The National Weather Service in Wichita have issued a Wind Advisory for most of southeast Kansas for Saturday. Maximum sustained winds are expected out of the southwest at 15 mph in the morning before increasing up to 30 mph in the afternoon. Winds gusts could be as high as 40 mph.

Please take precautions to protect or secure light weight outdoor furniture, trash cans, and holiday decorations from these damaging winds. Also use caution while traveling on roadways, especially for high profile vehicles which could be difficult to control.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and The TJC Companies, Inc. say T.J. Maxx, Marshalls and HomeGoods sold 19 different recalled products after they were recalled between 2014 and 2019.

The recalled items include furniture, infant sleepers, toys and kitchen knives. Some of the items have resulted in infant deaths. The CPSC says consumers should stop using the recalled products immediately and contact the recalling firms to receive a refund, replacement or repair.

The list of recalled products is as follows:

Inclined Sleeper Accessory for Ultra-Lite Day & Night Play Yards Recalled by Fisher Price

Portable Speakers Recalled by ION Audio

Rocking Sleepers Recalled by Kids II

Rock ‘n Play Sleepers Recalled by Fisher-Price

Glass & Ceramic Drawer Knobs Recalled by TJX

Bistro Chairs Recalled by Jimco

Swivel Barstools Recalled by TJX

Children’s Cardigan Sets Recalled by Carter’s

Sharper Image and Frigidaire Mandoline Slicers Recalled by Premier Kitch

Glass Beer Mugs Recalled by TJX

Coffee Presses Recalled by Bradshaw International

The Neodesha Police Department is working with Officer Ryan Miller and his photography business by providing Christmas family portraits in for a $5.00 donation towards assisting a family in need this holiday season on December 8^th from 1pm to 5pm at the Neodesha Rec Center. You are asked to enter through the west doors of the rec center.

All proceeds will go to the family in need so bring out your holiday sweaters and come get your pictures taken to help give back. A digital edit will be emailed to you by December 14th.

There will be a special presentation on Saturday night at 7:00 PM at Memorial Hall prior to the Oak Ridge Boys Down Home Christmas concert. The Auditorium at Memorial Hall is set to be recognized as the Jim Halsey Auditorium.

Jim Halsey has been in the music business for 70 years and has booked hundreds of acts at Independence Memorial Hall since 1949.

In addition to the recognition of Halsey, Attorney General Derek Schmidt will be in attendance to recognize the Oak Ridge Boys. They have teamed up with AARP and the Justice Department to launch a public service announcement to raise awareness about fraud targeting older Americans.

Right after the special presentations, the Down Home Christmas concert featuring the Oak Ridge Boys will begin at 7:30 PM.

The box office at Memorial Hall is located at 410 N. Penn Ave in Independence and it will be open Friday 10:00 to 4:00 PM on Friday and then Saturday from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM and then from 6:00 PM to showtime.

Carnie Smith Stadium in Pittsburg is hosting Wichita Northwest and Mill Valley on Saturday in the 5A State Championship game. Mill Valley enters the game at 9-3 while Wichita Northwest comes in perfect at 11-0. Kickoff is set for 1:00 PM.

On Thursday, December 5^th, Mississippi Gulf Coast takes on Lackawanna for the NJCAA National Title game with the kickoff scheduled for 5:00 PM at Carnie Smith Stadium. The night before the game, NFL Hall of Famer and Kansas City Chiefs legend Bobby Bell is the keynote speaker at the Mpix.com Champions Banquet. Tickets for the public are available by calling 620-231-1212. 

It's been 10 years since Blinn College beat Fort Scott in the National Junior College Title game in Pittsburg.

The Independence Jazz Band will be presenting their Fall Community & Jazz Concery on December 2^nd beginning at 7pm. Instead of the concert taking place at the William Inge Theater, the venue of the concert has been moved to Downtown Independence. Independence Chamber of Commerce Director Lisa Wilson explains.

Admission to the concert is free and there will be a pre-concert meet and greet with Conductor Dr. Larry Markiewicz beginning at 6:15pm.

It's always amazing to hear stories of bravery with those who work so closely in the community. That was the case at Tuesday night's Coffeyville Commission Meeting that took place at City Hall.

In special presentations on the agenda, multiple firefighters and a police officer were honored with awards of Water Rescue and Lifesaving.

Coffeyville Fire Chief Billy Cockman acknowledges those involved in the multiple water rescue efforts. 

Cockman addresses the commission and describes that day with multiple water rescues. 

The other special presentation involved Coffeyville Police Officer Terrance Gaston in a lifesaving experience involving an infant. Cockman and Police Chief Kwin Bromley were both involved in presenting this award to Gaston. 
 

In other special presentations from the meeting on Tuesday night, the Coffeyville Police Department swore in new Officer Michael Burroughs.

The City of Coffeyville City Commission meets on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month at City Hall. More information can be found on their website at Coffeyville.com. 

The City of Coffeyville Commission Meeting took place on Tuesday night at City Hall with plenty of items listed on the agenda. After the review of the agenda, the commission went over Appropriation Ordinance's involving Isham's and Irontime. 

One of the topics under the regular agenda items was the 2020 Census Proclamation. Mayor Paul Bauer began with information regarding the Census Proclamation. 

Bauer also explains that the Census 2020 is a top priority. 

The 2020 population numbers will shape how political power and tax dollars are shared in the community over the next ten years. 

The complete agenda packet for each meeting is available on the City's website at www.coffeyville.com under the "Agendas & Minutes" link. 

A wildfire in southeast Kansas initiated mandatory evacuations for residents south and east of Longton Tuesday night.

The wildfire was burning near the Elk and Chautauqua County line. All available fireman crews from Chautauqua County, Montgomery County, Labette County,, Greenwood County, and Wilson County, and several townships responded. Elk County EMS and Elk County Emergency Management also responded to assist where they could.

The grass fire was brought under control around 3 a.m. this morning and the firefighters will be on scene for some time watching for hot spots.

The CRMC Foundation will host their annual “Tree of Hope” tree lighting ceremony on Wednesday, December 4^th. The event will take place in the CRMC Jerry Marquette Radiation Oncology Center from 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM with the tree lighting scheduled for 5:30 PM.

Angels may be purchased for $5.00 through the CRMC Foundation Office and will also be available for purchase during the event. Proceeds will benefit the CRMC Cancer Centers.

Special Music will be provided by Kari Vannoster Price and refreshments are set to be served. For more information contact Cari Redden at 620-252-1674.

With Thanksgiving almost here, K-State Research and Extension Family and Consumer Science Agent Barbara Ames has some tips so you can have a food safe holiday.

Ames says if you have any questions you can call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-674-6854 to talk to a food safety expert. Last November they answered more than 3,000 calls about Thanksgiving dinner.

Earlier this week, district staff and the Chanute Police Department were made aware of a potential threat of violence toward specific students at Royster Middle School. Chanute Public Schools, the Chanute Police Department and the Neosho County Attorney were involved in determining the validity and seriousness of the threat.

USD 413 administration and Chanute Police Department have met with parents of specific students who may have been the targets of the threat. Steps have been taken to create a safe learning environment in all USD 413 buildings.

Any questions regarding this matter should be directed to the USD 413 Central Office at (620) 432-2500 and/or the Chanute Police Department at (620) 431-5768.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced yesterday that they have invested $5.2 million in high-speed broadband infrastructure that will create or improve rural e-Connectivity for rural households and farms in Kansas. This is one of many funding announcements in the first round of USDA’s Reconnect Pilot Program investments.

Wave Wireless, LLC will use ReConnect Program funding to deploy a Fiber-to-the-Premise broadband network capable of simultaneous transmission rates of 100 megabits per second or greater. The funded service areas include 1,390 households, 16 businesses, and 23 farms. The project will facilitate more access to services and information for local residents, and it will improve the overall quality of life for people in the community.

In a surprise announcement, 8^th Grade Teacher Brooke Lee received the national Milken Educator Award at an all-school assembly at Will Rogers Junior High in Claremore. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister was joined by Governor Kevin Stitt and Milken Educator Awards Senior Vice President Jane Foley in presenting the prestigious award, which comes with $25,000.

Lee, an English language arts teacher, is known for providing experiences to engage her students’ individual interests and using a multitude of learning strategies to meet the needs of a diverse set of learners. Last year, nearly half of Lee’s students showed an average increase of at least two years of academic growth.

*Audio and Photo Courtesy The Milken Family Foundation*

The Oswego Chamber of Commerce have announced that Wednesday, December 4^th will be the date of the Annual Christmas Parade.

This year's parade is being called “Christmas on the Farm” and will begin at 7:00pm in downtown. A chili supper before the parade will begin at 5:30pm at First Baptist Church. Following the parade, children can visit Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus at in the council room.

The Fine Arts department at Coffeyville Community College has added a new faculty member for the upcoming semester. Crockett James Ward will be returning to the department as an actor and a teaching artist. He performed in the Fall 2018 production of Anton in Small Business for the department. Ward will once again take to the stage as an actor in the department's upcoming performance of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, as well as serving as the production's Dialect Captain and Movement Director.

In addition to his work in upcoming performances, Ward will join the CCC faculty as an adjunct professor. He holds a Masters of Fine Arts degree in Theatre Performance from the University of Southern Mississippi.

The National Weather Service out of Wichita has set an elevated fire danger level for Montgomery County through Tuesday night. The county is set at an extreme level on the Kansas Grassland Fire Danger Index, which is the second highest level. The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office is asking residents to dispose of smoke materials properly and to use extreme caution when using any kind of open flame.

Most of southeastern and south central Kansas fall under the increased and current fire danger levels, including areas to the north and east of Coffeyville.

The Coffeyville Area Chamber of Commerce is urging its residents to shop local this weekend. Small Business Saturday is this weekend following Black Friday. From unique candles, jewelry, shop tools and clothing, you can get everything you need on your Christmas shopping list this year.

Plus, shop at one of the Christmas Bucks participants for your chance to win this holiday season. Enter your name and number at one of the many businesses taking part as they will have six winners every week. Shopping local gives you a chance to win up to $3000 in the Christmas Bucks giveaway with the first drawing on December 5^th.

Businesses participating in Christmas Bucks: BluBoots - Cantrell's Fine Jewelry - Casey's on 11th - Casey's on Cline - Coffeyville Brown's Shoe Fit - Coffeyville Country Club - Coffeyville Feed & Farm Supply - Coffeyville Gold & Silver Exchange - Country Mart - County Line Salvage - Dalton Defenders & Coffeyville History Museum - Designs Unlimited - Dollar Tire - Factory Connection - Green Acres Florist - Hillcrest Golf Course - Isham True Value Hardware - Jan-L's Flowers, Gifts & Interiors - Lannings Downtown Grill - Liebert Brothers Electric Co. - Mom & Pop's Nutrition - Natural Food Center - Nichol's Hitching Post - Nutrition Ville - Orschelns Farm & Home - Simply Southern Boutique - Sunflower Soda Fountain - The Yoke Bar & Grill

New Christmas lights have downtown Coffeyville looking a little brighter. Chamber of Commerce Director Candi Westbrook says the Chamber had been saving money for the lights for the past year but didn't have quite enough until four local businesses stepped up.

Westbrook says the lights were put up in time for the Coffeyville Christmas Parade which is coming up Friday, December 6^th starting at 6:00pm.

A new Chief Executive Officer has been named at Coffeyville Regional Medical Center.  The Board of Directors announced Monday afternoon that Brian Lawrence has been named the hospital’s new CEO.

Lawrence comes to CRMC from Jane Phillips Medical Center in Bartlesville where he has served as Director of Operations since 2009.  Lawrence is no stranger to Coffeyville as he served as Director of Marketing and Physician Hospital Organization at CRMC in 2008 and 2009   

Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt today announced his office, in cooperation with the Kansas Organization for Victim Assistance, will host receptions in Wichita, Garden City, Kansas City and Topeka in honor and remembrance of crime victims who lost their lives.

Schmidt said the holiday season can be a difficult time for the families of crime victims. The intent behind these receptions is to provide families with an opportunity to come together and honor their memories and share support and encouragement.

A schedule for the four receptions can be seen below:

Friends and family members of crime victims are invited to attend and to bring an ornament for an “Angel Tree” in honor of their loved ones. The public is also invited to attend. More information is available on the attorney general’s website here.

The Kansas Department of Transportation have announced approved bids for state highway construction and maintenance projects in Kansas. The letting took place Nov. 13, 2019, in Topeka. Some of the bids may include multiple projects that have been bundled based on proximity and type of work.

Included in the construction and maintenance projects for Montgomery County are U.S. 75 from the Oklahoma/Kansas border to the south city limits of Caney. In Chautauqua County K-99, beginning just south of the K-99 / Quivira Road intersection north and from the north city limits of Sedan north to the Chautauqua/Elk county line.

The City of Parsons have announced that all city office will be closed on Thursday and Friday this week for the Thanksgiving holiday. They have also announced that trash normally picked up on Thursday and Friday will be pick up on Monday, December 2^nd and there will be no bulk pick on Monday. Also due to the Thanksgiving Holiday, the Parsons City Commission will hold their meeting Wednesday, November 27 at noon.

If you have any questions on these changes, call the Parsons city hall at (620) 421-7020.

The Higher Learning Commission has announced the removal of its sanction of notice and Independence Community College has been approved for reinstatement as an HLC-accredited institution. In November of 2017, ICC was placed on notice by the HLC for being at risk of incompliance with accreditation criteria. Over the past two years, ICC has faced challenges and changes, but the ICC community has worked hard to make improvement and persevere. With a new strategic plan and capable leadership in place, ICC is ready to continue moving forward in the right direction.

Interim President George Knox says he is very grateful to those who devoted so much time and attention to this project.

AAA Kansas projects will be assisting more than 1,900 stranded motorists during the busy upcoming Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

Operators and roadside technicians respond to more than 30 million calls each year, including more than 104,000 in Kansas alone in 2018. Nationally, an average of 23 tow operators are killed at the roadside every year with one service provider on average being killed on the job at the roadside every other week.

AAA is recommitting its efforts to increase awareness of and support for Slow Down, Move Over laws. These laws are in place in all 50 states. These laws require motorists to slow down and move over or change lanes, if possible, to give safe clearance.

Kansas State law requires drivers approaching a stationary emergency vehicle displaying flashing lights, including towing and recovery vehicles, traveling in the same direction, to vacate the lane closest if safe and possible to do so, or slow to a speed safe for road, weather and traffic conditions.

If motorists are cited for violating this statute, they will face a $75 fine plus, potentially, additional court costs.

A Washington man selling jewelry has been permanently banned from doing business in Kansas after being found in violation of Kansas consumer protection laws. Attorney General Derek Schmidt says Kurt Miller, who did business as Gold Rush Jewelry & Coin, has been ordered to refund $6,693 to a Kansas consumer, as well as pay a civil penalty and reimburse the attorney general’s office for the cost of its investigation.

District Judge Richard Anderson entered the judgment in Shawnee County District Court after Miller failed to respond to a lawsuit filed by the attorney general’s office in October. Schmidt has accused Miller of accepting payment from a Kansas consumer for a custom diamond ring but failing to deliver the product or a refund to the consumer when it was not delivered.

A motion to rename Memorial Hall Auditorium in Independence to Jim Halsey Auditorium will brought to the table during a special commission meeting on Wednesday morning. After much discussion about the name change, Commissioner Gary Hogsett made a motion for the name change.

Jim Halsey is an Independence native who has helped guide the careers of the Oak Ridge Boys, Waylon Jennings, and Reba McIntyre.

The City of Neodesha would like to inform the their residents that due to the upcoming Thanksgiving holidays next week the trash pick up route schedule will be be altered.

Monday & Tuesday customer routes will remain the same. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday customer routes will all be picked up Wednesday, November 27. Extra trucks will run this day to accomplish this task.

If you have any questions, please call City Hall at 620-325-2828.

The Coffeyville Chamber of Commerce still needs assistance with setting up this year's Christmas parade and have asked the community for help with several items. The city band needs a trailer and vehicle for the band to ride on. The trailer provided would need to be able to fit 20 chairs and a drum set.

The Chamber also needs volunteers to help with line-up before the parade. With more entries this year, they will have more blocks to cover and have noted they want the process to be as streamlined as possible.

And finally, entries are still needed for to reach the Chamber's goal of 150 participating entities. The deadline for getting involved is next week. For more information or to get an application to be in the parade, contact the Chamber at (620) 251-2550.

A Missouri timeshare brokerage has been banned by court order from doing business in Kansas for failure to respond to an outstanding subpoena. Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt says  All Seasons Brokerage, a Branson, Missouri, company, has been banned from doing business in Kansas. District Judge Mary Christopher entered an order in Shawnee County District Court prohibiting All Seasons from engaging in consumer transactions in the state until the court finds it is in compliance with the subpoena.

The attorney general’s office issued the subpoena in the course of investigating potential violations of the Kansas Consumer Protection Act related to the sale of timeshares.

The Coffeyville Area Chamber of Commerce is bringing back the 20's in 2020 for their Annual Dinner. The event will take place on Friday, January 24^th, 2020. It will take place at the Shrine Barn with a social hour beginning at 5:00 PM and the dinner following at 6:00 PM.

Along with dinner and cocktails, the event will include the Chamber year end report, awards, games and prizes and a keynote speaker.

You will be able to purchase a commemorative glass and don't forget to bring cash or a credit card to participate in some of the special games and activities that are planned. Business attire or dress in your favorite 20's attire.

Seating is limited so purchase your tickets early in advance. $40/ticket, $75/couple and $300/table. You can register online at coffeyvillechamber.org, by calling 620-251-2550 or by emailing chamberadmin@coffeyville.com.

The Labette Community College Phi Theta Kappa honor society and the Student Government Association are working together to collect new items for foster children this holiday season.

The two campus student organizations are collecting news socks, underwear, clothing and duffel bags for foster children to assist with the KVC Kansas clothing closet drive. The clothing drive will provide new essential items for the children to use in addition to the duffel bag. Many of the children, ages 0-17, only have a plastic bag to use when they are removed from a home.

Donated items may be dropped off at the Labette Community College Student life office, Library, Student Union office 220 or the LCC Cherokee Center near Pittsburg. For more information contact Terri Leroy at terril@labette.edu or Tammy Fuentez at tammyf@labette.edu.

The First United Methodist Church in Independence will be hosting their annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner. Independence Chamber of Commerce Director Lisa Wilson fills us in with all of the details.

For more information call FUMC at (620) 331-3840.

The Community State Bank Holiday Open House will be held on Wednesday, December 4^th from 5:00 to 7:00 PM at 1414 W. 11^st Street.
 

This will also serve as the Chamber's Coffeyville After Hours event. If your business is interested in hosting the next After Hours event, contact the Coffeyville Chamber of Commerce.

Starting Monday, November 25^th, through Sunday, December 1^st, Coffeyville Police will join other police agencies across the state in the Kansas Thanksgiving Safe Arrival Traffic Enforcement Campaign. The goal is to remove impaired drivers from the roads and ticketing vehicle occupants who are unrestrained or whose passengers are unrestrained.

According to the Kansas Department of Transportation, the day before Thanksgiving sees more impairment related crashes than any other day of the year. Across Kansas, on average, three people are injured everyday and one person is killed every four days in alcohol/drug related crashes.

Twice as many Kansans who die from a crash are unrestrained than one's who are restrained. Injuries suffered by those who are unbuckled are likely to be much more severe than injuries suffered by those who are buckled in. This applies regardless of speed and whether the incident is on a city street, county road or highway.

Contact your local police department for more information. 

Congressman Ron Estes announced Wednesday a $14 million grant to the City of Wichita for improvements to transportation services through a facility.

The facility will contain transit amenities to handle connections from commuter service and connect to downtown and transfer points to routes meeting education, employment and economic development. It will also serve as a quick charge area for the electric bus fleet, house Wichita's bike share program and included nearly 600 parking spaces.

Senators Pat Roberts and Jerry Moran acknowledged the impact it will have on more than 15,000 people in downtown in both east and west Wichita.

Congratulations to the Field Kindley FFA Chapter. Omarion Sales was awarded Master Student Adviser as recognition for his being the 1st place student adviser in the ritual contest in which 20 schools competed.

Additionally, congratulations goes to the intermediate Parlaw Team of Carson Langworthy, Bailey Dixon, Taylor Isle, Caden Isle, Omarion Sales, and Rylee Moses for placing 4th and our Chapter Ritual Team for placing 7th comprised of Ani Rexwinkle, Danille Deller, Omarion Sales, Owen Carr, Emily Swiger, Carson Langworhy, and Deziree Lee.

Kansas is one of fifteen states whose laws receive an “A” ranking from an international human trafficking victim advocacy group. Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt says Shared Hope International which is a victim advocacy group that seeks to end sex trafficking and exploitation of women and children worldwide, issues annual report cards on state laws through its Protected Innocence Challenge. For the third year in a row, Kansas has received an “A” grade from Shared Hope International for its statutes combating human trafficking, scoring a 93.5 out of a possible 102.5 points for 2019.

Since Schmidt took office in 2011, Kansas’s score has risen from an “F” to an “A,” one of only six states that has done so.

Thanksgiving is just over a week away and according to the National Turkey Federation, nearly 88% of Americans will eat turkey that day. Kansas State University Food Scientist Karen Blakeslee says it's important to make sure your turkey is ready to go especially if it's frozen.

If there isn’t enough time to thaw a frozen turkey in the refrigerator, Blakeslee suggestst hawing it in a large sink or tub by submerging it in cold water and changing the water about every 30 minutes.

The Coffeyville Regional Medical Center Foundation was awarded $250,000.00 in tax credits which will provide upgrades to Medical Imaging. This was made possible through the Kansas Community Service Program for 2018-2019.

Cari Redden at the CRMC Foundation provides an overview of the tax credits. 

Upgrades have supported the growth of Radiology procedures and made available 3D Mammography. Over half the tax credits awarded were sold in 2018 with the remaining tax credits available on a first come first serve basis through the end of 2019.

Redden expects to have all the tax credits sold before the end of the year. 

Tax credits may be used for personal, business and privileged tax credits. Redden adds that you don't have to live in Coffeyville to take advantage. 

To purchase tax credits or receive more information, please contact the Coffeyville Regional Medical Center Foundation Office at 620-252-1674 or email foundation@crmcinc.org.

Coffeyville Community College will be hosting their annual Junior/Senior Day tomorrow beginning at 10am in the Spencer/Rounds Theatre. Senior Director of College Relations Yvonne Hull explains what activities are planned for this event.

Registration begins at 9:30am and you can call the college for more information at 620-252-7095.

Pittsburg State University will be hosting several concerts this holiday season that will be free and open to the public.

On Sunday, December 1^st at 3:00 PM, the Bells of the Balkans will host the 8^th Annual “Ring in the Season” in the Bicknell Family Center for the Arts at PSU. Multiple groups will perform seasonal selections including the award winning Bells of the Balkans led by Janis Saket. The concert is free and open to the public with the acceptance of donations.

The Southeast Kansas Symphony of PSU will have its annual Holiday Extravaganza on Tuesday, December 3^rd from 7:30 to 9:00 PM at the Bicknell Center. Guests can enjoy refreshments and cake following the event. For details, call 620-235-4472.

The Timmons Music Concert will be held on Wednesday, December 4^th and Friday, December 6^th at the Timmons Chapel which is located at 409 East Ford. The concert on both nights will be held from 7:30 to 8:45 PM under the direction of David Hurley. Seating is limited, call 620-235-4479 for more information.

The annual PSU Holiday Luncheon will be held on Wednesday, December 4^th from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM in the Overman Student Center Ballroom. The highlight will be music performed by the University Choir. The cost to attend is $8.00/person, but tickets must be purchased in advance and seating is limited. Tickets may be purchased by calling 620-235-4995 or by going online to gorilladining.com.

The Oak Ridge Boys are now about a week into their Down Home Christmas tour, and in just 10 days, the legendary country group will make its way into Independence. On November 30, the group will play a concert at Memorial Hall. They'll play some of their legendary hits, such as "Elvira" and "Thank God for Kids," before transitioning into a more Christmas-focused concert with new songs and stories about the holidays.

To listen to a full interview with Richard Sterban of the Oak Ridge Boys, click here.

Neodesha High School students can now qualify to get their college tuiton paid for. The Neodesha Promise Scholarship allows any qualifying student to attend any U.S. Pell Grant approved college, community college, or technical school of their choosing. 

The award will cover tuition and mandatory fees for up to 120 credit hours of study for a bachelor's degree and up to 60 credit hours of study for an associates' degree or technical certification. Awards will go up to the highest tuiton currently offered at a Kansas public college for in-state students. 

The scholarship is being funded by Ben Cutler, a Neodesha native. 

The Kansas Crossing Casino has formally made a three-year investment at The Foundry at Block22 in Downtown Pittsburg by becoming the first founding member with a $60,000 total commitment. This unique partnership provides an opportunity for the casino to support innovation and entrepreneurism.

The more than 16,000 square feet of space in The Foundry features a maker/hacker space, business incubator, co-working space, conference rooms, and a large meeting space. Those interested in becoming members of The Foundry may contact Mary Louise Widmar at The Foundry, 620-235-6092, for details.

Independence Main Street have announced that Sunday is the annual Home for the Holidays event in downtown Independence.

Merchants Open Houses begins at 1pm and local businesses will be decked out in with their Christmas finery and and snacks being served. Also you can sign up at participating businesses to win anywhere from $100 to $500 Holiday Dollars but you must sign up before 4pm. The day ends with the parade starting at 5:30pm with the Holiday Dollars giveaway following! Carriage rides, crafts, face painting and hot chocolate are also included free of charge.

For more information, call Independence Main Street at 620-331-2300.

The Coffeyville Community College Lady Ravens Volleyball Team left Tuesday morning to head to the National Championship Tournament in Charleston, West Virginia.  The Lady Ravens are the two-time defending national champions and are 39 – 2 overall this season and the number two seed in the field.

Head Coach Delice Downing says winning a third national championship in a row would be an unprecedented feat.  Downing added that the team is well prepared heading into the tournament.

The Lady Ravens will begin play in the tournament Thursday morning at 10:00 local time when they play #15 Montgomery, Maryland.  If they win, they will play again Thursday afternoon at 4:30 local time against the winner of #7 Northeast Nebraska vs. #10 Grand Rapids, Michigan.

The Independence City Commission will meet in special session tomorrow, November 20th to consider requests and hold discussions with certain boards. The three-person commission will first consider a request from Susan Scovel to rename the Memorial Hall auditorium after Independence native and Neewollah revivalist Jim Halsey. If approved, the auditorium would start going by the name of the Halsey Performing Arts Center.

The commission will also hold a joint discussion with the members of the Economic Development Advisory Board. Finally, the commission will meet in executive session to handle matters of non-elected personnel.

The meeting will begin at 9:00 in the Veterans Room at Memorial Hall.

Beginning Monday, November 25, through Sunday, Dec 1, Coffeyville Police Department will join many other police agencies across the state, including the Kansas Highway Patrol, in the Kansas Thanksgiving Safe Arrival traffic enforcement campaign.

A grant from the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) will underwrite overtime enforcement efforts that specifically aim at removing impaired drivers from roads and ticketing vehicle occupants who are unrestrained or whose child passengers are unrestrained.

According to KDOT, which tracks all crashes in the state, the day before Thanksgiving sees more impairment-related crashes than any other day of the year.

The City of Cherryvale Public Works Department will be picking up leaves for residents in November through the month of December as weather permits.

If you are wanting to participate, please rake your leaves into piles between the curb and sidewalk in front of your residence on your designated pickup date. Please do not rake leaves into the street or into ditches deeper than 12 inches. It is a violation of Cherryvale City Ordinance to put leaves into streets. Your leaf piles should be free of rocks, trash or any other debris.

Should you miss your pick up date for your section, please call city hall at 620-336-2276 and have them put in a work order to have them come back to your residence and have your leaves removed.

The Kansas Crime Victims Compensation Board yesterday awarded financial assistance to 342 victims of violent crime at its November meeting, Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said.

Awards were made in 169 new cases. Additional expenses were paid in 173 previously submitted cases. The awards totaled $270,547.37.

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.

A new administrative report for the city of Independence has been released by assistant and interim City Manager Kelly Passauer. The report contains photos and accounts for several events that have happened in Independence over the last few weeks, as well as an update from the Independence Police Department. A link to the report can be followed here.

The Union Pacific’s No. 4014, known as “Big Boy” departed Coffeyville shortly before 8:30 Sunday morning to begin it’s journey through Kansas this week.  Big Boy arrived in Coffeyville Saturday evening to crowds of a couple of thousand people.  Sunday morning thousands gathered again at the Union Pacific’s railroad yard as well as crossings on Read Street, Buckeye and Overlook.

After making several brief stops across the state today Big Boy is expected to arrive at Kansas City’s Union Station at about 6:30 this evening where it will remain on display until Tuesday morning when it departs on the rest of it’s tour through Kansas before arriving in Colorado next Saturday.

Built in 1941, Big Boy weighs 1.2 million tons and is the largest steam locomotive in the world.  Big Boy was retired from service in 1961 and has been recently restored.  The giant locomotive’s trip across the country is part of the Union Pacific Railroad’s 150^th anniversary.

The Union Pacific’s historic Big Boy No. 4014 steam locomotive arrived in Coffeyville Saturday night to crowds in excess of 1,500 people.  Big Boy left Van Buren, Arkansas this morning making several stops in Oklahoma before arriving in Coffeyville to spend the night.  Big Boy is scheduled to depart Coffeyville Sunday morning to make 19 more stops across the state before heading to Colorado.     

Big Boy, built in 1941 is the world’s largest steam locomotive engine weighing in at 1.2 million pounds.  The restored Big Boy is on a cross country tour in celebration of the Union Pacific’s 150^th anniversary.                                                                                               

Kansans now can access a public listing of door-to-door peddlers who have been prohibited by court order from doing business in the state Attorney General Derek Schmidt says the Kansas Legislature passed a law in 2016 making it a crime for a person to violate a court order prohibiting that person from engaging in door-to-door sales. The attorney general’s office for the first time is publishing on its consumer protection website a list of those individuals and businesses banned from door-to-door sales in Kansas. The list contains 25 peddlers banned in Kansas. 

It will be updated as new peddlers are banned or if peddlers are removed from the list. Each entry also contains a link to the court order that banned the door-to-door peddler from Kansas. The list is now available at InYourCornerKansas.org.

The Caney Valley Historical Society & Museum will be a holding a community meeting on November 16^th at 10am to begin making plans for the 150th birthday of Caney, which will be celebrated in May of 2021.

Everyone is welcome to attend and citizens are invited to bring ideas on how the city should celebrate. There will also be discuss ideas for events, advertising, souvenirs and more.

If you cannot attend but would still like to participate, you can email ideas & comments to Caney2021party@gmail.com, and they will be shared at this meeting.

The First Baptist Church of Sedan is hosting the 2nd annual Chautauqua County Angel Tree Run this Saturday at noon in conjunction with Operation Christmas Child.

This event not only helps provide gifts to children in the area, but children all around the world. Everyone is asked to meet at the Bartlesville Walmart pick an angel, shop for you angel and then group ride to Sedan to deliver the presents.

For those who wish to shop locally you are asked to meet at the Chautauqua County Courthouse at 10:30 to pick an angel and them meet back at the First Baptist Church at 2:30 for a chili feed and dessert.

USD 445 principal named Principal of the Year. Field Kindley High School Principal Travis Stalford has been named Kansas Association of Secondary School Principals Area High School Principal of the Year.

Stalford is in his 5^th year as principal at Field Kindley.

The seventh annual Match Day in Coffeyville brings in over $60,000 to 21 organizations in the area. Match Day saw 269 gifts totaling $61,727.18, with the $40,000 in matching funds courtesy of the Coffeyville Area Community Foundation, Bernard and Effie Jo Wade Family Foundation and the Pratt Charitable Family Fund that brings the total to $101,727.18. Match Day donations have had a total impact of $676,489, that's seven days of donations across the last seven years.

The Midland Theater Foundation received the most money donated to them at just under $10,000 and Boys and Girls Club saw the most donations at 38 gifts. The Coffeyville Area Community Foundation is very thankful for everyone who donated.

Employees of the city of Independence will be receiving a nice bonus as part of the holiday season. The city commission on Thursday approved authorizing awarding $100 in Main Street Bucks to each city employee. The three-member commission were in agreement that giving the certificates rather than last year's cash bonus will help encourage local shopping. Main Street Bucks can be used at over 70 stores in the Independence area, and with the city coming under budget, commissioners saw no issues with raising it above the recommended $75 amount.

The total cost to the city for these certificates will equal just under $12,000.

The Independence City Commission has accepted a request from VFW Post 1186 to place a state of Remington, a dog, near 1916 City Hall. Remington has served as a mascot for the Independence Fire Department for years. The commission approved the project with the knowledge that they would receive a full plan before proceeding. Commission member Leonhard Caflisch said he believes all statues in the city should tell a story, and as a result, he'd like to see a plaque telling the story of Remington as part of that plan.

With approval in place, the VFW will now begin fundraising with any excess funds being donated to the Fire/EMS Department for fire safety. The American Legion Post 139 and Mossy Kennel also partnered with the VFW in coming up with the request.

The Coffeyville Historical Society have announced that they will be taking bids on the building that housed the Dalton Defenders Museum from 1961 until October 2019 until 4 pm on December 4, 2019. Kris Crane from the CHS explains the reasoning for selling the old building.

To obtain a Request for Proposal, contact Crane at kcrane5@cox.net and she can e-mail one to you.

The Sedan city council met on Wednesday afternoon and discussed whether to replace 87 street signs in Sedan, at a cost of about $100/each, or to accept FFA teacher John Wells’ offer to have his students repaint the street signs that already exist.

Council President Brett Dickens made a motion to have Wells’ class repaint one street sign so the council can see how it turns out. In order to do so, the City will purchase 1 lb of reflective pebbles, 1 sandblaster, and 2 gallons of paint. Council Member Crystal Wade seconded the motion and the motion carried.

AAA Kansas and the AAA Kansas Traffic Safety Fund presented Matthew Vail, a member of the 2020 Erie High School senior class, with one of two AAA Kansas Traffic Safety Advocate scholarships, during the Kansas Teen Traffic Safety Conference, Nov. 7 in Topeka. Vail and Maddie Lohmeyer of Hays High School were selected as $1,000 scholarship winners from nearly 35 applicants from high schools around Kansas. Public Affairs Manager

Shawn Steward says AAA Kansas congratulates Matthew for being a leader and role model in highlighting and sharing traffic safety measures for his peers. Vails involvement with the Seatbelts Are for Everyone program and efforts to take important safety messages to the elementary school students in his community stood out as he was selected for this scholarship.

Elk Falls 24th annual Outhouse Tour takes place November 22^nd and 23^rd. One of the most unusual events you’ll ever experience presenting over 20 creatively designed outhouses for visitors to vote on. Elk Falls will also host a craft fair and quilt show during the festival. Elk Falls Pottery will be having their 40th annual open house.

Live bluegrass music and a vintage camper show will be featured on Saturday, November 23^rd. There will be local food, food trucks and homemade apple dumplings for sale. Two days of humor, good food and great people.

Over the last few weeks Elk County Sheriff’s Deputies have been conducting an investigation in the Longton area.

Several tips from the area led law enforcement to approximately four thousand dollars in stolen property along with one warrant arrest, drugs and drug paraphernalia charges. This one case has cleared up several theft reports that been taken over the last few months.

The case will be turned over to the County Attorney for prosecution and further arrests are anticipated in the future

The Coffeyville Community College Lady Raven Volleyball team will be traveling to West Virginia, next Tuesday, Nov. 19th, at 8:00am.

The team is requesting if the public could donate water, gatorade, juice boxes, snacks, fruit for the trip. If you are interested in helping out the Lady Ravens as they compete for their 3^rd straight title, drop off donations at the CCC Foundation building with Kim Blaes.

All items should be dropped off by 5:00pm on Monday, Nov. 18th. The Lady Ravens will face off against Montgomery in the opening round of the NJCAA Tournament at 10am on Thursday, November 26^th.

Employees of Coffeyville Resources Refining & Marketing have donated $1,870 to the 1st grade teachers at Community Elementary School. The money will go toward Scholastic books in the hopes that each student would be able to receive a book purchased throughout the year.

The employees shared their memories of getting Scholastic books and rememberd the kids who were not able to do so. Those memories led to the decision to raise the money and make the donation.

Six years and over half a million dollars raised to support local organizations. There is $40,000 available to match for Match Day courtesy of Coffeyville Area Community Foundation, Bernard and Effie Jo Wade Family Foundation and the Pratt Charitable Family Fund. Organizer Janie DeVore Gillis says there are 21 organizations that this money will help support.

Online giving begins at midnight on Thursday and will go until 11:59 that night. You can also donate in person from 7:00am until 5:30pm at the Perkins Building.

We’ve entered into what a Kansas State University professor of food nutrition calls the season of feasting. The season, which started with Halloween, doesn’t end until Super Bowl Sunday. During this four month period, Food Nutrition Specialist Tanda Kidd says it’s easy to eat too many foods that are high in fat, sugar and sodium.

Kidd says people should eat until they are satisfied, not until they are stuffed. Unfortunately, She says there’s often a fine line between eating just enough to satisfy your hunger and eating way too much.

The Parsons Chamber of Commerce have announced that the Veterans Day parade that was postponed on Monday has been rescheduled for Saturday, November 16^th at 9am in Downtown Parsons.

The parade will begin at the intersection of Central and Stevens and head south. The block of 1800 Stevens will be closed during the time for parade line-up.

The parade was postponed due to the extreme weather that blew into the area early Monday morning.

St. Andrews Church in Independence will be holding their annual holiday market this Saturday from 8am to 1pm. Independence Chamber of Commerce Director Lisa Wilson explains what will be happening at this event.

Wilson went on to say that St. Andrews will also be serving chicken and noodles from 11am until 1pm. St. Andrews is located at 420 East Myrtle in Independence and you call 620-331-1789 for more information.

Coffeyville's Match Day 2019 is coming up this Thursday, giving you an opportunity to do something positive for the community! Stop by the Perkins Building from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and make a donation to any of the 21 participating organizations. Due to a partnership between the Coffeyville Area Community Foundation, the Bernard and Effie Jo Wade Foundation and the Pratt Family Charitable Fund, all donations will receive a match this year.

If you can't stop by in person, you can give online at www.givematchgrow.com. For more information, visit that website, call 620-251-4769, or find the Coffeyville Area Community Foundation on Facebook.

The Sedan Chamber of Commerce wants the public to join in on some Christmas fun on December 14th for the Christmas Sweater 5K race.

The 5K registration will begin at 9am with the walk/run starting 10am but if you pre-register before November 27^th, you will be guaranteed a race shirt. You can pre-register by following this link to do the easy step by step form.

All proceeds will go to the Chautauqua County Fair Board.

The Coffeyville Historical Society announced the dates for this year's Christmas Candlelight Tours. Kris Crane with the Coffeyville Historical Society explains in addition to announcing the dates they are doing something special this year at the mansion.

Dates are December 11th, 15th, 18th, 21st, 22nd, and 23^rd and live entertainment will be provided. Self-guided tours begin at 5:30pm and admission is $5.00 per person, ages 5 and up. All proceeds go towards the maintenance and upkeep of the Historic Brown Mansion.

The Independence City Commission will meet in regular session on Thursday. Other than the consent agenda, the current agenda includes a potential agreement with KDOT for some pavement replacement work. Also included in that agreement would be curb and gutter, sidewalk and pavement markings on US-160 from 200 feet east of US-75 to the 8th Street Intersection. 

In addition, commissioners will discuss bids received for the purchase of two sanitation trucks for the city. A full copy of the agenda can be viewed here. The meeting will begin at 5:30 p.m. in the Veterans Room at Memorial Hall.

The Nowata County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the community to be on the lookout for a man or men posing as tree trimmers as part of a robbery scheme in Delaware. The person or persons of interest will be wearing hard hats and safety jackets stating they need in your house to assist the social security office. Once inside, the perpetrators will then proceed to rob their victim.

The individual or individuals should be considered dangerous. The NCSO asks that you do not let them into your house and call their office immediately if you notice anything suspicious.

The USD 445 Board of Education will meet in regular session on Monday. Several reports stand out on this month's agenda, including a report from the Coffeyville Recreation Commission. The board will also act on several items, including an item for the purchase of a computer and a few new personnel.

The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. at the Education Center in Coffeyville.

Support local businesses by participating in the Holiday Open House, presented by the Coffeyville Area Chamber of Commerce! From noon until 4 p.m. on Sunday, businesses are offering deals, treats, and holiday spirit in an effort to continue encouraging residents to shop local.

For a full list of businesses participating in the Open House, click here.

A search warrant led to Cherokee County Sheriff's Detectives recovering a significant amount of stolen property in Galena on Friday. A joint investigation by the Galena Police Department and the Cherokee County Sheriff's Department eventually led to the obtaining of a search warrant to investigate a home in rural Galena. When investigators got to the home, they found and recovered property that had been reported stolen as part of a mid-October burglary at another residence just outside of Galena.

Cherokee County Sheriff David Groves said the case was an excellent display of different departments working together. He said arrest warrants will be issued as the investigation continues.

It's a full day of events down in Independence as the city celebrates its Veterans Day of Honor event. The city will be hosting numerous events throughout Saturday to honor those who have served the country and now live in the area. Events will run through about 8 p.m. tonight, and the Mid-Continent Band will be holding a Veterans Day concert on Monday.

For more information, contact the Independence Chamber of Commerce at 620-331-1800. For a full list of events, click here.

 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. 

Trish Reeves will lead the concluding book discussion on Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel at 6:30pm on November 18, at the Parsons Public Library as part of the Parsons TALK series.

This is the concluding book in the three-part “After the Fact" book discussion series. The book covers the lives of its characters after a flu pandemic decimates 99% of the world’s population. The novel examines a post-apocalyptic world consisting of starvation, loneliness through themes of nostalgia, memory, and art.

Reeves holds a B.A. in journalism from the University of Missouri, and an M.F.A. in creative writing from Warren Wilson College in North Carolina. Reeves has been leading TALK discussions since 1999. The series is sponsored by Humanities Kansas.

Pittsburg State University will host it's annual Veterans Day ceremony at 1 p.m. on Nov. 11 at the Veterans Memorial.

In the event of rain or inclement weather, the ceremony will be moved indoors to the Student Recreation Center directly south of the memorial.

This year’s ceremony will feature (Ret.) Major Kavan Stull as the keynote speaker. A PSU ROTC cadet from the PSU Department of Military Science will serve as emcee during the ceremony, and PSU ROTC will post the colors and will provide a POW/MIA display. The Pittsburg High School Encore will sing "The National Anthem," and the Pittsburg Community Middle School Choir will sing "Singing Freedom’s Song."

The city of Independence has released its 2019 loose leaf pickup schedule. The city will start picking up leaves on November 18th and will continue to do so through January 10th. Pickups will be done in specific areas on specific dates. To find your location and date, use the clickable map included here.

The city is requesting that those who participate only rake loose leaves and no brush, weeds, rock or trash. Also, leaves should not be raked into the street as it could clog the storm sewer system.

The previously postponed improvements to Peter Pan Road in Independence are now scheduled to begin the week of November 11th. The roadway will be closed north of the southern entrance to Labette Health. The roadway is scheduled to be closed for a minimum of three months to widen the roadway, install storm sewer and replace the surface with concrete pavement.

The improvements were originally supposed to begin in late October, but were pushed back after numerous concerns over Neewollah traffic and accessibility.

USD 447 has scheduled a meeting on Tuesday, Nov 12th for patrons of the district to discuss students’ school facility needs.

The meeting will be held at Cherryvale High School Cafeteria from 5:30-7:00 p.m. Meeting participants can enjoy social time and chili from 5:00-5:30. This begins a series of meetings with the purpose of creating a long-term plan for facilities maintenance and/or improvements. All adult patrons of the district are invited to attend.

The next meeting is scheduled for December 10th.

New Jersey based writer Ian August joins the roster of William Inge Center for the Arts playwrights-in-residence at Independence Community College.. Temporarily residing at the historic William Inge family home in the community, August will write his own plays in the same surroundings that inspired a young William Inge to his Pulitzer Prize-winning work.

The residency is supported by an ArtsWorks grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, the William Inge Festival Foundation and Independence Community College. As part of his residency, August will be a guest artist at Field Kindley High School as well as Independence Community College.

The unofficial tally is in for Montgomery County. For the Coffeyville City Commission Robert York 811 votes, Justin Doane 657 votes and Tracy Maxson 575 votes. The three receiving the most votes for the Coffeyville Community College Board of Trustees Doug Misch 1278 votes, Jimmy Littleford 1094 votes and Lora Stalford 806 votes. For the USD 445 School Board 4 new members were elected Gail Misch 1228 votes, Karen Littleford-Rittenhouse 1056 votes, LaKisha Johnson 830 votes and Jason Barnett 688 votes. In Independence two commissioners were elected Dean A. Hayse 819 votes and Louis H. Ysusi 681 votes.

Full Election Results

Unofficial election results are in from Wilson, Chautauqua and Labette counties. In Chatauqua County for the Sedan City Council the two receiving the top votes were D. Brett Dickens, 113, and Bryan Blankinship,90. In Wilson County for the Neodesha School Board Tonya Bell received 486 votes, Jennifer Marler 401 votes, Jackie Springer-Chandler 366 votes and Connie Shiverdecker 306 votes. In Labette County for the Parson City Commission Leland Crooks received 602 votes, Kevin Cruse 586 votes and Verlyn Bolinger 557 votes.

Wilson County

Chautauqua County

Labette County

For the second time in as many years voters in the Coffeyville School District have rejected a bond issue.  In the two part bond issue on Tuesday’s ballot voters defeated Question 1, a $19.8 million bond for renovation and construction at the Early Learning Center, Community Elementary, Roosevelt Middle School and Field Kindley High School by a vote of 1,244 against and 813 for the bond. 

The second question, a $3.8 million bond for renovations at the high school and middle school including construction of a storm shelter could only be passed id Question 1 passed, however, it too was defeated 1,165 - 880.

Now that November has started, the Salvation Army are kicking off their fundraising and helping the community into high gear. The Montgomery County Coordinator at the Salvation Army Joe Brooks says that it all starts this Saturday.

Brooks also said he is looking for volunteer bell ringers for the holiday season. To volunteer, call the Salvation Army at (620) 251-2686.

Gov. Laura Kelly and Transportation Secretary Julie Lorenz announced this morning the 22 projects selected across the state as part of the Kansas Department of Transportation’s new Cost Share Program.

These projects total nearly $74 million in state, local, federal and private investment in transportation improvements statewide. Nearly 100 applications were submitted in the first round of the program from across Kansas. Included in the project were pavement patching and overlay on numerous Allen County roads and The Last Mile project in Humboldt.

The next call for applications for the second round of projects will be announced next year.

Donations to local food pantries typically increase before Thanksgiving and remain strong through the end of the year. When making food donations, K-State Research and Extension Nutrition Specialist Sandy Procter suggests purchasing the type of food you'd like to get.

If there’s a question regarding which foods to donate, Procter suggests following USDA’s MyPlate recommendations which call for adding more fruits, vegetables and grains.

Kansans safely disposed of more than seven tons of unused and unwanted medicines during National Drug Take-Back Day. According to a report from the federal Drug Enforcement Administration Kansas law enforcement officers collected 14,096 pounds of medicines at 104 locations throughout the state during the event. Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt says Kansans continue to recognize the importance of safely disposing of their unused medicines during these semi-annual Drug Take-Back events. He says he appreciates the leadership of the DEA and local law enforcement agencies in providing this service.

Kansans have safely destroyed a total of 190,820 pounds of medications in the 18 collection days that have been held since 2010.

The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office will be conducting training for its Emergency Response Team (SERT) on Wednesday. This training will occur at several locations throughout Independence and Caney, and will include an increase police presence in those areas throughout. The community is being advised to not worry during this time, as it is only training.

In the event that a live event does occur during the training, the Sheriff's Office announced it will do its best to notify the public via Facebook or other proper media outlets. 

A 31-year old Chanute woman was arrested on Sunday morning on suspicion of domestic battery.

At around 8am, officers with the Chanute Police Department responded to a call of a domestic disturbance in the 600 block of South Malcolm. While on scene, Jessica Brotherton was arrested for domestic battery. She was transported to the Neosho County Jail without incident. The investigation is still ongoing at this time.

Upon completion, reports will be forwarded to the Neosho County Attorney Office for review and consideration of charges being filed.

Local elections will be held in Coffeyville this Tuesday, with several offices up for grabs.

Three spots need to be filled on the City Commission, with the top two vote-getters receiving 4-year terms and the third-place candidate receiving a 2-year term. The CCC Board of Trustees will be electing three new members, and the USD 445 School Board will be electing four new members. A full list of candidates can be viewed below. Make sure to tune into KGGF radio on Tuesday as we give you complete election coverage.

City Commission
Candidates:
Justin A. Doane
Rudy Draper
Don W. Edwards
Tracy Maxson
Jim C. Taylor, Jr.
Jim C. Taylor, Sr.
Robert York

CCC Board of Trustees
Candidates:
Rob Carter
Jimmy Littleford
Sherri Melander
Doug Misch
Keith Osborn
Dickie Rolls
Lora Stalford 

USD 445 School Board
Candidates:
Dirk Andrews
Jason D. Barnett
LaKisha Johnson
Marcus Kastler
Karen Littleford-Rittenhouse
Magan Martin
Gail Misch

Cherokee County Sheriffs Deputies responded to a call about suspicious activity near Galena and seized nearly 30 pounds of methamphetamine on Friday afternoon. The caller reported concerns about several people sitting in a car outside of an abandoned house just outside of Galena. Deputies arrived on the scene and during the course of their investigation discovered and seized the methamphetamine.

Arrested at the scene were 21-year-old Hunter Hayes-Bebee, 36-year-old Daniel Joseph Willis and 34-year-old Alicia Nicole Maize.  All three suspects were transported to the Cherokee County Jail on allegations of Possessing Meth with Intent to Distribute, Possession of Meth, Felony Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Misdemeanor Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Hayes-Bebee faces an additional charge of Criminal Use of a Weapon, after he was found to be in possession of a loaded handgun.

All three suspects remain in the Cherokee County Jail. Bond for Willis and Maize has been set at $32,000.00 each, while Hayes-Bebee is being held in lieu of $33,000.00 bond.

If you have an overabundance of dog or cat toys that your pets do not play with anymore, the Coffeyville Friends for Animals is asking the public to donate those old toys to the shelter. Becky Barnhart of CFA explains the situation.

If you are interested in donating toys to CFA, you are asked to bring them to the shelter located at 4955 County Rd 1400 right across the road from the water treatment plant.

Union Pacific's Big Boy No. 4014 steam locomotive will be rolling into Coffeyville soon.

The 1.2 million pound locomotive will be making a stop in Coffeyville on November 16th at about 4:30 p.m, where it can be seen at Colorado St. and Atlantic St. before it departs the next day at 8:00 a.m. The Big Boy will also be making brief stops in Neodesha and Durand before making tis way toward Kansas City, Topeka, and Lawrence.

According to Union Pacific's website, Big Boy No. 4014 was delivered to Union Pacific in December 1941. The locomotive was retired in December 1961, having traveled over a million miles over 20 years.  Union Pacific reacquired No. 4014 from the RailGiants Museum in Pomona, California, in 2013, and relocated it back to Cheyenne to begin a multi-year restoration process. It returned to service in May 2019 to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the Transcontinental Railroad's Completion.

For a full schedule, click here.

LaClere Lake has been stocked with some new fish just in time for trout season. Earlier this week, officials stocked the lake with 324 rainbow trout. However, in order to legally fish for the trout, one must obtain both a valid Kansas fishing license and a valid trout permit whether they are fishing for trout or not. 

Permits to fish for trout can be found online or anywhere Kansas fishing licenses are sold. You can find a list of authorized sellers in Montgomery County or the surrounding area here. Trout fishing season officially began today, November 1st, and will run through April 15.