ANOP TV Northland coverage you can count on. This is News 2 Tonight.
Tonight's headlines on a rampage. A man and a bulldozer destroys property and fires gunshots in a small Colorado town.
But first, a first-hand account from a first responder. A local volunteer helps tornado victims in Hallam.
And thanks for joining us this Dressed Western evening. Those stories in just a moment. First tonight, severe weather.
Several watches and warnings in effect throughout the viewing area. Tom Wacht has the latest from the News 2 Forecast Center. Tom?
Well, Todd and Wendy, the good news is tonight all watches and warnings have expired, which is some very good news.
Showers and thunderstorms that were very severe earlier tonight now beginning to weaken. Let's take a look at the radar.
We're going to start this six hours ago. Watch these storms develop in the western part of the state and continue to work east of
tornadic producing thunderstorm west of Chase County working in and then that very severe squall line type of a thunderstorm
working through the Ogallala area and then towards the Paxton area. Now everything beginning to die down. Just some heavy rain showers in there.
A lot of these storms dying down with the sunsets. Stronger storms further south, especially as you get into northern Kansas.
It appears that the severe threat is done with for tonight, which is very good news.
We still can see some showers and thunderstorms around through the overnight hours. We'll talk about that coming up in the weather in just a few minutes.
Back to you. Thanks, Tom. Almost two weeks have passed since an F-4 tornado ripped through the eastern Nebraska town of Hallam.
The aftermath unfolded as an inspirational story with hundreds of volunteers helping residents get back on their feet.
North Platte area Red Cross personnel were among the first responders and today one of them shared a story with News 2.
Disaster in Hallam. For American Red Cross volunteer Marshall Logan, the memories are vivid and lasting.
You can see houses completely turned on their foundation, the ones that were still standing.
Even now, when the movie screen immediacy of being there is replaced by distant images in newspapers.
This is just picture after picture.
Logan returned to North Platte on Memorial Day after a four-day service stint in the Hallam area.
There, his relief work saw him trace the tornado's destructive wake while providing food, shelter, safety and comfort to victims.
I was involved in outreach and home visits. We not only spent some time near Hallam, but also toward Swanton and Wilbur
and in that area where there was also severe devastation. We interviewed the clients and see what their needs are and do what we can.
Logan worked alongside fellow North Platte volunteers Denise Skiles and Ann Jarrett, both of whom are still on scene south of Lincoln and could remain there for some time.
I know they're doing outreach and this will continue until we find all the people we need to serve and also to the point that we can close our cases.
And though his life is now back to a more normal pace, this veteran of Red Cross campaigns in Houston for hurricane relief
and New York after 9-11 says there's a chance he might return to help out again in a place lesser known but in just as much need.
Todd Andrews, News 2.
Children playing with fire results in what could have been a dangerous scene in North Platte today.
Residents on South Tabor Street were asked to leave their apartments this afternoon.
Just after 4 o'clock, a call to the North Platte Fire Department reported smoke coming out of the southeast building of the Tabor Ranch apartment complex.
The fire began in a ground floor apartment and firemen quickly evacuated the building.
Battalion Chief Dave Heitman says children were playing with a lighter in a bedroom of one of the apartments and the bedspread caught fire.
Everyone was evacuated safely. There were no injuries. The fire did cause major damage to the apartment.
It did not cause damage, however, to any other building, any other apartments in the building.
Standoffs continue tonight between police and a Colorado man who used a bulldozer to destroy structures.
The man armed with what's thought to be an automatic rifle is now held up inside the bulldozer he used during his rampage.
Granby police have used tractors to block off the alleyway where he stopped. Authorities say it all began around 3.30 this afternoon.
Witnesses say the unidentified man used the bulldozer to tear through buildings and destroy everything in his path.
About half an hour after the rampage started, the bulldozer became stuck inside a building. That's where it now sits.
Police say they believe the man is a Granby resident upset about losing his zoning dispute.
At current, Governor Bill Owens is en route to the scene.
A record-setting discovery puts local land and one local child on the map.
UNL professors say 11-year-old Adam Keller dug out the largest horse jaw bone ever found in Nebraska.
Brenda Kulste reports.
For one local family, this ground, seven miles east of Eustis, has turned out crops and cattle for more than a century.
This is my great-grandpa Clarence's land, and he's turning 100 years old this July.
It's also home to the remains of another era. A family passion for history helped 11-year-old Adam Keller prove it.
He found a prehistoric bone on the same land his father worked for years to uncover.
Me and my dad were just looking cliff to cliff to just find bones and stuff.
The teeth are sticking out of the cliff behind me.
That's when the Kellers turned to the University of Nebraska to learn more.
After sending in the bone late last year, professors only recently made a decision about Adam's find.
They say it's the largest horse jaw bone ever found in the state that's close to 20,000 years old.
Other remains may also live in the land formed by windblown less underground.
They said that the soil has to be pretty dry for the bone to come out, so this is a great place to look.
The first of what could be many discoveries throughout this self-proclaimed future archaeologist's life.
It's interesting to find the cultures that people had a long time ago
to find all the stuff that they made to help us what we are today.
The Upper 84 Ranch South of Brady is this year's host for the Nebraska Cattlemen's Ball.
Over 500 volunteers helped pave the way for the event, and for the Novacek family, it's one that holds special meaning.
Holly Carlini has more.
After months of hard work, volunteers put the final touches on booths for the Cattlemen's Ball at Upper 84 Ranch South of Brady.
We've been working at this since August, and it's finally now coming together.
The Cattlemen's Ball is a statewide event that showcases Nebraska ranches while educating the public on beef.
It also raises money for cancer research, a disease that hits close to home with the Novaceks.
We have a lot of cancer in our family. I've lost two siblings to cancer and also a niece.
So we really want to find a cure for it.
When all the proceeds go to cancer research, it helps everyone out.
Barbara Martinson, chair for the State Advisory Board, says she's excited to see the Novaceks hosting the ball.
She came up with the idea of hosting it here 10 years ago while asking Jay and his family to donate auction items for another ball.
Jay was then playing for the Dallas Cowboys, and June said that she would talk to him,
and she told me at that time how many family members had been affected with cancer.
And she said, you know, Barbara, she said, when Jay retires from the Dallas Cowboys, his dream is to come back and buy a ranch.
And she said, we would love to be able to host this ball someday.
That was in 94, and this is 2004, and the Novacek family is hosting the ball.
They'll offer hot air balloon rides, ranch rodeos, an art and style show,
and a look at COZAD resident Keith Hendricks' photos of the Dallas Cowboys over the past 40 years.
They'll also offer a scenic trip to June's Point.
This is one of my favorite spots on the ranch, and so therefore it's just named either Mom's Spot or June's Spot,
and we're going to see if some people would like to come up and see it and just enjoy it all.
Volunteers hope to see at least 3,000 people show up for the event that helps pave the way for cancer research.
Holly Carlini, News 2.
And tickets are still available. For more information, you can call the numbers on your screen.
Still to come on News 2, on the fast track with his eye on the prize.
It's been quite a ride for a horse named Smarty Jones, and this weekend he runs for the Triple Crown.
And later on News 2, he's back. Harry Potter returns to the silver screen with hosts of breaking records.
How does he play in North Platte? We'll find out.
The News 2 closed captioning service is brought to you by White-Muffinman Hearing Aid Center in North Platte.
Have you noticed your bill of the gas pump is getting a little higher?
This week at Bill Summer's Honda in North Platte, we are trying to help by having a huge import clearance sale.
Did you know the Honda Civic gets up to 38 miles per gallon and the Civic Hybrid gets up to 51 miles per gallon?
And the resale and maintenance costs of a Honda are something to brag about.
Honda is also offering 2.9% with approved credit.
These are all great reasons to come out to Bill Summer's Honda this weekend for our import clearance event and drive home on new Honda.
We are Bill Summer's Honda, where quality and integrity shine through.
Kids aren't born to hate. Hate is learned. Make sure it's the one thing they never learn from you.
With major intelligence failures mounting in recent years, some key members of Congress are calling for sweeping reform at the Central Intelligence Agency.
At the same time, the Senate Intelligence Committee is preparing to release a report detailing more about intelligence at the CIA.
Susan Roberts joins us live with the latest from Washington.
Just as George Tenet is leaving the CIA, the Senate Intelligence Committee is poised to release a critical report on alleged miscalculations and mistakes at the agency.
Tenet maintains he is leaving for personal reasons, yet many question his timing.
Former CIA Director Stansfield Turner.
I believe this is a political resignation rather than a personal one.
Under Tenet's watch, there was the breakdown in intelligence regarding 9-11 and the war with the Rock over questionable reports of weapons of mass destruction.
Still, both Democrats and Republicans agree Tenet is not solely to blame.
I think this is about more than one man, and you're not going to solve this by just rearranging the deck chairs on a sinking ship.
Now, many in Congress are calling for sweeping changes and reform at the CIA.
We're going to have to completely restructure our intelligence community infrastructure, and he, Tenet, was caught in the middle of that.
He didn't have the power to do it.
Turner believes the CIA chief needs the power to make changes.
Hire and fire the heads of some of these agencies to set their budgets, to establish their priorities and what they should be working on.
It's not known yet whether interim Director John McLaughlin will impose major reforms at the agency.
Yet there is a bipartisan feeling that big changes will have to be made at the CIA to protect our nation's security.
Some say it is unlikely that the president will nominate a permanent CIA successor before the November election,
because a confirmation battle would only attract more attention to the agency's alleged shortcomings.
Susan Roberts, NBC News, Washington.
Smarty Jones. It's not a household name, but it soon could be.
That's the horse who won both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes and this weekend could become the first Triple Crown winner in a generation.
Chris Welch reports on one South Dakota woman's connection to this contender.
The whole clan of us, you know, raised our arms up and everybody's going, Smarty, Smarty.
I was screaming so hard that my voice got hoarse. No pun intended.
Shelley Lee of Elk Point, South Dakota is trying to describe what she says is indescribable.
Lee was in the winner's circle when Smarty Jones won the Kentucky Derby, the first leg of a horse racer's dream, the Triple Crown.
Lee's husband, Ray Lopez, is the agent for Smarty Jones jockey, Stuart Elliott.
John Service, the trainer, when he first came to the racetrack, I was riding races then, and he became my agent.
Then Ray became an agent, John became a trainer.
These links that thread all these regular people together become a dream come true.
Lee feels another dream that has become a reality is the underdog horse himself, who she compares to Seabiscuit.
Two years ago, before Smarty ever began racing, there was an accident in the starting gate.
Kind of freaked out in there and he injured his head severely, a skull fracture.
I mean, it was really, really bad. They didn't think that he was going to live.
But he did, and after several months of recovery, he miraculously began racing.
He is now only three years old, and the rest, as they say, is history.
It was awesome. It was really, truly something that is too hard to put into words.
He's won every race he's ran. He's unbelievable.
In Elk Point, South Dakota, Chris Welch, NBC News.
Weekends haven't been kind to the corn husker state lately. Severe weather is playing the unwelcome guest again tonight.
The question is, will it stay or will it go?
Another severe thunderstorm warning already in effect.
Tom Wach has all your weather details coming up next.
By the middle of March, I was so ready for summer, I actually said it out loud.
I am so ready for summer.
In April, I am so ready.
I'm mantra. In May, you guessed it, and now summer is finally here.
And I am so not ready.
So get ready at Herberger's Summer Sale, our hottest sale of the season.
Save 20 to 50 percent on fashion for you, your family, and your home.
And be ready to move fast. Our summer sale ends June 9th.
Come to the right place, Herberger's.
Disabel's Public Auto Auction, open to the general public and to dealers.
This Sunday at 11 a.m. Save on bank repos, estate cars, dealer cars, and private consignments.
Call for pre-approved financing or have a letter of credit from your bank
for Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, or Cash.
Vehicle inspection is this Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sale day this Sunday at 11 a.m.
Disabel's Auto Auction, 2006 East Forth, North Platte.
Why do we equip the Ford Freestar with the most safety and security features available
and offer a gift card for $100 towards any child safety seeded participating retailers?
Because Freestar's five-star crash test rating shows our commitment to safety
and makes all the difference in the world.
So get to your Midwest Ford dealer for 0% financing for 60 months
plus 2,000 cash back and $100 gift card.
And while you're there, get details on registering your child
with the National Safety Identification Program Commitment to Kids.
Experience the difference of Freestar for yourself only at your Midwest Ford dealer.
Well, Tom, very busy night in the Weather Department.
Yes, and more severe weather to speak of.
A new warning just issued by the National Weather Service for you folks in Cherry County,
including Valentine. Storms beginning to fire up there.
A severe thunderstorm warning in effect for Cherry County until 1045 central time.
That's in effect for about another half an hour.
And the Doppler radar, National Weather Service Doppler radar,
indicated a severe thunderstorm capable of producing quarter sized hail.
The storm moving northeast at five miles an hour and should be six miles southeast of Crookston
by 1025 and in the Valentine area around 1045 central time.
So again, that severe thunderstorm warning for Cherry County going for about another half an hour.
And that is the latest storm now to be firing up across here.
We've done a storm track on this storm.
This is up here in Cherry County is heading towards the Valentine area,
moving to the northeast with some large hail and damaging winds also possible with this storm.
And also a lot of clouds, ground lightning and brief heavy downpours.
And the storm continues to push to the northeast elsewhere across the region.
We saw some strong thunderstorms earlier down near the North Platte area,
which weakened as the sun began to set.
We're still seeing some strong thunderstorms down the south of the tornado warning across parts of northwest Kansas tonight.
Well, let's back up the radar six hours and we'll take a look going over the last six hours
as these storms developed in the panhandle continued pushing to the east.
What could be storms exploding in northeastern Colorado and into parts of Chase County?
And then this line developing near the Ogallala area now before pushing east.
Everything now beginning to weaken in the North Platte area.
We'll see a few showers pushing through the North Platte area within about the next hour or two.
You can expect those showers to stay around.
I think the heaviest thunderstorm activity will be down to the south of North Platte and also the north
where we're starting to see some more thunderstorm development up in Sherry County.
And during the overnight hours tonight, we're going to be seeing this upper level disturbance
that you can see here on the water vapor loop, water vapor being the gas form of water.
You can see the sort of spin of the clouds, spin of the water vapor in the Colorado and Wyoming state line here
and all of the moisture just condensing out ahead of it in the form of showers and thunderstorms
as this disturbance continues to push in tonight that could continue to ignite some showers and thunderstorms.
You could see a few isolated severe storms across the area, but by and large,
the organized severe weather threat is over with for the night as the severe thunderstorm watches
that were in effect earlier have been allowed to expire.
We're not expecting any more watches to be issued, but a few of the storms as we're seeing in Sherry County right now
could go severe during the overnight hours, so it's a good night to sleep by the weather radio tonight.
Well, today, temperatures very warm in the upper 80s and lower 90s across the region.
Ninety-one at Imperial, 86 at Ogallala today with overnight lows in the 50s.
A trace of precipitation, that's all we got from last night's little rain shower that moved through the area.
The majority of it fizzled and actually went around North Platte.
I don't know if we can really explain that scientifically.
What's going on right now just went around the city.
A trace of precipitation at North Platte, trace also broken both and a little bit more in the bucket at Imperial.
Well, here are the current temperatures across the region.
We're looking at temperatures in the 60s up to the west, 66 at Ogallala right now.
Still a lower 70 degree reading at Broken Bow in mid 70s for you folks in Lexington.
Widening out the view 72 degrees at Omaha at this hour and the cooler weather off to the southwest, 64 degrees in Denver.
Satellite radar composite showing the clouds working in with these showers and thunderstorms during the evening hours.
We'll be seeing cloudy skies during the overnight hours with the continued chance of showers and thunderstorms straight into the day tomorrow.
We have this trough of low pressure that is going to continue to swing through the area as we go into tomorrow,
shifting our winds around to the northeast and that will eventually help to dry us out.
The rain should be pushing out by the late afternoon hours tomorrow.
That will continue to push to the east and watch what happens up to the north.
This cold front is going to sort of fizzle out, especially as we go into Sunday,
but it's this warm front right here that's going to continue to push into the area Sunday and Monday.
Say hello to the heat. We're going to be looking at our first heat wave of the season around here as we go into next week.
Your first forecast tonight, strong thunderstorms continuing right now, especially to the north for you folks in Cherry County.
That warning continuing until 1045 central time overnight, low of mild, 60 degrees, 83 tomorrow.
That chance of storms continuing, 53 degrees tomorrow night.
Here's the five day forecast out on Sunday. We're looking at partly sunny skies on Sunday,
windy 87, 94 degrees by Tuesday as we settle into a heat wave in the beginning of the week,
down to 89 degrees on Thursday with another chance of thunderstorms.
So again, we'll keep an eye on these thunderstorms up in Cherry County.
A few more across the area could pop up and go severe, but mostly the organized threat is over with,
but again, a good night to sleep on the weather radio tonight, some gusty winds and some hail possible during the overnight hours.
Well, we've at least lucked out so far. Exactly. Thanks for watching. You bet.
Of Hogwarts and Hermione, the third installment of the Harry Potter series is now in theaters.
Prisoner of Azkaban is Potter fans abuzz all over the country.
Sheila Tech takes us to the local theater to see who's among the first to view it in North Platte.
Harry Potter fans were out in full force all over the country to welcome the third installment,
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
Lines in Washington, D.C. theaters numbered over 800 fans.
Theaters in Georgetown added two additional morning shows to accommodate crowds.
For the first showing of the movie in North Platte, numbers were not strong.
People didn't have to wait in line and tickets didn't sell out.
But manager Mike Paul says this is not an indicator of how other showings of the movie will turn out.
I think this is just a false start. It's going to bring in a lot more people, especially at night and during the weekend.
We'll be getting a lot more people.
And then during the week, we'll get the leftovers from the weekend that we weren't able to get in because of sellout crowds.
But we're looking forward to having sellout crowds for our shows.
Paul says good weather encouraged people to stay outside.
And with the weekend coming up, he expects the theater to fill up quickly.
One Potter fan says he's not watching the movie Friday, but is excited to see the Prisoner of Azkaban as soon as he can.
I was going to go see it the day after the one with my friend, but I was going to go see Harry Potter.
Then I decided because I didn't want my friend to be left out since he can't see it.
So I decided to change my tickets to go with him.
The movie is expected to continue the Harry Potter box office magic.
The first two films grossed more than $1.2 billion worldwide.
And with Alfonso Cuaron as the new director, the audience can expect a more sophisticated storyline.
Sheila Tech, News 2.
Nebraska's official statewide celebration is just a week away.
One North Platte couple is doing their part to show their support for Nebraska Land Days.
Chuck and Marguerite Johnson usually put up flags for Nebraska Land Days, but this year they went all out.
When night falls, their front yard is lit up with a stagecoach display.
The Johnsons say they saw the display when they were in Texas.
They immediately thought it would look good on their front lawn during Nebraska Land Days.
The Johnsons are longtime citizens of North Platte, and they just wanted to do something
that showed their pride for the community and the celebration.
Enjoying North Platte and all the activities that do go on around town.
So it's kind of our way of paying back to the community for the good life we have around here.
If I can put a little bit of happiness in somebody's life by having something extra to do.
And we have a lot of traffic out here during Nebraska Land Days,
so I just thought it might be something to kind of help get people into.
The Johnsons invite everyone to drive by their display.
It's at 2102 Rodeo Avenue.
And still to come, Mark Pryor makes his first appearance this season for the Cubs.
And Nick Branson is wearing some options when it comes to professional basketball.
We hear from the Division II Player of the Year, next in sports.
Music
Ulysses, did you know that there are some folks who don't know that their diabetic testing supplies
may be covered by Medicare?
No, I didn't, Jim.
If you have diabetes and you're on Medicare, testing supplies may be covered.
Your monitors, your test kits, your Lancet.
Whether you use insulin or not.
So to find out if you qualify, see Bill's YouSave Pharmacy.
They are a Medicare participating provider.
They bill Medicare and your insurance company.
You pay nothing up front.
Bill's YouSave Pharmacy delivers right to your door.
And there's no charge for shipping.
See Bill's YouSave Pharmacy to find out if you qualify for home delivery of diabetic testing supplies.
Remember, if you have diabetes and you're on Medicare, testing supplies may be covered.
Why not have personal, local service?
See Bill's YouSave Pharmacy today, 605 East Francis Street, North Flat.
Well, Joe, always fun to hear about a former North Flat athlete.
The Brandings are easy for me to say a family of good athletes.
You went to school with Kelly.
She played at K-State Volleyball.
Very good.
Nick, we're going to talk about.
You play basketball against Harry, right?
I do indeed.
And I understand he goes around Tyler like he's standing still.
He's a three-point marksman, too.
Absolutely.
Those are some great athletes, the Brandings.
After a stellar college basketball career at UNK,
that was kept by being named Division II Player of the Year,
North Latin native Nick Branding is ready to make the next step basketball-wise.
He wants to give it a go in the professional ranks.
Nick figures to begin his pro career overseas.
A number of possibilities await.
The guy that Nick Savello and I talked to said he places people in Portugal and Brazil and England.
So those might be the top three, but really it's up in the air and it could be anywhere.
That's the basketball side.
Don't forget, Nick is also an academic All-American
and nearly earned a Rhodes Scholarship with a 3.94 in biology.
He wants to become an M.D. and he will in time.
Med school is on delay right now.
They're holding my spot until I sign a contract.
So if everything falls apart, I'll still have a place in that class.
So either way, I think I'll be good.
Nick has won just about every major award there is to win for a college basketball player.
However, he points to the Lopers 28-5 record this season
and NCAA Final Eight appearance last season as the ultimate success.
Individual honors have been great this year and they kind of piled up and I didn't really expect it.
But again, just being with the guys and having a great team effort this year,
following last year's great team effort and having a good record
and really making a run late in the season outweighs all the individual honors.
Nick has also earned an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship of $7,500 for when he wants to go back to school.
He said ideally he would like to play pro ball in Europe for three or four years.
Major League Baseball, Cubs fans, sigh of relief today.
Mark Pryor is back and back in a big way.
However, not all joy in Wrigleyville, not the way Joe Borowski is struggling to close out games.
Pirates, Cubs, love is in the air.
For new Bears coach Lovey Smith, he threw out the first pitch.
And for Mark Pryor, making his season debut today back from injury.
Pryor was sharp, no rust in his first performance.
He got a standing O before the game and wow, did he pitch well during the game.
Gas, he gone.
Puff, he gone.
He sound like Hawk.
Gas, he gone.
Pryor retired the first 13 batters he faced and left a scoreless game after six innings.
He allowed two hits, no walks, and he struck out eight.
But in the Pittsburgh 9th, Joe Borowski gave it up.
Jack Wilson doubled and then Chris Wilson, the woods single, tie ball game.
Mark Rimmelinger came in, gave up another hit.
Cubs lose, Cubs lose.
Pirates win, Pirates win.
Two to one.
How about the Yankees and the Rangers?
Gary Sheffield is gone.
He hit two home runs.
The Yankees hit six.
How about Kenny Rogers?
He gave up five of the home runs.
He's 0-7 on 11 starts against the Yankees since 1993.
The Yankees win.
The Yankees win 7-6 over the Rangers.
Tomorrow is the day, New York is the place.
Or NBC if you can't be track side.
Trainer John Service says Smarty Jones is ready and he realizes it's time to dance.
The undefeated three-year-old gets his shot at a racing history tomorrow in the one-and-a-half mile Belmont.
The Kentucky Derby and Preach this winter will try to become the 12th horse to complete the triple crown when he runs against eight challengers.
You can watch Wendy's horse running the Belmont right here.
It's tomorrow afternoon.
Have a Smarty party.
That's right here on NBC.
Now some scores.
Hi, my name is Tyler.
I'm 15 years old.
I'm about eight years old.
This year I'm trying out for my high school golf team.
When I was 11 years old, I had bone cancer and it looked like I was going to lose my leg.
I think life would be a whole lot different if I didn't have the bone transplant.
I do have a scar on my leg.
It goes from about here to here.
The squatters do come in handy when I'm talking to the ladies because I tell them that it's a sharp bite.
You can kind of compare golf to life.
You have your ups and downs and you just try to work for the best.
Thanks to the tissue transplant, I'm a regular teenager and pretty good golfer.
You have the power to donate life.
Be an organ and tissue donor.
To find out how, go today to DonateLife.net.
The tissue transplant gave me back my life.
They're called Rotarians and there's over 1,400 of them in the western portion of the state.
And this weekend you can find them in North Platte.
The District 5630 Rotary Convention is in full swing at the Quality Inn and Suites.
The District includes 35 clubs from an area that spans from Grand Island to Chadron.
The annual conference is a chance to share ideas about service projects,
listen to guest speakers, and attend seminars.
For Rotary members, the focus of the organization is helping others.
We're a service organization and we are trying to help people with problems,
whether it's in our local communities or whether it's around the world.
One of Rotary's main projects is to eliminate polio in the whole world.
Our district has given about a million and a half dollars to the Rotary Foundation
to help with projects around the world.
We hope that maybe there are some people who are interested in service
that would like to join their local Rotary clubs.
If you're interested in becoming a Rotary member, North Platte has two clubs.
The Sunrise Club meets Thursday mornings at Hobbies.
The Noon Club meets on Wednesdays at the Quality Inn.
Also, as a part of the District Conference,
the Rocky Mountain Children's Choir will present a free public concert.
It's Saturday at 7 o'clock at the Neville Center.
A full day of tennis was served up in North Platte's Cody Park this afternoon.
It was all part of the third annual regional rally
sponsored by the United States Tennis Association.
The rally is intended to increase participation in the sport.
Today's activity was held with the help of a,
was rather partly underwritten by a grant that helped pay for participants' awards.
Organizers say tennis has really caught on in the area over the last few years.
They add that events like the rally are important
in making sure the popularity of tennis continues to grow in greater Nebraska.
Just four years ago, we didn't have a sanctioned tournament.
We didn't have this rally.
We didn't have league play in the evening for the youth.
About all we had was an evening on Wednesday nights for adults.
And so the numbers have really increased over the last four to five years.
And we attributed a lot to these different activities that we've had.
Joe, last second notes for us.
Alex Gordon is one of ten finalists for the Dick Hauser Award,
one of the most prestigious awards given in college baseball.
So, good for him.
And severe thunderstorm warning continuing for Sherry County until 10.45.
If we could take a quick look at that gravity,
we can see a strong line of thunderstorms through the Valentine area right now
then extending towards the Ainsworth area.
Another strong storm down in Frontier County.
We'll keep an eye on you.
It's good night to sleep by your weather radio tonight, folks,
and Valentine's and large hail and gusty winds,
maybe even also free folks down in Frontier County.
So stay tuned to News 2 and also sleep by your weather radio tonight.
Okay. Thank you, Tom.
That is all the time we have for this evening.
Thanks for watching.
Have a great weekend.
We'll see you Monday.