News

The Freeman Family of Thedford welcomed their son, Rio Jess Freemanx, January 2, 2026. Lil Rio was 8lbs and 4 oz and was 21 inches long. He had three siblings waiting at home for him, including six year old Rylee, four year old Rhett, and two year old Rayana. Rio is the son of Hadli and Tanner Freeman. He is the grandson to Eve Millar of Valentine, and Jess Millar of Crookston; along with Greg and Mellissa Freeman of Dunning, NE. And, he was the first baby born at the Cherry County Hospital.

by Laura Vroman We begin with July and ended last week with...how hot do you think it was in July? Good news first - we ended June with the Sandhills turning nice and green with the rainy days and sunshine that June brought. According to NOAA, Valentine received 4.51 inches of rain and wind gusts up to 66 mph. The average high temperature was 83.2 degrees and the average low was 56.1 degrees. Let’s hope that July will continue to bring rain and sunny days!

Ringing in the New Year is a big celebration for most people; this year, the Valentine Lions Club and the Salvation Army have a lot to celebrate! We would like to acknowledge the support and participation that the community gave during the 2025 Holiday Bell-ringing Campaign.

NORTH PLATTE, NE. –– Nebraska Extension will offer commercial pesticide training for initial certification and recertification at the West Central Research, Extension and Education Center in North Platte.

WASHINGTON—TheU.S.Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding eligible small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in South Dakota of the Feb. 9, 2026 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by drought beginning April 15, 2025.

Hunters ages 12 through 29 must have proof on their person of the completion of: • Firearm Hunter Education while hunting any game with a firearm or air gun. • Bowhunter Education while hunting deer, antelope, elk or bighorn sheep with a bow or crossbow.

LINCOLN, NEB. - Nebraska Farm Bureau (NEFB) submitted formal comments to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Army Corp of Engineers on its latest proposal addressing the federal definition of Waters of the United States (WOTUS) under the Clean Water Act.

NORTH PLATTE, NE.–– The Lincoln County Cattlemen will host a meeting January 21 at the Lincoln County Fairgrounds in North Platte, featuring educational programming from Nebraska Extension. The meeting will begin with a social at 5:30 p.m., followed by a meal at 6:00 p.m.

Stacks of old tires taking up space on farms, ranches, and back lots will soon have a responsible place to go. Two events, both funded through Waste Reduction and Recycling Incentive Grants from the Nebraska Department of Water, Energy, and Environment, will be held locally in the spring of 2026.

Private pesticide safety training has been set for Perkins, Chase, and Dundy Counties. Applicators are encouraged to attend one of the training sessions if their license is expiring or if they need to go to initial training. For training sessions outside Perkins, Chase, and Dundy Counties, visit pested.unl.edu.