SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) —The Nebraska wildfires have destroyed hundreds of thousands of acres of grassland that many ranchers use to feed their cattle. It’s a sad reality that has provoked sympathy from ranchers in South Dakota.

“When your family’s in the ranching business, that’s your whole life. It’s your whole livelihood. And, you know, you’re caretakers of these creatures. And, to be without food, you know, without feed for them, when it’s your way of life. That’s just a horrible place to be,” SD Cattlemen’s Foundation board member, Ty Eschenbaum said.

South Dakota ranchers were motivated to help out in a way only they could– by donating hay.

“They’re sending us right in the burn footprint. So we’re going into that Arthur, Oshkosh, Lakeside areas, where they were hit the hardest. They’re telling us that the hay that we are bringing down will be completely fed by the end of the weekend,” Kingsbury County Cattlemen’s Association, Laurie Casper said.

But it’s not cheap getting the hay to Nebraska.

“The price of fuel is astronomical. And, you know, we’re trying to get these trucks going those 39,800 miles total. Definitely a huge bill to flip,” Casper said.

That’s why the South Dakota Cattlemen’s Foundation has a way for you to help get that hay across state lines. They are matching up to $10,000 dollars worth of donations.

“It’s a lot of fuel. So that’s exactly where our dollars are going and the dollars that we help fundraise. And anybody that wants to join in and help us, 100% of your funds are going to this effort,” Eschenbaum said.

Neighbors helping neighbors, hundreds of miles apart.

“It’s very taxing, you know, this time of year. Calving cows, starting to breed cows, feeding cows, worried about the drought. And, you know, if I’m going to have enough pasture, so to get hit with a fire that takes out everything, on top of all of that, I think it’s pretty easy for other cattlemen to say, hey, we got to help,” Eschenbaum said.

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – On Tuesday, Nebraska lawmakers could pass a bill making it easier for your student to attend a trade school.

Demeria Bruce has owned Fulton Homes Education Center in Millard since 2020. They are an accredited postsecondary school providing training in the healthcare industry.

Since the pandemic, she says the need for certified healthcare workers is growing.

“A lot of people are getting older so healthcare workers are really tremendous right now,” said Bruce. “Home healthcare, hospitals, especially geriatrics, working in long term care, stuff like that.”

Nebraska State Treasurer Joey Spellerberg is optimistic LB 748 can help fill a crucial need for skilled labor in the state.

“These are jobs that are needed in Nebraska and to expand 529 to use those funds for those types of education purposes is just great,” said Spellerberg.

If passed, 748 would match federal changes to 529 plans by raising the amount you can use per year from $10,000 to $20,000 for K-12 education.

“That starts in January of 2029 and at that point you will be able to use those dollars for tutoring, books, for other things associated with your education,” explained Spellerberg.

The bill would also allow for that money to be used for trade schools. The hope is to get more people certified in a trade to fill gaps in many industries around the state.

“It is not just a 4 year university, its not just a community college now. It’s looking what the future workforce looks like in Nebraska and making sure those dollars that you save can be used to fill the jobs that we have.”

It is something that will help folks like Demeria Bruce get more students certified.

“I think the proposed bill is really going to help out because that short term education would really help people especially now,” said Bruce. “If they have bills and stuff like that they can come and get their certification and get out there and start to work.”

First Alert 6 spoke with Denise Magill who owns Quality Career Pathways. She agrees the bill is a great step in getting more people into the workforce.

“What LB 748 does is a great way for people to figure out through a certificate if this is the career path that they want to go before they continue to invest more and commit more financially,” explained Magill.

Magill tells First Alert 6 says these certificates are just the tip of the iceberg and could lead to more programs becoming available.

“We have been exploring mental health certificates and things to advance just to build upon even more,” said Magill.

Demeria Bruce tells First Alert 6 Fulton Homes is also expanding its programing later this year. She is partnering with Non-Stop Development to include training for the construction industry.

LB 748 will hit the legislature floor for a final reading Tuesday morning. Lawmakers will vote to pass the bill after debate.

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Nebraska women’s basketball is set to lose another player to the transfer portal on Wednesday night. Forwardcenter Petra Bozan announced she was entering the transfer portal.

Bozan had a productive career in Lincoln. Over two seasons, she appeared in 65 games, starting 19 of them. The 2025-26 season saw her score 6.6 points per game, grab 3.4 rebounds per game, and shoot 51.1% from the field.

She scored a career-high 17 points on eight-of-12 shooting in a victory against Penn State in December. Bozan was able to parlay that success into a run in the NCAA Tournament. She averaged six points and three rebounds in two games of the NCAA Tournament.

This marks the second player who plans to enter the portal for Amy Williams’ bunch. Jessica Petrie entered the portal in March. Now, this will allow the program to be active in the offseason, with multiple roster spots open.

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