The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office receives a grant through a local business.

The Dickey Foundation, the nonprofit arm of Dickey’s Barbecue, is presenting a $11,000 grant to the sheriff's office. This grant will support the purchase of law-enforcement specific drones for interior tactical operations. The drones provide an added layer of safety for officers responding to emergencies.

Former Independence City Commissioner and Owner of Independence Dickey's BBQ Gary Hogsett says they appreciate everything the first responders do to make our region safe and it is a privilege to support their efforts.

 Independence Community College welcomes a former student as the 2024 commencement speaker.

 Sam Ford is an award-winning television journalist whose work has received many accolades including the AP, New York, and Edward R. Murrow awards, along with numerous regional Emmys. Ford has also been recognized by the Washington Association of Black Journalists and the Silver Circle of the National Academy of Arts and Sciences. He recently retired as the D.C. Bureau Chief for WJLA in Washington D.C.

Ford will be the keynote speaker at ICC's graduation ceremony on May 11^th at Memorial Hall in Independence.

 Montgomery County reminds residents that second half property taxes are due next Friday, May 10^th.

 Taxes can be paid in person at the county treasurer's office on the first floor of the Montgomery County Courthouse in Independence. Office hours for the treasurer's office are 8am to 4pm, Monday through Friday. Mail-in property tax payments must be postmarked by May 10^th.

Anyone with questions can call 620-330-1100

 For those cleaning up from the recent storms, the City of Sedan has announced that the city dump is open today.

 They are accepting storm debris in the form of trees and brush only. Anyone with questions can contact the Sedan City Hall at 620-725-3193

 Authorities in Fredonia are warning of a utility scam that has been circulating recently.

 Fredonia utility customers are reporting that they have received a call from the utility company. The caller states their account is past due or there is a credit on the utility account. In either scenario, the caller is requesting immediate payment over the phone or bank information to refund the credit. Never give out your personal information over the phone before verifying the caller.

The City notes that the City of Fredonia Water and Light Department will, on occasion, make calls prior to disconnects, but they do not take payments over the phone. The staff will provide the 800 number for which the payment should be made, along with the customer’s utility account number. If at any time you are suspicious of a caller, hang up and call the utility office directly to verify account status.

 Bartlesville welcomes a new fire chief.

 Former Bartlesville firefighter H.C. Call has been tapped to lead the Bartlesville Fire Department following Chief David Topping’s retirement in June.

Call began his career in the fire service when he joined Bartlesville Fire Department in 2001 as a firefighter. He was promoted to driver in 2014 and also served as a relief captain. He left the department in 2017 to accept his current position as fire chief with the Collinsville Fire Department.

Call has earned several degrees throughout his career, including a Bachelor of Science degree from Rogers State University and a Master’s in Public Administration from Anna Maria College in Paxton, Mass. He has also completed the Oklahoma Executive Fire Officer Leadership Program, an advanced leadership program designed to support Oklahoma fire service leaders.

Call is set to take over as Bartlesville fire chief on May 29

 Rain over the weekend continues to fill Hulah and Copan lakes, with Hulah dam gates open for the first time in about two years.

 According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Hulah Lake is nearly 10 feet above normal and nine of the gates are open at the dam, draining water at a rate of just over 2,000 cubic feet per second.

Copan Lake is 1 foot above normal. One low-flow gate is open 10%, releasing 5 cubic feet of water per second.

 An Owasso man is sentenced to more than 10 years in federal prison on charges of child pornography.

 33-year-old Michael Joseph Moreland was sentenced to the prison term on Tuesday. The term will followed by 10 years of supervised release after being found guilty of receipt and distribution of child pornography, and possession of child pornography in Indian County.

According to court documents, between June 2022 and May 2023, Moreland knowingly received, distributed and possessed nearly 3,000 images and 50 videos of child pornography on his computer. In the days leading up to Moreland’s arrest, he was frequently in the top five and often the number one downloader of child pornography in Oklahoma.

A federal statute for victims of child pornography allows defendants found guilty of child pornography trafficking offenses to pay restitution to known victims. The court in this case ordered $15,000 in victim restitution.

Moreland will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.

 The Grand River Dam Authority closes a boat ramp at Twin Bridges State Park near Wyandotte, OK.

 The ramp is near a large logjam on the Neosho River caused by flooding due to the recent rainfall.

Miami Mayor Bless Parker says responsibility for the water system falls squarely on the G-R-D-A and that they need to be held accountable by the state.

The City of Miami recently won a lawsuit against the G-R-D-A regarding flooding in Miami, claiming the Dam Authority failed to properly control flood waters. There is also a civil suit involving more than 450 property owners currently working its way through the legal system.

 The Missouri State Highway Patrol along with several other law enforcement agencies in Ozark County, Missouri, continue their efforts to find a man who was swept away by flood waters.

 Early yesterday morning, a woman called 9-1-1 to say her boyfriend's pickup truck had been washed off a bridge by fast-moving flood waters. Authorities later recovered the man's vehicle about 100 yards downstream from the bridge, but the man was not located.

The Ozark County Sheriff's Office urges all drivers to use extreme caution around flood waters and to remember to “turn around, don't drown.”

The Missouri State Highway Patrol Underwater Recovery Team will continue its search efforts for the missing man today.

 Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt signs House Bill 4156.

 The immigration reform bill would penalize those in the country illegally. The first offense will be a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in county jail and/or a maximum $500 fine. That individual will then be required to leave the state within 72 hours.

Subsequent offenses or offenses committed during a crime will be a felony punishable by up to two years in prison and $1,000 fine. As with the first offense, the individual will have to leave the state within 72 hours.

Oklahoma House Democrats were extremely vocal in their opposition of the bill, saying that it encourages racial profiling and attacks current undocumented Oklahomans who contribute millions in tax dollars every year.

 Kansas lawmakers override governor's veto on abortion bill.

 The Kansas legislature voted on Monday to override Governor Laura Kelly's veto of House Bill 2749. The bill would require medical care facilities and providers to report the reasons for each abortion provided at the facility or by the provider to the Secretary of Health and Environment.

The move to override the veto passed the House 84 to 41 and in the Senate by a vote of 27 to 10.

A marginal chance of severe weather is possible this afternoon and evening for the four states.

The threat will arrive late this afternoon and includes the potential for baseball-sized hail, 70 mph wind gusts and a possible tornado. Southeast Kansas may not see much storm development as the best chance will be west of I-135. Stay tuned to KGGF for more updates and information should severe weather threaten the area.

The National Weather Service has completed their damage surveys from this weekend's storms.

County coordinator Kris Marple says the Emergency Management team is working to track road, bridge, and structure damage.

Storms developed during the afternoon hours over the Flint Hills on Saturday, April 27th. As they progressed east, the storms started to produce tornadoes, two of which were rated an EF-2.

One of the EF-2 tornadoes formed southwest of Fredonia and ended just three miles west of the city limits. Damage was largely confined to trees and outbuildings but one home did sustain significant damage.

On the same storm track, an EF-0 tornado started two miles west of Fredonia and caused damage to some buildings at the fairgrounds.

County Commissioner Andrew Miller says this could have been much worse for the county.

Another EF-2 started four miles northeast of Coyville and ended four miles south-southwest of Yates Center. Most of the damage was to outbuildings and trees.

Finally, an EF-1 tornado started 5 miles east of Benedict with most of the damage to trees and outbuildings. In addition, a metal roof was damaged on a home and a horse trailer was knocked on its side.

Lead Photo: EF-2 damage near Fredonia, NWS

Photo: EF-0 Damage in Fredonia

Photo: EF-1 Damage east of Benedict

A former member of Congressman Jake LaTurner's staff is running for the position he leaves choosing not to seek re-election for Kansas's Second Congressional District. Candidate Jeff Kahrs says he has over 20 years of behind the scenes experience in Congress.

Former Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt is also running for the open seat in Congress. Kahrs says there are some key differences between the two of them.

Kansas's primary election is August 6^th with the general election on November 5^th. On the Democratic side of the primary Joseph Swain is running against Eli Woody IV.

 Weekend rains cause concern along the Neosho River.

 Torrential rainfall in southeast Kansas over the weekend has brought floodwaters and debris into rivers in northeast Oklahoma. Brush and downed trees has caused a log jam at the Neosho River Bridge near Wyandotte.

The Oklahoma Department of Transportation says it has no plans to remove any of the debris or to close the bridge.

 Social media has been abuzz for the past few days regarding rumors about annexation by the city of Independence.

 Part of the issue is a map in the city's comprehensive strategic plan that is currently in the draft stage. The city says the map is simply a guideline for future growth.

A Montgomery County resident brought the issue before the County Commission yesterday. Commissioner Robert Bever says he has attended several meetings about the comprehensive plan for Independence. He says the city cannot annex land without the blessing of the county commission.

Independence City Manager Kelly Passauer says the city has no plans to annex property and that the map is only for planning purposes.

Comments and concerns on the issue can be raised at the next meeting of the Independence Planning and Zoning Commission. That meeting will take place on Thursday, May 7^th, at 5:30pm at the Civic Center in Independence.

 A burglary suspect in Tulsa is in custody after the man attempted to evade capture by jumping into the Arkansas River.

 The Tulsa County Sheriff's Office arrested Jonathan Dewayne Robinson on charges including second degree burglary and resisting arrest. Police took Robinson into custody after a foot chase that saw the suspect jump into the river and then flee into a wooded area on the other side. Authorities were able to catch the mud-covered suspect and take him into custody.

Photo courtesy Tulsa County Sheriff's Office

 Two former executives for a Missouri healthcare charity are sentenced in federal court.

 65 year old Bontiea Bernadette Goss and her 68 year old husband Tommy Ray Goss were sentenced late last week for their roles in a bribery and embezzlement scheme.

According to court documents from the U.S. Department of justice, Bonteia and Tommy Goss were the former chief operating officer and chief financial officer at Preferred Healthcare Inc., a charity that provide a variety of services to people in the four state region.

In September 2022, the pair entered guilty pleas to charges of conspiracy to pay bribes to elected officials in Arkansas. Tommy Goss also pled guilty to charges of conspiracy to embezzle funds. He was sentenced to six years in prison while Bontiea was sentenced to three years in prison. They were also ordered to jointly pay $4.35 million in forfeiture and restitution.

Scattered thunderstorms are possible this afternoon and evening for the area.

Coffeyville will see a marginal risk of severe weather tonight, with a better chance for storms being in Chautauqua, Elk and Wilson Counties. Potential hazards include large hail, wind gusts up to 70 mph, a tornado or two possible and heavy rainfall and flooding. The best chance today for severe weather is closer to northeast Kansas. Timing is expected between 7 and 11 tonight.

Another round of severe weather is possible tomorrow, mainly for central and western Kansas. A flood watch remains in effect through tomorrow morning for the area.

An event is coming up for students interested in music.

Drumfest is this weekend on the campus of Coffeyville Community College. Organizer Dr. David Wiggins says you don't necessarily need any drumming experience to participate.

The event this Saturday is open to all students in grades 6 through 12, and includes a t-shirt, lunch and participation in the concert for $20. Registration information is available here. Students can also register the day of the event, which starts at 8 a.m. The concert will take place this Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Spencer/Rounds Theatre.

A Bartlesville man barricades himself inside a Caney home for several hours.

The Caney Police Department requested assistance from the Montgomery County Emergency Response Team for a barricaded suspect inside a home. 33-year-old Nathan Valdez had made death threats to Caney PD and threatened them with a blunt object. Valdez then barricaded himself inside his family's home.

Upon SERT's arrival, the house had been surrounded by Caney Police, Montgomery County Sheriff's Deputies and Kansas Highway Patrol Troopers, who had been attempting to get Valdez to exit peacefully. After several hours, the decision was made to deploy less-lethal gas munitions into the home. Valdez eventually exited and was taken into custody.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment issues a stream advisory for the Verdigris River from Highway 75 East of Neodesha to the Oklahoma State line.

The stream advisory is a result of an oil well spill about 500 feet from the Verdigris River, East of Neodesha. The Kansas Corporation Commission and National Response Center are working to address the problem. The advisory has been issued because potential elevated brine and crude oil may be present in the Verdigris River. 

Due to the high stream flow flooding conditions of the Verdigris River. Do not enter the stream or allow livestock, children or pets to enter the stream. The KDHE will rescind the advisory once testing indicates contact has been deemed safe.

It was a wild weekend of weather for Southeastern Kansas and Northeastern Oklahoma. United States Department of Agricultural Meteorologist Brad Rippey says there was a streak of tornadoes that impacted states in the nation's mid-section over a four day period.

Rippey says for the most part it had been a quiet start to 2024.  On Friday and Saturday, there was a combined 52 tornado warnings sent out by the National Weather Service for Elk, Chautauqua, Wilson, Neosho, Montgomery and Labette Counties in Kansas and Kay, Osage, Rogers and Craig Counties in Oklahoma. 42 of those warnings came on Saturday.

Skin cancer is the most common of all cancers and has been on the rise over the past few years. There are more than five million cases diagnosed each year in the United States. K-State Extension Northwest Regional Specialist for Family and Consumer Sciences Ashley Svaty says sunscreen is an important tool for protection against the sun.

An ounce of sunscreen, enough to fill the palm of a hand, is considered the amount needed to cover the exposed areas of the body. Svaty says it needs to be applied to more than just the arms and face.

Svaty says it’s important to start protecting our skin at an early age. Anyone can get skin cancer, but some have increased chances. Those who have natural blond or red hair, freckles, are fair skinned, spend a lot of time outdoors, have had a lot of sunburns or have a family history of skin cancer, especially melanoma, are encouraged to be extra careful.