Chad Podolak of the Nebraska Public Power District and Jim Hawks of the Inland Port of the Plains will speak at Aug. 17 meeting of the Lincoln County Republican Party. Podolak is the director of Wholesale Sales and Service with NPPD and Jim Hawks is chairman of the board of the Port of the Plains. The meeting will be at the Eagles Club, 620 N. Chestnut in North Platte. Podolak is from Columbus and has been with Nebraska Public Power District, the state’s largest electric utility, for 28 years. Jim served as the Lincoln County Highway Superintendent and County Surveyor for nearly 15 years and then served the City Manager of North Platte for nearly 18 years, retiring from the position in 2020.