A large contingent of family members, friends, and community members made their way up to Greeley Center for the Central Valley Class of 2023’s commencement ceremony on Saturday. Bleachers and chairs set out for the occasion at the Central Auditorium were filled with well-wishers as the Greeley County school district’s twentyone- member senior class gathered for the last time as Central Valley students.

After more than twenty- four years as the City of St. Paul’s electrical commissioner and more than forty-five years working for the municipal government, Ed Thompson officially retired on Monday.

HEARTLAND UNITED WAY Director of Development Stephanie Kissler and President and Chief Professional Officer Karen Rathke stopped by St. Paul Public Schools (SPPS) on Wednesday, April 26th to present several nonprofit organizations throughout the county with Rural Community Impact Grant awards. In total, the Heartland United Way awarded $28,900 in Rural Community Impact Grant funds this year. Individual grant awards generally range between $250–$1,500, with $1,500 being the maximum ask. Locally, the SPPS Backpack program received $1,500; Elba Public School’s Hatchlings daycare program received $1,500, the Howard Greeley Food Pantry received $1,500, and the Howard County Medical Center CARE Team received $750. Pictured are, back, left to right, Howard-Greeley Food Pantry Representative Pat Geiger, Elba Public Schools Paraprofessional and Hatchlings Representative Jazmyne Spilinek, Karen Rathke, Hunter Johnson, Dane Hall, HCMC CARES Representative Dr. Angela Brennan, Stephanie Kissler; front, left to right, SPPS Backpack Program Representative Kelli McClellan, Gage Scarborough, Aden Woitaszewski, and SPPS Backpack Program Representative Krystal Barg. Johnson, Hall, Scarborough, and Woitaszewski are SPPS students in the school’s Backpack Program. (Michael Rother)