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Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture honors spring 2026 graduates at May 7 ceremony

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Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture honors spring 2026 graduates at May 7 ceremony


Graduates of the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture were honored May 7 during the Spring 2026 Commencement Ceremony at the Curtis Memorial Community Center, celebrating the completion of two years of training for careers in agriculture and animal health.

Kelly Bruns, Ph.D., interim executive director of NCTA, presided over the ceremony and recognized the ways students supported their communities and one another throughout the year, including helping fight wildfires and stepping up during difficult times.

Graduate Carly Stewart delivered the invocation, followed by a welcome from graduate and Student Senate President Lydia Ziemba.

Bruns introduced special guests and University of Nebraska leaders, including Regents Kathy Wilmot and Tim Clare, who delivered remarks to graduates. Tiffany Heng-Moss, Ph.D., University of Nebraska vice president and IANR Harlan vice chancellor, also addressed graduates and later conferred degrees.

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Commencement speaker Nathan Nicklas, the residence life manager, encouraged graduates to lead with purpose, invest in relationships and use their talents and experiences to positively impact their communities and industries. Early in Nicklas’ address, a power outage darkened the facility. Doors were opened to let in sunlight, and Nicklas continued without amplification.

After his address, a student representative presented Nicklas with flowers in appreciation for his leadership and support of students.

Jennifer McConville, Ph.D., associate dean, recognized academic honors and announced Hannah Brett as the 2026 Aggie of the Year. Rachel Bose delivered the benediction.

The following list represents December and May graduates. It is not a complete list, as some graduates chose not to have their names released. Academic honors are noted as: Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude and Summa Cum Laude.

Agricultural Production Systems

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Atlanta, Nebraska — Magna Cum Laude Carly Stewart, Animal Science

Bartley, Nebraska — Treven Critchfield, Diversified Ag

Central City, Nebraska — Magna Cum Laude Grace Strong, Livestock Ind Mgt

Dalton, Nebraska — Cum Laude Justin Ernest, Livestock Ind Mgt; Crop Production Cert

Franklin, Nebraska — Magna Cum Laude J Gladden II, Livestock Ind Mgt

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Friend, Nebraska — Mason Semler, Agronomy Ind Mgt

Greensburg, Kansas — Brock Hassiepen, Livestock Ind Mgt

Hallsville, Missouri — Magna Cum Laude Dominic Troutman, Livestock Ind Mgt

Indianola/Cambridge, Nebraska — Gracelynn tenBensel-McConville, Agribusiness Mgt & Agronomy; Agribusiness Mgt Cert

Indianola, Nebraska — Cum Laude Hunter Blume, Agronomy

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Leigh, Nebraska — Cum Laude Jacob Martensen, Diversified Ag

Lexington, Nebraska — Cayden Gibbons, Diversified Ag

Linden, Iowa — Magna Cum Laude Weston Ploeger, Agribusiness Mgt & Livestock Ind

McCook, Nebraska — Rachel Bose, Agronomy Ind Mgt

Milburn, Nebraska — Cum Laude Samuel McMillan, Diversified Ag

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Omaha, Nebraska — Cum Laude Vivien Appleby, Diversified Ag

Rushville, Nebraska — Cum Laude Jessalinn Dieriex, Animal Science

Sargent, Nebraska — Cum Laude Tera Horky, Ag Education; Ag Welding Cert

Seneca, Kansas — Magna Cum Laude Isabelle Evans, Equine Ind Mgt

Severance, Colorado — Natalie Baker, Animal Science

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Seward, Nebraska — Masa Brown, Livestock Ind Mgt

Seward, Nebraska — Cadance Mae Craig, Livestock Ind Mgt

Shubert, Nebraska — Magna Cum Laude Danyelle Kuker, Livestock Ind Mgt & Equine Ind Mgt; Equine Training Cert

Sidney, Nebraska — Magna Cum Laude Dominik Lucero, Ag Equipment; Ag Welding & Irrigation Tech Certs

Silver Creek, Nebraska — Magna Cum Laude Lydia Ziemba, Agribusiness Mgt; Beef Production Cert

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Springview, Nebraska — Magna Cum Laude Courtney McCarthy, Agribusiness Mgt & Livestock Ind

Vet Technology Systems

Cawker City, Kansas — Carter Walsh, Vet Tech; Animal Care Cert

Covington, Oklahoma — Kiley Grantz, Vet Asst; Animal Care Cert

Esbon, Kansas — Haylee Cockroft, Vet Tech; Animal Care Cert

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Fairport, Kansas — Morgan Dockendorf, Vet Asst; Animal Care Cert

Grant, Nebraska — Magna Cum Laude Emma Klahn, Vet Tech; Animal Care Cert

Kearney, Nebraska — Cum Laude Wednesday Fielder, Vet Tech; Animal Care Cert

Lexington, Nebraska — Alyssa Copper, Vet Tech; Animal Care Cert

Lexington, Nebraska — Patti Louthan, Vet Asst

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Middlesex, Vermont — Summa Cum Laude Hannah Brett, Vet Tech; Animal Care Cert

North Platte, Nebraska — Olivia Dimas, Vet Asst; Animal Care Cert

North Platte, Nebraska — Ella Harmon, Vet Asst; Animal Care Cert

Scottsbluff, Nebraska — Alexia Furman, Vet Asst; Animal Care Cert

Additional Certificates

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Curtis, Nebraska — Hunter Markley, Ag Welding Cert

Indianola, Nebraska — Tristan Martin, Ag Welding & Irrigation Tech Certs

Ord, Nebraska — Laci Weeks, Animal Care Cert



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$22,000 2by2 winning ticket sold in Grand Island

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,000 2by2 winning ticket sold in Grand Island


GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (KSNB) – A Grand Island lottery player is holding a winning ticket worth $22,000, according to the Nebraska Lottery.

Officials said one ticket purchased for the Monday, June 22 2by2 drawing matched all four winning numbers to claim the game’s top prize.

The Nebraska Lottery confirmed the ticket was sold at Hy-Vee Fast & Fresh, 118 Wilmar Ave. in Grand Island.

The winning numbers for the June 22 drawing were Red 10 and 18, and White 17 and 23.

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Nebraska Lottery officials noted winning lottery tickets expire 180 days after the drawing, and prizes of $20,000 or more must be claimed in person at Nebraska Lottery headquarters in Lincoln. More information on claiming prizes is available at nelottery.com or by calling 800-587-5200.

Click here to subscribe to our KSNB Local4 daily digest and breaking news alerts delivered straight to your email inbox.

Copyright 2026 KSNB. All rights reserved.



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‘No room for error’: UNMC reflects as quarantine ends for hantavirus cruise ship passengers

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‘No room for error’: UNMC reflects as quarantine ends for hantavirus cruise ship passengers


After 42 days in quarantine, the last of the hantavirus cruise ship passengers have gone home.

Leaders at the University of Nebraska Medical Center said the experience offered lessons for the next quarantine unit activation and “showed what Nebraska is all about.”

“It’s a long activation period, and over those six weeks, there’s really no room for error,” said Dr. Michael Wadman, chair of the National Quarantine Unit.

Eighteen American passengers from a cruise ship that saw a hantavirus outbreak arrived at UNMC on May 11. Their quarantine in Omaha was part of a nationally coordinated effort to assess, contain and treat any potential infections.

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Late last week, UNMC was down to six of the original 18 passengers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention requested that passengers remain in quarantine through May 31. But symptoms of hantavirus can take up to 42 days to appear, so all passengers were “strongly encouraged” to stay through June 21.

Hantavirus is an illness typically tied to rodents, but it may have passed from human to human aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship, the World Health Organization (WHO) said. Three ship passengers died from the disease.

Wadman said the quarantine unit aims to “constantly improve,” so UNMC leaders listened closely to the needs and experiences of those under quarantine.

“None of us can say we know what it’s like, and we want that feedback, so that we can do better every time we activate,” Wadman said. “The people in Nebraska also stepped up.”

Local restaurants delivered food. Nearby schools sent cards. Omaha Steaks grilled out in the parking lot, and online support rolled in.

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Lessons learned in Nebraska will be shared with other regional treatment centers, said Angela Vasa, director of isolation and quarantine for special pathogens at Nebraska Medicine. That includes mental wellness forums for those in quarantine and improved day-to-day operations.

With the hantavirus quarantine coming to a close, Vasa said UNMC is keeping a close eye on the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda. No cases have been reported in the United States.

“At this time, we don’t have an official request or an active request to accept any individuals exposed to Ebola virus disease or Bundibugyo virus,” Vasa said, “but our team is ready, and we maintain that readiness through our training, our drills, and so should the need arise, our team would be able to respond in in response to that request.”



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Nebraska’s medical marijuana regulations are set to expire before commission’s next opportunity to renew them

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Nebraska’s medical marijuana regulations are set to expire before commission’s next opportunity to renew them


One year since the Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission’s first meeting, delays continue to plague the program, including county restrictions for licensed growers who hope to operate.

More immediately, the commission is up against a deadline: on July 15, its temporary regulations governing licensed growers will expire. Without a vote to renew the regulations, the regulations giving growers the authority to proceed will lapse. The commission’s next meeting isn’t until July 20.

Chair Lorelle Meuting said commissioners expect Attorney General Mike Hilgers to have approved permanent regulations and for Gov. Jim Pillen to have signed off on them by July 15. Both Pillen and Hilgers have openly opposed the medical marijuana program. Crista Eggers, executive director of Nebraskans for Medical Marijauana, worries about what consequences growers could face should the regulations lapse.

“I think there could be legal ramifications,” Eggers said. “Litigation could obviously come at that point if these [temporary regulations] expire and [permanent regulations] are not signed into law.”

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Commissioners also approved a motion to begin accepting applications for manufacturers and to hire Jarrod Boitnott as legal counsel. The commission is also soliciting applications for a commission director.

Since the commission’s May meeting, only one of the four licensed growers, cultivation company MahaMoto, held and passed an inspection of their property. The others have rescheduled their inspections.

Kent Rogert, representing KRL Med LLC., said the company is just six work hours short of being ready for the inspection. But it had to reschedule the inspection after the Washington County zoning administration banned them from their property, arguing that growing cannabis is not considered agriculture and the project can’t be permitted. As the company appeals the decision, Rogert said it will have to postpone the growing season.

“Their ordinance is broad but we’re trying to do this with honey instead of vinegar,” Rogert said, adding that he believes the grower fits well within the county’s definition of agriculture. “We remain cautiously optimistic that we can get something done, but the days are ticking away pretty fast.”

Washington County’s Zoning Administrator Ryan Sullivan was not immediately available for comment. The county’s sheriff, Mike Robinson, opposed medical marijuana bills in the Nebraska Legislature last year.

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“Today’s meeting made one thing clear, the people and patients of Nebraska deserve more than delay, confusion and dysfunction currently happening under [Republican] Attorney General Mike Hilgers,” Jocelyn Brasher, the Democratic candidate for attorney general, said after observing the meeting. “As Attorney General, I will uphold the will of the people and respect NE voters on medical cannabis.”

Hilgers’ office did not respond to a request for comment by press time.

Advocates who hope to be part of the medical marijuana program scolded the commission in public comment, saying continual delays in starting the program have led to patients suffering. Melanie Knight said until the program is ready, patients are forced to turn to opiates for pain medication.

“By not pushing this through and doing what the people of Nebraska have told you to do, you’re actually creating more of an opioid crisis,” Knight said.



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