UPDATE: The Central District Health Department reported 10 new coronavirus deaths yesterday, bringing their total to 35. Reported cases are now 1,030 with 943 in Hall County. Two Rivers reports 19 new cases – 536 total – with 423 in Dawson County and 99 in Buffalo County.
UPDATE: The 62nd annual Nebraska Shrine Bowl has been moved to July 11. The game was originally scheduled for June 6. It will still take place a Nebraska-Kearney’s Ron and Carol Cope Stadium.
UPDATE: The Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium will extend its closure indefinitely. The zoo originally announced in March that it would be closed through April 30 due to coronavirus concerns. Henry Doorly has lost an estimated $6.7 million between March 16 and the end of April.
UPDATE: Swedish Days in Holdrege have been canceled due to COVID-19 concerns by the Holdrege Area Chamber of Commerce (HACC) in conjunction with the Swedish Days Planning committee, Ribfest Planning committee and Heartland Cruisers.
UPDATE: The 14th annual Indoor Auto & Bike Show, originally set for Saturday, has been postponed until Aug 8. It will still be held at the Buffalo County Fairgrounds Exposition Building.
Test Nebraska is expecting Grand Island and Omaha to have testing sites later this week – so take the Test Nebraska assessment now! Over 100,000 Nebraskans have already registered in Nebraska’s new coronavirus initiative. The state is preparing to launch 540,000 tests. Testing is free and will be initially focused on front line workers. For the online assesment go to www.testnebraska.com.
The Nebraska Coaches Association all-star games will not take place in July due to the Coronavirus outbreak. NCA all-star week in Lincoln brings together most of the state’s top seniors in basketball, volleyball and softball. This year’s games would have featured many athletes set to compete at the Division I level next season.
Nebraska Good News about The Good Life:
UPDATE: Mobile food pantries providing free food are offered in the area every two weeks by the Community Action Partnership of Mid-Nebraska in cooperation with the Food Bank for the Heartland in Omaha.
Friday’s pantry will be held at Ravenna. Drivers should remain in their vehicles while masked volunteers load groceries.
Food pickups, by appointment only, begin at 9:30 a.m. Call Kyla Martin at 308-440-0153 to set up a time.
The pantries rotate to serve Buffalo, Custer, Dawson, Hall, Kearney and Phelps counties.
Future dates include:
– May 15, Pleasanton School, Pleasanton;
– June 12, Phelps County Fairgrounds, Holdrege;
– June 26, Community Action Partnership Food Bank, Kearney.
UPDATE: The Nebraska State Patrol is helping out truck drivers by handing out face masks across Nebraska. The NSP estimates they handed out 45,000 yesterday and hope to reach 100,000 today. The Federal Emergency Management Agency and Department of Homeland Security provided the masks to slow down the spread of COVID-19.
Goehner Truck Parking Area, Interstate 80 (8 a.m. – 6 p.m.)
Melia Hills Rest Area, Interstate 80 (8 a.m. – 6 p.m.)
Waverly EB scale, Interstate 80 (7 a.m. – 12 p.m.)
Waverly WB scale, Interstate 80 (12 p.m. – 8 p.m.)
North Platte EB scale, Interstate 80 (8 a.m. – 6 p.m.)
UPDATE: University of Nebraska at Kearney students disrupted by the COVID19 pandemic are offered immediate access to grants of $250 to $2,000 cash totaling $1.9 million. Students with questions about the program and their eligibility can email finaid1@unk.edu or call 308-865-8520. Funds may be available through other sources being offered to support students facing emergency needs. Ongoing updates to the university’s response to COVID-19 are on the website unk.edu/coronavirus. More questions about the relief fund are answered at: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/heerfstudentfaqs.pdf
Bosselman Enterprises in cooperation with the Nebraska Ethanol Board and the University of Nebraska Innovation Campus will distribute free ethanol-based hand sanitizer to Kearney area businesses. Sanitizer will be available at Kearney Area Chamber of Commerce Office, 1007 2nd Thursday, April 30 from 9:30 – 10:30 (or until supplies run out). Hit up Bosselman and Pump and Pantry’s Social media for updates.
Starting this Friday boys interested in playing Kearney Legion Baseball this summer need to register on-line using the website @BaseballKearney. Follow the directions for filling out the sign up sheet and the Form 2 sheet. Anyone with questions should contact Coach Archer. According to Legion Baseball officials an abbreviated season may still take place this summer.
Hot Meals USA continues to feed those in need, including first responders, amid the coronavirus crisis in Kearney. The organization formed to respond in the wake of disasters has produced about 40,000 meals in the weeks since setting up in the MONA parking lot. If you’re in need and can’t stop by yourself contact the Kearney Jubilee Center to have a meal delivered Monday through Saturday between 11 and 1:30 p.m.
Active Hastings Week is April 26th – May2nd. The week showcases FREE outdoor activities with social distancing in place to get families moving and win prizes! https://www.facebook.com/HealthyHastings/posts/2537303413043108
Takeout Bingo! The Grand Island Chamber of Commerce, Grand Island Area Economic Development Corporation, and Grand Island Tourism invite you to dine, play Bingo, and support your community! Now until Friday anytime you visit a Grand Island restaurant for takeout and curbside pickup, take a picture of your food purchase, post it to your social media, and mark off one spot on your Takeout Bingo card. Finished bingo cards will be entered for FREE prizes. Two winners will be randomly selected for a $50 gift card and four runners-up will be randomly selected for a $25 gift card to the Grand Island restaurant of their choice. Completed Bingo cards need to be submitted by 10am Friday.
Janssen Auto group of Holdrege along with Gutterz Fun Center of Holdrege are pleased to announce their Cruise Up Car Concert featuring Luke Mills and the Highway Drifters this Friday, May 1st from 7 to 10pm. Gutterz Fun Center is a neighboring business to Janssen Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram in Holdrege and will be delivering food and drinks for those that would like to enjoy food during the concert. This concert is free to the public at 601 West 4th Avenue in Holdrege. Parking on the lot will be limited. Concert goers will only be permitted to enjoy the concert from their vehicles and will not be allowed to get out of their vehicles to congregate.
UPDATE: The Hastings Parks & Rec Department has had to change their spring and summer program schedule due to the pandemic, but have come up with a few social distancing activities. One of them includes a Rock Scavenger Hunt. Since March, the Parks & Rec Department has hidden “Dwayne the Limestone Rock” at a Hastings business, and posted clues on their Facebook page as to where it can be found. People who find the rock can send a photo of themselves with the rock via direct message to the Parks & Rec Department on Facebook. Those who are successful in the hunt will be eligible for a gift card. The Parks & Rec Department is also encouraging people to try out a state-wide scavenger hunt called Great Park Pursuit. Locations can be found on their website. The newly scheduled dates for some of the department’s programs are all pending what happens with the Directed Health Measure.
Peace Lutheran in Grand Island is offering Vacation Bible School virtually this summer. Find out more at their Facebook page.
GIVE Where you Live Hastings IS going on NOW through May 7th! Head to the website givehastings.org to donate to 91 Adams County non profits!
It’s a night of prayer and worship for front line workers! Friday, May 1st at the far North parking lot of Mary Lanning Hospital in Hastings from 8:30-9pm. Participants are asked to please stay in vehicles.
You can keep yourself safe in these times, show your Husker spirit, AND help Nebraska Food Banks. Husker Face Masks are on sale right now at the shop at NRG sister property huskermax.com. The masks are handmade, available in four styles, and will ship in early May. GO HERE: http://www.shophuskermax.com/houndsmax-huskers-mask