News

Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) is a national nonprofit student organization that helps youth develop leadership and workplace skills to prepare for both college and careers through peer-to-peer education, community engagement, and the application of skills learned in the Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) classroom. In Callaway, all 7th and 8th grade students take an exploratory FCS course, so they are eligible to be FCCLA members throughout their junior high and high school years.

The tax reform bill, LB 873, will provide over 900 million dollars in reduced taxes for the citizens of the state of Nebraska over a 5-year period. You may see other articles criticizing this tax change, saying that there was no tax break for middle or low income taxpayers, but this is absolutely not true. I want to set the record straight, if you pay income taxes, you get a tax break. Some additional funds for property tax relief were included to help rectify the situation of the overburden/ overreliance on property taxes in the state, especially in K-12 education and community colleges. Those were two of the big components in LB 873, in addition to the phase out of the state income tax on social security benefits.

The small village of Callaway has become quite the destination spot this summer, as two tours will make their way to the community. While the local Chamber of Commerce is busy preparing to host the Bicycle Ride Across Nebraska (BRAN) in June, and the Tour De Nebraska in July, Chamber President Ken Pitkin said the village was contacted last week about hosting another group.

The Callaway Village Board met on Tuesday, April 12 and representatives of Sons of the American Legion were present to fill the board in on the Legion’s latest project. They were requesting funds from the Village to purchase a new flag - a very large flag - which will be flown at the cemetery. That flag should be up within the next two or three weeks.

The Callaway Board of Education met on Monday, April 11 with a fairly short agenda. One of the primary items of discussion, which did result in action being taken, was the replacement of the school’s boiler system - an item that has been at the forefront of board discussion for a few months.

Callaway Public Schools and the Village of Callaway are joining forces to say thank you to our local firefighters. On Wednesday, April 27 the public is invited to participate in a Walk-A-Thon to raise financial support for the Callaway Volunteer Fire Department, and to say thank you to those who helped stop the spread of the fires that took place on March 24.

(Above) Getting treats ready for the April15 'Spring Fling'. (Photo courtesy of Micki Newton) Right) Anna and Roalie Poore collect a Purple Egg during the Easter Egg Hunt.

The Callaway branch of Nebraska State Bank is welcoming a new loan officer, and bidding farewell to another. Several community members stopped by the bank for an Open House on Tuesday, April 19 to say goodbye and good luck to loan officer Craig Barta. Barta has worked for Nebraska State Bank for nearly eight years, and during that time he has served customers in Broken Bow and Callaway. Barta stepped into the Callaway role following the retirement of long-time NSB officer Terry Jensen.

The American Legion Post 59 is pleased to announce that Grant Hrupek of Callaway was selected and is sponsored by Bryson Booker Post 59. Hrupek will join nearly 225 other high school juniors from across Nebraska participating in the American Legion Cornhusker Boys' State Program, June 5 - 17 at the University of Nebraska- Lincoln downtown campus. The annual citizenship program, sponsored by the Nebraska American Legion, is designed provide youths with a bet understanding of how city, coun and state governments operate.

Lauryn Johnson, daughter of Heath and Linsey Johnson, has been selected to represent American Legion Auxiliary Oconto Sunset Unit 250 for the 81st annual session of Cornhusker Girls State to be held June 5-11 in Lincoln. Johnson will study local, county and state government processes in this nonpartisan political learning experience. Every spring, the American Legion Auxiliary Girls State Program provides approximately 25,000 young women with a handson educational opportunity designed to instruct tomorrow’s leaders in the privileges and duties of responsible citizenship.