News

VALENTINE - The Sandhills’ own storyteller, photographer, and conservationist, Alan J. Bartels, is coming to Valentine to celebrate the release of his newest book, Secret Nebraska Sandhills: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure, published by Reedy Press.

Recently I talked with a person that has been far from God and lived a pain filled life. As he told me his story, he described going to a church in his community and people there said something profound that impacted his life.

As I pause and reflect on the world around us as Easter approaches, it feels anything but settled. Plastered across the various news mediums are stories about raging fires across western Nebraska, regime changes and political instability around the globe, and unexpected disruptions to essential everyday systems like airport security. All of this underscores how fragile even our world can be.

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containment lines, aided by National Guard Black Hawk helicopters and infrared drone technology. However, extreme weather remains a serious concern.

LINCOLN, NE – March 17, 2026 - ALLO Fiber announced the successful completion of multiple fiber-to-the-premise broadband projects, expanding high-speed internet access to thousands of homes and businesses in rural and underserved Nebraska communities through grants awarded by the Nebraska Public Service Commission (PSC) using Capital Project Funds. The newly completed network delivers ALLO’s award-winning fiber service with speeds up to 2 gigabits, dramatically improving reliability, upload performance, and latency for areas that previously relied on legacy DSL technology.

LINCOLN, NE — Amy Johnson, publisher of the Springview Herald, has been named a recipient of the Harpst Leadership Nebraska Award, presented by the Nebraska Press Association. Established by the Harpst family in memory of longtime newspaperman Don Harpst Sr., the award recognizes individuals who demonstrate outstanding leadership and a commitment to strengthening their communities through local journalism.

Valentine is stepping up to solve a problem that many rural communities face: a shortage of childcare. Families, local leaders, and churches are working together to fill the gap, showing what is possible when a community takes action. This issue directly impacts families, employers, and the ability of communities to grow. When parents cannot find reliable childcare, it limits workforce participation and puts added strain on already stretched rural economies.

Lincoln, NE, March 19, 2026 —On cold spring mornings in the Nebraska Sandhills, calving season can test even the most experienced ranchers. Twenty-five years ago, a collaboration between a Sandhills ranch family, a rural veterinarian and University of Nebraska–Lincoln researchers led to a management innovation that transformed how cattle producers prevent calf scours.

By Shuhua Xie, postdoc at PREEC Irrigation and Digital Ag Lab/XinQiao,NebraskaExtension Irrigation Management Specialist / Gary Stone, Nebraska Extension Water and Crops Educator Nebraska is experiencing below- normal snowfall and rainfall during the past winter and this early spring. In addition, the below-average snowpack in the North Platte River Basin has raised concerns about irrigation water supplies for this upcoming growing season. With potentially high irrigation demand expected this summer, making informed irrigation decisions will be critical.