Crofton Journal

07/10/2025

Wyatt Tramp was selected to play in the Sertoma 8-man Nebraska All-Star Game last Saturday in Hastings Nebraska. He was voted as one of the Defensive team captains. The East team won 14-8 breaking a 3 year losing streak to the West team.

07/09/2025

Nebraska Extension, in collaboration with Nebraska Game & Parks, Lewis and Clark NRD, and USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service, invites livestock producers and land managers to attend a Summer Pasture Walk on Monday, July 14, 2025, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. at the Trent Arens Farm, located at 88184 528 Ave, Verdigre.
This free event provides a hands-on opportunity to observe and discuss pasture management strategies in a working livestock system.
Attendees will engage with Extension educators, partner representatives, and fellow producers on topics including forage production, grazing management, and pasture improvement.
No registration is required. For more information, contact a local Nebraska Extension 402-254-6821.

07/08/2025

Knox County 4-H members gathered on Friday, June 28th in Center to participate in an Outdoor Adventures Workshop. A total of 12 youth spent the morning learning about the art of nature journaling, locating and finding animal tracks. The morning workshop ended with a field trip along the Verdigre Creek, where the 4-H members learned about native plants and fishing using a seine! Many thanks to our Nebraska Game and Parks partners as well as Verdigre Niobrara Valley Sportsmen members, Jesse and Peggy Krupicka for the creek exploration!

07/07/2025

The Knox County Attorney’s Office reported on June 27 that on June 27, 2025, Alias Reed plead No Contest to First Degree Murder for killing Curt Strom and First Degree Murder for killing William Reffett in Bloomfield, Neb. on Feb. 20, 2024.
District Judge James G. Kube accepted the pleas in the District Court in Madison, and set sentencing for July 29, 2025 in the Knox County District Court in Center.
The mandatory sentence for each charge is Life in Prison without Parole. The State dropped two charges of Use of a firearm to Commit a Felony and waived seeking the death penalty.
Knox County Attorney, Hanna Knox Jensen, thanked the Nebraska State Patrol, the Bloomfield Police Department, and the Knox County Sheriff’s Office for their thorough and professional investigation of these crimes.

07/03/2025

4-H members across Knox County are gearing up for the 2025 Knox County Fair. A total of 40 4-H members participated in 4-H Project Day held on June 10th in Center. Youth in attendance each made four projects to exhibit at the upcoming Knox County Fair. The projects included a picture frame where they learned how glass etching works. A flagpole made from PVC pipe, and the painting of the pole will be customized later by the youth. They made a heritage family from wooden blocks and customized them by color and other special additions to their family. The youth also made a storage seat out of a milk crate where they picked out their own fabric for the seat. These projects are all an introduction to building skills in different project areas, allowing the 4-H members to take them home, and customize their projects!

07/02/2025

Crofton Volunteer Fields’ teams had a successful week as several teams competed in their league tournaments and other contests.
The 18U softball team won the 2025 Nebraska Softball League Tournament on Sunday, June 22 in Crofton.
The team earned the championship by defeating Wausa (9-2), Verdigre (9-3), and Osmond twice (7-1 and 10-0).
A special thank-you goes out to all those who helped run the tournament. Meghann and Cody LaCroix and a helpful following of local volunteers ran the concessions stand, prepared the fields, and umpired in the field.
The Crofton Volunteer Fire Department donated the use of one of their water trucks and two of its members (Kellen Wieseler and Andy Dennis) to water down the fields throughout the day. This helped keep the field conditions playable for the players, coaches, and umpires!

07/01/2025

Clara Wuebben participated at the Nebraska State 4H Communication Premier Event on June 19th and 20th in Lincoln.
She qualified for state in Illustrated Presentation and Public Speaking. She placed in the top 5 (in no specific order) for her illustrated presentation Enjoyable Edible Earth. She received the Illustrated Presentation Top 5 Finalist Award.
The next day she participated in the public speaking contest where she received a top purple in her heat for her speech The 4H Rollercoaster.

06/30/2025

As the baseball and softball season nears the end of the season it was another successful week at Crofton Volunteer Fields. In the above picture Isaac Guenther is pitching while Braxton Hames is playing shortstop in the background.

06/29/2025

Jays get on winning track, win 10-6 over Freeman

The Bluejays got on the winning track in South Central League play this past Sunday, June 22 at hom...

06/28/2025

Two Crofton Warriors on the 12th annual Northeast Nebraska All-Star team in the game in Norfolk on June 13.
Wyatt Tramp and Braxton Foxhoven represented the team on the Red Team.
This year’s Red Team coaching staff included: Cody Volk of Pender; Amp Ferg of Pender; Jason Konicek of Norfolk; Mitch Hyde of Norfolk; Dan Swinton of Pender; and Mike Naeve of Winside.
After four quarters of play, the Red Team came up just short of the win, falling 42-22.

06/27/2025

Crofton alumni challenged to match $10,000 grant

From the Crofton Community Foundation Fund Crofton alumni can take part in turning $10,000 into $2...