News from neighbors
Brief argument leads to gun fire in Wray shooting
WRAY GAZETTE, Dec. 11 — Last Wednesday, Dec. 4, at approximately 7:42 p.m., officers with the Wray Police Department were dispatched to 1231 Blake St. in Wray to a report of a subject just having been shot.
Once officers arrived on scene, they learned that the suspect in the shooting, identified as Jakob Holcomb, had fled the scene in a blue Hyundai SUV.
During the course of the initial investigation into the incident, it was determined that three individuals who were in a white Cadillac were approached from behind by a blue SUV style vehicle at a high rate of speed. The three witnesses stated that the Hyundai pulled around them and then came to an abrupt stop in front of the Cadillac.
According to the witnesses, Holcomb and the driver of the Cadillac, identified as Jerome Currier, both exited their vehicles. A short argument ensued between Holcomb and Currier, and according to the witnesses, Holcomb pulled out a gun and asked Currier if he wanted to die today. Holcomb then reportedly shot Currier in the leg, causing severe damage.
While talking with family members, it was determined that Holcomb had picked up his girlfriend and 1-year-old child after the shooting incident and had fled with them now in the vehicle with him.
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City opts to pay county for dispatch services
IMPERIAL REPUBLICAN, Dec. 12 — After months of dicussion and, at times, heated exchanges, the city council voted Monday to pay the $35,000 annual fee Chase County, Nebraska, has been seeking for dispatch services.
Imperial Police Chief Ryan Wisnieski recommended the City pay the fee, saying it would be in the best interests of Imperial, Nebraska, residents.
Since the County quit dispatching for the police department and other City emergency services in August, the City has been using in-house dispatching.
Wisnieski told the council and mayor that set-up has been working but it’s not ideal. He added he had researched other options but felt the County dispatch was the best route.
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Preliminary talks underway on reservoir
STERLING JOURNAL-ADVOCATE, Dec. 11 — A collaborative effort to build water storage along the South Platte River may be close to fruition.
Joe Frank, manager of the Lower South Platte Water Conservancy District, briefed the district’s board of directors on meetings LSPWCD has been having with landowners in the Akron area about putting a reservoir near Fremont Butte. Frank said the idea is to divert excess water, such as floodwater, into the Prewitt Reservoir and, from there, pump it south to the Fremont Butte area.
The storage would be used to help make up for shortages in irrigation and augmentation water in the South Platte Valley and to help the Parker Water and Sanitation District meet its growing water needs. Parker is a member of the Northeast Colorado Water Cooperative, owns water rights in the Iliff and Proctor areas, and owns shares in the Prewitt Reservoir.
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Paintin finishes 4th in Junior World Finals
GRANT TRIBUNE-SENTINEL, Dec. 11 — In late July, 11-year-old Tanner Paintin of Elsie, Nebraska, rode a bull in competition for the first time.
On Monday, Paintin walked away from the Junior World Finals in Las Vegas, Nevada, as the No. 4 bull rider in the world for his age. Not bad for a little more than four months.
In the first of two qualifying rides at the JWF, Paintin finished in second place with a 77.5-point ride. In the second go-around, he placed fifth with a score of 66. Those two rides qualified him for the short go-around Monday.
He was one of only two riders to cover both bulls, and his scores put him in the lead going into the short go with 143.5 points.
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