Memorial Day activities discussed on News Extra

Scotts Bluff County Veterans Service Officer John Brehm was on News Extra Thursday morning to talk about the Memorial Avenue of Flags, which are on light poles in Scottsbluff from Friday, May 25^th through Tuesday, May 29^th at the following locations: East Overland from 21^st Avenue west to Broadway; Broadway from South Beltline north to 27^th Street; 27^th Street from Broadway west to Avenue I; 27^th Street north on Avenue I to the first stop light. Everyone is invited to come look at the Memorial Avenue of Flags which always look beautiful and patriotic.

Volunteers are needed to place US flags on deceased veteran's graves at both Fairview Cemetery in Scottsbluff and Sunset Memorial Cemetery between Scottsluff and Mitchell on Highway 26. Volunteers are asket to meet at Fairview Cemetery at 9:00 on Friday, May 25^th and at Sunset Park at 10 a.m. Saturday morning.

The following is a listing of times and locations of area Memorial Day services:

Sunday, May 27, 2012

Creighton Valley Cemetery - - - - - - 2:30 pm

Monday, May 28, 2012

Fairview Cemetery, Scottsbluff, - - - - - 9:00 am

Sunset Memorial Park Cemetery, Scottsbluff - - - - 11:00 am

Western NE State Veterans Home, Scottsbluff - - - 1:30 pm

Westlawn Cemetery, Gering - - - - - - 10:00 am

Mitchell Valley Cemetery, Mitchell - - - - - 10:00 am

North Platte River Bridge, Mitchell - - - - - 10:30 am

North Mitchell Cemetery, Mitchell - - - - - 11:00 am

Eastlawn Cemetery, Minatare - - - - - - 11:00 am

Hod Kosman with Platte River Basin Environments and Wildlife Biologist Brad McKinney were guests on News Extra Wednesday morning promoting the 5th annual Wildcat Hills Day, coming up this Saturday, May 19th.

SCHEDULE
  This day will provide great things for everyone in the family
including hunters, birders,athletes, ranchers,kids, hikers, and local
citizens!

•  6:00 AM Bird/Grazing Tour—Get out with the Nebraska Grazing Lands
Coalition, TNC and birders to see “what’s singing” at the Murphy Ranch
Watchable Wildlife Area (meet at the Center or at the Murphy Ranch
parking area at the south end of Old Stage Road. Door prizes will be
given). Learn how ranching and birds help each other.

•  8:00 AM FUN RUN—Kick in gear for the Wildcat Hills Fun Run (pay
your $20, do paperwork, get your T-shirt and win the race!)

•  9:30 AM BIRDING W/ TNC—Jill Wells will lead a tour of a wildlife enclosure.

•  10:00 AM FUN RUN AWARDS

•  10:30 WILDFLOWER WALK—Connie McKinney will show some of the
beautiful flowers native to the Wildcat Hills. Maybe you will spot one
of the rare flowers!

 ENJOY A DAY OUTDOORS!... No Matter What Your Interests Are

•  All MORNING:
   - Turkey Calling Contest for kids with Bruce Rolls—see if you can
call em in!
    - Crafts for Kids in the Center!
    -  Kids hanging Bluebird Houses along the trails!.

•  10:00—12:00 LANDOWNER HELP DESK —NGLC, TNC, NGPC, and PF will
provide answers to landowners on subjects ranging from monitoring
rangelands to enhancing wildlife habitat.


•   1:00 PM—BIGHORN SHEEP TOUR of Cedar Canyon WMA by NGPC, biologists.

•  2:00 PM CARTER CANYON RANCH Tour where PRBE will discuss wildlife
and grazing enhancement, archeological resources and land use issues.
Wagon rides by PRBE and NGLC will visit timber thinningprojects every
1/2 hour to show how habitat and disease issues are improved.

•  3:00 PM—PHEASANTS FOREVER PARKING AREA will be delineated and
dedicated for public use.

•  3:30 PM—GRAZING/WILDLIFE TOUR—Nebraska Grazing Lands Coalition and
Platte River Basin Environment members will lead a tour south down
Carter Canyon Rd onto the PRBE crop and range areas overlooking
Pumpkin Creek (the view of the day!). Discussion will focus on
managing grazing and habitat management principles.

The event will run in conjunction with Free Park Day on Saturday.  Morning events will take place at the Wildcat Hills Nature Center with afternoon activities occurring on the Carter Canyon Ranch.

The public is invited to spend the day, free of charge, in the scenic Wildcat Hills.

Kathy Kropuenske from Keep Scottsbluff/Gering Beautiful was guest Tuesday morning on News Extra to promote the "Recycle Your Cycles" event coming up this Saturday, May 19th at the NPPD location just of South Beltline East in Scottsbluff.

Bicycles can be dropped off, whether they are in good shape or bad shape.  Bicycle enthusiasts will be on hand to make repairs to the bikes, which will go to CAPWN for the adult bikes and North Platte Valley Kiwanis for kids bikes.  If another non-profit organizations would like to distribute the bikes, call 632-4649.

Accelerating Collaboration Summit coming to Gering

Western Nebraska is in the midst of a transformation, in which stakeholders recognize that a regional perspective is the most effective way to address it's social and economic issues.  The question is how to transcend the traditional organizational and political boundaries to really think about and plan for the future.

Marla Marx with USDA Rural Development and Starr Lehl, Governor Dave Heineman's Western Nebraska representative were guests on News Extra Tuesday morning to discuss "Accelerating Collaboration", a daylong conference to be presented May 15th in Gering.  It shares a new approach to regional planning for people, organizations and institutions.  Accelerating Collaboration is intended for businesses, community collaborators, local government representatives, schools, chambers of commerce, economic development groups, and people who have to create strategic plans.

Pre-registration was preferred, and today (Tuesday) was the last day to get the $25 early registration rate.  You can still register after today, but it will be $35.

The conference will start at 8:30 a.m. May 15th at the Gering Civic Center, and will conclude by 4 p.m.   It is sponsored by Western Nebraska Development Network and the Broadband Planning Initiative.

Kathy Gatch, Sharisa Spehar and Jackie Schaff from Buckboard Therapeutic Riding Academy were guests on KNEB's News Extra program Monday morning to promote a fundraiser for the organization on June 23rd. 10 percent of all proceeds at the Gering Pizza Hut that day will go to Buckboard.
 

For information, call 783-2319.

Pharmaceutical Take-Back Event Saturday

Kathy Kropuenske from Keep Scottsbluff/Gering Beautiful and Panhandle Coop's Susan Wiedeman were guests on News Extra Tuesday morning.  

They were here to promote the Pharmaceutical Take-back event this coming Saturday, May 5th on the east side of Main Street Market in Scottsbluff from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

This will be a free collection of expired or unused pharmaceutical drugs, over the counter drugs, vitamins and sharps.

Clean Harbors will be in attendance to collect the pharmaceutical drugs for proper disposal.  The drugs will be taken to a Clean Harbors facility to be incinerated.

For more information about the Pharmaceutical Take-Back Event, call Kathy Kropuenske at (308) 632-4649.