Good morning, Grand Island.

At Grand Island Senior High School’s auditorium on May 14, the Grand Island Hometown Heroes ceremony honored 51 local veterans with banners displayed on Capital Avenue from Memorial Day to Veterans Day.

The program will select 77 heroes next year + online applications open Jan. 1.

Allie Daro, a UNMC student regent and former UNK student, spoke on Thursday at the dedication ceremony for the Douglas A.

Kristensen Rural Health Education Complex (costing $115 million) on the UNK campus in Kearney. She credited the UNK-UNMC partnership for expanding rural healthcare education.

Firefighters from across Nebraska are gathering at the 89th annual state fire school at Fonner Park, where 27 classes help them improve emergency skills (a key hands-on learning opportunity) and sessions continue through Sunday.

Two more passengers exposed to hantavirus arrived at UNMC-Nebraska Medicine’s National Quarantine Unit on Friday afternoon after being medically cleared following treatment at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta.

The 20-room facility (each room 300 sqft) uses negative air pressure to safely house those at risk of infection.

CHI Health St. Francis Foundation invites emergency medical departments in Greeley, Hall, Hamilton, Howard and Merrick counties to apply for grant funding by Friday, June 12 - funds raised via its Ticket to Win raffle support first responder training, supplies and a Baby Bereavement Suite.

Top-seeded Nebraska softball came back from a 1-0 start and beat South Dakota 4-1 on Friday at Bowlin Stadium (Rhonda Revelle Field) to advance to the regional semifinals; they will face Grand Canyon on Saturday at noon with pregame coverage at 11:45 a.m. on B-107.3.

The NSAA State Baseball Tournament began Friday with Grand Island in a Class A quarterfinal against Lincoln East and will run through May 22 at Omaha sites.

The state championship games are set for Friday at Werner Park.

Nebraska Siege single game tickets are now on sale through Ticketmaster.

The preseason matchup against the Minnesota Warhawks will take place on Saturday, May 23, and the regular season opener against the Memphis Hound Dogs will be held on Saturday, May 30 in Grand Island.

Nebraska SIEGE Pro Arena Football

7:05-11:05 p.m. — Heartland Events Center — Ticket availability limited — Catch the thrilling Nebraska Siege Pro Arena Football action right in Grand Island.

Nebraska SIEGE Pro Arena Football

7-11 p.m. — Heartland Events Center — Prices vary — Experience the excitement of arena football with Nebraska SIEGE in Grand Island.