A monthly survey of bankers says that strong farm income continues to boost the economy in rural areas of 10 Midwest and Plains states.

The overall economic index for the region grew to 58.3 in April from March’s 56.9.

Creighton University economist Ernie Goss oversees the survey. He says agricultural businesses and energy-producing firms continue to thrive in the region.

But the continued growth in farmland price index that hit 66.9 in April remains a concern for smaller farmers.

The index ranges from 0 to 100, with 50 representing growth neutral. Any score above 50 suggests economic growth in the months ahead.

The index is based on a survey of rural bankers in Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming.

Soaking rain across much of the nation’s midsection has helped further alleviate drought in the crop growing states of Iowa, Missouri, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Small portions of Nebraska also saw improvement.

A weekly drought monitor, released Thursday by the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, showed a few regions missed out from the wet weather, including Texas, where southern counties are in exceptional drought — the driest level possible level.

Eastern Nebraska and the western edge of the state improved. Most of Nebraska remains in extreme drought. Kansas saw little change, remaining in exceptional or extreme drought.

With snow in parts of Nebraska and heavy rain in much of the Midwest, some farmers are now hoping for a dry spell so they can get into fields.

Health officials are seeing more food poisonings caused by a bacteria commonly linked to raw milk and poultry.

A study released Thursday said campylobacter (camp-eh-lo-BACK’-ter) cases grew by 14 percent over the last five years.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report was based on foodborne infections in only 10 states — about 15 percent of the American population. But it is seen as a good indicator of food poisoning trends.

Overall, food poisonings held fairly steady in recent years. There were no significant jumps in cases from most other food bugs, including salmonella and E. coli. But campylobacter rose, and last year accounted for more than a third of food poisoning illnesses in those states and about a 10th of the deaths.

A North Platte man faces a felony charge after pawning a handgun.

North Platte Police launched an investigation into a locally pawned handgun on Wednesday, April 17.

Following the investigation, it was discovered that the gun had been pawned by Donald Broeder, 56, of North Platte.

Broeder was convicted of a felony approximately 35 years ago.

Investigators arrested Broeder and charged him with Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm.

He was processed at the Lincoln County Detention Center and released.

Nearly 300 teachers and other education professionals from across Nebraska will convene at the Younes Convention Center in Kearney on April 19-20 to discuss issues facing public education. This is the 152nd Delegate Assembly of the 28,000-member Nebraska State Education Association.

A highlight will be an address by Dr. John Draper, a nationally-recognized education leader, during the Assembly’s opening session on Saturday morning. Dr. Draper has worked as a newspaper reporter, a construction worker, a jailor, an actor, a timber buyer, a musician, a door-to-door aluminum siding salesman and a small business owner. For the past 30 years, he has been a middle and high school teacher, assistant principal, principal, executive director of the Council for Leaders in Alabama Schools and then CEO of the Educational Research Service in Washington, D.C. Today, he is president of Cambridge Strategic Services, which works with school districts to develop extraordinary learning communities.  Dr. Draper’s life-long journey has given him a wonderful perspective on teaching, learning and public schools.

Also on the agenda for the Assembly is debate on educational and organizational policies for the coming 2013-14 Association year. The annual meeting draws educators from every corner of the state. Locally-elected delegates will update the organization’s Bylaws and Resolutions, and will also propose, debate, and vote on New Business Items, which direct Association leaders to take specific courses of action.

2013 Friend of Education Award

During the Horace Mann Awards ceremony on Saturday morning, NSEA will present several awards, including the Rookie of the Year Award, Teaching Excellence Award, and the Great Plains Milestone Award, which celebrates the development, advancement and protection of human and civil rights. In addition, the recipient of the 2013 Friend of Education award will be announced. This award is given to an organization or individual who has made a statewide contribution to public education.

This will be the 152nd Delegate Assembly in the Association’s 146-year history and it marks the first time since 1970 that the meeting has been held outside the Omaha or Lincoln area. The 1970 meeting was also in Kearney. NSEA was founded in August 1867 in Brownville.