News

There’s something extra special about Christmastime in the Sandhills - maybe it’s the slower pace, the neighborly waves, or the way the winter sun hits Main Street just right. Whatever it is, Santa must feel it too, because this weekend he settled in for a relaxed afternoon visit right in the heart of town. From the comfort of his sleigh, with his loyal reindeer nibbling on hay nearby, he greeted families as they stopped by throughout the afternoon.

Aubrey Benson and Samantha Sprenger, two seniors from Valentine High School, along with seven teachers from the local communities organized an impactful event on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, called An Intro to Life. This event was for all the sophomores from the following schools: Ainsworth, Thedford, Keya Paha, Rock County, Cody-Kilgore, and Valentine. The seven teachers included: Juli Murphy, Tricia Anderson, Misty Downing, Liz Ravenscroft, Jamie Taylor, Alana Cardinal, and Janet Shelbourn. The group ended up with over 50 volunteers for this event to serve the 100+ students.

MERRIMAN, NE – Garrett Shadbolt has been on a 12-month mission. It’s redemption he seeks, and he’s given himself a chance to obtain it.

Golf recently named CapRock Ranch, of Valentine, NE as 84th best course out of 100. This was their first ranking.

Grace Wolf f of Cody, NE received the Keith Keltgen Memorial Scholarship at the recent South Dakota State University College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences Scholarship and Recognition Banquet in Brookings. More than 125 scholarships totaling more than $650,000 were awarded as part of the annual celebration of student achievement.

NOVEMBER 19, 2025 — Home fires increase significantly during the holiday months, often sparked by cooking accidents, unattended candles or unsafe decorations. The American Red Cross of Nebraska urges everyone to take simple steps to stay safe while celebrating – from keeping a close eye on what’s cooking to checking holiday lights and decorations for hazards. By taking precautions now, families can help prevent tragedies and enjoy a safer, happier holiday season.

From my Window There are many reasons why we should shop local, not only for Christmas shopping needs, but all year long. We have yet to be dissatisfied with anything, small or large, we have purchased locally, especially if it required service, but several instances when we ventured far away for a major purchase, such as a piece of farm equipment, it did not end up very well.

There will be a Thanksgiving service at the Lakeview Church on Wednesday, November 26 at 7:00 p.m. All are welcome! Gregory and LaCosta Jackson, Ivy, Lillica and Judah spent last weekend at a family cabin near Keystone, returning home Monday.

Although the dry conditions made for a lot of nervous firemen with the influx of hunters to the region, no local fires were reported, for which all are grateful. We hope everyone had a safe and successful rifle deer hunting season.

No arrests were reported for the week of November 16-22. The Police Department responded to 39 calls for service during the week, including: • 8 traffic stops • 5 animal complaints • 3 disturbances • 2 welfare checks • 2 non-injury accidents • 1 theft • 1 assault.