Panhandle Scanner News

Well, there's a weekend heat advisory again. Please remember to stay hydrated and indoors or in the shade whenever possible as temperatures could reach 100 degrees.
 
One exception, be sure to come out for the Minatare Tabor Days celebration tonight and tomorrow. Have no fear, the Broken Spoke Bar and Grill has air conditioning. The event kicks off tonight at 8pm with live entertainment.
 
 
 
Last night, scanner traffic indicated a situation around the 800 block of Main Street in Bayard. One user reported that it was a false report and that there was no need for an alarm. 
 
We hear a variety of calls over scanner traffic.
 
One yesterday included a report of a hitchhiker walking westbound on Highway 92 and County Road 32. We always advise folks of those walkers to be sure that they look out for them as they're traveling. 
 
Followers reported that a drone was lost in the Northfield Park area. They were asking for help in trying to locate it. If you find a black drone in the Northfield Park area of Gering, Nebraska, please contact our page at Panhandle Scanner. 
 
There was a situation in Frank Park in Scottsbluff yesterday. We received several reports from multiple parents upset about what occurred, which included reports of a male described as white, slender and bald head, possibly late 30s, attacking teenagers that were in a vehicle parked near Frank Park. We'll have more on that as that story develops. 
 
And there's a search party for a missing dog in Bridgeport, Nebraska. Tatum is six months old. He got out in Bridgeport between H and I streets. He's a Border Collie Red Heeler Mix, nicknamed Tatum Nuggets. There's a search party and a reward for this missing dog in Bridgeport. See our post on Panhandle Scanner.
 

Gering, Scottsbluff, Bayard, those were the three cities that were hit. Early on July 15th, SWAT activities were reported in those three cities, in Scotts Bluff and Morrill Counties.
 
Panhandle Scanner News Team was in close contact with authorities that executed high-profile warrants in Scottsbluff, Bayard, and Gering in the early morning hours of July 15th. Media personnel, Cody Thomas with the Nebraska State Patrol, tells Panhandle Scanner that Sheriff Mark Overman and Sheriff Brown with Scottsbluff County Sheriff's Office took the lead on this warrant execution assignment. Following multiple months of investigation by W.I.N.G. and partner agencies, law enforcement served multiple search and arrest warrants beginning in the early morning hours.
 
Due to the nature of the crimes and weapons involved, the warrants were served by the Scotts Bluff County SWAT Team, the Nebraska State Patrol SWAT Team, and the U.S. Marshals Metro Fugitive Task Force. All warrants were served without incident. The Scottsbluff and Gering Police Departments, Scottsbluff County Sheriff's Office, and the Nebraska State Patrol, including the Air Wing, Homeland Security Investigators Agents, and Regional West Ambulance Service, also provided personnel for this key operation.
 
Two adults, Preston Torres-Islas, age 18, and Rochne Gukeisen, age 19, were charged with possession of a machine gun. Five juveniles were arrested, three aged 17, one 15, and one 16. All are in custody.
 
Dangerous drugs, automatic weapons, and out-of-control youth. 
 
Thank you to the agencies that carried out this operation, keeping our community safe. And don't forget our public record every day for more crime news.

We are thankful to the sponsors and to this radio station, which is not only heard on their flagship station in Scottsbluff, Nebraska, licensed out of Terrytown, but KCMI Radio is also heard in Sidney on 93.5 FM and in Rushville at 99.1. And you can also listen to KCMI on the web, streaming on their website through Live 365 Radio and also on TuneIn.
 
Speaking of that Sidney area, the Potter Volunteer Fire Department is holding a CPR class where registration for that ends today. That class is July 19th. For more information about that CPR class, contact the Potter Volunteer Fire Department. 
 
A traffic stop on I-80 was initiated when troopers noticed a vehicle matching a Bolo or Be On The Lookout issued from Illinois. Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol working with the United States Marshal Service have arrested three people just outside of Kimball, including a person wanted for attempted homicide in Illinois. 
 
So what do you think? Should daylight savings time be permanent and stop all this changing clocks back and forth? Well, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill making time change permanent, but the bill has to pass the Senate. The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Sunshine Protection Act in a bipartisan 308 to 117 vote. The bill must pass the Senate and be signed by the president to become law. Though President Donald Trump has indicated support, the bill faces immediate headwinds in the Senate due to ongoing disagreements about whether permanent standard time or permanent daylight savings time is safer for winter commutes. 
 
Find that post and lots of local opinions on our Facebook page at Panhandle Scanner.
 
As we were going on the air this morning, we received word of multiple SWAT incidents throughout the panhandle. Stay tuned to Panhandle Scanner throughout the day.

 
Yesterday did have some significant scanner traffic.
 
On Monday at 10:37 am, traffic indicated a stolen vehicle.  A 2024 Jeep Wrangler with a lift kit. License plate Nebraska 60FEET6. Last known location heading west on Highway 88 from Highway 71. 
 
Based on that license plate number and our experience on the mound and behind the plate, this Jeep may belong to a baseball player.
 
In any case, Scotts Bluff County has the vehicle in sight and was headed west on Highway 88 towards Wyoming. Once the vehicle hit the state line, both Gering and Scotts Bluff County were no longer in pursuit of the vehicle.
 
A short time later, it was the Wyoming Highway Patrol posting that the vehicle had been caught.
 
"Two juvenile suspects are in custody after a high-speed chase that started in Nebraska and ended in Cheyenne."
 
The Wyoming Highway Patrol was alerted to a chase in progress coming out of Nebraska into Goshen County involving the stolen Jeep Wrangler. Wyoming troopers made contact and joined the pursuit at 11.31am near the Antelope East Cheyenne on the I-80 service road. The pursuit continued at a high rate of speed with the vehicle exiting onto Campstool Road where Cheyenne PD joined the pursuit.
 
The Jeep then left the road near Sierra Trading Post and attempted to jump the railroad track south of Sun Valley. The suspects fleed, entering a residence in southern Sun Valley where they were taken into custody with the aid of a K-9 unit from the Cheyenne Police Department. Great teamwork with multiple agencies including Scotts Bluff County Sheriff's Department, Gering Police Department, Cheyenne Police Department, the Laramie County Sheriff's Office, and the Wyoming Highway Patrol.

The City of Gering officials would like to inform citizens that Pacific Boulevard from Holly Drive to Beverly Drive will be closed beginning today, July 13th through Friday, the 31st of July. Residents on Pacific Boulevard will have access to their houses. Officials respectfully request that drivers use caution if traveling in this area. 
 
Also, the City of Scottsbluff would like to advise the public that there's going to be some chip and seal work being done on Highway 26 between Avenue I and 21st Avenue. Please use caution on Highway 26.
 
The Sunday Scanner, our weekly Scanner News printable publication is out. Stories this week included some C-130 training at Western Nebraska Regional Airport, a missing iguana that was found, three arrested for possession, juveniles arrested on e-bikes, Kimball meth and arson arrests, an attempted break-in and assault arrest, Kimball power outage, and the Freedom Truck in Gering were just a few of the stories for this past week. The Sunday Scanner is a printable eight-page, currently, publication, up from four pages from last week, with our goal of bringing you the week's top stories each and every week. That's the Sunday Scanner, and if you want to find it on Facebook, you can use the hashtag, #TheSundayScanner. And currently, the only place it's available is on our Facebook page. We also have plans for email delivery, as well as U.S. mail, if requested. Check it out every Sunday by 4 a.m. The Sunday Scanner from Panhandle Scanner. Learn more about it on Panhandlescanner.com. 

Well, speaking of Gering, that's the place to be this weekend. Thousands have traveled from all over the state and possibly the country to come to Gering, Nebraska's oldest and largest celebration.
 
That's right, last night, the Oregon Trail Days BBQ kicked off the celebration. Lots of activities planned for today, including that five-mile run and mud volleyball that started early this morning. The Kiddie Parade is at 10 o'clock, followed by Kiddie Games in the Park, and the Panhandle Quilt Guild Regional Show going on all day, the 22nd Annual Rod and Custom Car Show in front of the courthouse, and of course, the 40th Annual Food Fair tonight, and free music from the Gering City Band, 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. And of course, lots scheduled for Saturday with Hotel California, the Eagles Tribute Band. Gates open at 5 p.m. for that, and that happens out at Five Rocks Amphitheater. 
 
And remember, if you need a safe ride home, don't drive drunk. Please call 633-6397. If you need a ride, a safe ride home, 633-6397. And don't forget our public record every Monday through Friday, when available. 
 
Hey, everyone. This is Brian Hale. If you've heard this program before, you know I have been offering website help for many years. In fact, we've been in the business for over 20, and we'd love to help you for anything website-related, even if you just need some advice. It's free. Email support at halemultimedia.com or call 940-224-6315. Portfolio, pricing, and contacts all on halemultimedia.com. 

Well, if you're not busy today and you are in the Gering area around 11th and P Streets, if you want to make $100, go out and find that missing iguana! That's right, we have a missing iguana right now. Goncho's owners are offering a $100 reward if you can safely return him. Contact us if you know anything or have found a missing iguana in Gering.
 
Both Scottsbluff and Gering have road closures to tell you about. Check those on our Panhandle Scanner Facebook page. Two different addresses are listed, one in Scottsbluff and one in Gering.
 
Last night, there was a strange call at Webber's Furniture. It was just Tom Bodett. He had left the light on. No, actually, an employee called back and let us know. It was accidental. There was no reason for alarm.
 
A two-vehicle accident happened yesterday around 24th Street and Avenue I in Scottsbluff. No injuries were reported and patients refused transport to the hospital. 
 
Meanwhile, out at Western Nebraska Regional Airport, the military was doing some C-130 training with a maneuver called Touch and Go's.  C-130s are the large military planes that carry army personnel. So don't be alarmed if you see some large planes in the air from time to time. 
 
To listen to Scanner traffic, be sure to visit our website at panhandlescanner.com for not only the live feed, but tons of resources for things around the community.
 
Don't forget our public record every Monday through Friday when available. We also offer free Look Who's Hiring posts. And our event calendar on diggingdeeper.net is also free. Contact us if you've got something going on!
 
 

More Gering City news, not only do we have the big Oregon Trail Day celebration kicking off on Thursday, but the City put out a message asking residents to voluntarily reduce their water usage. Due to excessive water use, the City's water storage reservoirs are not filling to capacity during the evening and nighttime hours. The request is intended to help avoid the need for mandatory water restrictions. The City is asking people to reduce their water usage by 10%. The City of Terrytown reiterated the message as water is purchased from them and this would probably apply to Minatare as well. It wouldn't hurt to just reduce water usage by 10%. 
 
In weather news, a landspout video was shot by Serdafied Trucking at Pine Bluffs, Wyoming. You can find that on our Facebook page, as well as the results of a torrential rainstorm with some small hail in it in the City of Rushville. They were pummeled last night and had some flash flooding in the streets. But a heads up on the first heat wave warning of the summer. Highs ranging from 95 to possibly 105 degrees and may break some records. Limit your outdoors activities, hydrate, and check on your pets. 
 
Last night, scanner traffic indicated a car versus deer accident with possible injuries. To catch that live scanner traffic as it happens, visit our Panhandle Scanner Facebook page. And for the follow up and longer stories, our website at panhandlescanner.com. Click on the news section.
 
And just 10 days away, July 18th is that Tabor Day celebration with the parade, pancake feed, and more. July 18th in Minatare, Nebraska, Tabor Days.

Panhandle Scanner News is brought to you by R&C Welding in Gering, Nebraska.
 
Speaking of Gering, the Horizon Music Fest is coming up Labor Day weekend, September 5th and 6th, giant free concert with national artists at Five Rocks Amphitheater. But before that, we've got Oregon Trail Days kicking off here in a couple of days. Thursday night, July 9th is the kickoff barbecue in downtown Gering. 
 
Now on a serious note, if you enjoy alcoholic beverages, this message is for you. Write this telephone number down, 633-6397, 633-6397. That's your safe ride home. If you drink too much and need a safe ride home from the Gearing festivities, call 633-6397 during Oregon Trail Days. And a special thanks to Lisa Betz-Marquez and the former Gearing Citizen newspaper for starting that program years ago.
 
The Panhandle was blessed with an amazing light show last night from Mother Nature as lightning lit up the skies. See our Facebook page for some incredible photos from local photographers @rightturnchasers and Troy Bryan. 
 
If you follow our page on social media at Panhandle Scanner, you know that we cover news for a variety of areas. Yes, we are located in the Panhandle, but we produce news for anything significant that happens in the five major categories. Those five major categories are police and crime, fire and rescue, severe weather, missing persons and safety alerts. If there's news across the nation, even, that pertains to these topics, it's possible you'll see it on Panhandle Scanner. Yes, Panhandle Scanner is more than just a local news service. We cover the entire Panhandle and have followers in all 50 states. Be sure to follow at Panhandle Scanner or visit our website.
 
Special thanks to the amazing photography from local extraordinaire, Troy Bryan.
 
 

Do you miss the fat Sunday paper with lots of stories and coverage from everything that happened throughout the week? There once was a day when the community had a big fat Sunday newspaper.
 
We understand that especially with the news cycle being so short and news happening every day, that people need a reminder from week to week on what actually happened. We've put together a new weekly publication called the Sunday Scanner. Each week the stories fly by so fast we often forget about them. So here's a recap from this past week.
 
Weather and fireworks captured a majority of the headlines this week.
 
News for the week of June 28th through July 4th, 2026
 
Our top story was the winter storm in July in Northwest Nebraska. This post received over 2 million views within the first 48 hours. The area was pummeled with several inches of hail that caused flooding across roadways. 
 
Other major stories included the wind damage north of the border near South Dakota, as well as at Lake McConaughey where campers were flipped and tossed into the water. 
 
There was an infant death investigation in Alliance and vandalism at the Gering Pool. Earlier in the week, a young female went missing at Lake Minatare near Boy Scout Island, but was found immediately by Scotts Bluff County deputies.
 
This inaugural issue also includes all of the fire news including the log road fire update and the Scotts Bluff Fire Department's fireworks call response report for 2026.
 
Thankfully, there were only 2 Fireworks calls this year, both minor. 
 
For all these stories and more catch our new Sunday Scanner, the weekly recap from Panhandle Scanner!