January 5
Law Enforcement Asks for Full Time County Attorney
Citing the large workload and a number of felony cases that have been dropped, law enforcement officials asked the Box Butte County Commissioners to consider making the position of Box Butte County Attorney full time. At the last meeting of the commissioners in 2021, Box Butte County Sheriff Tammy Mowry and Alliance Police Department Chief Philip Lukens presented a case to the commissioners as they discussed setting the salaries of elected officials.
January 12
Hopp Becomes Eighth 12-Letter Athlete at AHS
Jordon Hopp, who graduated from Alliance High School in 2020, was recently announced as the eighth athlete in AHS history to be a 12-time letter winner. She lettered four years in volleyball, four years in basketball and four years in track and field. During her time at Alliance High School, she has earned multiple accolades as an athlete.
January 19
7th Street Dance Studio Donates to CAPstone
When Lori Davis purchased the 7th Street Dance Studio in 2018, one of the things she wanted to really do was to donate all proceeds for the Christmas recitals to other organizations. December 20, 2021 was no exception and she was able to donate $3,000 to CAPstone in Alliance.
January 26
Man Arrested in Dobby’s Burglary
On Jan. 21, officers executed a search warrant for Christopher Heater, 31, of Alliance. “Heater was found to be in possession of a large amount of items that had been stolen at Dobby’s Frontier Town,” the affidavit said. “During a subsequent interview with Christopher Heater, he admitted to breaking and entering into multiple buildings at Dobby’s Frontier Town. Heater advised all the items seized during the search warrant were items he had stolen from Dobby’s Frontier Town.”
February 2
Active Alliance Reflects on Success
Members of Activate Alliance recently gathered at the Box Butte General Hospital Wellness Center to host a community forum, celebrating the success of several projects in the past few years and developing a plan to continue motivating people in Alliance to lead healthy and active lives. At the forum, members discussed the status of several projects that have come to fruition since the group first met in May of 2019, such as the crosswalk beautification projects, the purchase of additional signage and the launch of the community bike share program.
February 9
Fire Consumes Home in Alliance
On Thursday evening, a fire broke out at a trailer house north of the Tower Apartments, resulting in a total loss of the structure and its contents. “There were no injuries to the occupants, they were actually not home when the fire started,” explained Alliance Volunteer Fire Department Chief Troy Shoemaker.
February 16
Lions Club Donates To Community Table
The Alliance Lions Club recently made a $500 donation to the Alliance Community Table. The organization provides a lunch to anyone who is hungry five days a week. Churches and numerous other organizations in the community are involved in the preparation and serving of the lunches.
February 23
Sallows Donation Highlights Local Patriotism
Donna Kerr spent her time on the home front during the Gulf War, collecting items for care packages to send to the service men and women fighting to defend the nation and honoring their service. Recently, she donated her collection of letters, newspaper clippings and photos gathered during that time to the Sallows Military Museum in Alliance.
March 2
Bolinger Runs for Attorney General
Local author Larry Bolinger is running to to become Nebraska’s next Attorney General with the newly-formed “Legal Marijuana Now Party.” Bolinger announced his candidacy in a press release, highlighting his community involvement and dedication to service. He is a veteran who served in both the US Air Force and the Army National Guard.
March 9
Alliance Recycling Program
For the past 10 years, the Alliance Recycling Center has been awarded grants by the Nebraska Environmental Trust, which doles out about $20 million a year in state lottery proceeds for environmental projects. On Thursday, the director of the Alliance recycling program made the seven hour drive to Lincoln to find out why the center, which employs 15 people and serves a wide area of Nebraska’s Panhandle, had been rejected for $95,000 in funding this year.
March 16
It’s Life or Meth
The Knight Museum and Sandhills Center played host to a meeting of several law enforcement agencies, all sharing in the goal to combat the spread of methamphetamine throughout the state of Nebraska. Representatives from the FBI, the DEA, the US Attorney and Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson met with area agencies regarding the issue.
March 23
Hemingford, Sheriff’s Office Discuss Police Services Contract
At the Box Butte County Commissioners meeting on Monday, representatives from the Village of Hemingford and the Box Butte County Sheriff’s Office discussed the possibility of providing police services to the community.
March 30
Carhenge Named Nebraska Passport Stop
Sightseers and travelers are ready to visit Alliance as Carhenge was named as one of the stops in the Nebraska Passport Program. Madison Johnson, Passport Program Coordinator with the Nebraska Tourism Commission, explained that the program has seen many participants throughout the years.
April 6
Veterans Honored with Quilts of Valor
In honor of National Vietnam War Veterans Day, on March 29, 12 local Veterans were honored with Quilts of Valor during a ceremony at VFW #1517. Along with Quilts of Valor, the veterans were presented with Vietnam War lapel pins through part of a partnership with the Vietnam Commemoration Program.
April 13
Man Cited in Fatality Accident
The Nebraska State Patrol has cited a Kansas man for motor vehicle homicide after a two-vehicle crash claimed the life of an Alliance woman Sunday. A Ford Escape, driven by Blythe Boness, 22, of Alliance, was traveling eastbound on Highway 2 when it was struck by a westbound Chevrolet Camaro, driven by Ryan McElroy, 36, of Salina, Kansas. Following investigation, McElroy has been cited for motor vehicle homicide, willful reckless driving, DUI – 3rd offense, possession of an open alcohol container, and driving under suspension.
April 20
Doves Helps Survivors to Thrive
The Doves Program in Alliance is ready to continue serving the community at their new office location at 113 E 5th Street. The Doves Program which has played an active role in providing support to survivors of sexual and domestic violence since 1979, serves nine counties in the Panhandle.
April 27
Congressman Smith Visits
Congressman Adrian Smith visited Alliance recently, stopping by the Knight Museum to speak with constituents about a variety of issues affecting the country today. One of the topics of discussion was workforce shortages affecting businesses throughout the nation.
May 4
Friedrichsen Wins Outstanding Young Nebraska Journalist Award
On Saturday afternoon at the Nebraska Press Association Convention in Kearney, Shaun Friedrichsen was announced as the 2022 Outstanding Young Nebraska Journalist. The award was created in 2000 by Zean and Marilyn Carney, the former publishers of several Nebraska newspapers, to recognize young journalist throughout the state. Nominees are judged on professionalism, creativity and the impact of their work on print journalism. Friedrichsen, who is 29, owns the Alliance Times-Herald with his fiancee, Kathryn Keller. Since purchasing the Alliance Times-Herald, they have worked to improve the publication while keeping the focus on recording local history as it occurs.
May 11
Honor Flight Convoy to Pass Through Alliance
On the morning of Thursday, May 12, a group of Vietnam Veterans will travel from Chadron to Denver where they will take part in the Western Nebraska Veterans Honor Flight. There will be a total of five vans filled with veterans that will travel through Alliance. People are encouraged to join a flag line, which will be established on the west side of Highway 385 near Terry’s Corner, to honor the veterans.
May 18
Box Butte County Sees Average Turnout in Primary
Box Butte County’s voters took to the polls on May 10 to vote in the primary election. Even without any local races or issues on the ballot in the primary, turnout was average, with 1,502 ballots cast. Box Butte County Clerk Judy Messersmith said election went well overall.
May 25
Council Amends City Clerk Agreement
The Alliance City Council took action to amen the employment with City Clerk Tarrah Johnson, making a change to her compensation. Johnson has served as the City Clerk since she was appointed on March 21, 2020, taking on the role from City Clerk Linda Jines. “Johnson shall receive an additional amount of $1,500 following each annual job performance evaluation, if the majority of council provides Johnson at least a satisfactory job performance evaluation.” The Amendment states.
June 1
APD Teams Up with Know Your Force
Know Your Force announced their partnership with Alliance, Nebraska Police Department to advance community relations by using a streamlined community survey system. Know Your Force helps police departments gather continuous feedback data from their community, enabling deeper insights into citizen voices and up-to-date information about their officers on an ongoing basis.
June 8
BRAN Kicks off in Alliance
A bicycle ride across Nebraska, also known as BRAN, had its starting point in Alliance on June 5, with the riders riding from Alliance to Wahoo, Nebraska, from June 5-11, a 424-mile journey that has overnight stays in seven different towns. Every 10 to 15 miles, the ride has checkpoints called S.A.G.’s, which stands for support and gear. Riders can stop to refuel on snacks and water, and check their health to see if they can continue the long ride across Nebraska.
June 15
Alliance Graduate Joins the Wall of Fame
Dr. Barbara Arnold was honored at the Knight Museum on June 9, where the Alliance Public Schools Foundation recognized Dr. Arnold, a member of the class of 1962, on her achievements and was added on the wall of fame for 2021. To qualify for the wall of fame, you have to be a graduate of Alliance High School. Dr. Arnold graduated from the University of Colorado School of Medicine. While at the University of Colorado Medical center, she specialized in ophthalmology. Dr. Arnold was a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Air Force Medical Corp. as a Flight Surgeon.
June 22
High Winds Topple Semi
In the evening of June 7, 2022 a dangerous storm hit Alliance, Wind gusts and heavy rain made visibility zero percent. A semi-tractor pulling an unloaded trailer was driving northbound on Highway 385 and had just passed the Maverick gas station when the storm hit. The driver of the semi immediately pulled over and put the semi into park. The high winds pushed the semi onto its right side, causing the driver to be suspended from his seat belt. Three Alliance police officers, two Nebraska State Patrol Troopers and the Alliance Fire Department immediately responded, shutting down the northbound and southbound lanes of Highway 385. The driver with the assistance of a trooper with the Nebraska State Patrol, was able to free himself out of the cab and crawl out of the semi. The driver was not hurt due to him wearing a seat belt and was not transported to the hospital. The semi was able to be pulled upright by Red Beard Garage and was towed off the highway.
June 29
Blaze Consumes WESTCO Tire Center
An early-morning fire consumed the WESTCO Tire Center on Tuesday morning in the largest blaze since Vitalix burned down in 2018. Alliance Volunteer Fire Department Cheif Troy Shoemaker said the portion of the building where the fire began was where tires and oil drums were stored. “That was a big fire load,” said Shoemaker. “There was a lot of heat produced in there. Once that happens, it takes a lot of water.”
July 6
Jail House Kid Places 17th at National Fast Draw Competition
There was a US National Cowboy Fast Draw Competition in Deadwood, S.D., on June 16-18, where Alliance’s own Steve Henkel placed 17th out of 162 men. A total of 162 men, five youth and 101 women were in attendance. Among those participating was Henkel or Jailhouse Kid, which is Henkel’s gun handle name.
July 13
Carhenge Snags Attention of Kunis, Kutcher
On July 6, actor Ashton Kutcher shared a photo on Instagram of his and his spouse’s actress Mila Kunis, visit to Carhenge. The photo was captioned, “Found the original vista cruiser,” a reference to the iconic vehicle featured in the TV series, “That ‘70s Show,” which both actors starred in.
July 20
Lacrosse Connects Youth Through Action
Lacrosse is a team sport consisting of a lacrosse stick and ball. It is recognized as the oldest organized sport in North America, with origins dating back to the 12th Century, which started with the indigenous people. The indigenous people called it the “Creators Game” because they believed it was given to them by their Creator. There was an exhibition Lacrosse game at Alliance City Park on July 14, where the community was welcomed to participate.
July 27
Wacker Receives Prison Sentence in Multiple Cases
Bethany Wacker, 29, of Alliance, came before Box Butte County District Court Judge Travis O’Gorman on July 13 to be sentenced in three cases. In the first case, she was found guilty of possession of methamphetamine, a class 4 felony and theft by receiving stolen property, a class 2 misdemeanor. In the second case, Wacker was charged with distribution of methamphetamine, a class 2 felony, and distribution of a controlled substance near a school. In the third case, Wacker was charged with two counts of possession of a controlled substance, each a class 4 felony.
August 3
Kelley Faces Felonies in Separate Cases
Chad Kelley, 38, of Alliance, was recently taken into custody on a warrant and is facing several misdemeanor and felony cases. According to court records, in the first case, Kelley is charged with unauthorized use of a propelled vehicle, a class 3 misdemeanor. In the second case, Kelley was issued a citation for possession of drug paraphernalia, an infraction. The third case filed against Kelley was for failure to appear or comply with a citation, a class 3 misdemeanor. A felony case was filed against Kelley, where he is charged with possession of Alprazolam, a class 4 felony, possession of Fentanyl, a class 4 felony, unauthorized use of a propelled vehicle, a class 3 misdemeanor, and possession of drug paraphernalia, an infraction. The fifth criminal case filed against Kelley in Box Butte County Court was two counts of burglary, each a class 2A felony, theft by unlawful taking, $1,500-$4,999, a class 4 felony, and theft by unlawful taking, $501-$1,499, a class 1 misdemeanor.
August 10
National Night Out a Success
Every year on the first Tuesday in August, the United States and Canada celebrate National Night Out, which consists of civilians, organizations and the Alliance Police Department where they all come together to enhance the relationship between neighborhoods and communities. There was a lot of different events going on at National Night Out, with live music, booths with information on the community, face painting, and food, all things a family could enjoy.
August 17
Phillips Crowned Box Butte County Fair Queen
The Box Butte County Fair Queen Contest was hosted in Hemingford on August 10, where 12 contestants competed to see who would be crowned the 2022 Box Butte County fair queen. Peyton Kindred earned Miss Congeniality, Avery Davies earned second attendant, Elizabeth Mayer earned first attendant, and the Box Butte County Fair Queen was Brianna Phillips.
August 24
Kelley Arrested in Scottsbluff Following Pursuit
Chad Kelley, 38, of Alliance, was taken into custody following a pursuit in Scottsbluff on Friday evening. According to a release from Sergent Tyler Filam of the Scottsbluff Police Department, officers received the report of a stolen vehicle at approximately 6:35 p.m. traveling near Seventh Avenue and East Overland Drive. Filam said the driver abandoned the vehicle in the 300 block of West 21st Street. They located the suspect in a vacant apartment in the 1900 block of 3rd Avenue, with assistance from K-9 Duke and citizens.
August 31
Juvenile Arrested After Making Threats
Alliance High School went into lockdown on Monday after a juvenile allegedly made threats and was reported to have a firearm. “After the report was received the school was placed in lockdown,” said Lukens. “The student was removed from his class and the weapon was identified as a BB Gun. The student was removed from school. Lukens said the juvenile was arrested and will be housed at the Lancaster County Youth Services Center in Lincoln.
September 7
Senator Fischer Visits Alliance
Senator Deb Fisher came to Alliance recently, making a stop at Box Butte General Hospital while traveling to several locations throughout the Panhandle. Fischer said, “Alliance is fortunate to have BBGH and the dedication from the staff who work here.” She said that times are interesting in the Senate, noting that she has been working to pass the Cattle Transparency Bill. “It’s just going to be helpful for family farmers and ranchers who will have more information available to them about what the market really is in this region,” said Fisher.
September 14
APS Drug Testing Program Implementation Fails
The motion to approve a proposed drug testing program at Alliance Public Schools failed on Monday night, with a final vote of 4-2.
September 21
Alliance Airport Receives Federal Grant
On August 30, it was announced by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that $9.25 million in federal grants were awarded to four Nebraska airports, in Alliance, Aurora, Burwell, and Sidney, according to the Nebraska Department of Transportation.
September 28
Gov. Ricketts Urges People to Take Advantage of Property Tax Relief
During his visit to Alliance on Sept. 20, Governor Pete Ricketts highlighted a range of topics, addressing a room filled with people at the Knight Museum. Ricketts kicked off the town hall by talking about taxes, noting that during his time as governor, he kept the growth of the state’s budget to an average of 2.8 percent.
October 5, 2022
Pillen Describes Vision for State During Alliance Visit
Gubernatorial candidate Jim Pillen visited Alliance on Monday evening, speaking to a group of people gathered at the West Side Event Center about his vision for the State of Nebraska. Pillen said his campaign is focused mainly on four issues; ensuring children have opportunities and education, keeping government out of peoples’ hair, promoting agriculture and standing up for values.
October 12, 2022
Brown/Kindred Crowned Homecoming Royalty
During the coronation ceremony on Wednesday evening Tyzen Brown and Peyton Kindred were crowned Homecoming King and Queen for Alliance High School. The Senior First Attendants were Lucas Smith and Sharyce Dubray. The Senior Second Attendants were Carver Hauptman and Victoria Washington. The Junior Attendants were Jackson Norris and Sonya Behrends. The Sophomore Attendants were Jackson Bailey and Emma Machado. The Freshman Attendants were Espen Lanik and Kaiah Adams.
October 19, 2022
Gov. Ricketts, Officials Celebrate Expansion of Heartland Expressway
On Monday morning, Governor Pete Ricketts and several other officials gathered along Highway 385 north of Angora to celebrate the completion of the latest segment of the Hearthland Expressway form Link 62A to Alliance.
October 26, 2022
Fire Breaks Out at New Alliance
On Thursday morning, firefighters from the Alliance Volunteer Fire Department and the Hemingford Volunteer Fire Department teamed up to halt the spread of a fire at New Alliance Bean. It was a grain elevator distributor fire. The fire was contained and no one was injured during the fire.
November 2, 2022
Volunteers Team Up to Pack Meals
Volunteers from PepsiCo Beverages North America (PBNA), LinPepCo, United Way of Western Nebraska and Cooperative Ministries teamed up to pack 1,000 meals to reach families through school meal backpack programs in Alliance, Chadron, Hemingford, Scottsbluff, Gering and Sidney.
November 9, 2022
McElroy: “Nothing I Say Will Return What’s Lost”
Justice has been served in the case of a Kansas man who pleaded guilty to motor vehicle homicide – DUI, with a prison sentence being handed down by District Court Judge Travis O’Gorman on Monday afternoon.
November 16, 2022
Driver Leads Law Enforcement on Pursuit South of Alliance
Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol, with assistance from the Morrill County Sheriff’s Office, have arrested a Bridgeport man following a pursuit and search Thrursday evening. At approximately 6:35 p.m. a trooper observed a Volkswagen Passat traveling in excess of 90 miles per hour on Highway 385. The trooper initiated a pursuit that lasted approximately 50 minutes, with speeds reaching over 100 miles per hour. The vehicle then drove through a field before coming to a stop. The driver exited the vehicle and fled on foot. Troopers and deputies searched the area and were unable to locate the driver, but they were able to identify the suspect as Develyn Tasby. A few hours later, troopers and deputies contacted a resident at 1413 P Street in Bridgeport, who granted consent to search. Tasby was located hiding in the attic. He was arrested for flight to avoid arrest, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, willful reckless driving, driving under suspension, possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of marijuana – less than one ounce. He was lodged in the Scottsbluff County Jail.
November 23, 2022
Outgoing Council Members Recognized
Annora Bentley and Earl Jones were both cited for their period of service on the Alliance City Council. John McGhehey presented a plaque to Bentley, thanking her for her service from December 2018 to December 2022. Council member Brian Mischnick presented a plaque to Jones, thanking him for serving on the council from December 4, 2014 to December1, 2022.
November 30, 2022
Mazanec Receives 10-15 Years for Setting Fire to Woman
Jon Mazanec, 24, was charged with second degree domestic assault, with a prior conviction, a class 2A felony, third degree domestic assault, with a prior conviction, a class 3A felony, and possession of LSD, a class 4 felony. The charges stem from an incident on Aug. 22.
December 7, 2022
Alliance Times-Herald Donates to Harthorn
The Alliance Times-Herald has selected Trish Hartshorn to be the recipient of the $510 raised form the 2022 Giving Hope section following a random drawing. Hartshorn was nominated by Pasha Korber and has been battling cancer for about one year. Korber explained that Hartshorn’s optimism throughout the battle has a beacon of hope.
December 14, 2022
Dafney Re-Elected Mayor
Alliance saw two new city council members and one incumbent take the oath of office before undergoing the reorganization of the Alliance City Council at their meeting on Dec. 6. Mara Andersen, Mike Dafney and Tearza Mashburn were sworn in by Kelly Keller before heading into the reorganization process. Andersen and Mashburn replace outgoing council members Annora Bentley and Earl Jones. During the reorganization process, the council voted unanimously to re-elect Dafney to serve another term as mayor of Alliance.
December 21, 2022
Westco Hosts Annual Meeting
The 81st Annual Stockholders’ Meeting of Western Cooperative Company (WESTCO) took place Monday, December 19 at the Westside Event Center in Alliance. Over 100 people attended the meeting.