County Court Judge Carlton Clark announced his intentions to retire December 31st after 13 years of bench service to Dawson and Gosper counties in the states 11th Judicial District.

A judicial resources commission will soon meet to determine if Clarks position should be replaced within the district or moved elsewhere in the state.

In addition to Gosper and Dawson counties, the 11th Judicial District includes Arthur, Chase, Dundy, Frontier, Furnas, McPherson, Hitchcock, Hooker, Keith, Lincoln, Logan, Hayes, Perkins, Red Willow and Thomas counties.

An Alliance pumpkin patch was raided two weeks ago and the grower is looking to the public for help.

Jo Gress of Alliance says she was growing pumpkins for a local pre-school. Someone raided her pumpkin patch causing a heavy load of frustration.

Gress is asking for the public to donate up to 60 basketball-sized pumpkins to the school.

Yesterday at around 5PM crews from the North Platte Fire Department responded to a grass fire with mutual aid from, Hershey, Tryon, Sutherland, Wellfleet, Paxton, Stapleton, Wallace, and Brady. The fire burned approximately 2,000 acres  of grass.

According to Battalion Chief at North Platte Fire Department, Jason Trimble, it’s believed a catalytic converter of a car driving through taller grass sparked the fire located on privately owned ranch land off Highway 97 near mile marker 12.

Hilly terrain of the land made it difficult for responding crews to reach the flames. The fire was contained by 10pm

Smoke was visible from at least 12 miles away.

Today: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 76. Light southeast wind becoming south southeast 6 to 11 mph in the morning.

Tonight: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 47. Southeast wind around 6 mph becoming calm in the evening.

Friday: Partly sunny, with a high near 77. Calm wind becoming south southeast 5 to 9 mph in the morning.

Two male students from the North Platte High School were cited after a random canine search Wednesday morning, conducted by the North Platte Police Department.

Six officers from the NPPD and four canine units searched 1,500 lockers and just under 700 parking stalls in under an hour. According to Officer Rodney Brown the working dogs were alerted on 17 lockers and five vehicles. Bridgeport and Broken Bow and Cheyenne and Lincoln County agencies all provided K9 assistance

A random canine inspection of the High School happens at least once a year. Schools are able to request a search any time.

According to the NPPD, the two male juveniles were allegedly cited for possession of marijuana less than one ounce and possession of drug paraphernalia.

The search also led to an additional investigation of three non student male subjects that suspiciously drove past the school more than once.

About 20 minutes later officers made contact with the suspect driver 21 year old Dylan Herrick, the passenger attempted to conceal a container with trace amounts to Marijuana.

It was found that Herrick was in possession of Marijuana and drug paraphernalia. Herrick received a citation and was released.

The Backyard BBQ/ Students Steppin’ Out for Education was a great time for many and a record setting success for all.  The total amount of funds raised topped at $50,927.05. The funds will go back to North Platte Public Schools to help the staff and the students.

The Bulldog Backyard Bar-B-Q set a record of 29 participating BBQ teams, highest in a four year history. Students Steppin’ Out for Education had twelve participating schools, students raised a seven year record $22,696.98, McDonald Elementary received the largest check of $2,347.21 and the school with the highest participation was Osgood with a 69% turnout.

Banner and Kimball counties have joined the ranks of Nebraska’s “livestock friendly” counties.

The office of Gov. Dave Heineman says that with the addition of the two, there are 20 counties designated “livestock friendly” in the state.

The program is coordinated by the Nebraska Department of Agriculture.

Counties chosen as “livestock friendly” are given road signs showing the program logo to display along highways, and they may use the label to market themselves to the agriculture industry.

To apply for a livestock-friendly designation, a county’s board must hold a public hearing and pass a resolution. County officials must then complete an application and submit it to the state Department of Agriculture. Local producers or community groups can encourage their county board to submit an application.