Protect Cherry County

10/12/2026

THREE OR FIVE COMMISSIONERS? LET'S LOOK AT THE FACTS.

There's been a lot of discussion lately about whether Cherry County should have three or five commissioners.

We've added a new page to the Protect Cherry County website to help voters sort through the information, using county records, Nebraska law, and actual budget numbers.

We looked at four questions:

✅ What would two additional commissioners actually cost?

✅ Who would appoint them, and when would voters get to elect them?

✅ Would changing the number of commissioners affect rural representation?

✅ What are the possible benefits, and which claims aren't guaranteed?

One important finding:
Two additional commissioners would add an estimated $48,300 annually in base salaries, plus benefits and other costs. Whether that results in higher property taxes depends on county budget decisions.

There are valid reasons to support either three or five commissioners. Our goal isn't to tell anyone how to vote. It's to make sure the information being shared is accurate and supported by sources.

Read the information and check the sources for yourself:

🔗 https://protectcherrycounty.org/three-or-five-commissioners.html

Protect Cherry County
Learn more. See the sources.

Cherry County's three-to-five commissioner question: costs, appointments, at-large elections, and possible outcomes with sources.

10/01/2026

📰 Saw our ad in the paper? Want to know more?

We’ve updated ProtectCherryCounty.org to make local facts, project information, and source documents easier to find.

Start with the Cherry County facts, explore the water concerns, and read the records behind the questions.

Supporting agriculture and protecting our water go hand in hand. Our community deserves clear information about decisions that affect both.

🔎 Visit https://protectcherrycounty.org

Share this post to help neighbors find the information, and follow Protect Cherry County for updates.

09/22/2026

NEW HERE? START HERE.

Protect Cherry County began because people had questions about a major local project and wanted access to the actual records behind the decisions being made.

Since then, the work has grown.

Protect Cherry County documents and explains issues that affect the people, land, water, and future of Cherry County.

Here you’ll find:

💧 WATER & GROUNDWATER
Public water records, monitoring information, nitrate and PFAS findings, wells, and local groundwater science.

📄 PUBLIC RECORDS
Permits, agency correspondence, reports, monitoring plans, meeting records, and other primary-source documents.

🔎 LOCAL INVESTIGATIONS
We follow the paper trail, compare records, identify unanswered questions, and separate what is documented from what still needs verification.

🌾 LAND & THE NIOBRARA
Issues involving agriculture, development, natural resources, recreation, and the places that make Cherry County home.

🏛️ GOVERNMENT DECISIONS & ACCOUNTABILITY
What agencies and local officials are doing, what the records say, and where the public can find the source material.

🐖 TK ANGUS
The TK Angus swine facility remains an ongoing investigation, including its permit, groundwater monitoring, nutrient management, agency oversight, and related records.

OUR GOAL IS SIMPLE:

Document it.
Source it.
Explain it.

You do not have to agree with every concern raised here. We do ask that discussion stay focused on facts, sources, thoughtful questions, and respect for the people participating.

🔗 Source documents and investigation updates:
ProtectCherryCounty.org

If you know of a public record, local issue, or unanswered question we should look into, send it our way.

09/18/2026

When information is being used to shape an important community conversation, I think we owe it to ourselves to look beyond the headline.

As a teacher, I ask students to notice, wonder, check sources, separate fact from interpretation, and ask what information might be missing. I tried to apply that same standard here.

We reviewed the public records behind the Cherry County at a Crossroads handout.

Some of the information checks out. Some needs additional context. Some legal issues are more complicated than they first appear. And there are current developments that deserve to be part of the conversation.

The one-page summary below highlights the key findings. We also prepared a full source review with the underlying statutes, government records, and other primary sources so readers can check the information themselves.

Read the original. Read the review. Check the sources.

Then make up your own mind.

09/17/2026

𝗔 𝗡𝗢𝗧𝗘 𝗔𝗕𝗢𝗨𝗧 𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗡𝗦𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗖𝗬

𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: Personal identifying information and identifying source details previously included in this post have been 𝗥𝗘𝗗𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗘𝗗 𝗔𝗧 𝗥𝗘𝗤𝗨𝗘𝗦𝗧. The substantive issues addressed in the post remain.

An account currently using the name “Lulu HadleyRich” has commented frequently on Protect Cherry County posts concerning TK Angus, the permit process, public comments, this page, and people participating in these discussions.

Because questions about transparency have repeatedly been raised in those exchanges, we believe some context is appropriate.

Publicly available records reviewed by Protect Cherry County document a 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 between the individual associated with this account and Tim Marlatt, who Nebraska DWEE identifies as the applicant for the TK Angus Co. livestock facility in Cherry County.

The personal identifying information and records previously cited to document that relationship have been 𝗥𝗘𝗗𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗘𝗗 𝗔𝗧 𝗥𝗘𝗤𝗨𝗘𝗦𝗧.

Nebraska DWEE’s official public notice identifies 𝗧𝗶𝗺 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗮𝘁𝘁, 𝗧𝗞 𝗔𝗻𝗴𝘂𝘀 𝗖𝗼., 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗜𝗗 𝟭𝟮𝟰𝟴𝟴𝟱 as the applicant. The corrected notice describes two proposed buildings with underfloor deep pits and a maximum of 4,999 swine weighing 55 pounds or more. The corrected written-comment period ran from July 1 through July 31, 2026.

The “Lulu HadleyRich” account has also described itself in our comment sections as having a “vested interest” in this area.

Because public participation in this permit process has been an important part of our work, we reviewed the public-comment materials available to us. In the records we reviewed, we did not locate a written public comment that we could definitively attribute to this individual.

𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗻𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘀𝘂𝗯𝗺𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗱.

A comment could have been submitted under another name, or there may be a record we have not located. If documentation showing otherwise is provided, we will correct this statement.

Being related to an applicant does not prevent anyone from participating in this discussion, and a family relationship does not determine whether someone’s argument is right or wrong.

It is, however, 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁 when someone participates extensively in discussions concerning a project involving a member of their family.

𝗔𝗕𝗢𝗨𝗧 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗗𝗜𝗦𝗖𝗨𝗦𝗦𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗢𝗡 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗣𝗔𝗚𝗘

Protect Cherry County supports 𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛𝗧𝗙𝗨𝗟, 𝗙𝗔𝗖𝗧-𝗕𝗔𝗦𝗘𝗗 𝗗𝗜𝗦𝗖𝗨𝗦𝗦𝗜𝗢𝗡.

Disagreement with this page is welcome. Questions about our conclusions are welcome. Challenges to our sources are welcome. Different viewpoints are welcome.

What we are addressing here is 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 between commenters.

We are addressing a repeated pattern by the account discussed above of entering multiple discussions, repeatedly challenging individual commenters, turning discussions toward the people commenting rather than the subject being discussed, and continuing those exchanges across posts.

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻. It should not be read as criticism of another commenter simply for responding during one of those exchanges.

People should be able to participate on this page without feeling that commenting will cause one account to repeatedly pursue them throughout unrelated comment sections.

Debate the information.

Question the sources.

Challenge our conclusions.

Bring additional documentation.

𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗱𝗼 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗿 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀.

We have intentionally left differing viewpoints visible because Protect Cherry County is not interested in creating an echo chamber. Leaving disagreement visible does not mean repeated personal targeting of people participating in the conversation is constructive or appropriate.

Protect Cherry County has repeatedly been asked who operates this page, where our information comes from, and why we are involved. We will continue documenting the claims we make and correcting the record when warranted.

We believe the same basic principles are useful throughout this discussion:

𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗺𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗱𝗼𝗰𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.

𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲𝗱.

𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝗲 𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗱.

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝗲 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗲𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺𝘀𝗲𝗹𝘃𝗲𝘀.

𝗦𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗖𝗘𝗦

• Nebraska Department of Water, Energy and Environment, TK Angus Co., Facility ID 124885 public notice and public-document portal
• Public statements made by the “Lulu HadleyRich” account in Protect Cherry County comment sections
• Public records previously cited regarding the relevant family relationship have been [REDACTED AT REQUEST]

09/17/2026

This is why protecting our area and our groundwater matters.

This isn’t the first time Valentine has dealt with elevated nitrate levels. Historical state records show nitrate concerns going back years, including previous plans for a new municipal well specifically “due to nitrates,” and Valentine’s 2025 water-quality report recorded nitrate-nitrite as high as 10.6 mg/L.

Now, in 2026, Well 501 has again tested above the federal maximum contaminant level of 10 mg/L and has been taken out of service.

The current notice does not identify the source of the nitrate, and we should not pretend that it does. What it does show is why protecting our groundwater before additional risks are introduced matters.

Clean water is something worth protecting.

09/10/2026

Shout out to my newest followers! Excited to have you onboard!

Sue Maire, Herman Ferncrel, Hannah Blake, Jean Hunt, Heidi Garvin-Swim, Ralph Savage, Sue Swanson

09/04/2026

Well, this is timely.

USGS and UNL just released Nebraska’s first statewide surficial geologic map. The TK Angus site falls in eolian sand, linear dunes.

In other words: very sandy ground in a place where groundwater protection should be taken seriously.

That doesn’t prove contamination. But it sure doesn’t make the groundwater questions go away.

USGS, UNL release new map detailing Nebraska’s geological makeup