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Injury Accident North of Nowata on US 169

 

 **UPDATE** Eye witness reports indicate that the accident involved a tractor-trailer that left the roadway, went through a fence, and came to rest in a field.

 There is an injury accident working this morning on US 169 at County Road 19, about three miles north of Nowata.

 Emergency crews on in response. Drivers in the area be on the look out for emergency vehicles and be prepared to pull over and allow them to pass. Use caution in the area or find an alternate route.

Watch for Moles Heading into the Spring

 

Moles are one of the biggest enemies to yards, pastures or any other grassy areas. K-State Wildlife Specialist Drew Ricketts says they can typically cause two types of damage

 

Ricketts says trapping provides the most success in eliminating moles.  Ricketts says toxicants can be used for removal but it isn't as effective as trapping. He says early springtime is one of the most common times for mole activity.

Neodesha City Commission Hear Feedback from Residents

 

 The Neodesha City Commission hears from residents regarding a temporary road.

 At yesterday's meeting, a Neodesha resident asked commissioners about a temporary road near the Fall River dam. The man tells commissioners that many people would like to see the road become permanent.

City Manager Brogan Jones says the road will remain open to foot traffic but not vehicles because of the liability issues it would cause for the city. However, Mayor Devin Johnson says he's open to the suggestion.

No action was taken on the matter. The Neodesha City Commission will meet next on April 10th.

City Of Coffeyville Crews at Work on 11th Street

 

 Crews from Coffeyville Public Service are repairing a guardrail in the 1900 block of West 11th.

 The eastbound lane will be closed temporarily this morning until the work is complete.

Indy City Clerk/Utility Office Closed Today

 

  The City of Independence announces that the City Clerk/Utility Office will be closed ttoday due to software upgrades and staff training.

 The Office will resume normal hours on Monday.

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month

 

 The City of Coffeyville teams up with the Kansas Children's Service League to put the spotlight on preventing child abuse.

 Jordan Limas with the K-C-S-L's Healthy Families program says the goal is to make healthy, happy families.

Limas says the Healthy Families program is a home visit program that serves Montgomery, Labette, Chautauqua, and Elk counties. For the city's part, Coffeyville Mayor Alec Hendryx officially proclaimed April as Child Abuse Prevention Month.

The Kansas Children's Service League asks that citizens get involved to help prevent child abuse by advocating for prevention measures in their communities, volunteering for programs that help prevent abuse, and helping to educate others on the importance of preventing child abuse and neglect. If you suspect a child is being abused or neglected, call 1-800-922-5330.

 

For more ways to help, go here.

Cherryvale Turns "Green," Gets "Shamrocked" To Raise Fund for Fireworks Show

 

 If you've noticed a lot of people clothed in green last week in Cherryvale, your eyes aren't playing tricks on you.

 The City of Cherryvale spent last week “shamrocking” their way to a Fourth of July Fireworks show. Cherryvale citizens were able to pay $5 to have someone “shamrocked,” which means they were given a St. Patrick's Day costume to wear and be photographed in. Those who were covered in green had the option of wearing the costume for an hour or paying $5 to be “de-shamrocked.”

It was, of course, all in good fun since all of the proceeds went to support the Fourth of July Fireworks show. You can see pictures of those who were shamrocked on the City of Cherryvale Facebook page.

 

Kansas Gaming Commission Serves Warrants on Two Cherokee County Quick Stops

 

 Agents from the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission serve warrants for illegal electronic gambling machines in two Cherokee County convenience stores.

 The warrants were served at Quick Stop locations in Baxter Springs and Riverton. The machines in question are similar to electronic slot machines. The Gaming Commission says these games are only legal in Kansas if they are located in a state owned casino or a tribal casino.

The store owners say the machines are leased from a third-party company and that they are legal under Kansas state law.

No arrests were made during the Tuesday raid and it remains unclear if any machines were seized. The warrants are a part of the Kansas Gaming Commission's attempt to crack down on illegal gambling operations in rural areas of the state.

One Injured in Cherryvale Car Crash

 

 A single vehicle accident near Cherryvale leaves a Labette County man injured.

 The accident occurred around 7am yesterday morning about two miles southeast of Cherryvale on County Road Eighteen Thousand. 70 year old Ronnie Nading of Chetopa attempted to pass another vehicle and lost control of his car. The vehicle slid off the road and rolled into a culvert.

Nading was taken to a near by hospital for treatment for minor injuries.

Smoke in Area This Morning

 

If you're waking up to some smoke and haze this morning, there's a likely explanation.

 

According to the Wichita office of the National Weather Service, yesterday was a near-perfect day for prescribed burning in eastern Kansas. The lack of wind that made the conditions ideal for burning may cause some of that smoke to stick around into this morning. The main concern is a drop in air quality for those sensitive to these type of conditions. The smoke is expected to clear out today.

Clark James: For Love of Country and Baseball

 

 The new Central Sports Complex in Independence is a complete reconstruction of the rec league baseball and softball fields on Park Boulevard.

 The fields that will be refurbished are Bicentennial, Jaycee, Hugo, Sinclair, and Clark James fields. Most Independence residents probably have a fair idea of where most of those field names originated, but one might be more difficult, even for those native to the city.

 

Clark James Field was named for the first man from Independence who was killed in action in World War II. Here is his story.

 

 

PPD Warns of Scam Letter

 

The Parsons Police Department is warning citizens about a questionable fund-raising letter.

 

The letter claims to be from the National Police Association, asking for money to support the local police department. While the National Police Association is a 501C3 non-profit organization, it received a Zero-Star Rating from the Charity Navigator which ranks more than 225,000 charities nationwide. Chief Robert Spinks says it's crucial for everyone to exercise caution and verify the legitimacy of any solicitation, especially when it involves donations to support law enforcement.

 

The letter typically urges recipients to make donations to support local law enforcement efforts. However, the National Police Association has stated that they are not fraudulent with these solicitations in any way. Spinks says citizens should know that if they donate money to the National Police Association that group is not funding any program administered by PPD.

Two Arrested on Drug and Forgery Charges

 

Two are arrested and several forgery items are seized in Labette County.

 

Yesterday, the Labette County Sheriff's Office and the Parsons Police Department executed a search warrant at 2314 Broadway. During the search, officers seized methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, ammunition, computers and printers used to manufacture fake I.D.s and vehicle titles and a 2007 BMW 328 SI, which was purchased under false pretenses.

 

Officers arrested Jon Kurtis Smith and Kailee Smith on charges of criminal possession of a weapon by a felon, criminal use of a financial card, forgery, possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia, theft, identity theft and child endangerment. 

Boil Water Advisory for Fall River Is Rescinded

 

 The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has rescinded the boil water advisory fo Fall River in Greenwood County.

 Laboratory testing samples collected from the City of Fall River indicate no evidence of bacteriological contamination and all other conditions that placed the system at risk of contamination are deemed by KDHE officials to be resolved.

Osage County Moving Forward With Courthouse Renovations

 

 Renovations continue at the Osage County Courthouse

 The Osage County Courthouse is getting an annex and there will also be renovations made to the existing courthouse in Pawhuska. At this week's county commission meeting, Board members needed to sign a contract so that those renovations could be made. District One Commissioner Everett Piper says the funding comes from left-over Covid money.

Piper stressed that the money is for renovations and NOT the annex because the two are different and distinct projects. The Board went on sign that contract with Ambler Architects in the amount of just over $130,000 plus a fee of $1,500 a month for services as construction takes place.

Nowata County Commissioners Discuss Money Reallocation

 

 Nowata County Commissioners discuss finances.

 At this week's Nowata County Commission meeting, two requests for a funds transfer were discuessed. The first group that made the request was the county fair board. County Clerk Kay Spurgeon says the transfer will help pay their bills for this fiscal year.

The commissioners closed the meeting shortly after. They’ll meet again next Monday at the Nowata County Court House Annex at 9 am.

Kickstart 66 Tour Begins in Miami

 

 The Kickstart Route 66 Tour begins April 4th in Miami.

 The State of Oklahoma is celebrating the 100th year of America's “Mother Road” Route 66. The historic highway will hit the century mark in 2026 and the Oklahoma Route 66 Centennial Commission has teamed up with the Oklahoma Arts Commission and the Oklahoma Main Street Center to introduce economic resources into cities along the historic highway.

Business owners, government officials, nonprofit organizations, artists, chambers of commerce, and other stakeholders are invited to take part.

The tour begins on April 4th at 4pm at the Coleman Theater in Miami.

 

Car Crash Victim Succumbs to Injuries

 

 The victim of a car crash late last week succumbs to her injuries.

 76 year old Patricia Crisp of Wyandotte, OK, passed away Monday at Mercy Hospital in Joplin. Crisp was a passenger in a vehicle involved in an accident that occurred last Thursday near Wyandotte. Crisp was riding in a Dodge Caravan that failed to negotiate a curve on Oklahoma Highway 10. The vehicle left the roadway and struck a guardrail. When the driver tried to correct, they swerved into oncoming traffic and struck a Ford F-150. 

The driver of the Caravan sustained minor injuries. The driver of the F-150 was not hurt.

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol is investigating the accident.

Joplin Police Pursuit Leads Into Kansas and to Arrest

 

 Joplin Police chase a vehicle into Kansas then back into Missouri before making an arrest.

 Late last week, a Joplin Police officer attempted to make a traffic stop when the vehicle fled, eventually crossing the state line into Kansas. The pursuit continued as the vehicle crossed back into Missouri. Authorities say the occupants of the vehicle threw multiple items from the car during the chase. Officers eventually deployed tire deflation devices, ending the chase.

41 year old Joseph Hood and 36 year old Bobby Cooper, both of Joplin, were taken into custody on multiple charges including felony resisting arrest.

Hoskin Calls for Car Tag Compact Renewal

 

 Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. calls for the renewal of the tribal-state car tag compact.

 Hoskin made the call yesterday as the Cherokee Nation distributes record funding to more than 100 school districts in Northeast Oklahoma.

The $7.9 million distribution was part of the tribe’s annual Public School Appreciation Day event at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa.The tribe allocates 38% of its annual revenue collected from the sale of tribal car tags through the tribal-state car tag compact directly to education.This year’s distribution will mark the largest total annual amount provided to school districts since the Cherokee Nation began its annual contributions in 2002.

The money allocated to school districts is based on the number of Cherokee Nation citizens that have enrolled; however, the funding benefits all students in each school district.

Each school district makes the decision on how to use the funding provided by the Cherokee Nation. Washington County schools received $354,000, Nowata County schools received $103,000 and Rogers County schools received $844,000.

KS Dairy Cattle Test Positive for Bird Flu

 

Federal officials say milk from dairy cows in Texas and Kansas has tested positive for bird flu.

 

Officials with the Texas Animal Health Commission confirmed the flu virus is the Type A H5N1 strain, known for decades to cause outbreaks in birds and occasionally infect people. The virus is affecting older dairy cows, causing decreased lactation and low appetite. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says the milk supply remains safe. Dairies are required to only allow milk from healthy animals to enter the food supply, and milk from sick animals is being diverted or destroyed. Pasteurization also kills viruses and other bacteria, and the process is required for milk sold through interstate commerce. Experts say livestock appear to recover on their own within seven to 10 days.

Guardrail Improvements in Chautauqua County

 

Upgrades are coming to guardrails in Chautauqua County.

 

The Kansas Department of Transportation expects to begin the guardrail updates at four locations on U.S. 166 in Chautauqua County. The projects will start on Tuesday, April 9th two miles east of Niotaze. Temporary signals will direct one-lane traffic through the work zone with brief delays. Weather permitting, the work should be finished by the end of September. KDOT awarded the construction contract of $1.7 million to B&B Bridge Company LLC of St. Paul, Kansas.

 

11 Houses to be Demolished in Coffeyville

 

The City of Coffeyville has over 125 houses that are not up to code. The city commission approved a contract with Muller Construction to have 11 of those demolished. Code Enforcement Officer Angie Stevens says they can be brought up to code at any time.

 

The City has budgeted to have 20 houses demolished for the fiscal year. Interim City Manager Tim Wilson says that number needs to be around 40 to 50.

 

Wilson says he will bring a plan to the commission at the next meeting about how they can replace these old houses with new ones. In other business, the commission gave support to the Court of Valor project at Restlawn Cemetery.

Labette County Sheriff's Office Investigating Attempted Burglary

 

The Labette County Sheriff's Office is investigating an attempted burglary.

 

Sunday at 12:45am, two suspects attempted to break into a residence in the 3400 block of Dirr Street in Parsons. The suspects were wearing dark clothing and were last seen walking Northwest from Dirr Street.

 

Anyone who might have seen these individuals or has any security videos during that time is asked to contact the Labette County Sheriff’s Office at (620)795-2565.

Parsons Man Arrested on Fourth DUI

 

A tip from a citizen leads to a DUI arrest of a Parsons man.

 

Dispatch received a call from a citizen saying they saw an Oldsmobile Alero driving into traffic and almost hitting another vehicle. The witness gave a detailed description of the car and where it was heading. A responding officer saw the Alero drive off the roadway. The vehicle then pulled over into a trailer park and the officer made contact with the driver, 66-year-old Larry Buffington.

 

During the officer's investigation, an open container was found in the Alero. Buffington was arrested and transported to the Parsons Police Department’s Lockup Facility for further investigation.  He was found to be almost twice the legal limit, with a BAC of almost 0.16. Buffington was found to have three other convictions for driving under the influence. He faces charges of driving under the influence and transporting an open container.

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