Local News
Seat Belt Use Found to be Dangerously Low - May 9, 2008 - 8:46 AM

Heidi Gubanyi, RN with Four Corners Health Department and Polk County Sheriff Dwaine Ladwig look for students to be wearing seat belts during the seat belt check Tuesday morning at Cross County High School.

The Four Corners Health Department and the Polk County Health Department held a random seat belt check at Cross County High School on Tuesday morning, May 6th, just outside the school’s parking lots in front and back of the building.
Four Corners Health Department received a grant to fund this event through the Injury Prevention Program with the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. The grant allowed the Health Department adequate funding. . . .

Local News
Brase's Reign at 65+ Prom - May 9, 2008 - 9:17 AM
Osceola's National Honor Society hosted the 65+ Prom on Thursday, April 24th at the Good Samaritan Society in Osceola. Fourteen NHS students danced and entertained 33 residents and three community members during the event. Three OHS seniors entertained the audience with special performances. Morgan Walgren performed a piano solo, Seth Perterson did a card magic trick, and Amanda Neujahr read a poem about Wind. Ice cream treat certificates were handed out as prizes. The NHS 2008 King and Queen are Mr. and Mrs. Henry (Delores) Brase, residents of the Good Samaritan Society.

Local News
Swedish Festival Adds Soap Box Derby to Events - May 9, 2008 - 8:40 AM

Adults and kids alike will enjoy taking part in the old fashioned Soap Box Derby at the Swedish Festival this year.

This year one of the newest events to be added to the Stromsburg Swedish Festival will be a Soap Box Derby race. There will be three age categories for contestants. “Little Monsters” - 5 to 10 years old, “Driver’s Ed. Students” - 11 to 15 and “Crash Test Dummies” - 16 to 111. Teams can have a maximum of three members, a driver, starter and chief engineer. According to the rules, all others such as cheerleaders, or boy friends must stay on the curb.
The course will be on East 4th Street, in front of the high school. . . .

Local News
Mrs. Gropp Honored by VFW Auxiliary - May 9, 2008 - 8:28 AM

Mrs. Gail Gropp (R) was recognized for promoting the Patriot's Pen project last Friday at Cross County Middle School. She received flowers and a card during an assembly from Rose Wozniak, Youth Chairman of VFW Auxiliary 1609 in York.

An assembly was held last Friday, May 2nd at the Cross County Middle School in Benedict to honor a faculty member who deserved special recognition for promoting a writing project which is open to middle school students.
Mrs. Gail Gropp, English teacher at Cross County Middle School in Benedict, was presented with two roses from Rose Wozniak, Youth Chairman from the VFW Auxiliary 1609 in York, in appreciation for all she has done to promote the Patriot’s Pen project. . . .

Local News
Substance Abuse Coalition to Educate Students on Drug, Alcohol Abuse - Apr 30, 2008 - 12:03 PM

Members of the Polk County Substance Abuse Coalition (PSAC) discuss ways of addressing the awareness and education of Polk County on substance abuse to improve the quality of life of Polk County residents. Attending the meeting were (l to r around the table) Darla Winslow, Polk County Health Dept; Dennis Hendricks, Polk County Commissioner; Heidi Gubanyi, Four Corners Health Department; Dwaine Ladwig, Polk County Sheriff; Cletus Arasmith, Osceola School; Dan Stecker, High Plains School; Ron Nickel, Cross County School; Scott Willits, Nebraska Great Plains RC&D; Derek Effle, Region V Systems and Amy Peterson, UNL Extension Educator.

In the fall of 2007 the Polk County Substance Abuse Coalition (PSAC) was formed. This community-based, non-profit organization’s goal is to reduce the misuse of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs through collaborative planning, community action and policy advocacy to improve the quality of life of the residents of Polk County.
The PSAC has sponsoring members from, but not limited to: all four Polk County school districts, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, UNL Extension, Polk County Health Department, the Four Corners Health Department, County Attorney and a County Commissioner.
The group recently met. . . .