Yesterday, shortly before noon, Engine 1 of the Scottsbluff Fire Department had cleared a previous call for service when they observed smoke in the area around South Beltline and 9th Avenue. Crews went to investigate, and upon arrival observed staff members utilizing heavy equipment to remove debris that had accidentally caught on fire after cutting operations. Fire personnel assisted with extinguishing the fire and were able to clear the scene within an hour.

Speaking of fires, last night the high winds associated with a passing thunderstorm compromised the fire line on the northern end of the burn area of the Log Road Fire. The Red Flag Warning is in effect in the area, per Crawford Volunteer Fire Department. The Log Road Fire has burned over 1,200 acres and is estimated at 0% containment.

And those thunderstorms also were in the news last night, with reports of high wind and power outages in the town of Llewellyn, and reports of campers being displaced at Lake McConaughey. We'll have more on that story as it becomes available. And again, remember to always have several different ways to get alerts. Visit PanhandleScanner.com for a series of resources for emergency alerts and other things.

Drone programs are finding some success here recently. The Kearney, Nebraska Police Department had a golden opportunity to display their new drone program capabilities to its fullest. After fleeing from officers, they launched a drone and safely took the suspect into custody within minutes. The drone program enhances officer and community safety by providing real-time aerial support and helping bring incidents like this to a safe conclusion. Drones aren't all bad, unless you're a criminal.

Derived from the Declaration of Independence and legally codified in the U.S. Constitution, American freedom functions as a negative constitution, explicitly dictating what the government cannot do to its citizens. Rather than granting rights, the American system is built on the philosophy that human liberties are inherent, unalienable, and merely protected by the state.

And we do all enjoy our freedoms, especially for those who enjoy blowing off fireworks in the middle of the summer. Our stance is that we generally enjoy freedoms over government restrictions. However, you must feel compassion for the large number of paid and primarily volunteer firefighters that are out there risking their lives to save others.

You may be aware of the fire near Crawford, Nebraska, which is now nearly 1,000 acres and at 0% containment. But did you know there is a series of fires in Colorado and on the Utah border, virtually covering the entire west half of Colorado?

Three firefighters have lost their lives already. Emily Barker, 38, of Clinton Township. Nick Hutcherson, 27, of Glendale, Arizona. And Sidney Watson, 26, of Warrior, Alabama.

The firefighters were assigned to the Rifle Heel Attack Crew and were engaged in the initial attack operations on the Knowles Fire when the incident occurred.

Two additional firefighters were injured during the incident and are receiving medical care. That Snyder Fire on the Colorado-Utah border is now over 30,000 acres. Please pray for the families of the victims and for everyone out there fighting these fires.

Hopefully more positive news tomorrow.

Things that go boom Fireworks and thunderstorms. That's what the news has been lately. People still have questions about when and where fireworks can be discharged, therefore we've put together a comprehensive article of every town's decision that we could obtain and put it into one article for you, it's called panhandle fireworks decisions. You can find it on the web or on our Facebook page Panhandle Scanner. There have been a couple minor fires from fireworks as expected, and as is normal. So far, to our knowledge, one in Gordon and one in Gering. Common sense should prevail, but please follow all local regulations.

A series of thunderstorms have rolled through recently a strong storm system brought between one and a third inches ip to 2.2 inches of rain between June 26th Friday night and early Saturday morning the 27th. Last night some thunderstorms were forming in the northern part of the panhandle, but nothing significant developed.

According to open AI, the National Weather Service in North Platte and local tracking agencies like the Panhandle Scanner tracked the highly active system as it moved through Cherry and Sheridan counties late Sunday night. It's good to see that the search engines and open AI are picking up on our news reports and thank you for following panhandle scanner and other sources for your breaking weather alerts.

Remember, if you have something to report, just click on send message on our page or give us a call on the phone number listed on the page and be sure to follow panhandle scanner for that breaking news and that daily public record.

On June 23rd, the Kimball County Sheriff's Office and Kimball County EMS responded to a one-vehicle rollover on Interstate 80. There were no injuries, unfortunately. Please buckle up and drive safe.

A train derailment was captured south of Cheyenne. Intense winds blew over multiple train cars along the tracks, with hail covering the roadside. A semi-truck also reportedly blew over on southbound I-25. As always, give emergency crews room to work. And move over. It's the law.

The skies were busy again last night, with an active tornado warning in Laramie County, Wyoming, but not including the town of Cheyenne.

And the mail has finally arrived via the National Pony Express Re-ride. Congratulations to all the riders who made the 1,900-plus mile journey.

Don't forget those construction plans on Main Street in Bridgeport. They're working on the bridge north of town right now, but there will be construction beginning in September in downtown Bridgeport.

And there's a new memorial event that has been set up for the late Chance Englebert. July 11th, 2026 at the Fall River County Fairgrounds in Edgemont, South Dakota. Chance lived a life with a fearless spirit, a contagious smile, and a heart that left a lasting mark on everyone he met. Join them as they celebrate the memories, stories, and legacy that he left behind.

And of course, don't forget that public record every Monday through Friday when available.

As many towns and counties are still declaring their preference whether or not to ban or allow fireworks for the 2026 season, weather permitting, Gering's Allred Brothers display will be held at the Five Rocks Amphitheater again this year. That's the Allred Brothers display at Five Rocks.

Meanwhile, the Banner County Fire Chief has declared a burn ban in Banner County until further notice. No burning is allowed of any kind other than those allowed by exception, which are very few. Just don't burn during a burn ban. And that includes fireworks. Check our Facebook page for that burn ban from Banner County and watch out for others that may pop up. Fortunately, there is some precipitation anticipated between now and the 4th of July.

You may remember the man that doused his father with gasoline and murdered him on 11th Avenue in Scottsbluff last spring. Elijah Cervantes has entered a plea of not guilty by insanity in the death of his 74-year-old father, Anthony. The trial is set to begin in Scotts Bluff County. We'll have more on that case once a verdict is reached.

With the recent precipitation in the Crawford area, there's a new flash flood alert for the burn scar that was caused by the South Fork Fire. With no vegetation in the ground, water tends to run off a lot more. So please use caution in those areas.

For these stories and more, visit Panhandle Scanner or Panhandlescanner.com. Now over 25 million visitors to our website. And don't forget that popular public record every Monday through Friday when available.

Our top story of the day comes from last night's Sidney City Council meeting. The Sidney Nebraska City Council voted to allow fireworks this year, from July 1st at 8am to July 5th at 1am. However, the conversation got very heated and police were called to the scene, despite the fact that the police chief was on scene at the meeting. We were getting live updates when Mr. Balfour stopped by to speak with our reporter outside, to show his appreciation for coverage after the council meeting, when several police cars showed up. We didn't hear of any further action taken, but we'll let you know if anything serious came of it. It was a verbal argument over fireworks.

Subsequently, the Cheyenne County Commissions voted on Wednesday morning, to BAN fireworks in rural areas of the county, with fines of $250, $500, and $1,000 for first, second and third offense.

Speaking of fireworks, there is a discussion on venue change in Gering. The Allred display typically takes place at Five Rocks Amphitheater, but there is discussion this year about moving it to Oregon Trail Park in Gering. Find that post and be sure to comment on our Facebook page.

Little Lake Alice is back! The irrigation water has flowed in and refilled Little Lake Alice. There is a time-lapse video from Troy Bryan on our Facebook page at Panhandle Scanner.

And there'll be a planned outage for the Village of Morrill coming up on the 28th. That's a Sunday, so they wanted to be sure to put out that notice early, and they asked for our help. So, folks in Morrill, be ready for that short electrical outage on Sunday morning the 28th.

Several businesses took damage to their properties around the Panhandle, and one of those was Monument Shadows Golf Course. The storm damaged almost all of the greens. The grounds crew worked all day to repair as much damage as possible. The golf course will be closed at least until noon on Wednesday. The driving range is open, and they thank you for your patience while they get the greens back into shape.

Unfortunately, natural disasters, and especially hailstorms, can make several people in the community a target. Well, the storms certainly cause damage all throughout the Panhandle, and we feel our job at Panhandle Scanner is to help the community. Over the years, we have acquired major sponsors in several different categories that can be trusted and called upon in emergencies like this.

First of all, we want to make sure to remind you, the number one tip for roof damage is to call your roofing company before you call your insurance company. That tip comes from Valley Roofing and Restoration, and we have several other tips from Kevin Smith on how you can protect yourself from not only being scammed, but by simply making choices in the wrong order.

For insurance companies, we highly recommend American Family Insurance, the Kendall Henderson Agency. He's been a sponsor of the Scanner from year one.

And we're sure there is plenty of fence damage out there. Call Custom-Made Fencing. That's Sean Low. They can help you there.

Three and a half years ago, when we began the Favorite Local Small Business in the Panhandle, it was the third quarter of 2023, and Platte River Glass was overwhelmingly your choice for Favorite Local Small Business. If you need glass repair, contact Platte River Glass, and be sure to have your VIN number handy.

For vehicle damage, we recommend Bumper-to-Bumper Body and Paint. Quality that counts.

And if you need help cleaning up your yard, we recommend Cauyer Glanz from Western Nebraska Landscaping. Give Cauyer a call.

You can find all these great businesses either on Panhandle Search or Panhandle Scanner on the web. Just click on Just for Fun, and then Sponsors.

Police are still searching for that whitish flatbed involved in the hit and run accident at Maverik on June 9, 2026. Some people have said they noticed that truck in the Mitchell and Morrill areas of the panhandle. Be on the lookout and please call it in.

A lot of excitement over the weekend for possible inclement weather, but thankfully, no tornadoes in Nebraska, at least not in our immediate panhandle. A tornado did touch down, however, in Wyoming, with a video captured by a local sheriff that made it onto national news. It was in a rural area, and there was no damage reported.

The panhandle is certainly in a drought. A drought like this, according to some, has never been experienced like this before here in western Nebraska in our history. It's hard to believe, but Little Lake Alice, completely dry for the first time in memory. Please pray for rain.

Also, we're asking for your prayers for a storm chaser in northeastern Colorado who rolled his vehicle after hydroplaning over the weekend. Big Dog Northeastern Colorado Storm Chasers reported that Abraham, nicknamed Little Dog Five, had his seatbelt on, but unfortunately his vehicle lost control after hydroplaning and it rolled. We do know he's okay with a couple of scrapes, but denies any other injuries. The vehicle is totaled. Please pray for all of our storm chasers out there risking their lives and their property to bring you the news.

And last we heard, Scotts Bluff Police Department are still investigating that hit and run accident at the Maverick Station in Scotts Bluff on June 9th, where a white, older, flatbed work truck backed into another vehicle. You can see that picture and videotape on our Facebook page at Panhandle Scanner.