The Valentine Red Minors Baseball Team, comprised of boys 10 years old and younger as of January 1, competed in the Rosebud Little League Minors Tournament in Gregory, SD, July 12-14, 2024, bringing home fourth place honors. One game per night. Five innings per game. The ten-team bracket and their seedings were: Winner Purple-first, Lyman-second, Gregory 2-third, Valentine Red-fourth, Winner Gold-fifth, Valentine White-sixth, Gregory 1-seventh, Burke-eighth, Clearfieldninth and Ainsworth-tenth.

July 1, 2024, Cherry County Hospital Foundation members presented Cherry County Hospital with a check for $110,000.00 for the newly installed Safe Place Infant Security System. “The foundation is so happy to help with efforts to improve and upgrade the Cherry County Hospital and Clinic. The Safe Place Infant Security System will be a great asset in providing the best care possible to Valentine and the surrounding area,” said Foundation President Jessica Abbott.

Valentine, July 17, 2024 – The Sandhills Area Foundation recently distributed $10,000 to the Valentine Public Library from the Wilson-Taylor Endowment. The Wilson-Taylor Endowment, managed by the Sandhills Area Foundation, is dedicated to supporting educational and community-focused initiatives in the region, specifically providing dollars to the Valentine Public Library and the Sandhills Area Foundation scholarship fund on an ongoing basis. Dividends received on this endowment, depending on market performance, are distributed periodically to benefit the local library and area scholars.

Family, friends, and colleagues gathered Friday, July 19, 2024 for the 10thanniversaryandgrandopening of Niobrara Valley Vineyards. Their adventure began humbly enough by growing grapes for the vinegary, but turned a corner and began making award winning wine, and yet another turn, and the Nollette family now has a facility that will encourage tourism; it’s a gathering space, allowing them to share their love of foods, and offer a unique get away for a week, or an evening of fun and pizza.

The majority of people really have no idea of the cost that was given in exchange for our freedom. Sure, some enlisted, others were drafted, and we continue being a free nation - not perfect. But at what cost is this freedom?

“What are young families looking for when choosing to settle down in a certain city? How might we get them to consider Valentine, NE? ” The age old question is put to new college students from the UNO Summer Design Studio Internship who employs Scott Scholars from five universities UNO, Creighton, Colorado State, Notre Dame, and Hastings College - to answer these questions. The interns work with partnering organizations to tackle high level problem statements using Stanford design thinking, coding, and other technical skills.