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NE Strong Update

By News Jun 17, 2020 | 6:57 AM

UPDATE: The UNK football team’s adjusted 2020 schedule has been released. Due to the Covid-19 crisis and to help alleviate costs, all NCAA Division II football programs are playing a maximum of a 10-game schedule this fall. The change has the Lopers playing five home and five away games. The Lopers will host Northwest Missourri State (Sept. 12th), Missouri Western State (Oct. 3rd), Pittsburg State (Homecoming Oct. 12th), Central Oklahoma (Oct. 24th) and Fort Hays State (Nov. 14th). Their road schedule includes games at Lincoln University (Sept. 19th), Central Missouri (Sept. 26th), Washburn (Oct. 17th), Northeastern State (Oct. 31st) and Missouri Southern State (Nov. 7th). The Lopers game against Emporia State has been removed from the schedule. The team, currently going through voluntary workouts that began June 1st, will report to fall camp in mid-August.

UPDATE: The Greater Grand Island Community Foundation and the Heartland United Way now have two application processes that can be found at GreaterHeartlandFund.org as a result of funds raised by the COVID-19 Community Compassion Fund. The initial Relief Application can be completed by nonprofit organizations providing immediate basic needs for individuals impacted by COVID-19 such as food, housing, utilities, and other direct services. The newly released Response and Recovery Application can be completed by nonprofits to assist with meeting increased service provisions and operational challenges as a result of COVID-19. The Heartland United Way and the Greater Grand Island Community Foundation partnered to launch the COVID-19 Community Compasion Fund in March to help organizations most in need of assistance in Hall, Hamilton, Howard and Merrick Counties. Those in need of immediate assistance can contact United Way’s free information and referral service by calling 2-1-1 or by visiting ne211.org.

Central District Health Department is moving to Phase 2 of reopening on June 22. Most of the state will now move to Phase 3. In addition, Gov. Ricketts said he expects students to return to school when the school year begins.

Sports is taking the next step with the announcement of the transition to the next phase in looser restrictions. Statewide, fans will be allowed to attend youth and school games starting June 22; currently attendance is limited to household members. In addition, contact sports can begin practices and games starting July 1. 

Beginning June 18th NSAA member schools are permitted to participate in camps, clinics, and summer leagues in all NSAA sanctioned activities except basketball, football, soccer, and wrestling.

Effective immediately NSAA member schools may hold open gyms for basketball, football, soccer, and wrestling with the following restrictions:

  • Individual skills and workouts only
  • No physical contact with others
  • No sharing of equipment
  • No grouping of students

Open gym supervisors are required to enforce the above restrictions.

For the full statement, please visit this link – https://nsaahome.org/nsaa-covid-19-update-june-11-2020/

 

Cruise Nite Kearney originally scheduled for July has reportedly been postponed until October. That’s according to our sister station KGFW following an interview with organizers.

The Kearney Public Schools CLASS Act fundraiser event will now be an online auction NOW through June 20th. You can register for the event to place bids for auction items and receive information and announcements during the event.  To register go to,  https://kpsfoundation.gives/CLASS-Act/Event

NEBRASKA GOOD NEWS ABOUT THE GOOD LIFE:

Rivoli Theatre in Hastings is showing movies again after being closed for 3 months due to COVID-19. There are several changes that have been made to keep all visitors and employees safe. Before reopening Rivoli Theatre had been doing curbside pick up for popcorn and candy. They will continue to do that for those who aren’t quite ready to come out for a movie. 

UPDATE: Drive-in movies will return to Kearney at sundown June 18th when The World Theatre will team up with the Buffalo County Fairgrounds. The World plans to book family-oriented films and old drive-in favorites, such as “Goonies,” “E.T.” and “Grease.” He said The World will sell advance tickets, the cost which has not been determined, for $20 or $25 per car. Gates will open at 8 p.m. and the movie will begin at sundown. Films will be shown Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights through the summer.

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. 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:   June 26, Community Action Partnership Food Bank, Kearney.

UPDATE: A free family fishing event will be held by the Kearney Archway and the Nebraska Firefighters Museum on June 23. The event will be held at the pond located by the I-80 Exit 275. Participants can fish from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. No previous experience or registration is required. Poles and tackle are provided, courtesy of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. Signs in the Archway Parkway will direct participants to the trailer where they can pick up their equipment. Staff from the Archway and Firefighters Museum will get everyone started and be available to help throughout the event.

 The Hastings Sodbusters baseball team has announced they will start the 2020 season on June 26th in Hastings against the Fremont Moo. First pitch will be at 6:35pm at Duncan Field. For ticket information go to www.hastingssodbusters.com

There will be an event to honor high school seniors in Kearney. The Seniors’ Last Drive will honor Kearney High School and Kearney Catholic High School graduates 3 p.m. June 19. Led by the Kearney Police Department, the parade will start at the Viaero Center in south Kearney and travel to the Hilltop Mall on the north end.  KHS graduation was reformatted as a virtual ceremony on June 19, and the KCHS graduation ceremony was pushed back to Aug. 2.

Enjoy an outdoor adventure with family or friends. and engage in healthy recreation — and possibly win prizes. The Great Park Pursuit is a free program encouraging participants to visit up to 20 official sites across the state, consisting of community, regional, state and federal parks. Participants register a team of up to 10 people online and then follow clues from the website or Great Park Pursuit mobile app to find a program post located somewhere within a park area. Once they find the post, the team can use the mobile app to mark their visit, or make a pencil impression of the post to prove they were there. A number of prizes are up for grabs, including Nebraska state park entry permits for 2021, an iPad and the grand prize, an outdoor recreation package valued at $1,500. Prizes and entry into drawings are based on the number of post impressions that teams collect, or the number of park visits they mark on the mobile app. For more information and to register, visit negpp.org. The Great Park Pursuit app is available at the Apple iStore and on Google Play for Android.

 Meat processors have until July 1 to apply for participation in the 2020 Hunters Helping the Hungry program, according to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. The program pays participating processors to accept deer donated by hunters. The ground venison produced is picked up by charitable organizations and donated to Nebraskans in need. The application form and program guidelines are available at OutdoorNebraska.gov/hhh.

 Stuhr Museum is re-opening, after being closed during one of the busiest times of the year. The museum’s executive director said they’re taking several steps due to the coronavirus, including temperature checks and asking visitors to wear masks. They also have hand washing stations set up at the living history museum in Grand Island.  Classes are underway and starting June 15, members can visit. Monday, June 22 they’ll reopen to the public.

The Nebraska Passport for 2020 program is underway. Travelers will have from June 1 through October 31 to visit attractions and receive stamps, according to Nebraska Tourism. Due to COVID-19 some stops have had to adjust their business hours and some will be reopening at a date later than June 1, so check for updates before beginning your travels. Passports will be available at participating stops starting June 1 or can be ordered at NebraskaPassport.com.

 The Archway in Kearney has will reopened to visitors. The hours will be 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday and noon-5 p.m. Sundays. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the opening of The Archway.

Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium is now open. ALL indoor exhibits will be closed and capacity will be limited to 3,000. Visitors are required to sign up in advance for a time slot to attend up to two days in advance at www.omahazoo.com/hours-and-admission.

Starting June 18th the Hasting Parks and Recreation will get the summer adult softball league season underway. To practice social distancing they will be extending the dugouts to the bleachers. Any fans that come to the games will have to bring their own chairs and sit along the foul lines or in the outfield. For more information on the summer leagues you can visit the City of Hastings website.

 Goodwill Industries of Greater Nebraska is slowly re-opening their nine stores, with six open so far. Requiring masks and delaying donation processing, these are just a couple new practices in place at Goodwill stores across central Nebraska.  They said items donated are not being processed or put onto the floor for at least a full 24 hours. Management said at this time they do not know when the Grand Island or Lexington stores will be opening.

For the first time ever, The Kansas Biggest Rodeo is selling tickets online right now at kansasbiggestrodeo.com. The tickets will also go on sale in person on July 1 at Heritage Insurance Group in Philipsburg (685 Third St.).The rodeo will be held July 30-August 1 in Phillipsburg and begins at 8 pm each night.

Kearney Jubilee Center remains open to serve customers and community members in need.  The Center also hosts a food pantry while providing financial assistance for rent, utilities and medications.

 The Hastings College football team still plans to host its Annual Bronco Football Gridiron Classic on June 19 at Southern Hills Golf Course.The four man scramble is a fundraiser for the Bronco football team. For more go to Hastingsbroncos.com. 

 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!  GO HERE: http://www.shophuskermax.com/houndsmax-huskers-mask