UPDATE: NEBRASKAland DAYS today announced the postponement of the 2020 state celebration. Organizers hope to produce the Buffalo Bill Rodeo and other events later in the summer, and are working through rescheduling the concert series for 2021. Those who have purchased tickets to this year’s events will have a couple options,including holding them for the rescheduled dates or receiving a full refund of the face value of the ticket. The refund period will be announced in the coming days. For more go to www.nebraskalanddays.com
UPDATE: Nebraska hit its one day high of Coronavirus cases yesterday as test turnaround times have greatly increased. 497 cases were reported. The state now sits at 4,281 cases with 73 dead. Of those cases 1,025 are in Hall County. Two Rivers is reporting the second death in its district – a Dawson County Woman in her 60s who had been hospitalized and had underlying conditions. The district had 57 new cases confirmed yesterday for a new total of 593. 463 are in Dawson County.South Heartland Health Department is reporting two more deaths in Adams County today bringing the total there to 4. Buffalo County has surpassed 100 cases and now sits at 101.
UPDATE: Two UNK residence halls are serving as alternative care sites for individuals required to quarantine or isolate because of COVID-19. The Nebraska National Guard, Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, area hospitals and others are utilizing the care sites during the coronavirus pandemic. UNK is now accepting people as part of the Nebraska Accommodation Project, which is for the general public. Two individuals checked in Wednesday and are currently staying on campus.
UPDATE: All five of this summer’s Mr. Basketball & Miss Basketball events in Kearney have been cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Thousands of athletes have competed in the Mr. Basketball & Miss Basketball events each summer since 1992.
UPDATE: The Heartland Stampede in Kansas has been canceled for 2020. For more on refund or 2021 ticket transfer go to: https://www.heartlandstampede.com/cancellation-information
UPDATE: The Nebraska Golf Association has moved two more of its state championships because of the coronavirus pandemic. The Nebraska Women’s Amateur in Lincoln and Nebraska Senior Amateur in Norfolk have moved from early June dates to August.
UPDATE: Little League regionals and the LL World Series has been canceled. The playing of regular season will be determined on the state and local levels.
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.
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.
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.
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 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:
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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!
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