The Coffeyville Regional Medical Center Auxiliary will host one of their top fundraisers next week. The Scrubs Sale will be held on Monday from 7:00am to 3:00pm in the North Conference Center at CRMC. A variety of scrubs and accessories will be available for purchase. On Tuesday, November 26^th the Auxiliary will host their annual Thanksgiving Bake Sale. The bake sale begins at 9:00am and ends when everything has been sold.

In addition to the special fundraising events, an ongoing fundraiser for the CRMC Auxiliary is managing and operating the Gift Shop in the hospital.

The Coffeyville Regional Medical Center Auxiliary has a long history of providing support to CRMC. Not only do active volunteers give their time by volunteering in the hospital each week, they host various fundraisers to provide support to CRMC Departments.

Recently the Auxiliary purchased a stationary bicycle for the Rehabilitation Services Department and also a new blood pressure monitor for the Respiratory Therapy Department to use during a Stress Test. These gifts are made possible through donations made by the Auxiliary members as well as from the various fundraisers held throughout the year. Director of Foundation and Volunteer Services Cari Redden says they have over 50 active volunteers who give more than 1,000 hours each month to CRMC by serving the patients, families, staff and guests.

The Independence Fire Department is reminding people that this Sunday Daylight Savings Time Ends at 2:00 am and it is the perfect time to change your smoke detector batteries when you change your clock.

IFD has said that if you don't have a smoke detector you can contact them and they will make sure you have one.

For more information, call at 620-332-2504 to inquire about getting a smoke detector.

The Wilson Medical Rehabilitation Center in Neodesha has announced that they will continue the Adopt-A-Child program again this year.

If your child is in need of a Christmas gift, stop by the WMC Rehab Center Monday-Friday between the hours of 8:30am – 4:30pm to pick up a wishlist. All wishlists must be returned to WMC by November 20^th as any wishlists submitted afterward cannot be accepted. The gift tags will be ready for pick up the week of November 25^th and once the gift is delivered WMC will contact you to come pick up your gift.

For more information about this program, contact WMC at 620-325-2253.

Last winter Triple A Kansas responded to over 26,000 emergency roadside service calls. Public Affairs Manager Shawn Steward says two of the main issues drivers deal with are batteries and tires.

Steward says for your tires make sure they have good tread and they stay inflated.  He says to check tire pressure throughout the winter and to not forget about the spare tire. Other things to check on for the winter include engine, fluids, exhaust, brakes, wipers and lights.

Due to the cold weather, the Cherryvale Police Department has made the decision to move their version of Trunk or Treat indoors. The event will now take place at the Cherryvale Community Center at 712 S. Liberty, with set up time starting at 5 p.m.

Kids are welcome to attend and collect candy from the CPD and other area organizations from 6 to 8 p.m., or until there are no more treats to give away.

More information has been released in relation to an altercation and shooting that occurred at a Cherryvale bar on Sunday night.

Montgomery County Sheriff's Deputies were called to the My Place bar just outside of Cherryvale city limits on Sunday evening. When Deputies arrived, they found one man shot in the leg and another man unconscious with head injuries. The two injured men were identified as Timothy Montgomery Jr. who sustained a head injury from a physical altercation and was transported by air to a regional trauma center, and James Gray, who was also airlifted to a regional trauma center for a gunshot wound to the leg.

Several individuals were detained in connection with the incident and later released pending the outcome of the investigation. The investigation is currently ongoing and the results and findings will be forwarded to the Montgomery County Attorney’s office for review and decisions on potential charges.

John and Sherrie Nichols have announced that they will be opening the Maple Street Meat Market in downtown Coffeyville.

The store will be located at 807 Maple Street which is at the old tag location. Mr. and Mrs. Nichols said they are currently installing new flooring, painting the walls, and making other changes.

The store will be selling deli meats, deli cheeses, fresh meats and sides. The target for opening the store is in mid-November.

Coffeyville's Reawakening is looking for volunteers to help do a 2^nd pick up of cigarette butts in downtown this Saturday.

The organization is needing to do a second pick up as part of the Keep America Beautiful Grant that was received.

If you are interested in helping out meet at the Coffeyville's Reawakening Headquarters at 115 West 9^th Street beginning at 8am this Saturday November 2^nd.

For more information, contact the organization on Facebook at Coffeyville's Reawakening.

The City of Cherryvale announced that it is hosting the 2019 Cherryvale Fall Festival on Saturday, November 16^th.

The festival will feature food and craft vendors all day and will kick off the day with a 5K run and walk. There will be a Chili Cook Off, Pumpkin Carving Contest, a Petting Zoo hosted by the Cherryvale 4-H Club, Live Music, and a beer garden hosted by Cherryvale Chamber of Commerce. All proceeds will go to purchase new playground equipment at Logan Park.

For more information, contact the Cherryvale City Hall at 620-336-2776.

Coffeyville School Board candidates and Coffeyville Community College Board of Trustees candidates spoke during a candidate forum last night at the Windsor Events Center.

The USD445 candidates gave varies opinions on the upcoming school bond.  Gail Misch and Jason Barnett expressed support for the bond issue saying the money raised from the bond is important to the district for a number of reasons.  Marcus Kastler on the other hand expressed his reservations on the school bond citing other needs as apriority and Magan Martin, a current school board member offered her support of the bond but with reservations that if it doesn't pass this time it would be a long while before she supported another one.

In the second half of the forum Jimmy Littleford, Doug Misch, Sherry Melander and Keith Osborn, all candidates for the CCC Board of Trustees all spoke to voters.  Last night's forum was sponsored by the Coffeyville Chamber of Commerce, Eck Heat and Air and KGGF.

Selected snippets from last night's USD 445 forum:

Gail Misch

Jason Barnett

Marcus Kastler

Magan Martin

The Montgomery County GOP will be hosting a chili and chicken noodle feed while also playing host to several of the GOP candidates running for US Senate and Congress. And the event will be held November 9th and will cost $5 per person up to a maximum of $20 for families.

Invited candidates that are expected to attend include Kris Kobach, Roger Marshall, Susan Wagle, Dave Lindstrom and Bryan Pruitt for the Senate, as well as Jake LaTurner and Steve Watkins for the Congressional 2nd District. Haylie Bagwell will be in attendance to sing the Star-Spangled Banner and God Bless America.

The event will be held at Riverside Park in Independence at the enclosed 4-H building. It'll be starting at about 5:30 p.m. and running until 7.

Two injuries have been reported after an incident in Cherryvale on Sunday evening. Montgomery County Sheriff's Deputies were dispatched to the My Place bar in Cherryvale about 9 p.m. on Sunday on a report of an aggravated battery and a possible shooting. After arriving at the scene, two individuals were transported to Joplin for injuries received during the incident. 

The case is still under investigation at this time. The names of the two injured individuals has not yet been released until the investigation is complete. No arrests have been made at this time.

A 34-year old Chanute woman was arrested early Monday morning for possession a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

At approximately 2:30 this morning, officers with the Chanute Police Department served a search warrant on a vehicle owned by Sarah Hegwald.

During the search, items were located associated with illegal drugs.

Hegwald was arrested for possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia and was transported to the Neosho County Sheriff Office without incident.

Cherokee County Sheriff's Deputies and Investigators spent Friday and Saturday working to ensure registered offenders throughout the county were compliant. 

County sheriff David Groves said there were 109 sex, drug and violent offenders who are required by law to register with their office on a regular basis. During the course of the two day operation, deputies and investigators went to the homes of the offenders to make sure the addresses and other information they previously provided was current and accurate. 

One offender, Matthew Bauer, age 54, was found to be non-compliant with the law and was placed under arrest Friday night. He was transported to the Cherokee County Jail. Five other arrest warrants have been issued. For more information, click here.  

As reported by the Montgomery County Chronicle, a shooting occured at the My Place bar south of Cherryvale on Sunday evening. Details have not yet been released as law enforcement officials work through the case.

Stay tuned for updates as they become available.

Cherryvale will honor military veterans with its annual Veterans Day Parade set for 10am on November 11th.

The parade will start at the corner of East Main and Carson streets and end at the Cherryvale Community Center. A free soup and chili feed with be held at the center and Cherryvale music student will give a musical performance.

For more information, contact Wade Webber at 620-330-3685.

A couple US Coast Guard licensed captains will be performing their music live at CCC next week. Mike and Amy Aiken will perform at the Coffeyville Community College Spencer/Rounds Performing Arts Theatre at 10:30 a.m. on October 29th as part of the CCC Humanities Project.

The pair have lived on sailboats for over 25 years, logging over 30,000 bluewater miles and traveling all over the world. They've released seven studio albums and have picked up one first-round Recording Academy/GRAMMY's nomination. Their songs have hit #1 and #13 in Europe, and have also put five songs on US charts as well.

The performance is free and open to the public. Questions are encouraged.

Neewollah receives recognition by MFA Oil, Mikie’s Convenience Store and Cenex. As part of this recognition, they received a $5,000 grant to support activities at this year’s event. MFA Oil Wholesale Account Representative Chuck Carr says he's been attending Neewollah for as long as he can remember.

Cenex Communications Manager Mark Vanderlinde says the Hometown Pride Grant is about celebrating the things that make communities unique.  Neewollah is using the $5,000 contribution to support volunteer-run activities such as the parade, carnival, concert and pageant.

The Independence City Hal will close early at 3:00 this afternoon for the Neewollah Kiddie Parade.  The Kiddie Parade gets underway at 4pm today.  Other Neewollah events scheduled for today include live entertainment at the Bandstand from 5 until 10:30pm and the Marine Forces Reserve Band will perform in concert at Memorial Hall at 6:30 this evening.

Neewollah will wrap up tomorrow with the Grand Parade at 11am, Bandstand entertainment from 1 until 9pm, the Marching Band competition at Shulthus Stadium at 1:30 and the Professional Show featuring Chase Bryant at Memorial Hall at 7:30 tomorrow night.

Five of the seven candidates for the Coffeyville City Commission participated in a candidates forum held Thursday evening at the Windsor Events Center.  Justin Doane, Don Edwards, Tracy Maxson, Jim Taylor, Sr. and Robert York discussed a variety of topics including housing, taxes, the city budget, declining population and growth.

Rudy Draper was expected to attend the forum but did not appear and Jim Taylor, Jr. had a previous business appointment out of town and was unable to attend.  The forum was sponsored by KGGF, the Coffeyville Chamber of Commerce and Eck Heat and Air.

A forum with candidates for the USD 445 Board of Education and the Coffeyville Community College Trustees will be held next Tuesday, October 29^th at 6pm at the Windsor Events Center.  Last night’s forum was broadcast live on KGGF 690AM as will next week’s forum. Find some selected quotes from the candidates below.

Justin Doane said there is a critical need to construct new housing.

Robert York added that the city needs to find a way to keep people who work in Coffeyville, living in Coffeyville.

Don Edwards addressed taxes.

Jim Taylor, Sr. said the city's tax base is insufficient to support every citizen's requests.

Tracy Maxson said the city needs to find ways to maximize the dollars they do have.

Coffeyville's Walmart now has has a designated parking space for law enforcement.

Store Manager Brian Raper indicated that all Walmart stores nationwide have begun this program in hopes customers will feel safer knowing law enforcement is present. The parking space, which identified with signage and a visible blue light (alerting customers that law enforcement are present in the store) is located near the dedicated online parking stalls on row 5.

Police Chief Kwin Bromley said that the Coffeyville Police Department appreciates the continued support by Walmart and their staff.

85 to 90 percent of U.S. children go trick-or-treating or engage in other Halloween festivities every year, and many adults also join in on the fun. Executive Director of the Greater Kansas City & Northwest Missouri Chapter of the American Red Cross Jeremie Ballinger says Halloween is even more fun when everyone stays safe. It’s a challenge to prepare and plan wisely for all the Halloween fun and festivities but doing so helps avoid problems. With all this activity on the horizon, Ballinger offers some tips everyone can follow to help stay safe this Halloween while enjoying the holiday.

Plan the trick-or-treat route, make sure trick-or-treaters can see and be seen, walk only on sidewalks, not in the street, turn on your porch light, and light your area well so young visitors can see and if you are driving, use extra caution.

With the carnival and vendors setting up the Independence Police Department has set up temporary accessible parking in the municipal lot located at the southeast corner of Chestnut and 8^th Street, behind the International Mall and east of Taco Bell. There is also accessible parking at the city parking lot located at Myrtle and 6^th, north of 1916 City Hall.

There will be temporary accessible parking in the evening hours this week and all day Saturday in the 100 block of E. Laurel. Qualified persons will have to have their accessible parking placard or license plate displayed to get through the security gate at that location.

Tonight's the night for the City of Coffeyville Commission candidate forum. This will be an opportunity for anyone interested to become informed on the issues and platforms of all the candidates running for the city commission. 

The forum will be held at the Windsor Event Center at 102 W. 8th Street starting at about 6 p.m. Alternatively, you can listen to all of the questions and answers live on KGGF 690AM.

Law enforcement officers at locations across the state will be collecting unused medications for safe disposal on Saturday, October 26, Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said today.

The collection events are part of a nationwide effort to safely dispose of leftover medications to prevent accidental or intentional misuse. Since the Drug Take-Back Day program began in 2010, more than 88 tons of unwanted medications have been collected and destroyed in Kansas alone.

Locally, medications will be accepted at the Coffeyville Police Department on Saturday from 9AM to 11AM.

A 43-year old Chanute woman was arrested for possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia late Tuesday night. At around 10:45PM the Chanute police department responded to the area of 3300 South Santa Fe for a report of a person trespassing.

The police made contact with Heather Cox and while speaking with her, she appeared to be under the influence of an unknown substance. Cox mentioned to the officers that she had been hearing and seeing things that she wasn’t sure were there and stated to officers that she had smoked methamphetamine earlier in the day.

Cox had been arrested previously for distribution of methamphetamine by the Chanute Police Department, back in June of 2019. She was transported to the Neosho County Jail without incident.

With nearly 100 applications in the first round the new Cost Share Program from the Kansas Department of Transportation is off to a strong start. In total, KDOT received 92 applications with more than $92 million in local investment. In return, the applications requested nearly $242 million from KDOT funds. Deputy Secretary of Policy and Fiscal Affairs Lindsey Douglas says while they knew there’s pent up demand for transportation investment, they're overwhelmed with the level of interest this new program is garnering Announcements for selected projects are slated for the end of this month.

The Cost Share Program is designed to provide financial assistance that leverages state funding with local and private funding for projects related to job growth and retention.

Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt has joined a bipartisan coalition of 46 state and territory attorneys general in calling on Facebook, Craigslist and eBay to take proactive measures against illegal alcohol sales on their platforms.

In letters sent this week, the attorneys general ask the three online platforms to review the current content posted to the companies’ websites and remove illegal postings for the sales and/or transfer of alcohol products and to develop and deploy programming to block and prevent users from violating state law by posting content for the sale and distribution of alcohol products.

KGGF has been awarded Best Severe Weather Coverage in Kansas, medium market by the Kansas Association of Broadcasters.  Matt Jordan and Connor Harbit accepted the award on behalf of the station during award ceremonies Monday night at the KAB's Annual Convention in Lawrence.

The KGGF storm team receiving the award included Sam Speck, Garrett Giles and John Leonard as well as Jordan and Harbit.  Receiving second place in the severe weather category were stations in Lawrence and Joplin.  In addition to the severe weather coverage KGGF was awarded an honorable mention for it's website kggfradio.com.

The Independence Police Department will be hosting a 3-hour self-defense class on December 14^th at the Christian Karate Academy located at 134 West Oak.

Officer Charlie Benedict of the Independence Police Department will be the instructor and the class is scheduled to begin at 9:00 AM.

Anyone wishing to attend this class is asked to call and register with the Independence Police Department at 620-332-1700. Participants are asked to bring a bottle of water and wear comfortable clothing.

The Sedan City Council has approved and passed Ordinance #926 allowing owners of work-site utility vehicles, micro-utility trucks and golf carts to purchase a license from the city to operate on city streets.

The license fee is $100.00 per year and can be purchased at city hall once the vehicle has been inspected and approved.

A list of basic guidelines to which the operator of any licensed vehicle must adhere and are subject to fines, suspension or revocation for any violation can be found here.

Some roadwork that was set to start this week in Independence has been delayed due to Neewollah. The construction of improvements to Peter Pan Road was scheduled to begin the week of October 21st. After receiving feedback from the community, the contractor decided to delay the beginning of the project until after Neewollah, which will conclude October 26^th.

When construction does begin, the roadway will be closed North of the southern entrance to Labette Health. The roadway will be closed for several months to widen the roadway, install stormsewer and replace the surface with concrete pavement.

A portion of K7 Highway in Crawford County was briefly closed Sunday night after a semi-truck overturned. According to the Kansas Highway Patrol, the vehicle was northbound on K7 when it dropped off the east shoulder of the roadway. The driver overcorrected, causing the vehicle to overturn.

The driver was identified as Naeem Hassan Rasul of Maumelle, Arkansas. He was taken to Girard Medical Center with suspected minor injuries. K7 was reopened earlier this morning.

Starting towards the end of October the Independence Police Department will join other Kansas law enforcement agencies to stop what has become an epidemic in Kansas. According to the 2017 Kansas observational seatbelt study, children are much more likely to be buckled up if the driver is wearing their seatbelt. If the driver is buckled, about 98% of the children are restrained. If the driver is not buckled, only about 29% of the observed children were buckled. IPD want adults to model good driving behaviors for children.

Starting October 28^th and running through November 1^st law enforcement across Kansas will be extra-vigilant when patrolling around schools. For more than 20 years, officers have educated and warned drivers and passengers regarding the importance of using seatbelts while in their vehicle.

The construction on Peter Pan Road is scheduled to begin at the start of next week. The roadway will be closed North of the southern entrance to Labette Health starting Monday.

The roadway will be closed for several months to widen the roadway, install storm sewer and replace the surface with concrete pavement.

Coffeyville Regional Medical Center is offering a new class called Safe@Home, which provides excellent instruction on staying safe inside and outside the house, online and with others. The class is designed for students in grades 4^th through 6^th to equip them to be safe when they are home alone. Safe@Home is a 90-minute program and requires each child to have a Safe@Home student booklet. Some of the topics they will learn are how to prevent unsafe situations, what to do when faced with dangers such as power failures or weather emergencies and students are also introduced to the Safe Sitter First Aid Chart and learn a system to help them assess and respond to injuries and illnesses.

Registration is required and you can register by calling 620-252-2201. The class is November 2^nd from 9:00 until 10:30 in the fourth floor conference room at CRMC the cost of the class is $10 and it includes the booklet. Payment is due at the time of the class.

Numerous improvements have been made to the Kansas Department of Transportation’s KanDrive website that provides motorists continuously updated conditions of highways across the state. The main page at www.KanDrive.org has been streamlined to make it easier to begin viewing details. Assistant Bureau Chief in Transportation Planning Alan Spicer says the website received more than 2 million views last winter so it’s important to keep the traveling public notified of current and changing road conditions so they can make informed travel decisions.

Information is also available on mobile devices. A map icon has been added to the top of the mobile website to assist users in opening the page.

The Coffeyville Police Dispatch was flooded Wednesday with calls with reports from local citizens about a social security scam. Multiple people in Coffeyville were getting calls from someone claiming to be from the “Social Security Office” asking residents for their personal information.

CPD reminded citizens to never give any of your personal information out over the phone to someone you don’t know. The numbers the scammers were calling from were 800-848-8423 and 844-306-4480. If you receive a call from one of these numbers, simply do not answer the call.

TMC Lakewood Dental Services will provide FREE dental care to veterans on Friday, November 8, 2019. Appointments are required and will be based on availability.

Services will include exam and cleaning, exam and extraction or exam and up to two fillings. Simple denture repair can also be done.

Call 816-404-6885 to schedule an appointment and please identify the Smiles for Veterans Program when you call. Your veterans ID and a current driver’s license is required to check in.

The Annual Trunk-or-Treat in downtown Independence will be on on Thursday, October 31 from 6:00 pm. - 7:30 pm. Lisa Wilson from the Independence Chamber of Commerce explains why this event is so popular.

If you are interested in providing a decorated trunk or carnival game for this event, call 620-331-1890.

K-State Research and Extension will host an Urban Wildlife Damage Control forum on Wednesday, October 30^th from 6pm to 8pm at the Chanute Auditorium Alliance room. Wildlife Specialist Charlie Lee will talk about wild animals that become a nuisance, destructive or menacing and how to deal with those animals.

This event is free to attend. For more information call Southwind Extension District-Erie office, 620-244-3826.

Seven organizations have been awarded grants from the Tower Foundation totaling $72,383 to support suicide prevention and mental health services in Kansas. Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt says the Tower Mental Health Foundation of Kansas was created as a result of an agreement between the attorney general’s office and the Menninger Foundation in 2007.

The attorney general is the sole member of the Foundation, which is staffed by the office of the attorney general. The Foundation’s board of directors is composed of nine Kansans with a keen interest in mental health issues.

Those seeking information on the USD 445 School Bond Project will have an opportunity to do so at an upcoming event. On October 30th, residents can drop by the Field Kindley High School Gym from 6 to 8 p.m. and visit various booths with information about different areas of the project. Those areas include construction, design, cost, need, and impact.

The Bond Election will be held on November 5th. There will be two questions on the ballot, with the second question only applicable if the first passes. For more information about the questions on the ballot, click here.

The Cherokee County Sheriff's Office is warning motorists of deer on the move this time of year. Sheriff David Groves said last year saw an increase in the amount of car crashes involving deer, from 187 in 2017 to 204 in 2018.

Groves also said dawn and dusk were the most common times for these types of crashes, and offered a list of safety tips. You can find those tips below.

• Scan road ditches. If you see a deer, slow down and continue with caution.
• Drive with your high beams on if there is no oncoming traffic.
• Do not take evasive action to avoid a deer.  Generally, it's better and safer to hit the animal than swerve to miss it.
• Deer typically travel in groups. If you see one, expect others.
• If you strike a deer, pull all the way off the roadway, activate your emergency flashers, stay in the vehicle, and contact your local law enforcement agency.
• Always buckle up.

The 2019 Night of Fright will begin this weekend at Cedar Bluff Camp. Activities included in this year's event include an indoor kid's area from 6PM-7PM and the Spook Trail will open up at 7PM. Chuck McFate from the Night of Fright explains how the Spook Trail works.

The Night of Fright will be open on October 18^th, 19^th, 25^th and 26^th.

The “Clean Up Coffeyville” clean up week is scheduled to start next Monday, October 21^st according the city of Coffeyville.

The tree dump will be open extended hours for city residents to dispose of bulky trash. Items accepted for the clean up are furniture, appliances, TVs and residential building materials. Items not accepted will be be things such as tires, hazardous waste, prescription drugs, contractor building material and household trash.

The dump will be open from Monday October 21^st to Friday October 25^th from 10AM to 6PM, Saturday, October 26^th from 8AM to 6PM and Sunday October 27^th from 12PM to 4PM.

For more information call 252-6006 or 252-6108.

A couple Coffeyville Community College alumni are adding their support to the Dick Foster Complex renovations. Carl and Mary Ice have agreed to make a substantial contribution to the project. 

During his time at CCC, Carl Ice was the recipient of the Pete Pelzer-Outstanding Offensive Lineman Award while playing for the Red Ravens in 1974 and '75 seasons. In 2012, the 1975 CCC football team was inducted into the CCC Hall of Fame. Coffeyville Community College recognized Ice in 2016 as a CCC Distinguished Alum. While attending CCC, Mary Ice was a flag twirler during the 1975 season and attended every football game, both home and away, including the Wool Bowl.

Carl Ice was appointed to his current position of president and chief executive officer for BNSF Railway on January 1, 2014. Mary Ice actively volunteers her time with many organizations and serves on a variety of boards. Currently, she is a member of the board of directors of the Symphony in the Flint Hills and the Kansas Nature Conservancy.

Looking to get an early start on Halloween festivities? The Pittsburg State University English Department will host a Halloween-themed literary crawl in Downtown Pittsburg on October 24.  

The literary crawl will feature poetry and fiction readings by PSU faculty, students, and writers from the community.  

The event will kick off with a reading at TOAST, 401 N. Broadway Suite D, at 5:30 p.m. Readings then will move from location to location, including T.J. Lelands,  Eclectic Soul Studio and Root Coffeehouse until 7:45 p.m.  

The event is free, requires no registration, and is open to the public. 

The Kansas Crime Victims Compensation Board awarded financial assistance to 268 victims of violent crime at its October meeting, Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said.

Awards were made in 134 new cases. Additional expenses were paid in 134 previously submitted cases. The awards totaled $212,996.10.

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.

The Coffeyville USD 445 Board of Education will have its latest meeting tonight. Several miscellaneous reports are on the agenda for this week, as well as board actions to approve the superintendent's recommendations for employment.

The meeting will be held starting at 6 p.m. and will take place at the central office at 615 Ellis Street. 

The Coffeyville Police Department is asking for help in solving a flurry of vehicle burglaries occuring on the west side of Coffeyville. The burglaries have occurred in the area between Catalpa and Centennial and also 1st to Fairway. 

The CPD is asking anyone with a surveillance camera to check the footage and notify them of anything suspicious activity.

With Kansas being in the top 20 of suicides in the country, Senator Dan Goddard was asked recently asked about what kind of bill he would like to see come up during the the next legislative session.

Goddard said that the idea came up during a recent meeting with KDADS talking about suicide prevention among veterans and their families.

The American Cancer Society of Montgomery County is holding their Bark for Life event this Saturday, October 12th. It'll be an event celebrating canines as caregivers, with several different activities planned. There will be a doggie parade, games and contests, dog-related vendors, a non-profit rescue, pictures with pets, and concessions. 

Registration is still possible and can be completed by visiting this link. 

Farm Bureau hosted the Kansas governor on a tour around parts of Southeast Kansas. Governor Laura Kelly along with the Kansas Secretary of Agriculture Mike Beam and three local farmers were a part of a luncheon and panel discussion today at the Liberty United Methodist Church. Governor Kelly talked about the importance of Agriculture and this area of Kansas.

Governor Kelly started her morning off in Independence before attending the luncheon and then following the panel discussion went and toured a couple of local farms.

Becky Barnhart of the the Coffeyville Friends of Animals is looking to inform the public of an event if you are looking to have your pet spayed or neutered.

Barnhart also says that your animal cannot be over 40 lbs and must be caged. The cost of getting your animal spayed or neutered is $40.

The City of Cherryvale and the Cherryvale Police Department are hosting a Spookyvale Trunk Or Treat on October 31^st on East Main Street in Cherryvale.  The cost of setting up a trunk or booth is $5 and all proceeds go the Logan Park New Playground Equipment Fund. Set up will begin at 5pm while the event will kick off at 6pm and run to 8pm.

There will be awards for Scariest, People's Choice, and Most Creative booths! If you have any question contact Miranda Reid at City Hall for more details at 620-336-2776

Rumors of threats made at Independence High School caused concern among some students and parents. Those rumors prompted USD 446 Superintendent Rusty Arnold to send a robo-call to parents this afternoon.

Arnold went on to say in the call that the district promotes respect and inclusion for all, to proactively address school safety.

The Coffeyville Police Department and the Cherryvale Police Department have been awarded grants for equipment upgrades. Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt says Coffeyville PD will receive $44,990 to update suspect transport safety gear, in-car video camera systems and evidence collection equipment and Cherryvale PD will receive $45,306 to purchase computer hardware and equipment. Schmidt says one of the keys to keeping the communities safe in the 21st Century is making sure law enforcement officers have 21st Century technology. These grants will provide opportunities for local authorities to make these upgrades.

The grants are part of the Federal Edward J. Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program and was awarded by the Kansas Criminal Justice Coordinating Council.

The Brown Mansion announced that there will be 150 trees on display in honor of Coffeyville's 150th anniversary for the Candlelit Tours this year. The Brown Mansion Candlelit Tours are scheduled from 5:30pm to 8pm on Dec 11^th, Dec 15^th, Dec 18^th and Dec 21^st through Dec 23^th. Tour prices will remain at $5 per person and entertainment will be available each night of the Candlelit Tours.

In addition, the Brown Mansion received a $2,000.00 grant from the Coffeyville Area Community Foundation for Candlelight Tours this holiday season.

KDOT representatives will be hosting an open house in Sedan next Wednesday to provide information about proposed improvements to the K-99 Corridor in Chatauqua County. From 5:30 to 7 p.m, the public is welcome to come to the Sedan Jr/Sr High Cafeteria to view maps and offer questions and comments to the KDOT representatives. 

For more information or accomodation requests, contact Priscilla Petersen at priscilla.petersen@ks.gov or  620-902-6433.

Be sure to make your way to downtown Coffeyville this Friday night for the final movie night at the Midland Theater this year! In honor of Halloween, the Midland will be showing the movie Hocus Pocus. Costumes are encouraged, and awards will be given out for Best Witch, Best Zombie, and Best Overall Costume.

The movie is free and popcorn will be provided. Other activities and attractions include a balloon animal artist, pumpkin Tic-Tac-Toe, a pumpkin carving contest, witch's broom races, a 50/50 raffle, and more. Activities begin at 7 p.m.

The Independence City Commission will meet again in regular session on Thursday, October 10th. On this meeting's agenda includes appointments to the new Economic Development Advisory Board, and an item to consider an ordinance adding an ex-officio member representing Main Street to the the new board. Other items for the commission include the authorization of the sale of lots located on the south side of the 800-900 blocks of Myrtle Street, and an update on 223 W. Main Street.

As always, the meeting will begin at 5:30 p.m. at the Veteran's Room in Memorial Hall.

A new head of the Kansas Consumer Protection Division has been appointed. Attorney General Derek Schmidt announced that Lawrence attorney Kathryn Carter has been named the new deputy attorney general for the Consumer Protection and Antitrust Division. Carter succeeds Jim Welch, who retired in September after leading the consumer protection division from 2011 to 2019. Carter has been with the attorney general’s office for seven years, and has served as an assistant attorney general in the consumer protection division for the past three years.

Before joining the attorney general’s office, Carter served as a district magistrate judge for the 12^th Judicial District in Cloud County for 17 years and worked in private practice. Carter is a graduate of Wichita Southeast High School, the University of Kansas and the University of Kansas School of Law.

With flu season right around the corner, Independence Chamber of Commerce Director Lisa Wilson tells us about an event to help keep ourselves protected this Saturday.

Although the shots are free, a donation of canned or non-perishable foods for the local food basket is suggested.

Parsons Public Library will host “William Allen White and the KKK in Kansas," a presentation and discussion by Beverly Olson Buller on Monday, November 4, at 6:30 pm. in the library multi-purpose room.

During his 1924 Kansas Gubernatorial campaign, William Allen White sought to drive the Ku Klux Klan out of Kansas.

Buller is an author, educator, and the chair of the William Allen White Children’s Book Awards selection committee in Emporia. Her book, From Emporia: The Story of William Allen White, was named a 2008 notable Kansas Book.

Members of the community are invited to attend the free program, which will take place at the Parsons library located at 311 South 17th St. For more information, contact the library at 620-421-5920.

An area principal has been recognized by the Kansas Association of Secondary School Principals. Travis Stalford, the lead principal at Field Kindley High School in Coffeyville, has been named by the KASSP as the Area II Principal of the Year. 

Stalford returned to Coffeyville in 2013, and became the lead principal of the high school after serving two years as the assistant principal.

Matt Watroba will perform at the Coffeyville Community College Spencer/Rounds Performing Arts Theatre at 10:30 AM. on Tuesday, October 8th, as part of the CCC Humanities Project. Senior Director of College Relations, Marketing and Recruiting Yvonne Hull explains what the Humanities Project is and what Watroba will be performing.

The performance is free and open to the public.

The Montgomery County Commissioners meet for their regularly scheduled meeting with two items on the agenda. Public Works Coordinator Jim Wright and the commissioners discussed several projects including two bridge projects. County Treasurer Nancy Clubine asked the commission to cover over $8,000 shortfall in the budget, which the commission unanimously approved.

Commission meetings are held every Monday at 9:00am in the lower level of the Judicial Center and are open to the public.

The Coffeyville Walk the Block Project will launch with a “shoelace cutting” and a 2 ½ mile walk on Wednesday, October 9^th at 5PM, at the Downtown Plaza kiosk. The community is invited to attend and participate in the Walk along the newly marked sidewalk path by two gardens and parks.

Walk the Block is funded through a 2019 AARP Community Challenge Grant utilizing a newly resurfaced and undiscovered sidewalk on 9th Street and transforming it into a 2½ mile fitness tour. The marked sidewalk path was made possible by the AARP grant and support of the City of Coffeyville, Coffeyville’s Reawakening, Coffeyville Area Community Foundation, numerous business and community volunteers.

Additional information is available at Coffeyville’s Reawakening Headquarters, 1115 W. 9th Street.

Coffeyville City Commissioners will find out if local sales tax collections are trending up as they are in Independence when they meet in regular session tomorrow night. In addition to the sales tax report, Commissioners will also hold a public hearing for a Community Development Block Grant for sidewalks at 10th and Camden as well as Gillam Street and consider resolutions involving CDBG grants for 2020.

In new business, commissioners will consider a resolution to approve a business loan application for HC Hardware and award a construction contract to Jeff graham Construction for Phase 2 of the 10th Street project. 

Commissioners will meet tomorrow night at 6:30 in the Commission Room of City Hall.

Mark your calendars now for a "mystical, magical, and comical" night presented by the Proud Animal Lovers Shelter (PALS) in Parsons. It'll be held on November 2, 2019 at the Wesley United Methodist Church. The show will feature magic by Pete Walterscheid and comedy by Jonathan Wilhoft.

Tickets are $30 per person and can be purchased by calling 620-421-0445 or by getting in touch with PALS board members.

More than 1,000 interested visitors made their way down to Pittsburg State University last week to take part in a "fireside chat" with former Secretary of State and National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice. 

Rice was the third speaker in the H. Lee Scott Speaker Series, created in 2015 as the result of a $2.079 million gift made by PSU alum and former Walmart CEO Lee Scott and his wife, Linda. Former President Bill Clinton came to campus in 2015, Mitt Romney came to campus in 2017.  

Rice discussed a wide variety of topics, including her childhood, her stances on intercollegiate athletics and the impeachment proceedings. She also talked about her recently published book.

The mission of the H. Lee Scott Speaker Series is to deepen the level of discourse, enrich the university experience, and elevate the university’s reputation by examining American life from the perspective of nationally prominent leaders and innovators. 

Criminal charges against suspended Montgomery County Sheriff Bobby Dierks have been dropped, at least for now. According to the Montgomery County Chronicle the charges can be refiled by the special prosecutor and a civil ouster proceeding to be discussed on October 11^th. Court records indicate that the special prosecutor has dismissed the criminal charges. The special prosecutor was Todd Hiatt who was removed from the case and now Stephen Maxell has been appointed the new special prosecutor.

KGGF reached out to the County Attorney's Office but they had no comment.

All eyes are on the construction on 11^th Street in Coffeyville. The city commission called a special meeting last night to discuss the delays on the project. Superintendent of Engineering Thomas Osborn says they have 105 working days for the project and they have seen a lot of delays due to weather.

Osborn says that KDOT is in charge of the project everything has to be approved by them. The City of Coffeyville is only providing 10% of the funding for the project KDOT is providing the other 90%.

The Independence Chamber of Commerce presented a check for $1,500 to the Independence Main Street Program during this morning’s First Friday Event at the Civic Center in Memorial Hall.  The check will be used to buy brackets to hang more street banners downtown on Penn and along West Main.

During this morning’s First Friday a Certificate of Recognition was presented by PRIDE to Alisa Beechem for improvements she made to a home on North 8^th.  About 100 people attended this morning’s event and also heard presentations by USD446 Superintendent Rusty Arnold, Communities ion Schools Representative Lashawn Taylor, Ryan York from VFW Post 11-86 and Neewollah Generalissimo Anne Bertie.

The Coffeyville Police Department has shared results of its checklane conducted last Friday.

According to a post on the department's Facebook page, 111 cars came through the checklane with an average delay of 12 seconds for each driver. Five drivers were detained for future investigation and two drivers were arrested for DUI. In addition, 11 other traffic warnings were issued.

The Kansas Highway Patrol assisted the CPD with the process.

Bartlesville High School was briefly in a shelter-in-place while police investigated an online threat this morning.  Executive Director of Technology and Communications Granger Meador says the student who made the threat was identified and has been arrested.

Meador says it is unfortunate that we live in an age where these things happen sometimes. BPS says they are happy that faculty and staff were prepared for the situation.

The Coffeyville City Commission will hold a Special Meeting this evening at 5:30pm in the Commission Meeting room regarding the Kansas Department of Transportation US-166 and Willow Street project.

With October arriving, Neewollah is approaching. Independence Chamber of Commerce Director Lisa Wilson explains why you should be excited about this Saturday morning.

This year's Neewollah kicks off its 100th year of festivities with Shrek the Musical on October 18th at 7:30PM and concludes with the Chase Bryant Concert on October 26th at 7:30PM.

For more information, contact Neewollah headquarters at 1-877-633-9655.

In conjunction with the Dalton Defenders Day activities on October 5th, the Coffeyville Friends of Animal will be be holding their annual Shelter Day event. Becky Barnhart from CFA explains reasoning for the event and the activities planned.

Becky Barnhart also says that there will be adoption specials and a Fun Run. The event begins at 11AM rain or shine.

Coffeyville Regional Medical Center is offering free Chronic Health Classes to the community in the month of October. Kelle Kiser, RN, at CRMC, is the Chronic Health Nurse and is in charge of putting together these classes to the public. Those classes include “Managing Chronic Conditions”, “Heart Healthy Seminar” and “Managing Diabetes”.

All classes require registration and if you would want to know more about these classes and future classes or to register please contact Kelle Kiser, RN at 620-515-4568.

The 5th Annual Bartlett Harvest Festival is this Saturday from 8:00am until 8:00pm at the lake near the Bartlett Grade School. Organizer Fances Graves says they have a full day of events planned, most of which are completely free.

Frances says there will be a registration cost for the 5K and there will be t-shirts available to purchase with the list of sponsors. A full list of start times for activities can be found in the online version of this story at kggfradio.com.
 

8 - 10:30 a.m. KIDS FISHING DERBY (Register 8 – 8:30 a.m., Awards at 11 a.m.) 

9 - 11:00 a.m. BGS WILD Club Kids Games, Art and STEM Challenges

10 a.m. - 2 p.m. CAR SHOW

11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Bartlett 5K Run / Walk (Register 11 a.m., Run at Noon, Awards at 1:30 p.m.)

2 - 3 p.m. BGS Science Show (Inside Gym, Grades 3-5)

5 - 6 p.m. Kids Pedal Pull (Register 4 – 5 p.m.)

LIVE MUSIC on Stage:

3 - 4 p.m. Open Mic / Talent Showcase

4 - 5 p.m. LCHS Music Department

5 - 6 p.m. David Perkins

6 - 7:30 p.m. Coal Dust

The Dalton Defenders Days begins this Friday with the grand re-opening of the Dalton Defenders & Coffeyville History Museum on October 4th at 9:00 am with a ribbon cutting.

A few of the activities included this weekend are the Chili Cookoff, Crusin' with the Daltons Car Cruise and the Dalton Defender Days Re-enactment on Friday night. Saturday's slate included a pancake feed put on by the Daylight Defenders Lions Club, the Coffeyville Friends of Animals Shelter Day event, train rides and more re-enactments.

Dalton Defenders Days celebrates that fateful day of October 5, 1892 when the Dalton Gang was defeated in Coffeyville. The Dalton Gang attempted to rob two banks in town and all but one of them was shot and killed. The event celebrates the four towns people who gave their lives defending Coffeyville.

There's still time to pick up your tickets to see the Kansas premiere of "The Humans" at Coffeyville Community College next week. Tickets are free and can be picked up through Eventbrite. 

Showings will be held next week, October 11-13, with a 7 p.m. start time on Friday and Saturday and a 2 p.m. start time on Sunday.

The Red Raven Repertory Theatre will present the production, which was a 2016 Tony Award winner and an NY Circle Award winner for Best Play. The story follows a man who brings his family together to celebrate Thanksgiving in Manhattan, and the eerie events that follow.

Due to dark subject matter, the play is recommended only for audiences of 13 years of age and older. For more information, visit www.coffeyville.edu or email Theatre Director Ryan P. Mahannah at mahannah.ryan@coffeyville.edu. 

Preliminary 20^th day enrollment figures released by the Kansas Board of Regents show a slight increase in the headcount of students at Pittsburg State University. Pitt State's headcount rose 20 students from 6,625 last year to 6,645 this year. Graduate enrollment at PSU saw its largest increase this year, up 19.7 percent. PSU’s Professional MBA program contributed largely to that increase. When the program launched in January, 38 students were enrolled. Now, 76 students are enrolled for the second session which starts Oct. 14, and 256 students have been fully admitted to the program. Although the program’s enrollment is primarily from Kansas and Missouri, it has admitted students from 22 states.

Additionally, transfer students are up 1.1 percent this year.

The City of Independence has released its September Sales Tax Report. Receipts for the month totaled $186,618, for an increase of $26,805 or up 16.8 percent from September 2018. For the first nine months of the year, sales tax receipts are up 5.2 percent, totaling $1,540,042. That's compared to $1,304,420 a year ago at this time. 

For the full sales tax report for September, you can click here.

According to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, all involved in a three car accident on Highway 75 between Dewey and Copan at County Road 1100 are in fair condition. The collision occurred just prior to 5:00pm yesterday. The OHP has reported that a 2014 Dodge driven by 50 year-old John Yates struck the back of a 2004 Chevrolet driven by 45 year-old Desiree Harvey which ran into a 2001 Chevy driven by 60 year-old Ryan Webster who was trying to turn onto County Road 1100.

The Dodge driven by Yates departed the roadway before rolling onto its top. Emergency personnel from several different agencies responded to the three vehicle accident. Yates and his passengers were pinned for 34 minutes before being freed by the Copan Fire Department. Bryan and Tanya Yates were flown by helicopter to the Saint John Medical Center in Tulsa for their injuries and are listed in fair condition.

An area Boy Scout has chosen to collect old eyeglasses for his Eagle Scout project. Zachary Lowrance of Troop 47 in Coffeyville will be directing the collection of old, unneeded eyeglasses for recycling purposes. On October 19, starting around 9:30 a.m, scounts under Lowrance will be canvassing on Third, Fourth, and Fifth Streets from Buckeye Street to Willow Street.

For those outside of the canvassing area, there will be collection boxes available at the First Christian Church, Holy Name Catholic Church, the First United Methodist Church, and the office here at KGGF. 

The eyeglasses collected will be donated to the Daylight Defenders Lion's Club.