The local EMS squad has 26 members who responded to 667 calls last year. The Cherry County Hospital Ambulance Service had another very busy year in 2025.  According to statistics from squad vice president Billie Brockley,  Cherry County EMS responded to 667 calls in the past year.  Most of these calls represent 911 calls in the Valentine area and medical transfers, but many were generated as mutual aid calls made to the service by the Rosebud Ambulance Service as well as othe

Valentine Senior Isaac Cronin scored 42 points in the game against Chase County in the first Round of the South Platte Valley Conference Tournament on Tuesday. With lots of assists from teammates, Cronin had 3 slam dunks, 4 three pointers and was 10 of 13 from the free throw line. Andon Olson held the previous record. Cronin was named the KVSH Farm Bureau player of the game for his record setting efforts. The boys won 67 to 54 and will play Bridgeport Friday night at 5PM CT

15 people lost their lives in 15 crashes on Nebraska roadways the final month of 2025 according to the Nebraska Department of Transportation. Four of the nine vehicle occupants killed were not using seat belts, four were restrained, and one was unknown. Four fatalities were pedestrians, along with one bicyclist, one motorized wheelchair occupant and one ATV driver. The fatalities brought the state’s 2025 toll to 227, which equaled 2023, was 10 percent lower than last year, an

Not the actual Pawnee Ranch Picture In what appears to be a record-high buy for a Nebraska ranch, a roughly 40,000-acre Sandhills property with a history of prominent owners has shifted hands to a self-made billionaire insurance couple with a vision to build a “world-class cattle operation.” Sold for $56 million, Lincoln County’s Pawnee Springs Ranch on Tuesday became the latest investment for Mark and Robyn Jones of Westlake, Texas.  The sale comes to approximately $1,400 do

U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced she secured numerous Nebraska priorities in three Fiscal Year(FY) 2026 government funding bills passed by the U.S. Senate today. The bills now head to the president’s desk to be signed into law.    PROVISIONS SECURED BY FISCHER include $415,000 to Region 26 Communications Center (Thomas, Blaine, Loup, Garfield, Wheeler, Greeley, Valley, and Sherman Counties) to upgrade equipment to sup

During the week of January 11th to the 17th, the following arrests were reported by the Valentine Police Department:   On Wednesday January 14th, at 11:25 PM, officers responding to a disturbance in the 700 block of East 7th Street located two males who had entered into a vacant apartment.  The men, ages 24 and 31, were arrested for Criminal Trespassing and booked into the Cherry County Jail.   On Friday January 16th, at 11:24 PM, an officer conducted a traffic stop in the 10

197 positive cases were detected this season. Chronic wasting disease surveillance conducted in southwestern Nebraska during the November and December deer seasons detected 197 positive cases in deer. In the Buffalo, Republican, Platte and Frenchman management units 785 samples were collected for testing. CWD was detected for the first time in Logan, Kearney and Nuckolls counties. Hunters looking to view 2025 CWD results, identified by harvest seal number and year, can find t

The Valentine badger wrestling teams hosted a triangular with Gothenburg and Broken Bow on Thursday evening.  The boys dualled both teams, but the girls only had one dual against Broken Bow. The girls won the contest 48 to 30 over the Indians. In the boy’s duals, Valentine beat the Swedes  40 to 32 and lost to the Indians 44 to 33. One of the highlights of the night was the 100th career win for Badger Senior Jehki Williams which came against Gothenburg.  This happened on Seni

Story updated to include discussion regarding State Road Maintenance Yard. The Cherry County Board of Commissioners met on Tuesday January 13 th  at the commissioners’ meeting room at the county courthouse.  During the first meeting of 2026, commissioner McConoughey was elected board chair for 2026.  DeNaeyar was named vice chair. The board discussed expired terms on the Planning and Zoning Board with Zoning Administrator Katie Ormesher. Currently Duane Kime, Marla Shelbourn,

The Sandhills Cattle Association is offering a total of $7,500 in scholarships to support high school and college students, with applications now open through Feb. 28, 2026. The association will award five scholarships this year, including two $2,000 scholarships, one $1,500 scholarship and two $1,000 scholarships. The organization said it is “proud to support the future of agriculture and the beef industry.” Scholarships are open to undergraduate students who are children or

The Rotary Club in Valentine hosted an American Red Cross Blood Drive Jan 8, collecting over 100 units. The American Red Cross had a good turnout for their recent blood drive in Valentine.  According to coordinator Virginia Cozad, “It was remarkably successful!  104 units (of blood) were collected, having potential to benefit 312 patients!” The Valentine Rotary thanks the new donors who have donated over the last couple of blood drives.  The next blood drive in Valentine is s

Nebraska's minimum wage went up January 1st Some folks in Nebraska will be seeing bigger paychecks in the New Year. Voters passed an initiative back in late 2022 bringing the minimum wage up $1.50 annually until 2027 when the minimum wage will increase based on the cost of living increase. Minimum wage for most employees is now $15.00 per hour, $2.13 per hour for tipped employees. Listeners can learn more about the wage increase at dol.nebraska.gov/LaborStandards . Opponent

Area retail sales numbers reported in October were mixed for 2025 when compared to 2024.  That is according to the latest figures reported by the Nebraska Department of Revenue. Retail sales in Valentine were 6.2 million dollars in October, which was up a modest 4% from 2024. Ainsworth was up 13.2% with sales totaling $3.4 million dollars. Gordon was down 10.2%, Rock County reported a 12.7% decrease, Broken Bow was down less than 1% with 7.4 million dollars in sales. O’Neill

The first fire was reported northeast of Valentine around 5pm. The other in south central South Dakota around 9pm. Moisture falling in north central Nebraska and south central South Dakota was a welcome sight Tuesday. Dry conditions were highlighted by two fires reported in the area late Monday. The first fire was reported to the Valentine Volunteer Fire Department northeast of town on Hatchery Road, burning 15-20 acres of grassland. Firemen were able to get that fire ext

Summerland Bobcat Club Tournament (Valentine Wrestling Club Results)   PK-K Girls 40-46 - Tinsly Shelbourn placed is 4th       Amherst Wrestling Club Tournament 2026 (Valentine Wrestling Club Results)   Pre K-K Bracket 11 - Knox Nelson's place is 2nd   5th and 6th Bracket 34 - Blake OKief's place is 3rd   5th and 6th Bracket 35 - Robert Burdick's place is 3rd   1st-2nd Bracket 57 - Klay OKief's place is 1st   Bracket 64 - Collins Arnold's place is 2nd 1st-2nd Bracket 71 - Wat

Wendy Murphy of the Valentine Lions Club, informed KVSH that 61 volunteers helped raise over $6,000 during the Salvation Army Bell ringing season. 90% of this money will stay local and be administered by Northwest Community Action Partnership to be used to help the local community with food pantry, utility bills or even stranded motorists. The last couple of years, collections had been down somewhat.  The goal for this year was $5,000 so the total of $6,12.92 was well over go

The St. Nicholas Knights of Columbus Council #4633, in partnership with the Nebraska State Knights of Colombus Culture of Life Foundation, has voted to donate funds to the Cherry County Hospital Foundation to help cover the remaining cost of a new ultrasound machine for the hospital and clinic.   The donation will support the purchase of a GE Venue Fit point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) machine, replacing the hospital’s previous unit that was purchased in 2019 and has reached t

Norm Manstedt Boys Invitational Results for Valentine from January 9th and 10th. Valentine medaled 4 individuals in the large two-day tournament. The Badgers placed 11th out of over 30 boy' s teams which included all classes of wrestlers.     113 Deklin Titus (16-7) placed 4th 126 Rownan Eggert (15-6) placed 4th 132 Jekhi Williams (22-2) placed 1st 165 Parker Chavez (20-5) placed 4th

Leo Brinda Unit #90 American Legion Auxiliary has been spearheading the project for many years. As we approach the middle of January, Valentine’s Day is about a month away.  Area residents are asked to help support Leo Brinda Unit 90 American Legion’s “Valentines For Veterans” project. Valentines For Veterans aims to create homemade Valentines for area veterans and those veterans who reside in regional Veterans Homes.  According to project coordinators, they need around 1,000

Menard was sentenced January 6, 2026 Press Release From US Attorney's Office - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Mission, South Dakota, man convicted of Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer.  The sentencing took place on January 6, 2026. Everett Joseph Menard, age 29, was sentenced to one year and four months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay