Marion County Sheriff Kevin Cripps says missing 13-year-old Hope L. Ballard of rural Salem has been found safe in Branson, Missouri.

Detectives from the sheriff’s department will question a person of interest in the case to learn more about what happened.

Cripps says they used technology, with assistance from other police agencies, to determine where the girl may be located.  Ballard had left her home in the early morning hours of April 30th and is believed to have departed voluntarily.   The sheriff’s department was notified at 8:20 Friday night that she had been found safe.

Ballard was considered an Endangered Missing Person, and at the request of the sheriff’s department, the State of Illinois issued an Endangered Missing Person Advisory.

The girl’s family is now on their way to Missouri to pick her up.

Cripps is thanking all law enforcement agencies involved for their help.

The Nebraska softball team (40-6, 20-1) will hit the road and face the Penn State Nittany Lions (32-17, 11-10) this week to wrap up the final regular-season series of the season. The Huskers are ranked No. 3 in the NFCA Poll. NU is also No. 2 by Softball America, USA Softball and D1 Softball.

The Huskers are led by two-way star Jordy Frahm and Hannah Camenzind. Frahm is hitting .423 at the plate on the season with a 15-4 record with nine saves in the pitcher’s circle. Camenzind is hitting .408 and has a record in the pitcher’s circle of 5-0 with a 1.40 ERA.

The Big Ten Tournament will take place May 6-9 in College Park, MD.

Here’s how to watch the Nebraska-Penn State doubleheaders today, including time, TV schedule, and streaming information:

What channel is Nebraska-Penn State on today?

TV Channel: Game one: N/A Game two: BTN

Livestream: Game one: B1G+ Game two: Fubo (free trial)

Nebraska vs Penn State will wrap up the final regular-season series of the year on the Big Ten Network on Saturday afternoon. Streaming options for the game include B1G+ and FUBO, which offers a free trial to new subscribers.

Nebraska-Penn State Softball time today

• Date: Saturday, May 2 (doubleheaders)
• Start time: 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. CT

The Nebraska-Penn State softball doubleheader starts at 10 a.m. CT and 1:30 p.m. CT from Nittany Lion Softball Park in State College, PA.

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Submitted Photo
U.S. Air Force veteran Jim Clifford of Minot is shown with the Lincoln Memorial in the background during his trip to the Washington, D.C., area with the Western North Dakota Honor Flight.

U.S. Air Force veteran Jim Clifford of Minot said his recent trip to the Washington, D.C., area with the Western North Dakota Honor Flight was a memorable one.

“The honor is so great,” he said.

Clifford was among more than 100 veterans on the trip from Bismarck, Sunday, April 26, and returning, Monday, April 27. Besides Clifford, several other Minot veterans made the trip.

He said he was very impressed with the N.D. Western Honor Flight organization and the coordination of the trip.

“The coordination is unbelievable. We had a police escort from our hotel room in Arlington, Virginia, to the Capitol. It was right at rush hour,” he said. He said the group of veterans traveled in four buses.

When they arrived at Washington Dulles International Airport, people with signs were standing to the side to greet them.

“It was just unbelievable,” he said. When they left the Bismarck airport, he said, the lobby there was full of people. He said Bismarck comes out really well for the veterans going on these trips and it was the same when the Western N.D. Honor Flight was out of Minot for the first time in April 2025.

Clifford was active duty in the Air Force from 1971-75. For 10 months he served in Taiwan but his Air Force time before and after was at Minot Air Force Base with the fire department.

“My first fire chief was Ken Gillespie,” he said. Gillespie’s son, Ken Gillespie aka Dizzy the Clown, is well known in the Minot area.

After discharge from the Air Force, Clifford continued civil service with the base fire department from 1976-2008, retiring as fire chief.

During the Honor Flight trip, Clifford said, they visited many highlights — veterans’ memorials including World War II, Korean and Vietnam, the U.S. Capitol and the Dulles Air and Space Museum. Congresswoman Julie Fedorchak, R-ND, and Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum met with the group during their visit.

The veterans also visited Arlington National Cemetery.

“We got to see the Changing of the Guard and see them laying two wreaths,” he said.

At a banquet held that night for the veterans at their hotel, the Hyatt Regency in Arlington, he said the sentinel, the lead person for the Changing of the Guard, spoke to them.

“It was a very worthwhile trip. If you’re a veteran, you need to sign up for it,” Clifford said of the Honor Flight.

The Western North Dakota Honor Flight will be the grand marshal of the 2026 North Dakota State Parade Saturday, July 18, in Minot.