News

Snow blanketed the Sandhills area Saturday, March 29, 2025, with nearly five inches of heavy, wet, snow! Which was a huge blessing given the drought conditions for the past year, and hopefully helped suffocate the fire that was burning the area by Dads Lake on Valentine National Wildlife Refuge.

VALENTINE, Neb.— The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced the availability of a draft Environmental Assessment, for public review and comment, that evaluates cooperative agriculture activities at Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge in Nebraska. Public comments on the draft Environmental Assessment will be accepted for 30 days, from April 1 through April 30, 2025.

Valentine, Neb. – Federal and state firefighters continue full suppression and monitoring operations for the Dads Lake Fire south of Valentine, Nebraska today, March 29. Cooler temperatures, increased humidity and decreasing winds aided firefighters in blunting fire growth overnight.

The local Civil Air Patrol unit, Sandhills Flight, received a call for a fire fight on March 1, 2025. Two members were tasked with taking photos of the burn and to calculate the acreage. They flew to the Mullen area, found the burn, flew the perimeter and took photographs.

Both University of Wyoming rodeo teams were just a few points out of a second consecutive weekend sweep, finishing as runners-up at the Eastern Wyoming College (EWC) competition in Torrington. The Cowboys were second to Gillette College over the weekend by just 10 points, placing behind front-running Gillette College’s 570 points.

Christian, comedy, classic rock and some of the most famous songs ever performed will fill the Heartland Events Center during the 2025 Nebraska State Fair’s Nebraska Lottery Concert Series indoor shows.

LINCOLN, NE – Governor Jim Pillen is partnering with the Department of Agriculture (NDA) in providing Nebraskans with information about the appearance of avian influenza in wild birds this time of year. The Douglas County Health Department reported on the detection of H5N1 in dead geese at ConAgra Lake in Omaha.

LINCOLN, NE – Governor Jim Pillen released the following statement regarding LB89, the Stand With Women Act, introduced by Senator Kathleen Kauth at his request. The five Republicans on the Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee voted to pass the legislation out of committee.

Team 1 - John Fulton, Quinton Nelson, Reeves Witte. Team 2 - Jenalee Garwood, Emma Kreutner, Cadence Swanson, and Talia Wenig.

The Valentine High School seniors take the stage for the 2025 Senior Prom The Greatest Show Saturday, March 29, 2025. Crowned King and Queen, pictured center, were Clayton Elliott and Jocelyn Jordan. It should be noted that the day before prom it was 82 degrees, and the evening of prom, there was five inches of snow which makes for resilient and adaptable Badgers! All of whom look very grown up and ready to face the world as graduates - soon!