Mel Pendleton News Today

May 8, 2021 Following one of the most gut-wrenching trials to impact Webster County in recent memory, there was a remarkable display of forgiveness and humanity. Not long after the jury submitted its verdict in the Scott County Courthouse in Davenport, Kristine Henderson and Mel Pendleton embraced. Her husband, the Rev. Al Henderson, had been killed by his son, Joshua Pendleton. For that crime, the jury convicted Joshua Pendleton of first degree murder and first degree robbery. District Court J...

-Messenger photo by Kelby Wingert The family of the late Rev. Al Henderson react to hearing the jury’s verdict on Tuesday morning, convicting defendant Josh Pendleton of murdering the pastor in October 2019. Pictured are Kristen Willingham, Henderson’s youngest daughter; Kristine Henderson, Henderson’s wife; and Kelly Henderson, his son. -Messenger photo by Kelby Wingert Kristine Henderson, wife of the late Rev. Al Henderson, embraces Mel Pendleton, father of murder defendant Josh...

Like a one-sided baseball pennant race, the only drama in choosing the top local stories for 2020 is the race for second place. Let’s face it: COVID-19 was North Platte’s biggest story of the year. It’ll probably be 2021’s biggest story as well. The pandemic permeated virtually everything that happened after February — even the many local examples of “good news” that thankfully broke through the dark clouds of America’s worst health crisis since 1918. So ...