​YORK – A public hearing was held this week regarding the purchase of a new handicapped accessible van for the county’s transportation program.
Lori Byers, the director of senior services and the county transit program, met with the York County Commissioners to explain the purchase – which will mostly be paid for with federal funds.
“This will be a lower-floor, wheelchair accessible mini-van, to be part of our fleet,” Byers said.
The total cost will be $77,000. Of that, $61,000 will be the federal share. The state and county shares are each $7,000.
The commissioners asked when this vehicle will be ready for use – Byers said it won’t be for a while, likely six months to a year.
The commissioners approved the purchase.
This purchase is part of the normal rotation for the program.
The purchase will take place in the 2026-27 fiscal year.
 

Editor’s note: This is another installment regarding this week’s meeting of the York County Commissioners as they narrowed down setbacks for large industrial projects for the purpose of creating a document of proposed solar regulations ahead of a public hearing. This installment continues coverage of the public forum portion of the meeting, during which individuals addressed the commissioners.
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Editor’s note: This is the second installment of coverage regarding a meeting of the York County Commissioners this week, regarding zoning regulations for large solar projects. The first installment outlines how the board is now sitting with setbacks they will consider for a final resolution. This installment focuses on views of those in attendance. 
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Editor’s note: Due to the sheer volume of dialogue and information from Tuesday’s meeting of the York County Commissioners, the coverage of such will be published in installments. 
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​YORK – When the York County Commissioners convene in regular session on Tuesday, April 14, they will revisit the topic of zoning regulations for solar projects.

​The York County Assessor’s Office will be conducting Homestead Mobile Offices April 16 and 17. 
Staff from the County Assessor’s Office will be available at the following mobile offices to assist county residents with completing their Homestead Exemption applications:
Thursday, April 16th, 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM at the Benedict Community Center
Thursday, April 16th, 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM at the McCool Junction Community Center
Friday, April 17th, 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM at the Waco Community Building
Friday, April 17th, 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM at the Henderson City Hall
In order to complete the application, individuals are reminded to bring their federal and state tax returns, annual social security income statement, any out-of-pocket medical expenses they had in 2025, and a copy of their trust documents if their home is owned by a trust. 
Staff is also available to assist applicants at the York County Assessor’s Office in the County Courthouse Monday-Friday from 8:00 AM– 5:00 PM. 
The deadline to return applications to the Assessor’s Office is Tuesday, June 30, 2026 at 5:00 PM. 
For more information about the Homestead Exemption program, please contact the York Count Assessor’s Office at 402-362-4926 Opt. 6, by email at [email protected], or visit the County Assessor’s website at https://york.nebraskaassessors.com/forms/. 
 
 

Notice from York County Weed Superintendent: 
 
You are required to control noxious weeds on your property.
 
The noxious weeds are:  Musk Thistle, Plumeless Thistle, Canada Thistle, Leafy Spurge, Knapweed (spotted and diffuse), Purple Loosestrife, Saltcedar, Phragmites, Knotweed (Japanese and Giant) and Sericea Lespedeza.  Notice is hereby given this __9th     day of ___APRIL              _______, 2026__, pursuant to the Noxious Weed Control Act, section 2-955, subsection 1(a), to every person who owns or controls land in __York_______ County, Nebraska, that noxious weeds being grown, or growing on, such land shall be controlled at such frequency as to prevent establishment, provide eradication, or reduce further propagation or dissemination of such weeds.
 
Upon failure to observe this notice, the county weed superintendent is required to:
 
1.         Proceed pursuant to the law and issue legal notice to the landowner of property infested with noxious weeds and giving such landowner 15 days to control the noxious weed infestation.  Conviction for noncompliance may result in a $100 per day fine to the landowner, with a maximum fine of $1,500; or
 
2.         Should more immediate control be required, proceed pursuant to the law and have the weeds controlled by such method as he/she finds necessary, the expense of which shall constitute a lien and be entered as a tax against the land, and be collected as other real estate taxes are collected, or by other means, as provided by law.
 
Also, the public is notified that noxious weed seed and propagative parts may be disseminated through the movement of machinery and equipment, trucks, grain and seed, hay, straw, nursery stock, fencing materials, sod, manure, and soil as well as articles of similar nature.  Methods of treatment have been prescribed by the Director of Agriculture and may be obtained from the county weed control authority.
 
By Order of __York______ County Weed Control Authority.
 
 
 

​YORK -- The York County Sheriff’s Office, in partnership with the York Police Department, recently hosted an Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE) training in York.

​YORK – York County Sheriff Captain Josh Gillespie says a suspect in the recent bank robbery in Bradshaw has been arrested.
Captain Gillespie said a Grand Island man was taken into custody on Wednesday, April 8, and is currently in the York County Jail.
On Wednesday, April 1, at 8 a.m., a man entered the bank, approached employees and demanded an undisclosed amount of cash. During the encounter, a bank employee sustained a non-life-threatening head injury and was taken to a local hospital for treatment. The suspect fled the scene in a stolen vehicle, which was located by YSO deputies within minutes of their arrival.
“Following an intensive multi-agency investigation involving the York County Sheriff’s Office (YSO), the York Police Department, Grand Island Police Department, TRIDENT Task Force, Nebraska State Patrol (NSP), United States Probation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), investigators were able to identify and locate the suspect. The safety of our community and the security of our local businesses remain our top priority. We are grateful for the seamless cooperation between our additional local, state, and federal partners, as well as the tips provided by the public that led to this swift resolution,” Captain Gillespie said.
“We continue investigating the link between this robbery and a burglary that occurred at the same branch in early February. While the investigation remains ongoing, officials have confirmed that no personal or banking information was jeopardized during the incident.”
Jason McCain, a 46-year-old resident of Grand Island was taken into custody during the execution of a search warrant executed in Grand Island, through the coordinated efforts of the FBI, the YSO, the NSP, the Grand Island Police Department and the TRIDEN Task Force.
McCain currently faces three felony counts and two misdemeanors, including third-degree assault, false imprisonment, robbery, theft by unlawful taking and unauthorized use of a propelled vehicle.
“The York County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the York Police Department, the Nebraska State Patrol, the Grand Island Police Department, TRIDENT Task Force, United States Probation, Federal Bureau of Investigation and Cornerstone Bank for their assistance in this case,” Captain Gillespie said.
 

​YORK – The York County Commissioners agreed that placing distance markers in fields could help demonstrate the lengths of possible solar zoning setbacks and on Monday, York County Commissioner Randy Obermier placed those markers in two fields near McCool Junction.