Why This UNK Grad Never Packed Up and Left.

Krisa Howland grew up on a farm in Hamilton County, just outside Hordville. Like a lot of small-town Nebraska kids, she came to Kearney for college at UNK. And like many people who come to Kearney "just for a few years," she never left.

During her senior year, in December 1999, Krisa started an internship in NTV's sales department. When she graduated in May 2000, she went full time. This December marks 27 years with the station.

She started out in sales, then moved into National Sales as National Sales Manager. When Sinclair purchased NTV over a decade ago, she moved to the Local Sales team, and that's where she found the part of the job she loves most. She still works with some larger regional clients across NTV and KFXL-FOX Nebraska, but helping local small businesses grow and succeed is what keeps her going.

Krisa and her husband both found jobs in Kearney right out of UNK. Coming from small towns, they fell for Kearney's small-town feel, plus everything that comes with a bigger community: the university, strong schools, and great healthcare. "There was never any reason to leave," she says. Today they're raising two daughters here.

Her go-to spot: Fyre Modern Grill

When Krisa wants a great meal, she heads to Fyre Modern Grill. She's been going since the day it opened.

Her standing order is the Brussels sprouts and the salmon bites. Ask her why she keeps coming back, and she'll sum it up: great vibe, drinks, food, and service.

Fyre is a modern, scratch-kitchen restaurant with a full fusion menu, weekly buffets, and a bar making cocktails with house-made ingredients. It serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner every single day. You'll find it inside the Crowne Plaza Kearney and Younes Conference Center North at 707 Talmadge St., right off I-80 at Exit 272. That makes it an easy stop whether you're in town for a conference, a family weekend at the hotel's indoor water park, or just a night out close to home.

Take Krisa's advice

Grab a seat at Fyre, order the Brussels sprouts and salmon bites, and see what 27 years of Kearney loyalty tastes like. Check out the full menus at fyremoderngrill.com.