Millian 'Milt' Eagle Star, age 82 of Winner, passed away January 7, 2026.       Wake services:   7pm Thursday & Friday January 15 & 16 at the Winner Ideal Community Hall in Winner   Caravan 2pm Thursday from the Rosebud Casino       Funeral service:   1pm Saturday January 17th at the Winner Ideal Community Hall   Burial at the Holy Spirit Cemetery in Ideal, SD       Survivors include:   Siblings: Zona Turkey, Ruth Olson, Emmitt & Clyde Swalla and Barbara Bad Horse   Children:

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

Funeral service for Cheryl Bennett, age 68 of Valentine, will be held on Friday, Jan. 16. 2026, at 11:00 AM at the Valentine Methodist Church.  The burial will follow at Mount Hope Cemetery in Valentine.  A visitation will be held on Thursday, Jan. 15 from 6 to 9 PM at Sandoz Chapel of the Pines.  Cheryl passed away on Jan. 8, 2026, at her home in Valentine, in the arms of her husband Rick. Survivors Husband-Rick Bennett of Valentine, NE Son-Jared Bennett of Ogallala, NE Daug

22 calls for service, 3 arrests during the week. During the week of 1/4/2026 to 1/10/26, the following arrests were made by the Valentine Police Department:   On January 7th, at 7:15 PM, officers responded to a complaint of an unruly customer in the 500 block of East Highway 20.  A 39 year old Nebraska woman was arrested for Disturbing the Peace and Criminal Trespassing.   On January 8th, at 3:25 AM, officers were dispatched to a domestic disturbance in the 500 block of West

The fire calls began around 3am Sunday to the apartment complex at 114 N Main and then the Berean Church Valentine Volunteer Fire Department and Cherry County Hospital Ambulance Service were requested to two different fire calls early Sunday morning. The first call came in around 3am at the apartment building on the 100 block of Main Street. The initial report was smoke in the hallway of the basement of the complex. Upon arrival, it was determined that a hot stovetop was r

The Valentine Chamber of Commerce has decided to postpone the Cork Thorton Memorial Ice Fishing Tournament.  They will shoot for March 6 and 7th depending on ice conditions. This is a major annual fund-raising event that usually brings 40 or more teams to Valentine in the dead of winter.   With unseasonally warmer weather, there is virtually no ice on most, if not all area lakes. At least not safe ice. While some of us hope for a continued mild winter, the chamber is hoping f

Ryan Connot was vacationing in U S Virgin Islands when he jumped in the water to save a woman who was attacked by a shark. It’s been an eventful week for one KVSH area resident.  About a week ago, Ryan Connot was hunting in north central Nebraska and bagged a large mountain lion, helping to end the season in the Niobrara Unit.  And yesterday (Thursday), Connot was on the beaches of the U.S. Virgin Islands and heroically attempted to save a woman who was attacked by a shark. 

Richard Joseph One Feather was sentenced to six and a half years in prison According to a press release at justice.gov , United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Mission, South Dakota man convicted of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon.  The sentencing took place on January 6, 2026. Richard Joseph One Feather, age 56, was sentenced to six years and six months in federal prison, followed by three of supervised release,

The Valentine Area Arts Council is kicking off a fund-raising event to help cover the costs of bringing various events to Valentine. They will hold the drawing at the last event of the season on March 8th at Valentine High School. Ticket purchasers will pick the prize they would like to win with three options available.  A trip for two on the Niobrara River by Brewers Canoers including shuttle one way. The second choice is Golden Prairie Bison deluxe education tour for two, t

Norm Manstedt Girls Inv Results for Valentine Girls on Thursday at Columbus. There were over 40 Class B schools participating.  Valentine placed 14th.   120 B Danika Janssen (25-11) placed 6th and scored 16.0 team points. 130 B Samantha Sprenger (16-9) placed 4th and scored 20.0 team points. 135 B Haddison Mundorf (20-6) placed 5th and scored 12.0 team points.   100 JV 4 Mariana Azarcoya placed 3rd. 140JV1 Payten Daugherty  placed 4th.

The class will be held from 9 to 4 January 10th. The Cherry County Hospital reminds mothers-to-be that there will be another prenatal preparation class at the meeting room of the hospital in Valentine this Saturday January 10 th  from 9 to 4.  This free class will cover the basics of what to expect when you’re expecting, coping strategies and birth plan options, breathing, relaxation, positioning, and other labor techniques as well as your partner’s role and stages of deliver

A celebration of life for William “Willy” Hoffman age 77 of Valentine will be held on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, at 2:00 PM at Sandoz Chapel of the Pines. A private family inurnment will take place at Mt. Hope Cemetery in Valentine. Mr. Hoffman passed away on December 28 in Valentine. Survivors Sisters-Joan Knuth of Valentine Janis Davis of Dallas, TX Sandoz Chapel of the Pines is entrusted with service arrangements.

Ryan Connot posing with his big cat The 2026 mountain lion hunting season in Nebraska’s Niobrara Unit closed Jan. 6 when the harvest sublimit of three females was met. The mountain lion season remains open in the Pine Ridge and Wildcat Hills units. The Pine Ridge has a harvest limit of 12 lions with a sublimit of six females. To date, two females have been harvested. The Wildcat Hills Units has a harvest limit of three lions with a sublimit of two females. To date, no lions h

PreK-K  47-52 - Knox Nelson's place is 1st PreK-K Girls 41-45 - Tinsly Shelbourn's place is 3rd Boys 47-52 – Klay OKief's place is 3rd Boys 52-56 – Watson Michalek's place is 1st Boys 53-56 - Maddox Belville's place is 1st Boys 53-58 - Collins Arnold's place is 4th Boys 58-59 - Charlie Stec's place is 1st Boys 72-84 - Kash Nelson's place is 3rd   Girls 86-88 - Lennon Joseph's place is 1st Boys 74-76 – Coy Anderson's place is 4th Boys 75-79 - Jake Kime's place is 2nd and Boys

2025- A Defining Year For Producers As 2026 begins, it’s worth looking back on one of the most consequential years in the modern American cattle industry. It was a year defined by historically high cattle prices paired with sharp market volatility, alongside major developments in R-CALF USA’s antitrust and electronic ID eartag cases, the dismissal of criminal charges against the Maudes, New World screwworm, and the cattle industry in headline news. From working across all thr

Several students from Valentine made the high honor. The University of Nebraska at Kearney announced students who earned a place on the dean’s list for the fall 2025 semester. Students who are on the dean’s list must have completed 12 credit hours or more of classes with a 3.5 grade-point average or better on a 4.0 scale. Students earn a 4.0 for an “A,” 3.0 for a “B” and 2.0 for a “C.” Courses taken on a credit/no credit basis – such as internships and student teaching – aren

Scammers "spoofed" a legitimate vendor KWYR - Tripp County State’s Attorney Zachary Pahlke and South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley announce an ongoing investigation into an email scam that led to the fraudulent transfer of $826,357 from the Tripp County government. State’s Attorney Pahlke reports that on Oct. 15, 2025, the Tripp County Auditor’s Office was deceived into authorizing a transfer to a bank account controlled by external criminal actors.  The perpetrators

Kallie Rae Walking Eagle, age 27 of Box Elder, SD, passed away January 5, 2026       Wake Service   7pm Friday January 9th at the Antelope Community Hall in Mission   Caravan at 2pm from Holmes Funeral Home in Valentine       Funeral:   1pm Saturday January 10th at the Antelope Community Hall   Burial at Iron Wood Cemetery       Survivors:   3 sons: Kyus and K'Von Kirkie and Kamden Walking Eagle   Parents: Jerilyn Walking Eagle & Donovan Bear Heels   Brothers: Hayden Bear Hee

Charles Edward Mefferd of Kearney, Nebraska, passed away on January 4, 2026, from complications of Parkinson’s disease at the Central Nebraska Veterans Home in Kearney. He is survived by his children Kathleen Emry Mefferd, Brett, Chad, Shawna Mefferd Kelty; stepchildren Cyndi McNaught, Robert, Rodney, and Myndi McGinley-Gunnink.A memorial service will be held on January 8, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at the First Baptist Church in Kearney, NE, with Pastor Sean Dougherty officiating.

On July 4, 2026, the United States will commemorate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Today, Governor Jim Pillen, First Lady Suzanne, Lieutenant Governor Joe Kelly, members of the Nebraska Semiquincentennial Commission, representatives from the Daughters of the American Revolution (DOR) and the Sons of the American Revolution (SOR), plus event organizers, officially kicked off Nebraska’s participation in America’s Semiquincentennial cele