NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (KNOP) -The Miss Nebraska festivities kicked off tonight at Venue 304 with opening ceremonies.

The week-long event began with a ceremony to give the delegates a chance to introduce themselves to the community before official competition begins.

Each contestant was joined alongside a young girl, where they had the opportunity to be given a crown and sash by a Miss Nebraska member.

Officials say the event is about inspiring young women across the state.

“What it does is it helps them really build that stage presence confidence, and it really allows them to see kind of what we’re all about. We’re more than crowns; we’re more than sashes, but really about building confidence in young women. And they get to see that, and they leave with that confidence after their week-long journey with their candidate,” said Audri Pelton-Johnson, co-director of Miss Nebraska.

The first night of official competition begins Thursday at 6:30 p.m.

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Three-time Nebraska High School State champion Eje Kim has announced his verbal commitment to the admissions process at Yale University as a part of the Bulldogs 2027 recruiting class.

Kim wrote the following about his commitment.

I’m extremely excited to announce my verbal commitment to the admissions process at Yale University! I want to thank my coaches, Pat, Miranda, Gaby, Randy, Katie, Uriah, and Emma for creating my love for swimming and pushing me to the limits. I also want to thank the Yale coaching staff, Jim, Kyle, Joey, and Dana for giving me this amazing opportunity. Thank you to my teammates, Mason, Mason, Ryan, Quinn, Bennett, and Nolan for making practice fun and becoming such good friends. Lastly, thank you to my parents. GO BULLDOGS! 🐶💙

Kim hails from Lincoln, Neb., where he represents Club Husker and Lincoln East High School. As a junior, Kim secured a pair of Nebraska State championship titles, winning both the 100 backstroke in 48.32 and the 100 fly in 47.95. As a sophomore, he claimed his first state championship title in the 100 back, clocking 49.73.

A few weeks after those championships, he raced at the Speedo Sectionals in Columbia, where he won the 50 fly in 21.63, and set a plethora of lifetime bests in the process, including the 50 free (21.22), 100 back (47.83), 200 back (1:44.17), and the 100 fly (47.81).

Best Times SCY:

• 100 Back: 47.83
• 200 Back: 1:44.17
• 100 Fly: 47.81
• 50 Free: 21.22
• 100 Free: 46.44
• 200 Free: 1:40.60
• 200 IM: 1:52.82

Kim is set to join a Yale men’s program that finished just under 200 points behind Ivy League Champions Princeton at the 2026 Men’s Ivy League Championships.

Based on Kim’s best times, he would have finished tied for 11th in the 200 back, 14th in the 100 back, and 20th in the 100 fly.

Kim’s immediate scoring ability is a major upside, and in the highly competitive Ivy League, Yale could use all of the points they can get to creep up to the top of the Ivy League.

With another year until he makes his collegiate debut, Kim still has plenty of time to build up his base times and make an even more significant impact on the Ivy League stage from year one.

Yale was productive in all of Kim’s events at the 2026 Ivy League Championships, including 51 points in the 100 back, 55 points in the 100 fly, and another 74 in the 200 back.

Kim joins Fin McLane, Charles Knoepp, Evan Pan-Wang, and Edward Zhang in Yale’s 2027 recruiting class.

If you have a commitment to report, please send an email with a photo (landscape, or horizontal, looks best) and a quote to [email protected].

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GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (KSNB) — Children across Nebraska can get free meals during the summer months through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Summer Food Service Program.

The Olinger family is one of many families getting free meals while school is out. Mikayla Olinger said the program helps save money on groceries.

“It helps a lot,” Olinger said. “Oh yes, especially with the three boys and now my daughter is starting to eat big food.”

Oscar Garcia, director of food service at West Lawn Elementary, said the community struggles with food insecurity.

“Some kids don’t know where their next meal is coming from, that’s why it’s important we meet the need in our community,” Garcia said.

The program also provides a place for children to learn new skills. One parent said it teaches children how to use a cafeteria so they are prepared when they go for the first time.

“The bonus to that is that sometimes they may run into their classmates they haven’t seen in a couple of months,” Garcia said.

Another parent said the program keeps children active.

Garcia said he has a goal for 16,000 meals to be served this year. Meals are available for any child whether they are in the school district or not.

Meal locations and dates

Free summer breakfast and lunch will be available at the following locations:

• Dodge Elementary — June 2-July 17
• Howard Elementary — June 2-June 26
• Shoemaker Elementary — June 1-June 26
• Starr Elementary — June 1-July 17
• West Lawn Elementary — June 1-July 17
• Grand Island Senior High — June 2-June 27 (breakfast only)

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