Kimball Chief Accepts Sidney Job

(SIDNEY, Neb.) — The Chief of Police in Kimball recently accepted a position with the City of Sidney. Read more about it in this post from the Sidney P.D.

From Sidney Police Department

The Sidney Police Department is proud to announce the appointment of Jose Ruiz as Lieutenant/Operations Commander. Bringing over 20 years of dedicated law enforcement service to the region, Ruiz joins Sidney from the City of Kimball, where he most recently served as Chief of Police.

While Lieutenant Ruiz has formally accepted the position and is currently completing final onboarding procedures, the department expects him to be in full duty status by early next month.

Jose Ruiz’s career is defined by a deep commitment to professional standards and officer development. As a veteran Field Training Officer (FTO), he has spent decades mentoring the next generation of law enforcement. His expertise extends across the state through his active involvement in training patrol procedures at the Nebraska Law Enforcement Training Center (NLETC) in Grand Island.

Ruiz brings a robust portfolio of specialized skills to Sidney, including:

Peer Support Development: A proven track record of developing peer support programs to bolster officer mental health and resilience.

Inter-Agency Collaboration: Extensive experience leading multi-agency trainings and establishing interlocal agreements to improve regional safety and resource sharing.

Proactive Policing: A commitment to proactive policing strategies to deter crime, balanced with a dedication to community outreach and transparency.

The transition from a neighboring Chief executive role to Sidney’s Operations Commander is a strategic move designed to bolster the department’s internal infrastructure.

The vision for the Sidney Police Department requires a leadership team that is not only experienced but battle-tested. Ruiz’s decision to bring his vast knowledge to Sidney reflects his belief in the department’s trajectory; his choice to serve in this capacity speaks volumes about his commitment to public service over title.

By integrating a former Chief of Police into the Lieutenant role, the Sidney Police Department is prioritizing succession planning and operational continuity. Ruiz’s experience leading an entire agency provides Sidney PD with:

Stability: Ensuring department goals remain on track during leadership absences.

Consistency: Aligning daily field operations with long-term strategic growth.

Mentorship: Providing officers with direct access to a leader who understands every level of the chain of command.

The Sidney Police Department remains committed to transparency and excellence. We are confident that Jose Ruiz’s 20 years of expertise and his proven track record in training and regional collaboration will be an invaluable asset to our officers and the citizens we serve.

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Wednesday Jan 21 2026 - Scanner News - Panhandle Scanner News

(LAGRANGE, Wyo.) -- Scanner insiders witnessed a road blockage yesterday due to a major accident between a semi and a pickup on Highway 151 and County Road 61 in Wyoming near Lagrange. Fortunately, no one died in the accident and the road was closed for about one hour. On midnight, Trooper 431 was around mile marker 18 on I-80 when Scanner traffic indicated that he had two males, 10-15, headed to Kimball County Jail, offense code 5435, which according to the Nebraska Statutes is DUI. 911 service was out in Torrington yesterday, but at 2am they reported that all services had been restored. And down in Kimball County yesterday, an award was given. On January 6th, 2026, Kimball County first responders went above and beyond the call of duty. Yesterday, the Life Saving Award was presented to a Kimball County Sheriff's Deputy and Dispatcher, Bushnell volunteer firefighters, and the Kimball EMS crew. We are all deeply grateful to have such dedicated and exceptional first responders serving Kimball County. Last night was a decent night for Aurora Borealis photos if you were north of town or even in Henry, Nebraska. Check out those Northern Lights photos on our Facebook page at Panhandle Scanner. Today's featured photo by Troy Bryan. And it's official, the 2026 Hot Air Balloon National Championships will once again be held in Scottsbluff, Nebraska. Mark your calendars for this year's dates August 10th through the 15th, 2026, for the Old West Balloon Festival here in Scottsbluff, Nebraska. For these stories and more, visit our news page at panhandlescanner.com.

Tuesday Jan 20 2026 - Scanner News - Panhandle Scanner News

(SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb.) -- The day started out with a minor vehicle accident around 8 a.m. on West 23rd Street and Avenue D in Scottsbluff. No one was transported to the hospital. Shortly thereafter, a grass fire was reported on Highway 29 in South B Road. That was reportedly one that may have gotten away from the ditch company. Then at 4 pm on the West edge of Scottsbluff, we had a minor vehicle accident between two vehicles whose mirrors swiped each other and caused minor damage. State Patrol advised they exchange information in self-report. At 6.45 p.m., Trooper 483 conducted a 10-6 P.C. or Probable Cause search. The driver did have a suspended license with a pickup order and was cited for 5437. The search turned up negative for any contraband. Trooper 253 kept busy last night, helping a broken down Jeep in Mitchell, near Hwy 29 and Hwy 26, before proceeding to South B Road to take care of five cows who had wandered out. The landowner could not be contacted, but the cows were returned to their field. Nice work, Trooper 253. Trooper 401 was out with Kimball County last night, actually early this morning around 1 a.m. for a 10.15 or an arrest, under Citation 5435. Then early this morning, County Road H, County Road 29, possible structure fire, County Road H, County Road 29, this morning around 2.50 a.m. We're praying for that situation in all of these that we hear over scanner traffic every day on PanhandleScanner.com.

What Is Best (At His Feet) - Elevate Your Day with Andi and Brian Hale

When met face to face with Jesus, Mary chose worship and Martha chose worry. Luke 10:38-42 ESV Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” Jesus saying these words to Martha after she’s been rushing around trying to get the house ready for him always used to rub me the wrong way. I used to find myself thinking ‘well, it’s all very well to say that the BEST thing is just to sit at your feet, but I don’t know how I can do that when there’s so much to do.’ The truth is, I still find myself thinking like that a lot of the time. But regardless of what emotions get stirred as we read these words from Jesus, it’s so vital that we pay attention. When met face to face with Jesus, Mary chose worship and Martha chose worry. Where do we find ourselves at those moments during the day when we just need to hear from him, but we also have hundreds of things to fit in? Does the to-do list get the domain? I know it often does for me. The truth is, in order for us to understand what it is that Jesus is saying here, we must understand him. We know that we won’t fully know all there is to know about him now, but we also know that we can at least endeavour to understand and grow more as we study his word and his work. Jesus was talking about attitudes of the heart here. He was making it clear that good deed after good deed wasn’t in any way the same as just sitting at his feet in worship and wonder. He wasn’t saying that we won’t have earthly responsibilities, of course. But he also wasn’t saying that they come first. What comes first is always him. What comes first is always sitting at his feet before we rise to our own and get on with the duties of the day. However, our own perspectives won’t always make this easy to understand. With the wrong frame of mind and indeed heart, we can quite frankly find ourselves frustrated with this sort of talk. This is why making that all-important space to sit at his feet is just so vital.

Finish Well (Get Your Spirit Back) - Elevate Your Day with Andi and Brian Hale

You could have been born at any time, but God saw fit for you to be born in this day and age. He knew all the challenges that would come your way. Our glorious Savior faced so many battles. He faced so many moments when He could have thrown in the towel. John 12:27–28 gives us a peek into one such moment, when Jesus said: “Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” How about you? Thinking about the challenge that has been beating down your spirit, could this be the very reason too that you came to this hour? You could have been born at any time, but God saw fit for you to be born in this day and age. He knew all the challenges that would come your way. He also knew all the gifts that He put on the inside of you, and now He is asking you to say yes to His plan and to His will. So do not let discord, racism, sexism, poverty, destruction, fear, lies, distortions, or anything else intimidate you and make you run to some corner. At every turn, may these words rise up from your heart: “Father, glorify Your name.” And may you hear God answering back from heaven and saying over your life, “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” Philippians 3:7-14 ESV But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. I speak life over you where others have declared death. I speak hope over you where you have walked in doubt. I speak faith over you where there has been fear. And I pray for you to make the move now instead of allowing another moment to pass by living smaller than the heavenly calling you have in Christ Jesus. You are free. You are loved. You are called. You are chosen. You are forgiven. You are adopted. You are anointed. And in Jesus’s name, you have your spirit back! Where do you see new life already beginning to grow within you?