Local briefs

GRAND ISLAND

EMS workshop to focus on burns

A workshop on "Emergency Care of Burns" for emergency medical technicians and first responders will be from 7 to 10 p.m. July 14 at St. Francis Memorial Health Center, 2116 W. Faidley Ave.

The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services' Emergency Medical Services Program is offering the workshop, which is worth three continuing education hours.

For teleconference site addresses, visit the EMS Trends Web site at cnebcah.hypermart.net/emstrends.htm.

For other information, call Carol Jorgensen, North Central Nebraska Emergency Medical specialist, at (800) 642-4095.



Chamber calls for Harvest of Harmony volunteers

The Grand Island Area Chamber of Commerce is looking for volunteers to help with this year's Harvest of Harmony.

The chamber will sponsor the 67th annual Harvest of Harmony Parade on Oct. 4.

The Harvest of Harmony brings 10,000 additional people to town each year, according to a press release from the chamber, and it takes hundreds of volunteers from the community to make it happen.

Interested volunteers should contact Micki Ward at the chamber at 382-9210 or mward@gichamber.com.



HASTINGS

EMS workshop offered on START triage

A workshop for emergency medical technicians and first responders on START triage will be from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Thursday at the Lincoln Park Fire Station, 1145 S. Hastings Ave. in Hastings.

The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services' Emergency Medical Services Program is offering the workshop, which is worth three continuing education hours.

For more information, call Julie Smithson, South Central Nebraska Emergency Medical specialist, at (888) 466-0669.



KEARNEY

EMS statewide conference to be offered July 11-13

The Statewide EMS Conference for emergency medical technicians and first responders will be from July 11 through July 13 in Kearney.

The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services' Emergency Medical Services Program will offer the conference. Hours will be 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. July 11; 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. July 12; and 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. July 13 at the Holiday Inn, 110 Second Ave.

Preregistration is preferred but not required. The registration form can be found on the NEMSA Web site at www.nemsa.org. Or call Amy at Central Community College, (877) 222-0780, extension 7443; or 398-7443.

The cost for the full conference is $175. For one-day conference attendance (Friday, Saturday or Sunday), the cost is $120.

The conference is worth 15 continuing education hours.

For other information, call Carol Jorgensen, North Central Nebraska Emergency Medical specialist, at (800) 642-4095.



Fundraiser to benefit G.I. woman with brain cancer

A fundraiser is set for July 10 to benefit Grand Island's Tresa Stenka, who has been diagnosed with glioblastoma brain cancer.

The fundraiser will begin at 6 p.m. at BICO's, located at 3012 Highway 30, just west of Kearney. A dinner, auction and band are scheduled.

Stenka has three sons, Chris in Grand Island, Shawn in Omaha and Brian in Colorado.

Fundraiser tickets are available by calling (308) 224-3094.



 YORK

Four businesses fail alcohol compliance check

Four businesses in York County were found to be non-compliant after selling alcohol to minors during compliance checks held on June 27.

The Nebraska State Patrol in conjunction with the York Police Department and the York and Polk County Sheriff's Departments conducted compliance checks at 32 alcohol retail outlets in the two counties.

The retail outlets checked during the collaborative effort included convenience, liquor and grocery stores as well as restaurants and bars.

Four of the 32 establishments checked, or 12.5 percent, were found to be noncompliant after selling alcohol to minors.

Compliance checks are conducted to help communities determine the extent of the problem of alcohol sales as a source of youth access to alcohol.

Local law enforcement conducts compliance checks to ensure that businesses are in compliance with the state's youth alcohol laws.

Additional funding for the agencies involved in the increased enforcement effort is provided by the Nebraska Office of Highway Safety (NOHS).



NORFOLK

Economic development agency awards housing grant

The Nebraska Department of Economic Development has awarded $200,000 in HOME funding that was set aside as part of the 2007 Nebraska Affordable Housing Program to Northeast Economic Development Inc. (NED).

NED is a regional affordable housing program based in Norfolk that provides loans and funding to residents in a four-county area in northeast Nebraska.

NED has identified the need to rehabilitate as many as 55 homes throughout its coverage area of Boone, Antelope, Nance and Knox counties. This funding will go toward rehabilitating nine of those owner-occupied homes.

NED also plans to partner with Golden Rod Hills Community Action in Wisner, Central Nebraska Community Services in Loup City and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development to help additional homeowners.

For information, call Thomas Higginbotham Jr., NED, Inc., at (402) 379-1150.