Category Archives: Breaking News

Fire sparks west of Loup City, draws response from several area departments

LOUP CITY, Neb.— A grass fire is said to have sparked five miles to the west of the community of Loup City and two miles south of Highway 92 just ahead of the 4 PM hour on Wednesday (March 18).

Loup City fire requested mutual aid from several area departments including Hazard, Litchfield, Arcadia, Mason City, Ansley, Arcadia, and Ravenna.

According to the Sherman County Sheriff, a pasture and cornfield are on fire and assistance was received from farmers with discs and local businesses with water tankers as well.

As is the case with any fire scene, responders ask that the public do their best to avoid the area so that crews can focus on fighting the fire. Pull over for first responders traveling to the scene, regardless of what side of the road they are on from yourself.

UPDATE, Thursday morning: The fire was taken care of thanks to quick response and aggressive fighting by both firefighters and volunteers. (See the late-night post from Loup City Fire Department below). Loup City Fire Department thanked Trotters and Top Line Ag as well as local farmers from West Fork Ranch and Jim Obermiller farms, in addition to another tractor and disc whose driver and owner couldn’t be identified.

UPDATED – Truck vs Train accident west of Berwyn sees quick response Thursday

BERWYN, Neb. — First responders were called to the scene of a truck and train collision near the intersection of Road 445 and Highway 2 west of Berwyn just ahead of 2 PM Thursday afternoon (October 2). A semi truck owned by Adams Land and Cattle Co., pulling a side dump trailer, was impacted by the train on the trailer.

An eastbound train struck the side dump trailer as the semi was crossing the railroad tracks. The trailer was pushed off the crossing and into the ditch, spilling its contents, silage, onto the roadway.

The driver, a 53-year-old Ansley male, was the lone occupant of the semi. He was transported to the Jennie Melham Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Traffic on Highway 2 was slowed for less than an hour before the truck was able to be driven away from the train tracks on its own. No train cars appeared to have left the tracks.

Responders were heading back to their stations before 3 PM and the spill from the trailer was being cleaned up with traffic flowing at the time as well.

The Sheriff’s Office was assisted by Broken Bow Fire and Rescue, the Nebraska Department of Roads, Adams Land and Cattle, Hunters Towing, and BNSF.

Callaway man sentenced to prison for sexual assault charges

CUSTER COUNTY, Neb.— Timothy Rosentrater of Callaway was sentenced in Custer County District court on Thursday after entering a plea of guilty in May to several charges of sexual assault that occurred over a period eclipsing more than 20 years.

The 64 year old originally faced a single charge after being arrested in February of 2024 when a woman accused him of assaulting her during a seizure episode. As the case progressed, more women came forward to accuse Rosentrater of sexual assault instances that occurred when they were as young as 12 years old.

In May of 2024, Rosentrater was charged with 14 counts of sexual assault. An agreement with the state for a guilty or no contest plea in May dropped nine of the charges against Rosentrater. The recommendation made by the state was a minimum of 60 years of cumulative incarceration for the remaining charges, which Rosentrater pled guilty to.

Charges I and II: Sexual assault of a child (Class IIIA felonies)
Charges II and III: First degree sexual assault (Class II felonies)
Charge IV: Criminal attempt (Class IIA felony)

Several victim impact statements were read to the courtroom, either by victims in the case or on their behalf ahead of arguments from the state and defendant.

Deputy County Attorney Kayla Clark stated that the state doesn’t believe that Rosentrater takes accountability or understands the gravity of his actions despite making statements to make it sound like it. She added that statements he made to law enforcement were concerning, including ‘So you’re believing her over me?’ when being arrested.

Clark closed by saying the state believes that Rosentrater is an ‘incredible danger to society’, pointing to there being a felony charge for each victim that came forward but that they had detailed multiple times they had been assaulted. She re-stated the state’s recommendation of 60 years incarceration.

Attorney for the defense, Matt Furrow, spoke toward an extended period of probation or the minimum amount of incarceration (5-10 years) if probation was ruled inappropriate by the court. Furrow argued that Rosentrater had taken accountability for his actions, pointing mainly to working with law enforcement and entering a guilty plea. He also added that Rosentrater resisted when it was suggested that the victims be deposed, saying he ‘didn’t want to put them through that.’

Furrow closed by pointing to Rosentrater having no previous criminal charges or convictions and that pre-sentence investigations and evaluations showed that he was a low risk to recidivate. He stated once more an ask for probation or the minimum amount of incarceration.

Rosentrater gave a short statement to those in the courtroom, saying that he takes 100% responsibility for his actions, that he has nobody to blame but himself, and that his hope is for healing and closure for those that he hurt.

Judge Karin Noakes preceded sentencing with final statements of her own. She said his actions were appalling due to the victims looking for friendship with his daughter and being made to feel safe and secure, only for him to take advantage of their vulnerabilities. She added that she sees the crimes as pre-meditated and not impulsive because of Rosentrater’s identification of targets, building of relationships, and grooming.

Noakes spoke to the impact statements pointing to three types of lasting hurt from the victims: of trust broken, of the events of the assaults themselves, and the guilt of not coming forward earlier.

She added that the victims were justified in being concerned about whether they would be believed or not due to the image Rosentrater had built for himself in the community, stating, “They were concerned about friendships, their family, and even your family incredibly.” Noakes said she is amazed by the concern young children have for others even after being the victim of a horrible crime and that ‘people like you (Rosentrater)’ know that.

Judge Noakes sentenced Rosentrater to 4 to 5 years incarceration for each sexual assault of a child charge and 10 to 15 years for the first degree sexual assault and criminal attempt charges. The charges were ordered to be served consecutively and Rosentrater was given credit for 588 days of incarceration served. He will serve a minimum of 19 years before becoming eligible for parole, pursuant to Nebraska’s ‘Good Time Law’.

Trailer detaches, takes dive into creek on Highway 2 near Broken Bow

BROKEN BOW— A semi truck trailer detached from the truck pulling it and plunged into the creek below a Highway 2 bridge outside of Broken Bow early Tuesday evening (August 26).

The driver of the truck was able to drive away from the area without injury. He told KCNI/KBBN that he was pulling two trailers in tandem when he felt what he described as “a jolt” when the back trailer detached and left the highway to the East side, plunging into the creek that runs through the third hole at the Broken Bow Golf Club.

A pilot car was still in use on the stretch of construction area into the 6 PM hour when KCNI/KBBN left the scene. Construction crews continued to work on the highway project while responders tended to the accident scene.

Sargent voters deny pool bond a third time

SARGENT, Neb. – Results of the special bond election for a pool in Sargent have been released by Custer County Clerk Connie Gracey. Voters voting against the pool have outnumbered the amount voting for it for a third time.

Shall the City of Sargent, Nebraska (the “City”) issue its bonds in a principal amount not to exceed Four Million Dollars ($4,000,000) for the purpose of financing the costs of constructing and equipping a new municipal swimming pool and related facilities within the City
Voting FOR said tax and bonds: 92
Voting AGAINST said tax and bonds: 113

Previous elections were held in 2023 (when 70 residents voted for a pool and 129 voted against) and 2024 (when 125 voted for and 128 voted against).

This most recent vote on a pool returning to Sargent brought 59% voter return on the mailed ballot, of which Gracey said over 350 were sent out.

Broken Bow Public Schools target of phishing email scam, $1.8 million in funds stolen

BROKEN BOW, Neb. – Broken Bow Public Schools stated Monday (July 14) that the school was the target of cybersecurity fraud, which resulted in a $1.8 million payment being diverted to a fraudulent account.

The incident occurred early this spring when the school received a phishing email containing false Automated Clearing House (ACH) instructions that appeared to come from a trusted vendor, resulting in the payment intended for a construction contractor working on the school’s bond construction project to be sent to scammers.

Broken Bow Public Schools Superintendent Darren Tobey told KCNI/KBBN that a full investigation was immediately launched after suspicion was raised, which included the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Nebraska State Patrol, and the United States Secret Service.

With the assistance of those authorities, Tobey said that nearly $700,000 of the money has been recovered to date. He added that the school is continuing to work with the authorities in addition to their attorneys and insurance to attempt to recover the approximately $1.1 million in remaining funds.

A release from the school indicated the following regarding questions about impact and assurance:

– The construction project will continue as planned without interruption
– There will be no tax increases to cover the financial shortfall
– The district remains in a strong financial position due to careful planning and conservative budgeting
– New protocols and safeguards were immediately implemented in the district office regarding wire/ACH transfers and financial transactions to prevent a similar event

The release continued by saying that the school “takes full responsibility for the fact that the safeguards were not in place, as well as full responsibility for the unfortunate circumstance,” adding that a public statement was not made earlier in order to allow law enforcement officials the time to conduct an investigation.

The full release from the school regarding the incident can be read below:

Eric Church to headline Nebraskaland Days following Luke Bryan cancellation due to illness

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. – NEBRASKAland DAYS, one of the Midwest’s most celebrated summer festivals, announced today that Luke Bryan has cancelled his scheduled performance at the Viaero Summer Jam Concert Series due to illness. His friend Eric Church, joined by Joanna Cotten, is stepping in to headline the Friday night concert on June 27.

Bryan shared the news directly to fans on social media noting, “I’m really sorry to say I won’t be able to play this weekend’s show due to continued illness. I’ve been hoping to rally, but my voice is just not there yet. Huge thanks to my buddy Eric Church for stepping in last minute – and of course, putting on a kick ass show like he always does. Sitting still is not what I do best so I can’t wait to be back soon. – Love y’all, Luke”

Church shared, “Festivals are part of the fabric of what made us who we are. Happy to fill in for Luke while he’s on the mend. Not a lot of time to plan or get the whole crew together, so I’m bringing Jo and we’re gonna do something unique and spontaneous.”

“We know fans were excited to see Luke Bryan, and we join them in wishing him a speedy recovery,” said Bob Lantis, NEBRASKAland DAYS Executive Director. “We’re incredibly fortunate to have a performer of Eric Church’s caliber ready to take the stage. He’s one of country music’s most dynamic entertainers, and we’re confident he’ll deliver an unforgettable show.”

All tickets purchased for the original Luke Bryan show will be honored for Eric Church’s performance. No exchanges are necessary. For those that would rather have a refund, NEBRASKAland DAYS will honor a refund request until 5 PM CT on June 25.

Church joins a powerhouse lineup for the Viaero Summer Jam Concert Series, including special guests Ashley Cooke and Bayker Blankenship.

For the latest updates, ticket information, and festival details, visit NebraskalandDays.com or follow NEBRASKAland DAYS on social media.

Investigation underway for fire ‘likely intentionally started’ north of Loup City

The Sherman County Sheriff’s Office says that a grass fire near Highway 58 and Road 797 that started Thursday afternoon has an undetermined cause and was likely intentionally started. The fire was contained early Thursday evening and is being monitored.

Response to the fire that threatened two residences in the line of the fire began with Region 26 Emergency Management paging Loup City Fire Department. The blaze increased in size quickly and the battle against it took place in ‘tough terrain and pastures’.

During the life of the fire event, over two dozen fire departments assisted in addition to task forces, aerial support, as well as local ag companies, farmers, and residents with tractors and water tanks. Sherman County extended their thanks to all responding agencies in a social media post.

Thursday’s fire took place at the same road crossing location given during another fire categorized as suspicious that took place on December 29, 2024. That fire was intentionally started by an individual or individuals lighting fireworks from a vehicle.

Those with information are encouraged to contact the Sherman County Sheriff.

Governor Declares State of Emergency for fires in Custer, Dawes counties

LINCOLN, NE – Governor Jim Pillen has declared a state of emergency for fires that have been burning since earlier this week in two counties. The Custer Complex Fire started on Monday and now consists of three active fires. The Schaffer Road Fire started on Tuesday and is located southeast of Chadron. The fires have been fueled by a combination of high winds, low humidity and dry conditions.

Each proclamation states that the fires have created problems greater in scope than local governments can resolve alone.

Proclamations issued by the Governor (pictured below) authorize the state’s adjutant general to activate state emergency plans and resources necessary to manage the fires, preventing possible loss of life and property.