BROKEN BOW, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska High School Small Bore Rifle Silhouette Championship is scheduled to be held next month at Pressey Wildlife Management Area.

The wildlife area sits between Broken Bow and Lexington in central Nebraska.

The meet is scheduled for Sept. 29 and is open to all hunter education graduates who are at least 11 years of age but have not graduated from high school. Proof of hunter education certification is required.

Registration can be done by calling Matthew Haumont at 308-872-2348. There is no entry fee.

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (AP) — Not even Nebraska lawmakers are immune to record drought and the tinder-dry conditions across the state.

State Sen. Tom Hansen of North Platte found that out the hard way this weekend when part of  his ranch was scorched by wildfire.

The fire burned 60 to 80 acres of Hansen’s ranch near North Platte on Saturday.

Hansen’s wife, Linda, reported the fire around 4:15 p.m. Saturday.

The fire was quickly contained, and fire crews stayed on the scene dousing hot spots until about 9 p.m.

Firefighters have not determined the cause of the blaze.

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska Forest Service is preparing communities in the state for the possible onset of several pests and diseases, starting with an inventory and assessment of trees in North Platte.

The forest service and the city of North Platte began conducting an inventory of the city’s trees last week through the Community Threat Assessment Protocol, a program funded through a grant from the United States Forest Service.

Project coordinator Adam Smith said to local reports that the survey results could be back next spring, as the state prepares communities for the possible onset of diseases in ash trees, scotch pines and walnuts.

NORTH PLATTE, Neb.- The back to school gig can be rough and very time consuming. Above all collecting school supplies and finishing the school supplies check list puts a dent in the wallet.  Two hair salons in North Platte offer a help to reduce the cost of the back to school season.

Hair salons A Cut Above and Trends both offered free haircuts to students of any age at the Episcopal Church of Our Savior in North Platte.

Reina Burk with A Cut Above says the salons wanted to do their part to help local parents with the rising back-to-school costs. That is exactly what they did. Hair cuts now range anywhere from $7 to 10$.

Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 86. Light and variable wind becoming southeast 5 to 9 mph in the morning.

Tonight: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 54. Southeast wind 7 to 9 mph.

Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 94. South wind 9 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Six Nebraska cities will share $1.1 million in grants to help revitalize low- and middle-class neighborhoods.

The Nebraska Department of Economic Development recently announced grants to Columbus, Fremont, Grand Island, Kearney, Norfolk and North Platte. All of the cities are providing some matching funds.

Grand Island will receive $270,010 to help pay for sewer upgrades that the city is investing $1.3 million in.

All the other cities are receiving $175,000 grants.

Columbus and Fremont plan to use the money to rehabilitate several homes in their areas.

Kearney and North Platte plan to use their grants for street and sewer projects.

Norfolk plans to rehab four downtown businesses and complete street work.

ALLIANCE, Neb. (AP) — A 19-year-old Alliance woman is dead following a rollover crash near her home, but her infant son, who also was in the car, survived.

Shelby Henson was killed in the Thursday morning crash on U.S. Highway 385 south of Alliance.

The Nebraska State Patrol says Henson lost control of the car around 3:30 a.m. and rolled it. Henson, who was not wearing a seat belt, was thrown from the car.

Investigators say her 2-month-old son was in a child safety seat and survived the crash.

NORTH PLATTE Neb.(North Platte Post)-Less than a week from today, in-fact only five days away is the first day of the new school year in North Platte.

This year will be Superintendent Marty Bassett’s first full year on the job. “This is my first year in North Platte Public Schools and I’m looking forward to working with the teachers and students and principles at all the buildings for the benefit of all our students”, says Bassett as he spoke about what he and the his colleagues  do that ensure success with students.

Clip from interview:

This year marks the 27^th year in education for Bassett, he grew up in Ogallala Nebraska and graduated from University of Nebraska Omaha. The last two years of Bassett’s career were spent being a superintendent in Wray Colorado.

“I’m focused on students and student achievement” Bassett continues “every decision we make is best for students, that’s where my focus has been for the past twenty-six years”.

North Platte Public School has 22 new certified staff including Bassett to help enhance the student teacher experience, a new Activities Director at the High-School Mr. Mroczek, two new principles that have been in the district who are Prinicple Kim Flanders at Cody Elementary and Principle Denise DiGiovanni at Hall Elementary, former Cody Elementary Principle, Director of Student Services Chris Vieyra, and 20 new teachers spread out between the thirteen schools.

Bassett has been on the job six weeks now, and is doing learning himself Bassett said. This will be an exciting school year, with an experienced new superintendent North Platte can expect a successful future for the future leaders of tomorrow!