Today, Aug. 20, is the first day of classes for students at Callaway Public School. As a new year gets underway in the classroom, extracurricular activities are also kicking off this week. This evening the South Loup Lady Bobcats volleyball team will host Burwell beginning at 6 p.m. On Friday, Aug.

50 YEARS AGO: The Callaway men’s softball team won the Callaway Chamber of Commerce men’s softball tournament Aug. 13-15, by defeating Pleasanton 12-6.

Producers can get an up-close look at 14 warm-season forage varieties and compare their performance side by side during the Warm Season Forage Field Day on Thursday, Aug. 27, near Broken Bow.

Nebraska is heading toward another difficult budget conversation this session. When the cost of government rises faster than state revenues, there are only a few choices: spend less, raise taxes, or grow the economy enough that existing tax rates can support the services Nebraskans expect.

Friends, residents and landowners of the Callaway Fire and Rescue District are invited to the Annual BBQ Fundraiser on Sunday, Aug. 16, at the Callaway Community Center. Pulled pork and BBQ beef sandwiches will be served from 5-7:30 p.m. Home deliveries can be arranged by contacting any fire department member, or by calling 308-870-5255 during serving hours. Want to stop in by can't stay? You are welcome to grab something to go! If you are unable to attend but would like to make a donation, you may do so at: Callaway Volunteer Fire & Rescue, PO Box 73, Callaway 68825.

Sometimes the most memorable adventures in life begin by taking the road less traveled and, in the words of my beloved grandmother, taking time to “stop and smell the roses.” That's part of what makes the Nebraska Passport program so beneficial. It gives us a reason to take the scenic route, explore communities across our state, support local businesses, and discover places we might otherwise miss.

There is a saying “take half and leave half” with regard to grazing. However, with the weather events this past year, some producers are concerned about long-term overgrazing since this can reduce grass production and profits for years. Overgrazing often leads to higher feed costs, lower carrying capacity, and more expensive pasture recovery over time.

Callaway Village Marshal Leonard Hall was fired by the Village Board on a 4-0 vote at their regular meeting on Aug. 3. The board cited several complaints by local residents and also Hall’s lack of compliance with requests that they had made of his actions at their July meeting.