It’s fair to say that 2022 brought unique weather to all portions of Nebraska. From tornadoes, to
giant hailstones to wildfires and dust storms, our weather has been impactful. The National
Weather Service remains committed to working with leaders from across the state to build
“Weather-Ready” communities.


March 27-31 is Nebraska Severe Weather Awareness Week. We encourage everyone to take
time to review and practice your severe weather plan for your home or office. If you don’t have a
plan, this is a great time to consider developing one and sharing it with others. Preparing an emer-
gency kit with basic supplies such as food, water, blankets and a flashlight can save precious time
when reacting to an actual event. By working together to ensure we are ready for disaster, we can
better prepare our families, friends, and communities for these times.


Although it is not common for severe weather to occur in the winter, Nebraska has had at least one
reported tornado during each month of the year since official records have been kept. The reports
we receive from our partners and the public contribute to keeping our neighbors and fellow Ne-
braskans safe when disaster strikes.


The ground truth provided gives forecasters an idea of what a storm is doing. These reports are
used in research aimed at better understanding how storms work. Your storm reports play a vital
role in keeping others safe, both now and in the years to come.


Tornadoes reported across Nebraska in 2022 were down greatly from the 30-year average of 49.
Only 26 tornadoes occurred in the state last year. April had the most tornadoes with 10, with June
coming in second with 9.


Storm reports are eyewitness reports providing critical in-
formation to meteorologists making warning decisions.
This real time information allows forecasters to have
ground truth of what is actually happening below where
the radar cannot see.


We are grateful to our storm spotters, partners, and local
community members for your continued support and as-
sistance in providing this information.


Nebraska Severe Weather Awareness Week is March 27-31

GA...SOLID WOODEN DOOR.....COME AND TAKE IT.....LF...GOOD USED STORM AND SCREEN DOOR......FS...CARD TABLE WITHOUT CHAIRS...$20...762-8555

FS...10' X 10.5' X 12',  NEW IN BOX GREENHOUSE...COMPLETE...$850....WOULD DELIVER IN ALLIANCE AREA....FS...6 -LUG 21" RIMS....SOME ARE CROME AND STEEL...$25 EACH....760-1578

LF...ODD JOBS OF ANY KIND...CLEAN UP...ETC....LF...RIDING MOWER....WOULD TRADE LABOR FOR IT...LF...BICYCLES..ANY STYLE...ANY SIZE...ANY CONDITION...FS...ELECTRIC BBQ GRILL...760-5608

FS...2-VIAER0 CELL PHONES.....HTC-1....GALAXY S6 EDGE+.....BOTH LIKE NEW.....760-9680,   CALL OR TEXT

LF...GOLF CART....OR 4 WHEEL ATV.....IF NEED FIXED UP THAT'S FINE......763-8223

FS...CONAIR FOOT SPA.....2-HEATNG PADS.....DECORATIVE STATE PLATES....CALL FOR INFO.....308-629-1266

FS...15" SPARE TIRE AND RIM...HOLDING AIR AND READY TO USE...$20.....FS...SET OF 30 LB  METAL DUMBELLS....GOOD CONDITION.....LF...ROTOTILLERS...MOWERS...SNOWBLOWERS..LEAF BLOWERS...TO FIX UP...629-9384

OPEN MIC:  FRIDAY MARCH 24, 2023

Click <a href="https://panhandlepost.com/category/obituaries">HERE</a> to view the most recent obituaries and service times from our funeral home partners.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Panhandle Post is honored to publish full obituaries and photos at no cost to families. Funeral homes can send notices to&nbsp;<a href="https://archive.panhandlepost.com/recent-obituaries/kcowradio@gmail.com">kcowradio@gmail.com</a>&nbsp;or call (308) 762-1400

Recent obituaries and service times

GA...HEAVY WOODEN DOOR.....LF..COMBO STORM DOOR WITH SCREEN AND GLASS...STANDARD SIZE....FS...CARD TABLE WITHOUT CHAIRS...$25...762-8555

FS...2-VIAERO CELL PHONES....H2C ONE....GALAXY 6 EDGE...$100 EACH....760-9680

LF...ODD JOBS...HANDIMAN WORK OF ANY KIND...ETC....763-9820

GA...WASHER/ DRYER....KITCHEN RANGE....NEED TO PICKUP....487-5243

FS...FUTON WITH GOOD CLEAN MATTRESS...TAKEN APART...READY TO MOVE...$10......FS...WOOD BUNK BED FRAME ONLY ..MISSING A FEW SLATS...$10......FS ANOTHER BUNK BED SET WITH FUTON BOTTOM AND TWIN ON TOP WITH GOOD MATTRESSES...$100.....LF...GOOD, CLEAN TWIN SIZE,  BOX SPRING......760-7110

LF...BICYCLES...ANY STYLE...ANY SIZE...ANY CONDITION.....LF...RIDING LAWN MOWER...WOULD TRADE LABOR FOR IT....LF...ODD JOBS OF ANY KIND.....FS...BRAND NEW IN BOX ELECTRIC GRILL....SEE AT 1012 PLATTE...760-5608

LF...BIGGER,  KIDS WAGONS....ANY CONDITION IS OK....760-5304

OPEN MIC: THURSDAY MARCH 23, 2023

GA...OUTSIDE WOODEN DOOR...HEAVY....LF...COMBO STORM AND SCREEN DOOR...36" X 80"....FOR&nbsp; LOW $......762-8555

FS...15" SPARE TIRE AND RIM...$20....308-629-9384

 LF...BICYCLES...ANY STYLE...ANY SIZE...ANY CONDITION.....LF...RIDING LAWN MOWER...WOULD TRADE LABOR FOR IT.....LF...ODD JOBS OF ANY KIND.....760-5608

LF...SMALL BREED FEMALE DOG.....1 YR OLD OR YOUNGER....PREFER A CHIHUAHUA.....763-1954

FS...5 BURNER,  GAS KITCHEN STOVE...LIKE NEW CONDITION...$700....FS...ICE FISHING AUGAR WITH 2 BITS....762-3709

LF...2-KIDS WAGONS....ANY CONDITION...760-5304

FS...NEW-- GREEN HOUSE...IN BOX...NEVER OPENED...10 X 10.5 X 12 WITH VENTS...ALUM WITH CLEAR WALLS AND CEILING...NEEDS ASSEMBLED...HAVE INSTRUCTIONS...ASKING-$850.....FS...2 -4' X 4' CARD TABLES WITH 7 CHAIRS...MAKE OFFERS......308-760-1578

LF...ODD JOBS OF ANY KIND...YARD WORK.....308-299-0112-MIKE

OPEN MIC: WEDNESDAY MARCH 22, 2023

TRACK AND FIELD MEET-SATURDAY AT SIDNEY HAS BEEN MOVED TO FRIDAY......BOYS GOLF AT NORTH PLATTE ON FRIDAY--POSTPONED

GA...WOODEN, OUTSIDE DOOR.....LF...GOOD CONDITION STORM/SCREEN DOOR...STANDARD SIZE....762-8555

LF...LICENSE PLATES...CAR OR MOTORCYCLE....402-670-1769

TODAY IS NATIONAL AG DAY....OPEN HOUSE 407 E 3RD...TO CELEBRATE WITH COFFEE AND DONUTS...UNTIL 5 PM TODAY

LF...BICYCLES...ANY STYLE...ANY SIZE...ANY CONDITION....LF...RIDING MOWER...WOULD TRADE LABOR FOR IT....LF...ODD JOBS OF ANY KIND....760-5608

OPEN MIC: TUESDAY MARCH 21, 2023

At the high school, they are celebrating Hope Squad this week. Hope Squad is a peer to peer program that empowers squads of students mentored by advisors to take action to improve the school's environment. Squad members are trained to watch for at-risk students, identify suicide warning signs, seek help from adults and provide friendship. Hope Squad seeks to reduce self-destructive behavior and youth suicide through training, building, and creating change in our school and community. This week students can participate in Hope Squad week by wearing each day's themed clothing or by donating to mason jars in the office. These mason jars have pictures of staff who are willing to be "pied in the face" for the benefit of Hope Squad. The pieing will occur this Friday, March 24 with the top earners getting pied. Our School Resource Officer (SRO), Officer Tyler Sherlock is putting his face on the line to be pied. If you would like to see his face splattered in whip cream "LIVE", bring your donation to the Alliance Police Department dispatch or the Alliance High School office. P.S. Officer Sherlock will broadcast live on our PD Facebook this Friday if he is one of the lucky few!&nbsp;

Alliance High School, APD celebrate 'Hope Squad' week 

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission conservation officers and the Gering Police Department responded to the occurrence of a mountain lion on a security video twice recently.

A mountain lion was recorded on a video in south Gering on March 9, then in a different part of town at 3 a.m. Sunday. It is not known if the animal seen on both videos is the same.

Gering police officers and Game and Parks officers searched the area of Sunday’s incident but could not locate the mountain lion.

According to Game and Parks’ Mountain Lion Response Plan, a mountain lion that is within the limits of a municipality will be killed if it can safely be done, to ensure public safety.

Anyone who observes a mountain lion in person or on video should contact the local police department or Game and Parks immediately.

Game and Parks reminds people that mountain lion attacks are rare. Find more information about Nebraska mountain lions, including the response plan, at&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzAzMjAuNzM2ODEzNjEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vd3d3Lk91dGRvb3JOZWJyYXNrYS5nb3YifQ.-zLbox399ui1wMEL0GjolHwGsdtzwcr7_bLuwtzQ1jM/s/497221906/br/156448152617-l" target="_blank">OutdoorNebraska.gov</a>.

Game and Parks, Gering PD, respond to mountain lion on video

FS...POCKET SIZE RADIO..AM-FM...$25.....FS...2-VIDEO CAMERAS...MAKE OFFERS....760-9680

FOUND ....LARGE PLASTIC WATER TANK/CONTAINER....IN FRONT YARD OF KCOW...COME AND CLAIM IT OR TAKE IT......FS...SEVERAL BOXES OF MISC DVD'S,  BOOKS &amp; CD'S....$60 FOR ALL...762-1400...CLAIM AT KCOW

FS...PLASTIC, PVC,  GATED PIPE...APPROX 1000 FT...MAKE OFFERS....CALL 760-8992

ALLIANCE PUBLIC LIBRARY....STORYTIME TUESDAY ONLY..10 AM....NO STORYTIME ON THURS.....FIBER ARTS CLUB ON WED....2 PM...762-1387

LF...SMALL BREED, FEMALE DOG....1 YR OLD OUR YOUNGER...PREFER AT CHIHUAHUA.....763-1954

LF...LATE 90'S OR EARLY 2000.. PICKUP WITH AUTO...4WD...FOR THE RANCH....763-1539

FS...2-CHRISTMAS CACTUS PLANTS IN CERAMIC POTS...$8 EACH....FS...5 DRAWER,  KIDS ROOM CHEST OF DRAWERS...DARK BROWN...$50....762-4583

LF...ODD JOBS...YARD WORK WILL DETATCH...FERT....760-7173

LF...BICYCLES...ANY SIZE...ANY STYLE...ANY CONDITION....LF...ODD JOBS OF ANY KIND....CLEAN UP WORK ETC....LF...RIDING MOWER....WOULD TRADE LABOR FOR IT....760-5608

FS...ANTIQUE RADIO....FS...PATIO TABLE WITH UMBRELLA AND 4 CHAIRS....LF...PARTS FOR A 1996 GRAND PRIX...760-4336

OPEN MIC: MONDAY MARCH 20, 2023

If you're relying upon Facebook for your local news, you are missing out!

Click <a href="https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/188842?hl=en&amp;co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid">HERE</a> for instructions on how to bookmark Post on your Android device.

Click <a href="https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/bookmark-favorite-webpages-iph42ab2f3a7/ios">HERE</a> for instructions on how to bookmark Post on your Apple device.

Or download our native app on Google Play or iTunes!

How to bookmark a Post site on your mobile device

FRIDAY MARCH 17, 2023..HAPPY ST PATRICKS DAY!

GA...WOOD, OUTSIDE DOOR......LF...COMBO STORM AND SCREEN DOOR...STANDARD SIZE....762-8555

FS...GUITAR STAND, GOOD FOR USE ON STAGE....$15......762-8092

LF...SOMEONE TO BUILD SOME STEPS FOR A DOG TO USE TO CLIMB UP ON FURNITURE OR BEDS.....757-777-8666--IN ALLIANCE

FS...DECORATIVE BIRD CAGE...GOOD CONDITION....$30...760-2378

FS...SET OF  4- NEW HUB CAPS...NEW IN BOX...FIT A 15" TIRE...$20....308-629-9384

FS...13-PACKS OF LOVE KNIT YARN....$10 PER PACK....ALL SOLID COLORS...CALL FOR INFO....916-672-7758--IN ALLIANCE

 GA....LOAD OF FIREWOOD...COME AND TAKE WHAT YOU WANT...IN THE BACK....1117 EMERSON AVE

FS...8" HAND AUGAR.....2 PERSON ICE FISHING HUT...$75 FOR BOTH.....903-738-6736 ..LEAVE MSG

OPEN MIC: FRIDAY MARCH 17, 2023

United States Attorney 
Steven Russell announced that Jose O. Maes, 38, of Colorado Springs, 
Colorado, was sentenced today in Lincoln by Senior United 
States District Judge John M. Gerrard to 31 years
 in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with the 
intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine mixture with a
 prior violent felony conviction. Maes was convicted of the offense in 
November of 2022 after a three-day trial.&nbsp; Following
 the prison term, Maes will serve 15 years on supervised release. There
 is no parole in the federal system.

Testimony and evidence 
presented at trial showed between June of 2020 and February 12, 2021, 
Maes was involved in a methamphetamine distribution organization which 
transported multiple pounds of methamphetamine
 from the Colorado Springs, Colorado, area to the Lincoln and Omaha, 
Nebraska/Council Bluffs, Iowa areas between the latter part of 2020 and 
February 12, 2022.

On February 11, 2022, 
investigators with the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force saw
 Maes meet with two co-conspirators at the Horseshoe Casino in Council 
Bluffs. The three were engaged in what appeared
 to be the transfer of drugs in the casino parking garage.&nbsp; Shortly 
thereafter, an exchange of cash occurred at a nearby gas station.&nbsp; Later
 that evening, the two co-conspirators, driving separate vehicles, were 
stopped on westbound Interstate 80 on their way
 back to Lincoln by the Nebraska State Patrol.&nbsp; Both vehicles were 
searched, and a total of approximately four pounds of methamphetamine, 
numerous fentanyl pills, two handguns and $5,000 in cash were found.

As a result of these 
stops and searches, Iowa investigators were told Maes was believed to 
have returned to the casinos and was likely in possession of 
methamphetamine, cash and a firearm.&nbsp; Around 2:30 a.m. on
 February 12, 2022, an investigator from the Iowa Division of Narcotics 
Enforcement and a Council Bluffs Police Officer found Maes’s car in the 
Harrah’s Casino parking garage.&nbsp; Maes evaded efforts to contact him.&nbsp; 
This resulted in a pursuit involving multiple
 law enforcement agencies which ended approximately 30 miles away in a 
rural area of Pottawattamie County, Iowa.&nbsp; A search of Maes’s car 
resulted in the seizure of ¼ ounce of methamphetamine, a few fentanyl 
pills, a loaded handgun with an extended magazine
 and more than $34,153 in cash.&nbsp; That cash was later forfeited to the 
United States of America by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

This case was 
investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force, the 
Nebraska State Patrol, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the 
Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, the Iowa Division
 of Intelligence, the Council Bluffs Police Department, the 
Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Department, the Iowa State Patrol, the 
Omaha Police Department, and Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Colo. man sentenced  for conspiracy to distribute meth

BRULL —&nbsp;Keith County Area Development has announced the launch of the 2023 Mural Project in 
the community of Brule. 

"Art in public places plays an 
important role in preserving our culture, conveying the history of our 
community, and beautifying the place we call home," KCAD said in a social media release. This project 
stems from the “First Impressions” priorities identified during the 2020
 Keith County Community Vision Planning process. It is being pursued 
thanks to generous funding raised during the 2022 <a href="https://www.facebook.com/keithcobiggive/?__cft__[0]=AZUKZTK_zzriDcF0PRSoE5YpjHY74l_qCIvxm_vTLZAKGVeNGJ87ObIes1ovqnZ7hxR8b-G-eJa-13gW_FBQjW97RxJc-QYhgxcoxuLMA19Cu2zNwDz3IfThjbj9z0RHn-z-Mp044ooxgsbLcCP1QIyTLX3ItBf2KfulWr5NdCJ4V0A8D0UH_R5sr9IYGnhlUf4&amp;__tn__=kK*F">Keith County Big Give</a> and a grant from the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/KeithCounty/?__cft__[0]=AZUKZTK_zzriDcF0PRSoE5YpjHY74l_qCIvxm_vTLZAKGVeNGJ87ObIes1ovqnZ7hxR8b-G-eJa-13gW_FBQjW97RxJc-QYhgxcoxuLMA19Cu2zNwDz3IfThjbj9z0RHn-z-Mp044ooxgsbLcCP1QIyTLX3ItBf2KfulWr5NdCJ4V0A8D0UH_R5sr9IYGnhlUf4&amp;__tn__=kK*F">Keith County Foundation Fund</a>. This is Keith County Area Development’s second mural project. Mural project information is available on KCAD’s website at <a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kcad.org%2Fmural%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR3YwfJHUPcZCRSes7a9OEATyKRxKLBpZdZ7CfXLOk6D1NaaCnle_ONHQs4&amp;h=AT30Aivj05oCKf1OpG5r73jiI4sddDBqklciSsakEQXqWOI66OEB1t1bVbyaQVNf_hvZ5UJod6qD42lKfmrnbmbO7FwZTp1b5jgdlItqyZ06ktGHfUByZWsVRW7_uhwSXJtc0yE&amp;__tn__=-UK*F&amp;c[0]=AT1fENAL-b3NWLCzjrg3WIsKeUpFKyGmqsFSkcdOR0K4z0JK1juQ4lKMnHCZ_fTNTWkl1bCdmPPnFHUO2fWRU34ozVOsbYsarDjY8HAJnpJKd7FQUU46jnYSSHktAIVIW-PpVCIgDQNHHlOWk5w8bH_CPZFL95jmNSD2Vj000kxupAu3YZ27guJRmTjZFRY92tEbMwyw07kS" target="_blank">www.kcad.org/mural</a>. Artist applications may be submitted online or by mail and are due April 30.

Keith Co. seeking muralists for 2023 Brule art project

By National Weather Service in Cheyenne, WY

A High Wind Warning remains in effect through 3PM this afternoon, for the wind prone areas of southeast Wyoming, including Arlington/Elk Mountain, Bordeaux, the South Laramie Range and Foothills. The newest update now includes Central Laramie County. Wind gusts up to 65 MPH are possible in areas of the High Wind Warning. Use caution if traveling with lightweight or high profile vehicles.

Snow showers will accumulate across portions of the I-25 corridor into the Nebraska Panhandle today and overnight, which has resulted in a Winter Weather Advisory issuance. The areas in SE WY along and east of the I-25 corridor will have an earlier expiration time of 3pm this afternoon where 1-3 inches of snow is forecast to occur. The highest snowfall accumulations are expected in the Nebraska Panhandle where 3-7 inches are anticipated through early Sunday morning. Localized areas over small distances of moderate to heavy snow in persistent snow bands may result in areas of greater than 7 inches.

&nbsp; There are low to moderate probabilities of an additional at least 4 inches of snowfall this evening through Monday afternoon for portions of southeast Wyoming and western Nebraska. This evening and Sunday night are the main two time periods for the most snowfall. For travel details, refer to wyoroad.info (WY) and/or <a href="http://dot.nebraska.gov/?fbclid=IwAR2uyI5fT_EnGn8Z1CrBHCQ8drU4s5iVEqPD92i3u-5dQLEnT5OyNCxUZOU" target="_blank">dot.nebraska.gov</a> (NE)&nbsp; &nbsp;

Winter Weather Advisory, High Wind Warning issued for areas of Panhandle 

-&nbsp;I80- Wyoming State Line to RP 101

-&nbsp;HWY 30- Wyoming State to Big Springs (Highway 138)

Panhandle road closures 

PHOENIX (AP) — Years ago, skateboarding was branded as a hobby for rebels or stoners in city streets, schoolyards and back alleys. Those days are long gone.

Skateboarding, which has Native Hawaiian roots connected to surfing, no longer is on the fringes. It became an Olympic sport in 2020. There are numerous amateur and professional skateboarding competitions in the U.S. And on Friday, the U.S. Postal Service is issuing stamps that laud the sport — and what Indigenous groups have brought to the skating culture.

Di'Orr Greenwood, 27, an artist born and raised on the Navajo Nation in Arizona whose work is featured on the new stamps, says it's a long way from when she was a kid and people always kicked her out of certain spots just for skating.

“Now it's like being accepted on a global scale," Greenwood said. "There's so many skateboarders I know that are extremely proud of it."

The postal agency ceremoniously unveiled the “Art of the Skateboard" stamps in a Phoenix skate park as a skateboarding competition was going on nearby.

The stamps feature skateboard artists from around the country, including Greenwood and Crystal Worl, who is Tlingit Athabascan. William James Taylor Jr., an artist from Virginia, and Federico "MasPaz" Frum, a Colombian-born muralist in Washington, D.C., round out the quartet of featured artists. Everyone but Taylor was in attendance.

“Over time skateboards themselves have become works of art highlighting artists' creativity, boldness and energy,” William Zollars, of the USPS Board of Governors, told an audience of city officials and supporters. “As an American institution older than the country itself, the Postal Service is always looking for ways to highlight and honor stories and histories that are unique to the United States.”

The stamps underscore the prevalence of skateboarding, especially in Indian Country where the demand for skate parks is growing.

The artists see the stamp as a small canvas, a functional art piece that will be seen across the U.S. and beyond.

“Maybe I'll get a letter in the mail that someone sent me with my stamp on it,” said Worl, 35, who lives in Juneau, Alaska. “I think that’s when it will really hit home with the excitement of that.”

Antonio Alcalá, USPS art director, led the search for artists to paint skate decks for the project. After settling on a final design, each artist received a skateboard from Alcalá to work on. He then photographed the maple skate decks and incorporated them into an illustration of a young person holding up a skateboard for display. The person is seen in muted colors to draw attention to the skate deck.

Alcalá used social media to seek out artists who, besides being talented, were knowledgeable about skateboarding culture. Worl was already on his radar because her brother, Rico, designed the Raven Story stamp in 2021, which honored a central figure in Indigenous stories along the coast in the Pacific Northwest.

The Worl siblings run an online shop called Trickster Company with fashions, home goods and other merchandise with Indigenous and modern twists. For her skate deck, Crystal Worl paid homage to her clan and her love of the water with a Sockeye salmon against a blue and indigo background.

She was careful about choosing what to highlight.

"There are certain designs, patterns and stories that belong to certain clans and you have to have permission even as an Indigenous person to share certain stories or designs,” Worl said.

The only times Navajo culture has been featured in stamps is with rugs or necklaces. Greenwood, who tried out for the U.S. Women’s Olympic skateboarding team, knew immediately she wanted to incorporate her heritage in a modern way. Her nods to the Navajo culture include a turquoise inlay and a depiction of eagle feathers, which are used to give blessings.

“I was born and raised with my great-grandmother, who looked at a stamp kind of like how a young kid would look at an iPhone 13,” Greenwood said. "She entrusted every important news and every important document and everything to a stamp to send it and trust that it got there.”

Skateboarding has become a staple across Indian Country. A skate park opened in August on the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arizona-8f521edc0f0d58f44369a3393815b35d">Hopi reservation</a>. Skateboarders on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation in eastern Arizona recently got funding for one from pro skateboarder Tony Hawk's nonprofit, The Skatepark Project. Youth-organized competitions take place on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota.

Dustinn Craig, a White Mountain Apache filmmaker and “lifer” skateboarder in Arizona, has made documentaries and short films on the sport. The 47-year-old remembers how skateboarding was seen as dorky and anti-establishment when he was a kid hiding “a useless wooden toy” in his locker. At the same time, Craig credits skateboarding culture as “my arts and humanities education.”

So he is wary of the mainstream’s embrace, as well as the sometimes clique-ish nature, of today's skateboarding world.

“For those of us who have been in it for a very long time, it’s kind of insulting because I think a lot of the popularity has been due to the proliferation of access to the visuals of the youth culture skateboarding through the internet and social media,” Craig said. “So, I feel like it really sort of trivializes and sort of robs Native youth of authenticity of the older skateboard culture that I was raised on.”

He acknowledges that he may come off as the “grumpy old man” to younger Indigenous skateboarders who are open to collaborating with outsiders.

The four skateboards designed by the artists will eventually be transferred to the Smithsonian National Postal Museum, said Jonathan Castillo, USPS spokesperson.

The stamps, which will have a printing of 18 million, will be available at post offices and on the USPS website beginning Friday. For the artists, being part of a project that feels low-tech in this age of social media is exciting.

“It’s like the physical thing is special because you go out of your way to go to the post office, buy the stamps and write something,” Worl said.

Indigenous artists help skateboarding earn stamp of approval

United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Daniel Drews, 41, of Lincoln was sentenced today in federal
court in Lincoln.&nbsp; Senior United States 
District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Drews to 10 years in prison for
 possession with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine
 (actual) with a prior serious drug felony
 conviction.&nbsp; Because of Drews’s prior drug trafficking conviction, he 
faced a 10-year mandatory minimum sentence.&nbsp; After serving his sentence,
 Drews will be placed on supervised release for 8 years.&nbsp; There is no 
parole in the federal system.&nbsp;


On
 May 10, 2022, drug investigators were surveilling a residence in 
Lincoln.&nbsp; Investigators saw Drews and two others exit the residence and 
get in the vehicle. Drews got in the
 passenger side of the vehicle.&nbsp; The vehicle departed and officers 
followed.&nbsp; Law enforcement stopped the vehicle for a traffic violation, 
and Drews exited the vehicle and started walking away with a backpack.&nbsp; 
Officers instructed him not to run, but he ran
 and threw the backpack on the ground.&nbsp; Drews was eventually apprehended
 and taken into custody.&nbsp; Officers searched the backpack that he threw 
on the ground and found two bags of marijuana, a gun, and a knife.&nbsp; 
Officers searched his person and found two baggies
 of suspected methamphetamine and $240 in currency.&nbsp; The suspected 
methamphetamine was sent to the lab for testing.&nbsp; The lab confirmed that
 there was at least 22.5 grams of methamphetamine, of which at least 21 
grams was actual methamphetamine.

This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force.

Neb. man sentenced to 10 years on federal drug charges

Recently, Senator Fischer and I returned from an oversight visit of the southern border. We heard directly from Border Patrol personnel about the challenges they currently face and the lack of support they’ve received from the Biden administration. This disorder caused by the president’s inaction has made every state, including Nebraska, a border state.

The statistics show that we are living in the worst border crisis on record. More than 1,400 lbs of fentanyl and nearly 10,000 lbs of methamphetamine were seized at the southern border in January.&nbsp;In my last year as Governor, the Nebraska State Patrol confiscated two times as much methamphetamine, three times as much fentanyl, and ten times as much cocaine as just two years prior.

In addition, 156,274 illegal immigrants were apprehended trying to cross the U.S.-Mexico border in January 2023 – the highest January total in 22 years. Nearly 6 million illegal immigrants have crossed the border since Joe Biden became President. That’s 3 times the size the entire state of Nebraska in just over 2 years!

Sadly, this administration’s failure to secure our border continues to have tragic consequences in Nebraska and across our country. The leading cause of death for people aged 18-45 in 2020 and 2021 was fentanyl&nbsp;overdoses. A majority of those drugs are coming across our borders. It is a scourge on our country, our states, and our communities.

Most fentanyl is being shipped from the People’s Republic of China to Mexico. There it’s manufactured into pills in illegal labs, and smuggled across our border. The Chinese Communist Party and Mexican cartels have taken advantage of our weak border to surge the flow of fentanyl to the U.S. They have the blood of Americans who have died from these drugs on their hands and they need to be held accountable.

Taryn Lee Griffith was a 24-year-old single mom from Nebraska who died in 2021 of a fentanyl overdose. Taryn took a pill she thought was Percocet. Instead, it was a counterfeit laced with fentanyl and it killed her. It should have never happened,&nbsp;and now her daughters will have to get to know their mom through pictures and stories from family.&nbsp;

Tragically, President Biden’s budget request for 2024 shows that he is not serious about ending this crisis. He’s asked Congress for $535 million for border technology, but that pales in comparison to the $3.9 billion dollars he’s asking for&nbsp;the Department of Homeland Security’s&nbsp;&nbsp;“Climate Resilience Programs.”&nbsp;Think about that – President Biden believes we need seven times the money for climate resilience&nbsp;at Homeland Security&nbsp;than we do for the technology our Border Patrol officers rely on. Those are misplaced priorities at a time when Americans continue to die from fentanyl coming across our border.

The President might not be serious about border security, but my colleagues and I are. When I was governor, I worked with my fellow governors to propose real solutions to the administration. We need to give Border Patrol what they need to fully enforce our laws and stop this influx of deadly drugs. We need to take action.&nbsp;In the U.S. Senate,&nbsp;I stand ready to work with my colleagues and to pass serious solutions to engage this crisis. The lives of Americans and Nebraskans are on the line.&nbsp;

&nbsp; Along with Senator Deb Fischer and the rest of my colleagues in the Nebraska delegation, my team and I are here to serve you.&nbsp;Contact my team and I anytime&nbsp;by phone at 202-224-4224, on my website&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ricketts.senate.gov/" target="_blank">www.ricketts.senate.gov</a>, or via email&nbsp;<a href="mailto:contactricke@ricketts.senate.gov" target="_blank">contactricke@ricketts.senate.gov</a>.&nbsp;I am honored to serve our great state and will continue&nbsp;to&nbsp;work to protect the Good Life from Washington overreach.

Sen. Ricketts: Securing our southern border

CHADRON – Northwest Nebraska tourism industry professionals will have a chance to network with each other during the third annual Treasure Chest of the Northwest April 20, 2023, at 5:30 p.m. at the Dawes County Fairgrounds Event Center. RSVPs to attend the event are due April 6.

Discover Northwest Nebraska has once again teamed up with Chadrad Communications and the Heartland Center's committee for Rural Prosperity in Northwest Nebraska to host the event.

Three tourism awards will be presented to the Frontline Employee of the Year, the Business/Attraction of the Year and the Tourism Volunteer of the Year. Nominations for the awards are open until March 1 at https://discovernwnebraska.com/industry-awards/.

In addition to the awards, attendees will have the opportunity to network and exchange ideas and information with each other and hear from several speakers during the workshop. Topics to be addressed include: "Hospitality: What Is It and Why Is It Important?," "Mutual Promotion &amp; Collaboration," and "Diversified Marketing Strategies." There will also be a recap of the 2022 tourism season and information about the Discover Northwest Nebraska tourism office presented.

A brochure exchange will be offered, and attendees can play Brochure Bingo for a chance to win prizes, and there will be other opportunities to win prizes that evening as well.

Event coordinators, business/attraction managers, owners and employees are invited to enjoy heavy appetizers provided by B&amp;B Catering, networking and informational sessions. Invitations will be mailed out in the coming weeks, but anyone who works in the Dawes &amp; Sioux County tourism industry and wants to attend can do so, regardless of whether or not they receive an invitation. RSVPs are required, however, so interested individuals are asked to contact Discover Northwest Nebraska Director Kerri Rempp by April 6 at director@discovernwnebraska.com, or by calling 308-432-3006.

Tickets are $5 per person, payable at the door to B&amp;B Catering.

RSVP's due soon for Dawes Co. tourism workshop

National Cocktail Day Poll!

By JOHN E. WEARE Keep Alliance Beautiful&nbsp;

U-turn back to Highway 2 and southeast to Alliance or take a right and go through downtown? Finding a snack and Mountain Dew won over, so I headed toward Raben’s Market and pulled into a parking spot on Box Butte Avenue. Glancing up, there was the Hemingford Library. On this occasion, years ago, I had a few minutes to spare and ventured inside for the first time. From a friendly welcome as I opened the door and conversation during my brief stay to the number of books and resources contained in the former post office/bank building the library made an impression. There’d be other occasions to walk among the stacks.

Not long after joining the afternoon shift at the Keep Alliance Beautiful Recycling Center, I helped a lady carry in boxes of used paperbacks. She said they were from the Hemingford Library and asked if we accepted hardcover books. I replied that we did though the covers must be removed and baled with the paperboard. That effort is only a small part of the library’s environmentally responsible attitude as I learned on a recent visit.

“Happy Statehood Day,” Director Colleen Gardner said as I sat down next to the front desk. Sue Hennings, library board president, sorted puzzle pieces at the table to my left while board member Mary Ann Gordon worked on a project across the room. Sue explained how puzzles missing pieces can be cut into shapes for 3-D decorations such as a wreath. Colleen showed me other crafts made from recyclable materials there such as “smash books,” a type of journal that featured used wallpaper, and book safes, where pages are glued and a cavity cut out.

The crafts were evidence of an active place where the community likes to gather. “We’re not a typical library here,” Colleen said. “People can come in and have lunch and watch TV.” Which was what a man happened to be doing that day as I took notes over the noon hour. There is space to work on a puzzle and a discovery shelf featuring a Rubik’s cube, viewfinder and kaleidoscope among nostalgic items (they’d like to add an Etch-a-Sketch). On Fridays the library hosts activities that change weekly. She said youth stop in to play bingo, take part in Lego challenges, learn about saving with “money monsters” and how to find books and other library skills among the topics. The offerings are most popular among sixth- to 12th-grade students, Colleen explained, though younger children come with their parents. “People don’t use us as much as a babysitter,” Sue said.

Among downtown storefronts, the Hemingford library seems cozy yet still offers just under 1,000 books. It reminds me of the atmosphere when we’d come to town as kids and fill our drawstring bags at the Slagle Library. Echoing those memories, Colleen described shows put on with a collection of 30 donated puppets and summer reading programs.

The puppet stage is made from an old refrigerator box. “We did a short class on puppetry,” she said, including why people began using puppets to tell a story, puppet etiquette, how to hold them and look at each other.

A row of conch shells on a display case near the stage was a sign of what the children learned after school let out through “Ocean of Possibilities” in 2022. Sue and Colleen discussed how much trash is in the ocean, talking about groups of young people in California and on the East Coast who scuba dive and see how much garbage they can gather in a friendly competition. “Even our lakes and streams are like that too,” Colleen said. “Those baby calves will eat

anything.” Sue said, “When we lived out in the country we’d fill up a big black bag” with trash on walks down the road.

Colleen mentioned a summer reading program on where trash goes and how it’s never gone, noting archaeological digs that still uncover trash from the Romans, for example, compared to the lack of trash at a Native American site. Even “a book is compact and doesn’t break down,” she said.

The library continues to recycle books that are really old or have water damage while accepting donations to consider for the current collection. People can take magazines from stacks of recent issues with leftover copies going to the Mission Store in Alliance. Staff sorts other materials, mainly aluminum cans and plastic, that end up at KAB striving to recycle whatever they can while upcycling for craft classes and projects. The reuse/sharing practice also extends beyond books. Patrons can check out things they may need, yet are not practical to own, from a large coffee urn to a favorite pick of the library’s extensive collection of novelty cake pans.

January began the 100th year for the Hemingford Library, which started in the home of a local woman. Thousands of dollars and countless hours have been spent improving the current location, where the library has been since the 1960s. Continued investment in the facility promotes energy efficiency. A new thermostat complements an updated HVAC system. The front door has been replaced with a handicap-accessible opening upgrade and the back entrance will soon have a new security door. Smaller computers, using less electricity, arrived in December and LED overhead lights were put in during 2022.

KAB: Take a page from Hemingford library’s book

Laramie County (Wyo.) Community College

GILLETTE, Wyo. — The Laramie County Community College rodeo team hit 
the ground running on the men's side in their first competition of the 
spring, erupting for 680 team points on their way to their first team 
title of the 2022-23 season. The win is also the first win for the 
Golden Eagle men since Head Rodeo Coach Seth Glause has been involved 
with the program.

"Everything fell our way and we really capitalized on Sunday which is
 always good and helps on the team points some," Glause praised. "I was 
proud of our students. They all competed well and competed with a 
purpose and did a really great job."

The effort was led by senior <a href="https://golccc.com/sports/rodeo/2022-23/bios/girard_bernard_oh5d">Bernard Girard</a>&nbsp;— of Alliance — who took home the All-Around title along with a championship in Tie-Down roping.

Girard was also able to garner a third-place finish in Steer 
Wrestling on the way to tallying 255 points for the Golden Eagles team 
effort. He said the team has been using a variety of ways to get ready 
for the opening rodeo and it kept them all on their toes.

"The last three weeks, everyone has been getting ready to go," he 
said. "We had a steer wrestling jackpot Thursday night before we left to
 go to Gillette and got everybody in the zone to go. I went to a jackpot
 the weekend before and just having that good of a start was awesome and
 made me want to keep the ball rolling."

Girard was joined by a pair of other Golden Eagles who took home titles in their first goes of the spring.

Freshman <a href="https://golccc.com/sports/rodeo/2022-23/bios/tattrie_dixon_ij70">Dixon Tattrie</a>
 brought home the top spot in bull riding for his third rodeo win of the
 year going back to the fall and he continues to lead the Central Rocky 
Mountain Region (CRMR) standings with 360 points.

"I've started to ride really good this spring at practice and I feel 
more confident in what I was doing and how I was riding," Tattrie said 
about getting a good lead. "You try not to watch the standings as much 
as you can. The more you watch it the more pressure you put on yourself.
 If you take an eye off it and just go and ride bulls every weekend, 
it's a lot easier to do that than say 'I have to ride this bull so I 
stay here in the standings.'"

Tattrie also added a runner up in the first go of Saddle Bronc riding
 and finished fifth in the average to bring 80 more points for the team 
total there.

Fellow freshman <a href="https://golccc.com/sports/rodeo/2022-23/bios/pokorny_dane_zmt2">Dane Pokorny</a>&nbsp;of Thedford was another standout for LCCC, bringing home a tie for the title in 
Steer Wrestling after winning the first go with a time of 4.4 and adding
 a 4.7 in the short go to bring 140 more points to the team tally.

"We've got nine guys that can win any weekend (in steer wrestling) 
and they back into the box and they know they have an opportunity. We 
just missed having seven guys (in the short go)," Glause said. "I think 
they were 11th, 12th, and 14th so they bulldogged very well."

The win also moved Pokorny into a tie for second in the CRMR with 
Girard and putting both into position to qualify for the College 
National Finals Rodeo in June.

Other quality performances for the Golden Eagles included <a href="https://golccc.com/sports/rodeo/2022-23/bios/derner_chance_x0qt">Chance Derner</a> taking the top spot in the first go in Tie-Down, although the South Dakota junior failed to record a time on his second head.

Freshman Bull Rider Griffin Koester picked up a round win on his 
second ride with a score of 67 to add to his CRMR total and move into 
second place behind Tattrie.

"Dixon is in a good spot, he kind of separated himself from the field
 this weekend," Glause said. "They both just need to continue to ride 
with confidence and continue to give themselves opportunities to win and
 they both have the opportunity to go to Casper."

The Golden Eagles packed in a few more individuals in Steer Wrestling with freshman <a href="https://golccc.com/sports/rodeo/2022-23/bios/ravenscroft_tucker_26c5">Tucker Ravenscroft</a>&nbsp;oif Nenzel and senior <a href="https://golccc.com/sports/rodeo/2022-23/bios/pokorny_cauy_zssw">Cauy Pokorny</a>&nbsp;of Thedford both making the short go, and both put down times to finish fifth and sixth respectively in the average.

On the women's side, it wasn't a flashy rodeo for Laramie County. The
 team only had one make it to the short go in Wheatland freshman <a href="https://golccc.com/sports/rodeo/2022-23/bios/grant_rayne_fgpk">Rayne Grant</a>
 who picked up a sixth-place tie in the first go in breakaway and was 
able to make the top ten in barrels. Unfortunately, her rides in the 
short go were not enough to bring any points in to the team.&nbsp;

The Golden Eagle men remained in third place in the team standings, 
but picked up almost 300 points on region leading University of Wyoming 
and 465 points on second place Casper College. The team now sits just 
275 points out of second place with four rodeos' remaining.

"We need to keep the pressure on and continue to perform at a high 
level so that we have a opportunity come Laramie to go and compete in 
Casper as a team," Glause said.

The LCCC women remain in third place also, trailing the University of
 Wyoming by 580 points for the second spot in the team standings while 
Gillette College continues to dominate the region with wins in four of 
the six rodeos' so far.&nbsp;

Next week, the teams will be closer to home for action when they 
travel to Torrington, Wyoming for the EWC Lancer Rodeo at the Goshen 
County Fairgrounds March 24th through the 26th.

Details on the next rodeo can be found at <a href="http://www.golccc.com">www.golccc.com</a>.

Western Nebraskans get Wyo. CC rodeo team off to a clean start

CSC freshman Delaney Farnsworth has already earned one RMAC Pitcher of the Week honor and struck out a season high 10 hitters in a start on Sunday.  She talks about the season and more with Voice of the Eagles Dave Collins as the Eagles get ready to take the diamond again at home this week!

🔊 PODCAST: CSC Sports Journal - 3/22/22 - Delaney Farnsworth 🥎

&nbsp; The Nebraska women's basketball team will travel to Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence&nbsp; to take on the Kansas Jayhawks in the third round of the&nbsp;Postseason WNIT&nbsp;on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. (MT).&nbsp; KCOW coverage will begin at 5 pm&nbsp; (MT). The Huskers (18-14)&nbsp;advanced to the WNIT Super 16 with a 77-57 win over Northern Iowa in front of 6,478 fans at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Sunday. Kansas (21-11) advanced to the third round with a 75-47 win over Missouri in front of 3,682 fans on Monday night - the third-largest crowd in the WNIT's second round.

The Jayhawks entered the tournament with the highest NCAA NET ranking in Nebraska's 16-team bracket, and were considered one of the first four teams out of the 68-team NCAA Tournament field.&nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp; Thursday night's game will be the 85th all-time meeting between the Huskers and their most frequent opponent, Kansas. The Jayhawks own a 50-34 lead in the all-time series, but Nebraska owns a 24-10 edge in the last 34 meetings since 1998, including a 15-1 mark in Lincoln. Earlier this season, Nebraska outlasted Kansas 85-79 in triple-overtime on Dec. 21, 2022, at Pinnacle Bank Arena.&nbsp; The Jayhawks entered that game ranked No. 20 nationally and unbeaten at 10-0.&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/jaz-shelley/43970">Jaz Shelley</a>&nbsp;led four Huskers in double figures with 24 points, while&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/alexis-markowski/43975">Alexis Markowski</a>&nbsp;added a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds. First-team All-Big 12 guard Zakiyah Franklin led Kansas with a game-high 27 points, while fellow first-team All-Big 12 choice Taiyanna Jackson added 18 points and 21 rebounds in the loss. Jackson and Markowski were both top-10 finalists for the Lisa Leslie Center of the Year award in 2023.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Nebraska/Kansas winner will face the winner of Friday's game between Arkansas and Texas Tech... on Saturday,&nbsp; Sunday&nbsp; or Monday&nbsp; in the Great 8.&nbsp; &nbsp;All Tournament games will be played on the campus of one of the participating schools.&nbsp;

KCOW, 1400-AM and 92.5 FM will carry the games as far as Nebraska advances.

Husker Women will play at Kansas in WNIT Super 16

The high school basketball season is barely over, but, as usual, the track and field season will open Saturday (March 18) when Chadron State College hosts its annual High School Indoor Meet in the Nelson Physical Activity Center. The field events will begin at 9 a.m. and the running events at 11.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Meet Director Willie Hoffman said that as of noon Thursday, nearly 300 athletes from nine schools were entered.&nbsp; Many of them, of course, will compete in several events.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Seven western Nebraska schools—Alliance, Bayard, Chadron, Cody-Kilgore, Creek Valley at Chappell, Gering and Scottsbluff—are among those submitting entries, along with Custer, S.D., and Southeast High at Yoder, Wyo.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This will be the 36th&nbsp;year that at least one indoor meet for high school athletes has taken place in the Nelson Center since it opened in 1987.&nbsp; An exception was in 2000, when COVID 19 caused nearly all of the spring and many summer athletic events to be cancelled.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The meet will be open to the public.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

36th CSC High School Indoor Track Meet Saturday

Men's wrestling and indoor T&amp;F wrap up seasons at nationals... Seeking a new head coach... Softball gets a huge win and hosts this weekend with weather-related schedule changes.

🔊PODCAST: CSC Sports Journal - 3/15/22

By JENNA EBBERS <a href="https://nebraskanewsservice.net/state/morrill-cheerleader-makes-national-headlines-for-solo-state-performance/">Nebraska News Service</a>

Katrina Kohel traveled over 300 miles
 to represent the Morrill High School Lions at the Nebraska State High 
School Cheer and Dance competition in Grand Island last month – alone.&nbsp;

Kohel, a 17-year-old senior, was the 
lone cheerleader on the mats at the Heartland Event Center in Grand 
Island, representing the school she’s cheered for since she was a 
freshman, a town of just over 900 people in Nebraska’s panhandle.&nbsp;

However, as the tune of Nicki Minaj’s
 Starships set off the first four portions of her Game Day routine, she 
was no longer alone.

Teams from across the state gathered 
to cheer her on as she danced, completed both situational and sideline 
cheers and performed Morrill High’s fight song.

Local

Region

Sports

Announcements