Bridgeport News-Blade

11/11/2025

CDC and FDA Investigate Infant Botulism Outbreak Linked to Recalled Infant Formula

LINCOLN, NE – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are currently investigating a multistate outbreak of infant botulism linked to ByHeart Whole Nutrition Infant Formula, sold in-store and online from July 2025 to November 2025. Retailers with stores in Nebraska selling ByHeart Whole Nutrition Infant Formula include Walmart, Target, and Whole Foods Market.

The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is closely monitoring updates in the investigation and working with local health departments, the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, and retailers to ensure the recalled formula is removed from store shelves.

No cases related to this outbreak have been reported in Nebraska at this time. Related to this outbreak, the CDC has reported 13 infant botulism cases across 10 states involving infants reported to have consumed ByHeart powdered infant formula. Currently, no deaths have been reported by the CDC.

On November 8, 2025, ByHeart Inc. announced a voluntary recall of ByHeart Whole Nutrition Infant Formula from two lots:

Lot: 206VABP/251261P2 ("Use by 01 Dec 2026")
Lot: 206VABP/251131P2 ("Use by 01 Dec 2026")


The CDC advises parents and caregivers who purchased ByHeart Whole Nutrition Infant Formula to check the lot number and expiration date printed on the bottom of the infant formula container. Stop using it immediately if the formula is from one of the recalled lots with a “01 Dec 2026” expiration date. Either throw it away immediately or return it to the location where it was purchased. Wash all items and surfaces that may have touched the recalled formula using hot soapy water or a dishwasher.

The CDC and DHHS recommend caregivers seek immediate medical care if an infant has any of the following symptoms, regardless of exposure to this product:
• difficulty sucking or swallowing during feedings,
• poor feedings,
• loss of head control,
• decreased facial expression,
• a weak or altered cry, or
• loss of muscle tone.
Symptoms of infant botulism may take several weeks to develop following exposure. Infant botulism occurs when spores of the bacteria Clostridium botulinum infect a baby’s intestine and begin to produce botulinum toxin. Infants who consumed the recalled formula need vigilant monitoring from their parent or caregiver. If untreated, infants with infant botulism may experience progressive paralysis leading to breathing difficulties, hospitalization, or death.

The CDC guidance for clinicians suspecting a patient with infant botulism is to call 510-231-7600 immediately for case consultation. Case consultation is available 24/7. Treatment with BabyBIG® (botulism immune globulin) must be administered as soon as possible following symptom onset. Do not wait for laboratory confirmation. Additional response guidance can be found by contacting the Nebraska DHHS Division of Public Health 24/7 hotline at 402-471-2937.

In addition, the CDC advises businesses not to sell or use recalled infant formula. As a safety precaution, wash and sanitize items and surfaces that may have contacted the recalled formula.

For additional information, please visit the FDA’s information website at https://bit.ly/3LBYeWg or the CDC Botulism website.

11/05/2025

Nelson to be removed from the office of Morrill County Assessor

The recall election to remove Rose Nelson from the office of Morrill County Assessor, with 52 percent voter turnout, was successful with the following results: Yes: 963, No: 596. The county commissioners will appoint someone to fill the vacancy within 45 days.

09/25/2025

NetFest Volleyball registration will close on Friday, October 3 at 11:59 p.m.

The 2025 Nebraska NetFest State Championships are calling all teams ready to compete, connect, and leave it all on the court.

This isn’t just another weekend of volleyball — it’s where energy meets intensity, and every serve, set, and spike matters.

👉 Lock in your spot now at NebraskaSportsCouncil.com

Presented by: Visit Kearney
Hosted by: Kearney, NE SportsPlex
Powered by: Nebraska Volleyball Academy, Great Plains Volleyball Region and Nebraska Sports Council

09/25/2025

NetFest Pickleball registration will close on Wednesday, October 1 at 11:59 p.m., with entry limited to a maximum of 12 participants/teams per division.

Whether you're in it to win or just love the game, NetFest Pickleball brings together players from all over Nebraska for a weekend of fun, competition, and community spirit in Kearney.

Spots are limited and filling fast — don’t wait! Final Deadline is October 1st!
👉 Sign up now: https://event.racereach.com/netfestpickleball/register

Proudly sponsored by Visit Kearney
Hosted by Kearney, NE SportsPlex & Kearney Parks & Recreation

09/25/2025

09/03/2025

First Baptist Church is Expanding!

Join Us for our Ground Breaking Ceremony on September 4 at 10 AM at 1402 T Street in Bridgeport, Ne. Refreshments to follow the ceremony in the fellowship hall.

The First Baptist Church in Bridgeport is proud to announce they are growing! Trustee Chair, Dave Smith, notes, ”Our church has a wonderful facility, but we were lacking Sunday School space for all ages! The Building Committee has been working with Architect Rod Laucomer to develop a plan which adds 3 classrooms with a welcoming entryway to our Fellowship Hall for nearly a year. Trustees, Milo Cardenos and Monty Ogard also served with other volunteers on the building committee.”

On July 20th, the congregation voted overwhelmingly to approve the addition and a contract with Tate Rice Construction to complete the expansion. Work is scheduled to begin the first week of September2 with completion estimated by Thanksgiving! Moderator Phillip Kesterson said, ”I couldn’t be happier with the outcome of the vote….this is a wonderful commitment to our church, our community and our Lord.”

Pastor Ray Cook shares, “Wow!!! God is good. For a while now, we here at First Baptist, have realized that we have a need for classroom space. Thanks to answered prayers and the hard work, dedication , determination and vision of so many, very soon now we will begin the construction on three new rooms. We are looking forward to utilizing these for an adult class, youth classes and also being able to use the area for Wednesday Youth Groups. They will provide opportunities for many things. Watch as we grow!! God's word will be read, studied and followed. These rooms will not only be great for us right now, but they will be for God's glory and growing his Eternal Kingdom! Praise the Lord and Pray for his guidance in everything. Colossians 3: 17… And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Remember Hebrews 13: 8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.”

The new 1600 square foot addition designed by Architect, Rod Loucomer, Lincoln and the Building Committee will give our Sunday School teachers more opportunities with ample storage and age-appropriate settings so everyone can learn about our Savior, Jesus Christ! The space also adds larger areas for families to gather during funerals and weddings. A bidding process began in May with Tate Rice, Rice Construction, being awarded the bid in July. An interesting note, Rice Construction, headed by Tate’s father at the time, built the original First Baptist Church on the same location! Construction is slated to begin shortly after Labor Day with completion by the end of the year.

If you haven’t had a chance to visit First Baptist Church at 1402 T Street in Bridgeport, we encourage you to stop in for our Sunday School, Worship Service, Youth Group or Bible Study groups. Worship Service is Sunday at 9-10 AM; Sunday School at 10:15 AM, Monday Night Bible Study at 6:00 PM, Wednesday Night Youth Groups - 5:30 pm -Elementary/Jr. High with High School at 6:30 PM and Men’s Thursday Bible Study at 6:30 AM. Ladies Fellowship Circle meets the 2nd Monday of each Month and MOPS (Mother’s of Preschoolers) meets on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays at 9 AM. For more information on any of these exciting opportunities, please contact Pastor Ray Cook at phone number: 970-380-5439.

The Ground Breaking Ceremony will take place on Thursday, September 4th at 10 AM at 1402 T Street in Bridgeport, NE. Please join us for refreshments following the ceremony.

08/13/2025

2025 Annual PARTT scheduled for Aug. 14

Nebraska Extension Release

The annual Panhandle Agriculture Research and Technology Tour will be held on Thursday, Aug. 14, at the UNL Panhandle Research Extension and Education Center campus in Scottsbluff.

The free event will begin with registration at 9 a.m. and a welcome by UNL Panhandle Research Extension and Education Director John Westra at 8:30 a.m., followed by tours of the research plots. Vendors and equipment will be on-site. Demo and field visits will be held, along with a tour of dry bean varieties.

Following is the agenda:

9 to 9:30 a.m. - Registration (coffee and rolls)

9:30 a.m. - Welcome by Director John Westra

9:30 to Noon - UNL Outdoor presentations:

Trailer Tours
Dr. Xin Qiao & Gary Stone: Irrigation Research Update
Dr. Carlos Urrea: Update on the dry bean breeding program
Dr. Nevin Lawrence: Palmer Amaranth Management
Dr. Bijesh Maharjan: Nitrogen management in sugar beet
Dr. Pin-Chu Lai: Insect Control

Booth space visits with specialists
Dr. Wei-zhen Liang: STEM education with sensors and cameras
Dr. Dipak Santra: Alternative crops for Nebraska
Dr. Mohamed Khalil: Geophysics in groundwater and hydraulic structures
Dr. Bob Harveson: Multi-crop diseases
Jessica Groskopf: Ag economy update

Noon to 1 p.m. - Lunch

Vendor & Equipment Visits

1-2 p.m. - Dry bean variety tour - Mitchell Ag Lab, hosted by Carlos Urrea

Register for PARTT at

Welcome Panhandle Research Extension and Education Center Register for P.A.R.T.T. Panhandle Research The UNL Panhandle Research, Extension and Education Center, innovates and conducts research to make life better for Nebraska ag producers, rural communities, businesses, children, and families. Ninet...

06/25/2025

USDA Designates 12 Nebraska Counties as Natural Disaster Areas Due to Drought

Cheyenne County listed as contiguous

This Secretarial natural disaster designation allows the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) to extend much-needed emergency credit to producers recovering from natural disasters through emergency loans. Emergency loans can be used to meet various recovery needs including the replacement of essential items such as equipment or livestock, reorganization of a farming operation, or to refinance certain debts. FSA will review the loans based on the extent of losses, security available, and repayment ability.

According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, these counties suffered from a drought intensity value during the growing season of 1) D2 Drought-Severe for 8 or more consecutive weeks or 2) D3 Drought-Extreme or D4 Drought-Exceptional.

Impacted Area: Nebraska
Triggering Disaster: Drought (Fast Track)
Application Deadline: 02/02/2026

Primary Counties Eligible:
State: Nebraska: Counties include Blaine, Brown, Dawson, Deuel, Ho**er, Kimball, Lincoln, Logan, McPherson, Platte, Rock and Thomas

Contiguous Counties Also Eligible:
State: Nebraska: Counties include Arthur, Banner, Boone, Boyd, Buffalo, Butler, Cherry, Cheyenne, Colfax, Custer, Frontier, Garden, Gosper, Grant, Hayes, Holt, Keith, Keya Paha, Loup, Madison, Merrick, Nance, Perkins, Phelps, Polk, and Stanton
State: Colorado: Counties include Logan, Sedgwick, and Weld
State: Wyoming: Counties include Laramie

More Resources

On farmers.gov, the Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool, Disaster Assistance-at-a-Glance fact sheet, and Loan Assistance Tool can help you determine program or loan options. To file a Notice of Loss or to ask questions about available programs, contact your local USDA Service Center.

06/09/2025

Nebraska Panhandle hosts 2025 Wheat Variety Tours

Nebraska Extension

The University of Nebraska–Lincoln Crop Performance Testing Program’s annual wheat variety tours will be in the Panhandle June 10-12. Hosted by local farmer-cooperators and university farm managers, the tours highlight unique wheat varieties and experimental lines being tested.

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture’s associate professor Cody Creech and research associate professor Amanda Easterly will lead the tours. They will be joined by Katherine Frels, agronomy and horticulture assistant professor and small grains breeder, and Stephen Wegulo, Department of Plant Pathology small grains plant pathologist, who will provide updates and answer questions. Seed industry partners will also share insights.

The Banner and Deuel County events will be grower-led, offering added opportunities for one-on-one engagement with the Nebraska wheat team. For more information, visit go.unl.edu/wheat-tours.

The following are dates, times, and locations:

• June 10 - V&F Seeds, Deuel County - Tuesday, at 5 p.m. MDT

• June 11 - High Plains Agricultural Lab, Cheyenne County - Wednesday, at 8:30 a.m. MDT

• June 11 - Cullan Farm Seed, Hemingford, Box Butte County - Wednesday, at 5 p.m. MDT – Irrigated Trial

• June 12 - Jim Wyatt Farm, Banner County - Thursday, at 9 a.m. MDT

06/04/2025

Drought prep and planning for the beef producer webinar scheduled for June 5

Nebraska Extension

The Nebraska Extension will host a free webinar, “Drought Management Tools, Expected Grass Production and Early Weaning,” on Thursday, June 5, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. MT. The webinar will feature University of Nebraska–Lincoln specialists. They will assist producers in evaluating their options and making the best decision for their situations.

While the recent rains have been very welcome and brought some drought reprieve, the impacts of drought will still impact decisions for cattle producers across much of the state as the summer progresses. The webinar will cover key management practices and decision-making strategies to help mitigate the effects of drought.
• Early weaning calves – Karla Wilke, cow-calf management specialist
• New drought planning tools – Tonya Haigh, National Drought Mitigation Center
• Range and pasture outlook – Mitch Stephenson, range and forage specialist
• Summer annual forage options – Jerry Volesky, range and forage specialist
Producers may attend virtually or join one of several in-person host site locations across Nebraska:
• Rushville – Brock Ortner, Sheridan County Extension Office, 308-327-2312
• Scottsbluff – Mitch Stephenson, PREEC Bluestem Room, 308-632-1355
• Kimball – Aaron Berger, Kimball Extension Office, 308-235-3122
• O’Neill – Bethany Johnston, Holt County Annex, 402-336-2760
• Fullerton – Josie Crouch, Nance County Extension, 308-536-2691
• Lexington – Talon Mues and Brent Plugge Dawson County Office, 308-324-5501

There is no cost to attend, but producers are encouraged to contact the host site ahead of time to help with planning.

To attend remotely via Zoom, contact Aaron Berger at [email protected] or 308-235-3122 to register and receive login details. A recording of the webinar will be made available following the event for those unable to attend live.

05/30/2025

05/27/2025

DED and DHHS Announce Public Comment Period, Public Meeting on Proposed Plans to Use Federal Funds for Community Planning and Development

The Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED) and the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) will solicit public comments from June 6, 2025, through July 7, 2025. The public comment period pertains to the planned use of federal funding received from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for Community Planning and Development (CPD) Programs. These programs, administered by the State of Nebraska, primarily benefit low- to moderate-income persons in residential areas.

Following Congressional appropriation, HUD allocates annual federal funding to the State of Nebraska for CPD Programs. DED and DHHS assess and prioritize community development needs and develop plans to address those needs using the HUD allocation (Proposed Plans). These Proposed Plans identify programs to be implemented, outline the method of distributing funds, and describe how funded activities will meet HUD requirements. The Proposed Plans include:

• The 2025-2029 Consolidated Plan, a five-year planning instrument that identifies and prioritizes community development needs that may be served with certain CPD funding;

• The 2025 Annual Action Plan (AAP), a summary of actions and activities to be carried out in the 2025 program year, the first program year in the Consolidated Plan. An AAP describes the projects and eligible activities to be assisted, which support low- and moderate-income persons, meet national objectives, and achieve state priorities. The AAP also describes application schedules and selection criteria, priority activities, and plans for minimizing the displacement of persons as a result of funded activities; and

• The Citizen Participation Plan, which describes the public engagement process to facilitate meaningful, effective program implementation and compliant investment of the federal funding.

These plans primarily involve the state’s allocation of its Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), Home Investment Partnerships (HOME), National Housing Trust Fund (HTF), Emergency Solution Grant (ESG), and Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) program funding. DED administers the CDBG, HOME, and HTF programs for the non-entitlement areas of the state, whereas DHHS administers the ESG and HOPWA funding. Federal funding amounts to approximately $18.9 million for the 2025 program year.

To inform planning and decision-making, the State is seeking as much public engagement and input as possible from low- and moderate-income individuals and from entities serving these populations. Preliminary data findings were presented during a Public Hearing held on April 21, 2025. In developing the Proposed Plans, the State utilized data and public input to identify community development needs statewide and devise strategies to best address these needs through investments in community-based projects and activities. DED and DHHS will solicit public comments on the Proposed Plans from June 6, 2025, until July 7, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. CT. After the public comment period ends, DED and DHHS will address the public comments and then submit revised Proposed Plans to HUD for approval, according to HUD requirements.

During the public comment period for the Proposed Plans, the state will hold a Public Hearing (in person and online) to review the Proposed Plans and accept public comments. Date, time, location, and registration information are listed below. Pre-registration is encouraged.

Date: Friday, June 13, 2025
Time: 11:00 a.m. CT / 10:00 a.m. MT

In-Person Location:
Nebraska Department of Economic Development
245 Fallbrook Blvd (Hearing Room, Lower Level, Room 031) Lincoln, NE 68521
Register at: https://opportunity.nebraska.gov/training

Livestream Access:
Webex platform, closed captions available
Register at https://opportunity.nebraska.gov/training

Starting June 6, 2025, electronic copies of the Proposed Plans will be available on DED’s website at https://opportunity.nebraska.gov/reports. Copies of the Proposed Planscan also be requested by contacting Lori Cole, DED Office Manager, at 800-426-6505 or 402-471-3746, or by emailing [email protected].

All written comments must be received by DED before the close of the comment period. Those interested in submitting a public comment can email comments to [email protected] with the subject line “2025 CPD Proposed Plans.” Written comments can also be mailed to: Nebraska Department of Economic Development, ATTN: 2025 CPD Proposed Plans, 245 Fallbrook Blvd, Suite 002, Lincoln, NE 68521.

Individuals requiring additional accommodations (e.g., sensory, interpreter services) for this meeting, and anyone with questions about the hearing, should contact Laura Hart at 308-202-0177 or [email protected].

Los individuos que no hablan inglés y los individuos con discapacidad podrán solicitor ayuda y servicios necesarios para contactar el Departamento de Desarrollo Economico, 245 Fallbrook Blvd, Lincoln, Nebraska 68521, [email protected].

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