News

June is National Safety Month - a time to protect what matters most: our health, our homes, and our loved ones. Every year thousands of children are treated in emergency rooms for preventable poisoning.

JUNE 23, 2025, OGALLALA, NE — The Nebraska State Patrol is renewing calls for motorists to pay attention to the road after a second trooper’s parked patrol unit was struck in the span of just 10 days. The second crash occurred Sunday morning near Paxton.

At approximately 5:00 p.m., on June 16, a confrontation occurred in the 300 block of N. Main Street between the driver of a vehicle and the passenger in a following vehicle. The driver reported to police that he believed he was being harassed and threatened by the passenger of the vehicle following him. The driver stopped his car in front of the Cherry County Justice Center and exited his vehicle armed with a firearm. An officer of the Valentine Police Department and a deputy from the Cherry County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene. The male passenger from the following vehicle was subsequently arrested for Disturbing the Peace. The driver was interviewed and released. The incident will be forwarded to the Cherry County Attorney’s Office for review. Chief Jamon Slama During the week of June 15 - 21, the following arrests were made by the Valentine Police Department:

You can always learn from the past...and learning just got a whole lot easier at the Valentine Public Library. Director Carrie Graham had the foresight to have the libraries’ collection of microfilm transfered to a portal on their website, before it could deteriorate further.

Welcome back VHS Alumni! The Class of 1975 is celebrating 50 years, and there is a weekend full of events for everyone! Friday, June 27, the individual classes will gather. Saturday, June 28, the Alumni Golf Tournament will be held at Frederick Peak Golf Club starting at 9:00 a.m., contact Brad Arnold at 402-322-0786 for information.

PaulsenConstructionhasbegun placing concrete pavement in the section of roadway between Edna Street and Wood Street. The new roadway will be nine inch thick doweled concrete with a 12-foot driving lane and a nine foot concrete shoulder.

The Missoula Children’s Theatre (MCT) is in Valentine this week! The directors and actors have been busy preparing The Wizard of Oz for your entertainment andenjoyment.Localstudentshave been practicing all week for their performance this Friday, June 27, at 7:00 pm. Please join us at the Valentine High School Auditorium to cheer on our local stars! A free-will donation will be taken at the door.

Work to remove and replace the bridge over the Minnechaduza Creek on Highway 12, three miles east of Valentine, is nearing completion. Permanent Paint lines will be placed, traffic control signs removed, and the roadway will resume normal driving conditions. Thank you to everyone who designed and built the bridge, all that had a part in making this project a success, and to the motorist that endured a very long-distance detour while this bridge was removed and replaced.

The Grandstands at the Cherry County Fairgounds were full of spectators watching the contestants have a go for a spot at the National Finals, in Rock Springs, WY, July 13-19. FromThursday,June12through the finals, Saturday, June 14, so many competitors made the journey to the fairgrounds. Rigs were lined up along the trees on the south side, packed in like sardines! It was a bonafied campground with and without electrical hookups, water was hauled in for the horses and the arena. The athletes, families, guests, even the horses, showed true sportsmanship when 2.53 inches of rain, hail, and strong winds pelted them, Thursday, early evening. Turning lemons into lemonade, several of the youth were playing in the deep puddles of water left behind, without a care in the world. Some of the horses were shrouded with their own rain jackets for protection. The community was happy to host the event. A huge round of thanks to the powers that be, who took the time, effort, and got the event booked, and the fairgrounds ready for the Nebraska High School Rodeo Finals - 2025 Valentine, Nebraska.

Members of Friends of the Niobrara and Bailey Gibbons, summer intern for the National Parks Service, did a roadside cleanup from Sparks to the Niobrara River. The trash and recyclables were collected the morning of Saturday, May 31. Aluminum cans and plastic containers were separated and recycled.