Wynot Public School’s Falon Goetz (top) joins the rest of the concert band in a musical selection at their annual pre-contest concert last week. Rachael Wieseler joins in with her flute. Wade Thoene sings the National Anthem with the rest of the sophomore boys ensemble. The students competed in Hartington at the District music contest Friday, April 20.

HARTINGTON — A gift from the Hartington community could be on display at the Governor’s mansion in Lincoln by the end of the summer.

Peggy Year approached the Hartington City Council Monday and asked them to be part of a project to honor Hartington for the role the city has played in state government.

HARTINGTON — Robert Colwell was surprised recently.

Colwell, Coleridge, was named “Scoutmaster of the Year” during a ceremony in Norfolk.

He gives the credit for his award to the exceptional Troop he works with.

“Our Troop is quite unique. No one else is doing what we are doing and they have been watching us,” said Colwell. “We have four towns who are working together. The simple fact is our troop is so diverse. My award is a reflection of the Troop.”

HARTINGTON — Paying up front for a new pumper fire truck will save the Hartington City Council and the Rural Hartington Fire District close to $12,000.

Council members authorized the purchase of the fire truck in the amount of $232,437 Monday.

A cap of $250,000 had been put in a motion to purchase the truck at the March 26 Council meeting.

The fire truck has a price tag of $237,114 plus $6,950 for accessories.

HARTINGTON — The Cedar County Ag Society is offering special prices for this year’s fair, fair-goers buy their tickets now.

In an ad in last week’s Cedar County News, and in a flyer in this week’s edition, the Ag Society announced plans to sell reduced-price tickets for any or all grandstand events if the tickets are purchased between April 22 and May 5.

Special ticket prices have also been set for four-day passes, allowing the ticket-holders to get into all grandstand events and the rodeo.

HARTINGTON — The administrator at the Golden Living Center here grew up in a family that was involved in nursing home care.

Jeremy Klinkhammer said his mother and grandmother were employed at a nursing home. His mother is an RN and his grandmother was head of housekeeping for 25 years.

His two sisters were CNA’s at a nursing home, while they were in high school.

LINCOLN — The Hartington-based Northeast Nebraska News Company earned several honors during the Nebraska Press Association’s Better Newspaper Contest here April 21.

The Cedar County News picked up honors for a feature at the Hartington swimming pool by News photographer Jeremy Buss. The News also picked up a third-place award for its feature series on MS.

The Northeast Nebraska News Company swept the Class A circulation class in Headline Writing.

COLERIDGE — Four area schools that have already proven that working together can pay dividends, are now helping show their communities the benefits of working together.

The city of Laurel and villages of Coleridge, Wynot and Newcastle received a grant through the state Building Entrepreneurial Communities Act (BECA).

Funds from the grant will link the schools with area businesses.

Hartington was all aglow with sparkles, satin and lace as both Hartington Public School and Cedar Catholic celebrated their spring proms Saturday night. Laura Brummels and Jeffrey Feilmeier are Hartington Public School’s 2007 Prom Princess and Prince; while Matt Mines and Emily Craig were selected Prom Prince and Princess at Cedar Catholic. Dawn Noecker finished her day filled with curling irons and hair spray with Ashley Hegge. People from all over the area attended the grand marches at both schools.

HARTINGTON — The value of agricultural land is rising, and experts across the state agree the root of the problem or blessing — depending on whether you’re buying or selling — lies in the corn industry.

Terry Gompert, Knox County Extension educator based at Center, said he’s astonished by the latest report to come from the University of Nebraska, which states agricultural land values in Northeast Nebraska have risen nearly 20 percent in just this past year, with the average per-acre value now sitting at $2,142. Compare this to last year’s value of $1,774 per acre.

HARTINGTON — A well-known author has ties to Nebraska and to Cedar County.

Nicholas Sparks, who is known as one of America’s most beloved story tellers, has written a string of international bestsellers.

As a young girl, the mother of Sparks attended school in Fordyce.

Sparks, who was born in Nebraska, is proud of his Nebraska heritage.