Central Valley’s seven-member Cougar speech team returned from District D1-2 competition in Polk last Tuesday, March 18th with hardware, placing behind Riverside and High Plains for the teamsweeps bronze. The Cougars made it to the finals in eight of the eleven events they took part in at districts. In six of those, they placed in the top three, qualifying for the state contest at Kearney High School this Friday, March 28th.

Following last week’s district contest, five Centurions are slated to return to the Nebraska School Activities Association (NSAA) State Speech Championships at Kearney High School this Thursday. Seniors Hope Mc-Donald and David Hadenfeldt and juniors Ella Simon, Lauren Suntych, and Shiloh Smith qualified for state at last Tuesday’s District C1-5 competition in Grand Island.

GENE WHITEFOOT of Boelus celebrated his birthday at Whitefoot Market in Boelus last Thursday. A large crowd attended the event, which included several surprises, including a note from longtime central Nebraska television news personality Colleen Williams.

The Howard County Historical Society is launching a campaign to raise funds to construct a building on the historical society grounds north of the present agricultural building. The 40’x100’ building will cost around $200,000. A building fund account was established in 2007 when the society received donations specifically given for an additional building. The new building will be called the Schubert-Nielsen Exhibit Hall in honor of two individuals who left funds to the Howard County Historical Society in their estates.