Sometimes a simple act of generosity can ripple far beyond the original gift, touching lives and strengthening the community in ways that may never be fully measured.

We first met Larry Massie while serving at the Jeremiah House in southeast Scottsbluff. He has a true servant's heart and we are proud to call him a friend. The Oregon Trail Community Foundation shared that 11:13 Ministries has received a $4,000 donation from an anonymous donor through an employer matching gift program.

11:13 Ministries has become a lifeline for many in our community, providing meals, hope, and compassion to those who need it most. 11:13 Ministries is one of the ministries featured on the Horizon Serve website, horizonserve.org. Learn more there.

The 4th annual Prayers at the Pump event is coming up next Saturday. Not this Saturday, but August 22nd. Free $20 worth of gas for the first 130 cars. This is compliments of the folks at First Baptist Church of Scottsbluff. Come if you need prayer. That's happening at the Co-op Plaza Cenex station on the north Beltline and Avenue B, August 22nd at 1pm.

Here's a way you can serve your community. Plan to spend your Labor Day weekend worshiping the King with all of us. But at the same time, if you've got an RV, they're asking for temporary use of it. Horizon Music Fest is in need of a few campers for artist hospitality. It gives our artists and speakers a clean, quiet home base to rest and prepare between sets. Your camper will be secured, treated with care, and returned clean. Please contact Horizon Music Fest or see that post on Panhandle Scanner.

An outage alert came in from Sheridan County last night during this second round of storms that hit northwest Nebraska. Power companies and law enforcement are warning the public of downed power lines in Sheridan County and also in the Gordon area. There are many broken poles south of Rushville on 310th Lane and south of Gordon along Highway 27. Always use caution around downed power lines.

A 911 call was disconnected in Torrington according to Goshen County Scanner traffic last night. Police were headed to the King's Inn Hotel for a female who had accidentally called 911 and then said she won't be able to talk to officers upon arrival. Interesting. For any follow-up we might receive, check that post today.

Last night around 9 pm there was a structure fire call on K Street in Gering. Lots of smoke from the area and firefighters were on scene for more than an hour. One elderly female was transported to Regional West as a precautionary measure while the other male resident of the home was not transported by ambulance.

Just before 7.30pm scanner traffic indicated a motor vehicle accident on Stonegate Road. 21 year old male having an active seizure. Further traffic changed that address to 3rd Street and Minotier right off Highway 26 and that he was not having an active seizure and there was also another female in the car who may have been injured. Just another case of scanner traffic. It's not always what it starts out to be.

An early morning accident sends one to the hospital. The call came in just before 4 a.m. out on Highway 26, near mile marker 39 between Minatare and Bayard. Nineteen-year-old female bleeding and complaining that her leg is stuck. State Patrol indicated that it was a one-vehicle accident with the nose of the car down on the culvert and the back end sticking up where the tow truck could grab it. Originally, they indicated a rollover, but then the medic who called in stated it was not a rollover and that the car had slid into the ditch. The female experienced prolonged extrication and was transported to Regional West Medical Center with partial trauma team activated.

A motorcycle versus deer accident happened last night on Highway 71 near the 88 Turnoff in Banner County. The two riders, a male and a female, aged 53 and 45, both experienced serious road rash but were alert, conscious, and breathing. Highway 71 was closed down for just a short time while they cleared the scene, and the two were transported to Regional West Medical Center.

Last night, the U.S. National Hot Air Balloon Championships were canceled due to hot weather, but they're set for this morning. The U.S. National's target location this morning is Mitchell Airfield from 6:45 to 7:30 a.m. Scottsbluff County receives a tremendous amount of national exposure due to the U.S. Nationals being held right here in the Panhandle of Nebraska. Enjoy the beautiful balloons in the sky, but be sure to keep your eyes on the road.

There has been a serious uptick in break-ins, vandalism, and overnight crime by youth. We are respectfully asking the community to step up as parents and know where your kids are at 4 a.m.

MISSING JUVENILES, two subjects. First is a Mariah E. Poirier Chief Bear, 17 years old, native female, 5'3", 130 pounds, brown hair, brown eyes, nose piercing and glasses, last seen wearing a black hoodie and white shorts.

Second is a Larica Unique Stands, 16-year-old native female, 5'6", 120 pounds, brown hair, brown eyes, last seen wearing a dark colored hoodie, black shorts. No last known locations provided for either subject. Signed, Gering PD.

If you have any information about the whereabouts of these two individuals, please contact your local police department. The Old West Balloon Fest kicked off, so you'll be seeing lots of balloons in the air. Please do not be distracted and keep your eyes on the road.

Last night's scanner traffic included a male subject walking on Highway 385, a smoke check in Gering near Q Street, and an intoxicated female at 5-Below. A thunderstorm and a huge downpour that came through the area caused some power outages, much thanks to Roosevelt Public Power District for keeping on top of that. There was also an assault reported last night on East 17th Street in Scottsbluff.

There was also an interesting call at Lake Minatare yesterday. Scanner traffic indicated an off-duty officer calling in a situation in the southwest corner of the lake where a lady was seen and heard screaming out the window of a gold GMC or Chevy Colorado yelling, help, and to call the police. Last seen southbound on Stonegate Road near County Road G is where we picked up the traffic. At 2.39 PM, NSP was advising a male and female 10-15 or in custody and waiting on the next tow truck. Bumper to bumper responded for that tow while the two were transported to Scotts Bluff County Jail.

Unfortunately, we have some breaking news for you this morning coming out of Lake McConaughey. Last night around 8 p.m., emergency crews were seen searching for a missing seven-year-old boy, suspected of drowning. Unfortunately, the young boy drowned. We also learned that a little girl was saved, but they were just too late for the boy. We will gather details and post what information we can secure from the family and law enforcement on this tragic accident last night. At this time, we're simply asking for everyone's prayers.

Speaking of Lake McConaughey, we still have a missing dog. Max is missing. He's a ten-year-old all-black English Cocker field bred hunting dog. He took off after a deer Wednesday morning on the west end of Lake McConaughey. See our missing dog post with that phone number on Panhandle Scanner.

Meanwhile in Gordon, assault leads to shocking arrest. The events leading to the Gordon man's arrest took several unexpected turns before ending with an electrifying conclusion. Authorities say a report of a possible armed altercation escalated into a struggle with deputies that ultimately required taser deployment. 21-year-old Gordon man, Hunter Hagel, was hit with 10 felony and misdemeanor charges.

Are you a nurse looking for work? Bayard Public Schools is hiring a full-time school nurse. Contact Bayard Public Schools.

Panhandle Scanner has also learned that the Scotts Bluff Area Visitors Bureau is looking for community members to serve on a brand-new West Nebraska Sports Council. If you are interested in advancing sports in the region, contact the Scotts Bluff Area Visitors Bureau.

The Alliance Police Department is asking for the public's help in locating a juvenile, Laila Boerschig, age 17, was last seen at approximately 1 a.m. on August 5th in the area of the 100 block of South Grand Avenue in Alliance. If you've seen Layla or have any information regarding her whereabouts, please contact the Alliance Police Department.

Here's the scanner traffic with that information again. Laila Boerschig, 17, Indian female, 5'4, 125, brown-brown, last seen wearing blue shirt, gray shorts, black boots, signed Alliance Police Department.

Last night around 10 p.m., scanner traffic indicated a vehicle going eastbound in the westbound lanes. The 911 transfer was out of Wyoming. The vehicle had Wyoming plates and was headed into Nebraska.

If you are in the Lake McConaughey area or know someone who is, please share our recent post from the owners of a missing dog. Max is missing. He's a 10-year-old, all black, English Cocker Field bred hunting dog. They took him for a potty break around 10 a.m. Wednesday morning, and he took off after a deer. Please contact Panhandle Scanner or see the telephone number on the page on Panhandle Scanner referencing the missing dog at Lake McConaughey.

Yesterday, just after 1 p.m., a two-vehicle injury accident was reported in Scottsbluff on Highway 26. Scanner traffic indicated it was near the 21st Avenue intersection, airbags were deployed, and that one male was transported to Regional West Medical Center.

Just a quick reminder about the road construction on 21st Avenue, or Sugar Factory Road, that will be going on today and tomorrow. According to NPPD, they will be replacing some power poles north of 27th Street. So be aware, Sugar Factory Road, north of 27th Street, closed today and tomorrow for replacement of power poles.

National Night Out was a big hit, I presume all over the country, it certainly was a big hit here in western Nebraska. Cities from all over the panhandle hosted the event, featuring interaction with local police departments.

National Night Out is an annual community building campaign designed to foster police-community partnerships and enhance neighborhood camaraderie, aiming to create safer, more caring environments. Held on the first Tuesday in August for most of the U.S., the event involves millions of participants, fostering positive connections between residents and local public safety officials, including police and firefighters.

Helping bring awareness to missing persons cases is one of our most important jobs here at Panhandle Scanner. With so many runaways and other extenuating circumstances, many people question why or why we do not post particular missing persons cases. If you are interested in what our policies are, or how we handle missing persons cases, visit our website at PanhandleScanner.com, and visit our missing persons section. Every case is different, and we handle it with the utmost caution and compassion possible. And we appreciate everyone who shares our posts and helps with these missing cases.

Don't forget our public record every Monday through Friday, whenever available, now for over 20 counties in Nebraska, all on PanhandleScanner.com.