The Callaway Aquatic Center is open for the season! Hours are noon to 8 p.m. daily, with 5-6 p.m. reserved for adult-only swim. Callaway residents may use the pool for no fee. The cost for nonvillage residents is $3 for children aged 4 and under, and $5 for ages 5 and over. Individual passes are $50, and a family pass is $100.

Dry conditions have left some dryland alfalfa fields short, stressed, and slow to grow. When plants are only six to twelve inches tall, turning purple, yellow, or gray, and starting to bloom, the question becomes: should we cut it, graze it, or leave it alone? The first thing to consider is yield.

Following up on the discussion of the power and responsibility that comes with casting a ballot, this week I want to address one of the more debated issues of this legislative session: Nebraska’s new minimum wage law and the passage of LB258. LB258 was a bill created to provide practical, real-world guidelines for implementing Ballot Initiative 433, which was approved by voters in 2022.

CC Foundation Announces Spring 2026 Grant Awards The Custer County Foundation reviewed grant requests for the period ending April 30, 2026, and they are awarding a total of $43,521.33 to 10 Custer County organizations. “It’s always an exciting time when we get to announce our grant recipients,” said Rilee Daffer, Executive Director of the Foundation.

Callaway Public Schools has released the names of the 7th-12th grade students who earned a spot on the Spring Honor Roll. A “Q” behind the name denotes fourth quarter honor roll, while a “S” denotes semester honor roll. Congratulations to the following students:

There is no doubt that as we age our priorities shift. We begin to realize the things that are important, and those that really are not. The things that we should devote our time and energy to, and the ones we should let go.

The Oconto Volunteer Fire Department will host its annual Blowin’ The Doors Off BBQ on Saturday, June 6, in Oconto. The all-you-can-eat BBQ will begin serving when gates open at 5 p.m. and will serve as long as food is available. There will be live music until midnight. Adult tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the gate; children 5-12 are $10. Advance tickets may be purchased at ocontobbq. ticketspice.com/2026bbq. Bring your lawn chairs and your appetite!

Steve Axtell, senior track ace at Callaway High School, scored all of CHS’s 20 points during the Nebraska State Boys’ Track and Field Championships at Omaha Burke. The CHS triple threat took first in the triple jump with a glittering mark of 45’ 6”, which bettered the existing state record in that event. The new mark was not allowed, however, because of weather conditions. Axtell also placed second in long jump with a 21’ 5.5” leap, and fifth in the low hurdles in a time of 21.1.