“I was just looking for a way to give back,” Dennis said. “I’ve always had a heart for helping people, especially kids.”

Dennis returned to the community in 2021 with a degree in nutrition and exercise science from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. After enrolling her children in the school, she noticed the need in the community.

“I just felt the push, I guess, and obviously with my background in nutrition, I know the importance of having a kid eat well,” Dennis said. “I know the connection between how they perform in the classroom and how they’re eating.”

Dennis said the Laurel community has been supportive of her initiative, but the topic is still foreign to many.

“You think of it in big cities, but it’s close to home,” Dennis said. “There’s some kids that may not get many healthy meals, or meals at all.

Her goal is to raise $2,800 to donate to the LCC school district for milk/snack tickets. She has raised the goal each year and said the need is not going away.

The money she or the school receives gets distributed to kids’ milk and snack accounts anonymously. The accounts these funds go into help cover the cost of second meals, which range from $1.15 to $1.65 per day, as well as milk and snack punch cards for $12 for 20 punches. For children who receive both milk and snack daily, the cost adds up to $24 per month per child.

Dennis said that in the first week, they raised $500 and will continue to collect donations through Tuesday, Aug. 12.

Dennis said she encourages people who may live outside the Laurel school district to contact their local schools to see if they have a need as well.

For those looking to donate, Dennis said they can make a check out to LCC and drop it off to her or to the school, or Venmo her @NicoleDennis and label the transaction “LCC Milk Drive.” — Laurel Advocate

What’s new

The Ainsworth Does Drove No. 54 held its inaugural barbecue with homemade pies and ice cream on the Fourth of July.

The Does held this event alongside the Elks’ inaugural hot dog eating contest. The Elks also hosted a free-will donation meal as a fundraiser. A total of $4,000 was donated to the Ainsworth Legion for the heating and air project.

They hope to make the contest and barbecue an annual event, especially next year, when the country will celebrate its 250th birthday. — Ainsworth Star-Journal

Boone Central High School has announced that the local FCCLA parliamentary procedure teams, levels 2 and 3, both placed in the top 10 of the nation at the 2025 national leadership conference in Orlando, Florida, this past July.

“Both teams represented Boone Central and the state of Nebraska with professionalism, poise and teamwork, ultimately earning silver medals in their respective competitive events,” said organizer Leann Dederman.

The conference brings together thousands of student leaders from across the country to compete, collaborate and grow in their leadership and career readiness skills. The parliamentary procedure competition challenges students to demonstrate their knowledge of proper meeting protocol through timed demonstrations and oral questions. — Albion News & Boone County Tribune

Antelope County

The Antelope County Board of Commissioners has approved a nearly $100,000 upgrade to its emergency dispatch system.

The bid from Shaffer Communications Inc. in Lincoln amounted to $97,268.76. Nearly $63,000 of that cost is for the dispatch console, with peripheral equipment, radios, labor and supplies making up much of the remaining cost. Sheriff Bob Moore reported to commissioners that the 911 board met and planned on paying $30,000 of the costs.

Complete upgrades are expected to progress throughout the center, with Moore hopeful to be complete with said upgrades by Jan. 1 or sooner. — Antelope County News

Gabby Wright recently took a giant leap in her career path, as she was named Atkinson’s new certified wastewater technician after passing the required test.

After she spent a little over a year as a full-time employee for the City of Atkinson, Wright decided to take on a new journey and began studying to become the city’s newest wastewater technician in October 2024. Now, nearly a full year after she began studying, Wright has passed her certification test and has begun her new career.

Wright’s new responsibilities include keeping track of the plant’s daily flow, running tests with samples to make sure the waste is treated properly, checking and maintaining all equipment and more.— The Atkinson Graphic

Pender Community Hospital (PCH) has recently announced a new partnership with the Nebraska Perinatal Quality Improvement Collaborative (NPQIC) to implement the postpartum alert, a lifesaving maternal safety initiative throughout the facility.

This program is designed to reduce maternal mortality and improve postpartum care for patients across Nebraska. The initiative introduces a simple yet powerful visual system: teal wristbands worn by postpartum patients during the critical six-week period following delivery.

These wristbands serve as an immediate signal to health care providers, ensuring timely recognition and response to potential life-threatening complications. — The Pender Times

Following a considerable amount of back-and-forth discussion with residents Monday evening, the Pierce City Council set a new monthly rate for residential garbage pickup.

The new rate, effective Wednesday, Oct. 1, is $11,50, one rate for both single and family residences. The rate includes weekly pickup and either a 96-gallon or 65-gallon tote. The city has around 700 residential stops. Commercial business trash pickup is not included in the agreement. That is handled on an individual basis with the hauler.

City administrator Chad Anderson said the discussion about putting the waste hauling contract up for bids began in March, and the contract had not been bid since 1999. — Pierce County Leader

South Sioux City

About 100 rural residents in Dakota County who have had a lot of questions about construction of a potential 2,900-acre solar farm north and west of Homer had them answered during a three-hour session last Wednesday.

Mission Clean Energy has been working with county officials over the past two years on the $300 million project that will be built south of Highway 35 near the Twin Church Substation.

The Sterwheeler Solar Project, which still has to be approved by the county’s planning and zoning board before going to the Dakota County Board of Commissioners for final approval, would add much-needed electrical energy to the area’s power grid, which would help better the area’s chances for economic development opportunities.

Some residents, however, expressed concerns about the lack of communication that they felt had taken place in the months leading up to where the project now stands. — Dakota County Star

Dayton Cunningham, a fourth grader at Wausa Elementary, was chosen as one of 13 winners of the “Nebraska: Don’t Waste It!” calendar and was recognized at the state Capitol.

She is the daughter of Dillon and Allison Cunningham. Her art teacher is Wendy Ketelsen. More than 4,450 students from across the state submitted entries.

Nebraskans may receive a free copy of the calendar by emailing the DWEE public information office at DWEE.moreinfo@nebraska.gov or calling the office at 402-471-2186. — Knox County News

West Point

West Point Public Schools has been supplying the community with free meals through a summer food program.

The program started this year on June 3 and ran through July 31. More than 15 volunteers help prepare the meals or drive them to their drop-off locations each day. On Thursdays, additional faculty, along with the administration team, help prepare more than 3,000 meals to pack lunches and breakfasts. Meals are available for any child ages 1-18. — West Point News