News

There's a fresh face at a familiar institution, breathing new life into both Custer and Dawson County’s 4-H and Extension Education programs. Sarah Fanning, a Colorado native, has just completed her first year of service as the counties’ Extension Educator, and has spent that time learning and leading in equal doses.

The 2025 Custer County Fair is in the books, and the rewards for all of the hard work by area 4-H and FFA members have been distributed. Competition for the fair began on July 17 with 4-H Style Judging & Clothing Construction Judging, followed by the dog show on July 19. July 23-30 the 4-H and FFA kids showed livestock, small animals, food, plants, and a variety of projects. They also demonstrated horsemanship and marksmanship skills.

For the week ending Aug. 10, 2025, Nebraska’s field crops continued to advance under warm, mostly dry conditions that kept combines and irrigation systems busy. Many producers wrapped up wheat harvest while monitoring late-summer moisture needs for corn and soybean. Topsoil moisture rated 3% very short, 21% short, 66% adequate and 10% surplus, while subsoil moisture rated 6% very short, 23% short, 65% adequate and 6% surplus. Statewide, fieldwork averaged 5.1 days suitable for the week.

50 YEARS AGO Representatives of the Alumni Association, Seven Valleys Rodeo Association, American Legion, and Chamber of Commerce met to begin discussions about the annual Pioneer Picnic, rodeo and alumni. This coming year will be the bicentennial and it is the wish of these organizations to make this the biggest and best celebration this community has ever put together.

The Callaway Board of Education met on Monday, Aug. 11, with the agenda including two policies for second read which generated a great deal of discussion. Both of these policies were on the July meeting agenda, went back to the policy committee, and reappeared on the August agenda for approval on second reading.

Last week, my husband and I joined friends for dinner at a local restaurant. We get together for a dinner date at least a couple of times a month to visit and catch up. On this particular evening, a young family was seated at a table on the other side of the room, and the two children were running wild around the tables chasing each other. I noticed the wait staff had to swerve out of the way of the kiddos a couple of times.

This past weekend Callaway had an opportunity to roll out the red carpet for a large group of guests, some making a return visit and some seeing the community for the very first time. For 25 years now, Custer County has been welcoming race car drivers, navigators, and enthusiastic spectators to a one-of-a-kind event in the state - the Sandhills Open Road Challenge.

The following cases have been reported as closed by the Clerk of the District Court of Custer County for the month of July 2025. July 3 – State of NE v Andrew N.

As students prepare to head back to classrooms this August, the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) recognizes the critical role physical, mental, and emotional well-being play in academic success.

Everyone is invited to come out to Morning Star Church this Saturday, Aug. 16, at 7:30 p.m.