A three-vehicle accident kills two people on US-169 and State Highway 10 near Lenapah in Nowata County. The accident occurred just before 8 a.m. with foggy conditions in the area.

According to Oklahoma Highway Patrol, a Freightliner driven by 43-year-old Diana Herweck of Drumright was heading southbound on US-169 when 21-year-old Samuel Barron of Lenapah attempted to turn southbound on US-169 from Hwy 10. Herweck's vehicle struck the back of Barron's Dodge Ram pickup, sending him into the northbound lanes of US-169 where he struck a third vehicle driven by 64-year-old Larry Schick of Oklahoma City head-on. Barron's vehicle came to rest on its top in the northbound lanes of US-169 while the other two vehicles came to rest in opposite ditches.

Barron was transported to the St. John Medical Center in Nowata where he was treated and released in good condition with no injuries. Herweck was transported by Nowata EMS to the Coffeyville Regional Medical Center. She was treated and released in good condition with neck and leg injuries. Schick was transported by Coffeyville EMS to the CRMC where he was pronounced dead due to massive injuries sustained in the collision. Schick was pinned for almost an hour before he was freed by the Lenapah Fire Department with the Jaws of Life. His passenger, 60-year-old Kimberly Schick, was pronounced deceased by Nowata EMS due to massive injuries.

The OHP says seatbelts were in use by all vehicles. The cause of the collision remains under investigation. Traffic was detoured around the accident for 4.5 hours on Saturday morning.

Senator Roger Marshall came through southeastern Kansas Saturday morning and made a stop at Coffeyville Community College to answer questions and hear concerns from local residents.

Marshall answered questions on a wide variety of topics from abortion and voter fraud to the federal debt and the COVID-19 relief bill that will be voted on by Senator Marshall and the rest of the U.S. Senate.

Kansas State Representative Doug Blex and Kansas State Senator Virgil Peck were in attendance. Peck expressed his frustrations regarding fraudulent unemployment claims and how the state Department of Labor was untruthful about how much fraudulent money the state has handed out.

Also in attendance was Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt who talked about some of the executive orders put in place by President Joe Biden as well as his thoughts of those in the U.S. Supreme Court.

Those in attendance were very thankful for the work he's done in the two months he has been in Washington, and Marshall expressed his gratitude for those who voted for him. In his closing remarks, he let people know what he's currently focusing on the most.

A link to an interview with Senator Marshall can be found here.

Another student at Independence High School has tested positive for COVID-19, according to the Montgomery County Health Department.

Per the school district's protocol, areas that the student has used over the last several days have been closed off temporarily to be disinfected. Those who were identified as close contacts have been notified and will not be allowed to return to school until the health department deems it safe, but they will have access to remote learning.

This is the fourth positive case of COVID-19 that has been reported in the last four days.

If you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact Superintendent Rusty Arnold at 620-496-4706.

The City of Coffeyville is delaying their Highland Road Reconstruction Project.

The project was slated to begin March 1st but has been delayed for a minimum of two weeks. This is due to the extreme weather recently experienced which has caused unfavorable ground conditions to begin the project.

The city of Parsons is kicking off its celebration of the city's 150th anniversary.

On Monday, March 8th, free cupcakes and ice cream are available for carry-out only in the basement of the municipal building from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. while supply lasts.

A commemorative stamp collection is available at the Carnegie Arts Center from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. One "Parsons 150" postcard and postcard stamp are free to each person, but individuals can bring as many cards or envelopes with stamps on them to be marked with the special 150 collection stamp.

The special photo exhibit “Prairie Town” is now in the lobby of the municipal building and can be viewed during regular operating hours. The exhibit will be functional throughout the month of March.

Masks are required and the city asks that you practice social distancing guidelines during all events.

A Tulsa man was arrested on multiple charges in Caney Thursday evening.

An officer with Caney PD pulled over a man for doing 75 mph in a 35 mph zone. Upon investigation, the officer found illegal drugs within the vehicle.

Officers arrested 23-year-old Dominique Myers for excessive speeding, no insurance, no driver’s license, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. Myers was transported to the Montgomery County Jail.

A structure fire occurred early this morning in Independence.

The fire was on the second floor of 518 E. Main Street and the level was completely engulfed in flames. Independence Fire-EMS had troubles with fog in the area.

With the extensive damage to the structure, assistance from the street department was requested and they assisted by pulling the structure apart to allow firefighters to extinguish the fire safely.

The building was unoccupied and there were no injuries. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.

The Cherryvale High School Student Council presented the Cherryvale Police Department on Thursday with stuffed toys they had gathered as part of a recent stuffed toy drive. The toys were gathered during homecoming season as part of their community service effort. 

The toys were given to first responders for them to give to children in crisis situations. 

A member of an Oklahoma FFA Chapter has been selected for our February Arvest Bank Ag Student of the Month Award. Dewey FFA Advisor Jimmy Epperson says he nominated his Chapter's Vice President Billy Imhoff because he is an outstanding FFA member.

Imhoff has been involved in FFA since his 8^th grade year and he shows cattle and competes in speech contests. Imhoff says his Advisor's motto of diving in and stepping out of the box helped push him out of his comfort zone.  If you know of an FFA member who should be nominated for this award have their FFA Advisor nominate them online at kggfradio.com.

State Rep. Richard Proehl discussed several topics that are going on during the Legislative session in Topeka. Proehl is part of the Appropriations Committee who sets the budget for the fiscal year that begins on July 1^st. Proehl said that they are almost ready to start working on the overall budget for the state.

Proehl said that setting the budget for Kansas is completely different than setting the federal budget.

Proehl also discussed a bill going through a committee about trying to stop people from going around school bus stop arms.

The 2021 Kansas Legislative Session will adjourn on May 15^th.

A boil water advisory in Elk City has been rescinded.

The advisory was put in place due to a line break causing a loss in pressure to the city's water supply. According to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, laboratory testing samples collected from the city of Elk City 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.

A resurfacing project is set to begin Monday on U.S 69, according to the Kansas Department of Transportation.

The project will occur 2.1 miles north of the Bourbon-Crawford county line and will continue north for 3.8 miles. Project activity includes concrete patching, placement of a one-inch reflective crack interlayer, and a three-inch asphalt overlay. KDOT awarded the construction contract to Bettis Asphalt & Construction of Topeka for $3.5 million.

Traffic will be reduced to one lane at the work zone. Work on the project should be completed by mid-August, weather permitting.

A staff member at Jefferson School and a student at Independence High School have tested positive for COVID-19, according to the Montgomery County Health Department.

Areas are temporarily closed off that those who tested positive have occupied over the last several days. Those who have been identified as close contacts have been notified and they, along with those who tested positive, will not be allowed to return to school until the health department deems it safe.

If you have questions, you can call Superintendent Rusty Arnold at 620-496-4706.

The 40th Annual Washington County Junior Livestock Show kicked off at the Fairgrounds in Dewey yesterday morning.

WCJLS Board Member Trevor Dorsey said the event is invaluable to all the young men and women that participate. Dorsey said they'll carry their training with them for the rest of their lives. He said a lot of them go on to have a great career in the agriculture industry or agriculture service.

The fun at the Washington County Junior Livestock Show continues today. The Goat Show will get things started at 9:00 a.m. The Cattle Show will follow at 3:00 p.m. Pre Junior Mini Hereford Show will be followed by the Breeding Heifer Show. Then an hour-long break will take place before the Market Steer Show.

Participant Braden Adcock said he and his brother have been preparing their heifers for quite some time for Friday's Cattle Show. He said they're feeling pretty good about showing their heifers going into this year's event.

A BBQ Dinner starts tomorrow at 5 p.m. and will cost $5. An awards presentation will follow at 6:30 p.m. and a premium sale at 7 p.m.

A $1.9 trillion COVID relief bill is expected to be passed by the House and sent to the Senate. U.S. Senator Roger Marshall is trying to make sure that this doesn't happen.

One of the many issues Marshall has with the bill is a lot of that $1.9 trillion will go overseas instead of into the pockets of Americans.

Marshall thinks that America is recovering well and the country is finally turning the corner in terms of COVID-19 no longer greatly affecting the nation.

The state of Kansas has been in Phase 2 of its COVID-19 vaccination plan, but the general public will not be able to get their hands on the vaccine until Phase 5. Marshall, however, is still optimistic with the current infrastructure in place.

The full interview with Senator Roger Marshall can be found here.

The National Weather Service announced that a statewide tornado drill will occur in Kansas on March 2nd at 10 a.m.

According to NWS, March 1st-5th is Severe Weather Preparedness Week and they are hoping that people do their part to get ready for any severe weather that may occur during the upcoming tornado season.

This test will be broadcast over NOAA All-Hazards Weather Radio and many local television and radio stations. Local officials may also sound their warning sirens. The NWS encourages everyone to abide by health and safety guidelines, including social distancing and wearing a mask per local health department protocols.

The Parsons Elks Lodge has announced that they will not hold the 2021 St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

The decision was made due to the uncertainty of health concerns as well as the weather. The Parsons Elk Lodge informed the city department heads regarding the cancellation, and they supported the decision.

The organization stressed that planning will begin for the 2022 parade later this year and that there is a great deal of optimism about putting together the 2022 event.

A robbery in Parsons leads to an arrest with one suspect still on the run. Early yesterday morning, there was a report of two black males who robbed Pete's Convenience Store on 32nd and Main and fled the scene on foot.

The men approached the counter and demanded the cash from the register. An officer spotted the men fleeing the area and pursued them near 26th and Southern Avenue. The two men then ran into a field. The pursuing officer then asked for a K-9 unit which led them to the suspects at a residence in the 1200 block of Ward Avenue.

Parsons Police arrested 19-year-old Tyrell Dorsey on one count of aggravated robbery. He was just released from the county jail on bond a week ago for a prior arrest for aggravated domestic violence and burglary. The Probation Department was also alerted to Dorsey’s violation of his conditions of probation. Police are continuing to follow up on leads to locate the second suspect in this robbery.

If anyone has information about the robbery or the whereabouts of the second suspect, please contact the Parsons Police Department at 620-421-7060.

Waterline breaks and leaks continue to be an issue for Parsons. City crews are continuing to track water main breaks throughout the city. As the weather continues to warm up, expansion has exposed some of the weaker points in the system and crews are currently working on two active main breaks.

The City o Parsons asks you to please be cautious when driving and be on the lookout for city crews working in and around intersections.

Southwest Power Pool is in charge of the flow of electricity in 14 different states including areas in southeast Kansas and northeast Oklahoma.

The power company had to temporarily shut off electricity to some businesses and residencies amid last week's winter storm. SPP is now moving on from the storm and looking to recover.

President and Chief Executive Officer of SPP Barbara Sugg said in a statement, "SPP, like the rest of our industry, is now shifting from a posture of emergency response to one of recovery and preparation for the next challenge on the horizon."

Locally, Coffeyville Municipal Light & Power will have a meeting at an undetermined time on how they can learn from last week's events and how they will do things differently if a disaster were to ever hit again.

U.S. Senator Roger Marshall will hold a public town hall this Saturday from beginning at 1 pm at the Spencer/Rounds Theater on the campus of Coffeyville Community College.

Marshall said he looks forward to speaking with Kansans and learning more about the issues and concerns impacting their lives. The public is invited to attend the event to learn about federal legislative issues and ask questions of Sen. Marshall.

A staff member at Independence High School has tested positive, according to the Montgomery County Health Department.

Per the school district's protocol, all the areas the staff member occupied over the past several days have been temporarily closed off to be disinfected.

The staff member and those identified as close contacts will not be allowed to return to the school until the health department deems it safe. All close contacts have been notified.

If you have questions, you can contact Superintendent Rusty Arnold at 620-496-4706.

The Coffeyville Public Library will soon be entering into Phase 2 of its reopening plan.

The new phase will allow patrons to use the library's computers from 9-to-6 pm Monday through Thursday, and 9-to-3 pm on Friday. Those wishing to use the computers must call to make an appointment first. Masks will be required the entire time one is in the library.

In addition, one person will be allowed into the library accompanying each guest for tech support reasons. Curbside pickup for books is still availalble. Phase 2 will begin on Wednesday of next week.

The winter storm last week caused those in Coffeyville and the surrounding to consume higher amounts of energy to keep their home warm. After customers saw a huge increase in rates in Texas, many were worried about the same thing happening in Kansas. Coffeyville Chamber of Commerce Director said that if you are an Evergy user, your rates are not going up but your bill still may be higher.

Evergy also announced that it will extend its moratorium on service disconnections through May 2^nd. This temporary moratorium includes residential and small business customers who owe past-due balances. Evergy is waiving late fees and offering up to 12-month payment plans to help customers pay toward their electricity bills.

Pittsburg State University has released its weekly COVID-19 numbers for the week leading up to Feb. 24th.

Tests were administered to 13 symptomatic students, with two positives. Currently, eight students are in isolation and approximately 16 are in quarantine as close contacts to infected people.

One faculty member reported an infection and one new close contact was identified. One is currently in isolation and one remains in quarantine. Since the onset of the pandemic, 62 faculty and staff have reported infections and 103 have had to quarantine as close contacts to infected people.

Weekly routine testing of athletes mandated by the NCAA continues. In this reporting time period, 193 student-athletes were tested and zero were found to be positive.

The state of Kansas reported fewer than 100 cases in one day for the first time since June 8th. According to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, there were only 65 new cases reported on Monday.

The newest report by the KDHE from Monday shows that there have been 883 new cases, 29 new deaths and 32 new hospitalizations since last Friday.

As for Montgomery County, there were 0 cases reported on Monday and only 6 total new cases in the last four days. There have been 3,212 total cases.

The City of Coffeyville is asking its residents to continue conserving water.

City crews are still repairing water main leaks and the water plant has been running at full capacity through the frigid temperatures. The city is not under a boil water advisory and there is no contamination in the water supply.

This is just a request for water conservation to help replenish water storage levels due to losses from the recent main breaks.

Multiple resolutions were approved at last night's Coffeyville Commission meeting.

The first resolution approved was the Neighborhood Revitalization Plan. The city had the resolution approved at the Montgomery County Commission meeting Monday morning and the city of Coffeyville is now on board. Coffeyville Community College will discuss the plan with the city on March 8th.

Also approved was a grant application for the Kansas State Historical Society for a 2021 Kansas Rural Preservation Grant and a resolution to establish a service contract for the Endeavor Hotel Group.

A Baxter Springs duo is in custody after their mid-afternoon burglary attempt was foiled.

Cherokee County Deputies were dispatched to suspicious activity at a vacant home north of Galena. Upon arrival, a deputy apprehended a suspect who was allegedly attempting to cut the catalytic converter from a vehicle.

The deputy then attempted to detain another suspect still inside their car, when a third suspect emerged from inside the home and fled into a wooded area. The third suspect's identity is known but he has not yet been located.

39-year-old Justin Merrill and 33-year-old Lacey Powell, both of Baxter Springs, were transported to the Cherokee County Jail on allegations of Burglary and Theft. In addition, Powell is also being held on outstanding warrants for her arrest from Baxter Springs Municipal Court.

The Independence Police Department has received multiple reports on concerns of animal abuse amid last week's winter storm.

One dog was reported dead outside of an Independence home that had multiple dogs within their property. The living dogs were reported to be healthy and active. The owners were allegedly away from the home and left someone in charge of their animals.

There has been an outcry of social media posts about the incident from residents and animal rights activists. Independence Police Chief Jerry Harrison asked that the public give the department time to get this case right so justice will prevail.

Harrison said they are working diligently and asks that you limit calls to the police department regarding this case. He also added that since this is an open investigation, there are details about the case that cannot be released.

Warmer temperatures and breezy winds out of the southwest are prime conditions for grass fires to spread quickly. There is also low humidity in the air which allows fires to stay alive for longer periods.

The National Weather Service in Wichita says to please be mindful of anything that can cause sparks, and be careful with any outdoor burning.

The Independence City Commission will consider declaring a financial emergency in the wake of last week's severe weather.

Due to sub-zero temperatures and even lower wind chills, the possibility for higher-than-normal utility bills is anticipated. The passage of a resolution declaring an emergency becomes important if aid becomes available, as it would allow the city to go after that aid. Montgomery County as a whole has already passed a similar resolution, doing so at its meeting on Monday.

The commission will meet and discuss the matter at its regular scheduled time, this Thursday at 5:30 pm. You can view the full meeting agenda here.

A structure fire was reported at a home behind the Casey's General Store in Caney this morning.

The fire was at the garage of 104 N. Ridgeway and was reported at 5:19 a.m. and Caney PD said that the fire spread to the garage of 106 N. Ridgeway. Caney Fire and Rescue crews were on the scene and were able to get the flames extinguished. There were no injuries during the fire and the cause of the fire is currently under investigation.

Those who signed up for KGGF Text Alerts presented by Equity Bank got this news first.

Depending on where you live in Kansas you could receive a 5-year tax waiver or a repayment on a student loan. Rural Opportunity Zones in Kansas are areas to entice people to move to Kansas from out of state. Trisha Purdon of the Montgomery County Action Council describes the ins and outs of the ROZ.

The program expires on July 1^st of this year but Purdon said the program could get an extension and also have an added benefit.

The full interview with Purdon can be found under the “Community” tab in “KGGF Morning News Interviews.”

Kansas State University's 108^th Cattlemen’s Day will be held virtually this year, on the morning of Friday, March 5^th.  Beef Cattle Specialist Dale Blasi says the Keynote presentation will focus on the pandemic and how it has impacted the cattle industry.

Blasi says K-State meats specialist Liz Boyle will provide some information pertaining to small local meat processing plants.  Blasi says if you want to take part in the virtual 2021 K-State Cattlemen’s Day you need to register at ksubeef.org.

The Montgomery County Commission signed a disaster declaration regarding a potential spike in utility bills for its residents following the recent winter storm.

Director of Emergency Management Rick Whitson said that some people could have possibly seen their utilities increase 10-25x their normal amount.

Whitson added that prices would skyrocket not just for utilities.

The disaster declaration is an amalgamation of Governor Laura Kelly and Sedgwick county's declarations. The declaration would also allow Montgomery County and its businesses apply for FEMA assistance.

The Coffeyville Community College Technical Campus recently gave tours to local high school Sophomores to showcase Career and Technical Education opportunities offered to high school Juniors and Seniors.

Caney Valley High School visited multiple programs in Coffeyville including Automotive Service, Collision Repair, Construction, Allied Health for Certified Nurse Aide and Certified Medication Aide. CCC also offers a Welding program on-site at the CVHS campus.

CCC Technical campuses provide quality education and high-demand certifications for traditional and non-traditional students. You can find out more information about the CCC Tech Campus online at coffeyville.edu.

An issue with Caney's water process control lines has been resolved. Yesterday the city announced that there were lines that were frozen and broke as a result. The tower and distribution system has been returned to full capacity.

However, the city is still asking citizens to restrict the amount of water they use until further notice. Warmer temperatures will heat up the ground and cause it to move and cause broken water lines as well.

Caney asks if you see a broken water line, please report it to the police department at 620-879-2141.

The Parsons USD 503 Board of Education decided during their most recent meeting to only makeup one of three snow days that were used during the this past week's snowstorm.

The district was still on schedule to finish above the state-required number of hours even with the days missed. Three options were discussed which included students not having to make up snow days, students making up days at the end of the year, or adding 10 minutes to each school day for the rest of the school year.

After a discussion, the board decided to change the Good Friday holiday to a normal school day and not make up the other two snow days.

A Chanute man was arrested on a pair of drug possession charges.

Chanute officers responded to the lobby of the Police Department for an individual needing to speak with an officer. Upon arrival, officers started talking with the individual and he started acting very odd. The individual told officers that people in camouflage clothing were stalking him. Officers were granted permission to search his vehicle and his person. The individual had items associated with illegal drugs on him.

Officers arrested 57-year-old Billy Leon Key Jr. for possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was transported to the Neosho County Jail without incident.

An earthquake with a magnitude of 4.2 was felt throughout parts of Northern Oklahoma and Southern Kansas.

According to the United States Geological Survey, the quake hit at 7:56 a.m. this morning, and the epicenter was six kilometers southwest of Manchester, OK in Grant County which is 74 miles southwest of Wichita.

According to the USGS, it could be felt as far east as Caney and was felt in Chautauqua and Elk Counties. The vibrations went as far north as Saline County and as far south as Norman, OK and as far west as portions of Texas near the panhandle.

The City of Independence announced they will be closing their city hall at 11:30 a.m. today. The closure is for maintenance and repair of their emergency generator and switches.

City employees will continue to work during this time, but the phone lines will not be operational. 9-1-1 calls will temporarily roll to a back-up dispatch unit and immediately be relayed to the police department.

If you have an emergency, call 9-1-1 as usual. The city expects to have its local 9-1-1 system back in operation by 2 p.m. this afternoon.

After a brief return to Level 0, the Southwest Power Pool has returned the Energy Emergency Alert to Level 1. The SPP made the announcement Thursday evening, saying that all available resources had been committed to meet obligations, but they were at risk of not meeting required operating reserves.

All customers of Coffeyville Municipal Light & Power in the area are still encouraged to maintain conservation efforts through the length of this weather event. Updates will continue to come as they are announced.

Oklahoma records have been set for consecutive hours below freezing, according to Oklahoma Mesonet.

As of 8 a.m. this morning, Washington County has been below freezing for the past 303 hours dating back to Sunday, February 7th. Osage County has been below freezing for 305 hours and Nowata is at 302 hours. The longest streak in the state is 308 hours in the northern parts of Woods County.

The lowest temperature in the state during the storm is -22 in Cimarron County which the northwestern-most county in the state located on the panhandle.

Some counties in the southeastern portion of the state had their streak snapped yesterday. The majority of the state will be near or above freezing today with temperatures reaching the 40s tomorrow.

A water main break was detected in Parsons at the intersection of 14th and Chess.

Please try to avoid the area if possible for your safety and the safety of city crews. If you live in the area you may experience loss of water pressure at some time.

Parsons, like many cities in the area, has struggled with water main breaks due to the winter weather, but Parsons had a boil water advisory issued which has since been rescinded.

Due to unforeseen circumstances, the meeting location for the proposed wind farm hearing has been changed to the Edna School cafeteria. The address is 220 West Myrtle. The meeting is Monday from 7:00pm to 8:30pm.

The Labette County Commissioners are asking for input from Labette County residents concerning RWE’s proposal to construct a wind farm. The Board of County Commissioners will not be answering any questions or making comments. This hearing is only for input from Labette County residents.

Masks and social distancing will be required. If you cannot attend in person a zoom link is provided in the online version of this story at kggfradio.com. If you have any questions you can call Charlie Morse at 620-820-3267.

A 37-year old man was arrested Wednesday in Erie by law enforcement after being identified as a person of interest in the Dollar General Robbery that occurred on Monday.

Parsons detectives and officers have been following up on various leads and information that they have received in response to the robbery. During the investigation, officers found a vehicle that was near the scene and identified it as a possible getaway vehicle leaving the Parsons City limits north on Highway 59.

Detectives notified Erie Police about the circumstances surrounding the vehicle and its direction of travel. The vehicle was located in Erie by police was pulled over. Parsons Detective Kyle Wiford was able to assist Erie Police with the stop.

Benjamin Leroy Queen of Oswego was identified and arrested during the stop on multiple warrants from other jurisdictions and driver's license violations in Erie. Parsons Police are not naming Queen as a suspect only a person of interest until more follow-up and investigation can occur.

Queen had previously been arrested and charged in Labette County Court for the Aggravated Robbery of Casey's General Store in Oswego in 2020.

Gas prices continue to shoot upward in the area causing motorists to dig deeper into their pockets.

Prices in Montgomery County have risen to $2.43 which is a 26 cent increase since last month while Labette County has seen an increase to $2.37 which is an 18 cent increase. In Chautauqua County, prices are up 30 cents to $2.33 a gallon.

The state average is up 18 cents at $2.17 a gallon. In Oklahoma, the state average jumped to $2.30 a gallon. Gas in Washington County is up 23 cents to $2.30 while Nowata County is up 16 cents to $2.21.

The national average for a gallon of regular gasoline is at $2.57, which is eight cents more than a week ago, 19 cents more than a month ago, and 13 cents more than a year ago. Gasoline prices are expected to rise 10 to 20 cents a gallon in the coming days after winter storms knocked out about a dozen refineries in Texas, higher crude oil prices, and gas demand.

Southern Star has clarified some misinformation regarding rates at which gas was being purchased for the City of Altamont.  Their statement can be seen below.

“In oversimplified terms, this is a supply and demand issue within the natural gas supply market. The supply market is not only having unprecedented demand given the sustained cold weather but also is suffering from freeze-offs at the production wellheads, all of which exacerbates the supply/demand imbalance causing price spikes from sellers of natural gas.

However, Southern Star is solely a transporter of natural gas. To clarify, our company does not sell natural gas itself.  Unlike rates for natural gas supply which are set by the market, our rates for transportation and storage services are established and capped by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

Southern Star holds several transportation and storage contracts with companies like Kansas Municipal Gas Agency, which is the contract holder for the City of Altamont.”

The Southwest Power Pool Emergency Alert has returned to Level 0 for the first time since early this week.

SPP downgraded the alert to Level 0 at about 9:30 this morning. Coffeyville Municial Light & Power announced the downgrade 15 minutes later, at 9:45.

The SPP Balancing Authority will remain in conservative operations for the entire SPP region until 10:00 pm on Saturday. CMPL will continue to monitor the situation and update as needed. They have also asked customers to conserve where able.

The city of Altamont's gas shortage issue is starting to head in the right direction.

Altamont went live on the city's Facebook page and Public Information Officer and Chief of Police Michael Shields gave the good news that an evacuation is most likely not necessary.

Although things are turning up, the city still asks that you conserve as much energy as possible.

The City of Coffeyville has been downgraded back to a Level 1 Energy Emergency Alert as of late yesterday evening.

Southwest Power Pool stated that the regional grid capacity is expected to remain strained until at least noon today, if not longer. SPP is still asking residents to continue conserving energy. 

Throughout most of yesterday, the city was in Level 2.

The latest COVID-19 statistics were given at Independence's pandemic team meeting, and the results were mostly good news.

There have been just 82 new cases were reported since last Wednesday in Montgomery County. Additionally, there have been two more deaths since last Wednesday for a total of 59.

Statewide, there was an increase of 4,490 in the past week to bring the state total to 287,450 cases. There have also been 36 new hospitalizations and 42 deaths since Monday. There have also been two cases of the new strain of coronavirus that originated out of the United Kingdom that has been deemed more contagious.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has rescinded the boil water advisory for the City of Parsons. The advisory was issued because of a loss of pressure in the system. A loss of pressure may lead to inadequate chlorine residuals and bacterial contamination.

Laboratory testing samples collected from the City of Parsons 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.

Pittsburg State University has released its weekly COVID-19 numbers for the week leading up to Feb. 17th.

Tests were administered to 21 symptomatic students, with four positives. Currently, 10 students are in isolation and approximately 24 are in quarantine as close contacts to infected people.

Two faculty and staff members reported infections and no one reported being a close contact with an infected person. Three are currently in isolation. Since the onset of the pandemic, 61 faculty and staff have reported infections and 102 have had to quarantine as close contacts to infected people.

Weekly routine testing of athletes mandated by the NCAA continues. In this reporting time period, 126 student-athletes were tested and one was found to be positive.

The City of Coffeyville is one of 32 cities in Kansas that will receive a portion of a nearly $14 million grant to help with street construction. The Community Development Block Grant program is facilitated by the Kansas Department of Commerce Community Development Division. These federal grants are being awarded for a variety of community improvement projects.

The nearly $575,000 grant will be used for the location between 4^th and 9^th Streets from Lewark to Cline. The project will consist of curb removal and replacement, full-depth patching & concrete pavement in certain locations, and milling & asphalt overlay.

Also included in the most recent grant was Independence who received $700,000, Fredonia received just over $261,000 while Chetopa received $600,000.

The City of Parsons says that the water system tests taken in the city have unofficially passed their tests. However, all lab results have to be issued to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment before anything can be officially passed or rescinded.

Therefore, the suggested boil order issued by the city will remain in place until further notice.

The Southwest Power Pool has again downgraded to an Energy Emergency Alert to an EEA Level 1 until further notice. Currently, SPP has enough generating capacity to meet system-wide demand. While SPP works to maintain regional reliability, they continue to urge customers across the region to conserve electricity at home, work, and to follow their local utility's directions regarding safety, conservation and potential outages.

All customers are encouraged to maintain conservation efforts throughout this winter weather event period to aid in preventing rolling blackouts. Coffeyville Municipal Light and Power will continue to monitor the situation and update customers as needed. The City of Coffeyville would like to thank all residents and businesses for their continued cooperation through this event.

Beginning February 22^nd through March 5^th, the Independence Police Department will join other law enforcement agencies in Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma with increased enforcement near high schools to raise awareness on roadway safety. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teens.

Chief Jerry Harrison says even one teen death is unacceptable. Slow down, put the phone away and buckle up. Officers will issue citations to any individual who refuses to obey the traffic laws, whether it is for speeding, texting or failing to wear a seat belt. Remind teens that driving is a privilege and encourage them to learn about the importance of driving safely.

The city of Neodesha is experiencing a water main break in the area of 9th and Iowa.

Snowplowing has stopped in the area in order to work on fixing the break. City crews are working on the break and will resume plowing once the break is fixed. Please avoid this area when commuting today.

Several Kansas legislators will visit Chautauqua County at the end of the month.

The Chautauqua County Farm Bureau Association is hosting a panel on Saturday, February 27th. Figures who will be in attendance include US Senator Roger Marshall, US Representative Ron Estes, Attorney General Derek Schmidt, State Senator Michael Fagg, and State Representative Doug Blex.

Those with questions are encouraged to attend. The event will begin at 11 am, and will be held in the cafeteria at the Sedan school, 416 E. Elm. Masks are encouraged, but not required.

The city of Altamont is working on having gas for its citizens. Yesterday morning, they announced that gas would be cut by 26%, and last night, they informed the city of what to do in case gas runs out.

Public Information Officer and Chief of Police Michael Shields spoke on Facebook Live and gave the news of what will happen in the worst-case scenario.

Shields added what you can do to inform the public if this were to occur.

The Kansas Municipal Energy Agency was able to purchase gas for today, but prices were extraordinarily higher than normal. The price for today's gas was between $150-$300 per MMBtu. The average price is just $3.00.

Southwest Power Pool stated that Coffeyville Municipal Light and Power will be back up to a Level 2 Energy Emergency Alert.

Earlier yesterday evening, SPP said that the city was brought back down to a Level 1, but it has since been moved back up. CMLP asks that you please continue efforts to conserve energy where able, while still heating your homes to help prevent or minimize the severity of rolling blackouts for the remainder of this winter weather event passes.

Coffeyville Municipal Light and Power says we are not out of the woods yet. There is potential for the Energy Emergency Alert to elevate to a Level 2 or Level 3. Some of the highest load predictions for the SPP are still to come.  Tonight between 7:00pm and 12:00am, tomorrow between 7:00am and 12:00pm and tomorrow evening between 7:00pm and 12:00am.

Due to the extreme stress on the electrical grid and the subzero temperatures, they strongly encourage customers to continue conserving energy where able while still heating your homes to help prevent or lessen the severity of rolling blackouts. The current energy crisis spreads across several states and will continue until the weather improves and temperatures increase.

The Labette County Commission held a special meeting today. Emergency Management Director Charlie Morse says they discussed steps to take to help conserve energy in the county.

Morse says with temperatures expected to be closer to freezing on Thursday the county courthouse will open back up then.

With the snow and multiple days of temperatures below freezing many electric and gas companies are asking residents businesses to conserve energy. Atmos Energy Manager of Public Affairs Aaron Bishop has some tips to help do that.

Bishop says on the safety side of things you want to be careful how you heat your homes.  Bishop says if there is snow or ice blocking your gas meters or pipes to safely thaw it and not chip away at it or try to break it.

Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt joined KGGF Tuesday morning to talk about a variety of topics, including consumer protection regarding counterfeit vaping products.

Schmidt discussed litigation against companies that alleged that the defendants knowingly misled consumers by falsely representing e-cigarette products to be authentic branded merchandise when in fact they were not. The counterfeit products involved in this case included vaping devices and vaping liquids. He said that fines have been levied against the companies found to be non-compliant.

You can hear the full interview with Schmidt here.

The Southwest Power Pool has issued an Emergency Alert Downgrade, returning to EEA level 2, until further notice. Currently, SPP is able to meet its minimum Contingency Reserve Requirements. Should reserve requirements degrade, it is anticipated that we would return to an EEA Level 3.

All customers are encouraged to maintain conservation efforts throughout this winter event period maintain EEA Level 2 or lower to prevent rolling blackouts. Coffeyville Municipal Light and Power will continue to monitor the situation and update the customers as needed. The City of Coffeyville would like to thank all of the customers, residents and businesses for their continued cooperation through this energy and weather event.

The subzero temperatures have affected two more water mains in the City of Parsons. One is located at 25th and Stevens with the other at Heacock and Broadway. Each location creates a dangerous situation with potential standing ice on the roadway. Crews are addressing the severity of the breaks at both locations and are attempting to isolate the specific location of the breaks and control the situation. Residents that must travel today are asked to stay clear of both locations for safety concerns. As the extreme cold continues residents and businesses are asked to please continue to conserve water during this time. There is not a mandatory boil order from KDHE, however it is suggested that residents follow a voluntary boil request for water you intend to cook with or drink for at least the next 24 hours.

Southwest Power Pool has authorized GRDA and the City of Coffeyville to restore all load on its systems.

The Energy Emergency Action Level 3 remains in effect until further notice. Coffeyville Municipal Light & Power doesn't anticipate any additional curtailments during the day, but that isn't for certain. The possibility of additional interruptions in service will increase later this evening and again tomorrow morning.

All residential services have been reinstated at this time with the exception of a small area south of the old Southwire building. The city has mainly been dropping power from industrial areas and they claim to have dropped a combined load of 12+ megawatts.

The city asks that you still conserve as much energy as possible in your home or business. If your power did not come back on, please notify the operator's desk at 620-252-6180.

A power outage in the Nowata area causes 1,020 reported outages.

According to the Public Service of Oklahoma, the outages were reported around 7 a.m. this morning.

PSO asks that if you have an outage that you report it at https://psoklahoma.com/outages/report/ and not call them as it could overload their system with customer calls

PSO is estimating that power will return around 1:30 p.m. this afternoon.

KGGF and KRIG are set to host the 5th Annual Inter-State Farm and Home Show presented by the Bartlett Co-op Association on Friday, March 26th from 1:00pm to 7:00pm and Saturday, March 27th from 8:30am to 4:00pm, at Nellis Hall on the Coffeyville Community College Campus.

This free show will feature vendors from the four-state region. From the latest agricultural products and equipment, landscaping and general remodeling, home décor, lifestyle services, or tasty treats, this is a must-visit show. Many vendors will have cash and carry items that can be purchased during the show.

There will be a $500 cash prize giveaway each day, along with tickets to Branson shows, Kansas City Zoo, Stafford Air & Space Museum and more. There will also be a variety of door prizes and giveaways from vendor booths.

With the winter weather continuing, cities are doing their best to keep lights on for their citizens. For Altamont, they are cutting their gas supply by 26%. City Administrator Audree Aguilera said they are unsure what will happen tomorrow.

Aguilera said the city is doing its part by shutting down unnecessary operations to conserve energy as well as providing options to the public who might need help.

Aguilera said that the city is asking its citizens to use as little energy as possible until further notice.

Due to the inclement weather conditions, all Coffeyville Regional Medical Center Medical Group Clinics will be closed today. This includes both Primary Care Clinics, Specialty Clinic and Women's Health Clinic.

The Clinics will reopen tomorrow at 9:00 am. The Emergency Department will be open 24/7 and can be used in case of an emergency.

Parsons has returned full pressure to the city's water system.

As of 6 p.m. yesterday evening, water towers were at 103 feet. This morning at 6 a.m., the elevation within the towers eclipsed 115 feet.

The city said you may notice slight popping from your faucet as pressure returns and the air is leached from the system.

A dozen water samples are being collected by the city and will be analyzed as soon as possible. There is still a suggested, but not mandatory, boil order for the next 24 hours for any water being used to cook or to drink.

Coffeyville Municipal Light & Power has reported its first blackouts.

The blackouts were reported at South Walnut and the City Wastewater Treatment Plant area, the former Southwire building area and the former Amazon building area.

The blackouts began around 8:30 a.m. this morning and are expected to last about an hour. According to Southwest Power Pool, these blackouts could continue through Thursday.

The Miami Department of Emergency Management is preparing citizens to get ready for a power outage this morning.

Miami Police Chief Thomas Anderson gave details of when the outage is expected. Anderson said that the outage could be about 45 minutes, but said to prepare for it to be longer than an hour just in case.

The Miami Police Department did a Facebook live at 8:45 a.m. making this announcement and said to follow the page along with their website to stay updated. Anderson said that he will try to give a warning if this were to happen again.

Those who are signed up for KGGF Text Alerts presented by Equity Bank received this news first.

Southwest Power Pool announced that the city of Coffeyville is back on a Level 3 Energy Emergency Alert.

30-60 minute rolling blackouts may occur to maintain integrity on the system grid. These blackouts could continue through Thursday, according to SPPAll customers are asked to conserve as much energy as possible during this period.

You can do so by doing such things as unplugging electronics that are not in use and turning down the temperature a few degrees.

More snowfall is on the way for our area throughout tonight and into tomorrow morning.

Chances of snow eclipse 40% at 8 p.m. this evening and will stay there until 8 a.m. tomorrow. We can expect another 2-4 inches on top of the four inches we have gotten over the last 48 hours in Coffeyville.

Across the Oklahoma state border, the likelihood of higher snow totals is greater with at least three inches expected.

If you have experienced a blackout over the last 24 hours, chances are it was a decision by Southwest Power Pool. They are in charge of where the electricity goes in 17 total states in the central plains and western parts of the country.

Chief Operating Officer Lanny Nickel said that they are in control and have a plan and strategy in place for which areas will lose power momentarily. 

SPP expects this morning could be the highest demand for electricity so far. Nickel said it's likely that things won't be getting better any time soon.

SPP continues to encourage the minimal use of gas and electricity in homes and businesses to prevent widespread power outages.

Coffeyville City Hall will be open today despite the Energy Emergency Alert Level 2 in place for the city.

The city was under a Level 3 yesterday afternoon but was downgraded early evening.

The Southwest Power Pool has issued an Energy Emergency Alert Downgrade returning to EEA Level 2 until further notice. Currently, SPP is able to meet its minimum Contingency Reserve Requirements.

Should reserve requirements degrade, it is anticipated that they would return to an EEA Level 3. All customers are encouraged to maintain conservation efforts throughout this winter weather event period to maintain an EEA Level 2 or lower to prevent rolling blackouts.

The Northeast Oklahoma Electric Cooperative received a notification from its power supplier, stating that service interruptions are expected over the next 24 to 36 hours and may last through Friday or until demand on the grid has been reduced to manageable levels.

NOEC has no control over the timing or length of these service interruptions. In response, NOEC is asking members to take steps to reduce usage on a household level. They are recommending lowering thermostat settings and avoiding the use of non-essential appliances. They also urge members who rely on electricity to operate medically necessary equipment to prepare accordingly by making alternate arrangements for shelter.

Shortly after noon, city crews in Parsons began to return pressure to the city's water supply. The cold weather is slowing the filtration and production process. The city expects the water supply to return to normal sometime this evening.

In an effort to assist the water needs of health care facilities and elderly care homes the city is asking residents and businesses to conserve water. There is not a mandatory boil order from KDHE, but the city has implemented a voluntary boil order as city crews monitor and perform tests on the system. It is strongly recommended to boil water you intend to cook with or drink for at least the next 24-48 hours.

The Southwest Power Pool has rescinded its Energy Emergency Alert Level 3 declaration. Oklahoma had never seen an EEA 3 declared in its history until this morning.

Public Service Company of Oklahoma Stan Whiteford says that meant that the SPP was requesting them to shut down power for some area residents for up to an hour to conserve the power supply in the region.

Whiteford asks all PSO customers to do what they can in their efforts to conserve electricity. Like turning down your thermostat by a couple of degrees or avoiding the use of big appliances.

PSO shut off power throughout its footprint so not one area would experience a huge bulk of outages at one time. According to PSO's outage map, there were over just 11,300 in the area, including a handful of outages in the Nowata area.

According to a press release from the City of Coffeyville.

Due to the Southwest Power Pool issue of the Energy Emergency Alert Level 3, the City of Coffeyville is making preparations to initiate rolling blackouts in support of stabilizing the bulk electric system, should a directive be received from the GRDA and SPP.

Rolling blackout could range from one to four hours. The City of Coffeyville will attempt to notify customers of pending rolling blackouts by phone notifications to listed account numbers. They ask that you do not notify the system operations of this outage unless it extends beyond two hours.

The 14th Judicial District will be closed Tuesday due to the weather.

This includes the Montgomery County and Chautauqua County Clerks offices.  If you were scheduled for court on this day, contact your attorney for a new court date.

Some rural citizens of Montgomery County may be without power.  KGGF is attempting to make contact with Westar Energy and will provide updates as we have them.  

The cold snap is creating a greater demand for propane. Bartlett Co-op's Perry Sorrell says the supply is thinning, but they have not had any problems yet, but they are concerned about the sudden demand warning that at any time there is strong demand, the prices tend to go up.

Bartlett Co-op is also the presenting sponsor of the Interstate Farm and Home Show March 26-27 at Nellis Hall on the campus at Coffeyville Community College.  You can hear the full interview with Sorrell here.

A Dollar General Store in Parsons was robbed early Monday morning. The Parsons Police Department announced that the robbery took place just after 9 am this morning. 

The suspect was described as a white male, wearing blue pants and a tan coat, and is armed with a black handgun. The suspect fled the scene with an unknown direction of travel. Police are asking for assistance from anyone with cameras or footage that would help identify the suspect. More details will come as they become available.

The Southeast Kansas Area Agency on Aging was set to resume delivering hot meals tomorrow for their Meals on Wheels program, but due to the weather, they will not be able to deliver them this week.

They will resume delivering hot meals on Monday, February 22^nd.

A Bartlesville man is arrested in Caney over the weekend. At around 11:00pm Saturday night Caney Police Officers made a traffic stop at Highway 75 and Bullpup lane. Upon approaching the vehicle officers observed a plastic bag with green leafy vegetation.

The officers identified the driver of the vehicle as 19-year-old Laquante Williams, who was arrested for possession of marijuana, speeding and no valid driver’s license. Williams was able to post bond and was given a court date to appear in city court at a later scheduled time.

Routine traffic stop turns into a drug arrest in Caney. Over the weekend a Caney Police Officer pulled over a vehicle at the corner of 5th and Ridgeway. During the stop, officers noticed the odor of marijuana and discovered some in the vehicle.

he driver of the car 20-year-old Justin Hale of Olathe was arrested for possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. Hale was able to post bond on those charges and is scheduled to appear in city court at a later date.

City of Coffeyville crews are repairing a water main leak North of East 7th on Cedar and another one on 8th and Washita. 

The street is closed between Washita and Grant, so please avoid the area if you need to commute.

City crews are also out on snowplows hitting the priority streets but most streets are still snow-covered.

The city of Parsons is currently trying to fix a water break near the old water treatment plant. According to the city, the break affects all citizens.

A drop in water pressure was noticed at approximately 10 p.m. yesterday evening.

Parsons is facing challenges while trying to fix the break such as trying to break frozen ground and attempting to keep equipment operational in subzero temperatures.

City crews are on-site and have begun the process of repairing the break.

An Energy Conservation Alert has been elevated to Level 2 in Coffeyville. Coffeyville Municipal Light and Power issued the alert asking customers to conserve as much energy as possible while maintaining proper home health safety.

The alert will stay in effect until further notice to mitigate the risk of more widespread and longer-lasting outages. A Level 3 would be triggered if Southwest Power Pool has to utilize operating reserves below the required minimum or ask the city's members to implement controlled service interruptions.

Those who are signed up for KGGF text alerts presented by Equity Bank got this news first.

The number of consecutive hours below freezing could be broken on Thursday.

According to Oklahoma Mesonet, In Bartlesville as of 8 a.m. this morning, there have been 207 consecutive hours where the temperature has been below 32 degrees dating back to Sunday, February 7th. The current Mesonet record is 282 hours and will likely be broken.

The lowest temperature in Bartlesville recorded so far during the streak is -5 and the lowest in the state is in Boise City which is the furthest western point on the panhandle which got down to -21.

Many homeowners will use space heaters to help heat up their home during this winter storm, but the city of Parsons wants to make sure that you use your heating device safely by providing some tips to help your home stay warm and safe.

Be sure to plug the heater directly into the wall and avoid using extension cords which can cause overheating and can also be a tripping hazard.

Keep the heater in a room with low moisture in the air. Placing the unit in a bathroom can cause it to malfunction.

Avoid the heater from being close to flammable objects such as curtains, rugs, bedding, furniture or clothes.

Following these steps can avoid a tragic accident and keep your home nice and warm this winter.

With severe weather moving into the area, several schools have postponed or canceled class for Monday, February 15th. Make sure you continue to check our Weather Related Closings page to keep up to date on closings and cancelations in our area.

The following is a press release issued by Coffeyville Municipal Light & Power in response to recent severe weather in our area.

PRESS RELEASE:

Effective February 15, 2021, 05:00 Hours, Coffeyville Municipal Light & Power is issuing an Energy Conservation Alert notice.

Due to the extreme temperatures currently being experienced in the Southwest Power Pool’s (SPP) 17 state region, resulting in high demands for both electric energy and natural gas for heating, coupled with the current lack of available wind energy in the region, SPP has issued an Energy Emergency Alert (EEA) Level 1, effective 5:00 am, Monday, February 15, 2021.

According to SPP, due to the effects of widespread and extreme cold weather across the region, SPP and our public power partner and provider, GRDA, are asking their member utilities and customers, including Coffeyville Municipal Light & Power to conserve energy beginning at midnight, central time, on Monday, Feb.15 and for the following 48 hours to mitigate the risk of more widespread and longer-lasting outages.

SPP had declared a period of conservative operations earlier in the week, prior to today’s EEA1 declaration. This declaration means that member utilities are asked to operate conservatively to mitigate any risks as weather conditions worsen. An EEA1 signals that SPP foresees or is experiencing conditions where all available electric generating resources in the region are scheduled to be online to meet firm load obligations and that it may be unable to sustain its required contingency reserves.

Some conservation recommendations that can be recommended to customers are as follows: Turn down thermostats to 68 degrees. Close shades and blinds to reduce amount of heat lost through windows. Turn off and unplug non-essential lights and appliances. Avoid using large appliances (ovens, washing machines, dryers, etc.). Businesses should minimize the use of electric lighting and electricity-consuming equipment as much as possible. Large consumers of electricity should consider shutting down or reducing non-essential processes.

City of Coffeyville, Coffeyville Municipal Light & Power will continue to monitor and coordinate with GRDA and SPP to prepare for any changes in the current status, and communicate these changes to our customers.

We encourage every customer to attempt to conserve energy to the degree possible during this extreme weather event.

Any commercial or industrial operation that selects to reduce or limit operations during this period is asked to contact the utility at 620-252-6180.

Coffeyville Municipal Light & Power remains at the ready to serve our customers in every situation. Should you experience any issues with your electric service, please contact our system dispatch at 620-252-6180 immediately.

In response to the recent blast of inclement weather, the city of Independence has announced modifications to services and issued safety warnings for residents.

City hall will be closed Monday and Tuesday, and no sanitation/trash pickup services will be offered on these days. Operations at city hall will resume normally at 8 am on Wednesday. In addition, the Ralph Mitchell Zoo is closed through Wednesday, with all animals being moved indoors or to reinforced enclosures for their safety. 

The City Hall closure does not affect Emergency Services, and Fire/EMS personnel will remain on heightened alert to respond to all calls, including cold-weather related emergencies.

Much like their Montgomery County counterparts, Coffeyville Community College will close all campus locations on Monday, February 15th. All classes will be held virtually.

In addition, the board meeting scheduled for Monday has been moved to Tuesday at 4 pm.

The city of Neodesha is projecting the prices of natural gas and electricity will skyrocket over the next few days.

They are recommending conserving as much energy as possible to help keep the costs of energy down.

The city is doing its part to help conserve energy by shutting down city hall tomorrow.

Should you have any questions, you can contact the after-hours number for the Neodesha Public Works Department at 620-325-5483.

Independence Community College is closing its campus for the next two days due to inclement weather. During this time, all employees are asked to remain off campus due to walkways and parking lots being uncleared.

All students are to check Canvas for instructions related to their classes, but all on-campus activities have been canceled.

In addition, the February ICC Board of Trustees meeting, scheduled for Monday night, has been postponed to a later date to be determined. You can view a full list of closings and cancelations at anytime by visiting our Weather Related Closings page.

There have been multiple water line breaks across the City of Coffeyville. City crews are working to repair those breaks. The city recommends leaving faucets dripping to try to prevent your pipes from freezing.

Temperatures are expected to fall below freezing the next two nights and highs will stay in the single digits during the day times.

With the cold temperatures and snowfall, the main priority is staying warm. Coffeyville Director of Electric Utilities Mike Shook says they are seeing a highly stressed electric and natural gas system due to demand.

Shook says they are encouraging people to stay inside and off the roads over the course of the next couple of days.

A winter weather advisory is in effect until tomorrow morning at 6:00am and a wind chill warning is in effect until noon on Tuesday for Montgomery, Labette, Chautauqua, Neosho, Wilson and Elk Counties.

For the Wind Chill Warning, dangerously cold wind chills are expected, wind chills as low as 30 degrees below zero. For the Winter Weather Advisory, snow accumulations of 3 to 5 inches. Plan on slippery road conditions, patchy blowing snow could significantly reduce visibility. The hazardous conditions could impact your commute. The dangerously cold wind chills can cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 10 minutes.

There's been a lot of predictions regarding how much snowfall the area could see this weekend, with the highest total being around 25 inches. Montgomery County Emergency Management Director Rick Whitson says he's been in contact with the director of the National Weather Service in Wichita.

Whitson says while people are worried about the snow and the cold conditions, the risk for house fires can be the highest during times like these.  You can stay up to date with the weather and see any closings and cancellations by tuning into the Mighty 690 or online at kggfradio.com

Caney Police Department has announced that it will start an enforcement campaign near local schools.

Beginning February 22 through March 5, Caney PD will join other law enforcement agencies in Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma with increased enforcement near high schools to raise awareness on roadway safety. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for those 15 to 18 years old in the United States – ahead of all other types of injury, disease, or violence.

Officers will issue citations to anyone who refuses to obey the traffic laws, whether it is for speeding, texting, or failing to buckle up. Teens are reminded that driving is a privilege and learning the importance of driving safely.

A 25-year old Chanute man has been arrested on a warrant for aggravated indecent liberties with a child.

Earlier this month, detectives with Chanute PD started an investigation into alleged sex crimes involving juvenile victims. Investigators worked with the local Department for children and families conducting interviews and gathering information in regards to the cases. Detectives submitted an arrest affidavit and were granted an arrest warrant for Wesley Lee Scott Huffman.

He was transported to the Neosho County Jail without incident.

If you're wanting to go onto an ice-covered body of water for ice fishing or just want to walk on the ice, the Kansas Wildlife Parks and Tourism provided some tips to make sure you stay safe.

New, clear ice is the strongest, and white ice may only be about half as strong. Wait for at least four inches of clear, hard ice before walking on any ice-covered waterbody, and five to seven inches of ice is necessary to support a snowmobile or ATV. It usually takes several days of calm weather with single-digit temperatures to make safe ice.

KDWPT recommends never recreating alone, especially during winter; invite a family member or friend. Should an incident occur, chances of survival may be increased with more people present.

When ice fishing, it’s best to use an auger to cut holes which is a quick and efficient method for drilling into the ice. In Kansas, holes cut in the ice of public waters may be no more than 12 inches in diameter.

Falling into frigid water can be a deadly mistake as hypothermia can overcome a person within minutes so be sure to proceed with caution.

The Montgomery County Health Department informed USD 446 that a student at Independence Middle School and a student at Independence High School have tested positive for COVID-19.

The areas that those students occupied over the last several days have been closed off to be thoroughly disinfected. Those who were identified as close contacts have been notified. They will not be allowed to return to school until the health department deems it safe, but they will have access to remote learning.

If you have any questions, you can contact Superintendent Rusty Arnold at 620-496-4706.

The dates for some of the USD 445 graduations have been announced.

High school graduation will be on May 15th at 10 a.m. at the FKHS gym. RMS will have its 8th-grade promotion on May 20th at 7 p.m. at Benefiel Auditorium and the 6th-grade promotion will be on May 25th at 9 a.m. with the location to be determined at a later date. At ELC, the Kinder Bound End of the Year Celebration will be held virtually on May 24th with a time to be announced later. CES's Kindergarten Program will be in May with a date, time and location to be determined.

An 18-hour manhunt came to a close last night in the search for 29-year-old Malcolm Odom who was the lone suspect in the murder of 22-year-old Levi Kendricks early yesterday morning.

During the search, PPD looked into every abandoned house in the town. Thanks to tips from residents, they were able to locate Odom at a residence in the 1400 block of Partridge in Parsons. Odom was also wanted by the Kansas Department of Corrections for felony violations as well. He was brought to the Parsons Police Department and booked into the facility until he can be seen by a judge in the Labette County Court.

Odom was arrested on multiple charges including murder in the second degree.

A Coffeyville man speeds off from a traffic stop and then wrecks his vehicle in a ditch. Montgomery County Sheriff Deputies were called to the area of County Road 2200 and 5700, east of Coffeyville, to investigate a suspicious vehicle.

Upon arriving in the area, a deputy observed the driver was not wearing a seatbelt and pulled the vehicle over. As the deputy approached the vehicle, the driver began to threaten the deputy. After a short verbal exchange, the driver sped off wrecking his truck. Deputies removed the driver from the truck and after a short altercation, he was taken into custody.

The driver was identified as 48-year-old Jon Henry Jones V and he is being charged with criminal threats against a law enforcement officer, interference with LEO, attempting to flee an LEO, various traffic offenses and is under investigation for DUI pending further investigation.

Atmos Energy crews are working to restore natural gas service to approximately 60 homes throughout Coffeyville due to a temporary system outage.

Once service is ready to be restored, an Atmos Energy technician will perform essential services in compliance with social distancing guidelines so that they limit the spread of COVID-19 to ensure the safety of the employees, customers, and communities. Atmos will provide a third-party plumber or qualified contractor at no cost to restore natural gas service by relighting natural gas appliances.

Atmos is working directly with affected customers and urge anyone affected by this outage to call them at (888)286-6700. Hotel accommodations have been made for residents without service.

Freshman Congressman Jake LaTurner is about a month into his first term as the U.S. Representative for Kansas's Second Congressional District. Representative LaTurner ran for Congress under the Contract with Kansas and says he is going to live out the things he said he was going to do.

LaTurner says being from Southeast Kansas he wants to make sure the people of that area don't feel like they are forgotten.  You can hear the full interview with Representative LaTurner here and tomorrow morning around 8:30am right here on the Mighty 690 KGGF.

The Independence Assistant City Manager David Cowan and Labette Health Independence ER Director Becky Mitchell shared information on COVID-19 vaccinations at their pandemic team meeting.

Citizens who wish to receive the COVID vaccine should contact any and all providers to get signed up on waiting lists, including the Montgomery County Health Department. The Health Department’s phone number is (620) 251-4210.

They're asking that citizens remain patient when waiting for their vaccine as supplies are limited and there are a lot of people trying to receive their shots.

Currently, the County is operating within Phase Two, for which the priority group includes individuals over age 65, essential workers, municipal workers and school staff.

Vaccine availability is expected to expand with the addition of retail pharmacy distribution, which should happen soon. Walmart has announced that its store pharmacies in Coffeyville and Parsons will be offering vaccinations when supplies become available.

Atmos Energy crews were working to fix a natural gas outage in the area around 3^rd Street and Willow in Coffeyville last night. The Manager of Public Affairs Aaron Bishop says this is occurring as a result of a water main break and repair to that break.

Bishop said that the outage has impacted around 70 residential customers in the area. If you are without gas call their emergency number at (866)322-8677 to report that outage.

Bishop strongly encouraged all affected customers to seek lodging in either the Holiday Inn Express or the SureStay Plus by Best Western. Atmos Energy has a block of rooms available at each location.

Snow accumulation is expected to occur over the weekend with snowfall beginning Saturday night.

As for how much snow is expected, there has been a lot of speculation and prediction for the exact total, but News on 6's Alan Crone says it's too early to make projections.

Crone went on to say that before they come up with an expected total, they first need to find out where the system is moving.

You can stay up to date with snowfall totals as well as weather-related closings and severe weather alerts on KGGF 690 AM, KGGF 104.1 FM, KUSN 98.1 FM, or KQQF 98.9 FM where we provide up-to-date forecasts twice an hour, every hour.

According to the National Weather Service in Wichita, a storm system is expected to move slowly eastward and bring snow to the region from Saturday night through Monday night. Accumulating snowfall is likely across much of the region.

Wind chills are expected to be below freezing throughout the weekend. Heading out the door today, wind chills could get as low as -7 throughout the area.

As for the weekend and into early next week, the wind chills are only going to get worse. Starting Saturday and lasting until Tuesday, they could fall anywhere from -10 to -25.

You can stay up to date on weather-related closings and severe weather alerts on KGGF 690 AM, KGGF 104.1 FM, KUSN 98.1 FM, or KQQF 98.9 FM where we provide up-to-date forecasts twice an hour, every hour.

Parsons Police are searching for a man wanted in connection with a murder that occurred early this morning.

Parsons Police Officers responded to an emergency 911 call at around 1 am at the Mendota Creek Apartments for a reported shooting. Callers and witnesses identified the suspect as 29-year-old Malcolm Odom of Parsons. Odom was reported as fleeing the scene northbound.

The victim was identified as 22-year-old Levi Kendricks of Parsons. Kendricks was pronounced dead at the scene by officials from a gunshot wound to the chest. Police are continuing to search for the suspect and gathering evidence.

Odom should be considered armed and dangerous. If you see him, please call 911 and report his location, and do not approach him.

Montgomery County has been put in the deep freeze which also means any type of precipitation can cause problems on the roads. Montgomery County Public Works Director Jim Wright explains what areas they attack first when roads start to become slippery.

Wright went on to say that the entire department is preparing for the next winter blast expected within the next few days.

Wright also said that there was no part of the county that was worse than any other part as they were all about the same.

You can find a link to road conditions for the state of Kansas and a list of any closing and cancellations in the area here.

With the frigid air mass over southeast Kansas and northeast Oklahoma drivers need to take extra precautions.  In these conditions, if you don’t have to travel it’s a good idea to stay home.  However, if you do have to get out on the roads Brad Ketchem with the National Weather Service in Wichita says layer up with extra clothing.

Ketchem adds not to expect relief from the arctic temperatures anytime soon as the arctic air mass is expected t/o linger into next week.

Stay tuned to KGGF 690am, KGGF 104.1fm, KUSN 98.1fm, or KQQF  98.9fm for up to date forecasts twice an hour, 24 hours a day as well as severe weather alerts and closings and cancellations.

Pittsburg State University has released its weekly COVID-19 numbers for the week leading up to Feb. 10^th.

Tests were administered to 16 symptomatic students, with one positive. Currently, five students are in isolation and approximately 30 are in quarantine as close contacts to infected people.

Three faculty and staff members reported infections and one reported being a close contact with an infected person. One is currently in isolation. Since the onset of the pandemic, 59 faculty and staff have reported infections and 102 have had to quarantine as close contacts to infected people.

Weekly routine testing of athletes mandated by the NCAA continues. In this reporting time period, 43 student-athletes were tested and one was found to be positive.

Temperatures in the area are looking like they are only going to get colder, which means road conditions could get worse. Labette County Public Works Director Sandy Krider says they have salt sanded all of the blacktop roads in the county.

Krider says when the temperatures get this cold the salt sand doesn't work as well, but they will continue to treat roads as they need to. She says some areas of the county could be worse than others.  You can find a link to road conditions for the state of Kansas and a list of any closing and cancellations in the area can be found here.

For those who need to be outside for any reason in these harsh winter conditions, it's important to recognize the signs of frostbite and hypothermia. The Kansas Division of Emergency Management gave tips on what to watch for so you can stay safe.

In order to prevent frostbite, be sure to wear gloves and have a layer of clothing covering your ears, also wear multiple socks on each foot.

Signs of hypothermia include confusion, shivering, difficulty speaking, drowsiness and stiff muscles. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms while you are outside, be sure to move to a warmer location and seek medical attention immediately.

The Coffeyville City Commission approved Bluebird Network to put in place a fiber-optic network that supports 5G in the city's right of ways.

Bluebird is paying the city $9,900 each year for the next 10 years and the agreement would then be available for renewal. The network, based out of Columbia, Missouri, will meet with the city's engineers so they will know how to go through the city.

City Manager Mark Hall said that Bluebird will take care of any issues that might arise in the project.

The proposal was approved unanimously by the city commission and there was no scheduled date on when the project would begin.

The City of Independence has temporarily closed the alley exit to the north behind K-Wash, 1228 N. Penn.

The closing is to allow Atmos Energy to do gas line repairs. The north exit should reopen by next Monday.

Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt has asked President Joe Biden to reconsider his unilateral decision to revoke the permit for the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline. Schmidt joined 13 other AGs in sending a letter to the president to express their concern about the decision on his first day in office to issue an executive order canceling the project.

The AGs said that the pipeline, once completed, would bring oil and natural gas supplies to market and maintain the efforts by the United States to reduce the demand for energy from the Middle East. Halting the pipeline threatens states and local communities that anticipated jobs and tax revenue related to the project and its ongoing operations. The AGs also stated that they are reviewing legal options to protect their residents and sovereign interests.

Miami Public Schools Superintendent Jerry Hogan issued an apology for keeping schools open on Monday.

Numerous parents voiced their frustrations on the school's Facebook account after announcing that they would be open Monday. Superintendent Hogan said that he felt comfortable that the school district could get students to class safely, but once the weather took a turn the district made changes. Students who missed school on Monday will not be counted as absent and will be allowed to complete any assignments missed. Parents were allowed to pick their kids up at any time during the day, to make up for any issues that came from bringing them to school.

Miami Public Schools canceled school on Tuesday.

A 54-year-old woman was killed in an accident over the weekend in Cherokee County.

According to the Kansas Highway Patrol, Pamela White of Columbus was driving a 2008 Dodge Nitro westbound on NW Bethlehem Road when her vehicle went airborne while crossing the railroad tracks. White's vehicle then re-entered the roadway before running off the road to the south and striking a tree.

White was pronounced dead at the scene. White was not wearing a seatbelt when the accident occurred.

Several fire crews responded to an early morning fire in Independence on Tuesday.

Just after 3:30 am, Independence Fire/EMS was dispatched to a structure fire at 708 Washington Street. People were reported to be trapped inside. When officers arrived, they found employees from Daylight Donuts getting victims out of the house. Fire-EMS transported three patients to the ER.

The house was fully involved with the fire. The Kansas Fire Marshall and the Independence Police Department are investigating the cause of the blaze.

Icy roads have led to multiple accidents across Southeast Kansas and Northeast Oklahoma. There have been a pair of incidents of semis sliding off the roads.

In Ramona, two semis slid off the road into a ditch with one turning over along West 3500 Road near North 4000 Road yesterday afternoon. There were no injuries in the accident.

Also yesterday afternoon, a semi slid off the road on US 166 in Cherokee County. No apparent injuries occurred in that accident either.

Roads remain slick even though roads have been treated. This is due to the continued falling temperatures and slight precipitation falling across the region. Please use caution when driving.

With the much colder temperatures in the forecast for the area this week, AAA Kansas urges drivers to make sure their cars are ready for the cold. Routine maintenance is the best protection against breakdowns but that may have been overlooked during COVID-19.

Starting an engine in cold temperatures can take up to twice as much current as needed under normal conditions, which could lead to dead batteries. Air expands when it is heated and contracts when it is cooled. As the air temperature drops outside, so does the air pressure in your tires. For every 10 degree-change in air temperature, a tire's pressure will change by about 1-2 PSI.

The Kansas Department of Transportation plans to begin a project to make guardrail improvements on K-47 in Wilson County starting February 15^th.

The guardrail will be replaced at 12 locations between U.S. 400 and U.S. 75 and most of the work will take place off the highway, with minimal impacts to traffic. Weather permitting, the project should be completed by late April.

KDOT awarded the $323,780 construction contract to Bettis Asphalt & Construction of Topeka.

Coffeyville and the surrounding areas will see some of the coldest temperatures of the season this week. With periods of brutally cold weather like this, pipes are at risk of freezing. Triple A's Dan Scroggins says a crack as small as 1/8-inch can spew up to 250 gallons of water per day, causing flooding, serious structural damage, and the potential for mold.

Triple-A offers some tips to help prevent your pipes from freezing. Seal gaps around pipes that allow cold air inside, disconnect garden hoses, leave a faucet on over night to allow warm water to drip slightly, preferably from a faucet on an outside wall and open up cabinet doors to allow heat to reach uninsulated pipes.

In the past few days, the state of Kansas has reported a lower amount of new COVID-19 positive cases.

Testing rates have been down to start the month of February. Per 100,000 people, only 468 have been tested. In January, 4,709 people per 100,000 were tested which was down from 6,224 in December.

The positive test rate has fallen at the start of February and has been trending downward since November. The current percent positive rate is 5.7% which is down from 8.5% in January. In December, it was at 11.5% and 16.7% of COVID-19 tests came back positive in November in the state of Kansas. There were 533 new positive cases on Thursday and only 27 new cases statewide reported on Friday.

In Montgomery County, there have been 3,089 total positive cases. There are 16 new positive cases reported in the county in their most recent update on Thursday.

The Sedan Public Library has received a grant as part of an initiative to help libraries serve their rural and smaller communities.

The library was one of 200 to be selected as part of the "Libraries Transforming Communities: Focus on Small and Rural Libraries" initiative created by the American Library Association. The grant will give the library $3,000 that will be used to gather community input on how a future library facility could meet community needs.

Sedan Public Library workers will take a course in how to lead conversations, and then use grant funds to generate interest in the project and host information gathering sessions.

According to the ALA, more than 300 libraries applied for the grant.

Republican Sen. Roger Marshall has received the Senate Agriculture Committee seat that he told Kansas voters he would get if they elected him.

The freshman senator also received seats on the Senate’s energy, small business, and health and education committees.

The Agriculture Committee has long been a key assignment for Kansas senators. Marshall was a two-term western Kansas congressman when he ran for the Senate last year, and he played up his service on the House Agriculture Committee as a reason voters could expect him to be named to its Senate counterpart.

Senator Jerry Moran announced his committee assignments for the 117th Congress. Senator Moran will continue serving as the lead Republican on the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee in addition to a new committee assignment as a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.

Other committees Senator Moran will serve on including the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the Committee on Indian Affairs. Senator Moran says these key committee assignments allow me to advocate for a number of priorities that are important to Kansans and our special way of life.

Pittsburg State University has released its weekly COVID-19 numbers for the week leading up to Feb. 3^rd.

Tests were administered to 52 symptomatic students, with 11 positives. Currently, 13 students are in isolation, and approximately 40 are in quarantine as close contacts with infected people.

In the same time period, two faculty and staff reported infections, and four reported being close contacts to an infected person. Three are currently in isolation. Since the onset of the pandemic, 56 faculty and staff have reported infections, and 101 have had to quarantine as close contacts to infected people.

Weekly routine testing of athletes mandated by the NCAA continues. In this reporting time period, 112 athletes were tested, and two were found to be positive.

USD 436 – Caney Valley Schools have announced that there will be no school next Friday.

COVID-19 vaccinations are being distributed to teachers and staff that have chosen to participate. To facilitate the time and process required, no classes will be held Friday, February 12^th.

Students will not be required to remote in as this is not a planned remote day.

Fab Lab ICC was recently awarded a $50,000 grant to address COVID relief in the community. The Fab Food Lab concept has been developed, which is designed to address food insecurity in the region by offering citizens a variety of educational opportunities related to food and nutrition.

Offerings planned as part of the grant program include cooking classes, as well as education on food growing and preservation. Utilizing the commercial kitchen and large meeting space available at the ICC West facility, organizers are also developing opportunities such as an off-season farmers market, food-related trade show, a community food prep space and incubator space for food-based entrepreneurs. Former K-State Research and Extension Agent Barbara Ames has been chosen as the Project Lead for the Fab Food Lab.

As temperatures hit new lows this weekend, the American Red Cross is providing a few cold weather tips to ensure that you and your family stay safe. You can find a list of those tips below:

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO

• Assemble an emergency preparedness kit. Full details here.

• Protect pipes from freezing by taking the following precautions.:

  • Keep garage doors closed if there are water supply lines in the garage.

  • Open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate around the plumbing. Be sure to move any harmful cleaners and household chemicals up out of the reach of children.

  • When the weather is very cold outside, let the cold water drip from the faucet served by exposed pipes. Running water through the pipe - even at a trickle - helps prevent pipes from freezing.

  • Keep the thermostat set to the same temperature both during the day and at night. By temporarily suspending the use of lower nighttime temperatures, you may incur a higher heating bill, but you can prevent a much more costly repair job if pipes freeze and burst.

  • If you will be going away during cold weather, leave the heat on in your home, set to a temperature no lower than 55° F.

  • See additional tips online.

• The following steps are suggested to help pipes thaw:

  • If you turn on a faucet and only a trickle comes out, suspect a frozen pipe. Likely places for frozen pipes include against exterior walls or where your water service enters your home through the foundation.

  • Keep the faucet open. As you treat the frozen pipe and the frozen area begins to melt, water will begin to flow through the frozen area. Running water through the pipe will help melt ice in the pipe.

  • Apply heat to the section of pipe using an electric heating pad wrapped around the pipe, an electric hair dryer, a portable space heater (kept away from flammable materials), or by wrapping pipes with towels soaked in hot water. Do not use a blowtorch, kerosene or propane heater, charcoal stove, or other open flame device.

  • Apply heat until full water pressure is restored. If you are unable to locate the frozen area, if the frozen area is not accessible, or if you can’t thaw the pipe, call a licensed plumber.

  • Check all other faucets in your home to find out if you have additional frozen pipes. If one pipe freezes, others may freeze, too.

• Stay indoors and wear warm clothes. Layers of loose-fitting, lightweight, warm clothing will keep you warmer than a bulky sweater. If you feel too warm, remove layers to avoid sweating; if you feel chilled, add layers.

• Check on relatives, neighbors, and friends, particularly if they are elderly or if they live alone.

As always, if severe weather hits, make sure to tune into KGGF 690AM, for updates.

The Dewey Public Schools Board of Education held a discussion this week on its mid-year state aid adjustment and CARES Act II federal funding.

Superintendent Vince Vincent said he believes approximately 80-percent of schools in Oklahoma received a reduction in state aid at mid-year. He said Dewey Public Schools saw a $90,000 reduction for the school year. He said DPS is going to be fine and there's no doubt that they'll weather the storm.

When it comes to CARES Act II federal funding, Vincent said Dewey Schools will receive $826,000. Vincent said this is money that could be claimed all the way through Saturday, Sept. 30th, 2023. He said the Board has time to plan ahead, see where their needs are, and see how the money can assist the district.

Vincent said he does not anticipate that they would be utilizing much, if any, of the CARES Act II federal funding this fiscal year. He said he anticipates these funds being used more for the next two fiscal years that lie ahead.

The Kansas Department of Transportation has announced that multiple construction bids throughout the state have been approved.

In Montgomery County, U.S. 166 bridge number 39 eastbound over Onion Creek located 14 miles east of the south U.S. 75/U.S. 166 junction will have some bridge repairs done by P.B.X. Corporation & Subsidiary out of Sapulpa, Oklahoma for just under $64,000.

In Chautauqua County, K-99 from the north K-99/U. S. 166B junction to the Chautauqua/Elk county line will have the shoulders repaired by Cornejo & Sons LLC out of Wichita, Kansas for $8 million.

There were also bids approved in Crawford, Neosho and Bourbon counties along with two bids in Cherokee county.

USD 446 was informed by the Montgomery County Health Department that a student at Eisenhower Elementary and a student at Jefferson School have tested positive for COVID-19.

The areas that those students have used over the last several days have been closed off to be disinfected. They, along with their close contacts, will not be allowed to return to school until the health department deems it safe, but they will have access to remote learning. Those who were identified as close contacts have been notified.

If you have questions, you can contact Rusty Arnold at 620-496-4706.

Bone fragments that appear to be human in origin have been discovered in Parsons. On Monday afternoon, a Parsons police officer was given a tip about the fragments, which were located at the 1100 block of East 13th Street. A search was conducted in the immediate area, but no further remains were found.

The bone fragments were given to a scientist with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI). The scientist confirmed that the fragments were identified as part of a human skull. The Parsons Police Department's Investigations Division will partner with the KBI to identify the remains through DNA analyisis. 

During interviews, one person was arrested. That person, 37-year-old Dustin Eli Schulze of Parsons, was arrested on an unrelated charge for Aggravated Failure to Register as an Offender. Multiple other interviews have already been conducted by both the KBI and the Parsons Police Department.

The Community Foundation of Southeast Kansas has announced that it is accepting applications for the Bill House Hereford Foundation Scholarship for the 2021-2022 school year. The fund was established to support students pursuing an agricultural-related degree.

Applicants are required to have earned a 2.5 or higher GPA at the time of application and for the first semester of college study to receive funds for the second semester. Preference will be given to graduating seniors from Cowley or Chautauqua County, residents of Kansas or Oklahoma, or students attending a Kansas or Oklahoma college, university, or vocational school.

Applications must be postmarked, delivered electronically, or hand-delivered no later than March 15. A link to the application can be found here.

The first Arvest Bank and KGGF Ag Student of the Month for 2021 is a senior from Cherryvale. Cherryvale FFA Sentinel Cooper Crain says he's participated and competed in multiple events but his favorite is milk quality.

If you are thinking about being in FFA, Crain says to make sure to try new things because he has had opportunities to do things he never thought he would.  Arvest Bank and KGGF congratulate Cooper Crain as being selected for the January Ag Student of the Month. If you have a student you feel should be recognized have their Ag teacher nominate them online at kggfradio.com.

The Pittsburg Area Chamber of Commerce and Pittsburg State University has released the latest quarterly economic report and Pittsburg businesses did an excellent job weathering the economic storm due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Pittsburg Area Chamber of Commerce says last March, the city’s unemployment rate fell to a 20 year low of 3.3%, and while it did get up to 9% in April, as of December the unemployment rate was back down to 3.5%, and sales tax collections for 2020 were up over 2019.

The Pittsburg Area Chamber of Commerce says the Paycheck Protection Program was one of many tools that helped many city businesses survive.

Kansas has reached its first legal settlement related to the opioid addiction crisis, and it will bring $4.8 million to the state that must be used for drug treatment and addiction abatement, Attorney General Derek Schmidt announced Thursday.

Schmidt joined a coalition of attorneys general from 46 other states, the District of Columbia and five U.S. territories in reaching a settlement with McKinsey & Company, one of the world’s largest consulting firms. The settlement resolves allegations the company violated the Kansas Consumer Protection Act by helping opioid companies illegally promote their drugs and profiting from the opioid epidemic.

Thursday’s settlement with McKinsey is the first investigation to result in payment of damages to the state. Previously, Schmidt reached separate agreements in principle to resolve the state’s claims against Purdue Pharma and Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals plc, but each of those companies then filed for bankruptcy and negotiations through bankruptcy court continue.

A copy of the attorney general’s petition and consent judgment, which will be filed today in Shawnee County District Court, can be found here.

Coffeyville Community College has been approved by the Higher Learning Commission to expand its online degree programs.

Earlier this week, CCC was notified it may now offer an online Associate in Science and online Associate in General Studies. The college began providing online courses to students in 2004 and currently offers an online Associate in Arts degree. Courses are offered for the Fall, Spring and Summer semesters in a four, eight or sixteen week format.

Students seeking to complete their associate degree online should apply for admissions on the school's website here. Enrollment for the Summer and Fall semesters begin on April 5, 2021.

A more contagious strain of COVID-19 originated out of the UK has been spotted in Kansas, according to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

The strain has been found in 33 states and has now been found in Ellis County. An investigation is being done to find out how the individual contracted the strain. No further details are being released concerning the patient, including demographics.

Secretary of the KDHE Dr. Lee Norman said “This finding does not change our public health recommendations. We continue to encourage people to take the appropriate precautions: follow isolation and quarantine recommendations, practice physical distancing, wearing masks, good hygiene, staying home if ill and getting the vaccine if you are able to, once the supply is sufficient.”

This variant was first reported in the U.S. at the end of December 2020. Evidence from the UK indicates that this variant spreads much more quickly through the population and, given that fact, may rapidly increase the number of hospitalizations and deaths. More studies are needed to confirm this finding.

The number of COVID-19 cases continues to decrease in Montgomery County.

There were only 70 new cases reported in the county for the last seven days ending on Tuesday. In total, there have been 3,043 cases of the virus as well as 46 deaths.

The state of Kansas has reported 2,247 new COVID-19 cases, 86 new deaths, and 89 new hospitalizations since Monday.

As the vaccine rollout continues in the state of Kansas, local health officials are asking citizens to not let up on their safety precautions. At the most recent Independence pandemic team meeting, Assistant City Manager David Cowan said that citizens who wish to receive the vaccine should contact any and all providers to get signed up on waiting lists – including the Montgomery County Health Department, physician offices, and area pharmacies.

The suspect in the theft of change from a soda machine outside the Caney Library has been caught. The suspect was identified as Bradley Davis. He and his vehicle were found in Nowata.

Officers with the Nowata Police Department observed Davis breaking into machines at a laundromat. Davis fled and lead officers on a chase and was later apprehended. Davis is facing multiple criminal charges in Nowata and in Caney.

The Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada has awarded the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting to the City of Pittsburg for its comprehensive annual financial report for the fiscal year ended 2019.

The program acknowledges state and local governments that go beyond the minimum requirements of generally accepted accounting principles to prepare a comprehensive annual financial report (CAFR). The report is produced each year by the city’s finance team and it provides members of the city commission, city staff, and the public with information about the city’s financial stability.

The certificate of achievement is the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting, and its attainment represents a significant accomplishment by a government agency and its management.

The City of Galena is receiving a sizable grant that will be used to evaluate the city's wastewater system.

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources announced the $40,000 grant to the city Wednesday afternoon. The grant is a part of the Small Community Engineering Assistance Program which offers funding to help small communities cover engineering costs for evaluating wastewater system improvements.

Galena will spend the grant identifying wastewater system improvements needed to continue reliable service to the area, meeting permit requirements, and reducing stormwater infiltration into sewer collection pipes. The facility plan should be complete in May 2021.

Three men were arrested in Neodesha over the weekend for possessing illegal drugs.

The Neodesha Police Department executed a search warrant at 209 N. 6th Street in Neodesha and found two pounds of marijuana, methamphetamines, drug paraphernalia and a firearm.

The men were identified as 39-year-old Crystal Marr, 38-year-old Christopher Sevens Sr. and 23-year-old Jerry Lowry III. 
They were all arrested for multiple drug offenses as well as child endangerment and criminal use of a weapon.

A Caney man was arrested for driving under the influence over the weekend.

Officers with the Caney Police Department pulled over a vehicle for expired tags and upon investigation, it was discovered the driver had been drinking.

After performing a field sobriety test, the driver was placed under arrest for driving under the influence. The driver was identified as 40-year-old Joshua Wood.

Wood was arrested and bonded on charges for driving with expired tags and driving under the influence.

The Caney Police Department is looking for a man who stole change from a soda machine outside the Caney Library.

According to a press release yesterday, the theft occurred on January 23rd. The man broke into the machine located outside the library and took off in a grey sedan. He was wearing a grey hoodie and sunglasses with red frames.

If you know anything about the theft or know the man who committed the crime, you can call Caney PD at 620-879-2141.

Senator Jerry Moran joined Fox News at the White House ahead of his meeting with President Joe Biden to discuss the $618 billion Republican COVID-19 federal relief proposal. Senator Moran says he is going to do everything he can to encourage the President to do something that is less expensive than the $1.9 trillion package that the White House has proposed.

Moran says his view is that they focus on the vaccines. He says more shots in more arms is the best thing that can happen for the country’s well being, both from a health perspective and from an economic point of view.

A narcotics search warrant was executed in the 1000 block of North High Street in Caney. The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office and the Caney Police Department worked together to develop information that led to obtaining a search warrant for the residence. During the search, investigators seized what is suspected to be methamphetamine, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia.

Two of the occupants of the home, 19-year-old Stefanie Hopkins and 40-year-old Kimberly Taylor, were taken into custody based upon the evidence found in the home. Hopkins is charged with possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia and Taylor is charged with possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, and child endangerment.

The Republican leading the Kansas Senate health committee is urging fellow lawmakers to condemn Governor Laura Kelly’s decision to make state prison inmates eligible for COVID-19 vaccines now ahead of other people.

Sen. Richard Hilderbrand of Galena unveiled a resolution Tuesday that calls on Kelly to reverse her policy on inoculating inmates. Kelly disclosed plans in December to have prison inmates inoculated during the second phase of the vaccine distribution, along with people 65 and older, workers critical to the economy, and people in group living situations. The state launched that second phase of vaccine distribution last month, covering up to 1 million of the state's 2.9 million residents.

Kelly says the policy protects prison workers and others.

A man is dead and his female passenger was injured in a single-vehicle crash over the weekend in Neosho County.

According to the Kansas Highway Patrol, 26-year-old Jessie White of Pittsburg was driving northbound on U.S. Highway 59 near Erie when his vehicle left the roadway to the left and overturned multiple times coming to rest on the driver's side. White was pronounced dead at the scene.

White's passengers, 36-year-old Casey Nienstedt sustained suspected minor injuries and was transported to Labette Health while an 11-year-old female suffered no injuries.

A suicidal man shot himself in the chest in Miami, Oklahoma after officers attempted to calm him down.

Sunday afternoon, MPD got a call regarding a suicidal subject in the 600 block of J St NW holding a gun to his head. The officers set a perimeter and engaged the male subject trying to calm him down and seeking treatment.

After around an hour of trying to calm the man down, the man brought the gun down and fired a round into his chest. Officers on the scene rushed to his aid and transported him to a hospital in Joplin.

Miami PD has not commented on the identity of the individual or the condition the man is in.

Starting today at the intersection of Highland and Fairway in Coffeyville, on Highland heading north for 150 feet, Highland will be closed to through traffic.

This Intersection will be affected throughout the next two weeks.

Sections between Highland and Overlook will be closed later this week. This is for water main replacements for the Highland Road Reconstruction Project.

Independence Fire-EMS responded to a structure fire at 418 S. Wald Street last night.

The fire department identified a large fire coming from the rear side of the house. Assistance came from Cherryvale Fire-EMS and Independence Rural to help extinguish the flames.

It took the fire departments an hour and a half from the time of arrival to the time when they were cleared. No one was injured, but there was extensive damage to the structure. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.

USD 446 was informed by the Montgomery County Health Department that there are five new positive COVID-19 cases.

The five positive cases come from a student at Eisenhower Elementary, a student and two staff members at Jefferson School, and a student at Independence Middle School.

Those that have been identified as close contacts have been notified. Those who tested positive along with their close contacts will not be allowed to return to school until the health department deems it safe.

If you have any questions, please contact Superintendent Rusty Arnold at 620-496-706.

The USD 447 Board of Education announced Monday evening that it has approved the contract of Travis Githens, the next superintendent of the district. Githens will replace the current superintendent, Shelly Kiblinger, when she retires on July 1.

The board selected Githens from a list of applicants provided by the Kansas Association of School Boards, who conducted the executive search for the district. Githens interivewed with the district on January 27, where he spent the day visiting the schools and interacting with students and staff. 

Githens is a graduate of Cherryvale High School, and is currently in his first year as superintendent at USD114-Riverside. He has also served as the junior-senior high school principal at USD 284 Chase County. He obtained his Education Specialists Degree and Masters Degree in Educational Leadership from Pittsburg State University, and his Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education from Kansas State University.

Police are investigating a robbery at a pharmacy in Parsons over the weekend. Friday night at around 6:44pm, Parsons Police Officers were called to a reported robbery at the Auburn Pharmacy inside of King Cash Saver at 2020 Main. The suspect was described as a white male between 5’8” and 5’10” wearing a black mask, black hoodie, black gloves, and brown overalls, and was last seen running south from the store armed with a pistol.

The police are asking anyone in the area that has ring doorbells or exterior cameras to please review them. If you witness anything matching the suspect’s description, please let officers know. You can contact the Parsons Police Department at (620)421-7060 or call the Tip Line at (620)421-7057.

A Chanute man has been arrested for possession of drugs and paraphernalia.

Chanute PD responded to the area of the 500 of West Main for a report of a male fighting imaginary people and walking below freezing weather with no shirt on. Upon their arrival, officers made contact with an individual that told officers that he recently had done drugs and was seeing people that weren't there and taking a fighting stance. Officers located items associated with illegal narcotics on him.

Officers arrested 24-year-old Nicholas Cade Wanner for possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was transported to the Neosho County Jail without incident.

The Chautauqua County Commission received some updated information on the ongoing COVID vaccine rollout at its weekly meeting Monday.

Misti Byers with the county's health department dropped by for some brief paperwork, but also informed the commission that it is still moving through "Phase 2" of the five phase plan. Phase 2 consists of giving the vaccine to high critical workers and those who are 65 years of age or older, although the priority goes to the workers. Byers said their phone lines are constantly ringing, but those who call are allowed to put themselves on a list if they meet the current criteria. Chautauqua County is using the Moderna vaccine.

In other business, county counselor Zoe Newton advised the commission on burial statutes and also on the SEK KansasWorks agreement.

Two Sedan men are arrested for theft in Caney over the weekend. Caney Police Officers received information about a trailer that had been stolen early yesterday morning. Officers immediately began to investigate the theft and were able to determine that the vehicle involved in the theft was a 2000 GMC Denali. The vehicle was located in Sedan by a Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Deputy. The vehicle had run out of gas, but there was no trailer with the vehicle.

The two suspects were identified as 44-year-old Jason Clay Hopkins and 27-year-old Joseph Fredrick Byrd. After questioning the two men, officers discovered they had ditched the trailer down an embankment in an attempt to hide it. Byrd was arrested for interference with a law enforcement officer and theft. Hopkins was arrested for theft and failure to appear. Both men were transported to the Chautauqua County Jail.

Healthcare costs for Montgomery County have gone down significantly in recent years.

In the county's most recent commission meeting, it was stated that back in 2015, the county was paying over 3 million dollars for healthcare for its workers. The county then went to self-funding which allows them to grab the best of vendors to create their own healthcare plan.

This allows them to work with other healthcare providers and build relationships with multiple providers to give them the best price to support the community. It also allows the county to pay their providers directly as needed as opposed to having to pay an insurance company that covers the costs but charges a fee that they keep.

A 35-year old Neodesha man has been arrested after a nearly 24-hour hostage situation.

Parsons PD received and attempted to locate a man and his children from Wilson County. The man was identified as Brad Berkstresser who was last seen on January 22^nd and the family was worried about him and the two children, ages 10 and 13.

A family member came to Parsons to look for Berkstresser and had found the 10-year-old who was able to lead the family member to where Berkstresser was located. Officers received information that Berkstresser was possibly armed and had his other child in the house with him.

Parsons Police Officers negotiated with Berkstresser for nearly 23 hours and then made a forced entry into the building. The entry team was able to subdue Berkstresser and safely remove the 13-year-old.

Berkstresser was arrested for Aggravated Child Endangerment, Criminal Restraint, Criminal Trespassing, and Contributing to a Child's Misconduct. Bail was set at $25,000.

The city of Neodesha has come up with a new name for one of its parks. Neodesha held a "Name Our Park" contest to rename the area formerly known as MEC Pond, and the winner of the contest was Lisa Newland who came up with the name "Riverwalk Park".

The green space has hosted a multitude of events including recreational activities such as fishing and sporting events as well as concerts and fireworks.

The city is thankful for all who participated and they are looking forward to utilizing this space for family-friendly activities and recreational opportunities to improve the health of everyone who passes through.