Recent Work

While celebrating Community Health Charities of Nebraska's 40th anniversary Friday evening, Ty Dimmitt, 15, of Grand Island joins together with other people to honor a loved one, friend or family member who has fought a chronic illness or disease by participating in a Sky Wish Lantern Ceremony at Central Community College in Grand Island. (Independent/Barrett Stinson)

Warm weather prevails, as a group of kids wade through a river channel just north of Bader Park. The forecast for today calls for possible thunderstorms, including the possibility of severe weather outbreaks across the region. (Independent/Barrett Stinson)

A sandhill crane playfully tosses a corn stalk with its beak while jumping in the air in a cornfield southwest of the Platte Generating Station. Large numbers of the birds have made their annual stopover in the area during their southern winter migration. (Independent/Barrett Stinson)

Kindergartner Quinton Lange rides a sled with paraeducator Jeanie Karn on Wednesday as Wasmer Elementary School students and faculty go sledding in the Wasmer detention cell, former site of the school. (Independent/Barrett Stinson)

Nathan Burnett playfully holds his rooster while waiting to compete in the Intermediate Showmanship event Monday during the Hall County Fair 4-H Poultry Show in the Sheep Barn at the State Fair grounds. (Independent/Barrett Stinson)

After walking across the stage, graduate Nadia Hi (left) feeds her 3-week-old son, Oliver Flatness, on Monday afternoon during graduation ceremonies at the Grand Island Ombudsman Center. (Independent/Barrett Stinson)

A goose belonging to Paul "The Gooseman"' appears to be giving a double "rock on" sign as it takes a morning bath in a large pool of standing water left by overnight storms Tuesday morning at the State Fair in Grand Island. (Independent/Barrett Stinson)

The city spent $20,000 on terrorism insurance to protect Grand Island's power plants, including Substation H on Cherry Street where Kellie Panowicz, 6, is riding an orange-tractor tricycle just south of the Burdick Generating Station, and water distribution systems this year. Last week, the city decided to continue the terrorism insurance for a second year at a cost of nearly $22,000. (Independent/Barrett Stinson)

Grand Island Senior High senior Ben Holloway walks by a series of mirrors with his saxophone near the band room, as he and other band members prepare for this Saturday's Harvest of Harmony Parade. (Independent/Barrett Stinson)

Standing in front of their family-owned business, Henderson Food Mart, members of the Bennett clan, including (from left) Joanna Bennett, 10, Samuel Bennett, 7, Mikayla Bennett, 16, Molly Bennett, 14, and Anna Bennett, 12, hold letters spelling out "Go Band" with Gary Scott, 8, (not seen), as members of the Heartland Community High School marching band move along Main Street while practicing for the upcoming Harvest of Harmony Parade. Band supporters who work downtown say they come out whenever the band marches through downtown Henderson. (Independent/Barrett Stinson)

On a windy day, Grand Island firefighters have their hands full with a large American flag as they travel eastward along Third Street on Saturday morning during the Harvest of Harmony Parade in downtown Grand Island. (Independent/Barrett Stinson)

Three of 15 Trinity Lutheran kindergartners, (from left) Becca Dinkelman, Gilbert Mendez-Betancourt and Aiva Peterson, display their excitement about socks, especially Mendez-Betancourt. According to Principal Sandy Armstrong over 700 pairs of socks have been donated during "Socktober" at Trinity Lutheran School in Grand Island. After being sorted by size, the socks will be given to Hope Harbor, the Crisis Center and Wedgewood Care Center, with some socks also slated to be distributed the children in NebraskaÕs foster care system. (Independent/Barrett Stinson)

At the wire in the final race, (from left) fourth-grader Taylor Jakubowski's pig wins by a snout as kindergartner Thomas Schneider and sixth-grader Riley Friesen cheer for their pigs as honorary judge Hall County sheriff's deputy Donovan Fowler and social studies teacher Thad Stanley look on Wednesday during the annual mechanical pigs races at Cedar Hollow School in Grand Island. (Independent/Barrett Stinson)

Marine Pfc. Kevin Godfrey (right) comforts his sister, Karen Pfeifer, after the graveside ceremony for her husband, Pfc. Christopher Pfeifer, Wednesday afternoon at St. Michael’s Cemetery south of Spalding. Pfeifer died Sept. 25 of injuries he suffered in August when insurgents attacked his unit in Afghanistan.

It’s a colorful day for Daniel Helzer, 3, of Aurora, as he selects the next color to paint with in the Kid’s Art Tent on Saturday during FAMfest in downtown Aurora. Children are also able to try their hands at clay work, wire sculpting, ceramics, and batik at the annual festival of the arts.

Though it may look more serious at first glance, two dogs owned by Dee Toms of Hastings, Sadie and Rocky (right), play with each other while running free in the 55-acre Hastings Dog Park on Friday. The park, which is just south of Good Samaritan Village, has been open since last Saturday.

Nebraska's Marlon Lucky stretches out for a third-quarter pass only to come up short after beating John Houlik of Kansas State. Lucky ran for 103 yards and another 78 yards receiving.

Standing in 6-and-a-half inches of water in her basement, Cyndie Larson wipes a tear from her eyes while describing the groundwater-related flooding problems she’s had in her home of 20 years since April 24. “It’s been as high as 16 inches. It’s 6-and-a-half today,” said Larson.

Parked in the Taylor Ranch area at Stuhr Museum, the sun rises behind the former home of Leo Stuhr, Stuhr Museum founder and benefactor. Later Wednesday morning, the house was moved across the museum grounds by Williams and Son House Movers to its new home near Stuhr Museum's Railroad Town. (Independent/Barrett Stinson)

The Independent's 2012 Community Builder Award is presented to members of the Grand Foundation for their work restoring the Grand Theatre in downtown Grand Island. Foundation board members include (from left) John Osenbaugh, Mark Tracy, Liz Geberding, Jim Pohl, Delonna McDowell, Kim Mettenbrink, Judy Humiston, Randy Spellbrink, Craig Hand and Ray Evans. Board members Tom Ziller and Matt Armstrong are not pictured. (Independent/Barrett Stinson)