​YORK – This past week, the York County Sheriff’s Office hosted the 2026 Nebraska Drug Impaired Driving Summit which was sponsored by AAA and the Nebraska Department of Transportation Highway Safety Office.
The educational conference was held at the Holthus Convention Center.
Sgt. Taylor Samek from the YSO served as the moderator of the event.
There were numerous speakers and learning sessions for attendees from all over the state, many of which were from numerous different law enforcement agencies.
Ashley Rowe, program director from Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and Mary Daniels, a MADD victim volunteer, opened the conference.
They were followed by Elizabeth Branham, traffic safety specialist from the Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Drug Misuse Prevention and Recovery at Ohio State University.
Jacke Nelson, director of traffic safety, advocacy and research for AAA, spoke to the group right before lunch.
During the lunch hour, Ryley Egger, HSO administrator, provided an update from the state department of transportation and the NHTSA update was given by Jeff Halloran.
Lincoln Police Department Sergeant Sara Genoways providing findings from a fatal DUI-D case study.
The afternoon concluded with an expert panel and facilitated discussion about impaired driving perspectives. This featured representatives, prosecutors and rehabilitation. There was also a question/answer session.
About 100 people were in attendance during the day-long event in York.

​YORK COUNTY – The York County Sheriff’s Department and the York County Roads Department are reminding drivers in the rural areas of the county to exercise caution due to growing corn and visibility issues which come with this time of year.
“With the corn crop growing toward its mature height, it’s a good time to review some safety tips for traveling to rural areas this time of year. We’ve all seen drivers speed on country roads and come to soft stops at rural intersections or even blow through stop signs altogether. This behavior can be deadly with tall corn limiting visibility,” says York County Sheriff Paul Vrbka.
What are the best ways to stay safe?
* Slow down. Follow the speed limit. Where corn is high, reduce your speed.
* If you have a stop sign at an intersection, come to a complete stop.
* Even if you don’t have a stop sign, don’t assume others will stop. Slow down and make sure there is no cross traffic before proceeding into the intersection.
* Talk to young and inexperienced drivers. Inexperienced drivers may simply not know how much more dangerous it is to drive in the country with corn up and growing.
* Watch out for vehicles on hills, curves and other areas where tall corn may limit visibility.
“Simple precautions could make a world of difference,” the YSO says.
 
 

​YORK COUNTY – The York County Sheriff’s Office participated in the statewide “Make It Click” overtime traffic enforcement campaign from May 15-31. This initiative focused on increasing seatbelt usage and promoting safe driving behavior across Nebraska roadways.

YORK – Sergeant Taylor Samek, Deputy Brandon Huebner and Deputy Deion Hulse from the York County Sheriff’s Office have been recognized with a MADD Hero Award for their DUI enforcement efforts in 2025.

​YORK – Several York County agencies will participate in an upcoming intruder response drill at York High School. 

​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.
 

BRADSHAW – The York County Sheriff’s Office, along with assistance from the Nebraska State Patrol, York Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating an early morning bank robbery at the Cornerstone branch in Bradshaw.

​YORK COUNTY – The sheriff’s office is increasing rural patrol – starting immediately – in response to an escalating rate of thefts. 

​YORK – In a continued effort to do more public outreach, the York County Sheriff’s Office was out with the people again . . . this time, in the classroom of McCool Preschool.
On Monday, YSO Captain Josh Gillespie, armed with suckers and fake sheriff’s badges, took the time to sit down with the young ones.
Captain Gillespie read a story to the youngsters and also talked about how to stay safe.
Captain Gillespie, incidentally, is also York County’s DARE instructor. The DARE program works with middle school students.