There is just over two weeks left for Kansas' Sunflower Summer.

Coffeyville Chamber of Commerce President Candi Westbrook says the program runs until August 2^nd.  Other area cities with attractions participating in Sunflower Summer include Independence, Oswego, Parsons, West Mineral and Howard.

The Parsons Police Department arrests four runaway juveniles following an attempted burglary.

At around 12:45am this morning, PPD responded to a report of a possible burglary in progress after a citizen observed several individuals attempting to force entry into a local vape shop. Officers arrived within minutes and discovered evidence confirming an attempted entry into the business. As officers canvassed the surrounding area, they saw four individuals fleeing south. With assistance from the Labette County Sheriff's Office, officers established a perimeter extending from 24^th Street and Grand Avenue back toward Main Street and began a coordinated search of the area.

During the search, officers located and took two of the juvenile suspects into custody. The remaining two juveniles were later located after returning to the Youth Crisis Center, where they were taken into custody. The investigation determined that all four suspects were runaway juveniles from the Youth Crisis Center. All four juveniles were transported to the Southeast Kansas Regional Juvenile Detention Center, where they are being held pending charges of attempted burglary, criminal damage to property and interference with law enforcement.

The City of Coffeyville assures citizens of transparency when it comes to possible data centers.

City Manager Ben Brubaker took to FaceBook on Wednesday to promise residents that they will be a part of any discussion when it comes to possible data centers in the City. Brubaker first raised the issue at a June city commission meeting, which led to a great deal of online discussion on social media. In a Tuesday interview on KGGF, Brubaker stated that multiple data center companies have expressed interest in the City. He says there are many reasons why Coffeyville is an attractive site.

Brubaker says any talks about a data center are in the very preliminary stages and that his priority is what will be best for Coffeyville.

Brubaker says there are many questions that need to be considered.

Brubaker encouraged any citizens with questions to reach out to the City.

The Elk County Free Fair gets underway Wednesday, July 15, at the fairgrounds in Longton with a full day of exhibits, livestock check-in, and judging.

The day begins with check-in for 4-H indoor exhibits, poultry, and rabbits from 8 to 10 a.m., followed by judging of 4-H exhibits at 10 a.m. The fair building will be closed during judging.

Open Class exhibit check-in, including photography contest entries and hay bale decorating entries, runs from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Livestock activities continue with 4-H animal weigh-in from 6 to 7:45 p.m. and 4-H breeding beef check-in from 7:45 to 8 p.m.

The Elk County Free Fair continues through Saturday with livestock shows, family activities, entertainment, and the annual fair parade.

Kansas Governor Laura Kelly denies a request for clemency from convicted murderers Johnathan and Reginald Carr.

The two brothers were convicted for the December 2000 murders of five people during a week-long crime spree in Wichita and were sentenced to death for the crimes. Both had requested the commutation of their death sentences to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

On Tuesday, July 14, Kelly denied that request. Kelly stated: “I have long supported the repeal of the death penalty, believing it an impractical, expensive burden on the state. And, because it mandates multiple opportunities for appeal, it drastically delays closure for the families of the victims. A sentence of life in prison with no chance of parole makes much more sense for all concerned.

“However, the death penalty is current law in Kansas and, if ever there were a situation in which the death penalty is justified, it is that of the unspeakably heinous acts of torture and murder committed by Reginald and Jonathan Carr.

“Because of the horrific nature of their crimes and because it appears that their punishment was meted out after thoughtful consideration by a jury of their peers, I am denying the death sentence commutation requests of both Reginald Carr and Jonathan Carr.

“I hope that this denial provides some comfort for those who still grieve their loved ones 26 years later.”

The victims of the Carr brothers' crime spree. (Top) Ann Walenta, Heather Muller, Brad Heyka. (Bottom) Aaron Sander, Jason Befort

Photo: Johnathan Carr (l), Reginald Carr (r)

A 3-year-old Kansas girl is dead following a drowning incident in southwest Missouri.

The incident occurred on Saturday night, July 11, in the Elk River near the Las Garzas campground located northeast of Noel. The Missouri State Highway Patrol was called to the scene just before midnight to investigate the drowning. The accident report states that the child was unable to swim and not wearing a life jacket when she entered the river.

The M-S-H-P says this is the 6^th drowning of 2026 and urges those near the water to use caution and maintain supervision of children.

The City of Coffeyville announces its plans to keep citizens informed on discussions regarding data centers.

The issue came to light in Coffeyville after City Manager Ben Brubaker raised the subject at a June city commission meeting. Brubaker also spoke about the issue during the public comment section of this week's Montgomery County Commission meeting. He says his plan is to be completely transparent with the public.

Brubaker also talked about the issue yesterday morning on KGGF. He says he's heard from dozens of data center companies during his two years as City Manager.

Brubaker added that no decisions have been made at this time. The City plans to hold a public information session in the first week of August. A further statement on the issue is expected from the City later today.

Work begins today in Neodesha to replace a drinking fountain at Barney's Field.

The City Public Works Department will begin work to replace the aging drinking fountain at the ball fields located across from Neodesha High School. During the installation, the area around the fountain will be excavated and temporarily closed while crews complete the necessary utility connections and concrete work. The City asks everyone using the park to please use caution, respect any barricades or signage, and avoid the work area so City crews can complete the project safely and efficiently.

Three Neodesha City employees are recognized for completing a Public Administration Program through Wichita State University.

City Clerk Stephanie Fyfe, Assistant City Clerk Rhonda Howell, and City Treasurer Tanna Denney were recently presented certificates of completion for the Mini Master of Public Administration program at WSU. Director of WSU's Hugo Wall School of Public Affairs Stephanie Newbold says the focus of the program is to improve the skills of municipal employees.
 

The MiniMPA program provides local government professionals with advanced training in public administration, leadership, budgeting, strategic planning, and organizational management. The three were recognized for their achievement at the recent Neodesha City Commission meeting.

Photo: (Left to Right) City Clerk Stephanie Fyfe, Commissioner Duane Banzet, Director of WSU's Hugo Wall School of Public Affairs Stephanie Newbold, City Manager Brogan Jones, Assistant City Clerk Rhonda Howell, WSU Assistant Teaching Professor Merci Umeri, Mayor Devin Johnson, Commissioner Ed Truelove. Inset: City Treasurer Tanna Denney

The Wilson County Commission will meet today and hear an update from the County Health Department.

Health Coordinator for the Wilson County Health Department Amy Lell will appear before the commission today to give her regular report. Commissioners will also consider 2027 budget requests from Rural Fire and the Wilson County Conservation District. Road & Bridge Supervisor Kary Tatum will also give an update on projects around the county. Today's meeting of the Wilson County Commission begins at 9am at the courthouse in Fredonia. The public is invited to attend.

The 153rd Annual Erie Old Soldiers & Sailors Reunion continues today and tomorrow with one of the week's signature events, the American Legion IPRA World Championship Rodeo.

The rodeo continues tonight at the American Legion Arena, featuring events including bull riding, saddle bronc riding, barrel racing, team roping, steer wrestling, and mutton busting.

Organizers say event draws top rodeo competitors from across the region and remains one of the biggest attractions of Reunion week. Gates open at 6 p.m., with tickets available in advance and at the gate.

photo credit: International Professional Rodeo Association 

Net fishing is now no longer allowed at Leclere Lake in Coffeyville.

City Clerk Melissa Carter says this was brought to the commission because of concerns raised by citizens about the use of nets on the lake.  Carter says the proposed amendment would prohibit all forms of net fishing on Leclere Lake.

The Coffeyville City Commission unanimously approved both the first and second reading of the ordinance amending the rules for fishing on Leclere Lake.

The Midland Theater's Annual Vaude in the Ville is coming up later this month. Coffeyville's Reawkening's Denise York says tickets are $30.

York says this event is the operational fundraiser for the Midland Theater. A link to buy the tickets can be found here. The event is on Saturday, July 25^th from 7:00pm to 9:00pm.

The Nowata mayor appears at the weekly Save Our Hospital meeting.

Ascension St. John has submitted an application to reclassify Ascension St. John Nowata from a Critical Access Hospital to a Rural Emergency Hospital. The change would eliminate in-patient services, requiring patients in Nowata to seek treatment in either Bartlesville or Owasso.  Mayor Garry Gibson says a possible avenue could be the Cherokee Nation to keep in-patient services in Nowata.

Gibson says that Hillcrest has shown interest in putting a hospital in Nowata. During the meeting, the discussion shifted to Medicaid and the percentages that the federal government and state governments cover. Under the Affordable Care Act, the federal government is responsible for 90% of costs and the state pays 10%. Gibson says there is a potential shift in federal and state coverage.

After Sunday's Save Our Hospital event, members of the group have called for county unity. Gibson says the community needs to fight.  The Save Our Hospital group meets Monday evenings at 6:00pm at the Clark Event Center, located at 220 North Maple Street. The group will not meet next Monday, July 20^th, but will have a meeting in two weeks on July 27^th.

A Parsons man is arrested in a stolen vehicle investigation.

The Parsons Police Department was notified by the Augusta Police Department that a vehicle stolen around 7:50am yesterday morning was believed to be headed toward Parsons. Officers familiar with the suspect used the department's Flock Safety camera system to track the vehicle's movement and began monitoring areas where it was expected to travel.

Around 10:50am, an officer spotted the stolen vehicle near the 2300 block of Appleton Avenue as it traveled through alleyways. The officer maintained visual contact and safely took 42-year-old Tylor Abshere into custody without incident. Abshere was arrested on behalf of the Augusta Police Department on a felony motor vehicle theft warrant. PPD says he will also face a local charge of driving while suspended.

Southeast Kansas farmers are making progress in the fields as summer crops continue developing across the region. According to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, Kansas had 5.5 days suitable for fieldwork last week.

Winter wheat harvest is nearing completion statewide, with 97% of the crop now harvested. In southeast Kansas, 95% of the wheat crop has been harvested.

Corn development continues to move along, with 94% of southeast Kansas corn now silking and 65% reaching the dough stage. Soybean fields are also progressing, with 95% of the state’s crop emerged and 69% rated good to excellent.

Pasture and range conditions remain steady, with 57% of Kansas pastures rated good to excellent as producers continue watching moisture conditions during the summer growing season.

The Coffeyville City Commission will meet tonight and entertain a light agenda.

At tonight's meeting, commissioners will consider adopting changes to regulations regarding net fishing at the lake at LeClere Park. There will be a second reading of the proposed changes. Commissioners will also consider a resolution of intent to amend the Neighborhood Revitalization Plan and set a Public Hearing on the proposal. City Manager Ben Brubaker will also speak about the issue of data centers during his report. No action will be taken on the discussion.

Tonight's meeting begins at 6:30 in the Commission Room at Coffeyville's City Hall. The public is invited to attend in person or to view the meeting online via the City of Coffeyville YouTube channel.

Ralph Mitchell Zoo in Independence announces that the zoo's cougar has passed away.

Zoo officials say the 16-year-old cougar named Tink was humanely euthanized earlier this month after suffering from kidney failure. Tink arrived at the Independence Zoo in 2011 on loan from the Tulsa Zoo. The animal first showed a decline in kidney function in 2023 after routine bloodwork indicated an issue. Tink was put on medication to combat the effects but her health continued to decline. Tink was pulled off exhibit at the zoo last winter after suffering a seizure. She was given medical attention, but continued to suffer until zoo staff made the difficult decision to euthanize the animal.

Cougars are solitary animals that are native to the Americas, ranging from thr Canadian Yukon to the Southern Andes. Life expectancy in the wild is 8 to 13 years, though in captivity they can live for more than 20.

The Kansas Department of Transportation is reminding citizens that political signs and billboards are not allowed to be placed on the state highway right-of-way.

By law, all right of way on state highways is exclusively for public highway purposes. Only regulatory, guide signs and warning signs placed by KDOT are allowed on the 9,500-mile state highway system. KDOT has jurisdiction over all interstate, Kansas and U.S. routes. Any political signs found in the right-of-way by KDOT maintenance crews will be removed without notice and taken to the closest KDOT office. If the signs are not claimed they will be disposed of after the election.

State law does allow for the  placement of campaign signs on city- or county-owned right of way. Those with questions should contact the local jurisdiction. Political campaigns signs are allowed on private property adjacent to state right-of-ways.

Firefighters in Wilson County respond to a vehicle fire near Benedict.

Wilson County Rural Fire was dispatched to a location on K-39 near the turn off to the City of Benedict around 4pm on Monday, July 13. The driver was unaware that the truck was on fire and this caused several small spot fires along the roadway. These roadsides flames caused heavy smoke along the highway prompting visibility issues on K-39. Firefighters were able to safely extinguish both the vehicle fire and the spot fires with no injuries reported.

The Oklahoma Attorney General announces a $44 million settlement in the state's 21-year lawsuit against six companies over poultry litter pollution.

The announcement came on Monday, July 13, from Oklahoma A-G Gentner Drummond. The original lawsuit was filed in 2005 against Tyson Foods, Cargill, George's, Peterson Farms, Cal-Maine and Simmons Foods over poultry litter pollution in the Illinois River Watershed. Under the settlement, the defendants will pay $41.67 million into an Environmental Relief Fund for watershed stewardship and litigation costs, and another $420,000 in penalties to the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality Revolving Fund. They also agreed to progressively reduce the amount of poultry litter land-applied within the watershed over the next seven years.

A federal judge had found the companies liable in December 2025, but then rejected a narrower settlement with four of the six companies last spring. Under the new settlement, the State will move to set aside the December 2025 court judgment and close out the lawsuit once the settlement is finalized.

“This agreement allows us to turn the page on a dispute that has gone on for far too long,” Drummond said. “It protects Oklahoma’s water, provides certainty for our poultry industry, and shows that difficult problems can be solved through persistence and good-faith negotiation. When the court asked us to strengthen the agreement, we went back to work and reached a better result. Every company has now made enforceable commitments with clear deadlines, creating a balanced solution that protects our natural resources while supporting one of Oklahoma’s most important industries.” 

The Wilson County Commission approves a permit application for a new cell tower in the northeast part of the county.

Commissioners held a Public Hearing on the permit at their last meeting. No members of the public came forth with a comment, so the hearing was closed and the permit was approved. The approved site is located near Rest, or about 8 miles north of Altoona.

In other business, commissioners approved a contract with the County Health Department for School Nurse services for Altoona-Midway schools for just over $20,000. They also approved pay increases for several county employees who completed their introductory periods. Road & Bridge Supervisor Kary Tatum updated the commission on continued road and culvert repairs due to recent washouts and discussed upcoming asphalt overlay work that will take place in the coming months.

A new storm shelter for South Coffeyville Public Schools is almost ready to use.

After last night's South Coffeyville School Board meeting, board members toured the new shelter which is under construction south of the elementary school. Superintendent Daryl Pruter says the shelter's max capacity will be 300 people, and the shelter will be available after school hours for community use. The shelter should be ready for use in the next few weeks.

In other business, the board approved the revisions to the student handbook, which include clear backpacks as a requirement as recommended by the state. The board also approved a lease-purchase agreement of $36,000 for an aluminum livestock trailer and stock box for the ag program. Ag teacher Jeff McGlathery says this will be a big benefit for the program.

The district will put $6,000 down and pay the rest in the coming years from the ag budget and the general fund.

The board also hired Twilia Lundy as junior high and high school biology and physical science teacher for the coming school year.

The Montgomery County Commission discusses a 14% tax increase for 2027 and hears citizen comments on the issue.

At this week’s meeting, the County followed its legal obligation to notify the County Clerk of  the intent to exceed the Revenue Neutral Rate for next year’s budget. The current mill levy is 39.948 but will be increased to 46 mills. County Administrator Jonathan Booe says the final increase will likely be less than 46.

The 2027 budget as it currently stands would be 44.676 or a 14% increase in property taxes. According to Booe, the County began work on the 2027 budget at 52 mills. He says commissioners have already made several cuts.

Commissioner Robert Bever stated that a lot of the budget is taken up by items required by the state such as court services and the housing of inmates at the County Jail. Bever says the budget can be lower, but that would mean a cut in services such as road repair.

Many Montgomery County  citizens attended this week’s meeting and spoke against the tax increase during a ninety-minute long public comment session.

To view this commission meeting, follow this link.

Booe’s discussion with commissioners begins around 11:00 mark and lasts around 30 minutes

Public comments begin at approximately the 54:45 mark and last about 90 minutes. Several public comments are about data centers, which the Commission plans to discuss at next week’s meeting.