Ginger Adkisson spent a couple days in the home of Derek and Jordan Aden and Chelsea to help with the new baby, Mackenzie Marie.

(HOLDREGE, Neb.) -- The Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District reminds boaters and lake visitors about the importance of cleaning, draining and drying their watercraft to prevent the spread of invasive aquatic species. Invasive species such as zebra mussels, not much bigger than your thumbnail, pose a threat to Nebraska’s lakes, reservoirs and associated power-generating facilities. Once established, the critters are extremely difficult and expensive to remove. They can be very easily spread from one lake to another in boats, live wells, bait buckets, waders or even vegetation attached to boat trailers. When zebra mussels get into a waterway, they stick to every surface available and multiply quickly, many times clogging intake structures and facilities. The public is the only line of defense and Nebraska needs help to repel the invader. With summer activities getting underway at Central’s lakes - Lake McConaughy, Lake Ogallala, Johnson Lake, Jeffrey Lake, East Phillips Lake, Midway Lake or the Supply Canal itself - boaters are urged to “clean, drain and dry” any watercraft or recreational equipment before putting them into the water. Water safety is also of utmost importance when using CNPPID’s water resources for recreational purposes and the public should follow all regulations established by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.

Kathy Welte, of Brady, works on a North Platte Area Habitat for Humanity home Wednesday in North Platte.

I love getting a peek into gardeners’ back yards; it’s like watching the behind-the-scenes reels from a movie set. For lifetime gardeners, the back yard is where the magic happens: compost is decomposing, plants are being divided and their favorite tools are stacked up against the side of the garage. Newer gardeners are experimenting, trying new plants and different design styles.