I have apparently become the gatherer of Central Nebraska top-story lists. NTV ran its top 10 stories of the year over the weekend, and I thought it might be interesting to get another perspective on the issue.

NTV, which is based in Axtell, covers a larger area than the Independent, including Kearney and a quite a few places south and west of there. It’s also, obviously, less Grand Island-centric than The Grand Island Independent. That being said, here’s their list in chronological order:

1. Hastings’ Armour-Eckrich meat processing plant closes
2. Gibbon’s turkey plant closes
3. A tornado hits rural Aurora
4. State Fairgrounds groundbreaking in Grand Island
5. The Buckle distribution center groundbreaking in Kearney
6. $45 million Kearney school bond passes
7. Tenneco closes its Cozad plant
8. Denise Withee sentenced for dumping dogs in a field
9. Kearney physicians announce plans for new hospital
10. House fire kills three in Hastings

For the record, here are the Grand Island Independent’s top stories of 2009:

1. State Fair
2. Recession
3. Weather and harvest (tornado, delayed harvest, snowstorms)
4. First Americans bankruptcy
5. Yund Street shootings
6. H1N1
7. Grand Island airport boardings
8. Hastings meat plant closings
9. Ethanol
10. CNH layoffs