Nebraska
'There was just smoke everywhere': Church catches fire in southeast Nebraska
LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – The community in Sterling is starting the long road to rebuilding after a fire torched St. John Lutheran Church.
Around 7 p.m. Friday, a neighbor near the church called 911 as smoke poured out of the building.
Mike Hestermann, a council member at the church, said he got there as quickly as he could.
“When I first got there, you could see heavy, heavy smoke,” Hestermann said. “It was coming out of the windows in the basement, the front doors, the back doors. At that point, there was just smoke everywhere.”
Firefighters worked for hours to put the flames out.
SEE ALSO: Crews investigating church fire in town southeast of Lincoln
“The basement of our church is pretty much gone,” Hestermann said. “The sanctuary had very little burn damage but extensive, extensive smoke damage and water damage.”
The church was built in 1930, and according to Hestermann, the state fire marshal suspects it was an electrical problem that sparked the fire in the basement.
There’s no estimate on the total amount of damage yet.
Jenna Pelchat is also a member of the church council.
She said it’s hard to walk in and see everything that’s been lost.
“Memories flash back in your head right away of all of the times you’ve been down there and what it used to look like,” Pelchat said. “Just sad with all of the history that’s in the church and rebuilding it will be different.”
But she said they will rebuild.
The church started a GoFundMe to raise money for the costly process ahead.
“You know, this happened for a reason, and I think that out of it, we will become better and stronger for it,” Pelchat said.
In the meantime, the congregation is meeting for regular services at the Sterling Community Center.
There’s no timeline yet on how long it will be before they can return to the church.
Hestermann said the council is grateful for the support from the community and all the fire departments that responded.
“Just makes you proud to be from a small town where stuff matters,” he said.
The community gathered at St. John on Sunday morning to ring the bell in remembrance of memories made at the church.
LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) – Nebraska Athletics announced on Saturday that Nebraska redshirt sophomore Carson Jasa was selected in the third round of the Major League Baseball Draft by the Chicago Cubs.
Jasa is the eighth Husker to be selected by the Cubs in the draft.
Jasa was the No. 98 pick overall in the draft.
According to Nebraska Athletics, Jasa posted a 3.59 ERA with two complete games and 117 strikeouts across 87.2 innings while holding opponents to a .210 batting average.
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Copyright 2026 KOLN. All rights reserved.
A pair of Nebraska basketball players were honored by the Big Ten Conference on Thursday. Rienk Mast and Callin Hake were chosen as Nebraska’s Outstanding Sportsmanship winners.
The Big Ten honored 36 players with the Outstanding Sportsmanship Award for the 2025-26 year. One member of each varsity sports team is nominated, and two winners are selected from each institution.
Mast averaged 13.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game in 2025-26 and helped Nebraska to the Sweet 16 for the first time in school history. He is working out with the Indiana Pacers during the NBA Summer League.
Hake averaged 7.2 points, 3.6 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game while drawing a single-season school-record 33 charges. She is also the first Husker to be a two-time Outstanding Sportsmanship Award winner across all sports after earning her first award in 2024-25.
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NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (KNOP) – Get ready for a stretch of absolutely gorgeous weather to kick off your weekend but keep an eye on the heat building as we head into next week.
This Weekend: Perfect Conditions
Saturday and Sunday are shaping up to be nearly identical — sunny skies with highs climbing to around 89 and 90 degrees respectively. A light south southeast breeze at 5 to 10 mph will keep things comfortable, though gusts could reach 20 mph at times. Overnight lows will dip to the low 60s, making for pleasant sleeping weather.
This is ideal weather for outdoor plans. Whether you’re heading to a summer event, spending time at the lake, or just enjoying time outside, you won’t want to miss it.
Early Next Week: Heat Turns Up
Starting Monday, temperatures begin a steady climb. Highs will reach 91 degrees Monday, then 91 again Tuesday before pushing toward 92 on Wednesday. By Thursday and Friday, we’re looking at highs near 94 to 95 degrees.
The good news? Skies remain sunny throughout, and humidity levels should stay relatively manageable. The breeze will be light, so it won’t feel quite as intense as it could.
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Copyright 2026 KNOP. All rights reserved.
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