Aurora- A'ROR'N Days, June 26-29, Downtown. Live entertainment, food, children's games, 3-on-3 basketball, flea market, car show, quilt show, parades & more. For more information, call (402) 694-6521, email shardware@hamilton.net or visit www.auroranebraska.com.

As part of the Hastings Chautauqua event this summer, the Hastings Museum of Natural and Cultural History is hosting a film series in the Lied Super Screen Theatre. The series will continue on Thursday, June 26 with the film, The Grapes of Wrath. A "dessert and discussion" will take place at 6:00 p.m., followed by the film at 7:00 p.m.

B Strong Ministries and the Youth Center are sponsoring a free outdoor event featuring speaker, Keith Becker from Kearney, NE and music from the band Rough Draft from Fort Collins, CO.  A free event for all ages!  You can learn more about the speaker, Keith Becker at www.toddbecker.org and the band Rough Draft online at www.roughdraftband.com.

A national meet of Antique original and restored vehicles will take place in Hastings Nebraska on June 26 ­ 28, 2008 says Bob Reinke, Meet Chairman and life-time member of the Antique Automobile Club of America, the oldest and largest car club in the world. These special and rare, original samples of transportation's history will be on display to the public on Saturday, June 28th from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in the American Legion Park, 22nd & Osborne Drive East, or south of Quality Hotel and Garden Cafe. Some of the cars will also be displayed on Thursday evening, at the Dairy Queen Cruise Night, with other cars from the area invited to attend also.

The 2008  National 4-H Shooting Sports Invitational is expected to draw about 438 competitors to Grand Island this month. This year's event will be held at the Heartland Events Center and Heartland Public Shooting Park just west of Grand Island.

Well, it is my last pondering for Trade West. If you are reading this, you probably already know that Trade West is merging with our sister paper, the Grand Island Independent.

Ticks and mosquitoes are summer pests that usually demand attention because of their ability to spread disease. One often overlooked pest that can be as great a nuisance during the summer is the chigger mite.

Has recent storm damage left your home in need of repair?  Or, are you thinking about making some home improvements this spring?

The Nebraska Wildlife Federation along with National Wildlife Federation, The Conservation Fund, National Recreation & Parks Association, American Recreation Coalition, American Hiking Society, Richard Louv and National Association of State Parks Directors would like to announce that Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman has proclaimed June as the Great Outdoors Month.

June 2, 2008, Hastings, NE - The 2nd Annual Flatwater Folk Festival will be held on July 19 & 20, 2008 at the Prairie Loft Center for Outdoor and Agricultural Learning. The 2008 festival lineup will include well known folk artists including the Wild Clover Band, the Mike & Amy Finders Band and Tom Prasada Rao and Cary Cooper.

Wow!! A lot has happened since I last pondered.

Owners of domestic wells affected by the recent storms are encouraged to test their wells for bacteria as soon as possible, according to Jack Daniel, administrator of the Office of Drinking Water and Environmental Health at the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.

Recent storms have left a trail of tree damage throughout portions of Nebraska.

When assessing storm-damaged trees, Eric Berg, Nebraska Forest Service community forestry program leader, urges individuals to use caution and follow these tips:

May 27, 2008, Hastings, NE ‹ Wired to Win: Surviving the Tour de France takes you on a spellbinding ride, seamlessly melding state-of-the-art computer animation of the human brain with the first-ever giant screen film footage of the legendary Tour de France. This unprecedented giant screen film experience brings together the excitement of world-class sport and the frontiers of science, inspiring and entertaining audiences around the world.

May 27, 2008, HASTINGS, NE ­ The feature film Horton Hears a Who will be featured at this month's "Family Friday" hosted by the Hastings Museum of Natural History on Friday, June 6, 2008.

Dannebrog- 21st Annual Grundlovsfest. June 6, 7 & 8.

Trade West salutes the local emergency squads and personnel for everything they do.

(MS) - Rainy days cooped up inside may seem like they'd be the pits, but they actually can offer prime opportunities for the entire family to get together and participate in some fun activities.

(MS) - As college tuitions and room and board fees have risen dramatically over the last decade, one of the least publicized side effects of this rise in costs is the amount of debt facing college students once they graduate.

(MS) - Thousands of people will be turning to the water to find cooling relief or some fun this season. Whether you take a leisurely dip in the backyard pool or a high-speed adventure aboard a jet ski, safety should always take precedence where water is involved.