Panhandle Scanner News

The big news this morning are the wildfires that are raging across Nebraska again this morning. Last night, the town of Whitman, Nebraska was evacuated due to the wildfires. We have made several posts on our Penhandle Scanner Facebook page covering the fire, including maps and acreages burned with information provided by the WatchDuty app. According to the WatchDuty app, there are currently 10 fires actively burning in Nebraska, the largest one being the Andrews Fire near Valentine, consuming 2,500 acres thus far.  There are currently three fires burning in Cherry County, as well as fires in Grant County, Hooker County, McPherson County, Arthur County and Custer County. Overnight in Grant County, the town of Whitman was evacuated, with a shelter point being listed as the county courthouse in Hyannis. Highway 2 was originally closed but was reopened per radio traffic because there was no immediate fire concern regarding the highway. For all the fire coverage, see our Panhandle Scanner website or Facebook page with frequent updates from the WatchDuty app. Our prayers for everyone involved, especially our first responders and those in the way of danger.   Again, for updates, visit panhandlescanner.com.   And don't forget about our public record every Monday through Friday when available.

Well things are getting a little squirrely out there with all of the power outages around the Panhandle. In fact, on the 21st at approximately 7.13 am, County Road 17 and Highway 92 was the 10-20 or location of said suspect, a squirrel, who caused a power outage that occurred recently.   On Tuesday, Scottsbluff Rural Fire was dispatched to a fire in a ditch on County Road 17 south of Highway 92. The fire was started by a deadly combination of a squirrel and a transformer. Thank you to Roosevelt Public Power District for their quick response and getting the power issue resolved very quickly.   In other scanner traffic, there was a smoke check in an apartment complex on 10th Street in Gering.   Speaking of power outages, Torrington also experienced a power outage yesterday morning and the City of Gering has frequent power outages. Our hope is that we can get our infrastructure secured and stabilized.   Also in Chappell, scanner traffic indicated that officers were responding to a high 10-73, or intoxicated pedestrian, with multiple firearms nearby. Troopers responded and the situation was de-escalated with verbal warnings given to all and one 10-12, or subject, given a ride home.   Yesterday in Morrill, scanner traffic indicated an active carbon monoxide alarm. This would be a good time to remind everyone to please check your detectors regularly. For any questions in regards to smoke or carbon monoxide detectors, please contact your local fire department.

It's time for Scanner News and I'm your host Brian Hale. Brought to you by R&C Welding in Garing, Nebraska. Now in their fourth year of sponsorship.   With a lack of bad news over scanner traffic in the last 24 hours, we're happy to bring you some good news. This is a positive message from Sandhills Center for Hope.   Make today a good day and never forget how far you've come, everything you've gotten through, all the times you have been pushed on even when you felt you couldn't. All the mornings you got out of bed no matter how hard it was, all the times you wanted to give up but you got through another day, never forget how much strength you have developed along the way.   Don't forget about the fire danger warning again today. Conditions are ripe for wildfires with a red flag warning in effect for the panhandle, relative humidity values of 10-30% and southerly wind gusts of 15-25 mph. Use caution with fire at all times.   This week the Nebraska Department of Transportation and agencies across the country are celebrating National Work Zone Awareness Week, highlighting the importance of safe driving near work zones. Remember to slow down, pay attention and keep the phone down so everyone can make it home safe. Last week we celebrated the importance of our 911 dispatchers and this week it's our construction zone workers.   Torrington Wyoming experienced a power outage this morning as of 5:55 am the power has been restored to areas north of the river according to the Torrington Police Department and the city there and that it is due to an issue with the power supplier WAPA and is affecting the city of Torrington and surrounding areas. Follow our news page at Panhandle Scanner or our Facebook page by the same name for updates on that power outage in Torrington.   That's going to do it for today's scanner news. Thanks again for listening and may God bless. I'm Brian Hale.

In Alliance around 1 a.m. on Saturday night, Alliance Police Department had one male under suspicion of DUI and after some testing and 4130 located, we had one male 10-15, headed to the Box Butte County Jail.   And around 2:40 a.m., Trooper 290 ran a Triple I Check, which came up positive and also had conducted a search of the vehicle and that also resulted in one male 10-15 with 4130 located after medical clearance at RWMC.   Around 4 p.m. on Sunday, a Nebraska State Trooper was flagged down for a driver that was possibly 10-47 or DUI. After locating the vehicle and conducting the testing, Trooper 130 and 346 worked in tandem with Trooper 346 taking one male 10-15 or under arrest to the Cheyenne County Jail. And again, during that PC search, both 4130 and 3556 were located. For these offense codes, see our Penhandle Scanner website under resources.   Around 7:20 p.m. last night, there was a medical call at the Scotts Bluff County Detention Center for a 46 year old male who was unconscious with blood coming out of his mouth. He was transported to Regional West Medical Center with a potential head injury and loss of consciousness. He was taken in Trauma 1.   And in partial traffic, an unusual call came across around 6:38 a.m. for an individual who was being held against his will by his grandmother.  Follow Panhandle Scanner for a follow up on that this morning, if anything becomes of it.   To listen to scanner traffic, visit panhandlescanner.com and click on listen. You don't have to buy an expensive scanner to hear the feed. Made possible by Hale Multimedia. Streaming by Broadcastify.

Early yesterday morning a vehicle accident, which was a semi-versus car accident, occurred on Highway 92. Scanner traffic indicated no major injuries.     Around 6:40 pm on Wednesday, Scottsbluff Fire was dispatched to an apartment complex with smoke showing on West 19th Street in Scottsbluff.  Crews actively searched for the cause and several hours into the incident, fire started showing from underneath and apartments floor from the basement in a void space that was only accessible from a small tunnel in the basement. Crews were able to extinguish the fire and very little property damage occurred. Thirteen residents were displaced for the night. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.     In Alliance, the Box Butte County Sheriff's Office arrested Marilyn D. Wilcox in connection to an investigation into sexual assault of a minor.     On Wednesday, the Scottsbluff Police Department received a call from the Omaha Police Department requesting assistance in serving for arrest warrants on a suspect. Omaha Police advised they had an active warrant for Benjamin Jordan Peterson, 43. They suspected he was staying at a hotel in Scottsbluff. Officers located the suspect vehicle at a hotel and made contact. Peterson was taken into custody and transported to the Scotts Bluff County Detention Center without incident. The warrants were for sexual assault on a child less than 12 years of age, sexual assault on a child first degree, sexual assault on a child third degree, and incest under 18 years of age.     Sometimes it's hard to say it, but we must remind everyone that all suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Nebraska State Patrol troopers were once again busy on the highways last night. Multiple traffic stops on an area highways with one on Hwy 385 resulting in an arrest of a local man.   Remember all parties are innocent and tell proven guilty in a court of law.   [SCANNER TRAFFIC]   And you can listen to that scanner traffic anytime courtesy of Hale Multimedia streaming by Broadcastify, just visit panhandlescanner.com and click on listen.   In other local news we want to remind people about the vaccination and microchip clinic at the carpenter center this weekend. That's on Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Terrytown Carpenter Center. That's put on by the Panhandle Humane Society of Scottsbluff. You'll never know how valuable that microchip is until you lose a pet, and then it's a lifesaver. Go get your pets protected! That's the microchip and vaccination clinic April 18th from 10 to 2 in Terrytown on Saturday.   In other news... Former Offender Arrested for Child Sexual Assault (ALLIANCE, Neb.) -- The Box Butte County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest of Marlyn D. Wilcox in connection with an investigation into the sexual assault of a minor.

Well today we're going to take a look at some overnight scanner traffic.   Broadcastify, the company behind all of the internet feeds that make it possible for you to listen to a scanner without owning one, has undergone a recent major upgrade.   In reviewing scanner traffic overnight, there were several arrests. Trooper 346 had a 1015 or suspect in custody taken to the Kimball County Sheriff's Office around noon on Tuesday. That stemmed from a traffic stop on a blue Honda Odyssey out of Oregon. In another call, Trooper 239 had one subject 10-15 or under arrest for multiple charges including 5405, 5404 and 5437. Learn more about 10 codes, Offense codes and Triple III checks on our Panhandle scanner website.  239 took the arrested party to Morrill County Jail around 9pm last night.   Then shortly after just a few minutes later in Sidney, a K-9 was requested for an individual who had multiple positives on a Triple III check. Trooper 130 reported that he would be 10-6 testing, but the subject had different ideas, so the trooper decided to take him to the hospital for a chemical test, which he also refused, earning himself a ticket straight to jail.   And yet another call, Trooper 235 requested Triple III checks on some passengers and those came up positive as well.   Lots of police action on the highways last night.   One possible concerning medical call came from Mitchell for an unresponsive older female after a possible altercation. After the scene was secured, ambulances were able to treat the patient on Experiment Farm Rroad and transport her to Regional West Medical Center under a partial trauma team designation due to the positive loss of conciousness.

An interesting fact on this day in history, 1700 JC Penny stores were opened by 1959, but it was on this day, April 14th, JC Penny opened its first store in Wyoming, and it spread to Nebraska soon after that. For an interesting collection of newspapers chronicling this store, and even how you could buy a home through the JC Penny catalog at Julie's Antiques up on the walls, she has several old newspapers displaying the store ads. Go check it out, it's a Julie's Antiques in Gering.   For Nebraska sports fans, the Huskers are proud to announce that Pryce Sandfort has decided to return next season. The former Iowa star led the Huskers to the Sweet 16 this past season, but the Huskers eventually fell to Iowa in the tournament. But he's coming back next year, and so is Braden Frager. Good luck next year Huskers.   Nebraska's Medical Cannabis Commission continued to face emotional testimony from patients and advocates frustrated with what they described as a slow and restrictive rollout of the state's program on Monday. With 70% of Nebraska's voting clearly to legalize medical marijuana in Nebraska in 2024, the state has still failed to form a commission to regulate it.   And in Ag News, a big victory for families. President Trump has virtually eliminated the death tax. Now individuals can pass along $15 million worth of assets tax-free, up to $30 million for a couple. It won't eliminate all death tax, but it is a huge victory. For more on this, visit our news page at Panhandle Scanner, or on the Ag News, visit Harvest USA Report. Both programs which are heard on this station.   (SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb.) -- On April 12 at 7:23 p.m., the Scottsbluff Fire Department responded to a fire alarm at The Village after multiple smoke detectors were activated. Engine 3 and Engine 1 arrived to find moderate smoke in the hallway, prompting a second alarm and automatic aid from the Gering Fire Department.   During the incident, crews determined that a motor in one of the HVAC units had overheated, causing smoke to spread into the hallways and nearby rooms. The affected unit was isolated and shut down, allowing occupants to safely return to their rooms.   In total, Engine 1, Engine 3, Tower 1, Scottsbluff 2, and Gering 30 responded, with 12 personnel on scene for approximately two hours.   Additional assistance was provided by the Regional West Maintenance Crew, Regional West Security Team, and Scotts Bluff County CERT. We appreciate their support and cooperation.

I'm sure everyone's heard about the devastating wildfires this past month and the community is coming together to pray for rain. HorizonServe is hosting a community prayer gathering at the Scotts Bluff County Fairgrounds to pray for rain on April 19th at 3pm. Currently, the majority of Nebraska is considered to be under severe drought or extreme drought. We have seen multiple wildfires already this year, including the largest in our state's history, impacting numerous lives, as well as farmers and livestock producers. Right now, the Pathfinder Irrigation District in Western Nebraska has 25 days of water available for the growing season. All of these facts tell us that we need rain. We believe it is God who gives rain on the earth and sends waters on the fields. So like the prophet Zachariah encouraged, we're going to ask the Lord for rain in the springtime, for he sends the thunderstorms. Join us as members from church bodies all across the panhandle to gather to pray for rain, God's blessing and provision. Sunday, April 19th, 3pm, Scotts Bluff County Fairgrounds, join us in praying for rain.   Speaking of events, the Christian Motorcyclists Association will be meeting in the Roma Italian restaurant large meeting room out at the Scottsbluff Airport on Tuesday, April 14th at 6.30 pm. That's the Christian Motorcyclists Association Chapter meeting.   Late Saturday night, according to Stormchaser Adam Luchio, there was some tornado activity in South Central Nebraska. But in Chester Nebraska, one tornado slipped under the radar and went unwarned. This prompts us to remind everyone to make sure you have multiple ways to get alerts, never depend on only one source.

In Alliance, authorities received a report of a man involved in a domestic assault. He fled the scene but was later arrested on possession charges. On April 9, officers with the APD responded to a report of a physical domestic assault in the 1200 block of West 14th Street. Officers learned that a male suspect had fled the scene in a silver Toyota Corolla. The vehicle described as having front end damage and a tow strap securing the trunk. The suspect vehicle was located and stopped in the 900 block of Platte Avenue. Bernard Maben was taken into custody without incident. Maben was arrested for third degree domestic assault. During the booking process at Box Butte County Jail, an additional 4.1 grams of methamphetamine was discovered concealed on his person.   Join Panhandle Businesses and Organizations for National Walk at Lunch Day, April 29. The journey to a healthier, happier, good life can start with one single step. Walking is one of the easiest and most effective ways to improve physical and mental well-being and it's something nearly everyone can do. Panhandle Public Health District invites local businesses and organizations to participate in National Walk at Lunch Day on Wednesday, April 29.   Did you know that prolonged sitting has been linked to numerous negative health outcomes? Research shows that walking for 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week, can significantly reduce the risk of chronic disease including diabetes and certain cancers.   And speaking of cancer and fighting it, break for breakfast is almost here. That's April 24 from 7 to 9 a.m. Locations around Scottsbluff, North Platte, Beatrice, McCook, Norfolk, Ord Valentine, Grand Island. Kearney and Omaha will be open to benefit the Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center. Look for more on this opportunity to support Cancer Research.