The 6th Graders at Hershey Elementary celebrated their D.A.R.E (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) Graduation on April 30, 2013.   Each class member had to write an essay in relation to what they learned from D.A.R.E and how they would resist peer pressure.  There were three winning essays chosen from each class.  Third place winners included: Autumn Miller and Clayton Glos; 2nd place winners are Kadin Oettinger and Dalton Ebmeier; First place went to Tatum Bagwell and Lanie Allen.  All place winners presented their essays to the crowd of family and friends during the graduation.

“Lets be here in 2019” Lanie Allen, first place winner, encouraged her classmates.  Allen’s presentation was worthy of a standing ovation; Todd Engleman, Guest Speaker remarked “that will be hard to follow up” when he took the stage after Allen.   Engleman encouraged the students to resist the pressure of bath salts and prescription medications along with marijuana, alcohol and tobacco.   Engleman spoke to the parents reminding them to be vigilant as their kids “are not facing the same things that we did when were were younger.”

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced funding for two rural telecommunications companies that will expand broadband service in rural Nebraska and Montana.  The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) remains focused on carrying out its mission, despite a time of significant budget uncertainty. Today’s announcement is one part of the Department’s efforts to strengthen the rural economy.

In Nebraska, Hartington Telecommunications Co., Inc, an RUS borrower since 1956, will use a $5.265 million loan to replace copper cable with Fiber-to-the-Home technology to serve customers with a state-of-the-art telecommunications system.  The new system will require replacing rural drops with fiber cables and installing new optical interfaces at each subscriber location.  A large number of digital loop carrier (DLC) sites will be retired or converted into optical nodes, increasing system reliability due to a reduction in grid powered sites.  The company has had previous RUS loans totaling more than $8 million.

InterBel Telephone Cooperative, Inc., in Montana, will receive a $20.8 million loan to complete a Fiber-to-the-Premises network to help meet future growth requirements.   USDA funding is contingent upon the recipient meeting the terms of the loan agreement.

“These loans will provide the necessary telecommunications infrastructure essential for rural economic development,” Vilsack said.  “Broadband offers rural communities greater access to educational, health care, business and social services and opens the door to increased global competition.  As part of President Obama’s goal to improve infrastructure, we continue to fund projects that expand broadband service in rural areas.”

Today’s funding announcement will provide more than $26 million from USDA’s Rural Utilities Service (RUS), a Rural Development agency, to install fiber networks to improve telecommunications services in these areas.

President Obama’s plan for rural America has brought about historic investment and resulted in stronger rural communities. Under the President’s leadership, these investments in housing, community facilities, businesses and infrastructure have empowered rural America to continue leading the way – strengthening America’s economy, small towns and rural communities. USDA’s investments in rural communities support the rural way of life that stands as the backbone of our American values. President Obama and Agriculture Secretary Vilsack are committed to a smarter use of Federal resources to foster sustainable economic prosperity and ensure the government is a strong partner for businesses, entrepreneurs and working families in rural communities.

USDA, through its Rural Development mission area, has a portfolio of programs designed to improve the economic stability of rural communities, businesses, residents, farmers and ranchers and improve the quality of life in rural America.

USDA has made a concerted effort to deliver results for the American people, even as USDA implements sequestration – the across-the-board budget reductions mandated under terms of the Budget Control Act. USDA has already undertaken historic efforts since 2009 to save more than $828 million in taxpayer funds through targeted, common-sense budget reductions. These reductions have put USDA in a better position to carry out its mission, while implementing sequester budget reductions in a fair manner that causes as little disruption as possible.

Nebraska lawmakers have passed a bill that would require many hospitals and nursing facilities to offer vaccinations to patients before they’re discharged.

Patients wouldn’t have to accept the vaccinations, and many hospitals already offer them. But Sen. Bob Krist of Omaha says the measure is intended to minimize future outbreaks of whooping cough. The number of cases in Iowa and Nebraska surged last year.

Lawmakers gave final approval to the bill on Wednesday, 44-0. It would apply to vaccines for tetanus, whooping cough and diphtheria.

The vaccines could be covered by Medicaid, Medicare, private payers or insurance.

Another bill would that won final approval would require hospitals to offer vaccinations to employees, and keep records of which workers have not received them.