Three people are killed in an early-morning house fire near Galesburg.

The Galesburg Fire Department was called to the area of 80^th Road and Highway 59 around 1:30am this morning. The call was intitially reported as a grass fire before being upgraded to a structure fire.  Firefighters arrived to find the home already burned to the ground. The department says all three residents died in the fire.

The Kansas State Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating. No additional information is available at this time. Fire departments from Galesburg, Saint Paul-Mission Township and Erie responded, along with Neosho County emergency agencies.

Part of the City of Caney is without power this morning.

According to Evergy, just over 800 customers are without power as of 10:30 a.m. The outage was first reported around 9:45. Power is expected to be restored by around 11:30.

According to USD 436, Lincoln Elementary and CV west are without power, but Caney Valley Jr/Sr High has not been affected. Anyone needing to reach the Lincoln office should call the board office at 620-879-9200.

Neodesha's Riverwalk Park pond 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. K-State Wildcat Extension Agent Adaven Rohling says the algae bloom can be harmful to both animals and humans.

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.

For information on blue-green algae, follow this link.

The 2026 Oklahoma Primary Runoff Election happens tomorrow.

Voters across the state will have the chance to vote for their say in who will be on the general election ballot in November. In South Coffeyville, voters will once again be asked to approve a $5.9 million bond. The money would be used to fund a second gymnasium, a storm shelter, and general campus improvements. South Coffeyville Schools Superintendent Daryl Pruter says the much needed bond would cause taxes to go up.

The 20-year bond would see the monthly taxes on a $100,000 home to go up by about $12 per month. The bond has failed by a single vote in two previous elections. Pruter says the district needs the improvements that the bond would pay for.

Polls will be open in South Coffeyville and across the State of Oklahoma from 7am to 7pm tomorrow.

Crews in the City of Fredonia will be making repairs to a waterline today.

The project will cause the closure of the intersection at 10th and Quincy beginning this morning at 7:30. Residents in the area from 10th to Monroe may experience disruption to their water service while the repairs are underway.

The work will be completed as quickly as possible in order to restore regular service.

Former U.S. Senator Nancy Landon Kassebaum Baker passed away on Friday at the age of 94.

Kassebaum  was born on July 29, 1932, in Topeka, the daughter of Theo and Alf Landon. Her father was a former Kansas governor and the 1936 Republican nominee for president. She was a graduate of the University of Kansas and the University of Michigan. Kassebaum worked as vice president of Kassebaum Communications, a family-owned company that operated several radio stations. She also served on the School Board in the City of Maize, just west of Wichita. Kassebaum was first elected to national office in 1978 when she beat a crowded Republican primary field to be come Kansas’ first female U.S. Senator. She was reelected in 1984 and again in 1990, but chose not seek a fourth term in 1996. Kassebaum was awarded an honorary doctorate from Kansas State University in 2015.

Her family has stated that there will be a private memorial service at a later date and has requested those who would like to make memorial donation to direct them to the Kansas 4-H Foundation or the Capper Foundation.

Independence Community College will hold a public hearing for its 2027 at tonight's Board of Trustees meeting.

The public is invited to attend tonight's meeting and comment on the proposed budget for 2027. Members of the Board of Trustees will then vote on its approval. Also at tonight's meeting will be a series of reports including those from the ICC Foundation and from the ICC Faculty Senate. Trustees will also consider a vehicle lease agreement and an agreement with the City of Independence for the use of the softball field at the Central Park Sports Complex.

Tonight's ICC Trustees meeting begins at 5:30pm in the Fab Lab building on the ICC main campus. The public is invited to attend.

The City of Fredonia is looking for an individual interested in serving on the Fredonia Regional Hospital Board of Trustees.

The seat has been vacant since August 1st and needs to be filled soon. The individual would be need to serve until August 2029. The Fredonia Regional Hospital Board of Trustees is a seven-member governing body responsible for overseeing the hospital's operations and healthcare services. The trustees are appointed by the City of Fredonia.

Those interested should apply 9am on Monday, August 24. The City Commission is expected to appoint the new trustee  at a special meeting to be held tonight at 5pm at City Hall.

To apply, go here.

School is back in session for most kids across the area and local fire departments are helping students keep cool during the hot weather.

In Independence, the Independence Fire and EMS crews brought a truck and sprayed water on the field and the players at Independence Middle School as they practiced under the August sun on Friday afternoon. Temperatures on Friday afternoon peaked around 100 degrees by the end of practice and the cool water was a welcome relief for the team.

The Independence Fire Department also provided water activities for USD 446 students at the recent Indy Goes Back to School event on August 13th. To the north, Wilson County Rural Fire did the same at the recent back-to-school celebration in Fredonia. They will also be on hand to provide a break from the heat at the upcoming Ag Splash Bash in Fredonia on August 29th.

Temperatures this week are once again forecast to be in the low to mid 90s.

IMS football players cool off at the end of practice. Photo by Indepedence Fire & EMS

Wilson Co. Rural Firefighter helps Fredonia prepare for water games at back to school bash. Phot by Wilson Co Rural Fire

Firefighters from Wilson County Rural fire respond to a vehicle fire in Fredonia.

The emergency call came into Wilson County dispatch around 8:45 on Saturday morning. Crews responded to the Pete’s Convenience Store location on the US-400 roundabout just east of Fredonia. Upon arrival at the scene, firefighters discovered a vehicle in flames at the store’s gas pumps. The blaze was quickly extinguished. The car was total loss, but there was no damage to the gas pumps and no injuries were reported.

A Sedan man passes away following a early-morning car accident.

According to the Kansas Highway Patrol, 19-year-old Jacob Darbro was injured Sunday morning around 3:45am in a single-vehicle rollover accident just south of Sedan. Darbro was a passenger in a vehicle that left the US-166 Business roadway and then overturned. He was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the vehicle during the crash. He was taken to St. John’s Hospital in Tulsa where he succumbed to his injuries.

Darbro was a 2026 graduate of Sedan High School.  A memorial fund has been set up to help the family during this difficult time.  Donations can be mailed in care of Elevate Bank in Sedan.  Full information is available below:

Elevate Bank
C/O Jacob Darbro memorial fund
101 W Main St
Sedan, KS 67361

The Coffeyville Community College Board of Trustees will hold public hearings at tonight's meeting regarding the 2027 budget and the school's plan to exceed the revenue neutral rate.

Trustees will answer objections of taxpayers related to the proposed use of all funds, and the amount of tax to be levied, the revenue neutral rate, and will consider amendments. Detailed budget information will be available at tonight's hearing.

The CCC Trustees meeting begins this afternoon at 4pm in the College Board Room on the CCC Campus. The public is invited to attend.

An 18-year-old woman is struck and killed by a van while crossing I-35 just south of the City of Mulvane.

The accident happened around 8:15 on Friday evening. According to the Kansas Highway Patrol, Shyann Clark of Atlanta, Kansas, had pulled to the side of the road in her vehicle after experiencing engine problems and attempted to cross the roadway.  There, she was struck by a 2014 Chevy Express van driven by 31-year-old Fernando Martinez Gonzalez of Kansas City, Missouri. Clark was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Her family has established a GoFundMe to help cover funeral expenses.

The Montgomery County Commission will meet today and hear reports from several county departments.

At today's meeting, commissioners will hear quarterly reports from County Treasurer Mandi Hargis and from Kenneth Fecke with Juvenile Community Corrections. County Appraiser Melody Kikkert will also present the 2026 compliance report for appraisals.

Commissioners will also consider neighborhood revitalization plans for properties in Coffeyville, Independence, and Elk City.

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.

A motorcyclist is dead following a Friday morning crash in western Kansas.

70-year-old Michael Roe of Hoxie died Friday morning when his 2026 Kawasaki Sport motorcycle struck a semi truck. The semi was driven by 52-year-old Luke Smith of McDonald, Kansas, and was turning left into a parking lot just off US-24 in Hoxie.

No other injuries were reported.

Parsons Police remind drivers to stop when a school bus has its flashing red lights and stop arm activated.

Drivers approaching from either direction must stop before reaching the bus and remain stopped until the bus begins moving or its warning signals are turned off. The reminder comes after officers stopped and cited a driver for improperly passing a school bus on today, which was the second day of school.

PPD says the citation carries a total amount of $360. Officers will continue enforcing school-zone and school-bus traffic laws throughout the school year.

A Bartlesville woman is facing felony charges after allegedly using drugs during pregnancy.

38-year-old Ashley Rendich was charged with three counts of child neglect. According to the Bartlesville Police Department, she tested positive for amphetamine and methamphetamine on two separate drug screenings during her pregnancy. She was admitted to the hospital on June 11^th and June 21^st.

Rendich admitted to medical staff that she had used methamphetamine three weeks before her visit on June 11^th. BPD says the child was born on June 22^nd and weighed one pound and six ounces. The child's cord blood results tested positive for amphetamine. Rendich will appear in court again on August 28^th at 9:00am. Her bond is set at $25,000.

The Coffeyville Regional Medical Center Foundation awards its 2026 scholarships to two local healthcare students.

John Twitchell and Lora Nance receive the Best Family Medical Scholarships. Twitchell is a licensed practical nurse pursuing his registered nursing degree at Coffeyville Community College. Nance works as an occupational therapy assistant at CRMC and is studying to become a licensed occupational therapist at Belmont University.

Twitchell also receives the Barry and Carol Phillips Nursing Scholarship. The Coffeyville couple established the scholarship last year after working in nursing for more than 45 years. The scholarship helps nursing students earn their degrees and encourages them to return to work in Coffeyville. The Best Family has awarded medical scholarships for 21 years. Applications for the next round of CRMC Foundation scholarships will open next spring.

Fredonia Fire and Wilson County Rural Fire respond to a fire on the Osage Cuestas hiking trail.

The blaze occurred on a bridge near the trailhead northeast of Fredonia between Fillmore and US-400. When crews arrived on the scene, they found the bridge heavily engulfed in flames . Firefighters were able to bring the fire under control but the bridge was heavily damaged. The structure was built by volunteers as part of the Rails-to-Trails project.

The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Fredonia Police Department.

Photo courtesy Wilson County Rural Fire

An elementary school teacher in Wyandotte, Oklahoma, faces criminal charges for an alleged inappropriate relationship with her foster child.

35-year-old Melanie Friend was arrested earlier this week by the Ottawa County Sheriff's Office after reports of an inappropriate incident was alleged to have occurred in June 2025 between her and her then 16-year-old foster son. Friend is employed by the Turkey Ford School District in Wyandotte.

Friend has been charged with one count of child sexual abuse. The investigation remains ongoing.

Authorities in Pawnee County release the name of a high school football player who collapsed and died during a practice earlier this week.

According to reports, 17-year-old Rylan Reece suffered a medical emergency during football practice at Pawnee Heights High School in Rozell on Tuesday evening. The boy collapsed on the field and first responders were unable to revive him. Reece was starting his junior year of high school in the small town located about 40 miles northeast of Dodge City.

An autopsy was scheduled to occur in Wichita yesterday to determine the cause of the boy's death.

A new traveling exhibit about Kansas history opens today in Independence.

Independence Chamber President Lisa Wilson says the Kansas Pioneer Patriots Exhibit opens today at the Independence Historical Museum and Art Center.

Wilson says Guernsey was an influential Independence resident in the early 20^th century.

There will be an opening night reception at the museum tonight from 6 to 7:30.

A fall favorite in the four-state area is quickly approaching.

The 19^th Annual Kan-Okla 100 Mile Highway Sale is coming up on September 10 through 12. For Coffeyville residents who plan on hosting a sale, Chamber President Candi Westbrook says the deadline for getting on the city map is quickly approaching.

Westbrook says being on the official map means shoppers will be able to find your sale.

The multi-state event features city-wide yard sales, flea markets, and over 100 booths along highways across southeast Kansas and northeast Oklahoma.

This will be the last weekend that the Big Hill Aquatic Center in Coffeyville will be open for the summer.

The pool will close for the season on Sunday. Swimmers will have the last chance to enjoy the Coffeyville Pool from 1 to 7 tomorrow and then from 1 to 4 on Sunday. Volunteer Ann Marie Vannoster says the pool will then open at 4:30 for the annual dog swim.

Vannoster added they had a great 2026 season and are already looking forward to next summer. She says they are already looking for lifeguards.

Those interested should contact Vannoster at 620-515-1184

Bartlesville Police Department is investigating an assault that occurred Thursday afternoon August 20.

Officers were called to the scene in the 1700 block of West 2nd Street on Thursday around 3pm following a report of an unconscious male. The male was transported by ambulance to a local hospital and was later pronounced deceased.

Detectives with the B-P-D Criminal Investigations Division are actively investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident. The identity of the deceased man has not yet been released.