During the July 13 Cozad Community Schools board meeting, the Haymaker Highlight featured the renovation of the high school library. Board members and administrators walked to the library to discuss the room's updates. Superintendent Dr. Dan Endorf gave CMS custodian Will Bilslend a shout-out for putting his construction and woodworking skills to good use on the project.

The Haymaker Football Boosters celebrated the rich tradition of Cozad football Friday evening, July 17, by inducting three standout former Haymakers into the 2026 Haymaker Football Hall of Fame. 

The Cozad Grand Generation Center honored Dawson County law enforcement officers and members of the Cozad Volunteer Fire Department during its Burger Night on Thursday, July 9.
First responders were treated to a free burger meal with all the trimmings, received two gifts from the Grand Generation Center, and were entered into prize drawings sponsored by Big Red Supply and Rental, Cozad Community Health System, and Mead Lumber.

Good day, 
On Saturday, June 27, I was a part of a four person bikepacking group traveling through Cozad on the sixth day of a nine-day journey. After enjoying an early lunch at the local Runza, we made our way through downtown, where we stopped at the 100th Meridian Museum to take photos. 

Haymaker Creative and Historic District Coordinator Bonnie Hubbard welcomed everyone to dual Sculpture Walk Across Nebraska (SWAN) ribbon-cutting ceremonies on July 9. The site of the inaugural sculpture at Veterans Park, ‘Lumenfly’ by Kirk Seese. 
SWAN started in Norfolk in 2018, and seven other communities now have sculptures, including Valentine, Fremont, North Platte, Columbus, Grand Island, Ogallala, and Cozad. 

The Association of Nebraska Art Clubs, Inc. (ANAC) held its 61st Annual Exhibition and Conference at the Petrified Wood and Art Gallery in Ogallala June 10–13. "All Trails Lead to Art" was the theme of this year's event. 

In barns and backyards across Dawson County, 4-H and FFA members are grooming animals, checking weights, packing tack boxes, and quietly running through show-day plans in their heads. For many, it is the result of months of early mornings and late nights. For some, it is the first time they have done it all. 

When fair week arrives, visitors see the finished projects. 
They see livestock in the show ring, photographs hanging in the exhibit hall, baked goods carefully displayed and ribbons placed on the entries. 
For Dawson County 4-H members, the fair is more than a week-long event though. It's the culmination of experiences that teach responsibility, build confidence and create lasting friendships. 

Thirteen 4-H’ers from Dawson County were among 253 contestants from 53 counties who competed in the 2026 Nebraska 4-H Premier Communications Event held Tuesday and Wednesday, June 16 and 17, in Lincoln. Youth participate in a variety of contests focused on communication, presentation, and public speaking. 

The Dawson County Fair is more than livestock shows and exhibits. From live music and rodeo action to carnival rides and family-friendly activities, fairgoers will find plenty to see and do July 15-19 at the Dawson County Fairgrounds in Lexington. 

More than two decades of service to youth athletics were recognized Wednesday, July 1, as the South Central Nebraska Baseball League honored Brian and Heidi Bazata during the league's All-Star Game in Lexington. 
The recognition celebrated the Bazatas' lasting impact on Cozad Little League, travel softball, and the development of youth baseball and softball throughout south central Nebraska. 

Cozad High School senior Braedon Groteluschen was selected to attend and excelled at the U.S. Naval Academy's Summer Seminar, held June 13-18 in Annapolis, MD. The seminar offers a highly competitive six-day program that enables students to experience firsthand the life of a midshipman through academic challenges, leadership training, and military-style experiences. 

Visitors to the Dawson County Fair can once again enjoy the homemade meals and friendly atmosphere that have made the 4-H Café a fair tradition for years. 
While guests will find all the same homemade goodness they've come to expect, there are a couple of new additions this year. 

Routine county business on June 22 included road planning, budget adjustments and appointments to local boards as the Dawson County Board of Commissioners met in regular session at the Dawson County Courthouse. 

EDITORS NOTE: As Cozad joins communities across the nation in commemorating America's 250th anniversary, it's easy to remember the Revolution's most famous moments—the Declaration of Independence, Washington crossing the Delaware, or the "shot heard 'round the world." But America's fight for independence was much more than a handful of historic events.