Nebraska

The ‘Finest Family Park Between Omaha And Denver’ Is A Nebraska Beauty With Free Amenities And Water Recreation – Islands

Published

5 months ago

November 18, 2025

The ‘Finest Family Park Between Omaha And Denver’ Is A Nebraska Beauty With Free Amenities And Water Recreation – Islands

The world can be a stressful place, and it can be difficult to escape our everyday lives. However, getting outside and spending some time in nature can be really beneficial. If you’re visiting Nebraska, there is a perfect spot to relax and enjoy the outdoors with your kids, and it’s packed with free amenities and plenty to do. Yanney Heritage Park in Kearney, Nebraska, has been called the “finest family park between Omaha and Denver” by Only In Your State, and with good reason. This gorgeous place has just about everything you could ask for in a park, including acres of gardens, water playgrounds for kids, an amphitheater for shows, fishing, boating, hiking, biking, a senior center, a walking meditation labyrinth, and even swan boats to rent to drift around the lake.

One reviewer on AllTrails said of Yanney Heritage Park, “Wonderful park! Fairly new, on edge of new development. 10 story tower to climb, labyrinth, garden, picnic areas, several playgrounds, wide paved paths circling two small lakes, fishing, swans. In season the concessions/Marina rents SUP, kayaks, canoes. Great place to stop for a break!” When visiting, the first place you should check out in the park is the John & Carmen Gottschalk Tower, a lovely observation tower that lets you get a great overview of the entire area. The gardens alone are worth the trip. You’ll find a pollinator garden, a lilac and hydrangea garden, a native Nebraska garden, one full of edible plants, a rose garden, an annual garden, and a xeriscape garden, which features drought-tolerant plants. It’s free and open all year, though blooming depends on the season.

Hiking, biking, water sports, and more at Yanney Heritage Park in Nebraska

If you want to take a stroll, run, or bike through the park, you can explore all or part of the 9.1-mile Kearney Canal Trail, an easy route that is mostly paved and passes picnic areas if you need a snack break. You can even bring your leashed pup. There are two water play areas where kids can enjoy water sprays and dumping buckets, as well as Cathi’s Playground, with slides and climbing equipment. Seniors can visit the Senior Activity Center, try out the fitness pad, or wander the meditation labyrinth.

For some water sports, you can check out Vernon’s Point and North Shore Fishing Piers, or spend time birdwatching on the lake. However, if you want to get out there, you can take a kayak down the 2.3-mile Kearny Water Trail with two whitewater features. At the lake, you’ll find the Yanney Swan Shoppe, which rents kayaks, swan boats, paddle boats, stand-up paddle boards, and more for a mere $7 for half an hour, as of this writing. It also sells drinks and snacks, like candy and ice cream, and is open from late May through early August.

Yanney Heritage Park is about 130 miles from the airport in Lincoln, and if you’re flying in, take some time to visit another free Nebraska attraction, the Sunken Garden. However, you can also choose to fly through Kearney Regional Airport, located only 8 miles away. If you do, you’ll be close to Minden, Nebraska’s “Christmas City,” full of local shops and events to enjoy during the holiday season. Finally, if you’re going to spend the day (or several) in the sun at Yanney Heritage Park, you might want to check out travel pro Samantha Brown’s great budget Supergoop! Sunscreen dupe.

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Nebraska

Nebraska baseball falls to 16th-ranked Kansas

Published

9 hours ago

April 22, 2026

Press Room

Nebraska baseball falls to 16th-ranked Kansas

LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) – The Nebraska baseball team lost to Kansas 9-7 on Tuesday in front of a record crowd at Hoglund Park. The Huskers took an early lead on an RBI single by National Freshman of the Week Drew Grego. After giving up three unanswered runs, Nebraska rallied to go back in front on a 3rd-inning single by Will Jesske. Both Grego and Jesske finished with two hits in the game.

Kansas, however, took control in the middle innings. The Jayhawks got home runs from Tyson Owens and Josh Dykoff in the sixth frame. Both round-trippers came off NU relief pitcher Ty Horn. Kansas added insurance in the 7th inning before a late rally by the Huskers.

Nebraska trimmed a five-run deficit to two, but couldn’t complete the comeback on the road.

The Huskers’ loss is their second to the Jayhawks this season. Nebraska’s record drops to 31-10 overall.

Will Bolt’s team returns to action on Friday at Illinois. Game one is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. in Champaign.

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Nebraska

Nebraska jumps up to No. 2 in college softball Power 10 rankings

Published

21 hours ago

April 21, 2026

Press Room

Softball

April 21, 2026

Nebraska jumps up to No. 2 in college softball Power 10 rankings

April 21, 2026

Check out Michella Chester’s updated college softball Power 10 rankings for the week of April 21, which sees Nebraska rise to No. 2 behind an 11-game win streak.

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Nebraska

Mental health by the numbers in Nebraska

Published

1 day ago

April 21, 2026

Press Room

Mental health by the numbers in Nebraska

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – A deeper look tonight as First Alert 6 continues to dig deeper into the state of mental health care in Nebraska and possible solutions, ever since last week’s two instances involving law enforcement.

A Douglas County sheriff’s deputy was shot responding to a domestic call. Investigators said the suspect, Brian Huggins, had a history of behavioral health issues. Huggins died by suicide.

And then Noemi Guzman, who police say kidnapped a 3-year-old from inside an Omaha Walmart and cut him in the arm and face with a stolen kitchen knife. Omaha police officers shot and killed her before she could strike again.

Guzman had been on a court-ordered mental health treatment plan since last summer for her schizophrenia. According to court records, psychiatrists determined she could live in the community. Remember, this was after she was arrested for setting her father’s house on fire and threatening a priest with a knife.

Monitoring system

We wanted to know who is part of the system monitoring those who may not be following their mental health treatment plan and are a risk to others or themselves. When that happens, the Board of Mental Health will often notify the local sheriff so a warrant can be issued and deputies can track the individual down.

Here are the numbers since 2023:

In 2023, 842 warrants were issued for those not following their treatment plans according to the Board of Mental Health. In 2024, 756. In 2025, 690. So far in 2026, 190.

But out of these 2,500 warrants, 85% of them didn’t have a second warrant, meaning deputies picked them up, got them back into treatment and the individuals continued to thrive after the one hiccup.

But in 15% of these cases, the individuals messed up again and had another warrant issued by the Board of Mental Health. Twenty-five individuals had five or more issued in Douglas County.

Sheriff Hanson said there has to be a better way, a more team approach for this.

One model to explore is the way Nebraska’s problem-solving courts work like drug court and veterans’ treatment court where experts from a variety of stakeholders help individuals who are on the fringes to do everything to make them productive citizens.

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