OPSU Crops Judging Placed 4th at National Contest Panhandle State Communications on 04/26/2021
The Oklahoma Panhandle State University agronomy crops judging team placed 4
th at the National Invitational Crops Contest held April 16 in Kansas. A group of five agronomy seniors made the trip, including Cassidy Tolle Johnson, Katie McCall, Dillon Roesch, Chandler Evans, and Karsten Harrison. The team was coached by Dr. Curtis Bensch, OPSU professor of agronomy.
The team took fourth place overall in the contest in which nine universities and colleges competed. Top five teams were Kansas State University, Iowa State University, University of Nebraska, Oklahoma Panhandle State University, and University of Wisconsin, respectively. Other colleges competing were Murray State University from Kentucky, Texas Tech, West Texas, and Northwest Oklahoma State University.
By Liz Kellar | Staff Writer
The family of a man fatally shot by law enforcement during a confrontation last year has filed a lawsuit in federal court.
Attorney Patrick Dwyer said the civil suit on behalf of the family and estate of Gabriel Strickland, which he expected to serve on the county Monday, is less about financial compensation and more about pushing for police reform.
The suit names the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office, Grass Valley Police Department, and Wellpath which provides medical services at the county jail as defendants, demands a jury trial and requests $10 million.
“The family of Gabriel Strickland does not seek vengeance against anyone,” Dwyer said. “Quite the contrary. The family hopes that the lawsuit leads to positive changes in Nevada County and throughout California regarding the treatment of the mentally disabled.”
By Liz Kellar | Submitted to The Union
This was a tumultuous year for Nevada County on a number of fronts, with COVID-19 causing disruptions in the criminal justice system and causing major changes in how law enforcement handles arrests and detentions. Some would argue, too, that a marked spike in opioid overdose deaths could be linked to COVID. But violent deaths remained big news all year. Here are the top five stories for 2020:
1. Fentanyl overdoses spark community concern
Over the last several years, deaths related to opioid overdoses have risen sharply across the nation, and COVID-19 may be amplifying that trend both nationally and in Nevada County.