According to Oklahoma Highway Patrol and Washington County Sheriff Scott Owen, there was a rollover accident on Highway 75 between Dewey and Copan at County Road 1100. The accident occurred just prior to 5:00 p.m.  Emergency personnel from several different agencies responded to the three vehicle accident. Two people were flown by a medical helicopter to Tulsa for their injuries. Another person was taken by EMS to the Jane Phillips Medical Center in Bartlesville.

No further details could be given at this time. We will have more information when it becomes available.

The City of Independence Building Inspector has resigned. Independence Director of Safety and Code Enforcement David Cowan has announced the resignation of Building Inspector Don Cushing. The resignation is effective October 12, but Cushing will be taking a leave of absence effective immediately.

All inquiries related to building inspection should be directed to Cowan via email or by phone (620)332-2528 or (620)330-0056.

According to the Independence Police Department a mountain lion has escaped the Ralph Mitchell Zoo. Police Chief Jerry Harrison says people need to avoid the area around the zoo and Riverside Park. 

Harrison says if you see anything to not approach the animal but to immediately call the police department or sheriff's office and report it.

UPDATE: As of 12:40, the mountain lion has been tracked down according to the IPD. Police Chief Jerry Harrison said the lion was darted, recaptured, and returned to the zoo. 

The Independence City Commision has granted conditional use permits for a couple of residental lots in the city. 

The three-person commission approved a conditional use permit for short term rentals at 305 S. 10th Street, and a use permit for a bed and breakfast at 2712 Rolling Green Drive. George and Julie Eisele were in attendance at the meeting and appeared before the commission to answer questions and provide more information. 

City commissioner Leonhard Caflisch said granting the permits for use would likely benefit not only the Eiseles, but also those looking for a place to stay short-term.

As conditions for the permit, off-street parking at the private property must be provided and any exterior lighting must not have an adverse effect on any neighboring properties.

 A Missouri roofing company has been temporarily banned by court order from doing business in Kansas for failure to respond to an outstanding subpoena, Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt has announced.

Marathon Roofing, LLC, of Gladstone, Missouri, has been temporarily banned from doing business in Kansas. District Judge Richard Anderson entered an order this week in Shawnee County District Court prohibiting Marathon Roofing from engaging in consumer transactions in the state until the court finds it is in compliance with the subpoena.

Schmidt reminded consumers to make sure roofing contractors are properly registered before signing any contract or having any work done. Consumers should request a copy of their roofer’s registration certificate and then should check the attorney general’s consumer protection website at www.InYourCornerKansas.org to confirm that the roofer’s registration is in good standing. 

This weekend will mark the beginning of the Fall 2019 Community Clean-Up for the city of Independence. This Friday, October 4th, there'll be free personal document shredding and free dumpster access at multiple locations throughout the city.

On Saturday, there'll be access to the public tree dump and a routine recycling and residential waste drop-off from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. No business or commercial waste will be accepted, and Saturday's recycling event will be held it'll come rain or shine.

For more information, check out the flyer for the event by clicking here.

A man killed this weekend during a distance race at Elk City Lake has been identified.

The man was identified as 33-year old Thomas Stanley of Andover, Kansas. Stanley was competing in the FlatRock 50K and 25K, which is held annually at the lake. He was struck by lightning as he approached the finish line. Stanley was the director of business initiatives at the Kansas Leadership Center. A fundraiser has since been started to support the Stanley family.

Storms were prevalent through the Montgomery County area for most of the weekend, including at Elk City Lake.

The man killed in an accident at the Coffeyville Street Drags this weekend has been identified.

According to the Montgomery County Chronicle, the drag racer was Joe Hunt, who goes by the nickname "Blackhawk." The cause of the wreck is still unknown, but his death was confirmed in a social media post from the National No Prep Racing Association, of which Hunt was a member.

The races were held this last Saturday at Coffeyville Industrial Park.

The Pitt State Jazz Ensemble and Combo will perform a free concert at 7:30pm on October 2^nd in the Linda & Lee Scott Performance Hall in the Bicknell Family Center for the Arts on the campus of Pittsburg State University. The concert, titled “Red White and Jazz,” will begin with the jazz combo performing works by Horace Silver, John Coltrane, and more. Following the combo, the jazz ensemble will open with a patriotic flare performing works including “Fanfare for the Common Man,” “America the Beautiful,” and from the 1940s, “American Patrol.

The Cherokee County Sheriff's Office has made an arrest in connection with a late August burglary case in Scammon.

The investigation into the burglary at Scammon home in late August led Cherokee County Deputies to execute a search warrant at 718 East 5th Street in Scammon on Wednesday night.  During the course of the search, numerous items, which had been reported stolen, were recovered.

On Thursday, 28-year old Roy Vanhorn was taken into custody on allegations of residental burglary and theft. He has since posted his $3,500 bond. 

Currently, the investigation is still ongoing and Cherokee County Sheriff David Groves says he expects more arrests to be involved with this case.

The number of suicides among children in Kansas rose by 50 percent from 2016 to 2017, according to a report released by the Kansas State Child Death Review Board. The 32 Kansas youth who died by suicide in 2017 was up from 20 in 2016. The sharp increase from 2016 to 2017 continues a troubling trend in the youth suicide rate over the past decade. Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt says the continued rise in youth suicides depicted in the report is alarming, and the Legislature showed considerable foresight earlier this year in establishing a more-comprehensive state response.

In June 2018, the Youth Suicide Prevention Task Force was formed to survey efforts to reduce youth suicide and provide recommendations on further steps that could be taken. In May, the Legislature adopted several of those recommendations by creating the Kansas Youth Suicide Prevention Coordinator to implement recommendations of the task force.

Once again, the jury trial for former Montgomery County Sheriff Bobby Dierks has been delayed. A jury was to have been selected on Monday, but a "new development" in the case prevented Judge Daniel Creitz from continuing on with the case. No specific details were given about the development.

This is the second time the case has been delayed. An attempted trial in August was declared a mistrial following a courtroom employee sustained head injuries after falling while climbing a flight of stairs.

Dierks was suspended from office back in March, when the Kansas Bureau of Investigation came to the conclusion that he had attempted to interfere with the January 2018 arrest of his then-girlfriend on suspicion of drunken driving.

At this time, no date has been set for the jury trial to reconvene.

The Independence Community College Fine Arts Department has a lineup of theater, music and visual arts ready for this fall. Under the direction of Page Petrucka and Paul Molnar, the theater department offers four productions, along with the annual student-written and directed Anna Plays. The ICC instrumental ensembles led by Larry Markiewicz consist of concert band, jazz band, and athletics band. Alexis Lowder leads the vocal music ensembles and voice, and JD Maguire leads the visual arts program.

The full schedule of events:

Theater: “Why Torture is Wrong, and the People Who Love Them” Fri.-Sat. Oct. 11-12 at 7 p.m., Sun. Oct. 13 at 2 p.m. ICC Fine Arts Black Box Theatre.

Vocal ensemble:  Neewollah Band Stand, 8 p.m. Wed. Oct. 23.

Theater: “The Anna Plays”, Friday Nov. 15, William Inge Theatre, 7 p.m.

Vocal ensembles: “ICC Choir: A Pirate’s Life” musical concert, William Inge Theatre, 7 p.m.

Instrumental ensembles: “ICC Jazz and Concert Bands in Performance”, Mon. Dec. 2, the Booth Hotel, 7 p.m.

Theater: “The Glass Menagerie,” Fri.-Sat. Dec. 6-7 at 7 p.m.; Sun. Dec. 8 at 2 p.m., William Inge Theatre.

Instrumental: “ICC Band Honors Day” Sat. Feb. 1, 2020, at 4 p.m., William Inge Theatre. ICC will host a concert featuring high school instrumentals from across the region.  

Theater: “Silent Sky,” Fri., Sat. Feb. 28-29 at 7p.m., Sun. March 1 at 2 p.m., William Inge Theatre.

 Instrumental: “ICC Jazz and Concert Band in Performance,” Wed. May 6, at 7 p.m., William Inge Theatre.

Theatre: the musical “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change,” Fri. and Sat. May 1-2 at 7 p.m., Sun. May 3 at 2 p.m., performance location to be announced.

Dates will soon be announced for the 39^th William Inge Theater Festival, honoring two-time Pulitzer Prize for Drama winner Lynn Nottage. 

Last week Montgomery County Sheriff Deputies on patrol spotted an individual driving a silver SUV in the 600 block of south Maple Street in Coffeyville. The individual was known to have felony arrest warrants. When Deputies attempted to stop the vehicle, the individual fled in the vehicle and then on foot. After a short foot pursuit, the suspect identified as 34 year-old Delwood Sales of Coffeyville crawled under a house in the 500 Block of South Elm Street.  After a short period of time Sales surrendered himself to Deputies without further incident.

Sales was transported to Montgomery County Department of Corrections where he was booked in on the felony warrant as well as felony obstruction, and attempt to flee and elude.

Planning has already begun for next year’s SEK Celebration of Flight Fly-In event due to the success of this years version. More than 350 people attended the event In Independence on September 14th.Thirty-two pilots from three states flew their aircraft to the Fly-in at Independence Municipal Airport. Spectators admired the variety of planes on display. Kansas Aviation gave tours of their facility.

The City of Independence Police, Fire, and ambulance services were on the scene, as well as a MedFlight helicopter, Army Recruiting and Reserves, and more.

The City of Independence has posted an application to find its next city manager. The position was vacated in early July when the city commission accepted the resignation of previous city manager Craig Whitehead. Assistant city manager Kelly Passauer has been serving as the interim city manager in the meantime. 

The city is looking for someone with 5-10 years experience in similar positions. To see the application that Independence submitted to the League of Kansas Municipalities, click here.

High school seniors who attend Rumble in the Jungle on October 5 will have their Pittsburg State University application fee waived, a new perk to an event that keeps growing. Director of Admissions Scott Donaldson says more than 1,000 high school and transfer students already have registered. Each will receive a meal, t-shirt, and a ticket to the Gorilla football game that evening in Carnie Smith Stadium. The event will begin with an overview of admission, financial aid, scholarships, housing, and activities, and will include an academic and student services showcase in which participants can meet faculty and staff and learn more about PSU programs.

It also will include a campus tour, and optional tours of the Kansas Technology Center and Student Recreation Center. Parents and siblings may attend, also, at no cost but their football tickets will be $5.

The Kansas Department of Transportation’s Division of Aviation will host the sixth annual Fly Kansas Air Tour on Septe 26^th to 28^th. KDOT has partnered with the Kansas Commission on Aerospace Education to promote aviation and economic growth. Over 40 pilots have signed-up to fly the Kansas Air Tour this year. Participants will visit 11 communities across Kansas during the three-day tour.

This year’s events take place in Wellington, Pittsburg, Garnett and Concordia on Thursday, Rooks County, Goodland, Hays and Kingman on Friday and Benton, Abilene and Wichita on Saturday.

An arrest was made last Saturday in a join operation by the Sedan Police Department and the Chatauqua County Sheriff's Office.

A search warrant was executed at the 200 block of south Chatauqua. During the course of the investigation, 38 year old Ronald Brewer of Sedan was placed under arrest and booked into the Chautauqua County jail on suspicion of Domestic Battery, Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Theft and Trafficking Contraband into a Correctional Facility.

The case will be submitted to the county attorney for consideration of the charges.

Did you enjoy this year's Kan-Okla 100 Mile Highway Sale? If you did, you can mark your calendars early for next year's sale! 

Next year's sale will be held September 11th and September 20th, once again on a Friday and Saturday. Those interested can come and shop over 100 miles of yard sales and flea markets, all selling valuables and items to treasure. Towns participating include Sedan, Independence, Coffeyville, and Copan among many others.

This year's sale was held September 13 and 14th, with a ton of vendors and people coming in from all over the country.

Dalton Defender Days is approaching quickly, and those with a flair for cooking will have a chance to show their stuff with a Chili Cook-Off! 

It'll be held on the first day of the event, October 4th, and for just a $25 participation fee, you could potentially take home a prize for Judge's Choice or People's Choice. If you're not much for cooking, you can still vote for your favorite as well.

The cookoff will be on the plaza at 818 Walnut Street, running from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30.

Looking to dance? The Promenade Square Dance Club has you covered with a couple of events next month!

The 4th annual "Dancin' With the Daltons" event will take place at the Sr. Citizens Activity Center in Coffeville at 7:30 p.m. A $5 donation is requested from dancers and visitors are welcome. Fred Trujillo from Andover will be the featured caller for the event and there'll also be craft vendors and live entertainment, including a dance demonstration downtown at 5:15 p.m. and a Dalton raid reenactment at 7:00.

If you're a novice and looking to learn how to square dance, they'll also have you covered. Starting October 6, the Promenade Square Dance Club will also offer lessons every Sunday until December 15. A $2 donation is requested from those looking to learn, and ages 10 and up are welcome.

For information on either event, contact Bill at 620-252-0708.

The Independence chapter of Ducks Unlimited is holding its annual dinner banquet and auction Saturday, November 9th. It'll be held at the St. Andrews Parish Center starting at about 5:30 p.m. 

Single tickets are $40, couples' tickets are $60, and Greenwings pay just $15 for entry to the event. Seating and tickets will be limited, and will also sell out fast. 

For more information on how to volunteer, donate, or purchase tickets for the event, check out the chapter on Facebook, get in touch with a committee member, or call or text Eddie Swearingen at 620-330-2377. You may also contact Ashley Wright at 620-205-7386. 

Come get your speed fix next Saturday at the Coffeyville Street Drags! The drag races will be held at the Industrial Park in Coffeyville, with races starting at 11 a.m. General admission is $10, ages 6-10 is just $5, and ages 5 and under are completely free of charge. 

For more information, visit www.coffeyvillestreetdrags.com or visit their Facebook page under Coffeyville Street Drags.

Come "rock the block" next week in Independence to help celebrate the 50th anniversary of Woodstock! Next Thursday, September 26th, the Independence Public Library will hold several activities, including Touch-A-Truck, carnival games, storytime, a craft fair and more.

The Independence Public Library can be found at 220 East Maple Street. The Friends of the Independence Public Library will also hold a concession stand at next week's event.

Congressman Steve Watkins (KS-02) has been selected to serve on the House Conference Committee to reconcile the differences between the House and Senate versions of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2020.

Watkins said he was honored to be selected, and mentioned that as a combat veteran himself, safeguarding our national defense and looking after veterans were top priorities of his.

Take your kids to the second annual Cops and Kids event next month in South Coffeyville. On October 10th from 5-7, kids can come see a display of police cars and fire trucks and can get an up close and personal tour of the vehicles. Kids will also be able to meet members of the South Coffeyville police department.

There'll also be free hot dogs, snow cones, inflatables and even a DJ. The event will start at 5 at the South Coffeyville school football field. 

Atmos Energy has filed an application with the Kansas Corporation Commission requesting a rate increase. Manager of Public Affairs Aaron Bishop says the reason behind the request is to help fund improvements and upgrades that they have already made.

Bishop says customers can express their opinions on the matter until December 13^th. They have public hearings scheduled, you can send a letter, give them a call or visit their website.

Public Hearing Notice

The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Housing Service Administration announced yesterday it is making $150 million in grants available to rural communities recovering from recent natural disasters in the area. Seventeen counties in Kansas' Second Congressional District are eligible for funding, including Cherokee, Montgomery, Neosho and Wilson Counties. 

Representative Steve Watkins called the disaster assistance "vital" to farmers and ranchers still in recovery mode after recent flooding and tornadoes.

The City of Fredonia has released an update on its continued work on 3rd Street as it works to keep traffic flowing as smoothly as possible. 

Fredonia City Administrator Kelley Zellner released an update Tuesday, sharing that the road condition was different than what was previously thought. As a result, the entire roadway from the south railroad tracks to the north railroad tracks will be edge milled and resurfaced with 2 inches of asphalt.

The current hope is to get the work done by homecoming with complete access for cars and pickups, but a 28-day "cure time" will be neccessary before resuming heavy truck traffic. For the full update, visit the city of Fredonia website by clicking here.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has awarded Coffeyville Public Schools a grant to provide Parents As Teachers Services for the Kansas Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program.

In a press release released by the school district on Tuesday, the grant receive will total $185,500.

According to the press release, the purpose of the program is to implement evidence-based home visiting services to improve the health and developmental outcomes for at-risk maternal, infant and early childhood populations and assure effective coordination and delivery of critical health, development, early learning, child abuse and neglect prevention and family support services to these children and families through home visiting programs.

As part of the American Library Association’s annual Banned Books Week, Leonard H. Axe Library at Pittsburg State will host activities that highlight themes of censorship and freedom to read.  

The library will hold several events, including hosting local middle school and high school children for a day of speakers and presentations. The public is also invited to come voice their support for often-banned books by recording themselves reading a passage of a favorite book and explaining the personal importance of that book. The recordings will be held at the library from 3 through 4:30 on September 26th.

It's never too early to start thinking about college. Coffeyville Community College Director of College Relations Yvonne Hull says their Junior/Senior Day is coming up, although it is a little later this year.

Hull says juniors and seniors will be introduced to all activity and athletic programs, get a tour of campus and there will be some giveaways.

The Coffeyville Police Department will conduct an Impaired Driving Saturation Patrol this weekend. It will start on Friday, September 20 and go into Saturday, September 21.

Additional officers will be patrolling within the city limits during the hours of 11:00pm and 3:00am. The saturation patrol is part of the Impaired Driving Deterrence Program coordinated by the Kansas Department of Transportation. CPD reminds everyone to drive safely and designate a driver if drinking alcohol.

The Montgomery County Courthouse in Independence will be closed from 8:30am through 1:00pm tomorrow, approved by the County Commissioners.

Courthouse employees will be attending the funeral of the County's Environmental Health and Zoning Administrator Scott Barnhart, who died unexpectedly last Wednesday night at his home at the age of 57.

Coffeyville Community College president Linda Moley announced yesterday that she will be retiring at the end of the year. The announcement was made following the conclusion of the most recent CCC trustees meeting on Monday.

Moley's retirement will take effect on December 31, 2019, with Dr. Marlon Thornburg assuming full president duties the following day. Dr. Thornburg will become the ninth president in the 97-year history of the college. 

Moley was the eighth president overall and became the first female president in CCC history in July 2011. Among numerous accomplishments, she has served as the Athletic Director, Dean of Students and the Executive Vice President of Student Services and College Relations since joining the college in 1994.

If your kids are interested in the various vehicles that help Coffeyville run on a day-to-day basis, you might want to consider taking them to this year's Touch A Truck event. The event will take place September 28th from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Walter Johnson Park.

Kids can spend the morning exploring different vehicles such as fire trucks, police cars, dump trucks and more. Kids will be allowed to sit and stand near the vehicles, and even sit behind the wheel to see what others see.

Sen. Jerry Moran made a couple of stops in the SEK area last Friday as he continues his listening tour through Kansas. Moran visited with constituents in Altamont and Chanute in Neosho and Labette Counties respectively. Topics Moran discussed with the audiences included the 2nd Amendment, agriculture, and the need to improve rural access to healthcare.

Also in attendance at the meetings were State Senator Dan Goddard and State Representative Rich Proehl.

The Kansas Crime Victims Compensation Board last Thursday awarded financial assistance to 345 victims of violent crime at its September meeting, Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said.

Awards were made in 193 new cases. Additional expenses were paid in 152 previously submitted cases. The awards totaled $280,391.88.

The Division of Crime Victims Compensation in Schmidt’s office administers the Crime Victims Compensation program, which was established in 1978 to help victims of violent crime pay for their unexpected expenses such as medical treatment, mental health counseling, lost wages, dependent support and funeral expenses.

Need a reminder on how best to stay safe the next time you go hunting? K-State Research and Extension will be offering a Hunter Education class November 9th at the Cherokee County Extension Office in Columbus. The program is free and anyone 11 years or older is eligible.

Lunch is provided. Contact the office at 620-429-3849 to get signed up.

Work continues on US 169 in Montgomery County as crews finished asphalt patching last weekend. The road work starts about five miles north of the east U.S. 169/U.S. 166 junction at Coffeyville and continues north for 17 miles to the Montgomery-Labette County line. 

To help with traffic, a pilot car and and flaggers are directing travelers through one lane during daylight hours. Delays of 15 minutes or less are expected. Workers will now begin mill and overlay work this week, with work taking place on weekdays and Saturdays through mid-October.

Cherokee County Sheriff’s Investigators executed a search warrant at 6555 Southeast Wyandotte Road in Crestline on Thursday afternoon as part of an investigation into an alleged armed assault that had occurred last week.

During the course of the search, detectives would discover a suspected methamphetamine lab, cultivated marijuana, drug paraphernalia, methamphetamine, firearms and a stolen vehicle.

In a press release released later on Thursday, the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office announced that 58 year-old Joseph Palmer was arrested at the scene.

Palmer was transported to the Cherokee County Jail where he is being held without bond on allegations of Manufacturing Methamphetamine, Cultivation of Marijuana, Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute, Criminal Use of a Firearm, Aggravated Battery, Aggravated Assault, Felony Possession of Stolen Property, Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Marijuana and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation assisted Cherokee County Investigators in processing the scene.

The City of Coffeyville approved phase two of the downtown lighting project at the city commission meeting. Chamber of Commerce Director Candi Westbrook says it couldn't be better timing, because the chamber has been raising money to buy new Christmas lights for downtown.

Westbrook says the money used for the downtown light project isn't coming from tax money, it's coming from a special savings program they had with the electrical department.

Next week is Homecoming Week for Field Kindley High School. One of the highlights for the week is the Homecoming Parade and Public Relations Director Halie O'Connor says the parade will be on Wednesday.

The Nado take on Labette County High School for the Homecoming game and all homecoming king and queen candidate interviews can be heard on Star 98.9 KQQF throughout next week.

Cancer survivors, volunteers, and members of the community are invited to help celebrate the many contributions of their canine caregivers at this year's Bark For Life event. This year's celebration will be held on October 12th and will take place at Walter Johnson Park in Coffeyville. There is a registration fee to participate: One person and one dog for $20, one person and two dogs for $25, and one person and no dogs for $10. 

The event will run from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 that morning, and will have games and dog-related vendors.  More information leading up to the day can be found on the event's Facebook page.

The names of the two temporary city workers involved in yesterday's one-vehicle truck accident east of Independence have been released. 

Pronounced dead at the scene of the wreck was Taylor Lee Edwards, age 20. A second employee, Marty Ray Edwards, age 52, was also injured in the same accident and was taken to a medical facility for care. His condition is still unknown at this time.

In its crash report, the Kansas Highway Patrol said that the driver's side tire blew out. The vehicle then moved into the west bound lane and then into the ditch. The vehicle then rolled over several times on its passenger side before coming to rest on all four tires.

Both passengers in the vehicle were ejected during the crash.

The City of Independence confirms the death of a temporary city worker in a one-vehicle truck accident east of Independence today. Interim City Manager Kelly Passauer says the truck was traveling east on Highway 160 to the county landfill when it left the roadway shortly after noon today. Two workers, both temporary employees in the city’s Sanitation Department, were traveling in the vehicle. The second employee was also injured in the accident and was transported to a medical facility for care. His condition is unknown at this time.

Passauer says at this time, the cause of the accident is uncertain, but she and her fellow city leaders will work in full cooperation with law enforcement to thoroughly investigate the incident.

The Montgomery County Zoning and Environmental Health Director passes away unexpectedly this morning. According to the Montgomery County Chronicle, Scott Barnhart died early this morning from a heart attack. An announcement will be forthcoming concerning funeral plans and courthouse hours during the funeral.

Next Monday's County Commission Meeting on September 16 has been canceled.

The City of Independence is accepting bids for livestock catch pens and fencing. Specifications can be viewed at the Independence city website or the city clerk's office. Bids will be received at the office of the city clerk at 811 W. Laurel St. no later than 2 p.m. on September 19.

Bids must be enclosed in a sealed envelope plainly marked on the outside “Livestock Catch Pens/Fencing Bid”. If the bid is mailed, original envelope shall be enclosed in a separate envelope addressed to the City Clerk, also plainly marked on the outside. Fax bids will not be accepted.

Bids will be presented to the Independence City Commission at their next regular meeting for their formal action.

Got a corgi that likes to run? You might be interested in entering it in this weekend's Corgi Races at the Kansas City Renaissance Fair! Races will be held on both Saturday and Sunday, September 14 and September 15th.

To enter your corgi in the race, simply show up at the Joust Field by 2:30 to register and prepare for the races, which will start at 3. The event is part of the Fair's Pet Fest, where dogs may enter the fair at half price for this weekend only.

South Coffeyville will play host to a Cherokee Nation community meeting and dinner next week. It'll be held on Thursday, September 19 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Cherokee Nation Building in South Coffeyville. The event will be hosted by District 11 Councilor Victoria Vazquez, with specials guests in Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. and Deputy Principal Chief Bryan Warner.

There'll be food, fun, fellowship, and door prizes. For more information, contact Vazquez at 918-323-2980.

Just one month remains until the season opener for the Red Raven Repertory Theatre's season opener, and you can get your free tickets now! This season, the theatre will feature the Kansas premiere production of The Humans by Stephen Karam. Directed by Ryan P. Mahannah, the story follows a family spending Thanksgiving together and the eerie events that surround them.

Performances will be held October 11-12 at 7 p.m. and October 13th at 2 p.m. Due to dark subject matter, the play is recommended for audiences 13 years and older. Click here for the link to get your free tickets now.

U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) today announced members of his 2019 Service Academy Selection Board. The 20-member board will review applications and interview candidates who are applying for admission to U.S. Service Academies.

Moran said nominated Kansas students to attend service academies was "one of the greatest responsibilities" he has as a United States Senator. 

Applications will be reviewed and selected applicants will be interviewed by the selection board on Saturday, September 21 at the Cosmosphere in Hutchinson. The U.S. Service Academies include the U.S. Military Academy, U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Air Force Academy and U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.

Members of the 2019 Service Academy Selection Board include:

• Lt. Col. (RET) Bob Brock of Topeka – Director of Aviation, Kansas Department of Transportation, U.S. Air Force veteran;
• Myca Bunch of Garden City – President, Garden City Area Chamber of Commerce, U.S. Air Force veteran;
• LTC (Ret) Larry Burks, Sr., of Wichita – Director, Military and Veteran Services, Wichita State University, U.S. Army veteran;
• Dennis Butler of Manhattan – Director, Riley County Police Department;
• COL John Cluck of Wathena – Mayor, City of Wathena, Vice Commander, 139th Airlift Wing, Missouri Air National Guard;
• Ardith Dunn, Ph.D., of Satanta – Retired high school mathematics/computer instructor, K-12 superintendent, mother of U.S. Air Force Academy graduate;
• Michael Farris, M.D., of Altamont – Emergency Physician, Freeman Neosho Hospital, Served in the U.S. Air Force Reserves;
• Sue Givens of El Dorado – Field Specialist, Kansas Association of School Boards, Retired K-12 superintendent;
• Robin Jackson, Ph.D., of Hutchinson – Central Christian College Professor of Science and Mathematics;
• Cheryl Kerns of Overland Park – Blue Valley West High School teacher, mother of U.S. Military Academy graduate;
• Brian Kessens of Overland Park – Tortoise Capital managing director, U.S. Military Academy graduate;
• Katrina Lewison of Manhattan – USD 383 Board of Education Member, Purple Heart recipient, U.S. Military Academy graduate;
• Jayne Humphrey Pearce of Wallace – Wallace County Visitors Bureau Marketing and Tourism Director, U.S. Air Force veteran, mother of U.S. Air Force Academy graduate;
• Rachael Pitchford of Dodge City – Assistant Principal, Comanche Middle School, U.S. Marine Corps veteran;
• Sean Ritchie of Wichita – Cargill North American Operations Lead, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy graduate;
• Halley Roberson of Oberlin – City Administrator, City of Oberlin, U.S. Army veteran;
• Mike Souder of Prairie Village – Dean of Continuing Education, Johnson County Community College, U.S. Military Academy graduate;
• Sam Turner of Leawood – Retired Shawnee Mission Medical Center CEO, Vietnam War veteran, U.S. Army veteran;
• Ron Whitney of Emporia – American Legion member, Veterans of Foreign Wars member, U.S. Army veteran;
• Beth Wilson of Girard – Business education teacher, Girard High School, mother of U.S. Naval Academy Midshipman.

Free tickets are now available for a concert by The Falconaires, the U.S. Air Force Academy Band, to be performed at the Bicknell Family Center for the Arts at Pittsburg State University.  

The Falconaires pride themselves on playing America's only indigenous musical genre in jazz, and go coast-to-coast providing free concerts to the public.

Tickets may be picked up at the Bicknell Center, the PSU Ticket Office, the Overman Student Center Help Desk, McCray Hall Music Office, the Pittsburg American Legion, newspaper offices in Pittsburg, Parsons, Fort Scott, Girard, and Galena, the Pittsburg Public Library, the Pittsburg Post Office, the Baxter Springs Library, the Eisler Brothers Old Riverton Store, the Columbus Post Office, and the Knights of Columbus in Pittsburg. 

CVR Energy, CVR Partners and their subsidiaries will conduct a community siren alarm test on September 25th at 10 a.m. At the same time, a plant emergency response training will be conducted. The test will be conducted only if weather conditions allow for it, and if severe weather is likely, the test will be postponed.

Employees of the company will be stationed throughout the community to evaluate the broadcast quality of the sirens.

Coffeyville Feed and Farm Supply is celebrating 25 years in business with a customer appreciation celebration. It'll be a two-day affair, with the celebration running from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. this Friday and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday.

On the first day of the celebration, there'll be exclusive specials, vendors, lunch, door prizes, and a vacation give-away. The next day, customers will be treated to a block party, bounce houses, a petting zoo, wagon rides and an FFA/4-H Chilli Cook-Off Fundraiser. 

More details can be found at Coffeyville Feed and Farm Supply's Facebook page. 

Don't let a full moon and Friday the 13^th keep you away from Coffeyville's downtown movie night. This Friday the Midland Theater Foundation presents Hook. They encourage you to come in your pajamas as activities get started at around 7:00. Activities include a bounce house, walk the plank, pajama parade, yard games and pictures with Hook, Tinker Bell and Tick-Tock the Croc.

The movie will start around 8:30-8:45 and it is sponsored by Community State Bank.

A Texas company has been ordered to pay $10,000 in penalties and fees for violating the No-Call Act.  Touchstone Communications of Hurst, Texas, agreed to a consent judgment ordering it to pay $10,000. Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt says they continue to vigorously pursue violations of the Kansas No-Call Act. He says Kansans who have signed up for the Do-Not-Call list have an expectation that their privacy will be respected and they will enforce the law against those telemarketers who violate it.

Kansans who wish to register for the national Do-Not-Call list, or to report an alleged violation of the No-Call Act, should visit the Attorney General’s website at InYourCornerKansas.org.

Pittsburg State University’s Military Science Department and ROTC will conduct a remembrance for 9-11 today near Carnie Smith Stadium. Between the stadium and Axe Library, cadets plan on firing the ROTC cannon twice once at 8:46am when the first of the two World Trade Center towers was hit, and once at 9:03am when the second tower was hit. Also beginning at 8:46am, the group will begin doing pushups on the section of track that extends outside of the stadium. They will continue until they have completed 2,977 pushups one for each person killed on Sept. 11, 2001.

The group is under the direction of Captain Bryce Johnson, assistant professor of military science.

The Coffeyville Police Department is asking for the public’s assistance in identifying person of interest for theft that occurred at Casey's in Coffeyville this week. If you have any information regarding the theft, CPD asks you to please contact Officer Michael Purvis at (620) 252-6160 or message CPD on Facebook. As always, you can remain anonymous.

The full picture can be found on the CPD Facebook page.

About 50 people have been laid off at John Deere Coffeyville Works.  According to sources the layoffs were based on slower plant production.  The lay-offs are hoped to be temorary with all the laid off employees put on a recall list meaning they would be the first called back when production pics up.

KGGF reached out to John Deere but there was no one available for comment.

Kansas is part of a multistate investigation of tech giant Google’s business practices in accordance with state and federal antitrust laws. Attorney General Derek Schmidt says his office is one of 50 state and territory attorneys general participating in the joint investigation into whether Google’s overarching control of online advertising markets and search traffic may have led to anticompetitive behavior that harms consumers.

Past investigations of Google uncovered violations ranging from advertising illegal drugs in the United States to antitrust actions brought by the European Commission. None of these previous investigations, however, fully addresses the source of Google’s sustained market power and its ability to protect and maintain that power.

Independence Community College continues to assemble its administrative team as the college enters a new era of growth and development. ICC welcomes Dr. Mark Allen as the vice president for academic affairs.  With the background of being an administrator, college instructor, curriculum chair, faculty sponsor, grant writer and facilities manager, Allen has a diverse resume. 

He has held faculty and administrative positions at Coffeyville Community College, Rogers State University, Northwestern Oklahoma State University and Michigan State University throughout his career.  ICC continues to position capable leadership to implement and begin the execution of the new, five-year strategic plan.

Four executive sessions taking place during the Montgomery County Commission meeting. The first was with the County Sheriff's Office and Public Works, then with just Public Works, followed by an executive session with the Montgomery County Action Council and finally with Emergency Management Director Rick Whitson. No commission action was taken following any of the executive sessions.

In other business the commission heard from the Sheriff's Department regarding the purchase of a new transport van, they received an update from Boys and Girls Club Griff Walker and Ashley Tatman on plans to grow the program and Zoning Administrator Scott Barnhart along with Community State Banks Mike Ewy and Jeff Stewart gave a review of the preliminary plat of the Cedar Brook Subdivision.

This week is National Chamber of Commerce Week. The Coffeyville Chamber is encouraging you to share your stories on social media with how the chamber has helped you. They also encourage you to show your support to the hardworking staff by dropping by and saying hi or leaving them a note. Also, show support to all the businesses that are apart of the chamber of commerce.

This week all chamber members can go by the chamber of commerce building for a free ICEE.

A push to expand Medicaid in the state of Kansas. Representative Doug Blex says the committee on Medicaid issues has met a few times over the summer to discuss expansion.

Blex says there will be a price tag when it comes to expanding Medicaid. He says it could vary but estimates have it around $50-$60 million.

Kansas Aviation plans to open their facility for tours from 9:00am to 1:30pm this weekend to coincide with the SEK Celebration of Flight Fly-in. The tours will be approximately 20 minutes in length and will provide an oversight of the steps taken to repair and overhaul engine accessories. They will also incorporate some of the history of Kansas aviation and what services the company provides for customers around the world.

Also, as a part of the Celebration of Flight there will be all kinds of aircraft flown in by pilots from a five-state area. There will be static displays of American Kodiak, Cessna, and other aircraft, and forums for pilots and the public to be held at Kansas Aviation. Crafts, pedal planes, tours, and lots of fun things to do for the whole family.

Pittsburg will once again be decked out in crimson and gold this week as the community and the campus participate in Paint the Town Red leading up to Pittsburg State University’s first home football game this Saturday.  This year’s theme is Gus’ Excellent Adventure. The annual event is a collaboration between the Pittsburg Area Chamber of Commerce and PSU Office of Alumni & Constituent Relations.  Decorating officially gets underway tomorrow and continues until Thursday morning. 

On Thursday, judges will make the rounds on campus to determine a winning office or department. Friday, judges will make the rounds at businesses throughout Pittsburg. Community Favorite voting will take place online from noon Thursday through 11:00am Friday. 

US-169 (Walnut Street) shut down late Friday night after a train derailment. Officers headed out to the scene to direct traffic toward Buckeye Street and the Read Street Underpass while South Coffeyville police helped shut down US-169 at the state line. Updates will be added on kggfradio.com as they become available.

As of 11:00 p.m. Friday night, the train has not yet been cleared away. Union Pacific equipment has been called, but it will still take a couple of hours for the derailment to be fixed.

Kansas Treasurer Jake LaTurner announced his decision to run for the Second Congressional District earlier this week. He talked with KGGF yesterday mentioning how important Southeast Kansas is to him.

LaTurner launched his campaign with what he calls his Contract with Kansas, which outlines seven conservative principles that he says he believes to his core.

An extra special Dalton Defenders Days this year as the City of Coffeyville continues to celebrate their 150^th. Chamber of Commerce Director Candi Westbrook says they are trying to continue to celebrate everything big this year.

Dalton Defenders Days are less than a month away as everything will take place that first weekend of October.

The Coffeyville Recreation Commission is now accepting registrations for a women's volleyball league. The league will play on Sundays, and interested teams must register by October 4. Players must be 18 years of age or older. There is a $175 cost, but a $50 deposit is required at time of registration. For more information, contact Shelli Stanley at 620-251-5910 x17.

Highway 99, north of Sedan, is set to receive some major improvements. KDOT officials met with local leaders on Wednesday and made the announcement that $7 million is being released to widen the highway from Sedan to the Elk County line. State Rep. Doug Blex and Jim Beason, booster for Highway 99 improvements, said the project will come in two stages, one of which is already in the surveying and engineering stage.

The first stage will be a $100,000 project to construct slopes in the shoulder ditching located a quarter mile north and a quarter mile south of the Quivira Road/Highway 99 intersection. That project is projected to be completed by spring.

KDOT will also place an emphasis on widening the entire 14-mile path by 6 feet-- three feet on each side, plus 3-to-1 slopes in shoulder ditches to eliminate total drop-offs. The existing asphalt on the highway will be milled down before work begins on widening the highway. 

There will be a public meeting held this fall in Sedan, allowing for KDOT officials to release details on the project that is currently projected to be completed sometime in 2021.

Kansas State Treasurer Jake LaTurner announces his intention to run for the Second Congressional District, following public encouragement from former Governor Jeff Colyer. Treasurer LaTurner launched his Congressional campaign with his “Contract with Kansas”, outlining the seven non-negotiable promises he has made to the people of Kansas including protecting life and the second amendment, securing the border, and seeking term limits for elected officials.

LaTurner has grown a large base of support from across the state, topping all other candidates in grassroots contributions two quarters in a row. He plans to transfer the funds he has raised to his new congressional campaign and continue working hard to earn the trust and the vote of Kansans.

The City of Independence's First Friday of September is tomorrow morning from 7:30am until 9:00am at the Civic Center. Chamber of Commerce Director Lisa Wilson says the purpose of the First Fridays are to keep people informed about everything that's happening in the community.

Wilson says the final speaker for the event will be Lori McPherson, who is speaking on the transformation of the Historic Washington School into Historic Residences where the classrooms are being turned into apartments.

The Norma and Jerry Best Family, along with the Coffeyville Regional Medical Center Foundation announce Rachelle Goddard and Jami Vineyard have been selected for the 2019-2020 Best Family Medical Scholarship. Goddard is currently employed at CRMC and is attending Tulsa Community Care College, working towards her certificate as a Surgical Technologist. Vineyard is also employed at CRMC as a labor and delivery nurse. Vineyard is attending Pittsburg State University working toward a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree.

Each year the family awards a $1,000 scholarship to area students. Recipients of the scholarship must be in a medical field of study who are also from the 4-state area. The scholarship was established through the CRMC Foundation by the family of Jerry and Norma Best, in memory of their father and in honor of their mother.

The First United Methodist Church of Independence is hosting a Fall Children’s Consignment Sale Saturday October 5^th from 8:00am to 2:00pm in the church’s Wesley Center. The sale will include a half-price event from 12:15pm to 2:00pm. Formerly known as the LOGOS Spring Consignment Sale, organizers have designed the event to offer shoppers the opportunity to purchase quality used children’s clothing, baby equipment, toys and maternity wear at affordable prices. Likewise, consigners with products to sell benefit by earning 65% of each item’s purchase price.

In order to sell items, consigners must register in advance, and a registration event is scheduled in the Wesley Center September 25^th from 4:00m to 7:00pm. More information on the consignment event is available by contacting the church office at 620-331-3840.

The Kansas Department of Transportation has launched a new program designed to provide state funding for transportation projects while also leveraging local and private funding. The new Cost Share Program will provide funding to local entities for transportation projects that improve safety, support job retention and growth, improve access or mobility, relieve congestion and help areas across the state improve the transportation system. The Cost Share Program is open to all transportation projects including roadway, rail, airport, bicycle, pedestrian and public transit. Funds from the program can only be used for construction.

Funding for the program is part of the $216 million in sales tax authorized by the Legislature and Governor Laura Kelly to remain in the state highway fund in fiscal year 2020.

An art exhibit has opened in the University Gallery in Porter Hall at Pittsburg State University. It will be on display through December 13^th. It features the works of Tom Walther, who combines recognizable locations and imagery from history and contemporary society, allowing him to layer both content and periods. He limits the palette to gray scale to fuse the wanderlust of his pictures. Walther is a faculty member at Wright College and City Colleges of Chicago who teaches humanities and photography and has exhibited in Philadelphia and Chicago.

The exhibit is open to the public from 8:30am to 4:30pm Monday through Friday.

Two suspects in custody after a vehicle pursuit from Labette County to Neosho County. Sunday at around 3:30 in the morning Neosho County Sheriff's Deputies were notified that the Parsons Police Department was in pursuit of a vehicle that had fled from officers. The pursuit entered Neosho County, with the suspects wrecking their vehicle south of St. Paul. The suspects, a male and female fled on foot.

The search for the suspects was terminated after a search of the area around the crash sight. The suspects were eventually located and brought into custody Sunday afternoon. They are charged with misdemeanor theft and felony flee and elude.

Despite the Legislature’s temporary reduction of the application fee for new concealed carry licenses, the number of Kansans applying continued to decline in 2019 fiscal year. Between July 1, 2018, and June 30, 2019, the attorney general’s Concealed Carry Licensing Unit received 3,841 new applications. Which represents a more than 21 percent decrease from the prior fiscal year and the lowest number of applications received in a fiscal year since the licensing program began in 2006.

While the number of new applications has decreased, most Kansans who already have licenses are choosing to keep their licenses active. The Concealed Carry Licensing Unit received more than 16,400 renewal applications during the 2019 fiscal year.