LINCOLN&nbsp; — The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) has awarded the Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) its Law Enforcement Accreditation for the sixth time. NSP has been continually accredited by CALEA since 2004.

“This recognition is the result of a thorough review process by CALEA evaluators,” said Colonel John Bolduc, Superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol. “CALEA accreditation demonstrates not only that NSP’s policies meet the rigorous standards held by CALEA, but also that NSP personnel are living up to those standards in their work across Nebraska.”

NSP received its reaccreditation last month following a process that included a self-assessment of NSP policies and procedures, in-depth comparison of NSP’s operations to CALEA’s internationally-recognized public safety standards, and a complete assessment by CALEA evaluators. During the process, NSP must prove compliance with approximately 500 CALEA standards for law enforcement agencies.

For this year’s CALEA assessment, NSP provided the assessors several avenues to complete their review while maintaining safe health practices during the COVID-19 pandemic. CALEA assessors were unable to travel to conduct an in-person assessment or public hearing, so NSP arranged a virtual tour of NSP facilities, one-on-one interviews with NSP team members, and a telephonic public hearing to gather feedback from the community.

CALEA serves as the international gold standard for public safety agencies. Approximately 10 percent of all law enforcement agencies in the United States hold CALEA accreditation. CALEA accreditation lasts for four years with annual assessments during that time.

LINCOLN&nbsp; — The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) has awarded the Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) its Law Enforcement Accreditation for the sixth time. NSP has been continually accredited by CALEA since 2004.“This recognition is the result of a thorough review process by CALEA evaluators,” said Colonel John Bolduc, Superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol. “CALEA accreditation demonstrates not only that NSP’s policies meet the rigorous standards held by CALEA, but also that NSP personnel are living up to those standards in their work across Nebraska.”NSP received its reaccreditation last month following a process that included a self-assessment of NSP policies and procedures, in-depth comparison of NSP’s operations to CALEA’s internationally-recognized public safety standards, and a complete assessment by CALEA evaluators. During the process, NSP must prove compliance with approximately 500 CALEA standards for law enforcement agencies.For this year’s CALEA assessment, NSP provided the assessors several avenues to complete their review while maintaining safe health practices during the COVID-19 pandemic. CALEA assessors were unable to travel to conduct an in-person assessment or public hearing, so NSP arranged a virtual tour of NSP facilities, one-on-one interviews with NSP team members, and a telephonic public hearing to gather feedback from the community.CALEA serves as the international gold standard for public safety agencies. Approximately 10 percent of all law enforcement agencies in the United States hold CALEA accreditation. CALEA accreditation lasts for four years with annual assessments during that time.

Nebraska State Patrol receives CALEA reaccreditation

CHADRON – This year started out as usual, but by March, reports of a respiratory illness originating in China were concerning as numerous cases began appearing in the U.S. Soon, the novel coronavirus and the disease it causes, COVID-19, began to dominate conversations and plans at Chadron State College.&nbsp;

While students were on spring break, the Nebraska State College System (NSCS) decided to suspend face-to-face classes and students were notified they would finish the semester through&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12256" target="_blank">remote delivery</a>.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12258" target="_blank">Room and board refunds</a>&nbsp;quickly followed.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12265" target="_blank">Custodial</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12279" target="_blank">Residence Life</a>&nbsp;staff and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12302" target="_blank">students adjusted</a>&nbsp;to the quickly changing circumstances.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12384" target="_blank">Admissions</a>&nbsp;also re-worked its approach to providing campus tours to prospective students.&nbsp;

Faculty pivoted in rare form and with just a few days added to spring break, resumed their courses with most students remaining at home. About 125 students remained in the residence halls and food service was scaled down to meet their needs. Dr. Joel Schreuder offered a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12277" target="_blank">creative solution</a>&nbsp;for students in his concert choir class, virtual choir, after giving himself a crash course in use of music mixing software. Art Professor Laura Bentz incorporated designs submitted from her students scattered across several states to create a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12294" target="_blank">collaborative print</a>&nbsp;in the Memorial Hall print lab, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12305" target="_blank">Pathogenic Microbiology</a>&nbsp;students analyzed COVID-19 in their class with Dr. Ann Buchmann.&nbsp;

Aware that K-12 teachers were also scrambling to meet school districts’ demands to teach remotely, administrators in the Education department quickly constructed a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12318" target="_blank">course</a>&nbsp;to help educators adapt to online teaching.&nbsp;

Student services personnel also worked rapidly to distribute $540,638 in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12320" target="_blank">CARES Act</a>&nbsp;funds to students who faced hardships because of the pandemic. The Chadron State Foundation staff observed that some students’ needs might not qualify for the CARES money, so they created the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12289" target="_blank">Eagles Rise</a>&nbsp;fund. In spite of unprecedented conditions,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12293" target="_blank">international students felt supported</a>&nbsp;during a tumultuous time.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12280" target="_blank">Counseling</a>&nbsp;was available for students via video conference to help them navigate the dynamics of trying to attend courses, stay healthy, work, and, for some, living back at home.&nbsp;

Campus leaders began to plan the institution’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1sxOfgD5Pw" target="_blank">first virtual commencement</a>&nbsp;which debuted on YouTube May 9. Over the summer, it was determined that the NSCS would start the fall semester a week early, forego fall break, and complete finals before Thanksgiving. A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzYXdAMnEuA" target="_blank">second virtual commencement</a>&nbsp;took place Dec. 18.&nbsp;

College Relations established a section of the csc.edu website to convey information about closed buildings, active cases, and expectations of the administration regarding wearing masks, social distancing and hand washing to curb the spread of the virus on campus. The department also surveyed students and employees to assess their concerns and coordinated the information so cabinet members could address issues during regular all-campus video conference meetings.&nbsp;

Progress with the Math Science renovation and expansion project was welcomed news.&nbsp;The&nbsp;$32 million dollar&nbsp;Math Science Center of Innovative Learning was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12326" target="_blank">officially named</a>&nbsp;in June and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12360" target="_blank">groundbreaking</a>&nbsp;was Sept. 11, the same day the new Track and Field facility was dedicated.&nbsp;

In January, CSC hosted the 31st&nbsp;annual&nbsp;Early Childhood&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12216" target="_blank">conference</a>&nbsp;and Konery Klueber of Rapid City, South Dakota, was named the student&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12220" target="_blank">trustee</a>&nbsp;on the NSCS Board of Trustees.&nbsp;

A new bachelor’s degree in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/dtory.csc?article=12319" target="_blank">Nutrition and Dietetics</a>&nbsp;received initial approval and the Range Management program honored alumna&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12217" target="_blank">Marji Patz</a>&nbsp;of Powell, Wyoming, for her work in the profession.&nbsp;

Omaha area potter Wes Galusha combined a six-week&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12205" target="_blank">Artist-in-Residence</a>&nbsp;with a show of his work in Memorial Hall. &nbsp;

In February, some&nbsp;Super Bowl ads included a Budweiser&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12219" target="_blank">design</a>&nbsp;by CSC graduate Marty Lastovica.&nbsp;

Dr. Mckay Tebbs taught several sessions at the National Association of Music Merchants (<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12242" target="_blank">NAMM</a>). &nbsp;

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12237" target="_blank">Dine With Us</a>&nbsp;series was short-lived in 2020 due to the pandemic. It consisted of just one program in February with sisters Swairie Fernando, an MBA student, and Swaranga Fernando, talking about their home country of Sri Lanka.&nbsp;

Artist-in-Residence&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12233" target="_blank">Jenn Poarch</a>&nbsp;taught two Theatre courses but only one production was completed before campus closed due to the coronavirus. The Agriculture Department hosted a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12227" target="_blank">practitioner in residence</a>, Dr. Rick Baydack, from Canada, and officials from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12251" target="_blank">Kenya</a>&nbsp;who were planning the Joint 24th International Grassland Congress and 11th International Rangeland Congress.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12225" target="_blank">Dr. Deanne Tucker</a>,&nbsp;Humanities Professor, published a book about walking in film. The first of several pop-up&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12238" target="_blank">food pantries</a>&nbsp;took place in February.&nbsp;

One of many firsts was the Western District&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12261" target="_blank">Virtual History Day</a>. The theme, “Breaking Barriers,” was exemplified by students from Chadron, Crawford, and Sioux County who quickly adapted to the virtual format.&nbsp;

The Scholastic Contest and the Graves Series were among canceled events in the spring semester.&nbsp;

CSC alumnus Jovan Mays honored the life of the late Zach Muma, in his&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12252" target="_blank">TEDx</a>&nbsp;talk in Denver.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12244" target="_blank">Marjean Terrell</a>&nbsp;was appointed to the NCSC Board of Trustees. She and her husband own and operate a family farm and ranch near Hay Springs, Nebraska.&nbsp;

Faculty receiving honors included Dr. Tony&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12247" target="_blank">Perlinski received awards</a>&nbsp;who was recognized for his dedication and excellence in the field range management education and Dr. Beth Wentworth, a Mathematics Professor, who received the CSC and NSCS&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12295" target="_blank">Teaching Excellence Awards</a>.&nbsp;

Dr.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12275" target="_blank">Susan Schaeffer</a>,&nbsp;a Professor of Counseling since 2003, died from complications of diabetes in April. &nbsp;

The Education Department completed a successful&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12266" target="_blank">virtual visit for accreditation</a>&nbsp;and celebrated the growing popularity of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12272" target="_blank">Special Education Apprentice Program</a>.&nbsp;

In an effort to provided additional opportunities for area students, CSC and Western Nebraska Community College established the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12290" target="_blank">Panhandle Advantage</a>&nbsp;program which awards transfers in Elementary Education or Business Administration from WNCC with scholarships to CSC. The two institutions plan to expand the list of academic programs offered through the Panhandle Advantage.&nbsp;

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12297" target="_blank">Eagle</a>&nbsp;newspaper won its ninth consecutive Best Overall ranking in the Golden Leaf Awards and celebrated its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12374" target="_blank">100th year</a>.&nbsp;

In June, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12330" target="_blank">Story Catcher</a>&nbsp;was presented online to reach audiences and respect public health guidelines restricting gatherings.&nbsp;

CSC alumna&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12327" target="_blank">Lindsey Boardman</a>&nbsp;of Medicine Bow, Wyoming, received the Maitland P. Simmons Memorial Award from the National Science Teaching Association and CSC employees and students led a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12322" target="_blank">peaceful march</a>&nbsp;from campus to the Dawes County Courthouse to draw attention to social injustice.&nbsp;

Long-time Business professor Dr. Wendy Waugh and Dr. Alaric Williams were named&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12332" target="_blank">Deans</a>&nbsp;in July and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12347" target="_blank">new faculty members</a>&nbsp;were welcomed in August.&nbsp;

Student accomplishments included three cadets in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12352" target="_blank">ROTC program</a>&nbsp;finishing in the top 25 percent in a training exercise at Camp Ripley Training Center in Minnesota and Kevin Zhang of Alliance, Nebraska, completing an internship at the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12348" target="_blank">United Nations</a>.&nbsp;

The NSCS announced the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12340" target="_blank">Career Scholarships</a>&nbsp;program with a total of $1 million in scholarships to Chadron State College, Peru State College, or Wayne State College students pursuing careers in critical workforce areas.&nbsp;

In September,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12361" target="_blank">two new options</a>&nbsp;were approved by the NCSC trustees. The Bachelor of Arts option in Musical Theatre is intended for students who plan to pursue a performance career in musical theatre. The Strength and Conditioning option within the Bachelor of Arts in Sports and Recreation Management will provide students an opportunity to qualify as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist from the National Strength and Conditioning Association.&nbsp;

Volunteers helped move rocks from the exterior of the Math Science building to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12369" target="_blank">labyrinth</a>&nbsp;planned by Art students west of C-Hill.&nbsp;

Alumna&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12386" target="_blank">Chelsea Turner</a>&nbsp;earned the Champion Award from the Behavioral Health Education Center of Nebraska,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12366" target="_blank">Monique Fair</a>&nbsp;utilized her knowledge as a CSC graduate in ecology and wildlife management to lead nature discovery classes in Denver, and alumnus&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12365" target="_blank">Broc Anderson</a>&nbsp;received the Mari Sandoz Research Award. Anderson, Dr. Kurt Kinbacher, and alumnus Dr. Marty Ramirez participated in the first virtual&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12355" target="_blank">Pilster Lecture and Sandoz Symposium</a>.&nbsp;

Faculty accomplishments included&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12363" target="_blank">Dr. Tawny Tibbits’</a>&nbsp;published research about Belize granite.&nbsp;

The campus community mourned the death of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12359" target="_blank">Erica Morgan</a>, a sophomore from Gibbon, Nebraska, who died in an automobile accident in central Nebraska.&nbsp;

Music Professor Dr. Brooks Hafey designed a series of concerts to honor the 250th&nbsp;birthday of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12383" target="_blank">Beethoven</a>. Thirty-two of the composer’s sonatas will be played by CSC musicians and guest performers throughout the 2020-21 academic year. Another music faculty member,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12376" target="_blank">Dr. John Wojcik</a>,&nbsp;made two presentations for Nebraska Music Education Associations’ virtual conference in October and December.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12368" target="_blank">Social Work seniors</a>&nbsp;devised a plan to reach audiences with their educational information about LGBTQ+ in lieu of a conference. They distributed flash drives to school, counselors and other agencies.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12400" target="_blank">CSC Live streaming</a>&nbsp;extended the audience for the Theatre Department’s production of “I Love You, You’re Perfect. Now Change.”&nbsp;A second production, “What’s Next,” written by David Craven, a former Artist-in-Residence, entertained small audiences, wearing face masks, in the Student Center.

Four students presented their writing during a virtual&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12402" target="_blank">Sigma Tau Delta</a>&nbsp;conference. They are Ashtyn Blacksheep of Fort Collins, Colo., Johnny Gill of Auburn, Neb., Julissa Gomez of Alliance, Neb., and Abigail Swanson of Grand Island, Neb.&nbsp;The Big Event staff co-hosted a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12343" target="_blank">national video conference</a>&nbsp;with Texas A&amp;M in October.

As the campus continued to adapt traditional events to a new environment, CSC health professions students designed a series of videos to take the place of the usual in-person&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12404" target="_blank">Health Professions Showcase</a>.&nbsp;

Alumna&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12413" target="_blank">Jordan Tierney</a>, Miss Rodeo America 2020, was in the spotlight during the&nbsp;National Finals Rodeo.

The end of the year brought news that two lives associated with CSC drew to a close. Renowned Native American artist and recipient of the Distinguished Service Award&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12408" target="_blank">Don Ruleaux</a>&nbsp;died in late November and long-time history professor&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12412" target="_blank">Dr. Rolland Dewing</a>&nbsp;died Dec. 5.&nbsp;

Progress on Math Science COIL in 2021 is a positive development for the campus community. The spring semester is planned to start as expected Jan. 11, include a spring break in March and end May 8. Another bright spot is COVID-19 vaccine should be available for those in education during the spring.

By CSC COLLEGE RELATIONS&nbsp;CHADRON – This year started out as usual, but by March, reports of a respiratory illness originating in China were concerning as numerous cases began appearing in the U.S. Soon, the novel coronavirus and the disease it causes, COVID-19, began to dominate conversations and plans at Chadron State College.&nbsp;While students were on spring break, the Nebraska State College System (NSCS) decided to suspend face-to-face classes and students were notified they would finish the semester through&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12256" target="_blank">remote delivery</a>.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12258" target="_blank">Room and board refunds</a>&nbsp;quickly followed.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12265" target="_blank">Custodial</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12279" target="_blank">Residence Life</a>&nbsp;staff and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12302" target="_blank">students adjusted</a>&nbsp;to the quickly changing circumstances.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12384" target="_blank">Admissions</a>&nbsp;also re-worked its approach to providing campus tours to prospective students.&nbsp;Faculty pivoted in rare form and with just a few days added to spring break, resumed their courses with most students remaining at home. About 125 students remained in the residence halls and food service was scaled down to meet their needs. Dr. Joel Schreuder offered a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12277" target="_blank">creative solution</a>&nbsp;for students in his concert choir class, virtual choir, after giving himself a crash course in use of music mixing software. Art Professor Laura Bentz incorporated designs submitted from her students scattered across several states to create a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12294" target="_blank">collaborative print</a>&nbsp;in the Memorial Hall print lab, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12305" target="_blank">Pathogenic Microbiology</a>&nbsp;students analyzed COVID-19 in their class with Dr. Ann Buchmann.&nbsp;Aware that K-12 teachers were also scrambling to meet school districts’ demands to teach remotely, administrators in the Education department quickly constructed a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12318" target="_blank">course</a>&nbsp;to help educators adapt to online teaching.&nbsp;Student services personnel also worked rapidly to distribute $540,638 in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12320" target="_blank">CARES Act</a>&nbsp;funds to students who faced hardships because of the pandemic. The Chadron State Foundation staff observed that some students’ needs might not qualify for the CARES money, so they created the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12289" target="_blank">Eagles Rise</a>&nbsp;fund. In spite of unprecedented conditions,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12293" target="_blank">international students felt supported</a>&nbsp;during a tumultuous time.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12280" target="_blank">Counseling</a>&nbsp;was available for students via video conference to help them navigate the dynamics of trying to attend courses, stay healthy, work, and, for some, living back at home.&nbsp;Campus leaders began to plan the institution’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1sxOfgD5Pw" target="_blank">first virtual commencement</a>&nbsp;which debuted on YouTube May 9. Over the summer, it was determined that the NSCS would start the fall semester a week early, forego fall break, and complete finals before Thanksgiving. A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzYXdAMnEuA" target="_blank">second virtual commencement</a>&nbsp;took place Dec. 18.&nbsp;College Relations established a section of the csc.edu website to convey information about closed buildings, active cases, and expectations of the administration regarding wearing masks, social distancing and hand washing to curb the spread of the virus on campus. The department also surveyed students and employees to assess their concerns and coordinated the information so cabinet members could address issues during regular all-campus video conference meetings.&nbsp;Progress with the Math Science renovation and expansion project was welcomed news.&nbsp;The&nbsp;$32 million dollar&nbsp;Math Science Center of Innovative Learning was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12326" target="_blank">officially named</a>&nbsp;in June and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12360" target="_blank">groundbreaking</a>&nbsp;was Sept. 11, the same day the new Track and Field facility was dedicated.&nbsp;In January, CSC hosted the 31st&nbsp;annual&nbsp;Early Childhood&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12216" target="_blank">conference</a>&nbsp;and Konery Klueber of Rapid City, South Dakota, was named the student&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12220" target="_blank">trustee</a>&nbsp;on the NSCS Board of Trustees.&nbsp;A new bachelor’s degree in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/dtory.csc?article=12319" target="_blank">Nutrition and Dietetics</a>&nbsp;received initial approval and the Range Management program honored alumna&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12217" target="_blank">Marji Patz</a>&nbsp;of Powell, Wyoming, for her work in the profession.&nbsp;Omaha area potter Wes Galusha combined a six-week&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12205" target="_blank">Artist-in-Residence</a>&nbsp;with a show of his work in Memorial Hall. &nbsp;In February, some&nbsp;Super Bowl ads included a Budweiser&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12219" target="_blank">design</a>&nbsp;by CSC graduate Marty Lastovica.&nbsp;Dr. Mckay Tebbs taught several sessions at the National Association of Music Merchants (<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12242" target="_blank">NAMM</a>). &nbsp;The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12237" target="_blank">Dine With Us</a>&nbsp;series was short-lived in 2020 due to the pandemic. It consisted of just one program in February with sisters Swairie Fernando, an MBA student, and Swaranga Fernando, talking about their home country of Sri Lanka.&nbsp;Artist-in-Residence&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12233" target="_blank">Jenn Poarch</a>&nbsp;taught two Theatre courses but only one production was completed before campus closed due to the coronavirus. The Agriculture Department hosted a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12227" target="_blank">practitioner in residence</a>, Dr. Rick Baydack, from Canada, and officials from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12251" target="_blank">Kenya</a>&nbsp;who were planning the Joint 24th International Grassland Congress and 11th International Rangeland Congress.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12225" target="_blank">Dr. Deanne Tucker</a>,&nbsp;Humanities Professor, published a book about walking in film. The first of several pop-up&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12238" target="_blank">food pantries</a>&nbsp;took place in February.&nbsp;One of many firsts was the Western District&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12261" target="_blank">Virtual History Day</a>. The theme, “Breaking Barriers,” was exemplified by students from Chadron, Crawford, and Sioux County who quickly adapted to the virtual format.&nbsp;The Scholastic Contest and the Graves Series were among canceled events in the spring semester.&nbsp;CSC alumnus Jovan Mays honored the life of the late Zach Muma, in his&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12252" target="_blank">TEDx</a>&nbsp;talk in Denver.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12244" target="_blank">Marjean Terrell</a>&nbsp;was appointed to the NCSC Board of Trustees. She and her husband own and operate a family farm and ranch near Hay Springs, Nebraska.&nbsp;Faculty receiving honors included Dr. Tony&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12247" target="_blank">Perlinski received awards</a>&nbsp;who was recognized for his dedication and excellence in the field range management education and Dr. Beth Wentworth, a Mathematics Professor, who received the CSC and NSCS&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12295" target="_blank">Teaching Excellence Awards</a>.&nbsp;Dr.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12275" target="_blank">Susan Schaeffer</a>,&nbsp;a Professor of Counseling since 2003, died from complications of diabetes in April. &nbsp;The Education Department completed a successful&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12266" target="_blank">virtual visit for accreditation</a>&nbsp;and celebrated the growing popularity of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12272" target="_blank">Special Education Apprentice Program</a>.&nbsp;In an effort to provided additional opportunities for area students, CSC and Western Nebraska Community College established the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12290" target="_blank">Panhandle Advantage</a>&nbsp;program which awards transfers in Elementary Education or Business Administration from WNCC with scholarships to CSC. The two institutions plan to expand the list of academic programs offered through the Panhandle Advantage.&nbsp;The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12297" target="_blank">Eagle</a>&nbsp;newspaper won its ninth consecutive Best Overall ranking in the Golden Leaf Awards and celebrated its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12374" target="_blank">100th year</a>.&nbsp;In June, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12330" target="_blank">Story Catcher</a>&nbsp;was presented online to reach audiences and respect public health guidelines restricting gatherings.&nbsp;CSC alumna&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12327" target="_blank">Lindsey Boardman</a>&nbsp;of Medicine Bow, Wyoming, received the Maitland P. Simmons Memorial Award from the National Science Teaching Association and CSC employees and students led a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12322" target="_blank">peaceful march</a>&nbsp;from campus to the Dawes County Courthouse to draw attention to social injustice.&nbsp;Long-time Business professor Dr. Wendy Waugh and Dr. Alaric Williams were named&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12332" target="_blank">Deans</a>&nbsp;in July and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12347" target="_blank">new faculty members</a>&nbsp;were welcomed in August.&nbsp;Student accomplishments included three cadets in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12352" target="_blank">ROTC program</a>&nbsp;finishing in the top 25 percent in a training exercise at Camp Ripley Training Center in Minnesota and Kevin Zhang of Alliance, Nebraska, completing an internship at the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12348" target="_blank">United Nations</a>.&nbsp;The NSCS announced the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12340" target="_blank">Career Scholarships</a>&nbsp;program with a total of $1 million in scholarships to Chadron State College, Peru State College, or Wayne State College students pursuing careers in critical workforce areas.&nbsp;In September,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12361" target="_blank">two new options</a>&nbsp;were approved by the NCSC trustees. The Bachelor of Arts option in Musical Theatre is intended for students who plan to pursue a performance career in musical theatre. The Strength and Conditioning option within the Bachelor of Arts in Sports and Recreation Management will provide students an opportunity to qualify as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist from the National Strength and Conditioning Association.&nbsp;Volunteers helped move rocks from the exterior of the Math Science building to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12369" target="_blank">labyrinth</a>&nbsp;planned by Art students west of C-Hill.&nbsp;Alumna&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12386" target="_blank">Chelsea Turner</a>&nbsp;earned the Champion Award from the Behavioral Health Education Center of Nebraska,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12366" target="_blank">Monique Fair</a>&nbsp;utilized her knowledge as a CSC graduate in ecology and wildlife management to lead nature discovery classes in Denver, and alumnus&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12365" target="_blank">Broc Anderson</a>&nbsp;received the Mari Sandoz Research Award. Anderson, Dr. Kurt Kinbacher, and alumnus Dr. Marty Ramirez participated in the first virtual&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12355" target="_blank">Pilster Lecture and Sandoz Symposium</a>.&nbsp;Faculty accomplishments included&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12363" target="_blank">Dr. Tawny Tibbits’</a>&nbsp;published research about Belize granite.&nbsp;The campus community mourned the death of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12359" target="_blank">Erica Morgan</a>, a sophomore from Gibbon, Nebraska, who died in an automobile accident in central Nebraska.&nbsp;Music Professor Dr. Brooks Hafey designed a series of concerts to honor the 250th&nbsp;birthday of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12383" target="_blank">Beethoven</a>. Thirty-two of the composer’s sonatas will be played by CSC musicians and guest performers throughout the 2020-21 academic year. Another music faculty member,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12376" target="_blank">Dr. John Wojcik</a>,&nbsp;made two presentations for Nebraska Music Education Associations’ virtual conference in October and December.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12368" target="_blank">Social Work seniors</a>&nbsp;devised a plan to reach audiences with their educational information about LGBTQ+ in lieu of a conference. They distributed flash drives to school, counselors and other agencies.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12400" target="_blank">CSC Live streaming</a>&nbsp;extended the audience for the Theatre Department’s production of “I Love You, You’re Perfect. Now Change.”&nbsp;A second production, “What’s Next,” written by David Craven, a former Artist-in-Residence, entertained small audiences, wearing face masks, in the Student Center.Four students presented their writing during a virtual&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12402" target="_blank">Sigma Tau Delta</a>&nbsp;conference. They are Ashtyn Blacksheep of Fort Collins, Colo., Johnny Gill of Auburn, Neb., Julissa Gomez of Alliance, Neb., and Abigail Swanson of Grand Island, Neb.&nbsp;The Big Event staff co-hosted a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12343" target="_blank">national video conference</a>&nbsp;with Texas A&amp;M in October.As the campus continued to adapt traditional events to a new environment, CSC health professions students designed a series of videos to take the place of the usual in-person&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12404" target="_blank">Health Professions Showcase</a>.&nbsp;Alumna&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12413" target="_blank">Jordan Tierney</a>, Miss Rodeo America 2020, was in the spotlight during the&nbsp;National Finals Rodeo.The end of the year brought news that two lives associated with CSC drew to a close. Renowned Native American artist and recipient of the Distinguished Service Award&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12408" target="_blank">Don Ruleaux</a>&nbsp;died in late November and long-time history professor&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/story.csc?article=12412" target="_blank">Dr. Rolland Dewing</a>&nbsp;died Dec. 5.&nbsp;Progress on Math Science COIL in 2021 is a positive development for the campus community. The spring semester is planned to start as expected Jan. 11, include a spring break in March and end May 8. Another bright spot is COVID-19 vaccine should be available for those in education during the spring.

CSC: Efforts to control and curb the spread of COVID-19 dominate the year 

LINCOLN — The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is hosting a new, virtual series designed for preschoolers. The free Nature Tails will be at 10 a.m. CST on Tuesdays, starting Jan. 12.

Each week, Game and Parks outdoor educators from across the state will kick off nature-themed sessions by reading a children’s book tailored to the theme. Afterward, educators will lead a quick activity for children and their families. The themes are:

No pre-registration is required. To participate, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMDEyMzAuMzI2NjA5MDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vYml0Lmx5L05hdHVyZVRhaWxzIn0.FhHN7fPG2TfV7r2AFZ0IeltetMpAxBmlNdiXaxBvp_g/s/497221906/br/92523024568-l" target="_blank">bit.ly/NatureTails</a>&nbsp;to login and join the fun.

Unable to attend a live event, but still want to do the activity and hear a book? Each virtual event will be recorded and posted to the Nebraska Game and Parks Education Channel on YouTube. Search “Nebraska Game and Parks Education” on the social platform and subscribe for future videos.

Stay up-to-date with these and other educational events through&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMDEyMzAuMzI2NjA5MDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5mYWNlYm9vay5jb20vTkVHYW1lYW5kUGFya3MvIn0.f9g5Hiy2RvYF48iLDZ3asKXCuOCFRA5RqwZv0knFFos/s/497221906/br/92523024568-l" target="_blank">Facebook/NEGameandParks</a>.

LINCOLN — The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is hosting a new, virtual series designed for preschoolers. The free Nature Tails will be at 10 a.m. CST on Tuesdays, starting Jan. 12.Each week, Game and Parks outdoor educators from across the state will kick off nature-themed sessions by reading a children’s book tailored to the theme. Afterward, educators will lead a quick activity for children and their families. The themes are:<ul>
 <li>Jan. 12 – Mammals</li><li>Jan. 19 – Making Observations</li><li>Jan. 26 – Owls</li><li>Feb. 2 – Groundhogs</li><li>Feb. 9 – Seeds</li><li>Feb. 16 – Wintertime Fun</li>
 </ul>No pre-registration is required. To participate, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMDEyMzAuMzI2NjA5MDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vYml0Lmx5L05hdHVyZVRhaWxzIn0.FhHN7fPG2TfV7r2AFZ0IeltetMpAxBmlNdiXaxBvp_g/s/497221906/br/92523024568-l" target="_blank">bit.ly/NatureTails</a>&nbsp;to login and join the fun.Unable to attend a live event, but still want to do the activity and hear a book? Each virtual event will be recorded and posted to the Nebraska Game and Parks Education Channel on YouTube. Search “Nebraska Game and Parks Education” on the social platform and subscribe for future videos.Stay up-to-date with these and other educational events through&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMDEyMzAuMzI2NjA5MDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5mYWNlYm9vay5jb20vTkVHYW1lYW5kUGFya3MvIn0.f9g5Hiy2RvYF48iLDZ3asKXCuOCFRA5RqwZv0knFFos/s/497221906/br/92523024568-l" target="_blank">Facebook/NEGameandParks</a>.

Nebraska Game and Parks to host a free virtual pre-K program: Nature Tails

Upper Niobrara White Natural Resources District's annual "Range Day" for 2021 has been cancelled.&nbsp;

"Range Day" is a one-day, educational event with speakers on everything from prescribed burning and long-range weather forecasts, to range monitoring technology and drones.&nbsp;

The annual event has been cancelled due to the current pandemic.&nbsp;

"This decision was made taking into consideration personal safety and health measures, along with the guidelines set forth by the Panhandle Public Health District as well as the Directed Health Measures," said&nbsp;Tricia Goes, UNWNRD Conservation Programs Specialist. "There will be no virtual options or recordings of the presentations for 2021."

By Kalin Krohe, Panhandle PostUpper Niobrara White Natural Resources District's annual "Range Day" for 2021 has been cancelled.&nbsp;"Range Day" is a one-day, educational event with speakers on everything from prescribed burning and long-range weather forecasts, to range monitoring technology and drones.&nbsp;The annual event has been cancelled due to the current pandemic.&nbsp;"This decision was made taking into consideration personal safety and health measures, along with the guidelines set forth by the Panhandle Public Health District as well as the Directed Health Measures," said&nbsp;Tricia Goes, UNWNRD Conservation Programs Specialist. "There will be no virtual options or recordings of the presentations for 2021."

Upper Niobrara White NRD cancels 'Range Day' 2021

On Dec. 24 at approximately 9:30 a.m. the Dawes County Sheriff's Office was contacted to perform a welfare check on 75 year-old Richard Waltman of Whitney.&nbsp;

Waltman had not been seen or heard from for several days.&nbsp;

Waltman was found deceased when Dawes County Sheriff authorities entered his residence.&nbsp;

"After an investigation of evidence at the scene, witness interviews, a review of medical history and interviews with medical personnel...it was determined that Mr. Waltman had been deceased for several days," said Vance Haug, Dawes County Attorney/Coroner. "Foul play is not suspected."

By Kalin Krohe, Panhandle PostOn Dec. 24 at approximately 9:30 a.m. the Dawes County Sheriff's Office was contacted to perform a welfare check on 75 year-old Richard Waltman of Whitney.&nbsp;Waltman had not been seen or heard from for several days.&nbsp;Waltman was found deceased when Dawes County Sheriff authorities entered his residence.&nbsp;"After an investigation of evidence at the scene, witness interviews, a review of medical history and interviews with medical personnel...it was determined that Mr. Waltman had been deceased for several days," said Vance Haug, Dawes County Attorney/Coroner. "Foul play is not suspected."

Dawes County man found deceased 

By Patricia Jones, Task Force on Poverty

2020 has almost come to an end, and what a strange year! The news was full of weather-related issues and fires due to climate change. We saw political divisiveness unknown in our lifetime.&nbsp;

The biggest issue of the year was COVID-19. That brought business closures and skyrocketing unemployment. Stay at home orders. Mask wearing. School shut-downs and online learning. Essential workers who had to work long hours, often with no extra benefits, pay, or protective equipment. Illness and death of many of our friends and family members.

2020 was a year of experimentation as we tried to find better ways to cope with uncertainty.

Here in Box Butte County we have seen new and expanded programs to help those in need. Alliance Public Transit has been providing free rides for several months, although that is slated to end January 1. The CARES Act offered payroll protection funding to keep small businesses afloat. The Department of Agriculture had CFAP funds for ag producers. The Department of Labor had expanded unemployment benefits and new programs to help people find jobs. Nebraska passed Medicaid Expansion, covering thousands more with health insurance. Programs are in place to help with rent and utility assistance. Northwest Community Action Partnership and United Way can help people connect with those.

Our schools shut their doors to students in March, with everyone trying online learning. Teachers tried so many ways to reach students via different platforms. Some worked; some didn’t. We’ve returned to the classroom, used Zoom options, hybrid learning, masks v no masks. Teachers and students have been quarantined. Activities have been curtailed. Educators are still struggling to find what works, as traditional school has been upended.

Our church, St. John’s Lutheran, originally had services with spacing and mask requirements. Then we tried drive-in worship, where we all sat in our vehicles and tuned our radios to a certain frequency to hear what was happening on the flatbed in front. We had neighborhood pop-up services in people’s front yards. Then we watched a live stream every week on Facebook. Now we are back to services with spacing and mask requirements combined with the Facebook stream. Every church has been trying to meet the challenge of offering ways to worship.

The Task Force on Poverty has focused most of our attention on food insecurity. Thankfully we have seen expanded government programs and generous giving by area businesses and individuals. Area agencies have been able to write for grants to offer more.

For many years Alliance churches provided Christmas baskets to families in need. United Way has taken over the coordination of this program, working with churches. Northwest Community Action Partnership, Grocery Kart, Safeway, Harris Sales, Western Potatoes, and Gregory’s Insurance donated food. AHS wrestlers and RSVP provided volunteers. Individuals donated funds through United Way or their churches. Last week 292 Christmas Food Boxes were distributed to families; 703 people received food. Children could get gloves, hats, and socks, and those under age 8 got a Beanie Baby stuffed animal.

The United Way also organized food boxes in November, which included a turkey from Safeway for Thanksgiving.&nbsp;

Even with venues closed, holiday meals have been offered to those in need. On Christmas Day Whitney Baldwin and friends served take-home ham dinners to over 200 people from the back door of the Masonic Center. The traditional Thanksgiving turkey meal offered by the Boyles through People Helping People fed over 600. An Easter meal of beef stroganoff was provided to more than 300 people by Box Butte County Democrats through Community Table.

Community Table has made major adjustments. Social distancing requirements caused them to close the dining area, and all meals are picked up from the back door of the Masonic Center. In the spring, 300 people were being served daily. Numbers are now 60-80 meals a day. People might receive hot meals, soup, or sandwich sack lunches depending on the volunteers of the day. Area businesses and individuals continue to donate items to be prepared and served.

The schools, through the USDA lunch program, prepared grab and go meals for all children last spring. This year all the schools have free breakfast and lunch for all students.

The Alliance Senior Center delivers around 60 meals daily to senior citizens.

NCAP’s Extra Helpings Food Pantry has received generous donations and grants and has been able to purchase more food from the Food Bank of the Heartland to serve people with food insecurity in our area.

The USDA developed the Farmers to Families Food Box program. They purchased produce, meal and dairy products originally planned for restaurants and had them repackaged for distribution in communities throughout America this summer. A form of this program has continued through Community Cares, with food box deliveries twice a month through February.&nbsp;

Yes, 2020 has been a difficult year. But we have learned so much. Companies are beginning to roll out a vaccine for COVID. And those who have not been hit by the problems the year has given us have been especially generous in helping to meet the needs of those who have been less fortunate.

By Patricia Jones, Task Force on Poverty2020 has almost come to an end, and what a strange year! The news was full of weather-related issues and fires due to climate change. We saw political divisiveness unknown in our lifetime.&nbsp;The biggest issue of the year was COVID-19. That brought business closures and skyrocketing unemployment. Stay at home orders. Mask wearing. School shut-downs and online learning. Essential workers who had to work long hours, often with no extra benefits, pay, or protective equipment. Illness and death of many of our friends and family members.2020 was a year of experimentation as we tried to find better ways to cope with uncertainty.Here in Box Butte County we have seen new and expanded programs to help those in need. Alliance Public Transit has been providing free rides for several months, although that is slated to end January 1. The CARES Act offered payroll protection funding to keep small businesses afloat. The Department of Agriculture had CFAP funds for ag producers. The Department of Labor had expanded unemployment benefits and new programs to help people find jobs. Nebraska passed Medicaid Expansion, covering thousands more with health insurance. Programs are in place to help with rent and utility assistance. Northwest Community Action Partnership and United Way can help people connect with those.Our schools shut their doors to students in March, with everyone trying online learning. Teachers tried so many ways to reach students via different platforms. Some worked; some didn’t. We’ve returned to the classroom, used Zoom options, hybrid learning, masks v no masks. Teachers and students have been quarantined. Activities have been curtailed. Educators are still struggling to find what works, as traditional school has been upended.Our church, St. John’s Lutheran, originally had services with spacing and mask requirements. Then we tried drive-in worship, where we all sat in our vehicles and tuned our radios to a certain frequency to hear what was happening on the flatbed in front. We had neighborhood pop-up services in people’s front yards. Then we watched a live stream every week on Facebook. Now we are back to services with spacing and mask requirements combined with the Facebook stream. Every church has been trying to meet the challenge of offering ways to worship.The Task Force on Poverty has focused most of our attention on food insecurity. Thankfully we have seen expanded government programs and generous giving by area businesses and individuals. Area agencies have been able to write for grants to offer more.For many years Alliance churches provided Christmas baskets to families in need. United Way has taken over the coordination of this program, working with churches. Northwest Community Action Partnership, Grocery Kart, Safeway, Harris Sales, Western Potatoes, and Gregory’s Insurance donated food. AHS wrestlers and RSVP provided volunteers. Individuals donated funds through United Way or their churches. Last week 292 Christmas Food Boxes were distributed to families; 703 people received food. Children could get gloves, hats, and socks, and those under age 8 got a Beanie Baby stuffed animal.The United Way also organized food boxes in November, which included a turkey from Safeway for Thanksgiving.&nbsp;Even with venues closed, holiday meals have been offered to those in need. On Christmas Day Whitney Baldwin and friends served take-home ham dinners to over 200 people from the back door of the Masonic Center. The traditional Thanksgiving turkey meal offered by the Boyles through People Helping People fed over 600. An Easter meal of beef stroganoff was provided to more than 300 people by Box Butte County Democrats through Community Table.Community Table has made major adjustments. Social distancing requirements caused them to close the dining area, and all meals are picked up from the back door of the Masonic Center. In the spring, 300 people were being served daily. Numbers are now 60-80 meals a day. People might receive hot meals, soup, or sandwich sack lunches depending on the volunteers of the day. Area businesses and individuals continue to donate items to be prepared and served.The schools, through the USDA lunch program, prepared grab and go meals for all children last spring. This year all the schools have free breakfast and lunch for all students.The Alliance Senior Center delivers around 60 meals daily to senior citizens.NCAP’s Extra Helpings Food Pantry has received generous donations and grants and has been able to purchase more food from the Food Bank of the Heartland to serve people with food insecurity in our area.The USDA developed the Farmers to Families Food Box program. They purchased produce, meal and dairy products originally planned for restaurants and had them repackaged for distribution in communities throughout America this summer. A form of this program has continued through Community Cares, with food box deliveries twice a month through February.&nbsp;Yes, 2020 has been a difficult year. But we have learned so much. Companies are beginning to roll out a vaccine for COVID. And those who have not been hit by the problems the year has given us have been especially generous in helping to meet the needs of those who have been less fortunate.

Poverty In Our Area: 2020 - A Year Of Uncertainty

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The University of Nebraska Medical Center and Nebraska Medicine are participating in national testing of a potential new coronavirus vaccine for adults. 

The medical center plans to enroll 1,000 study participants for the clinical trial. 

The potential vaccine was developed by Novavax, Inc., a U.S. biotechnology company, which plans to enroll 30,000 adults in the U.S. and Mexico. 

People who won’t be receiving the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines in the next three to six months are encouraged to consider enrolling in the trial. 

The vaccine candidate is a protein based vaccine created from the coronavirus spike protein and an added component that boosts a person’s immune response to stimulate higher levels of antibodies.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The University of Nebraska Medical Center and Nebraska Medicine are participating in national testing of a potential new coronavirus vaccine for adults. The medical center plans to enroll 1,000 study participants for the clinical trial. The potential vaccine was developed by Novavax, Inc., a U.S. biotechnology company, which plans to enroll 30,000 adults in the U.S. and Mexico. People who won’t be receiving the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines in the next three to six months are encouraged to consider enrolling in the trial. The vaccine candidate is a protein based vaccine created from the coronavirus spike protein and an added component that boosts a person’s immune response to stimulate higher levels of antibodies.

Nebraska participating in test of new potential vaccine

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A new program starting Friday seeks to help Nebraska veterans adopt pets. 

The Lincoln Journal Star reports that the Nebraska Department of Veterans’ Affairs is launching its “Vets Get Pets” program to help pay animal adoption fees for veterans through the sale of special license plates.

 The new license plate design is available for all Nebraska drivers to purchase.

 The $5 cost for the alphanumeric version or $40 cost for custom message plates will fund an adoption fee reimbursement program for veterans expected to begin in July. 

Veterans Affairs Director John Hilgert says animal companions can help veterans deal with post-traumatic stress disorder.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A new program starting Friday seeks to help Nebraska veterans adopt pets. The Lincoln Journal Star reports that the Nebraska Department of Veterans’ Affairs is launching its “Vets Get Pets” program to help pay animal adoption fees for veterans through the sale of special license plates. The new license plate design is available for all Nebraska drivers to purchase. The $5 cost for the alphanumeric version or $40 cost for custom message plates will fund an adoption fee reimbursement program for veterans expected to begin in July. Veterans Affairs Director John Hilgert says animal companions can help veterans deal with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Nebraska program seeks to help pair veterans with pets

LINCOLN&nbsp; —&nbsp;Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol were busy throughout the state Tuesday as a large winter storm dropped several inches of snow across much of Nebraska. Since the time the storm began late Monday, troopers have responded to more than 200 weather-related incidents.

“Our troopers show dedication to public safety in countless ways, but days like today demonstrate that work from border to border,” said Colonel John Bolduc, Superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol. “Our team of troopers and dispatchers is always ready to help.”

Throughout the storm, troopers performed more than 170 motorist assists, which can involve stranded vehicles, slide-offs, or other non-emergency events. Troopers also responded to 28 crashes. Thankfully, there are no reports of life-threatening injuries in any of those crashes.

As the winter weather season continues, NSP urges motorists to always check forecasts before traveling. In the event of winter weather, the Nebraska 511 system provides road condition and closure information via the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.511.nebraska.gov/" target="_blank">website</a>&nbsp;or smartphone app. Any motorist who becomes stranded while traveling can call the NSP Highway Helpline at *55 on a cell phone or 800-525-5555 on any phone. Call 911 in any emergency.

“We’d also like to salute the team at NDOT, local law enforcement agencies, tow truck operators, local public works crews, and many others for their work on days like today,” said Colonel Bolduc. “Those crews have been working around the clock during the storm to keep the roads as clear as possible and keep traffic moving safely.”

The Nebraska State Patrol advises motorists to keep a winter weather survival kit in each vehicle. Some basic items to include are a First Aid Kit, phone charger, ice scraper, shovel, small bag of sand, flashlight with extra batteries, blankets or sleeping bags, extra clothing and winter accessories, jumper cables, towrope, tool kit, matches, candles, red flag or bandana, high energy or dehydrated foods, and bottled water

LINCOLN&nbsp; —&nbsp;Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol were busy throughout the state Tuesday as a large winter storm dropped several inches of snow across much of Nebraska. Since the time the storm began late Monday, troopers have responded to more than 200 weather-related incidents.“Our troopers show dedication to public safety in countless ways, but days like today demonstrate that work from border to border,” said Colonel John Bolduc, Superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol. “Our team of troopers and dispatchers is always ready to help.”Throughout the storm, troopers performed more than 170 motorist assists, which can involve stranded vehicles, slide-offs, or other non-emergency events. Troopers also responded to 28 crashes. Thankfully, there are no reports of life-threatening injuries in any of those crashes.As the winter weather season continues, NSP urges motorists to always check forecasts before traveling. In the event of winter weather, the Nebraska 511 system provides road condition and closure information via the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.511.nebraska.gov/" target="_blank">website</a>&nbsp;or smartphone app. Any motorist who becomes stranded while traveling can call the NSP Highway Helpline at *55 on a cell phone or 800-525-5555 on any phone. Call 911 in any emergency.“We’d also like to salute the team at NDOT, local law enforcement agencies, tow truck operators, local public works crews, and many others for their work on days like today,” said Colonel Bolduc. “Those crews have been working around the clock during the storm to keep the roads as clear as possible and keep traffic moving safely.”The Nebraska State Patrol advises motorists to keep a winter weather survival kit in each vehicle. Some basic items to include are a First Aid Kit, phone charger, ice scraper, shovel, small bag of sand, flashlight with extra batteries, blankets or sleeping bags, extra clothing and winter accessories, jumper cables, towrope, tool kit, matches, candles, red flag or bandana, high energy or dehydrated foods, and bottled water

Troopers respond to over 200 weather-related incidents

When the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Day, many are going to be glad to have 2020 in the history books.&nbsp; It’s not been easy to endure the pandemic, but I’m inspired by the way Nebraskans have pulled together to fight the virus. &nbsp;Even though it’s been a tough year, Nebraskans have shown great resilience as a state, and we’ve made vital contributions to the nation’s response to the global pandemic.

Before anyone in our state tested positive for coronavirus, Nebraskans were already stepping up to help protect our fellow Americans from the disease.&nbsp; On February 7th, Camp Ashland—an installation of the Nebraska National Guard—hosted 57 Americans who had been evacuated from the region of Wuhan, China where the virus originated.&nbsp; The quarantine operation was a success.&nbsp; All of the evacuees were cleared for release after a two-week quarantine period.&nbsp; On February 17th, UNMC took in more than a dozen Americans who had been rescued from a Diamond Princess cruise ship off the coast of Japan.&nbsp; The patients were treated and monitored in the National Quarantine Unit, and all of them were released in good health.&nbsp;

With this experience behind us, protecting Nebraska’s hospitals became the ‘north star’ guiding our strategic response to the coronavirus.&nbsp; We’ve been successful in ensuring that every Nebraskan who needs a hospital bed, ICU bed, or ventilator has access to one.&nbsp; We put together a six-part plan to help achieve this goal.

3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Purchasing and Distributing PPE

4.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Setting aside space for people to quarantine

5.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Protecting At-Risk Populations

6.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Issuing Directed Health Measures

In addition to these steps, Nebraskans have been using the tools to slow the spread of the virus such as social distancing, wearing a mask to the store, washing hands often, and staying home when sick.&nbsp; Our communities have responded as expected—by looking out for one another and doing the right thing.&nbsp;

As we’ve protected hospital capacity, we’ve also been working to help Nebraskans recover.&nbsp; The state steered federal coronavirus relief towards $411 million in grants for Nebraska’s businesses and family farms.&nbsp; This includes grants of $12,000 to 12,214 small businesses and 9,209 livestock producers with 75 or fewer employees.&nbsp; The funds also include stabilization grants to hotels and convention centers, zoos, ethanol producers, event centers and sports arenas.&nbsp; According to the Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank, “revenues generated in November by the state’s small businesses were the third strongest in the nation relative to January.”&nbsp;

The strength of Nebraska’s ag producers, food processors, and transportation companies have helped feed the world throughout the pandemic.&nbsp; Companies in our state have also played pivotal roles in the efforts to produce a safe and effective coronavirus vaccine.&nbsp; Meridian Clinical Research in Omaha took part in the clinical trial to gather research on the Moderna vaccine, which arrived to our state last week.&nbsp; Becton Dickinson (BD) invested $70 million to expand its capacity in Nebraska in order to manufacture the needles and syringes used to administer vaccines.&nbsp; These are just a couple of examples of how Nebraska has played a leading role in the national response to the pandemic.

While battling coronavirus, we’ve kept building on our Four Pillars to keep Nebraska moving forward even in the midst of tough circumstances.&nbsp; We’ve seen new opportunities in developing our workforce, with the creation of 2,280 Career Scholarships at our state’s colleges and universities to help connect young Nebraskans to great jobs in fields with a high demand for talent.&nbsp; We’ve made it easier to do business in Nebraska by continuing to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of state government services.&nbsp; This has helped attract major investments from Camping World (Sidney), Amazon and Hormel (Papillion), Vireo (Plattsmouth), Dollar General (Blair), and Monolith Materials (Hallam)—just to name a few examples from 2020.

Throughout the pandemic, we’ve been cutting red tape to keep Nebraskans working. &nbsp;From giving licensed professions more flexibility to allowing restaurants to offer carryout alcohol, we looked for ways to grow our healthcare workforce and help small businesses survive.&nbsp; The jobs being created across our state have helped Nebraska to have the nation’s lowest unemployment rate.&nbsp; At 3.1%, our unemployment rate for November 2020 is only slightly above where it stood one year ago (3.0%)—despite the pandemic.

In August 2020, we also celebrated a giant step forward in delivering property tax relief to Nebraskans.&nbsp; The bill the Legislature passed, and I signed into law, creates a refundable income tax credit based on your property taxes paid to schools.&nbsp; Once the tax credit is phased in, the state will provide an additional $375 million in property tax relief.&nbsp;

While the coronavirus postponed the trade missions we had planned in 2020, we still saw fruit from our international engagement this year. &nbsp;In early March, Vietnamese trade officials visited Lincoln as a follow up from our fall 2019 trade mission to Hanoi.&nbsp; They committed to buy $3 billion of beef, corn, distiller’s grains, soybeans, and wheat from Nebraska in the next two to three years.&nbsp;

In spite of all the challenges, we have a lot we can be grateful for over the past year. &nbsp;We still have a ways to go before the pandemic is over, but Nebraskans can be proud of how the state has come together during this difficult time.&nbsp; If you have questions about coronavirus vaccinations or our current Directed Health Measures, please email&nbsp;<a href="mailto:pete.ricketts@nebraska.gov">pete.ricketts@nebraska.gov</a>&nbsp;or call 402-471-2244.&nbsp; Working together, we rebuilt bigger and better after the 2019 floods.&nbsp; I’m confident we’ll also emerge from the coronavirus pandemic stronger than ever in 2021.&nbsp; Happy New Year!

When the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Day, many are going to be glad to have 2020 in the history books.&nbsp; It’s not been easy to endure the pandemic, but I’m inspired by the way Nebraskans have pulled together to fight the virus. &nbsp;Even though it’s been a tough year, Nebraskans have shown great resilience as a state, and we’ve made vital contributions to the nation’s response to the global pandemic.Before anyone in our state tested positive for coronavirus, Nebraskans were already stepping up to help protect our fellow Americans from the disease.&nbsp; On February 7th, Camp Ashland—an installation of the Nebraska National Guard—hosted 57 Americans who had been evacuated from the region of Wuhan, China where the virus originated.&nbsp; The quarantine operation was a success.&nbsp; All of the evacuees were cleared for release after a two-week quarantine period.&nbsp; On February 17th, UNMC took in more than a dozen Americans who had been rescued from a Diamond Princess cruise ship off the coast of Japan.&nbsp; The patients were treated and monitored in the National Quarantine Unit, and all of them were released in good health.&nbsp;With this experience behind us, protecting Nebraska’s hospitals became the ‘north star’ guiding our strategic response to the coronavirus.&nbsp; We’ve been successful in ensuring that every Nebraskan who needs a hospital bed, ICU bed, or ventilator has access to one.&nbsp; We put together a six-part plan to help achieve this goal.1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Testing2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Contact Tracing3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Purchasing and Distributing PPE4.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Setting aside space for people to quarantine5.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Protecting At-Risk Populations6.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Issuing Directed Health MeasuresIn addition to these steps, Nebraskans have been using the tools to slow the spread of the virus such as social distancing, wearing a mask to the store, washing hands often, and staying home when sick.&nbsp; Our communities have responded as expected—by looking out for one another and doing the right thing.&nbsp;As we’ve protected hospital capacity, we’ve also been working to help Nebraskans recover.&nbsp; The state steered federal coronavirus relief towards $411 million in grants for Nebraska’s businesses and family farms.&nbsp; This includes grants of $12,000 to 12,214 small businesses and 9,209 livestock producers with 75 or fewer employees.&nbsp; The funds also include stabilization grants to hotels and convention centers, zoos, ethanol producers, event centers and sports arenas.&nbsp; According to the Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank, “revenues generated in November by the state’s small businesses were the third strongest in the nation relative to January.”&nbsp;The strength of Nebraska’s ag producers, food processors, and transportation companies have helped feed the world throughout the pandemic.&nbsp; Companies in our state have also played pivotal roles in the efforts to produce a safe and effective coronavirus vaccine.&nbsp; Meridian Clinical Research in Omaha took part in the clinical trial to gather research on the Moderna vaccine, which arrived to our state last week.&nbsp; Becton Dickinson (BD) invested $70 million to expand its capacity in Nebraska in order to manufacture the needles and syringes used to administer vaccines.&nbsp; These are just a couple of examples of how Nebraska has played a leading role in the national response to the pandemic.While battling coronavirus, we’ve kept building on our Four Pillars to keep Nebraska moving forward even in the midst of tough circumstances.&nbsp; We’ve seen new opportunities in developing our workforce, with the creation of 2,280 Career Scholarships at our state’s colleges and universities to help connect young Nebraskans to great jobs in fields with a high demand for talent.&nbsp; We’ve made it easier to do business in Nebraska by continuing to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of state government services.&nbsp; This has helped attract major investments from Camping World (Sidney), Amazon and Hormel (Papillion), Vireo (Plattsmouth), Dollar General (Blair), and Monolith Materials (Hallam)—just to name a few examples from 2020.Throughout the pandemic, we’ve been cutting red tape to keep Nebraskans working. &nbsp;From giving licensed professions more flexibility to allowing restaurants to offer carryout alcohol, we looked for ways to grow our healthcare workforce and help small businesses survive.&nbsp; The jobs being created across our state have helped Nebraska to have the nation’s lowest unemployment rate.&nbsp; At 3.1%, our unemployment rate for November 2020 is only slightly above where it stood one year ago (3.0%)—despite the pandemic.In August 2020, we also celebrated a giant step forward in delivering property tax relief to Nebraskans.&nbsp; The bill the Legislature passed, and I signed into law, creates a refundable income tax credit based on your property taxes paid to schools.&nbsp; Once the tax credit is phased in, the state will provide an additional $375 million in property tax relief.&nbsp;While the coronavirus postponed the trade missions we had planned in 2020, we still saw fruit from our international engagement this year. &nbsp;In early March, Vietnamese trade officials visited Lincoln as a follow up from our fall 2019 trade mission to Hanoi.&nbsp; They committed to buy $3 billion of beef, corn, distiller’s grains, soybeans, and wheat from Nebraska in the next two to three years.&nbsp;In spite of all the challenges, we have a lot we can be grateful for over the past year. &nbsp;We still have a ways to go before the pandemic is over, but Nebraskans can be proud of how the state has come together during this difficult time.&nbsp; If you have questions about coronavirus vaccinations or our current Directed Health Measures, please email&nbsp;<a href="mailto:pete.ricketts@nebraska.gov">pete.ricketts@nebraska.gov</a>&nbsp;or call 402-471-2244.&nbsp; Working together, we rebuilt bigger and better after the 2019 floods.&nbsp; I’m confident we’ll also emerge from the coronavirus pandemic stronger than ever in 2021.&nbsp; Happy New Year!

Gov. Ricketts: Farewell to 2020

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Federal regulators say the railroad industry has installed an automatic braking system on nearly 58,000 miles of track where it is required ahead of a yearend deadline. 

Federal Railroad Administration chief Ronald Batory said Tuesday that railroads worked together over the past 12 years to develop and install the long-awaited technology known as positive train control. 

The roughly $15 billion braking system is aimed at reducing human error by automatically stopping trains in certain situations like when it’s in danger of colliding, derailing because of excessive speed, entering track under maintenance or traveling the wrong direction because of switching mistakes.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Federal regulators say the railroad industry has installed an automatic braking system on nearly 58,000 miles of track where it is required ahead of a yearend deadline. Federal Railroad Administration chief Ronald Batory said Tuesday that railroads worked together over the past 12 years to develop and install the long-awaited technology known as positive train control. The roughly $15 billion braking system is aimed at reducing human error by automatically stopping trains in certain situations like when it’s in danger of colliding, derailing because of excessive speed, entering track under maintenance or traveling the wrong direction because of switching mistakes.

Major rail safety technology installed before deadline

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska school districts are working to determine how many of their employees want the coronavirus vaccine, so health officials can be ready to deliver them. 

School employees are one of the next groups of people scheduled to get the vaccine after health care workers and residents of long-term care facilities who are getting vaccinated now. 

The educators are likely to get the vaccine in January or February along with first responders and other essential workers.

 State health officials said Monday that more than 20,000 doses of the vaccine have been administered in Nebraska so far.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska school districts are working to determine how many of their employees want the coronavirus vaccine, so health officials can be ready to deliver them. School employees are one of the next groups of people scheduled to get the vaccine after health care workers and residents of long-term care facilities who are getting vaccinated now. The educators are likely to get the vaccine in January or February along with first responders and other essential workers. State health officials said Monday that more than 20,000 doses of the vaccine have been administered in Nebraska so far.

Nebraska schools preparing for virus vaccinations next year

RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) — More arguments are being filed in a lawsuit seeking to overturn a citizen-approved constitutional amendment legalizing marijuana. 

Pennington County Sheriff Kevin Thom and South Dakota Highway Patrol Superintendent Rick Miller filed a lawsuit last month challenging the constitutionality of the amendment, which legalized the cultivation, transport, possession and sale of marijuana in in the state. 

Plaintiffs are arguing in court filings that the amendment  violates the South Dakota Constitution in harmful ways, while the defendants say it doesn’t and that the lawsuit was filed too late. 

South Dakota in November became the first state to legalize recreational and medical pot on the same ballot.

RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) — More arguments are being filed in a lawsuit seeking to overturn a citizen-approved constitutional amendment legalizing marijuana. Pennington County Sheriff Kevin Thom and South Dakota Highway Patrol Superintendent Rick Miller filed a lawsuit last month challenging the constitutionality of the amendment, which legalized the cultivation, transport, possession and sale of marijuana in in the state. Plaintiffs are arguing in court filings that the amendment violates the South Dakota Constitution in harmful ways, while the defendants say it doesn’t and that the lawsuit was filed too late. South Dakota in November became the first state to legalize recreational and medical pot on the same ballot.

Arguments filed in suit against legal pot in South Dakota

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A strong winter storm has begun making its way across the Upper Midwest, creating treacherous travel conditions and spurring warnings urging people to stay off the roads.

 The National Weather Service issued winter storm warnings for parts of Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Illinois. 

By Tuesday morning, snow was so heavy in western Nebraska that Interstates 80 and 76 were closed in both directions after several accidents. 

Authorities in Omaha, Nebraska, and in the Kansas City area also reported several accidents blamed on slippery roads.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A strong winter storm has begun making its way across the Upper Midwest, creating treacherous travel conditions and spurring warnings urging people to stay off the roads. The National Weather Service issued winter storm warnings for parts of Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Illinois. By Tuesday morning, snow was so heavy in western Nebraska that Interstates 80 and 76 were closed in both directions after several accidents. Authorities in Omaha, Nebraska, and in the Kansas City area also reported several accidents blamed on slippery roads.

Winter storm could bring several inches of snow

ALLIANCE — For a limited time, the American Red Cross is testing all blood, platelet and plasma donations for COVID-19 antibodies, providing donors insight into whether they have been exposed to this coronavirus. At the same time, there continues to be an urgent need for blood donations as hospitals resume surgeries and treatments that require blood products.

Antibody testing will indicate if the donor’s immune system has produced antibodies to this coronavirus, regardless of whether they developed symptoms. Donations will be tested using samples pulled at the time of donation and sent to a testing laboratory where they will also undergo routine infectious disease testing. A positive antibody test result does not confirm infection or immunity.

COVID-19 antibody test results will be available within 7-10 days in the Red Cross Blood Donor App or donor portal at RedCrossBlood.org. The test has been authorized for emergency use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The next Alliance Community blood drive will be Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2021, at the Alliance Berean Church from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Appointments are encouraged to be able to provide responsible social distancing. Appointments can be made by calling or texting Amanda at 308-660-6709 or visiting <a href="http://redcrossblood.org">redcrossblood.org</a>

“As an organization dedicated to helping others, the Red Cross is pleased to provide more information about COVID-19 to our valued donors,” said Dr. Erin Goodhue, executive medical director of direct patient care with the Red Cross Biomedical Services. “If you are feeling healthy and well, please schedule an appointment to not only help saves lives but also learn about your potential exposure to COVID-19.”

The Red Cross is not testing donors to diagnose illness, referred to as a diagnostic test. Donation appointments can be made by calling or texting Amanda at 308-660-6709, downloading the free Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enabling the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device.

To protect the health and safety of Red Cross staff and donors, individuals who do not feel well or who believe they may be ill with COVID-19 should postpone their donation.

Each Red Cross blood drive and donation center follows the highest standards of safety and infection control, and additional precautions – including temperature checks, social distancing and face coverings for donors and staff – have been implemented to help protect the health of all those in attendance. Donors are asked to schedule an appointment prior to arriving at the&nbsp; drive and are required to wear a face covering or mask while at the drive, in alignment with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention public guidance.

All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.

Blood and platelet donors can save time at their next donation by using RapidPass® to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, before arriving at the blood drive. To get started, follow the instructions at <a href="http://RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass">RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass</a> or use the Blood Donor App.

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-forprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.

ALLIANCE — For a limited time, the American Red Cross is testing all blood, platelet and plasma donations for COVID-19 antibodies, providing donors insight into whether they have been exposed to this coronavirus. At the same time, there continues to be an urgent need for blood donations as hospitals resume surgeries and treatments that require blood products.Antibody testing will indicate if the donor’s immune system has produced antibodies to this coronavirus, regardless of whether they developed symptoms. Donations will be tested using samples pulled at the time of donation and sent to a testing laboratory where they will also undergo routine infectious disease testing. A positive antibody test result does not confirm infection or immunity.COVID-19 antibody test results will be available within 7-10 days in the Red Cross Blood Donor App or donor portal at RedCrossBlood.org. The test has been authorized for emergency use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.The next Alliance Community blood drive will be Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2021, at the Alliance Berean Church from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Appointments are encouraged to be able to provide responsible social distancing. Appointments can be made by calling or texting Amanda at 308-660-6709 or visiting <a href="http://redcrossblood.org">redcrossblood.org</a>“As an organization dedicated to helping others, the Red Cross is pleased to provide more information about COVID-19 to our valued donors,” said Dr. Erin Goodhue, executive medical director of direct patient care with the Red Cross Biomedical Services. “If you are feeling healthy and well, please schedule an appointment to not only help saves lives but also learn about your potential exposure to COVID-19.”The Red Cross is not testing donors to diagnose illness, referred to as a diagnostic test. Donation appointments can be made by calling or texting Amanda at 308-660-6709, downloading the free Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enabling the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device.Blood drive safety precautionsTo protect the health and safety of Red Cross staff and donors, individuals who do not feel well or who believe they may be ill with COVID-19 should postpone their donation.Each Red Cross blood drive and donation center follows the highest standards of safety and infection control, and additional precautions – including temperature checks, social distancing and face coverings for donors and staff – have been implemented to help protect the health of all those in attendance. Donors are asked to schedule an appointment prior to arriving at the&nbsp; drive and are required to wear a face covering or mask while at the drive, in alignment with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention public guidance.About blood donationAll blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.Blood and platelet donors can save time at their next donation by using RapidPass® to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, before arriving at the blood drive. To get started, follow the instructions at <a href="http://RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass">RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass</a> or use the Blood Donor App.About the American Red CrossThe American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-forprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.

Blood drive to be held in Alliance 

By PPHD<a> </a>Dr. Kevin Reichmuth, Pulmonologist at Nebraska Pulmonology Specialties of Lincoln and Nebraska Army National Guard Colonel, joined the Panhandle briefing to outline the vaccine science and dispel circulating myths.

Reichmuth shared messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines are a new type of vaccine to protect against infectious diseases. To trigger an immune response, many vaccines put a weakened or inactivated germ into our bodies. mRNA vaccines teach our cells how to make a protein-or even a piece of a protein-that triggers an immune response inside our bodies. That immune response, which produces antibodies, is what protects us from getting infected if the real virus enters our bodies.

The combination of several factors made it possible to increase the speed of vaccine development.

“The federal government’s commitment to a vaccine was spot-on, they overcame bureaucratic barriers towards important collaboration to efficiently move through each phase, allowing them to be ready,” said Dr. Reichmuth.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory committee meetings are on a specific schedule and they don’t normally adjust that schedule, but because we are in a pandemic, these emergency meetings moved quicker.

As cases were increasing so rapidly, separation and efficacy of the vaccine could be seen allowing the FDA to see safety data. It was easy to see the analysis in the interim and separation and efficacy in the vaccine allowing them to see what the FDA had set as the bar for achieving safety.

“The mRNA vaccines does not alter our DNA and it does not cause infertility. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and Society of Maternal Fetal Medicine would not have endorsed this vaccine in reproductive age women if that was a concern, the COVID infection itself could cause infertility. Preventing the infection has multiple benefits, ” said Dr. Reichmuth.

He added, “The concern about Bell’s Palsy is actively being monitored, we are about two million vaccinations and there have been no spikes. In the Pfizer trial, there were four cases of Bell’s Palsy in the vaccination group and none in the placebo group. In the Moderna trial, it was three in the vaccination group and one in the placebo group. The bottom-line is that is not outside of the normal realm of Bell’s Palsy we would see in the population of about 15-20 cases per 100,000 people. In the Pfizer trial, that’s four cases out of 22,000 patients in the vaccination group and that’s not outside of what we would see normally.”

Reichmuth affirmed to-date, they have not seen cases of Guillain Barre Syndrome correlated with the vaccine and it continues to be actively monitored.

A full recording of Dr. Reichmuth’s presentation can be found at:&nbsp;<a href="https://tinyurl.com/ycj7mf3a" target="_blank">https://tinyurl.com/ycj7mf3a</a>&nbsp;or on PPHD’s website at:&nbsp;<a href="http://pphd.org/COVID-19.html" target="_blank">http://pphd.org/COVID-19.html</a>. Please share with others to stay informed on important COVID vaccine updates.

To date, 830 people in the eligible populations have received the COVID vaccine in the Panhandle. This number will continue to increase with each weekly distribution to the eligible populations at the corresponding times.

Ten additional COVID-related deaths in the Panhandle are being reported. This brings the total deaths in the Panhandle to 114. The deaths are being announced as follows:

“We share our sincerest sympathy with the friends and loved ones in the loss of our fellow Panhandle residents. We send you peace and comfort especially during this holiday season,” said Kim Engel, Panhandle Public Health District Director.

Unified Command confirms 232 more cases of COVID in the Panhandle since last reporting on Monday, December 21. Recoveries are available on the Panhandle dashboard at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.pphd.org/" target="_blank">www.pphd.org</a>.&nbsp;The investigations are underway, all close contacts will be quarantined.

Current COVID testing access can be found at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.pphd.org/" target="_blank">www.pphd.org</a>.

By PPHD<a> </a>Dr. Kevin Reichmuth, Pulmonologist at Nebraska Pulmonology Specialties of Lincoln and Nebraska Army National Guard Colonel, joined the Panhandle briefing to outline the vaccine science and dispel circulating myths.Reichmuth shared messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines are a new type of vaccine to protect against infectious diseases. To trigger an immune response, many vaccines put a weakened or inactivated germ into our bodies. mRNA vaccines teach our cells how to make a protein-or even a piece of a protein-that triggers an immune response inside our bodies. That immune response, which produces antibodies, is what protects us from getting infected if the real virus enters our bodies.The combination of several factors made it possible to increase the speed of vaccine development.“The federal government’s commitment to a vaccine was spot-on, they overcame bureaucratic barriers towards important collaboration to efficiently move through each phase, allowing them to be ready,” said Dr. Reichmuth.The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory committee meetings are on a specific schedule and they don’t normally adjust that schedule, but because we are in a pandemic, these emergency meetings moved quicker.As cases were increasing so rapidly, separation and efficacy of the vaccine could be seen allowing the FDA to see safety data. It was easy to see the analysis in the interim and separation and efficacy in the vaccine allowing them to see what the FDA had set as the bar for achieving safety.“The mRNA vaccines does not alter our DNA and it does not cause infertility. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and Society of Maternal Fetal Medicine would not have endorsed this vaccine in reproductive age women if that was a concern, the COVID infection itself could cause infertility. Preventing the infection has multiple benefits, ” said Dr. Reichmuth.He added, “The concern about Bell’s Palsy is actively being monitored, we are about two million vaccinations and there have been no spikes. In the Pfizer trial, there were four cases of Bell’s Palsy in the vaccination group and none in the placebo group. In the Moderna trial, it was three in the vaccination group and one in the placebo group. The bottom-line is that is not outside of the normal realm of Bell’s Palsy we would see in the population of about 15-20 cases per 100,000 people. In the Pfizer trial, that’s four cases out of 22,000 patients in the vaccination group and that’s not outside of what we would see normally.”Reichmuth affirmed to-date, they have not seen cases of Guillain Barre Syndrome correlated with the vaccine and it continues to be actively monitored.A full recording of Dr. Reichmuth’s presentation can be found at:&nbsp;<a href="https://tinyurl.com/ycj7mf3a" target="_blank">https://tinyurl.com/ycj7mf3a</a>&nbsp;or on PPHD’s website at:&nbsp;<a href="http://pphd.org/COVID-19.html" target="_blank">http://pphd.org/COVID-19.html</a>. Please share with others to stay informed on important COVID vaccine updates.To date, 830 people in the eligible populations have received the COVID vaccine in the Panhandle. This number will continue to increase with each weekly distribution to the eligible populations at the corresponding times.Ten additional COVID-related deaths in the Panhandle are being reported. This brings the total deaths in the Panhandle to 114. The deaths are being announced as follows:<ul>
 <li>Grant County female in her 70s</li><li>Morrill County</li><li>Female in her 70s</li><li>Male in his 70s</li><li>Scotts Bluff County</li><li>One female in her 90s</li><li>Five males: one in his 70s, two in their 80s, two in their 90s</li><li>Sheridan County male in his 70s</li>
 </ul>“We share our sincerest sympathy with the friends and loved ones in the loss of our fellow Panhandle residents. We send you peace and comfort especially during this holiday season,” said Kim Engel, Panhandle Public Health District Director.Unified Command confirms 232 more cases of COVID in the Panhandle since last reporting on Monday, December 21. Recoveries are available on the Panhandle dashboard at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.pphd.org/" target="_blank">www.pphd.org</a>.&nbsp;The investigations are underway, all close contacts will be quarantined.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1609256345610.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>March 2-December 28, 2020<ul>
 <li>Total Tests Conducted: 29,950</li><li>Positive: 7,527</li><li>Last 14 days (active) cases: 464</li><li>Last week’s cases: 228</li><li>Last week’s positivity rate: 34.5%</li><li>Deaths: 114</li><li>Active Hospitalizations: 14</li><li>Total Cumulative Hospitalizations: 465</li><li>Doubling time (November 9-December 27): 48 days</li>
 </ul>Avoid the Three Cs:<ul>
 <li>Avoid Crowded Places – Avoid gathering in groups where you cannot maintain 6-feet of distance from others</li><li>Avoid Close Contact – Wear a mask over your nose and mouth or maintain 6-feet distance when you are spending more than 15 total minutes with people you don’t live with</li><li>Avoid Confined Spaces – Avoid enclosed spaces with poor ventilation</li>
 </ul>Current COVID testing access can be found at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.pphd.org/" target="_blank">www.pphd.org</a>.

PPHD: COVID vaccine science and facts, 10 more Panhandle deaths

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Health experts are worried that gatherings over the Christmas and New Year’s holidays could lead to a spike in new virus cases in Nebraska in the weeks ahead. 

CHI Health infectious disease Dr. David Quimby said he is particularly worried that New Year’s parties and public gatherings in bars could lead to more virus cases. 

The Douglas County Health Department is encouraging everyone to forego New Year’s parties to help limit the spread of the virus and continue wearing masks in public.

 Over the past two weeks, the average number of new cases reported each day has fallen from roughly 1,300 to 846 on Sunday.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Health experts are worried that gatherings over the Christmas and New Year’s holidays could lead to a spike in new virus cases in Nebraska in the weeks ahead. CHI Health infectious disease Dr. David Quimby said he is particularly worried that New Year’s parties and public gatherings in bars could lead to more virus cases. The Douglas County Health Department is encouraging everyone to forego New Year’s parties to help limit the spread of the virus and continue wearing masks in public. Over the past two weeks, the average number of new cases reported each day has fallen from roughly 1,300 to 846 on Sunday.

Health experts: Holiday gatherings may lead to virus spike

Lincoln — Nebraska looks to be in store for another major winter storm this week which will impact travelers across much of the state.

This week, the Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) crews are prepared for the latest round of winter weather. While the forecast could fluctuate, concerns are highest with the potential for freezing rains and potential heavy snowfall during the storm. This system will work its way through the state beginning overnight and will continue in waves through Tuesday, creating slush and snow covered roadways. Drivers are encouraged to plan accordingly. Workers and equipment will be out to clear the highways and monitor changing conditions throughout the storm.

"This winter storm looks to impact much of the state, with potential for significant snowfall,’ said Interim NDOT Director Moe Jamshidi. "Just as we have for the snow storms that have already come through this winter season, our crews at NDOT remain ready to address this winter storm and the different challenges it will bring. NDOT continues to work to maintain the safety and health of its teammates to ensure plows are out to clear the way for travelers. Drivers are encouraged to be informed about weather and road conditions before making the decision to travel. The potential for freezing rain ahead of the snow will cause slick and icy conditions. We urge caution if you must travel during this winter storm and always know before you go."

"State Troopers will be position and ready to respond throughout the state as the storm moves through,” said Colonel John Bolduc, Superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol. “Our hope is that motorists heed the warnings of potentially hazardous driving conditions and adjust plans, if necessary. Because of the wide projected path of this winter storm, it’s imperative that everyone checks weather and road conditions before attempting to travel.”

During last week’s winter storm, troopers responded to more than 250 weather-related incidents throughout the state. If any motorists become stranded, call the NSP Highway Helpline at *55 or 800-525-5555 to speak directly with an NSP dispatcher who can send help.

Travelers are advised to be alert, be aware and check the most up to date travel conditions available through 511, Nebraska’s Advanced Traveler Information System. The system is available at all times via phone by, online at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.511.nebraska.gov/" target="_blank">www.511.nebraska.gov</a>, Nebraska 511’s smartphone app or by dialing 511. Travelers are also encourage to utilize NDOT’s Plow Tracker at&nbsp;<a href="https://plows.nebraska.gov/index.html" target="_blank">https://plows.nebraska.gov/index.html</a>&nbsp;where the public will be able to observe road conditions in real time from the cabs of NDOT Snow Plows. Please note that weather conditions are often worse than they appear on camera.&nbsp;

Should travel be absolutely necessary, NDOT reminds motorists to be prepared with warm clothing water and food. Be sure to travel on well-established routes and notify someone when you are leaving for your destination. If traveling a distance, a winter weather survival kit is advised with additional basic items.

Travelers are advised to not drive faster than conditions allow. Surfaces will be slick under the snow and visibility may be poor. Allow plenty of time to arrive at your destination.

With snowplows out on the roads, travelers are urged to be cautious and courteous to those operating them, making sure to:

Motorists are reminded to make sure everyone in their vehicle wears a seat belt and children are in a car safety seat. Do not use cruise control in wet or snowy weather and keep a full gas tank.

For safe-driving tips and winter weather information, visit NDOT’s website, <a href="http://dot.nebraska.gov/safety/driving/winter/" target="_blank">http://dot.nebraska.gov/safety/driving/winter/</a>

Lincoln — Nebraska looks to be in store for another major winter storm this week which will impact travelers across much of the state.This week, the Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) crews are prepared for the latest round of winter weather. While the forecast could fluctuate, concerns are highest with the potential for freezing rains and potential heavy snowfall during the storm. This system will work its way through the state beginning overnight and will continue in waves through Tuesday, creating slush and snow covered roadways. Drivers are encouraged to plan accordingly. Workers and equipment will be out to clear the highways and monitor changing conditions throughout the storm."This winter storm looks to impact much of the state, with potential for significant snowfall,’ said Interim NDOT Director Moe Jamshidi. "Just as we have for the snow storms that have already come through this winter season, our crews at NDOT remain ready to address this winter storm and the different challenges it will bring. NDOT continues to work to maintain the safety and health of its teammates to ensure plows are out to clear the way for travelers. Drivers are encouraged to be informed about weather and road conditions before making the decision to travel. The potential for freezing rain ahead of the snow will cause slick and icy conditions. We urge caution if you must travel during this winter storm and always know before you go.""State Troopers will be position and ready to respond throughout the state as the storm moves through,” said Colonel John Bolduc, Superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol. “Our hope is that motorists heed the warnings of potentially hazardous driving conditions and adjust plans, if necessary. Because of the wide projected path of this winter storm, it’s imperative that everyone checks weather and road conditions before attempting to travel.”During last week’s winter storm, troopers responded to more than 250 weather-related incidents throughout the state. If any motorists become stranded, call the NSP Highway Helpline at *55 or 800-525-5555 to speak directly with an NSP dispatcher who can send help.Travelers are advised to be alert, be aware and check the most up to date travel conditions available through 511, Nebraska’s Advanced Traveler Information System. The system is available at all times via phone by, online at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.511.nebraska.gov/" target="_blank">www.511.nebraska.gov</a>, Nebraska 511’s smartphone app or by dialing 511. Travelers are also encourage to utilize NDOT’s Plow Tracker at&nbsp;<a href="https://plows.nebraska.gov/index.html" target="_blank">https://plows.nebraska.gov/index.html</a>&nbsp;where the public will be able to observe road conditions in real time from the cabs of NDOT Snow Plows. Please note that weather conditions are often worse than they appear on camera.&nbsp;Should travel be absolutely necessary, NDOT reminds motorists to be prepared with warm clothing water and food. Be sure to travel on well-established routes and notify someone when you are leaving for your destination. If traveling a distance, a winter weather survival kit is advised with additional basic items.Travelers are advised to not drive faster than conditions allow. Surfaces will be slick under the snow and visibility may be poor. Allow plenty of time to arrive at your destination.With snowplows out on the roads, travelers are urged to be cautious and courteous to those operating them, making sure to:<ul>
 <li>Slow down as you approach plows. They travel slowly, usually 25-30 miles per hour or less.</li><li>Stay well behind plows to give you and them plenty of room.&nbsp; When traveling outside of a business or residential district, it is unlawful to follow a highway maintenance vehicle (snowplow, truck or grader) more closely than 100 feet when it is plowing snow, spreading salt or sand, or displaying a flashing amber or blue light.</li><li>Never pass a plow on the right – snowplows are equipped with “wing plows” which extend beyond the truck itself.</li><li>Know where plows are and actions they may be taking while they plow snow.</li>
 </ul>Motorists are reminded to make sure everyone in their vehicle wears a seat belt and children are in a car safety seat. Do not use cruise control in wet or snowy weather and keep a full gas tank.For safe-driving tips and winter weather information, visit NDOT’s website, <a href="http://dot.nebraska.gov/safety/driving/winter/" target="_blank">http://dot.nebraska.gov/safety/driving/winter/</a>

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