The City of Alliance would like to express our deep appreciation to WESTCO for their substantial donation of $40,000 to the Alliance Fire Department.

Following the unfortunate loss of their building at the corner of Black Hills and 3rd Street, David Briggs, General Manager of WESTCO contacted the City to express their gratitude that the Alliance Fire Department was able to isolate the fire and prevent further loss of materials and equipment. Mr. Briggs expressed his desire to further demonstrate their gratitude and proceeded to seek and was able to secure a grant in the amount of $20,000. WESTCO matched this grant dollar-for-dollar, for a total donation $40,000. 

Mr. Briggs and Mr. Jess Wilmer presented the check to the City Council at its meeting held September 6. 

Of this generosity, Fire Chief Troy Shoemaker stated “the fire department is very humbled by WESTCO’s overwhelming generosity. We have always had a great relationship with WESTCO and enjoy working with their staff members to accomplish some of our training goals. WESTCO has assisted us with training our members in grain bin rescues and most recently sponsored Propane Emergencies training that we conducted in the old KMART parking lot.”

 These funds will be used to replace equipment damaged while fighting the WESTCO fire as well as to purchase other small equipment needs. 

Our sincere thanks and appreciation to WESTCO for this donation and for being a part of the Alliance Community.&nbsp;

By City of AllianceThe City of Alliance would like to express our deep appreciation to WESTCO for their substantial donation of $40,000 to the Alliance Fire Department.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1662995760903.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Following the unfortunate loss of their building at the corner of Black Hills and 3rd Street, David Briggs, General Manager of WESTCO contacted the City to express their gratitude that the Alliance Fire Department was able to isolate the fire and prevent further loss of materials and equipment. Mr. Briggs expressed his desire to further demonstrate their gratitude and proceeded to seek and was able to secure a grant in the amount of $20,000. WESTCO matched this grant dollar-for-dollar, for a total donation $40,000. Mr. Briggs and Mr. Jess Wilmer presented the check to the City Council at its meeting held September 6. Of this generosity, Fire Chief Troy Shoemaker stated “the fire department is very humbled by WESTCO’s overwhelming generosity. We have always had a great relationship with WESTCO and enjoy working with their staff members to accomplish some of our training goals. WESTCO has assisted us with training our members in grain bin rescues and most recently sponsored Propane Emergencies training that we conducted in the old KMART parking lot.” These funds will be used to replace equipment damaged while fighting the WESTCO fire as well as to purchase other small equipment needs. Our sincere thanks and appreciation to WESTCO for this donation and for being a part of the Alliance Community.&nbsp;

AVFD Chief Shoemaker grateful for WESTCO donation 

SCOTTSBLUFF -&nbsp;Area high school juniors and seniors and their parents/guardians are invited to learn more about college options at a Scottsbluff area college fair, hosted by Western Nebraska Community College. The fair will be held on September 13 from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. in Cougar Palace on the Scottsbluff Campus. Educational Planning Programs are sponsored by the Nebraska Association for Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers and EducationQuest across the state each year.

Representatives from 39 colleges, universities, and military branches will be attending. The purpose of the program is to give high school students and their parents/guardians an opportunity to discuss admission requirements, housing, financial aid, scholarships, internships, and specific majors.

"This event is a wonderful opportunity for our local students and their parents to be exposed to dozens of colleges and universities as they begin to think about their future after high school," said Jolene Martin, WNCC assistant admissions director. "WNCC is excited to host this college fair, and we look forward to meeting with everyone who attends."

The program is free and open to the public. For more information, contact WNCC Admissions at 308-635-6010 or email&nbsp;<a href="mailto:admissions@wncc.edu" target="_blank">admissions@wncc.edu</a>.

By WNCCSCOTTSBLUFF -&nbsp;Area high school juniors and seniors and their parents/guardians are invited to learn more about college options at a Scottsbluff area college fair, hosted by Western Nebraska Community College. The fair will be held on September 13 from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. in Cougar Palace on the Scottsbluff Campus. Educational Planning Programs are sponsored by the Nebraska Association for Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers and EducationQuest across the state each year.Representatives from 39 colleges, universities, and military branches will be attending. The purpose of the program is to give high school students and their parents/guardians an opportunity to discuss admission requirements, housing, financial aid, scholarships, internships, and specific majors."This event is a wonderful opportunity for our local students and their parents to be exposed to dozens of colleges and universities as they begin to think about their future after high school," said Jolene Martin, WNCC assistant admissions director. "WNCC is excited to host this college fair, and we look forward to meeting with everyone who attends."The program is free and open to the public. For more information, contact WNCC Admissions at 308-635-6010 or email&nbsp;<a href="mailto:admissions@wncc.edu" target="_blank">admissions@wncc.edu</a>.

WNCC hosting college fair for local high school students

CHADRON – September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month and CSC Health Services is providing Question Persuade Refer (QPR) certification training for employees, as well as a speaker, Rhianna Brand, on Sept. 19, in Lakota and Ponderosa Rooms at noon.

QPR is designed to help individuals notice suicide warning signs and learn how to offer support to a person who may be struggling. QPR training focuses on three steps to help prevent suicide. First, recognize the warning signs of suicide. Second, know how to offer hope, and third, know how to get help and save a life. No RSVP is necessary.

Three alternative times in the Student Center’s Bordeaux Room:

Brand’s speech is co-sponsored by Panhandle Public Health District. Follow-up discussions about student resources will follow the speech and counselors will be on-site to assist any attendees triggered by the content.

Brand, of Casper, Wyoming, was a victim of sexual abuse at a young age and physical and mental abuse as she grew older.

A suicide survivor, Brand speaks about how others did not know she was struggling with a mental health crisis because she was cheerful and had a good academic history. She is also a loss survivor, losing her uncle and multiple friends to suicide.

She is an appointed member of the Wyoming Behavioral Health Advisory Council and a QPR Master Trainer.

Her message will cover forming genuine human connections and performing safety checks as well as sharing her experiences with alcohol, substance abuse, and working through them.

By CSC COLLEGE RELATIONSCHADRON – September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month and CSC Health Services is providing Question Persuade Refer (QPR) certification training for employees, as well as a speaker, Rhianna Brand, on Sept. 19, in Lakota and Ponderosa Rooms at noon.QPR is designed to help individuals notice suicide warning signs and learn how to offer support to a person who may be struggling. QPR training focuses on three steps to help prevent suicide. First, recognize the warning signs of suicide. Second, know how to offer hope, and third, know how to get help and save a life. No RSVP is necessary.Faculty Certification Alternative time in Burkhiser Room 201:Sept. 12 from 3:15 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.Staff CertificationThree alternative times in the Student Center’s Bordeaux Room:Sept. 13 from 8 a.m. to 9:15 a.m.Sept. 14 from 1 p.m. to 2:15 p.m.Sept. 15 from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.Brand’s speech is co-sponsored by Panhandle Public Health District. Follow-up discussions about student resources will follow the speech and counselors will be on-site to assist any attendees triggered by the content.Brand, of Casper, Wyoming, was a victim of sexual abuse at a young age and physical and mental abuse as she grew older.A suicide survivor, Brand speaks about how others did not know she was struggling with a mental health crisis because she was cheerful and had a good academic history. She is also a loss survivor, losing her uncle and multiple friends to suicide.She is an appointed member of the Wyoming Behavioral Health Advisory Council and a QPR Master Trainer.Her message will cover forming genuine human connections and performing safety checks as well as sharing her experiences with alcohol, substance abuse, and working through them.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1662939677039.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

CSC provides education for Suicide Prevention Awareness Month

OMAHA,
 Neb. — The heads of the nation's two largest rail unions said 
Sunday that the freight railroads' move to begin delaying some shipments
 ahead of this week's looming strike deadline is only an attempt to get 
shippers to increase the pressure on Congress to intervene and block a 
work stoppage by imposing a contract on workers.

The heads of the 
unions that represent engineers and conductors — the Sheet Metal, Air, 
Rail and Transportation Workers — Transportation Division union and the 
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen union — issued a joint 
statement blasting the move, which the railroads announced late Friday. A
 strike or lockout won't be allowed until this coming Friday, but the 
railroads appear to be bracing for one by saying they would begin 
curtailing shipments of hazardous materials and other chemicals on 
Monday to ensure carloads of those dangerous products won't be stranded 
along the tracks if the trains stop moving.

“The railroads are 
using shippers, consumers, and the supply chain of our nation as pawns 
in an effort to get our unions to cave into their contract demands 
knowing that our members would never accept them. Our unions will not 
cave into these scare tactics, and Congress must not cave into what can 
only be described as corporate terrorism,” said Jeremy Fergunson with 
SMART-TD and Dennis Pierce with the BLET union.

Those two unions 
have been demanding that CSX, Union Pacific, BNSF, Norfolk Southern, 
Kansas City Southern and the other railroads go beyond the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-strikes-a83dffef79d38e36dc25588b19bf54b4">proposed deal recommended</a> by a group of arbitrators <a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-transportation-strikes-ba718974eb14fcd615d606bfcdffb3d2">President Joe Biden appointed.</a> They want them to address concerns about <a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-lawsuits-5123fda3d039543700b23d939e0bdda2">strict attendance policies</a> that they say make it hard to take any time off and <a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-aab7d3084a8d17d8d721d2cb750be323">increasing workloads</a> after the railroads cut nearly one-third of their workforces in recent years.

The
 railroad trade group has said there’s no way trucks can pick up the 
slack if the railroads stop moving because roughly 467,000 additional 
trucks a day would be needed to handle all the cargo trains haul and 
there is already a shortage of truck drivers.

Five of the 12 railroad unions that together represent 115,000 workers had already reached <a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-497a373594515a27e7435cdf97df7a41">tentative agreements</a>
 based on the Presidential Emergency Board's recommendations that will 
deliver 24% raises and $5,000 in bonuses over a five-year contract 
that's retroactive to 2020. The coalition negotiating on behalf of the 
railroads announced three more tentative agreements Sunday, so deals 
covering roughly 45,000 workers have now been announced. Members of the 
unions with tentative deals still have to vote on them.

If the two
 sides can't agree on a deal by the end of the week, Congress is 
expected to step in to block a strike because of the dire economic 
consequences if a strike happens because so many businesses rely on 
railroads to deliver their raw materials and finished products. The 
Association of American Railroads trade group put out a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-congress-government-and-politics-a53abd85fa6f8b3ccd622222ea9a4c46">report</a>
 last week estimating that the economy would take a $2 billion a day hit
 if the trains stop moving and passenger traffic would be disrupted 
nationwide because Amtrak and many commuter railroads use tracks owned 
by the freight railroads.

A spokeswoman for the trade group said 
Sunday that railroads had to take action to prepare for the possibility 
of a work stoppage because the deadline is so close, but the industry 
remains committed to trying to negotiate agreements with its unions.

“Operational
 changes required to prepare for a safe, orderly suspension were delayed
 as long as possible. With less than a week away from a potential 
service interruption, carriers are obligated to take appropriate actions
 to prepare, which include making plans for handling HAZMAT shipments, 
as well as other freight that may be impacted if service must be reduced
 or stopped," the AAR spokeswoman said.

Already, a number of trade
 groups representing railroad shippers have urged lawmakers to be 
prepared to block a strike. A coalition of 31 agricultural groups sent a
 letter to Congress last week, and the Fertilizer Institute trade group 
joined the chorus of concerned shippers Saturday because shipments of 
ammonia and other fertilizers will be delayed.

“Supply chains are 
already strained and there is currently zero elasticity in rail 
transportation,” TFI President and CEO Corey Rosenbusch said. “This 
situation will get exponentially worse every day there is no 
resolution."

He said more than half of all fertilizer is hauled by
 railroads. More than 75% of all finished vehicles are taken from 
factories to dealerships by train, and countless other products move by 
rail.

The railroad trade group said that a single railcar can 
carry up to 2,000 UPS packages, or enough plastic pellets to make some 
two million two-liter bottles.

By Associated PressOMAHA,
 Neb. — The heads of the nation's two largest rail unions said 
Sunday that the freight railroads' move to begin delaying some shipments
 ahead of this week's looming strike deadline is only an attempt to get 
shippers to increase the pressure on Congress to intervene and block a 
work stoppage by imposing a contract on workers.The heads of the 
unions that represent engineers and conductors — the Sheet Metal, Air, 
Rail and Transportation Workers — Transportation Division union and the 
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen union — issued a joint 
statement blasting the move, which the railroads announced late Friday. A
 strike or lockout won't be allowed until this coming Friday, but the 
railroads appear to be bracing for one by saying they would begin 
curtailing shipments of hazardous materials and other chemicals on 
Monday to ensure carloads of those dangerous products won't be stranded 
along the tracks if the trains stop moving.“The railroads are 
using shippers, consumers, and the supply chain of our nation as pawns 
in an effort to get our unions to cave into their contract demands 
knowing that our members would never accept them. Our unions will not 
cave into these scare tactics, and Congress must not cave into what can 
only be described as corporate terrorism,” said Jeremy Fergunson with 
SMART-TD and Dennis Pierce with the BLET union.Those two unions 
have been demanding that CSX, Union Pacific, BNSF, Norfolk Southern, 
Kansas City Southern and the other railroads go beyond the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-strikes-a83dffef79d38e36dc25588b19bf54b4">proposed deal recommended</a> by a group of arbitrators <a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-transportation-strikes-ba718974eb14fcd615d606bfcdffb3d2">President Joe Biden appointed.</a> They want them to address concerns about <a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-lawsuits-5123fda3d039543700b23d939e0bdda2">strict attendance policies</a> that they say make it hard to take any time off and <a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-aab7d3084a8d17d8d721d2cb750be323">increasing workloads</a> after the railroads cut nearly one-third of their workforces in recent years.The
 railroad trade group has said there’s no way trucks can pick up the 
slack if the railroads stop moving because roughly 467,000 additional 
trucks a day would be needed to handle all the cargo trains haul and 
there is already a shortage of truck drivers.Five of the 12 railroad unions that together represent 115,000 workers had already reached <a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-497a373594515a27e7435cdf97df7a41">tentative agreements</a>
 based on the Presidential Emergency Board's recommendations that will 
deliver 24% raises and $5,000 in bonuses over a five-year contract 
that's retroactive to 2020. The coalition negotiating on behalf of the 
railroads announced three more tentative agreements Sunday, so deals 
covering roughly 45,000 workers have now been announced. Members of the 
unions with tentative deals still have to vote on them.If the two
 sides can't agree on a deal by the end of the week, Congress is 
expected to step in to block a strike because of the dire economic 
consequences if a strike happens because so many businesses rely on 
railroads to deliver their raw materials and finished products. The 
Association of American Railroads trade group put out a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-congress-government-and-politics-a53abd85fa6f8b3ccd622222ea9a4c46">report</a>
 last week estimating that the economy would take a $2 billion a day hit
 if the trains stop moving and passenger traffic would be disrupted 
nationwide because Amtrak and many commuter railroads use tracks owned 
by the freight railroads.A spokeswoman for the trade group said 
Sunday that railroads had to take action to prepare for the possibility 
of a work stoppage because the deadline is so close, but the industry 
remains committed to trying to negotiate agreements with its unions.“Operational
 changes required to prepare for a safe, orderly suspension were delayed
 as long as possible. With less than a week away from a potential 
service interruption, carriers are obligated to take appropriate actions
 to prepare, which include making plans for handling HAZMAT shipments, 
as well as other freight that may be impacted if service must be reduced
 or stopped," the AAR spokeswoman said.Already, a number of trade
 groups representing railroad shippers have urged lawmakers to be 
prepared to block a strike. A coalition of 31 agricultural groups sent a
 letter to Congress last week, and the Fertilizer Institute trade group 
joined the chorus of concerned shippers Saturday because shipments of 
ammonia and other fertilizers will be delayed.“Supply chains are 
already strained and there is currently zero elasticity in rail 
transportation,” TFI President and CEO Corey Rosenbusch said. “This 
situation will get exponentially worse every day there is no 
resolution."He said more than half of all fertilizer is hauled by
 railroads. More than 75% of all finished vehicles are taken from 
factories to dealerships by train, and countless other products move by 
rail.The railroad trade group said that a single railcar can 
carry up to 2,000 UPS packages, or enough plastic pellets to make some 
two million two-liter bottles.

Unions blast rail move to delay shipments before deadline

KEARNEY – The University of Nebraska at Kearney Alumni Association has announced 11 alumni award recipients that will be recognized during the University of Nebraska at Kearney homecoming festivities that will take place Oct. 27-29.

The 42nd Annual Distinguished Alumni Awards will be given out during the luncheon on Friday, Oct. 28, at 11:30 a.m. in the Ponderosa Room in the Nebraskan Student Union. Tickets are $25 per person ($30 starting Oct. 17), $15 for children ages 12 &amp; under, and can be purchased until Oct. 20 at unkalumni.org/homecoming or by calling the UNK Alumni Association at 308-698-5271.

The Athletic Hall of Fame Banquet begins at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 28, in the Ponderosa Room with a social hour. A dinner follows at 6:15 p.m. with five former student athletes and one coach being inducted into the UNK Athletic Hall of Fame. To purchase a ticket for the Athletic Hall of Fame Banquet, visit unkalumni.org/homecoming by Oct. 20. Tickets are $35 per person ($40 starting Oct. 17), $15 for children ages 12 &amp; under.

Those being inducted are Bill Backes (1967) for football and men’s track and field; Shauna (Birchard) Graham (2006, MBA 2008) for women’s track and field; Dusty Jura (2008, MBA 2015) for men’s basketball; Troy Stonacek (1986) for football; Susan ‘Dusty’ (Walston) Hatt (2002) for swimming and diving; and Darrell Morris for coaching (football). More information on the inductees can be found at lopers.com.

On Saturday, Oct. 29, the day kicks off with the annual homecoming parade in downtown Kearney at 10 a.m. Following the parade, alumni and community members are invited to attend the Loper Alumni Brews &amp; Brats tailgate in Loperville at Cope Stadium starting at noon. The Loperville area is open until the 2 p.m. UNK football game kickoff against Northwest Missouri State University.

Alumni are invited to an alumni social on Thursday, Oct. 27, at Cunningham’s on the Lake from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. RSVPs for the event are requested at unkalumni.org/alumnievents by Oct. 25.

All registrations for events are electronic, no paper tickets will be issued.

To purchase tickets and see a complete list of weekend activities, contact the UNK Alumni Association at 308-698-5271 or visit unkalumni.org/homecoming.

The 2022 UNK Alumni Association’s Distinguished Alumni Awards go to Gregg L. Christensen (1975), Dan O’Neill (1981), Diane M. Simard (1988) and Colonel Scott B. Thompson (1983). The Jim Rundstrom Distinguished Alumni Service Award recipient is Jack C. Kreman (2004), and the Distinguished Young Alumnus Award will go to Allston D. Marble (2008).

The College of Education Distinguished Educator of the Year is John T. Street, Ed.S. (1975, MAE 1979, 1981, ED 1986). This year’s Dr. Donald E. Fox Distinguished Chemistry Alumna is Cheri A. Barta, Ph.D. (2002). The Gary Thomas Distinguished Music Alumnus award goes to Clayton P. Moyer (2001, MAE 2010), and the College of Business &amp; Technology Distinguished Alumnus is Larry Peterson, Ph.D. (1979).

The International Distinguished Alumnus award will be presented to Mahabir Pun (1992, MAE 2001) during the International Food Festival on November 13 as part of the lead up to the James E. Smith Conference on World Affairs on November 14-15 at UNK.

Gregg Christensen resides in Lincoln, Nebraska, and is retired after a long career in education. Following graduation, Christensen taught marketing and business classes at Cozad High School for eight years.

Christensen left the high school classroom in 1983 and spent the next 35 years of his career with the Nebraska Department of Education. While there, he served as the entrepreneurship education, work-based learning and special projects specialist; entrepreneurship and career education specialist; director of marketing education and the state advisor for Nebraska DECA (an association of marketing, management and entrepreneurship students). While at the NDE, Christensen developed the Nebraska Workplace Experiences Continuum and support website as a resource for educators, labor and economic development professionals. He was also the project lead for the Nebraska Career Clusters Virtual Business/Industry Tours website videos and editor of the accompanying teacher and student guides. In addition, he was the lead facilitator or co-facilitator for 40+ Nebraska school districts’ reVISION Strategic Planning meetings

In 1998, he took a one-year leave of absence from NDE to serve as a senior lecturer at the University of Wisconsin-Stout, with a special focus on marketing education, entrepreneurship and work-based learning. Christensen also served as an adjunct instructor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1999.

He continues to serve on the Nebraska Entrepreneurship Task Force (NET-Force) as well as the Nebraska Entrepreneurship Best Practices Summit planning committee. Since 1984, Christensen has served as a consultant and leadership/management trainer for Prime Time Associates and Legacy Leadership Unlimited, focusing on strengths-based leadership development. Christensen is a CliftonStrengthsTM and Builder Profile 10TM coach and mentor.

Christensen’s dedication to entrepreneurial education has been recognized with several honors and awards, including the University of Nebraska College of Business Entrepreneur Advocate award, Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education Hall of Fame award, Nebraska Hall of Fame Gregg Christensen Distinguished Service award, the DECA Honorary Life Membership, Nebraska DECA Honorary Life Membership, along with many more.

Christensen is a Grand Island Northwest High School graduate and earned a bachelor’s degree in education with an endorsement in distributive education from Kearney State College in 1975. He also holds a master’s degree in vocational education from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Dan O’Neill of North Platte, Nebraska, is the president and CEO of Kwik Stop Convenience Stores, a privately-owned chain of 28 stores in Nebraska and Colorado, with corporate offices in North Platte. O’Neill worked for Cash-Wa Distributing Company in Kearney for 15 years following graduation before joining Kwik Stop in 1996 as the director of operations.

A dedicated volunteer, O’Neill currently serves on the Museum of Nebraska Art (MONA) Board of Directors, University of Nebraska Foundation Board of Trustees, Nebraska Public Media Foundation Board of Directors, First National Bank Omaha – North Platte Branch advisory board, University of Nebraska Medical Center Board of Counselors, Mid-Nebraska Community Foundation Board and Great Plains Health Board of Directors. He is also active in the North Platte Noon Rotary, Heartland Singers, St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, North Platte Community Playhouse and other numerous community organizations.

The Sumner native and Sumner-Eddyville-Miller High School graduate earned a bachelor’s degree in business in 1981 from Kearney State College.

Diane (Moravec) Simard resides in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, and is a psycho-oncology influencer and advocate to expand access to mental health resources for impacted by the psychological trauma of cancer. Simard is CEO and founder of Unlikely Gift Productions. She publishes a monthly blog and is launching a podcast in fall 2022.

Simard is a late-Stage III breast cancer survivor, author, speaker, former senior aerospace executive, board member, and business strategy accelerator with more than 30 years of experience positioning early-stage companies for substantial capital events.

After completing cancer treatments, Simard seed-funded a specialty at the University of Denver called the Center for Oncology Psychology Excellence (COPE), the first specialty in the country to offer psycho-oncology training at the graduate level. She also wrote a multiple award-winning memoir, “The Unlikely Gift of Breast Cancer.”

Simard was a co-founder and served on the boards of Aero Electric Aircraft Corp. and Silent Falcon UAS Technologies. She has served on the boards of Colorado Capital Bank, LERI and Beyond Aviation, as well as Mental Health Colorado, Colorado Women’s College, Community College of Aurora Foundation, Colorado Freedom Memorial, Aurora Chamber of Commerce and Defense Council and Escuela de Guadalupe Leadership Council. She was named one of the inaugural Top 100 National Women in Business to Watch by BizWomen.com and has received numerous other recognitions.

Simard is a Cotesfield native and Elba High School graduate. She earned an associate’s degree from Central Community College before receiving her bachelor’s degree in public relations from Kearney State College in 1988.

Colonel (retired) Scott B. Thompson (1983)

Col. Scott Thompson of Huntsville, Alabama, has spent his entire career in the military. He is a retired United States Army officer and is currently the director of army field marketing with the Boeing Company.

Thompson’s military career started in 1980 when he enlisted in the Nebraska National Guard and joined ROTC. He entered active duty soon after graduation and served 30 years as an Army aviator, flying both the Cobra and Apache attack helicopters. He has served worldwide, stationed both in the United States and Germany, including multiple deployments for combat and peacekeeping operations.

He has received numerous awards including the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Air Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Master Army Aviator Wings, Airborne Parachutist Wings and Air Assault Badge. He also received the Athapaskan Award for Excellence as an Apache aviator and Order of Saint Michael Silver Award for his contributions to Army Aviation.

Thompson volunteers his time with the Boeing Veterans Engagement Team and at the Huntsville U.S. Veterans Memorial Museum, serves on the board of directors for the local chapters of the Association of the United States Army and Vertical Flight Society, and is an active member of the American Legion and VFW.

The Bellevue East High School graduate earned his degree in political science with a history minor from Kearney State College in 1983. Thompson also graduated from both the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and the U.S. Army War College where he earned a master’s degree in strategic studies.

Jim Rundstrom Distinguished Alumni Service Award

Jack Kreman of Noblesville, Indiana, started his career with his collegiate fraternity, Delta Tau Delta, as a chapter leadership consultant following graduation. He went on to serve as the director of chapter services, vice president and chief operating officer before moving in 2018 into his current role of chief executive officer.

While serving as president of the UNK Alumni Association’s board of directors, Kreman provided strategic leadership through a governance restructuring and assisted with the formation of the current Loper Engagement and Alumni Development (LEAD) Council. Kreman has also served as a liaison between the UNK Fraternity and Sorority Life leadership and alumni.

Kreman is a certified association executive (CAE), is the treasurer of the North American Interfraternity Conference, serves as the Fraternity Executives Association investment committee chairman, Noblesville Rotary president, Rotary District 6560 treasurer and Hoosiers for Huskers, Indiana Chapter of the Nebraska Alumni Association treasurer.

Kreman, a Kearney High School graduate, earned a general studies degree from the University of Nebraska at Kearney in 2004. He also holds a Master of Public Administration, Non-Profit Management, from the Indiana University School of Public and Environmental Affairs, as well as a certificate in network administration from Ivy Tech Community College.

Allston Marble of Houston, Texas, started his career with Linbeck Group, LLC, as an intern in 2007. After graduation, he accepted a full-time position as a project engineer, receiving multiple promotions, and in 2021 was promoted to vice president, senior client executive where he provides corporate leadership for various cultural, private, K-12, non-profit and higher education portfolios.

During his career, Marble has built several of Houston’s most notable and award-winning buildings including the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, the Cathedral of the Galveston-Houston Archdiocese, Houston Museum of Natural Science and the Rothko Chapel restoration.

Marble holds leadership positions in multiple professional organizations including the Associated General Contractors (AGC) Houston, is a member of the AGC of America Board of Governors, was named to the Consulting Constructors’ Council of America (CCC), received the 2021 Linbeck Strive for Excellence Award, and serves as the vice president of the Rice Design Alliance board of directors.

In addition to his work, Marble has given his time to domestic and international service endeavors including Hurricane Harvey recovery and home building in Guatemala. He and his wife, Danica Marble, are dedicated members of the Houston foster care community.

Marble is a Grand Island Northwest High School graduate and earned a construction management degree from the University of Nebraska at Kearney in 2008. He also holds a Master of Arts in Christian Apologetics from Biola University.

International Distinguished Alumnus Award

Mahabir Pun lives in Nangi Village, Myagdi, Nepal, and is an educator, social entrepreneur and activist. After completing high school, Pun became a teacher for 12 years. He then made his way to Kearney where he earned a bachelor’s degree. In 1992, Pun returned to the Myagdi District in Nepal and began his efforts to connect 225 remote Himalayan villages in Nepal with wireless technology.

In 2007, Pun was awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award (Philippines), considered to be the Nobel Prize of Asia. Pun was inducted into the Internet Hall of Fame (United States) in 2014, in recognition of his work to bring Internet using wireless technology to the remote mountain communities of Nepal. He has also received the Ashoka Fellow (United States), Overall Social Innovation Award from Global Ideas Bank (United Kingdom), the Jonathan B. Postel Service Award from Internet Society (United States) and the ITU-AJ Special Achievement Award from the International Telecommunication Union Association (Japan). In recognition of his humanitarian work, Pun has received citations from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts State Senate, California Legislature Assembly, City of Chillicothe, Ohio, and City of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.

Pun currently serves as the chairperson of the National Innovation Center in Nepal (a nonprofit organization) and is the program director for the Himanchal Education Foundation (a nonprofit organization) based in Kearney.

Pun received a Bachelor of Science in physical science education in 1992 and a Master of Arts in Education in 2001, both from the University of Nebraska at Kearney. He also received an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from the University of Nebraska in 2007.

The international distinguished alumnus award will be presented during the international alumni weekend events and International Food Festival at UNK on November 13 as part of the lead up to the James E. Smith Conference on World Affairs on November 14-15 at UNK.

College of Business &amp; Technology Distinguished Alumnus

Larry Peterson of Tucson, Arizona, began his career in 1985 as a faculty member at the University of Arizona. He has been with Princeton University since 1998 and is now an emeritus professor and senior

research scholar. Peterson served as the computer science department chair at both universities. He was also the chief technology officer for the Open Networking Foundation from 2013-2022.

Peterson is the co-author of the best-selling networking textbook Computer Networks: A Systems Approach, which is now in its 6th edition and is open sourced. Peterson’s research focuses on the design, implementation and deployment of Internet-scale distributed systems.

A UNK Distinguished Alumni Award recipient, Peterson is also a member of the National Academy of Engineering, a Fellow of the ACM and the IEEE, a recipient of the IEEE Kobayashi Computer and Communication Award and a ACM SIGCOMM award recipient.

Peterson earned his bachelor’s degree in computer science from Kearney State College in 1979. He also has a Master of Science and a Ph.D., both in computer science, from Purdue University. Peterson is a Kearney High School graduate.

College of Education Distinguished Educator of the Year

John T. Street, Ed.S. (1975, MAE 1979, 1981, ED 1986)

John Street of Omaha, Nebraska, now retired, dedicated his 39-year career to the development and administration of educational programs for students with disabilities.

Street most recently served as the director of special education for the Education Service Unit (ESU 10) for six years and spent the previous 33 years with Grand Island Public Schools and the Central Nebraska Support Service Program as a special education teacher, coach, consultant, program coordinator, supervisor and as the director of student services.

Street’s professional involvement was wide reaching, including but not limited to the Nebraska Council of School Administrators, Nebraska Association of Special Education Supervisors, Council of Special Education Administrators, Region III Behavioral Health Services Team, numerous Nebraska Department of Education teams, Grand Island Educational Association, Nebraska State Educational Association and the National Education Association. He has also been a presenter on a variety of topics at local, state and national events.

His dedication to special education has been recognized with several honors and awards, including the National Outstanding Administrator of Special Education from the Council of Administrators of Special Education, and the Distinguished Special Education Director of the Year and Distinguished Service Award, both from the Nebraska Association of Special Education Supervisors.

Street has served his communities through The ARC of Central Nebraska, Bethphage Mission (Mosaic), Parent-Teachers Association, Grand Island Athletic/Activities Booster Club, Friends of Eli, Citizen Advocacy, The United Way, Elks Lodge 604, Goodwill Industries, St. Roberts Catholic Church, and as a youth athletics coach.

Born in Tachikawa, Japan, the Genoa High School graduate received multiple degrees from Kearney State College including a bachelor’s in psychology with a sociology minor in 1975; a master’s in special education in 1979; a supervisor certificate, special education in 1981; and an education specialist degree, K-12 principalship in 1986.

Dr. Donald E. Fox Distinguished Chemistry Alumna Award

Cheri Barta, from Madison, Wisconsin, is the director of undergraduate research for the department of chemistry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. After receiving her degree from UNK, Barta earned her Ph.D. in chemistry and was a post-doctoral fellow in the School of Pharmacy, both at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada.

Following her postdoctoral fellowship, she returned to UNK for two years as an assistant professor in the chemistry department. In 2011, she started in her current position with the chemistry department at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she advises students on research opportunities, develops research-based labs for the undergraduate curriculum, and implements research-skills workshops and courses.

In addition to her work, Barta is a board member for the Wisconsin Council for Undergraduate Research (WisCUR) and the Council for Undergraduate Research (CUR), a master facilitator for the Center for Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research (CIMER) and the National Research Mentoring Network. She also serves as a consultant and contributor for the CIMER Entering Research Curriculum, is the secretary for the Wisconsin Location Section of the American Chemical Society and is a co-principal investigator for the National Science Foundation (NSF) Emerging Frontiers and Innovation-Research Experience Mentoring (EFRI-REM) Catalyst program. At UW-Madison, Barta served as the co-director of the Chemistry Opportunities Program for six years, and is currently the co-director of the Catalyst program, both are programs aimed at recruiting and supporting underserved students in the chemical sciences. She also currently serves as the assistant director of the UW-Madison Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Research Experience for Undergraduates program.

In recognition of her dedication to chemistry education, Barta received the UW-Madison Honored Instructor Award and the Early-Career Award from the College of Letters &amp; Sciences at UW-Madison.

Barta is a graduate of Lincoln East High School. While in college, she was a member of the UNK Alumni Association’s Gold Torch Society. Barta received her bachelor’s degree in chemistry in 2002 from the University of Nebraska at Kearney and has a Ph.D. in chemistry from University of British Columbia.

Gary Thomas Distinguished Music Alumnus Award

Clayton Moyer resides in Kearney, Nebraska, and serves as the director of choirs at Kearney High School. He directs six choral ensembles and is the music director for the Kearney High School musical theater program.

Under his direction, several KHS choirs have been selected to sing at multiple Nebraska Music Educators Association conferences, have performed at notable venues in Spain, Belgium, France, England, Ireland and Italy, and received the Nebraska High School Music Academy Outstanding Musical Production award.

Moyer is the founding director of the Platte River Children’s Chorale, assistant director of the Platte River Singers, past president of the Kearney Concert Association and is the chancel choir director for the First Presbyterian Church in Kearney.

He frequently adjudicates music contests and has directed honor choirs as a guest clinician in Nebraska and Colorado. He is a member of the American Choral Directors Association, Nebraska Choral Directors Association and National Association for Music Education.

While in college, Moyer was a member of the Choraleers, Collegium and Delta Omicron. Moyer is a Lakin, Kansas, native and Lakin High School graduate. He earned an associate’s degree from Colby Community College (Kansas) before receiving his bachelor’s in music education K-12 in 2001 and a master’s in curriculum and instruction secondary in 2010, both from the University of Nebraska at Kearney.

5:30 p.m. Kearney Quarterly After Hours (Cunningham’s on the Lake)

11:30 a.m. Distinguished Alumni Awards Luncheon (Nebraskan Student Union, Ponderosa

2:30 p.m. Chemistry Department’s Dr. Don Fox Lecture (Copeland Hall Room 131)

3:30 p.m. One Room, One Teacher Induction Ceremony (College of Education Atrium)

5:30 p.m. Athletic Hall of Fame Banquet (Nebraskan Student Union, Ponderosa Room)

UNK Alumni honored during homecoming festivities in October

Courtesy: NU Athletic Communications

The University of Nebraska has fired head football coach Scott Frost.&nbsp; The announcement came Sunday morning after Nebraska lost 45-42,&nbsp; at home Saturday to Georgia Southern.&nbsp; The loss drops Nebraska's record to 1-2 in the 2022 season.&nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;Nebraska Vice Chancellor/Director of Athletics&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/staff.aspx?staff=1497">Trev Alberts</a>&nbsp;released the following statement: "Earlier today I met with Coach Frost and informed him we were making a change in the leadership of our football program, effective immediately. Scott has poured his heart and soul into the Nebraska football program both as a quarterback and head coach, and I appreciate his work and dedication. "After the disappointing start to our season, I decided the best path forward for our program was to make a change in our head coaching position. Associate Head Coach&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/coaches.aspx?rc=8340">Mickey Joseph</a>&nbsp;will serve as our interim head coach for the remainder of the 2022 season."&nbsp;&nbsp;

Nebraska will host Oklahoma on Saturday, September 17.&nbsp; Kick-off is scheduled for 10 am,&nbsp; MT&nbsp; with national television coverage on FOX.&nbsp; Radio coverage will begin at 6 am MT on KCOW 1400 am and 92.5 fm.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1661522226518.jpeg" alt="Scott Frost Dublin Ireland&nbsp; (courtesy photo)" />
 <figcaption>Scott Frost Dublin Ireland&nbsp; (courtesy photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>Courtesy: NU Athletic CommunicationsThe University of Nebraska has fired head football coach Scott Frost.&nbsp; The announcement came Sunday morning after Nebraska lost 45-42,&nbsp; at home Saturday to Georgia Southern.&nbsp; The loss drops Nebraska's record to 1-2 in the 2022 season.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Nebraska Vice Chancellor/Director of Athletics&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/staff.aspx?staff=1497">Trev Alberts</a>&nbsp;released the following statement: "Earlier today I met with Coach Frost and informed him we were making a change in the leadership of our football program, effective immediately. Scott has poured his heart and soul into the Nebraska football program both as a quarterback and head coach, and I appreciate his work and dedication. "After the disappointing start to our season, I decided the best path forward for our program was to make a change in our head coaching position. Associate Head Coach&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/coaches.aspx?rc=8340">Mickey Joseph</a>&nbsp;will serve as our interim head coach for the remainder of the 2022 season."&nbsp;&nbsp;Nebraska will host Oklahoma on Saturday, September 17.&nbsp; Kick-off is scheduled for 10 am,&nbsp; MT&nbsp; with national television coverage on FOX.&nbsp; Radio coverage will begin at 6 am MT on KCOW 1400 am and 92.5 fm.

Cornhusker Head Coach Scott Frost fired Sunday,  Joseph named Interim Coach

Northwest Community Action Partnership(NCAP) names Brooke Smith as new Chief Executive Officer.

Northwest Community Action Partnership announced today that Brooke Smith has been hired as the new Chief Executive Officer. Brooke begins as CEO after serving the agency as their Human Resource Director for the past four and a half years. Brooke assumed responsibilities on September 7, 2022.

Prior to joining NCAP Brooke served as the Director of the Chadron Chamber of Commerce, a Service Manager for Wells Fargo, and has a variety of leadership experiences, and a background of service. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Colorado State University. Brooke succeeds Karen Eisenbarth who retired in June 2022.

“Brooke's excitement and enthusiasm to build the program was instrumental in the decision to hire her as CEO," said Jake Stewart, President of the NCAP Board. “We have confidence that the organization will thrive under her leadership.”

Rachel Johnson – Interim CEO stated “Northwest Community Action Partnership touches the lives of so many and we are excited to welcome Brooke to this new role. She is creative and innovative, and her skills, dedication, and compassion have been an asset to our agency and the community we serve. We look forward to Brooke’s leadership and this new chapter for NCAP. We’re grateful for the hard work of the Hiring Committee and the unanimous endorsement of the Board of Directors of its recommendation to appoint Brooke as the CEO.”

Northwest Community Action is dedicated to helping those in need and alleviating poverty. Its four main programs dedicated to accomplishing this mission are Head Start, Weatherization, Community Services and the Retired &amp; Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP).

Brooke Smith said "I am humbled and honored to have been selected for this role. I have held a deep rooted passion for giving back and serving those in need from a young age, so leading an organization such as ours is

a dream come true. The team at NCAP is extraordinarily talented and dedicated to helping people and changing lives. I am proud to work alongside this team to accomplish our goals and further our mission."

By NCAPNorthwest Community Action Partnership(NCAP) names Brooke Smith as new Chief Executive Officer.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1662740451114.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Northwest Community Action Partnership announced today that Brooke Smith has been hired as the new Chief Executive Officer. Brooke begins as CEO after serving the agency as their Human Resource Director for the past four and a half years. Brooke assumed responsibilities on September 7, 2022.Prior to joining NCAP Brooke served as the Director of the Chadron Chamber of Commerce, a Service Manager for Wells Fargo, and has a variety of leadership experiences, and a background of service. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Colorado State University. Brooke succeeds Karen Eisenbarth who retired in June 2022.“Brooke's excitement and enthusiasm to build the program was instrumental in the decision to hire her as CEO," said Jake Stewart, President of the NCAP Board. “We have confidence that the organization will thrive under her leadership.”Rachel Johnson – Interim CEO stated “Northwest Community Action Partnership touches the lives of so many and we are excited to welcome Brooke to this new role. She is creative and innovative, and her skills, dedication, and compassion have been an asset to our agency and the community we serve. We look forward to Brooke’s leadership and this new chapter for NCAP. We’re grateful for the hard work of the Hiring Committee and the unanimous endorsement of the Board of Directors of its recommendation to appoint Brooke as the CEO.”Northwest Community Action is dedicated to helping those in need and alleviating poverty. Its four main programs dedicated to accomplishing this mission are Head Start, Weatherization, Community Services and the Retired &amp; Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP).Brooke Smith said "I am humbled and honored to have been selected for this role. I have held a deep rooted passion for giving back and serving those in need from a young age, so leading an organization such as ours isa dream come true. The team at NCAP is extraordinarily talented and dedicated to helping people and changing lives. I am proud to work alongside this team to accomplish our goals and further our mission."

Smith named as new Northwest Community Action Partnership CEO

By Office of Gov. Pete Ricketts

Gov. Ricketts’ Patriot Day statement

Today we'll go back to the Alliance City Council meeting from Sept. 6. The council approved a donation presentation from WESTCO and Land O' Lakes to the Alliance Fire Department, the 2022-2023 Budget Presentation overivew, an additional 1% for budgeted restricted funds, which does not increase the fiscal year budget, Fraternal Order of Police contract approval, contract approval for the 16th Street and Box Butte Avenue Tennis Courts and more.&nbsp;

<div><iframe title="Post Podcast: Alliance City Council meeting, Sept. 6" allowtransparency="true" height="300" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=g4htc-12bcdee-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=2&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=5&size=300" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>Today we'll go back to the Alliance City Council meeting from Sept. 6. The council approved a donation presentation from WESTCO and Land O' Lakes to the Alliance Fire Department, the 2022-2023 Budget Presentation overivew, an additional 1% for budgeted restricted funds, which does not increase the fiscal year budget, Fraternal Order of Police contract approval, contract approval for the 16th Street and Box Butte Avenue Tennis Courts and more.&nbsp;

Post Podcast: Alliance City Council meeting, Sept. 6

Alliance – Share your artistic talents with the Autumn in Alliance Coloring Contest. Local artists and Alliance High School alumni, Margaret Hoff and Bailey Johnson, have designed some fun coloring pages for children and youth to add their special touches to. 

Please pick up your coloring page at the Alliance Public Library starting September 8th and return your colored masterpiece to the library by Monday, September 19. 

Your artwork will be displayed at the library from September 19th-23rd, then on display during the Autumn in Alliance Chili Cook-Off on Saturday, September 24 from 11am-2pm. During this time, the public will have a chance to vote for their favorite page in each division.

Age divisions are Preschool-Grade 2, Grades 3-5 and Grades 6-12 with a grand prize winner for each division. You can pick up your completed artwork after the contest beginning September 26 at the library. Winners will be announced on Monday, September 26.

For more information, please contact Cynthia Horn, Children’s and Youth Librarian at 762-1387.

By City of Alliance&nbsp;Alliance – Share your artistic talents with the Autumn in Alliance Coloring Contest. Local artists and Alliance High School alumni, Margaret Hoff and Bailey Johnson, have designed some fun coloring pages for children and youth to add their special touches to. Please pick up your coloring page at the Alliance Public Library starting September 8th and return your colored masterpiece to the library by Monday, September 19. Your artwork will be displayed at the library from September 19th-23rd, then on display during the Autumn in Alliance Chili Cook-Off on Saturday, September 24 from 11am-2pm. During this time, the public will have a chance to vote for their favorite page in each division.Age divisions are Preschool-Grade 2, Grades 3-5 and Grades 6-12 with a grand prize winner for each division. You can pick up your completed artwork after the contest beginning September 26 at the library. Winners will be announced on Monday, September 26.For more information, please contact Cynthia Horn, Children’s and Youth Librarian at 762-1387.

'Autumn in Alliance' festival to hold coloring contest

CHADRON – An article co-authored by Chadron State College Assistant Professor Dr. Elizabeth Kraatz was published in the July issue of Theory Into Practice. The peer-reviewed journal is designed for teachers and administrators to support the application of educational research to educational practice.

In the abstract to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00405841.2022.2096381" target="_blank">study</a>, Kraatz, and her co-authors Jacqueline von Spiegel, Robin Sayers, and Anna C. Brady, write the goal of the article is to highlight the benefits of controversial conversations in the classroom and describe teaching approaches that facilitate effective controversial conversations.

Although controversial topics may be uncomfortable for teachers to include in class discussions, Kraatz and her colleagues write that there are considerable cognitive and social-emotional benefits to engagement in classroom discussions about controversial topics.

The authors write that teachers’ support of students in respectful discussions is crucial to help them develop skills like problem-solving, critical thinking, and the ability to consider issues from multiple perspectives. They continue that these skills can enable students to meet larger goals such as being involved in civic boards and councils.

Kraatz and her co-authors first identify important factors for teachers to consider as part of supporting effective and beneficial controversial conversations. Then, they provide examples of conversation topics appropriate for students of different ages. Lastly, they review how the structure of conversation, scaffolding, classroom context, relationships, and students’ individual differences can shape controversial conversations.

Kraatz teaches courses in Psychology, Educational Psychology, and Developmental Psychology. Before joining the CSC faculty in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/2021/csc-welcomes-new-employees.html" target="_blank">Fall 2021</a>, she taught adult education classes in Ohio for several years and earned a doctorate in Educational Psychology from Ohio State.

By CSC COLLEGE RELATIONSCHADRON – An article co-authored by Chadron State College Assistant Professor Dr. Elizabeth Kraatz was published in the July issue of Theory Into Practice. The peer-reviewed journal is designed for teachers and administrators to support the application of educational research to educational practice.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1662739784130.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>In the abstract to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00405841.2022.2096381" target="_blank">study</a>, Kraatz, and her co-authors Jacqueline von Spiegel, Robin Sayers, and Anna C. Brady, write the goal of the article is to highlight the benefits of controversial conversations in the classroom and describe teaching approaches that facilitate effective controversial conversations.Although controversial topics may be uncomfortable for teachers to include in class discussions, Kraatz and her colleagues write that there are considerable cognitive and social-emotional benefits to engagement in classroom discussions about controversial topics.The authors write that teachers’ support of students in respectful discussions is crucial to help them develop skills like problem-solving, critical thinking, and the ability to consider issues from multiple perspectives. They continue that these skills can enable students to meet larger goals such as being involved in civic boards and councils.Kraatz and her co-authors first identify important factors for teachers to consider as part of supporting effective and beneficial controversial conversations. Then, they provide examples of conversation topics appropriate for students of different ages. Lastly, they review how the structure of conversation, scaffolding, classroom context, relationships, and students’ individual differences can shape controversial conversations.Kraatz teaches courses in Psychology, Educational Psychology, and Developmental Psychology. Before joining the CSC faculty in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/2021/csc-welcomes-new-employees.html" target="_blank">Fall 2021</a>, she taught adult education classes in Ohio for several years and earned a doctorate in Educational Psychology from Ohio State.

Kraatz co-authors article about controversial subjects in Chadron classroom

It’s been a hot, dry summer, and boaters visiting Lake Minatare and Box Butte state recreation areas may find launching and loading boats to be a challenge in coming weeks.

Because of low water levels, the docks have reached the end of their track systems, making them unusable until the water rises sometime after irrigation season.

Dan Thornton, Lake Minatare superintendent, said the dock there is expected to be completely out of the water before the coming weekend.

“There isn't much rock at that end of the ramp, so putting boats in will be difficult at best,” he said.

Robert Hughes, Box Butte superintendent, said the dock is not in the water there, but about 50 feet of ramp remains there and the lake should remain accessible to boat trailers.

Another Panhandle reservoir, Whitney Lake, has been unconducive for launching boats for several weeks as low water has left its ramp and dock high and dry.

By Nebraska Game and ParksIt’s been a hot, dry summer, and boaters visiting Lake Minatare and Box Butte state recreation areas may find launching and loading boats to be a challenge in coming weeks.Because of low water levels, the docks have reached the end of their track systems, making them unusable until the water rises sometime after irrigation season.Dan Thornton, Lake Minatare superintendent, said the dock there is expected to be completely out of the water before the coming weekend.“There isn't much rock at that end of the ramp, so putting boats in will be difficult at best,” he said.Robert Hughes, Box Butte superintendent, said the dock is not in the water there, but about 50 feet of ramp remains there and the lake should remain accessible to boat trailers.Another Panhandle reservoir, Whitney Lake, has been unconducive for launching boats for several weeks as low water has left its ramp and dock high and dry.

Low water causes boating issues at Panhandle reservoirs

By TENA L. COOK, CSC Marketing Coordinator

CHADRON – Chadron State College student Austin Alexander, an ROTC cadet in the Mount Rushmore Battalion, spent three weeks this summer in Honolulu at Cadet Troop Leader Training (CTLT).

The junior from Newell, South Dakota, is studying criminal justice, forensic science, and seeking a minor in military science.

According to Assistant Professor of Military Science Colin Webster, Alexander was originally selected for a special training, called Robin Sage, because she ranked high on the Order of Merit List based on her physical training (PT), leadership, grades, and participation in college extracurricular activities. Unfortunately, her flight was canceled and because of the high-security nature of her assignment, it could not be rescheduled. She was offered CTLT in lieu of Robin Sage.

At CTLT, she divided her training time between a Light Armor Cavalry Regiment and the other half with an Aviation Unit.

“CTLT was an opportunity to work with active duty, real Army soldiers and get to experience their everyday life. We started each day at 6 a.m. for PT. CTLT teaches you how to interact with the soldiers and trains you to be a leader so by the time you commission,” Alexander said. “The last week we were out in the field for six days and did night operations with night vision goggles and set up defenses, ambushes, and did reconnaissance.”

She said the most difficult physical challenge was called water can PT.

“We filled a 45-pound water can and carried it in a two-member team for about half a mile and then pushed it across a football field to our partner who pushed it back. Then we did 50 pushups, pushed the water can back and forth again, did 50 air squats, then 15 burpees. We repeated that workout for 45 minutes,” she said.

Members of the aviation unit took Alexander and other cadets for an hour-long helicopter ride around the island so they could see the sunset over the ocean.

“That was probably the coolest part,” she said.

Alexander’s career goals include two possible tracks. If she commissions in the active-duty Army, she is considering aviation. If she opts for civilian life, she would like to go to law school.

By TENA L. COOK, CSC Marketing CoordinatorCHADRON – Chadron State College student Austin Alexander, an ROTC cadet in the Mount Rushmore Battalion, spent three weeks this summer in Honolulu at Cadet Troop Leader Training (CTLT).The junior from Newell, South Dakota, is studying criminal justice, forensic science, and seeking a minor in military science.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1662740050285.jpeg" alt="Chadron State College student and ROTC cadet Austin Alexander, right, poses during Cadet Troop Leader Training with an Army Aviation Unit in Honolulu during summer 2022. (Courtesy photo, used with permission)" />
 <figcaption>Chadron State College student and ROTC cadet Austin Alexander, right, poses during Cadet Troop Leader Training with an Army Aviation Unit in Honolulu during summer 2022. (Courtesy photo, used with permission)</figcaption>
 </figure>According to Assistant Professor of Military Science Colin Webster, Alexander was originally selected for a special training, called Robin Sage, because she ranked high on the Order of Merit List based on her physical training (PT), leadership, grades, and participation in college extracurricular activities. Unfortunately, her flight was canceled and because of the high-security nature of her assignment, it could not be rescheduled. She was offered CTLT in lieu of Robin Sage.At CTLT, she divided her training time between a Light Armor Cavalry Regiment and the other half with an Aviation Unit.“CTLT was an opportunity to work with active duty, real Army soldiers and get to experience their everyday life. We started each day at 6 a.m. for PT. CTLT teaches you how to interact with the soldiers and trains you to be a leader so by the time you commission,” Alexander said. “The last week we were out in the field for six days and did night operations with night vision goggles and set up defenses, ambushes, and did reconnaissance.”She said the most difficult physical challenge was called water can PT.“We filled a 45-pound water can and carried it in a two-member team for about half a mile and then pushed it across a football field to our partner who pushed it back. Then we did 50 pushups, pushed the water can back and forth again, did 50 air squats, then 15 burpees. We repeated that workout for 45 minutes,” she said.Members of the aviation unit took Alexander and other cadets for an hour-long helicopter ride around the island so they could see the sunset over the ocean.“That was probably the coolest part,” she said.Alexander’s career goals include two possible tracks. If she commissions in the active-duty Army, she is considering aviation. If she opts for civilian life, she would like to go to law school.

Chadron's Alexander completes specialized training

Ash Hollow State Historical Park will host its annual rendezvous Sept. 9-11. The rendezvous will allow park visitors to absorb themselves in pre-1840 history, unique culture and educate themselves of an era gone by.

Rendezvous were historically held in the fall between fur traders and local Native American tribes and were a time to gather, share trade goods such as skins, furs, beads, food items, weapons, and knowledge. It was a time to relax, make money, and have some fun.

There will be demonstrations of black powder shooting, tomahawk throwing, recurve bow and arrow shooting, open fire cooking, trap setting, canoeing, along with traders row where goods can be viewed and purchased. Cowboy poet and singer/songwriter John Horton will be preforming throughout the day and food vendors will be on location for the event.

A living history tent, emulating the spirit of American men and women of the era will host historical re-enactors speaking on subjects such as the newest kitchen utensils, fashion, political issues, current events, a card playing table and people that lived in 1876.

A mountain man run, or fur traders version of an iron man event, will consist of tomahawk throwing, canoeing, trap setting, black powder rifle shooting, and fire starting is open to the public. Pre-registration is required by calling Teaspoon Stots, the Rendezvous Booshway at 801-719-9330.

Ash Hollow opens at 9 a.m. MT and the events are free to attend. Vehicles require a valid park entry permit, which can be purchased at the park or online at OutdoorNebraska.gov. Dogs are welcome but must be on a leash.

For more information call the park office at 308-778-5651, or 308-778-7708. Ash Hollow is located three miles southeast of Lewellen on U.S. Hwy. 26.

By Nebraska Game and ParksAsh Hollow State Historical Park will host its annual rendezvous Sept. 9-11. The rendezvous will allow park visitors to absorb themselves in pre-1840 history, unique culture and educate themselves of an era gone by.Rendezvous were historically held in the fall between fur traders and local Native American tribes and were a time to gather, share trade goods such as skins, furs, beads, food items, weapons, and knowledge. It was a time to relax, make money, and have some fun.There will be demonstrations of black powder shooting, tomahawk throwing, recurve bow and arrow shooting, open fire cooking, trap setting, canoeing, along with traders row where goods can be viewed and purchased. Cowboy poet and singer/songwriter John Horton will be preforming throughout the day and food vendors will be on location for the event.A living history tent, emulating the spirit of American men and women of the era will host historical re-enactors speaking on subjects such as the newest kitchen utensils, fashion, political issues, current events, a card playing table and people that lived in 1876.A mountain man run, or fur traders version of an iron man event, will consist of tomahawk throwing, canoeing, trap setting, black powder rifle shooting, and fire starting is open to the public. Pre-registration is required by calling Teaspoon Stots, the Rendezvous Booshway at 801-719-9330.Ash Hollow opens at 9 a.m. MT and the events are free to attend. Vehicles require a valid park entry permit, which can be purchased at the park or online at OutdoorNebraska.gov. Dogs are welcome but must be on a leash.For more information call the park office at 308-778-5651, or 308-778-7708. Ash Hollow is located three miles southeast of Lewellen on U.S. Hwy. 26.

Ash Hollow State Historical Park continues rendezvous

By&nbsp;Alliance Community Task Force

by Patricia Jones, Alliance Community Task Force: Creating Opportunity

For several months now we've been dealing with inflation. Prices have gone up on our groceries, gas, rent, pretty much everything we buy. What causes inflation? Basically, it is an imbalance between supply and demand, and this year both of those are factors.

Usually inflation is demand-based. The high inflation of the 1970's and 80's was caused by baby boomers all becoming adults. They left home, needed cars, clothes, apartments; then they added houses, furniture, appliances, things for their own families. For the first time most women entered the labor market, so households had more money to spend. People were willing to buy more and pay more, so prices went up.

This round of inflation was set off by Covid. For a few months the world came to a standstill. Children didn't go to school. Many people didn't go to work. Factories, restaurants, transportation - so much was shut down. Goods that had been produced overseas sat in ships not allowed to dock and unload. Grocery store shelves sat empty; non-perishables were hoarded and fresh meat and produce couldn't be processed. We've all heard about the "supply-chain problems." We still have shortages of some items like semiconductors and fertilizer needed to produce other goods, what economists call supply constraints.

With so many people temporarily laid off, the government stepped up with some financial stimulus payments. The Federal Reserve cut interest rates to banks to zero. People spent a lot of time shopping and comparing on the Internet. Demand went way up for durable goods like appliances and entertainment systems. But the goods and services were not there. High demand plus low supply equals price increases.

After Covid vaccines were developed, people could return to work. However, not everyone chose to do so. Many took early retirement. Parents decided that one of them could stay home with children. The United States limited immigration. Our labor force participation is lower than it has been in decades. There are labor shortages in nearly every community. High demand for labor plus low supply means wages are going up.

Covid hit in early 2020. Now, two and a half years later, we are still seeing major effects. Many businesses had scaled back. This included oil refineries and airlines. If you've travelled this summer, you know airports are packed and flights are delayed. Ticket prices have skyrocketed. Tourist destinations are packed. We had lots of pent-up demand and want to get out again. And many of us saved money so we could.

One thing we cannot control will continue to create inflation problems for a while - the War between Russia and Ukraine. Why would the Ukraine crisis cause our prices to go up? Russia is the world's third largest supplier of oil, after the United States and Saudi Arabia. Ukraine is a "breadbasket" nation, supplying grain for much of the eastern hemisphere. With those

products pulled from the world market, we will continue to see supply shortages and, therefore, higher prices.

Congress has passed the Inflation Reduction Act, controlling prescription drug prices and investing in energy production. The Federal Reserve has raised interest rates, making it harder for people to borrow money, as they try to lower demand. Their goal is to return inflation to rate of about 2%. But that probably won't happen for a while.

By&nbsp;Alliance Community Task Forceby Patricia Jones, Alliance Community Task Force: Creating OpportunityFor several months now we've been dealing with inflation. Prices have gone up on our groceries, gas, rent, pretty much everything we buy. What causes inflation? Basically, it is an imbalance between supply and demand, and this year both of those are factors.Usually inflation is demand-based. The high inflation of the 1970's and 80's was caused by baby boomers all becoming adults. They left home, needed cars, clothes, apartments; then they added houses, furniture, appliances, things for their own families. For the first time most women entered the labor market, so households had more money to spend. People were willing to buy more and pay more, so prices went up.This round of inflation was set off by Covid. For a few months the world came to a standstill. Children didn't go to school. Many people didn't go to work. Factories, restaurants, transportation - so much was shut down. Goods that had been produced overseas sat in ships not allowed to dock and unload. Grocery store shelves sat empty; non-perishables were hoarded and fresh meat and produce couldn't be processed. We've all heard about the "supply-chain problems." We still have shortages of some items like semiconductors and fertilizer needed to produce other goods, what economists call supply constraints.With so many people temporarily laid off, the government stepped up with some financial stimulus payments. The Federal Reserve cut interest rates to banks to zero. People spent a lot of time shopping and comparing on the Internet. Demand went way up for durable goods like appliances and entertainment systems. But the goods and services were not there. High demand plus low supply equals price increases.After Covid vaccines were developed, people could return to work. However, not everyone chose to do so. Many took early retirement. Parents decided that one of them could stay home with children. The United States limited immigration. Our labor force participation is lower than it has been in decades. There are labor shortages in nearly every community. High demand for labor plus low supply means wages are going up.Covid hit in early 2020. Now, two and a half years later, we are still seeing major effects. Many businesses had scaled back. This included oil refineries and airlines. If you've travelled this summer, you know airports are packed and flights are delayed. Ticket prices have skyrocketed. Tourist destinations are packed. We had lots of pent-up demand and want to get out again. And many of us saved money so we could.One thing we cannot control will continue to create inflation problems for a while - the War between Russia and Ukraine. Why would the Ukraine crisis cause our prices to go up? Russia is the world's third largest supplier of oil, after the United States and Saudi Arabia. Ukraine is a "breadbasket" nation, supplying grain for much of the eastern hemisphere. With thoseproducts pulled from the world market, we will continue to see supply shortages and, therefore, higher prices.Congress has passed the Inflation Reduction Act, controlling prescription drug prices and investing in energy production. The Federal Reserve has raised interest rates, making it harder for people to borrow money, as they try to lower demand. Their goal is to return inflation to rate of about 2%. But that probably won't happen for a while.

Getting Ahead: What causes inflation

The hospital's upcoming improvements to the patient portal are discussed.

<div><iframe title="POST PODCAST: Box Butte General Hospital" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=7ny8y-12bc4a1-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=2&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=5"></iframe></div>The hospital's upcoming improvements to the patient portal are discussed.

POST PODCAST: Box Butte General Hospital