Protect Cherry County

08/31/2026

Did you know more than 230 waterfalls have been documented throughout the Niobrara Valley?

Now, more people will be able to experience the tallest of them. Smith Falls State Park has added two all-terrain wheelchairs for visitors with mobility limitations.

Improving access helps more people experience why the Niobrara Valley is so extraordinary and why protecting its water, land, and natural beauty matters. These places should remain accessible, healthy, and protected for generations to come.

♿🌿💧

08/31/2026

PROTECT CHERRY COUNTY UPDATE

We have continued reviewing NDWEE’s decision and Nebraska’s public-hearing laws with experienced advocates.

The troubling reality is that current state law does not clearly guarantee affected residents a public hearing before a livestock construction and operating permit is approved, even when hundreds of people request one and substantial scientific concerns are submitted.

We are still determining whether any avenue remains to challenge the permit decision itself. At the same time, discussions are beginning about changing Nebraska law so communities cannot be shut out of decisions carrying long-term consequences for their water, land, roads, and quality of life.

This experience is also a reminder of how important it is to know what is happening locally, read public notices, attend Planning Commission and County Board meetings, and ask questions early. Decisions made quietly can have consequences lasting for generations.

This is disappointing, but we are not done. Protect Cherry County will continue sharing developments and advocating for meaningful public participation and accountability.

08/24/2026

We’re glad to see Nebraska asking hard questions about how major developments affect our natural resources, power systems, and local infrastructure.

We hope that same level of scrutiny is applied to large livestock operations and industrial hog facilities, including their impacts on groundwater, roads, neighboring landowners, and rural communities.

Nebraska’s natural resources deserve consistent protection, regardless of the industry involved.

08/17/2026

THANK YOU, CHERRY COUNTY. ❤️

To every person who took the time to read through the information, ask questions, submit a public comment, sign the petition, share a post, talk to a neighbor, or simply pay attention to what was happening, thank you.

The final DWEE commenter list is 10 pages long and includes hundreds of people, and 324 petition signatures were submitted asking DWEE to deny the permit as submitted and to hold a public hearing in Cherry County.

That level of participation matters. It showed that people care deeply about our groundwater, our land, the Niobrara, and the future of this community.

As many of you now know, DWEE granted the TK Angus Construction and Operating Permit.**

That is disappointing, but it does not mean I am done looking at the record.

I have already identified several discrepancies and inconsistencies between the final permit, agency responses, and other documents in the file that need to be addressed. I am going to work through them carefully, document them, and start asking the appropriate questions.

So… give me a minute to organize this mountain of paperwork, and I’ll get right on it. 😉

For now, I just want to say thank you. Truly.

You showed up. You asked questions. You created a record. And you made it very clear that people are paying attention.

Protect Cherry County isn’t going anywhere.💧🌾

Photo: “Entering Cherry County, Nebraska” by J. Stephen Conn, used under CC BY-NC 2.0 via Flickr.

08/08/2026

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

Halli Haskell, Charley Mlnarik, Carden Packett, Anah Bopp, Amber Townley Reiter, Glenda Nelson, Terri Snell Cradick, Jo Stec, Ann Weeks, Sherri Bennett, Patricia McRoberts O'Brien, Nancy Gregory, Kay Hand, Matthew Schmeckpeper, Deb Sporleder, Brian Christianson, Katherine Sinclair, Randy Holdorf, Canyon Aire, Jim McCormick, Jonathan Osland, Keith Petersen, J.m. Neal, Dori Haskell, Kelli Loos, Laura Gieseking Thomas, Mark Patton, Pepper Shrewsbury, John Hyland, Lynn Powell-Denison, Megan Launchbaugh, Tylee Coffman Schroeder, Becca DeWitt, Casey Ford, Solange Sims, Kirk A Carpenter, Kathleen Belville Armstrong, Jami Qualley, Lynde Elliott, Chris Lesik Bitner, Jaycie Cox, Faith Cox

08/07/2026

Cherry County is more than the place we live. It’s a place with a story millions of years in the making.

Fossils, petrified wood, ancient animals, the Niobrara, the Sandhills — reminders that there is an incredible amount of natural history beneath our feet and all around us.

Protecting Cherry County also means appreciating what makes this place irreplaceable: its land, its water, its history, and the stories that will still be here long after us.

Pretty incredible to call this place home. ❤️

08/06/2026

Protect Cherry County has taken up a lot of my heart and energy this summer, but I’m also shifting back into preparing for another school year and the work I love: helping children become curious, informed, and responsible stewards of the earth.

For those who may be new here, I have a background in biology and chemistry. I previously worked as a chemist for the Department of Agriculture in the Feed, Fertilizer and Agricultural Lime Laboratory, as well as with the Food Emergency Response Network laboratory.

Today, I teach science and have the joy of helping young people understand how our soil, water, ecosystems, agriculture, and everyday choices are all connected.

That same background (and that same sense of responsibility) is what led me to start asking questions about this proposed facility.

So yes, we are waiting. But we are still paying attention, staying organized, and preparing for whatever comes next.

In the meantime, I’m finding some joy in getting my classroom ready and remembering why protecting this place matters so much: the next generation is watching, learning, and depending on us.

Photos courtesy of my Instagram-filter era. 😊

08/04/2026

This is where the green grass grows.

Where our children run barefoot, play in the rain, and grow up surrounded by the land we love.

Our comments have been submitted. Our petitions have been delivered. Our community has spoken.

Now we wait and hope the decisions made today protect this place for the generations growing up here tomorrow.

💙 Protect Cherry County

08/01/2026

This was never just about one permit.

It’s about protecting the Sandhills, the Niobrara watershed, our drinking water, and the place we call home.

Hundreds of people chose to speak up. Today, Nebraska Public Media shared our community’s story.

If you believe clean water and local voices matter, please take a minute to read and share the article in the comments. Every share helps more people understand what’s happening in Cherry County.

07/31/2026

Nebraska Public Media is covering Cherry County residents’ push for a public hearing on the proposed TK Angus hog operation.

Nearly 300 petition signatures were gathered in about two days. Residents deserve answers before a final permit decision is made.

Please read and share:

The Nebraska Department of Water, Energy, and Environment has received around 40 letters from current and former Cherry County residents since July 1 – the vast majority opposing a proposed hog operation near Valentine.