Two female and one male peregrine falcon chicks from the nest box near the top of the Nebraska Capitol building in Lincoln were banded and given a checkup June 12. “The banding went very well and all three chicks appear to be in very good shape,” said Joel Jorgensen, nongame bird program manager for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.

It’s hard to imagine anything larger than a bovine, bison, or bigfoot traipsing across the Sandhills of Nebraska, but there’s proof that there is. Don Ormesher was an avid fossil hunter, and lived on the Thacher Cattle Company ranch, just a short distance from the Y on Highway 83 and 20.

The 2024 Cherry County 4-H Special Foods Competition was held May 22, 2024 at the Methodist Church in Valentine. Youth participated in a variety of categories. The day started on a sweet note with the “cupcake wars” where youth presented their most delectable recipes with a fun theme.

Cherry County 4-H recently offered UNL Extension Babysitter Certification classes for area youth ages 12 and up, utilizing the Nebraska 4-H Building Better Babysitters curriculum. It was a fun day learning about ages and stages, appropriate activities, safety, reading skills, nutrition, and more! Completing the course were Darby Murphy, Sydnee Dawson, Courtnie Krueger and Caitlyn Krueger. Call 402-376-1850 to be placed on an interest list for future classes – our community needs more child care! For youth ages 8-11, a Babysitting Basics class was offered as a preview to the certification course. Youth walked away with potential fair exhibits and increased knowledge of literacy and social-emotional activities for young children.

The annual Cherry County 4-H Livestock Judging Clinic and Contest was held May 29, 2024 at the Cherry County Fairgrounds, with 43 youth participating. Clinicians were Seth Grunhaupt and Jason Hoffman. Youth judged breeding heifer, market steer, hog, market lamb, breeding ewe, and breeding meat goat classes. Stock was provided by Craig O’Kief, Josh Delaney, Brent Nollette, the Prewitt family, and the Sexson family. Intermediate and Senior competitors delivered oral reasons on the market steer class. Results are as follows: Clover Kid participants: Harper Barnes, Sierra Low, Boone Wickman.

Valentine-Niobrara National Scenic River Resource Manager Travis Connot was awarded Resource Manager of the Year by the River Management Society on June 6, 2024. “Travis Connot lives the park motto: We protect the river by working with landowners to protect their land.