independence. 

 

The proposal also effectively pulls the rug from underneath ethanol producers and the industry who rely on the RFS. On my administration’s recent trade mission to Europe, an ethanol company based in Denmark with a major presence in Nebraska indicated to me that the EPA’s proposal to reduce the RFS was a barrier to expanding in the United States.

 

My administration has taken action. On June 25, the EPA held a hearing on the proposed reductions to the RFS in Kansas City, Kansas. Nebraska Energy Office Director David Bracht testified at the hearing about the value of ethanol to Nebraska and the negative impact that the EPA’s proposal would have on our state. Nebraskans who care about the future of agriculture and ethanol in our state are welcome to submit their own comments to the EPA. More information on how you can submit a comment of your own can be found by visitingwww.tinyurl.com/epaethanol. 

 

The proposed changes to the RFS are just another example of baseless policies issued by the EPA and Washington bureaucrats that will hurt our state. As Governor, I will continue to push back on Washington and fight for Nebraska. Together, we can overcome this challenge for the future of ethanol and agriculture, and continue to grow our state for the next generation.

Governor Pete Ricketts

Governor Pete Ricketts

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