Volunteers plant 15,000 flowers during Kearney’s Big Dig at Yanney Park MARY JANE SKALA, KEARNEY HUB May 18, 2026 May 18, 2026 0 × Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save It was a dirty job, but someone had to do it.kAm|@C6 E92? e_ A6@A=6 6286C=J D9@H65 FA 7@C $2EFC52J’D 7:7E9 2??F2= q:8 s:8 2E *2??6J w6C:E286 !2C< @? $2EFC52J] x? =:EE=6 >@C6 E92? 2? 9@FC[ E96J A=2?E65 C@F89=J `d[___ 7=@H6CD]k^AmkAm!2CE:4:A2?ED C2?865 7C@> h\>@?E9\@=5 s64=2? *@F?8 E@ D6?:@C 4:E:K6?D] {:EE=6 s64=2? 5:5?’E A=2?E[ @7 4@FCD6] x? E96 2C>D @7 9:D >@E96C {@82?[ 96 H2E4965 9:D 525[ $92?6[ 2 4:EJ 9@CE:4F=EFC:DE[ A@<6 9@=6D :? E96 7=@H6C 365D H:E9 2? 2F8FC E@ >2<6 A=2?E:?8 62D:6C 7@C E96 G@=F?E66CD]]k^Am kAm“$92?6’D 366? E2=<:?8 23@FE E9:D[ 2?5 x 925 E@ 4@>6 D66 :E[” {@82? D2:5] “xV> AC@G:5:?8 >6?E2= 2?5 6>@E:@?2= DFAA@CE]Qk^Am People are also reading… Nebraska DED official who guided multimillion-dollar state grant program leaves for Omaha post Goodwill opens new thrift and donation center in north Lincoln Papillion's Shadow Lake gets new owner, which plans new tenants Social media reacts to Nebraska softball's pitching coach retiring He loved frogs, big hugs: After act of bravery, 8-year-old is buried in Lincoln. Nebraska's Jordy Frahm joins softball team coaching staff as assistant Ralston police identify man killed in shooting at gas station Way-too-early, way-too-specific Super Bowl 61 prediction: Will Seahawks repeat? Bellevue family mourns veteran, father of five killed in Benson lagoon crash Blackfeet doctor accuses clinic of harming patients with tens of thousands of pain pills One dead overnight after car flips, catches fire in north Lincoln Community Foundation for Western Iowa awards $67,500 in impact grants After Brendan Sorsby ruling, Nebraska A.D. Troy Dannen directs coaches: Don't schedule Texas Tech Longtime Lincoln restaurant Ali Baba Gyros opening 2nd location. Here's where. Lincoln man accused of assaulting woman, stealing vehicle outside Casey’s Luke Huddleston, right, and his wife Mallory, second from left, planted with their children Miles, 11, far left, Amelia, 9, and Macey, 7. MARY JANE SKALA, KEARNEY HUB kAmxE H2D 2=D@ 2 72>:=J 2772:C 7@C {F<6 2?5 |2==@CJ wF55=6DE@? 2?5 E96:C E9C66 49:=5C6?[ p>6=:2[ h[ |246J[ f[ 2?5 |:=6D[ ``[ 2== |625@H=2C< t=6>6?E2CJ AFA:=D]k^AmkAm“(6 =@G6 E9:D] xE’D 7F? E@ A=2?E[” |2==@CJ D2:5] “%9:D :D D@ >F49 7F?[” p>6=:2 D2:5] |246J 25565[ “x =@G6 7=@H6CD] %9:D :D DFA6C 7F?]”k^Am kAm%9:D J62C[ E96J 3C@F89E {F<6’D >@E96C[ qC6?52[ H9@ 92AA:=J A=2?E65 >2C:8@=5D 2?5 >@@?7=@H6CD] “%96J E@=5 >6 :E H2D D@ >F49 7F? =2DE J62C E92E E96J D2:5 x 925 E@ 4@>6 E@52J] p> x 92G:?8 7F?n *6D[” D96 D2:5[ 8C:??:?8]k^Am Brenda Marshall joined her daughter Mallory Huddleston's family at the Big Dig for the first time. MARY JANE SKALA, KEARNEY HUB kAm“%9:D :D 2 8C62E 72>:=J 6G6?E] xE 3C:?8D E96 4@>>F?:EJ E@86E96C[” {F<6 D2:5]k^Am kAm}62C3J[ t2DE@? w6==C:686=[ 2? 6:89E9 8C256C 2E w@C:K@? |:55=6 $49@@=[ 2?5 96C D:DE6C |25:D@?[ H9@ ;FDE 8C25F2E65 7C@> z62C?6J r2E9@=:4 w:89 $49@@=[ E2>A65 5:CE 2C@F?5 E96 2??F2=D E96J’5 ;FDE A=2?E65] xE H2D t2DE@?’D D64@?5 E:>6 2E E96 q:8 s:8 2?5 |25:D@?’D 7@FCE9]k^Am Madison Hellriegel, a new graduate of Kearney Catholic High School, participated in The Big Dig for the fourth time. MARY JANE SKALA, KEARNEY HUB kAm%96J 2C6 E96 52F89E6CD @7 tC:4 w6==C:686=[ z62C?6J’D 5:C64E@C @7 A2C<D[ H9@ DE@@5 ?62C3J H2E49:?8 E96 G@=F?E66CD A=2?E D2=G:2[ 2?86=@?:2[ A:?< 4CJDE2= CF3J 8C2DD 2?5 4@D>@D :?E@ E96 8C@F?5]k^AmkAmw6 D2:5 E96 4:EJ 9@CE:4F=EFC6 DE277 49@@D6D H92E 7=@H6CD D9@F=5 36 A=2?E65 2?5 H96C6[ 32D65 @? “4@=@C[ E6IEFC6 2?5 @E96C E9:?8D[ D@ H6 42? 92G6 2 7F== D62D@? @7 7=@H6CD]”k^AmkAmp 76H ?6H G2C:6E:6D 2C6 AFE :? 6G6CJ J62C[ 2?5 2E E96 6?5 @7 E96 D62D@?[ E96 DE277 2DD6DD6D H92E H@C<65 2?5 H92E 5:5?’E[ 244@C5:?8 E@ yF=:2 |4z=6?[ @?6 @7 E96 4:EJ’D D62D@?2= 9@CE:4F=EFC:DED H9@ H2D 3FDJ A=2?E:?8]k^Am Easton Hellriegel, 14, a student at Horizon Middle School and daughter of Eric Hellriegel, Kearney's director of parks, pitched in, too. MARY JANE SKALA, KEARNEY HUB kAmr:EJ 9@CE:4F=EFC:DE z6?5C2 {2C<:? H2D H2E6C:?8 82C56?D] %96 6G6?E H2D 8@:?8 “C62==J H6==[” D96 D2:5] $@>6 A6@A=6 D9@H65 FA =@?8 367@C6 E96 @77:4:2= h 2]>] DE2CE:?8 E:>6] “%96J H6C6 ;FDE 6I4:E65 E@ 86E 8@:?8[” D96 D2:5]k^AmkAmz2E:6 sF32D H2D 2E E96 q:8 s:8 7@C E96 7:CDE E:>6] “x D2H :E @? u2463@@<[ 2?5 :E D@F?565 =:<6 7F?] x =@G6 E@ A=2?E[ 2?5 x’== 36 6I4:E65 E@ D66 E96 7=@H6CD 8C@H[” D96 D2:5]k^AmkAm%96? E96C6 H6C6 t=:K2 2?5 sC2<6 !@=246<[ f\J62C\@=5 EH:?D @7 p>2?52 2?5 }2E6[ H9@ H6C6 92G:?8 7F? 96=A:?8 E96 25F=ED]k^Am Eliza Polacek, 7, and her twin brother Drake pitched in, too. They are the children of Amanda and Nate Polacek. MARY JANE SKALA, KEARNEY HUB kAmw@DE6DD6D 2E E96 C68:DEC2E:@? E23=6 H6C6 G@=F?E66CD #6G2 z66=[ y@p?? {:==J 2?5 y2? |:==6C[ 2== 7C@> z62C?6J] %96J A2DD65 @FE 3=F6 %\D9:CED E@ E9@D6 H9@ 925 C68:DE6C65 3J |2J ` 2?5 @776C65 5@F89?FED[ 32?2?2D 2?5 >@C6 E@ G@=F?E66CD]k^Am kAmu@C #@3:? |6?D496?7C6F?5[ :E H2D 96C E9:C5 J62C 2E E96 q:8 s:8] $96 92D G@=F?E66C65 :? E96 *2??6J 8C66?9@FD6 D:?46 |2C49]k^AmkAm“x =@G6 E9:D[” D96 D2:5] “xE’D E96 8C@H:?8 @7 E96 A=2?ED] xE’D E96 D6?D6 @7 4@>>F?:EJ[ 2?5 <?@H:?8 E92E H6 2C6 2== 2 A2CE @7 E9:D :D C6H2C5:?8] q6D:56D[ :E’D 6I6C4:D6] xEVD 7F?]Qk^Am Robin Menschenfreund brought a portable kneeler to the Big Dig on Saturday. MARY JANE SKALA, KEARNEY HUB Welcoming participants were volunteers, from left, Reva Keel, JoAnn Lilly and Jan Miller, all from Kearney. MARY JANE SKALA, KEARNEY HUB maryjane.skala@kearneyhub.com 0 Comments Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. 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