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Hi Grand Island, hope you’re having a great weekend!

In today’s in-case-you-missed-it edition: Sandhill crane migration, the Harlem Globetrotters 100 Year Tour, and Liederkranz Bockfest + the top stories from this week & a sneak peek at next week.

From today’s sponsor, FinanceBuzz: Many Nebraska drivers end up paying higher auto insurance premiums because they don’t shop around enough. The same driver with the same car can get wildly different quotes from different insurers, so it truly pays to compare. Their free tool makes it easy.*

📰 Most-clicked stories this week

New campsite plan draws scrutiny: In February, Grand Island City Council approved an 8-stall RV park at 1333 E. Stolley Park, just south of Fonner Park. Neighbors raised concerns about disruption and longer-than-180-day stays — get all the details.

Scholarship marks 42nd year: Three high school seniors, including one from Grand Island, were awarded UNK’s top Honors Program full-ride scholarship, which covers major costs, with recipients set to start classes this fall — get all the details.

Spectacular migration is underway: Sandhill cranes are back along the Platte, with 115,000 here and hundreds of thousands more expected as Crane Trust and Rowe Sanctuary host programs and blind tours now through April — get details on tours and talks.

Nothing prepares you for a pet emergency: I learned that the hard way after charging $10k to a credit card for life-saving surgery on my cat, Miss Stache. As soon as we got home, I signed up for Spot. It’s super affordable – and reimburses up to 90% of the bill.*

Gold & silver are hot: Last year was gold’s best year since 1979. Silver did even better, climbing nearly 150%… and analysts expect the momentum to continue. Curious about precious metal investing? GoldCo has a helpful guide that covers everything you need to know. It’s free — and definitely worth a read.*

All the crowd favorites:

• Paint flower pots at the library
• Savor sliders with curated beer pairings
• Thrive after cancer with Survivorship 101

💎 This week’s top finds

Cozy noodle fix: Craving warm, fast, seriously satisfying? Oriental Market/Thai-Lao Restaurant serves Thai and Lao comfort bowls, brothy or stir-fried, with generous portions that often stretch into tomorrow’s lunch. Consistently fresh and cozy, easy takeout that never feels like settling.

Build-your-own bliss: Midday hunger? Big Dally’s Deli stacks fresh-baked bread, house-cut meats, and more than 75 sandwich combos. Pair with soup, tweak the extras, and add a shake when morale lags. Decision fatigue at lunch never tasted better.

Cue the curtain: Grand Island Little Theatre keeps the community spotlight bright with a full season of local talent, familiar stories, and fresh surprises. It’s live theatre that feels close to home, gloriously unplugged, with weeknight escapes and weekend magic for anyone craving something real.

These aren’t ads or sponsored placements — they’re the local spots your fellow readers clicked on most this week.

🫶 We got your back

Your data is for sale right now: There are over 400 websites selling your info to marketers, political campaigns, and scammers. They’ve got your phone number, home address, relatives’ names… you name it. That’s how robocallers seem to know everything about you before you pick up. You can remove your info one site at a time, or pay a service to do it for you. Here’s what we recommend →

Why your last diet didn’t work: Sustained weight loss is nearly impossible with diet alone. Your body literally fights back by making you hungrier the moment you start restricting calories. That’s why more doctors are recommending GLP-1s. The best part? Getting them has never been easier. We compared three programs to help you find the right fit. See which ones stood out →

Paying full price is officially optional: Blu Dot just marked down dozens of their best sofas, beds, dining tables, outdoor pieces, and lighting by as much as 60%. Not because something’s wrong with them, but because every great design eventually has to make room for the next one. The deals change daily, so it’s always a new adventure. *See what’s on sale today →

Most people have no idea what’s happening inside their body: Not because the data doesn’t exist, but because no one’s collecting it. Routine annual checkups miss things like body composition, biological age, and the biomarkers that can help predict long-term patterns. The good news? HumeHealth offers tools to help you track all of that at home for less than the cost of a specialist visit. *Use code NEW20 to save 20% →

Something in your house is about to break: It might be your AC, your water heater, your fridge… doesn’t matter. Every major appliance has an expiration date, and when it goes, you’ll be staring down a repair bill that can climb into the thousands fast. An AHS home warranty covers these types of surprises + *select plans are $150 off right now →

📆 Sneak peek at next week

Have an event to share? BaseLocal Verified Businesses can submit them for free! Learn more about how to submit an event here →

All events are subject to change without notice. Always check official event pages for the most up to date information.

🍷 Rhinestone Wine Glass @ Maltman Memorial Library (Wood River) | Wednesday (3/18) at 6:30 PM – Finally, a reason to bedazzle something you actually use. This Rhinestone Wine Glass party mixes hands-on sparkle with good pours, real conversation, and zero Zoom squares, so bring your steady hand, your favorite sipper, and a friend who appreciates tasteful bling.

🏀 The Harlem Globetrotters 100 Year Tour @ Heartland Events Center | Wednesday (3/18) at 7:00 PM – Whether you remember Curly and Meadowlark or only know the whistle, the Globetrotters are in town for a 100-year victory lap. Expect slick handles, gravity-taunting dunks, kid-pleasing antics, and a shiny Golden Basketball, plus high-fives, laughs, and that rare feeling of pure, screen-free joy.

🌸 Hps Foundation Spring Festival @ City Auditorium Hastings, NE | Thursday (3/19) at 5:30 PM – Nothing beats a spring fest where you can eat well, catch great entertainment, and bump into half the town. The HPS Foundation is throwing a celebration, with food, fun, and feel-good vibes that support HPS. Grab tickets, bring friends, and skip the dishes.

🐔 Backyard Delight Chicken Barn Quilt @ Central Community College Grand Island Adult Education | Friday (3/20) at 1:00 PM – Add some homegrown flair with a 2×2 outdoor barn quilt you paint, no barn required. Choose pre-drawn Backyard Delight chickens to match your flock, or pick from 48+ geometric designs. Bring yellow Delicate Frogtape, a hair dryer, an extension cord, and register with CCC.

🐝 Beesh Spring Opening @ BEESH home + table (Hastings) | Saturday (3/21) at 10:00 AM – BEESH is opening for its second spring season, showing off fresh finds from market. Swing by to browse, chat, and discover that “just looking” loosely translates to a candle, a cardigan, and a plant you swear you can keep alive.

🍺 Liederkranz Bockfest @ Grand Island Liederkranz | Saturday (3/21) at 3:00 PM – Clear your calendar and dust off the stein, Bockfest is back at the Liederkranz. Expect ice-cold bock, the Polka Police keeping the beat, hearty eats, and that neighborly buzz you actually like. Come for the malt, stay for the two-step, and the stories.

🐾 Disco Paws: Furball 2026 @ Riverside Golf Club | Saturday (3/21) at 5:30 PM – If you’ve been waiting for a sign to bust out the sequins, this is it. The shelter’s biggest fundraiser turns Riverside into a disco garden with cocktails, dinner, live and silent auctions, a DJ spinning 70s and 80s, and each shimmy helps four paws.

Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →

📻 Grand Island report

Weather forecast

Today – High: 30°F – Low: 10°F – Precip: 24%

Patchy blowing dust and a slight chance of snow after 7am. Cloudy. High near 30, with temperatures falling to around 26 in the afternoon. North northwest wind 35 to 40 mph, with gusts as high as 60 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. New snow accumulation of less than half an inch possible. Later: Patchy blowing dust before 9pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 10. Wind chill values as low as -9. North northwest wind 25 to 35 mph, with gusts as high as 55 mph. New snow accumulation of less than half an inch possible.

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Tomorrow – High: 34°F – Low: 17°F – Precip: 0%

Sunny, with a high near 34. North northwest wind 10 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Later: Partly cloudy, with a low around 17.

Most popular house this week

This 2023-built 2-bed, 2-bath townhome in a 55+ community lines the 18th hole of Riverside Golf Course with fairway views. A high end kitchen with granite and black stainless opens to a firelit living room. The primary suite adds a storm-shelter walk-in and an onyx-surround shower. A spacious office, drop zone, and 2-car garage boost everyday ease.

Take a peek inside →