Several area fire departments are responding to multiple grass fires sparked along Highway 10 west of Oklahoma Union.

The fires were first reported around 10 a.m. in the area of North South 410 Road and Highway 10.

Several fire departments including Coffeyville, South Coffeyville, Coffeyville Resources, Wann, Bartlet and Edna are working the fires that were first reported around 10 a.m. The fires have been reported to be threatening structures although the situation remains dynamic. 

As of noon, an eyewitness in the area reports continued firefighting efforts and smoke in the area.  The cause of the fire and any injuries are not known at this time.

The Montgomery County Commission approves the 2027 budget.

More than a dozen county residents spoke at today's commission meeting during the public comment portion of the meeting. Many spoke about their frustration with the increase in the mill levy and the county exceeding the Revenue Neutral Rate for the coming year. Here’s part of what was said.

The mill levy rate for 2027 will be 41.627 mills, an increase of just over 3 mills from last year’s levy of 38.524. Commissioners also approved the budget for Rural Fire, which also saw a mill increase of .14 mills, from 2.626 to 2.767. Commission Chair Mike Cordray says the cuts in the budget had to be balanced with the needs of citizens for services.

There will also be a public hearing tonight in Coffeyville for the Verdigris Drainage District # 1. That meeting begins at 6pm in the Commission Room at Coffeyville’s City Hall.

A Caney man is facing felony charges for allegedly throwing a brick at another individual.

45-year-old Robert Martin Jr, was charged Friday in Washington County Court in Bartlesville with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. The charges stem from an August 21^st incident in which Martin is accused of chasing and throwing bricks at another individual. The victim also claims that they were also punched and kicked by the suspect.

Martin will appear in court again on September 11. his bond is set at $75,000.

The Kansas Wildlife and Parks Commission votes to approve several regulation changes, including increases in state park fees.

At its meeting last week, the commission approved fee increases at Kansas State Parks for vehicle permits, overnight camping, and utilities, along with the elimination of the annual camping permit. Those changes will go into effect on November 1.

Also approved was the re-establishment of the fall turkey hunting season for Kansas residents.  the season will run from October 31 through January 31 except for a 12-day closure period beginning the Wednesday following Thanksgiving. Permits will be available for purchase in early October.

KDWP will now move the approved regulations through the final administrative requirements before going into effect.

The pond at Neodesha's Riverwalk Park remains under a blue-green algae warning from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

The pond has been under a warning status for several weeks, with the first advisory issued by the City in early July. A warning status from K-D-H-E means that a harmful algae bloom is present or expected. During this time, individuals should avoid contact with the water, keep pets and livestock away from the pond, and do not allow humans or animals to consume the water.

Toxins from the algae can be absorbed by ingestion, inhalation of aerosols and even skin contact.Symptoms will vary depending upon the type of exposure but can include rash, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, sore throat, and headache.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office imposes a 10-ton weight restriction on the Onion Creek Bridge located on County Road 3900 just south of the Dearing city limits.

The move comes after two recent incidents that may have caused damage to the structure. An engineer is scheduled to inspect the bridge next week and provide further guidance regarding the condition of the bridge and whether the current weight restriction can be safely removed. The restriction will primarily affect large commercial vehicles, heavy equipment, and other large vehicles, but motorists are asked to be aware of the weight of their vehicles before attempting to cross the bridge.

The restrictions were put in place after one driver went over the bridge railing and into the creek last week and then a fire occurred in the brush below the bridge over the weekend.

An 80-year-old Kansas woman is dead after a head-on collision with a semi on I-35 in Coffey County.

The accident occurred around 8:30 on Saturday night as Anita Morgan of Lebo, Kansas, was traveling southbound on the interstate. Her 2015 Toyota Highlander collided head-on with a Freightliner driven by 42-year-old Wilfred Orenge of New Hope, Minnesota. Morgan suffered fatal injuries in the accident.

A vehicle and structure fire occurs near Wann.

On Saturday evening around 5:30pm, firefighters from the Wann Fire Department and Dearing Rural Fire responded to a location near Wann for a report of a vehicle and a structure on fire. A call for mutual aid went out to South Coffeyville Fire and firefighters were able to safely extinguish the blaze.

No injuries were reported.

Local firefighters respond to an afternoon structure fire near Dearing on Saturday.

The initial call came in just after noon as Coffeyville Fire, CRMC EMS, and Dearing Fire responded to a structure and vehicle fire about four miles northeast of Dearing. As crews arrived on the scene, the flames began to spread to the surrounding grass as well as to some nearby hay bales. The fire was eventually brought under control and extinguished.

Mutual aid was provided by fire departments from Independence, South Coffeyville, Liberty, and Tyro, as well as from Coffeyville Resources Fire and Independence Rural Fire. No injuries were reported.

Dearing Fire was called back to the scene on Sunday after the hay bales rekindled.

Photo courtesy Dearing Rural Fire

The Altamont City Council approves its 2027 budget and exceeding the Revenue Neutral Rate.

At their most recent meeting, members of the city council listened to citizen concerns during the public comment period on the 2027 City budget. One citizen questioned why the Altamont Police Department accounted 62% of the City budget. One resident sparred with Police Chief Michael Shields before Mayor Richard Hayward stepped in.

Council member Kyle Wiford says he understands citizen concerns about tax increases.

The mill levy for Altamont will increase in 2027 to 50.968 mills.

The use of Flock cameras by law enforcement across the four-state area is increasing as they draw criticism and Fourth Amendment complaints.

A Flock camera is a motion-activated automated license plate reader or ALPR system that logs vehicle details and feeds searchable data to law enforcement agencies. The controversial cameras have been used to locate stolen cars, track vehicles linked to crimes, and find missing persons. The technology has recently drawn criticism over misuse.

Neodesha Police Chief Sam Tomlinson says law enforcement agencies are responsible for dealing with misuse.

Tomlinson says Flock cameras recently led to an arrest in a Wilson County homicide investigation.  Coffeyville, Independence, Caney, and Parsons also have Flock cameras installed.

To see a map of Flock camera locations, follow this link

The City of Independence will begin pavement marking today around the City.

Crews will begin work this morning on North Penn just south of the intersection with Taylor Road. City officials say, if it becomes necessary to do any work at night, between 6pm and midnight, that work will be concentrated in non-residential areas.

Drivers are urged to use caution in and through work zones.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has rescinded the boil water advisory for parts of Wilson County Rural Water District #10.

The original advisory was issued on August 27 for portions of RWD #10 between 300 Road on the south and 1800  Road on the north. The advisory was issued due to a water line break.

Laboratory testing of drinking water samples collected from the RWD #10 indicate no evidence of bacteriological contamination. That and all other conditions that placed the system at risk of contamination are deemed by KDHE officials to be resolved.  

The Coffeyville Community College Humanities Program concert series returns to the Spencer Rounds Theater tomorrow night.

Kicking off this fall’s series is the Kansas City-based musical duo Beth Watts Nelson and Brandon Day. The pair is known for blending classical, folk, jazz, and bluegrass into a modern take on vintage Americana.

Tomorrow night’s show begins at 6:30 in the Spencer-Rounds Theater on the CCC campus. Admission is free.

Local fire departments respond to a structure fire in Tyro.

Yesterday afternoon just before 3 p.m., Dearing Fire and the Coffeyville Fire Department responded to a structure fire in the 300 block of Main Street in Tyro.

Upon arrival, crews found a brush pile and an outbuilding fully involved. Crews were able to extinguish the fire and no injuries were reported.

The Montgomery County Commission will meet today and hold public hearings on exceeding the Revenue Neutral Rate and for the 2027 budget.

Montgomery County taxpayers are invited to attend today’s meeting in order to make public comments on the proposed budget for next year. According to county documents, the mill levy for 2027 will be 41.903 mills, an increase of nearly 3 ½ mills from last year’s levy of 38.524. A second RNR and budget hearing will also be held for Rural Fire District Number 1.

In other business, commissioners will also be asked to approve a Request for Proposals for the Montgomery County Health Fair Services for 2026 and for the purchase of a county-wide survey from Dick Horton Consulting and Tessere for 2027.

Today’s meeting begins at 9am in the Commission Room on the lower level of the Judicial Center in Independence. The public is invited to attend in person or to view the meeting online via the County’s website. 

There will also be a separate RNR and budget hearing for the Verdigris Drainage District # 1 tonight at 6pm in the Commission Room at Coffeyville’s City Hall.

The County's 2027 budget summary can be found here.

Drivers are asked to avoid the area of County Roads 2000 and 3900 south of Dearing.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office says Dearing firefighters have closed the road while responding to a large brush-pile fire beneath the Onion Creek bridge. The fire is at the same bridge where a vehicle went over the railing last night.

Drivers should use an alternate route until the road reopens.

The USD 445 Board of Education will hold a special meeting on Monday.

The only topic on the agenda is an executive session regarding personnel matters. No other information is available at this time, however the meeting comes after former Head Football Coach Deonta Wade was placed on administrative leave earlier this week.

The meeting will start at 8:30 at the district office. The executive session portion of the meeting will be closed to the public.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has issued a boil water advisory for a Portion of RWD #10 in Wilson County.

The affected area is generally between 300 Road on the south to 1800 Road on the north. Customers should boil water for one minute prior to drinking or food preparation or use bottled water instead. Dispose of ice cubes from trays and automatic ice makers. If your tap water appears dirty, flush the water lines by letting the water run until it clears.  Water used for bathing does not need to be boiled, but supervision of children is necessary while bathing so that water is not ingested.

KDHE officials issued the advisory on August 27 because of a loss of pressure due to a water line break.

 The advisory will remain in effect until further notice.

The City of Neodesha adopts a new ordinance that will prohibit the riding of motorized scooters on city streets.

Commissioners approved the new rule at this week's city commission meeting. The ordinance applies to motorized scooters and bans their use on city streets, roads and alleys. Neodesha Fire chief Sam Tomlinson says the purpose of the measure is to improve safety, not to take away fun. Kids will still be able to ride their scooters on city sidewalks and on private property. Tomlinson says law enforcement will see to educate violators.

Commissioner Duane Banzet says he wants kids to be able to enjoy their scooters without worrying about serious injury.

Neodesha's new ordinance does not apply to mobility scooters or e-bikes. Anyone with questions should contact the Neodesha Police Department at 620-325-3031.

Today is the deadline for Independence residents to register their rummage sale for the upcoming Kan-Okla 100 Mile Highway Sale.

Those who wish to host a sale should stop by the Independence chamber offices at 616 North Penn by 5pm today in order to secure a permit. The permits are free and will also include having your sale placed on the city-wide map.

The 19^th Annual Kan-Okla Sale happens from September 10 through 12.

Dewey Fire Department responds to two separate fires.

The first blaze was reported late Wednesday night around 11:30pm. When firefighters arrived, they found a large storage shed fully involved in flames. Copan and Washington County fire departments responded for mutual aid and water supply. Bartlesville Ambulance also responded to the scene. Crews were on-scene for around two hours.

The second fire occurred on Thursday afternoon as crews responded to a large grass fire near Copan. The same three fire departments were called to the scene with flames threatening nearby structures. Firefighters quickly brought the blaze under control with minimal damage to the property.

No injuries were reported in wither incident. The cause of both fires remains under investigation.

Wednesday evening shed fire

Copan grass fire

Images courtesy of Dewey Fire

The City of Independence moves forward with condemnation of ten properties across the City deemed dangerous and unsafe, including a Laurel Street trailer park.

The move came at last night's City commission meeting. Residents in the park located at 1610 West Laurel were issued notices to vacate last spring after the park's owner stopped paying the water bill and the utility was shut off. Assistant City Manager David Cowan says, since that time, the condition of the park has declined.

Action on the trailer park may be costly to the City with the estimated cost of abatement falling between $50 and $60 thousand dollars ($50,000 and $60,000). Commissioner Scott Smith says it makes sense to take care of the issue sooner rather than later.

Commissioners agreed to postpone a final decision on the property and adjourned the issue until December 10^th in order to give city officials more time to find a solution. In other business, commissioners voted to move forward with condemnation on nine other properties and set a date for a Public Hearing on November 12^th for another six.

Montgomery County residents will have the opportunity to comment on the County's proposed 2027 budget and its plans to exceed the Revenue Neutral Rate at Monday's county commission meeting.

County commissioners and the county administration has been working over the past few weeks to cut the 2027 budget after announcing plans to exceed the revenue neutral rate. In Kansas, the RNR is calculated using the current year's assessed property values and the amount of property-tax revenue collected the previous year. The RNR is designed to keep a local government's property-tax revenue roughly the same from one year to the next, even when property values change.

As the budget currently stands, the mill for 2027 would be set at 41.903. That number is down from 44 mills when budget talks began.

Monday's meeting begins at 9am in the Commission Room on the lower level of the Judicial Center in Independence. The meeting is open to the public and can also be viewed online via the County's website.

The Kansas Department of Transportation is asking the public to comment on an amendment to the Federal Fiscal Year 2026-2029 Statewide Transportation Improvement Program or STIP.

The STIP is a project specific publication that lists all KDOT administered projects, regardless of funding source, and includes projects for counties and cities as well as projects on the State Highway System. The public comment period ends on September 10^th. To make comments on the amendment, contact KDOT’s Division of Program and Project Management at 785-296-2252.

For more information, follow this link.