The Kearney City Council approved the addition of two new members to the Kearney Volunteer Fire Department (KVFD) during its meeting Tuesday, Sept. 22. Fire Chief Seth Lunbery asked the council to confirm the appointments of Corey Moss and Haley Eutsler as KVFD firefighters. Both officially joined the department on Sep...

Hastings Public Library is taking part in the second annual Library Fall Crawl, a statewide event encouraging Nebraskans to explore libraries across the state from Sept. 1 through Nov. 30, 2026. More than 100 libraries in 109 Nebraska communities are participating in this year's event, offering residents the chance to ...

The Kearney Police Department has wrapped up its "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" traffic enforcement campaign, which ran from Aug. 21 through Sept. 7 as part of a national effort to combat impaired driving over the Labor Day holiday. Throughout the campaign, KPD made 426 traffic contacts and issued 93 citati...

Weather permitting, work is scheduled to begin Sept. 14 on a project to install roadway cameras at three locations in District 7. The cameras will be installed at the west junction of U.S. Highway 6/34 (US-6/34) and U.S. Highway 83 (US-83) in McCook; the junction of Nebraska Highway 46 (N-46) and Nebraska Highway 89 (N...

The summer heat isn't ready to let go just yet. Highs are expected to climb into the 90s and 100s across the area over Labor Day weekend. However, a pattern shift beginning next week should bring cooler temperatures and better chances for rain. With high pressure remaining in control, temperatures are expected to stay ...

Nebraska State Fair-goers can enjoy a sweet treat while making a difference at SCOOPS Ice Cream Parlor, where every cone, cup and coffee float comes with a side of philanthropy. What makes SCOOPS special is the people behind the counter. Volunteers choose where the proceeds from their shifts go - either Heartland Unite...

For the Parade winners... At first place was the Sandhill Clinic, tied for second place was The Good Samaritan Center and West Holt Medical Services, while in third place was the Olson Family For the Hay Sculpture Contest winners... First Place was Shane Farms, who's display was a Semi Truck & a Race Car made mostl...

At approximately 7:50 a.m. on Aug. 20, 2026, Hall County sheriff's deputies responded to a fatal crash near mile marker 312 on Interstate 80 involving an SUV and a semi-truck. According to a preliminary investigation, a 2012 Dodge Journey was traveling eastbound in the westbound passing lane of I-80 when it collided wi...

The Hall County Sheriff's Office will participate in the upcoming "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" campaign, aimed at reducing impaired driving and preventing serious and fatal crashes across Nebraska. The department was awarded $2,596.64 from the Nebraska Department of Transportation Highway Safety to suppor...

Following severe weather that moved through the area Monday evening, Aug. 17, Ord Public Schools will be closed Tuesday as officials assess storm damage and evaluate travel conditions. "Ord Public Schools will be closed Tuesday, Aug. 18 to allow time to assess storm damage and to ensure safe travel routes to schoo...

Grand Island police are searching for a driver involved in two separate incidents of fleeing from officers at high rates of speed on Aug. 15. The first incident occurred around 1:10 a.m. at First and Eddy streets. Officers attempted to stop a vehicle after observing it traveling at a high rate of speed and failing to s...

The Grand Island Police Department participated in the national "Speeding Catches Up With You" High Visibility Mobilization from July 27 through August 9. The effort was made possible through grant funding from the Nebraska Department of Transportation Office of Highway Safety. The campaign focused on reducin...

Hastings Public Library has wrapped up another summer filled with reading, programs, and community fun-and this year, local readers helped set new records. The library's 2026 Summer Reading Program, "Unearth a Story," brought readers of all ages together for a summer centered around dinosaurs, history, discov...

The South Heartland District Health Department (SHDHD) is reporting 18 confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis within its health district, which includes Adams, Clay, Nuckolls and Webster counties. SHDHD Executive Director Michele Bever said the department has recorded 18 confirmed cases since July 10. Case investigations ar...

The Lancaster County Sheriff's Office, working with the Lancaster County Attorney's Office and the Nebraska Attorney General's Office, is investigating nearly 20,000 petition signatures submitted by the Good Government Lincoln group that were rejected during the verification process. Five people have been arrested on s...

Bids for the South Street concrete replacement project were opened on July 29, 2026. The project will replace the existing brick and asphalt pavement between Lincoln and Hastings avenues with 9 inches of concrete. Diamond Engineering Co. of Grand Island submitted the lowest bid and was awarded the contract for $75,684....

The Ord Police Department is responding after the Ord City Council voted to remove Flock license plate reader cameras from the city. The department says it has spent significant time listening to residents' concerns about automated license plate readers and data privacy. While the department says Flock cameras are an e...

Golf carts, mini-bikes, ATVs, UTVs, e-bikes, and electric scooters are becoming more common throughout Buffalo County. With that increase has come more questions-and more safety concerns-about where these vehicles can legally be operated. The rules can be confusing because they vary depending on both the type of vehicl...

A Grand Island man who had been reported missing was found dead Tuesday in Greeley County. According to Greeley County Sheriff Paul Deaver, the Greeley County Sheriff's Office was notified at about 1:20 a.m. by Region 26 911 Dispatch that Brandon Connick had been reported missing from Grand Island. Authorities said inf...

Loup City Public Schools is adopting a stricter cell phone policy for the upcoming school year, implementing a phone-free school day during instructional hours. District officials announced that beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, all students will be required to keep their phones put away throughout the school d...