GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (KSNB) – Six sailors of USS Nebraska submarine traveled to central Nebraska on Wednesday.

The USS Nebraska SSNB 739 is the 14th submarine of the Ohio class of ballistic missile submarines and the second U.S. Navy ship to bear the name.

The sailors are guest from the Nebraska Admirals Association in Grand Island.

Hollie Klimek, member of Nebraska Admirals Association, said it was great to connect with the sailors.

“Be able to show them things that are native to Nebraska,” Klimek said. “Whether they had been here, being able to see what our state is about.“

The sailors began their day in Grand Island with a tour at Hornady Manufacturing and a tour with Raising Nebraska.

Mandy Sullivan, director of partnerships at Raising Nebraska, said they want the sailors to walk away knowing more about Nebraska.

“And what we do here, we literally feed the world,” Sullivan said. “We also talk about our natural resources as well, so they get to learn a lot about Nebraska.“

The sailors were later served lunch at the United Veterans Club in Grand Island.

“It’s been phenomenal coming from the west coast, Washington specifically,” said Lieutenant Junior Grade Supply Officer Caitlin Bollhorst.

The support they received on day one has been outstanding, Lt. Bollhorst expressed.

“It’s really wonderful to meet the locals of Nebraska,” she said. “Trying a Runza for the first time, it was really interesting. I am a big foodie and I love trying new things, so it was very great.“

Senior Petty Chief Officer AJ Whitten added he has enjoyed the interactions from the community.

“They fed us lunch, Nebraskans are awesome people,” Whitten said. “It’s cool to be here and meet everyone around here – just see some much support we’ve got from the local community.“

The sailors also visited the VA Medical Center in Grand Island.

They will head to Kearney and North Platte before heading back to Omaha – then back to their boat near Seattle, Washington.

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Nebraska volleyball and head coach Dani Busboom Kelly have done an incredible job with her first recruiting class. The Huskers have earned five commitments in 48 hours. Libero Mallory Johnson is the latest commitment and NU’s second libero in the class.

Mesa, Ariz. libero Pulelehua “Hua” Laikona announced her commitment to Nebraska earlier on Tuesday, June 17.

Johnson is the No. 31 prospect by PrepVolleyball and No. 68 by PrepDig. The 5-foot-6 defensive specialist plays for Byron Center (Mich.) High School. She is the top player in the state of Michigan.

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The libero plays for Far Out volleyball club in Grand Rapids, Mich. The 16-year-old plays up two age groups for Far Out’s 18 group.

“I’m thrilled to announce my verbal commitment to the University of Nebraska to continue my academic and athletic journey!” she said on Instagram.

“First, I want to thank my family. You are my rock, and I’m forever grateful for your love and support. You inspire me to be a better person every day! I also want to thank my FarOut family. To my coaches, thank you for pushing me to improve daily. To my teammates, thank you for being my best friends. And lastly, a huge thank you to the entire Nebraska staff, especially Coach Dani, Coach Jaylen, Coach Kelly, and Coach Brennan, for this opportunity of a lifetime. I’m so excited and grateful to start this new chapter!”

Johnson attended Nebraska’s Dream Team Camp in 2024. Her passing and serving abilities stood out amongst some of the top athletes in her age group.

The final piece to Nebraska’s Class of 2027

Johnson is likely the final piece to the Huskers’ Class of 2027.

Nebraska has players by the same name in its latest recruiting class. Setter Malorie Boesiger was the Huskers’ first 2027 public announcement. The 5-foot-10 Firth, Neb. native and Norris High School product is the younger sister of Husker senior Maisie Boesiger. She is the No. 14 player by PrepVolleyball.com.

Middle blocker Kendall Omoruyi, who is from Casteel High School in Queen Creek, Ariz., is the top prospect in the class, according to PrepDig. She recorded 2.7 kills per set, 0.8 blocks per set, and hit .342 as a sophomore.

Omoruyi and Laikona play together for Arizona Storm, one of the top clubs nationally. Laikona is ranked No. 59 by PrepVolleyball and No. 103 by PrepDig. As an outside hitter for Mesa, she averaged 3.3 kills per set and 2.7 digs.

Last but not least, outside hitter Shaye Witherspoon also pledged her commitment to Nebraska on Tuesday. The 6-foot-3 attacker helped Lafayette High School in Wildwood, Mo., to two Class 5 state titles. The No. 10 prospect by PrepDig hit .379 and recorded 4.4 kills per set as a sophomore.

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WELLFLEET, Neb. – A jaw-dropping scene unfolded across the fields south of North Platte, Nebraska, on Monday evening as storm chasers tracked a massive tornado that lasted over an hour.

As a line of storms marched across the Upper Midwest on Monday, spawning Tornado Warnings, several twisters were spotted by storm chasers in Minnesota and Nebraska. The tornado captured below by Jim Tang takes the cake.

Chasers said the tornado continued moving through multiple remote farm communities in Nebraska for over an hour. Eventually, the tornado was captured in the video above next to a rainbow.

A massive tornado seen from Wellfleet, Nebraska on Monday, June 17, 2025.

(JIM TANG/LSM / FOX Weather)

“Still can’t believe this happened,” Tang wrote on X.

Another video of the same long-track tornado taken near Dickens, Nebraska, shows another angle of the rainbow-tornado combo. 

A large tornado was spotted spinning next to a rainbow in Dickens, Nebraska, on Monday. Video by Connor McCarty shows the towering vortex, with the rainbow adding to the shot.

There were more than a dozen reports of tornadoes on Monday, most of which were in Minnesota.