Students attend leadership conference

Students attend leadership conference

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. — About 200 students representing 35 schools throughout Nebraska gathered at North Platte Community College on Monday for a fall leadership workshop sponsored by Family, Career and Community Leaders of America.

Jan Brandt, state advisor for FCCLA, said the annual fall leadership workshop is usually held in Aurora. The group this year decided to hold two workshops to accommodate more high school students.

Monday’s workshop in North Platte had about 200 students, most from western Nebraska. Brandt said they will do another workshop in eastern Nebraska.

“Altogether we’ll have about 500 students,” Brandt said.

She said FCCLA last year had some 3,400 students enrolled in 129 chapters throughout the state.

— World-Herald News Service

Ceremony marks command change

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. — The guidon, a military standard that company- or platoon-sized elements carry to signify their unit designation and corps affiliation, was passed from one soldier to the next to signify the change of command at a ceremony on Sunday at the National Guard Armory in North Platte.

Capt. Andrew Collins, outgoing 1074th Transportation Company commander, spoke to the National Guard soldiers he has led for 18 months and praised them for their efforts. He also gave a charge to Capt. Kevin Janousek, the incoming commander.

“People are our assets, our legacy,” Collins said. “The commander’s responsibility is to prepare his soldiers to do their job.”

Janousek comes to North Platte from the 92nd Troop Command in Lincoln.

“This is my first command,” Janousek said. “My expectations for myself are to grow as a leader and to support the soldiers and families of this unit.”

Collins will be taking command of the 1167th Brigade Support Company in Lincoln.

“I hope to take this opportunity to lead and mentor soldiers and help them grow within the organization,” Collins said. — World-Herald News Service

Fluoride election to use mail-in ballots

YUTAN, Neb. — Paperwork has been filed and certified for a fluoride election in Yutan.

Yutan’s special election is set for Nov. 10. Voters will again have a say on whether they want fluoride added to their drinking water.

Saunders County Clerk Patti Lindgren said she is filing paperwork with the state to have a mail-in ballot election.

Yutan voters again will be voting on the fluoride issue that was passed in last year’s general election. The vote was 292 to 265 in November to add fluoride to the water.

At the Yutan City Council meeting in July, the council passed a resolution putting the issue of adding fluoride to the city’s water supply on a special election ballot.

Yutan resident Mary Holbrook presented a petition to the City Council in June with the signatures of more than 60 city residents in favor of a second election.

Holbrook said she started the petition because of the health effects of fluoride.

— World-Herald News Service