Oaks excel at supporting the food web (including us). Arbor Day is a reason to plant one
In 1872, a Nebraska newspaper editor and tree lover named J. Sterling Morton proposed dedicating a day to planting trees in his home state. The idea, shall we say, took root.
That year, April 10 became the first organized Arbor Day , and approximately 1 million trees were planted in Nebraska. Two years later, Nebraska Gov. Robert Furnas proclaimed April 10 the state's Arbor Day.
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a day ago
- Yahoo
The Monroe News celebrates 200 years
MONROE — The Monroe News turns 200-years-old on June 3, 2025. The first issue of what would become today's Monroe News was published Friday, June 3, 1825, according to the Library of Congress. Back then, the paper was called The Michigan Sentinel, and it came out weekly. The four-page paper cost 5 cents a copy. The Michigan Sentinel reported on a time when Toledo wasn't yet a city and mail arrived twice a week by pony carrier, according to Monroe News archives. Monroe's namesake, President James Monroe, was the U.S. president in 1825. The Monroe County Museum will soon open a Monroe News bicentennial exhibit at its museum, 126 S. Monroe St. in Monroe, and at this summer's 2025 Monroe County Fair, said the museum's Lynn Reaume. In 200 years, the local newspaper went from a weekly to a daily publication and it had several name changes. It all began with Editor Edward D. Ellis, who also is the namesake of the Monroe County Library System's Ellis Library & Reference Center. Ellis advocated for the use of penal fines to create and maintain public libraries. Ellis came to Monroe from Buffalo, New York and brought his printing presses with him. He served as the Monroe paper's editor, reporter, printer and pressman. He was a delegate to the Michigan Constitutional Convention and helped write the state's constitution, according to Monroe News archives. After Ellis left the area, the Morton family took over ownership of the paper, then called The Monroe Times. Morton family member J. Sterling Morton of Monroe established the first Arbor Day. Previous Coverage: April 25 is Arbor Day. Did you know it was started by a former Monroe man? Some of the former names of the paper included: The Monroe Advocate, The Monroe Commercial, The Monroe Democrat, The Monroe Record and The Monroe Record-Commercial. The News' former longtime office on West First Street in downtown Monroe was built in 1910 for The Monroe Democrat. The Monroe Evening News name began in 1918. Like the publication's name, technology also changed through the years. Ellis used a hot-metal letterpress. Later came typewriters, type-setting machines and linotype machines. News from around the world once came to the local office through Associated Press teletype machines. By 1975, The Monroe Evening News was already starting to use computers. 'We wish that Edward Ellis were here to view the Monroe County, the Michigan and the U.S. of today, the growth, the change and mechanical evolution that a century and a half have wrought," said a story in The News' 1975's, 150th anniversary special section. "In the 10 years from 1965-75, a printing revolution has taken place. From a time when virtually every newspaper printed used technology virtually unchanged since the invention of the linotype machine, the time has arrived when virtually every newspaper has either already converted its production process to photocomposition or is in the process of doing it." More milestones for the newspaper followed. After years of publishing six days a week, the first Sunday paper was published April 9, 1989. The News' website, debuted in 1996. A major change occurred in 1998, when the 1924 and '32 printing presses were retired. The large rolling presses were a longtime common sight around lunchtime at The Monroe News' former downtown Monroe building. At full speed, the presses could print 24,000 papers an hour. Replacing the old presses were new, full-color presses. They were installed in a facility on Monroe's Huber Drive. The first full-color issue of The Monroe Evening News was published Sept. 14, 1998. The Monroe News became the paper's official name on Sept. 1, 2013. 'Evening' was dropped because the paper had started morning delivery. But, the name change also signified a new direction in news reporting. 'We have dropped the word 'evening,' completing the move that has been a long time coming. When accompanied by our website, social media and digital offerings, the news we provide simply isn't tied to a specific time of day — or night — anymore,' said then editor Deborah Saul. Previous Coverage: 14K historic local newspaper pages now online Previous Coverage: Preserving Monroe County's record In 2000, The Monroe News' 175 anniversary was celebrated with a community open house, attended by 800 people. In 2000, staff photographers were still shooting 300 rolls of film a week. Today, all photography is digital. Monroe News' other print products through recent years have included: CoverStory, Prime Times, User's Guide, Saving Sense, Homes Plus, Bedford Now and several pictorial books on local history. Support local news: Subscribe for all the latest local developments, breaking news and high school sports content. Today, The Monroe News' office is at 23 E. Front St., Suite 103 in downtown Monroe. Printed papers are produced six days a week; the Saturday paper is an electronic only edition. News is updated daily online at and The Monroe News Facebook page. — Contact reporter Suzanne Nolan Wisler at swisler@ This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Happy 200th anniversary, Monroe News
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Yahoo
Muscatine earns Tree City USA recognition for 33rd year in a row
Muscatine has once again earned national recognition as a Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation, marking the 33rd consecutive year the city has received the honor for its strong commitment to tree planting, maintenance, and environmental stewardship. 'Being named a Tree City USA for over three decades is no small feat,' said Matt Mardesen, city administrator. 'It's a reflection of our community's shared values—clean air, green spaces, and a healthier future for the next generation.' The Tree City USA program recognizes cities that meet four core standards: having a tree board or department, adopting a tree care ordinance, investing at least $2 per resident in urban forestry, and hosting an annual Arbor Day celebration. Muscatine has consistently met and exceeded these requirements. 'We're proud of the work our Parks and Recreation team and volunteers do every year to maintain our tree canopy,' said Melissa Baker, park maintenance supervisor. 'Trees don't just beautify our neighborhoods—they improve mental health, reduce flooding, and make our city more resilient.' Trees provide a wide range of benefits to Muscatine residents: they cool down streets and homes, reduce storm water runoff, boost property values, and improve overall well-being. The Arbor Day Foundation notes that planting the right tree in the right place also helps cut energy costs and traffic noise. 'We all have a role to play in shaping our future and tree champions like Muscatine are leading the way,' said Michelle Saulnier, vice president of programs at the Arbor Day Foundation. 'Trees are critical infrastructure, building resiliency and fostering good health in our nation's cities. We're proud Muscatine is among the Arbor Day Foundation's growing network of communities dedicated to creating positive impact through trees.' Muscatine's designation is part of a nationwide movement supported by the Arbor Day Foundation, the USDA Forest Service, and the National Association of State Foresters. Since its founding in 1972, the Foundation and its partners have helped plant more than 500 million trees in more than 60 countries. For more information about Tree City USA or how to participate, visit here. About the Arbor Day Foundation The Arbor Day Foundation is a nonprofit dedicated to inspiring people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees. With a global network of more than 1 million members and partners, the Foundation is working toward a greener, healthier future—one tree at a time. Learn more here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Yahoo
New arboretum upgrades
SIOUX FALLS, SD (KELO) — Visitors to the Mary Jo Wegner Arboretum in Sioux Falls will notice some new additions this spring and summer. A newly installed pedestrian bridge is now open to foot traffic. And that's not all. Recent rain has greened up the acres of vegetation at the Mary Jo Wegner Arboretum. 'I absolutely love this place. I feel at home here. In touch with nature,' Minnehaha Master Gardener Jerry Mills said. Deuel County could be multi-billion data center site Minnehaha Master Gardener Jerry Mills is tending to the vegetables growing in the arboretum's teaching garden. 'We've got varieties of asparagus coming up right now. The rhubarb is up. The strawberries are popping and it won't be long, we'll be having first berries,' Mills said. But plants aren't all that's sprouting up at the arboretum. 'This is a major feature of our lower-level area trail system. It gets a lot of use,' Mary Jo Wegner Arboretum Executive Director Mike Cooper said. The city has installed a brand new pedestrian bridge that replaced the one that spanned the main avenue through the old quarry town of East Sioux Falls. That bridge was demolished last fall. Crews installed a rustic replacement made of metal and wood. 'And one of the other additions that we're working on is trying to get funding so we can add quartzite rock to the concrete abutments to help it look more historic like the original bridge was,' Cooper said. The new bridge is a gateway to the arboretum's trail system, which includes a newly developed section called the Woodland Trail; a winding pathway with a quartzite rock surface lining the hillside. 'It was a bit of a challenge to come up with a design that wasn't super steep,' Cooper said. PERRY: That's why it's so winding? 'Winding back and forth,' Cooper said. On Arbor Day, students from Rosa Parks Elementary came out here to plant ten new trees along the trail to kind of put the 'wood' in Woodland Trail. 'The city forestry department has been taking out some of the green ash trees because of the ash borer invasion. So, this is a nice way to get replacement trees planted that really fit in with this native environment of this area, the way it used to look,' Cooper said. Visitors can become amateur arborists by visiting the Tree Education Garden which contains the Mayor's Grove. 'And when you flip up, it shows you information about the tree,' Cooper said. 'It's an education thing for kids, adults, whoever to kind of walk around and learn more about trees, which is what the arboretum is all about,' Cooper said. Plants are also emerging, right on cue. 'The last couple of weeks, we've had some cooler weather, our tulip bulbs are starting to pop out, so things are greening up. And we'll be putting in more plants here in the next few weeks, like annuals in the formal gardens area,' Cooper said. The site of a former ghost town is coming alive; revealing the splendor of nature in the backyard of Sioux Falls. 'Every improvement out here just adds more attraction to the public. More opportunity to get out in nature and see the trees, the grass, the wildlife, in some cases. It's a beautiful place,' Mills said. The Minnehaha Master Gardeners have begun weekly garden tours at the arboretum. They take place every Tuesday at 7 p.m. through October. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to
