Bert and Ernie jump rope and Cookie Monster eats his favorite treat once a week instead of every day. Some Sesame Street Muppets are getting a mini-makeover as part of a project to improve kids’ health.

The television show’s producers teamed up with a heart doctor at New York’s Mount Sinai Hospital on the project. A third of U.S. children and teens are obese or overweight and many don’t get enough exercise.

A test of the project in South America showed promise, and now it is coming to the United States. Several New York preschools plan to offer it later this year.

The project is aimed at 3-to-5-year-olds plus their parents and teachers. It uses Sesame Workshop-produced videos, songs, posters and activities.

Actress Chita Rivera is 81
Actor Gil Gerard is 71
Actor Rutger Hauer is 70
Singer Anita Pointer of the Pointer Sisters is 66
Bassist-keyboardist Bill Cunningham of The Box Tops is 64
Actor Richard Dean Anderson is 64
Singer-guitarist Robin Zander of Cheap Trick is 61
Singer Anita Baker is 56
Bassist Earl Falconer of UB40 is 55
Actress Gail O’Grady is 51
Actress Mariska Hargitay is 50
Singer Marc Nelson (Az Yet) is 43
Actress Tiffani Thiessen is 40
Bassist Nick Harmer of Death Cab for Cutie is 39.

Actress Piper Laurie is 82
Actor Seymour Cassel is 79
Actor John Hurt is 74
Singer Steve Perry (Journey) is 65
Bassist Teddy Gentry of Alabama is 62
Actress Linda Blair is 55
Actress Diane Lane is 49
Country singer Regina Nicks of Regina Regina is 49
Rap DJ-actor Jazzy Jeff is 49
Singer Marc Gay of Shai is 45
Actress Katie Finneran is 43
Actor Balthazar Getty is 39
Actor Christopher Kennedy Masterson is 34
Singer Willa Ford is 33
Actress Beverley Mitchell is 33
Guitarist Ben Moody of The Fallen (and Evanescence) is 33
Actress-singer Phoebe Strole is 21
Actress Sami Gayle is 18.

PLAYING FRIDAY 1/24
Screen #1
Lone Survivor….4:00, 7:00, 9:45
Rated R Must ID
Screen #2
I, Frankenstein 2-D….4:00
I, Frankenstein 3-D….7:00, 9:15
Screen #3
August Osage County…. 4:15, 7:15, 9:45
Rated R Must ID
Screen #4
Jack Ryan; Shadow Recruit….4:10, 7:10, 9:30
Rated R Must ID
Screen #5
Frozen 2D….4:15, 7:15
Devil’s Due….9:30
Rated R Must ID
Screen #6
Nebraska….4:10, 7:05, 9:40
Rated R Must ID

PLAYING SATURDAY 1/25 & SUNDAY 1/26
Screen #1
Lone Survivor….1:00, 4:00, 7:00, 9:45
Rated R Must ID
Screen #2
I, Frankenstein 2-D….1:00
I, Frankenstein 3-D….4:00, 7:00, 9:15
Screen #3
August Osage County…. 1:15, 4:15, 7:15, 9:45
Rated R Must ID
Screen #4
Jack Ryan; Shadow Recruit….1:10, 4:10, 7:10, 9:30
Rated R Must ID
Screen #5
Frozen 2D….1:15, 4:15, 7:15
Devil’s Due….9:30
Rated R Must ID
Screen #6
Nebraska….1:10, 4:10, 7:05, 9:40
Rated R Must ID

PLAYING MONDAY 1/27 – THURSDAY 1/30
Screen #1
Lone Survivor….4:00, 7:00
Rated R Must ID
Screen #2
I, Frankenstein 2-D….4:00
I, Frankenstein 3-D….7:00
Screen #3
August Osage County…. 4:15, 7:15
Rated R Must ID
Screen #4
Jack Ryan; Shadow Recruit….4:10, 7:10
Rated R Must ID
Screen #5
Frozen 2D….4:15, 7:15
Screen #6
Nebraska….4:10, 7:05
Rated R Must ID

Actress Ann Wedgeworth is 80
Singer Mac Davis is 72
Actress Jill Eikenberry is 67
Guitarist Jim Ibbotson of The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band is 67
Singer-songwriter Billy Ocean is 64
Actor Robby Benson is 58
Actress Geena Davis is 58
Actress Charlotte Ross is 46
Actress Karina Lombard is 45
Rapper Levirt of B-Rock and the Bizz is 44
Drummer Mark Trojanowski of Sister Hazel is 44
Singer Cat Power is 42
DJ Chris Kilmore of Incubus is 41
Singer Emma Bunton (Baby Spice) of the Spice Girls is 38
Singer Nokio of Dru Hill is 35.

Entries are being sought for the 2014 Nebraska Severe Weather Awareness Poster Contest.

The contest is open to all fourth-grade students in Nebraska public and private schools as well as home-schooled fourth-grade students.

The first-place winner gets a $125 gift card.

All entries must be received by a local emergency management director/coordinator or postmarked on or before Feb. 21. A list of directors/coordinators can be found at www.nema.nebraska.gov .

Questions regarding the contest should be directed to the local emergency management director/coordinator or to Mark Meints at 402-223-1305, email [email protected]

Contest rules and other information can also be obtained at the Nebraska Association of Emergency Management website, www.naem.us .

FUN FILLED CLASSES STARTING AT THE PRAIRIE ARTS CENTER

The Prairie Arts center is starting off the year with several art classes. Two short painting classes will be offered by the Center and one ceramic class will be offered by Mid-Plains Community College. These classes will be conducted at the Prairie Arts Center.

The first of many one-session classes will launch Thursday January 30th for adults. These one-session classes are for first time painters who want to see what art painting is about and enjoy the fun of creativity. You will create your own painting under the instruction of Sue Condon. The theme for the class is Valentine’s Day. The class starts at 7:00pm and ends at 9:00pm. This particular class is already full, however, more similar classes are coming soon.

Children, grades K-6, will also be offered a one-session-class with a Valentine theme on February 9th from 2-4:30 pm. This class will be taught by Kathy Wiede. There is a limit of 12 children for this class. The class cost is $30 for non-CUAC members and $25.00 for CUAC members. All of the one-session classes include all the necessary supplies (canvas, paint, brushes, etc.) We would ask you to provide your own smock or wear old clothes.

To sign up for this class or for more information contact: Danielle Nichols at 308 520-2274.

Mid-Plains Community College will be offering a SOUP BOWL class. This class will be for 1 credit hour to be held on all Saturdays in February starting February 1 running from 9:00am to 12:45pm. Your soup bowl creations will be hand built and wheel thrown. The glazed bowls will be available at the “Soup Supper” and silent auction in March. The instructor is Dik Haneline. For more information call Mid-Plains at 308 535 3736.Come have fun and expand your creativity at the Prairie Arts Center-Studio Level, 5th and Jeffers St. North Platte.

(AP) — NBC says its next live musical will be “Peter Pan,” to be broadcast in December.

It will be produced by the same team that made “The Sound of Music” with Carrie Underwood, which reached 19 million viewers last month. NBC entertainment president Robert Greenblatt said Sunday that the strong viewership surprised even NBC.

Almost immediately, NBC started kicking around ideas for another musical.

The cast has not been announced.

Up With People will be performing in North Platte on February 20 & 22nd and they need host families. Please call Collin Shepherd if you are interested in helping them out! 308-530-6862. Here is some information….
Up with People (UWP) relies on the generosity and support of families all over the world. Since 1965, more than 450,000 families around the world have hosted UWP students. Host families are a big part of what makes our program unique and they provide a rich cultural learning opportunity for our participants.

As a host family, you will open your home and heart to provide a safe and welcoming environment for young people from around the world. In return you will form international friendships that can last a lifetime.

Whether you live in an urban flat, rural farmhouse, thatched hut, or suburban townhouse, you can bring the world into your home by hosting an UWP student during their international tour.
UWP host families provide:

A place to sleep
Breakfast and most dinners
Local transportation at the beginning and end of the day, and
A safe and welcoming environment for UWP students to learn
about your family, community and culture….and vice versa!

UWP host families receive:

Two complimentary Up with People show tickets
An opportunity to share customs and culture, and
A potential new friend for life.

PLAYING THURSDAY 1/16
Screen #1
Lone Survivor….4:00, 7:00
Rated R Must ID
Screen #2
Nebraska….4:00
Rated R Must ID
Jack Ryan….9:00
Screen #3
Hobbitt 2D….4:00
August Osage County…..8:00
Rated R Must ID
Screen #4
Anchorman 2….4:10, 7:10
Devil’s Due….10:00
Rated R Must ID
Screen #5
Frozen 2D….4:15, 7:05
Screen #6
Paranormal Activity….4:15
Rated R Must ID
Nebraska….7:00
Rated R Must ID

PLAYING FRIDAY 1/17
Screen #1
Lone Survivor….4:00, 7:00, 9:45
Rated R Must ID
Screen #2
Jack Ryan….4:10, 7:10, 9:20
Screen #3
August Osage County….4:15, 7:15, 9:45
Rated R Must ID
Screen #4
Devil’s Due….4:10, 7:10, 9:30
Rated R Must ID
Screen #5
Frozen 2D….4:15, 7:00
Anchorman 2….9:30
Screen #6
Nebraska….4:00, 7:05, 9:40
Rated R Must ID

PLAYING SATURDAY 1/18 & SUNDAY 1/19
Screen #1
Lone Survivor….1:00, 4:00, 7:00, 9:45
Rated R Must ID
Screen #2
Jack Ryan….1:00, 4:10, 7:10, 9:20
Screen #3
August Osage County….1:15, 4:15, 7:15, 9:45
Rated R Must ID
Screen #4
Devil’s Due….1:10, 4:10, 7:10, 9:30
Rated R Must ID
Screen #5
Frozen 2D….1:15, 4:15, 7:00
Anchorman 2….9:30
Screen #6
Nebraska….1:10, 4:00, 7:05, 9:40
Rated R Must ID

PLAYING MONDAY 1/20 & THURSDAY 1/23
Screen #1
Lone Survivor….4:00, 7:00
Rated R Must ID
Screen #2
Jack Ryan….4:10, 7:10
Screen #3
August Osage County…. 4:15, 7:15
Rated R Must ID
Screen #4
Devil’s Due…. 4:10, 7:10
Rated R Must ID
Screen #5
Frozen 2D….4:15, 7:00
Screen #6
Nebraska….4:00, 7:05
Rated R Must ID