Arvest Bank and KGGF honor an FFA student from a young FFA Chapter as the March Ag Student of the Month. Independence FFA Advisor Meghan Strassburg says Jacob Burd is a very hard working student and that is why she nominated him.

Independence's FFA chapter is only five years old and Burd says it has been an interesting experience being one of the first students a part of the chapter.  Burd is the chapter's president and is also involved in agronomy, poultry judging and giving extemporaneous speeches.

Residents in Cherryvale will head to the polls on April 6^th to decide if they wish to extend a citywide sales tax.

The 1% sales tax allows the city to generate revenue to make bond and interest payments from previous projects and support maintenance and repairs of the existing sewer systems. The sales tax requires renewal every 10 years. City voters renewed the sales tax in 2011.

If the existing tax is renewed, it will go into effect on October 1^st and runs through 2031. The debt is expected to be retired in 2035.

Now that Spring has arrived in southeast Kansas, the City of Independence is hosting its annual Opening Day at the Park celebration on April 10^th. Executive Director of the Independence Chamber of Commerce Lisa Wilson says there will be plenty of things to see and do.

For more information on this event, contact the chamber at 620-331-1890.

The Chautauqua County Commission has authorized the purchase of a new pickup truck.

The BOCC will allow the Roads & Bridges department to purchase a new F-250 from a dealership located in Longton. It will cost the county $29,562. In other business, the commission continued its efforts to repair a county crane that has been found to be faulty.

The commission will meet again next Monday, at 8:30 am inside the county courthouse.

The Corporal Kyle Davis Memorial 3D Shoot and BBQ will be held this Saturday from 9:00am to 1:00pm at the Bartlesville Archery Club at Hudson Lake. The event is aimed at honoring the life and legacy of Deputy Davis who lost his life in the line of duty after an altercation with an inmate last Thursday.

There will be a 15 target 3D course as well as a bonus long shot target. The long shot target will be $5 for two arrows and the best shooting at the end of the day will get 50-percent of the pot, and the rest will go to Davis’s family, or you can donate all of it. There will be a food truck on-site, with all donations going to Davis’s wife and kids. Tommy Vaughn of No Wake Guide Service has donated a bowfishing trip for two on Grand Lake to raffle off this Saturday, a total value of $350. Tickets will be one for $5 or five for $20.

The Parsons Police Department is still looking for the driver of a hit-and-run back in December of 2020.

In a recent press release, Parsons PD addressed rumors about the case. They're asking the driver to "do the right thing" and turn themselves in to clear up rumors about the incident so the police department has both sides of the story. Parsons PD is also asking citizens if they know anything about the passenger or the driver of the vehicle.

The victim, Andrew Scott, was struck by a vehicle in the early morning hours of December 19th, 2020. The driver did not stop to help Scott and he called the police who rendered his aid. Scott had surgery this month and will have to receive many more to complete a full recovery from the incident.

The Kansas Department of Transportation is providing financial assistance for students who attend driver's education courses.

The Eisenhower Legacy Transportation Program is a pilot Driver Education Reimbursement Grant program in state fiscal years 2020–2023. The intent of the program is to help individuals who may otherwise not have been able to participate.

The driver education provider will receive reimbursement of actual program enrollment fees up to $200 per eligible student following completion of the program and submission of KDOT’s Qualification Voucher and Reimbursement Request to be provided later.

Students who qualify must demonstrate a financial need with a household income not exceeding 200 percent above the federal poverty level, are between 14 and 29 years of age and a legal resident of the State of Kansas, has not had their driving privilege suspended, revoked or restricted, and can obtain a certificate of completion.

A form must be filled out beforehand which can be found here.

The Kansas Cold Weather Rule is set to end Wednesday, March 31^st. The Kansas Corporation Commission adopted the Cold Weather Rule to protect customers during cold winter weather by providing a reasonable and organized method of paying past due and current bills. The Cold Weather Rule applies only to residential customers of electric and natural gas utility companies under the KCC’s jurisdiction. When the rule ends, customers behind on their bills will need to contact their utility provider to make payment arrangements.

The Cold Weather Rule requires utilities to set up 12-month payment plans for customers who cannot afford to pay their full bill. As part of this arrangement, the customer must make an initial payment of 1/12 of the overdue amount, 1/12 of the bill for current service, the full amount of any disconnection or reconnection fees, plus any applicable deposit owed to the utility. The balance will be billed in equal payments over the next 11 months in addition to the regular monthly bill.

The Kansas Department of Transportation has started a resurfacing project on U.S. 166 in Montgomery County. The project starts at the south U.S. 75/U.S. 166 junction in Caney and continues east for 14 miles, ending at the west city limits of Coffeyville.

Project activity includes a one-inch mill and one-inch asphalt overlay. Flaggers and a pilot car operation will guide one-lane traffic through the work zone; expect delays of 15 minutes or less.

KDOT awarded the nearly $2 million construction contract to Cornejo & Sons, LLC, of Wichita. Weather permitting, the project should be completed by late April.

In the past week, there have only been seven total positive COVID-19 cases in Montgomery County in the past week leading up to yesterday.

As of last Monday, there were 3,387 total cases and yesterday's report shows 3,394 cases in the county.

Kansas Governor Laura Kelly announced that all citizens over the age of 16 are eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

In the state of Kansas, there were 429 new COVID-19 cases, 11 new deaths and 18 new hospitalizations since Friday leading up to yesterday. In total, there have been 301,862 cases since the pandemic began.

The Parsons Police Department made 12 arrests over the weekend during a narcotics saturation patrol to target illegal narcotics in the community.

The Kansas Combined Anti-Drug Taskforce or K-CAT made a total of 35 traffic stops, gave 23 warnings, and arrested 12 people with five felony arrests and seven misdemeanors.

Parsons Police Chief Robert Spinks said, “I am pleased with the efforts of the K-CAT operation. It was a great partnership between agencies and showed a lot of teamwork."

If anyone has any further information on this incident or any other criminal activity, please contact the Parsons Police Department at 620-421-7060.

An Independence man was arrested early Monday morning on two traffic charges.

Just before 8 am, a Caney PD office stopped a vehicle for driving 31 mph in a 20 mph school zone. The driver was identified as 33-year-old Adriane Phillips. During the traffic stop, it was discovered that Phillips was driving on a suspended California Driver's License and did not have liability insurance on his vehicle.

Phillips was arrested for driving while suspended and no liability insurance. He posted bond through Caney City Court and was released pending an April 6th court date.

Fort Scott Community College has announced that they plan to utilize federal funding to assist in paying student fees for fall 2021 through summer 2022. Federal funding from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund will be utilized during the next academic year to pay all students' general fees. The plan will save students nearly two million dollars for the next academic year.

General fees are 55 dollars per credit hour and courses at all campus locations, including online and concurrent high school courses, will be covered. Some fees for specialty items, such as a cosmetology kit, are not eligible for this funding.

The Montgomery County Courthouse in Independence and the Coffeyville Tag Office will both be closed this Friday. In observance of Good Friday, both locations will shut down services on April 2nd. Normal operations will resume the following Monday.

President Joe Biden signed an executive order titled the "30x30" which would grant the federal government the right to protect 30% of the nation's land and 30% of the nation's oceanic areas.

These areas are also known as National Heritage Areas and they are in 29 different counties in the state of Kansas. According to Kansas Mayoral Candidate Mary Powell, this would greatly affect farmers and ranchers across the state of Kansas. Southeastern Kansas counties affected include Allen, Chautauqua, Cherokee, Crawford, Labette, Montgomery, Neosho, and Wilson counties.

Powell spoke at the most recent Montgomery County commission meeting to warn the commissioners to not accept the money the government offers them when the time arises. Powell added that 30+ more counties across Kansas and Nebraska could be added as NHA's.

The reason behind the executive order is to limit climate change and secure the natural life support systems such as clean air and clean water, food, and quality of life.

No action was taken by the commissioners.

A 28-year-old man has been arrested on a laundry list of charges. Chanute police officers initiated a traffic stop in the parking lot located in the 100 block of East 28th Street. During the investigation, officers learned that the driver of the vehicle had an out-of-county warrant for his arrest. Edgar Anaya-Alvarez was taken into custody for the warrant, along with charges of no turn signal and driving with a suspended license.

During a search of the vehicle, officers discovered over 1 kilo of marijuana, over 10 pounds of THC syrup, over 400 Xanax bars, over 80 THC vape cartridges, 12 grams of cocaine, several miscellaneous pills, and a 9mm pistol.

Anaya-Alvarez received additional charges of possession with intent to distribute marijuana within 1,000 feet of a school, possession with intent to distribute narcotics within 1,000 feet of a school, possession with intent to distribute 100-1,000 dosage units within 1,000 feet of a school, possession of opiate, criminal possession of a firearm by a felon and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Ron Barrett won a Purple Petunia Flower Basket from Angels Care Home Health, Linda Powell won a Wild Rag & Headband from 7 Diamond 3 Design, Paul Cooper won the Advantage Spot Remover from Advantage Carpet Care, Larry Felts won a Pink Snap Dragon Flower Basket from Angels Care Home Health, Mel Hass won a Gift Bag full from Deep Fork Foods, Karen Linnebur won a Gift Basket of hair products from Gail's Hairstyling and Wig Salon, Dawn Rasmussen won a 11x14 Lilly Canvas from Half-Pint Hooves, Jimmy McRoberts won a Hat & Arctic Mug from Lewis Cattle Oilers, Linda Graham won a Gift Basket from Mary Kay-Kathy Langley, Bea Rosson won the Myrtle's Market T-Shirt and Fabric Spray from Myrtle's Market, Mark Krenz, Austin Constuble, and Reuben Butler all won T-Shirts from Romans Chevrolet Buick, Brenda Stoops won a Mystery Box from Signature Homestyles/Fragrance Lamps with Cathy Thompson, Carolyn Foote & Pam McKenzie both won a Scentsy gift bag from Scentsy/Melissa Kastler, Barb Watts, Alice Long, Steve Blak, and Rhonda Carroll are all winners of gift bags from the Walnut Street Boutique & Event Center, Larry Seigel won a goodie bag from Coffeyville Feed & Farm Congratulation to Curtis Foster for Winning today’s $500 Grand Prize!

Day one of the Inter-State Farm and Home Show was a big hit with a great turnout at Nellis Hall on the campus of Coffeyville Community College. KGGF 690 AM and KRIG 104.9 FM and Bartlett Co-op Association partnered with more than 80 vendors from Northeast Oklahoma and Southeast Kansas bringing together both the residential and agricultural world.

Door Prize Winners from Friday’s Drawing Include:

Rebecca Bracket is the winner of Advantage Spot Remover from Advantage Carpet Care

Brad Swan won a Gift Bag from Deep Fork Foods, Charles Hughes won a Hand Tooled Leather Wallet from Don Moe Custom Saddle, Becky Blakemore, Justin Collins, Sherry Stoll, Alexsondro Michov all won a T-Shirt from Romans Chevrolet Buick. Judith Knipmeyer, John Schrock, Samantha May, Peggy Armstrong all won Gift Bag from Walnut Street Boutique & Event Center. Kathy Collins won a 1 Night Stay at the Best Western Capital Inn In Branson, Mo from Myers Hotels. Valerie Portwood won a Family 4 Pack to Turpentine Creek Wildlife Rescue and the Great Passion Play in Eureka Springs AR, Candi Westbrook won a Family 4 Pack to Clay Cooper Country Express, Kenny Ralph won a Family 4 Pack to the Comedy Jamboree at the Grand Country Music Hall, Joyce Coons won a Family 4 Pack to Dickerson Park Zoo in Springfield, MO., Jeanne Sankee won 6 Passes to the Crayola Experience in Plano, TX and the Grand Prize winner of the $500 goes to Trudy Wright of Coffeyville courtesy of KGGF KQQF KUSN.

Day two will begin Saturday Morning (today) at 8:30 am at Nellis Hall on the Coffeyville Community College and ending at 4 pm. Whether you are looking for the latest agricultural products and equipment, landscaping and general remodeling, or home décor, lifestyle services, or tasty treats this a must-visit show. Many vendors will have cash and carry items that can be purchased during the show.

KGGF 690, KGGF 104.1, KUSN 98.1, KWON 1400/93.3, KYFM 100.1, and KRIG 104.9 will be broadcasting live from the Inter-State Farm & Home Show. Meet local radio personalities, plus Charles Moll and Charles Miller from Tech Talk, Larry Glass from Green Country Gardener, Ron Hays from Radio Oklahoma Network, and KGGF Farm Director.

There will be many more door prizes and giveaways from local vendors including one more $500 cash prize, tickets to Branson shows, Crayola Experience in Plano, TX, T-Shirts, Hats, and Artic Mug, hanging flower baskets and so much more!

Today crews will resume spraying a pre-emergent in the median on West 11th Street in Coffeyville the area shown on the map. The outside westbound and outside eastbound lanes will be blocked as they are spraying. Please proceed with caution when driving in these areas.

United States Marshals are looking for two murder suspects that were recently released from jail in northeast Oklahoma. Authorities are considering them armed and dangerous.

The men are identified as 46-year-old James Buzzard of Grove, Oklahoma, and 18-year-old Dakota Buzzard, also of Grove. The murder occurred in 2019 when the two men fatally shot Jerry Tapp at his home.

The men were last seen last Friday and were released because no courts filed new paperwork after a 2020 U.S. Supreme Court ruling on tribal jurisdiction. The Delaware County Sheriff's Office stated that neither federal nor tribal courts had paperwork for the men so the Delaware County Jail had no legal authority to hold them.

However, now new paperwork has been filed. The District Court of The Cherokee Nation Criminal Division issued first-degree murder warrants for both men.

The men have connections to Galena, authorities say. If you have information about where they are, contact U.S. Marshals at 1-877-WANTED2 or USMS Tips at www.usmarshals.gov/tips.

The Inter-State Farm and Home Show takes place today and tomorrow at Nellis Hall on the campus of Coffeyville Community College.

This outstanding facility will be able to house businesses of all sizes that touch our Mid-America families - from farm & ranch, to hunting & leisure, home & garden, antiques & gifts, to household & business services to health & wellness.  

• Meet many exhibitors under one roof
• Discover new, interesting products and services
• Find the best resources in new construction, remodeling, landscaping, design services and much more
• Speak with experts

The doors will open to the public at 1 p.m. today and will be on-site until 7 p.m. The show will open again to the public at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday and remain open until 4 p.m. Visit this link for a list of vendors joining the show.

You can also receive your COVID-19 vaccine. Just visit crmcinc.org and register to receive your vaccination.

The Caney Police Department received a report of a person trespassing at a residence early this morning. The subject was acting erratic and appeared to be intoxicated. The subject had been asked to leave the property several times, but would not leave.

A Caney Officer responded to the scene to find a subject they were familiar with, 33 year old Jason Kelly. Kelly fled on foot in an attempt to escape from the officer, who requested back up. Kelly was apprehended after the officer outran Kelly and was able to subdue him.

Kelly was transported to the Montgomery County Jail where he was booked on charges of Criminal Trespass, Disorderly Conduct, and Interference with a Law Enforcement Officer.  Caney PD has arrested Kelly five times in the last 5 months.

A 30-year-old man has been arrested on an aggravated domestic battery charge.

Chanute PD responded to the area of the 700 block of South Malcolm for a report of a domestic disturbance. When officers arrived at the South Malcolm location, they spoke with one of the parties involved and were informed the alleged suspect has left the residence. The female involved in the situation was evaluated by EMS and was transported to Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center to be evaluated.

Officers were later able to locate the man in the 1500 block of West Main and arrested Timothy A. Fisher for aggravated domestic battery. He was transported to the Neosho County Jail without incident.

The Kansas Department of Transportation plans to begin work on a U.S. 69 resurfacing project at Fort Scott on Monday, March 29^th. The project starts at the south U.S. 54 junction and continues south for six miles, ending ½ mile south of K-7.

Project activity includes concrete patching, and a mill and asphalt overlay. The contractor will start at Wall Street and work south. Traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction at the work zone, with a width restriction of 12 feet. Flaggers will direct traffic on side roads.

KDOT awarded the $2.9 million construction contract to Bettis Asphalt & Construction, Inc., of Topeka. Weather permitting, the road work should be finished this summer.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment announced in a press release that they have learned that the number of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines slated for delivery next week will be smaller than expected.

Approximately 16,500 doses are scheduled to arrive next week, rather than the estimated 100,000 that had initially been indicated. According to national reports, the full supply of vaccine expected from J&J has been delayed due to production issues and may not be ready to ship until the second or third week of April.

In an attempt to boost the J&J supply, Merck, another international pharmaceutical company, has agreed to help manufacture J&J’s COVID-19 vaccine. In addition to the J&J vaccine, Kansas is receiving an increase in Pfizer Prime doses 47,970 and 38,100 Pfizer Boost along with 27,800 Moderna Prime and 27,800 Moderna Boost.

Coffeyville city crews are working on a water main leak in the 100 block of North Buckeye. Please avoid the area if possible.

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

The city of Neodesha proclaimed the month of April to be Child Abuse Prevention Month. The proclamation was signed at the city's most recent meeting.

According to the National Children's Alliance, nearly 700,000 children are abused in the United States every year.

Mayor Devin Johnson signed the proclamation saying that "Growing a better tomorrow for all children, together, we can ensure that Kansas children will grow to their full potential as the next generation of leaders, helping to secure the future of this state and nation."

U.S. Representative Jake LaTurner will be holding mobile office hours throughout the month of April. This will include a visit to southeastern Kansas.

LaTurner will first visit Oswego on April 5, and then head to Montgomery County on April 14, with visits planned for both Coffeyville and Independence. The freshman representative will then head to Neodesha and Parsons before finally visiting Chanute on April 23.

To see LaTurner's full April schedule, follow this link.

A stolen vehicle in Parsons has been returned to its owner.

Last Saturday, the Parsons Police Department was informed of a missing blue 2013 Ford Escape. Two days later, they were informed by a citizen who knew of the missing vehicle. Officers attempted to stop the vehicle at 29th and Clark Avenue, but the driver of the stolen Ford failed to stop. They were finally able to stop the vehicle in the 500 block of North 30th Street.

The driver was identified as 30-year-old Billy Duncan who had a female passenger in the vehicle with him. After a brief interview, officers were able to arrest Duncan for theft of the motor vehicle, attempting to flee and elude law enforcement, driving without a license, possession of controlled substances and possession of drug paraphernalia along with minor traffic violations. Duncan also had an active warrant for his arrest through Labette County Sheriff’s Office. The female passenger was released from the scene.

The vehicle was returned to the vehicle's owner. There were no injuries or vehicle accidents that occurred during the incident.

Many pastures in Kansas have already been hit by wildfire this spring. Carefully managing those burned areas after the fire is highly important to grass recovery. K-State Range and Pasture Management Specialist Walt Fick says the issue is that wildfires usually occur before pastures start greening up.

Fick says depending on the type of pasture scalded by wildfire, the post-fire damage to grass productivity can sometimes be substantial. Grasses like buffalo grass don't respond well to fire especially when burned in March.

With the arrival of Spring, wildlife of all sorts will start becoming more active, coming out of hibernation or giving birth. During this time, there are many kinds of human-animal interactions including offspring that appear to be orphaned. Kansas State Extension Diversified Agriculture & Natural Resources Agent Adaven Scronce says that depending on the species, the offspring may not be orphaned.

Scronce also says that if you happen upon an offspring on its own, leave it alone. The mother will return when she feels it is safe. But there are signs that may show that a baby has been orphaned.

For more information, you can contact the Independence K-State Research and Extension Office at 620-331-2690.

The Coffeyville Police Department announced that they will be conducting impaired driving saturation patrols this weekend.

Beginning on Friday night at 11 pm and ending at 3 am Saturday morning, CPD will have extra officers patrolling within the city limits. The saturation patrol is part of the Impaired Driving Deterrence Program coordinated by the Kansas Department of Transportation.

CPD reminds everyone to drive safely and designate a driver if drinking alcohol.

The Coffeyville Police Department has three new officers join the force. The three new CPD Officers took the Law Enforcement Oath at the city commission meeting. Coffeyville Mayor Ann Marie Vannoster swore in officers.

The three new officers are Parker Yell, Chance March and Jarin Watkins.

The number of daily positive cases of COVID-19 in the state of Kansas continues to decline as the third and fourth phases of the vaccine distribution begin this week.

Despite the continuing spread of new foreign variants of the virus, there have only been 6,532 new cases since February 22nd, according to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. The state has not seen 200+ new daily cases in a whole week. However, the state did surpass a milestone as the KDHE has reported 300,125 total cases.

As for Montgomery County, there have been zero cases reported in three of the last four days leading up to Monday with the exception being five cases reported on Sunday. The KDHE reports a total of 3,384 total cases in the county with 98 hospitalizations.

The city of Coffeyville approved meal program grants to qualifying non-profit organizations at its most recent city commission meeting.

The city was awarded $35,000 through the CDBG-CV grant which can be used for employee salaries, rent, inventory and non-city-owned utilities. Four companies were awarded the money from the grant.

Also during the meeting, three new police officers were sworn in. The city welcomed new officers Chance March, Jarin Watkins and Parker Yell.

The next meeting will be on April 13th at 6:30 p.m.

Independence Community College has announced the hiring of Chris Kumke as its new Director of Esports.

Kumke, a 2020 graduate of Shenandoah University in Virginia, was named the Male Student Leader of the Year for the inaugural National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE) National Awards as a senior. He graduated with a degree in esports management.

The ICC Esports team will be forming in Fall 2021.

The City of Pittsburg and Crawford County have partnered to purchase a new state-of-the-art emergency call handling and management system that will allow residents to text urgent alerts to 9-1-1.

The new 9-1-1 solution provides everything emergency dispatchers need to manage any emergency call from any device, at any time, from anywhere, and in any format. Call takers at the Pittsburg Police Department and Crawford County Sheriff’s Office will be able to answer text-to-911 calls like any other call, right from their desktops. They will also be able to pinpoint landline and mobile calls, offering a complete geo-location and mapping solution.

Equipment was purchased using state funds earmarked for public safety.

A female victim came into the Caney Police Department to report she had been involved in a physical altercation. She had obvious bruising and injuries to her face, arms, and legs. She was transported to the hospital by Caney EMS for her injuries. Officers located and detained Shane Schmidt at a residence located in the 400 block of South State Street in Caney.

After conducting interviews and reviewing evidence, officers arrested Schmidt for domestic battery. Schmidt had an outstanding warrant out of Washington County, Oklahoma for violation of a protection from abuse order, involving a different female victim in Oklahoma. Schmidt was transported and booked into the Montgomery County Department of Corrections.

If you are looking for some live entertainment this weekend, the Independence High School Drama and Vocal Music Departments will put on a production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's “Oklahoma!” at the IHS Performing Arts Center.

Independence Chamber of Commerce Director Lisa Wilson gives the details of IHS's latest production.

Friday and Saturday's performances will be at 7:30 pm while the Sunday performance will be a matinee at 2:30 pm.

If you haven't received your COVID-19 vaccine, you can do so this weekend at the Inter-State Farm and Home Show in Coffeyville. Kansas has recently moved into Phase 3 and 4 of the vaccination distribution plan so if you weren't previously eligible you may be now. Go online to crmcinc.org to register, and you will need to register before you arrive.

Coffeyville Regional Medical Center will be administering the vaccine from 1:00pm to 5:00pm on Friday and 8:30am to 12:30pm on Saturday. A link to the registration page can be found here.

The City of Coffeyville is still trying to find out the impact of the winter storm on customers of Coffeyville Light & Power.

Currently, it is unclear how the city's suppliers will handle energy cost adjustments related to the weather event as they are still working to calculate their impact as well. Once those suppliers know the costs and impact the energy crisis had on their own entities they will know whether or not they have to pass on those higher costs to the city. At that time, Coffeyville will be able to assess how, if at all, this will affect its customers.

Customer electric base rates will not change, however, the city may not know the full extent of the financial impact this event caused until possibly April or May. If customers notice any increase in their March bill, it is due to higher energy consumption used to heat homes during the extreme weather event in February and does not reflect any cost adjustments passed down from suppliers.

The Independence City Commission will consider finalizing an incentive agreement between the city and Labette Health for the expansion of the Independence Healthcare Center.

The agreement has been drafted on recommendation of the Economic Development Advisory Board at a rate of $100,000 per year for ten years. If approved, payments will begin in March 2023, continuing through 2033. The incentive will be paid through the city's Economic Development Fund.

Labette Health will be required to provide documentation to the city showing it has hired and maintained a number of new employees who are full-time residents of Independence. Two of those employees must be family practice physicians, hired by September 2024.

The commission will consider this agreement at its biweekly meeting Thursday, starting at 5:30 pm.

The state of Kansas has entered phases three and four of vaccine distribution and the Montgomery County Health Department is accepting appointments.

Phases three and four include those from the ages of 16-64 with medical conditions that make the individual more vulnerable to COVID-19. You don't need proof if you have a condition, but the health department recommends contacting your doctor before you get vaccinated.

The health department is currently using the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. To get your vaccination shot, call the health department at 620-251-4210.

Two females were arrested in a domestic disturbance in Caney involving a deadly weapon.

Over the weekend, officers with the Caney Police Department were dispatched to the 200 block of South Wood Street for a report of a disturbance. Officers de-escalated the situation upon arrival and began investigating the scene. It was determined that the individuals involved were identified as Julia Kelso and Karen Woods, both of Caney.

Further investigation led to the arrest of both Kelso and Woods for domestic battery. According to interviews with witnesses, Woods threatened Kelso with a kitchen knife. After both parties were taken to the Caney Police Department, they posted bond and were released.

Minutes after Woods was released, officers were dispatched to the same residence to respond to a report of a bond violation. When officers arrived at the residence, Woods was ordered to leave Kelso’s residence. Woods refused to leave after several verbal orders were given to Woods.

Woods was transported to the Montgomery County Department of Corrections and booked under municipal charges of criminal trespass, interference with law enforcement, and disorderly conduct.

As Kansas shifts into phase three and four of the COVID vaccine distribution plan, the Labette County Health Department chose not to receive their most recent shipment of the Moderna Vaccine. Director Lisa Hoppock says more people are wanting the Johnson & Johnson version of the vaccine instead of Moderna.

Hoppock says they have done three studies on the effectiveness of the Johnson & Johnson version, the first had around 65%, the second 78% and the third 85%. The Johnson & Johnson version is a single shot of the vaccine compared to the two doses of Moderna and Pfizer.

A 25-year old Parsons man was killed after a single-vehicle accident in Labette County late last week.

According to the Kansas Highway Patrol, Axzivian Cummings was driving a 2007 Hyundai southbound near Ness Road and 9000 Road when he passed another vehicle at a high rate of speed, lost control, and entered the east ditch colliding with 2 utility poles. His vehicle then rotated counterclockwise, rolled multiple times, and came to rest in a field.

Cummings was pronounced dead at the scene.

Wilson County was one of six that was selected by the Kansas Department of Transportation to replace a bridge in the department's Off-System Bridge Program.

Projects in the first round of KDOT’s off-system bridge program were selected in fall 2020. With additional federal funds recently made available to Kansas through the Highway Infrastructure Program, additional projects were chosen as part of the state program. These projects will receive $3.94 million in federal funding and will total approximately $5 million in construction costs.

Wilson County will see the bridge about 2 miles northeast of Roper over Woodruff Creek completely replaced at a cost of $575,000. Other counties receiving projects include Atchison, Wabaunsee, Phillips, Franklin, and Reno.

Two female suspects have been apprehended from a meth bust.

According to Miami PD, they along with the Ottawa County Sheriff's Department and members of the 13th District Drug and Violent crimes Task Force intercepted over eight pounds of methamphetamine headed towards Grove, OK.

The two females arrested were identified as Renee Haynes and Tiffany Dean. Haynes was arrested on a Delaware County warrant on trafficking methamphetamine along with new trafficking and conspiracy charges. Dean was arrested for aggravated trafficking and conspiracy. They were both transported to Ottawa County Jail.

Last Thursday, Miami PD officers found over $22 thousand dollars and multiple firearms along with multiple pounds of methamphetamines. These cases were unrelated.

An Alabama man was arrested in Caney for multiple warrants.

Caney police officers were alerted of a semi-truck that was trying to turn around in a residential neighborhood causing damage to a residence yard.

Upon further investigation, the driver was identified as 50-year-old Britt Delon. They also discovered that Delon was wanted on two separate larceny charges in two different jurisdictions in Alabama.

Delon complained of chest pains so he was taken to Labette Health before he was taken to the Montgomery County Jail. He is currently awaiting his extradition back to Alabama.

The Miami Police Department seized multiple pounds of methamphetamines and $40 thousand dollars in cash as well as multiple firearms yesterday.

According to MPD, Ottawa County Sheriff's Office and the 13th district task force assisted in raiding a house yesterday and found the evidence all throughout the home. 

The investigation is currently ongoing, so there is no further information available at this time.

With storm season approaching, it might be worth knowing where storm shelters are located in your community.

The city of Independence has four designated storm shelters. These include the the Civic Center at 410 North Penn, the high school gymnasium at 1301 North 10th Street, the Montgomery County Judicial Center Basement at 300 East Main, and the Temporary City Hall Building D at 811 West Laurel.

As a reminder, the city of Coffeyville is still allowing residents to register their shelter or safe room. You can find that link here.

The Coffeyville Public Library is back open to the public. Librarian Lois Hendricks says if you want to come in to use the computers you will need to call ahead and make an appointment.

Hendricks says the library is open Monday through Thursday from 9:00am to 7:30pm and Friday 9:00am to 4:30pm. The computers are available to use by appointment Monday through Thursday 9:00am to 6:00pm and Friday 9:00am to 3:00pm.

A Pittsburg man was arrested Tuesday on multiple charges including possession of methamphetamines.

An officer with the Pittsburg Police Department noticed a man and woman arguing. Upon further investigation, the officer was informed that there was a warrant for his arrest in Crawford County for probation violations. The man was identified as 28-year-old Kaleb Gudgen of Pittsburg.

Officers attempted to detain Gudgen, but he resisted as he reached his hand in his left pocket which had methamphetamines inside. Police eventually had to use a taser, but he was still resistant. Several minutes later, officers were able to arrest Gudgen and release the drugs from his hand.

Gudgen was taken to the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office for felony possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, felony interference with law enforcement, misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia and the probation violation warrant without bond.

Gudgen was previously sentenced to the Kansas Department of Corrections for an aggravated robbery incident that occurred in Pittsburg in July of 2014. Gudgen had also been arrested earlier this month for multiple charges but was released the following day after posting a $5000.00 bond.

Independence Fire/EMS Chief Shawn Wallis was awarded Employee of the Year by the city of Independence at its most recent city meeting.

Wallis is very highly regarded among his peers in the department.

Other nominees include:

• City Clerk/Treasurer David Schwenker

• Police Captain Lisa Helkenberg

• Police Dispatch/Records Supervisor Melissa Adey

• Street Department Public Service Worker, Richard Hawk

• Sanitation Department Public Service Worker, Curtis Wilson

• Park & Zoo Guest Services Coordinator, Crystal Ellis

• Zookeeper Mia Perez

The other nominees were awarded a certificate from the city.

Also awarded were the water and sewer crews who worked tirelessly throughout the sub-zero stretch in mid-February. The city had water main breaks and other issues in their water and sewer systems that needed to be fixed to keep water running in the city during the cold period. The city thanked them for their perseverance and a job well done under extraordinary challenges.

Those awarded were:

• Derrick Bays

• Paul Bunch

• Tim Cannon

• Dan Cranford

• Steve Elder

• Dalton Fosnight

• Zach Harris

• Russell Lloyd

• Aaron Stringer

• John Felton

Coffeyville Community College has passed the halfway point of the spring semester. Director of College Relations Yvonne Hull says now it's time to start thinking about summer and fall enrollment.

Hull says whether you need just one class or are looking to start a new career path they are happy to help you figure out exactly what you need.

A citizen's tip leads to the arrest of a felon in Parsons.  On March 9th Parsons Police received an email tip regarding the possible locations and vehicle description for a convicted felon and parolee. 32-year-old Vincent Lee Collins was confirmed to have an active warrant out of Neosho County and a Kansas Department of Corrections warrant.

On March 11th the Parsons PD followed up on this tip and Detective Kyle Wiford located a vehicle matching the description in the 1200 block of Crawford Avenue in Parsons. This information was also relayed to Corporal Jordan Tomlinson, who later apprehended Collins without incident. Custody of Collins was transferred to a Neosho County Sheriff’s Office deputy and he was transported to their facility on the warrant. 

The Wildcat District is hosting Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas to deliver doses of the vaccine. Extension District's James Coover says they will be doing this at three of their offices next week.

Coover says you have to preregister by stopping by one of the officers to fill out the form or calling the offices to have them email the form to you. CHC/SEK will be delivering the Moderna vaccine.

A stabbing in downtown Independence occurred on Sunday morning.

Law enforcement officers with the Independence Police Department were called to the 100 block of W. Main Street around 3:30 a.m. for a disturbance. According to witnesses, there were multiple people arguing with one of the persons then being stabbed. There is no information regarding the condition of the stabbing victim.

Police were then in pursuit of what was reported by witnesses to be the suspect's vehicle. IPD arrested 25-year-old Nicholas Monjure for the interference of a law enforcement officer, fleeing and eluding, and reckless driving. However, he was not in connection to the stabbing.

After further investigation, IPD arrested 25-year-old Spencer Toomey for aggravated battery and aggravated assault. Both subjects were held in the Montgomery County Department of Corrections. 

The Independence City Commission will continue its work on the 1916 City Hall project at a special meeting this morning. The project has now been ongoing for several months, with commissioners and city manager Kelly Passauer in communication with contractor TreanorHL.

The commission will also formally recognize the city's water and sewer crews for going "above and beyond" during the subzero windchills last month. In addition, the city will also recognize employee of the year Shawn Wallis and all of the others nominated for the award.

Today's special meeting will begin at 9 am.

The Independence Community College Instrumental Department presents Artist in Residence Recital featuring Violinist Robert Radliff this Friday evening at 7:30pm in the William Inge Theater. ICC Band and Orchestra Instructor Dr. Larry Markiewicz says Radliff will play a little bit of everything.

Dr. Markiewicz says on Monday the ICC Orchestra will perform at 7:30pm in Memorial Hall and this will also feature Radliff.  Dr. Markiewicz says in addition to performing at these two events, Radliff will be here for a week working with the ICC students giving music lessons and working sectionals.

LeClere Lake in Coffeyville was treated yesterday with a granular fluoride product.

According to the city, the recommendation for the treatment was from Kansas Fish and Game. The state organization recommended the granular product in order to regulate where the chemical was applied.

This allowed the lake to be open to angler use, but still keep the vegetation in the upper end for a fish nursery and more importantly to trap all the fertilizer coming in from the golf course. Below is the area that the city treated.

Missing cattle from a ranch outside of Eureka. Seventeen steers, which were recently purchased out of Joplin a few weeks ago, have gone missing from a ranch about fifteen minutes south of Eureka, near Piedmont Road. The steers have the families' “MH” brand on their hip, which can be seen below.

The granddaughter of the ranchers Caylee Baker said in a post on Facebook that this is devastating for her grandparents because the cattle are how they make a living. If you have any information about the missing cattle or have seen the steers please contact the Greenwood County Sheriffs Department at (620)583-5568.

Almost four million dollars has been returned to Kansans who were scammed using wire transfers over Western Union. Attorney General Derek Schmidt says most of the time, once the money is wired to a scammer, that money is lost.

Schmidt says if you believe you've been the victim of a scam or want to learn more information on how to avoid scams to visit inyourcornerks.com.

The state of Kansas is approaching the grim milestone of 300,000 COVID-19 cases.

According to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, from Friday through Monday, the state saw 470 new COVID-19 cases, 11 new deaths and 16 new hospitalizations. Although, the number of cases trending downward, the new variants of the virus spreading statewide. There have been 14 reported cases of the B.1.17 variant also known as the UK variant, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The total number of cases of COVID-19 in the state is currently at 298,218.

In Montgomery County, there have been 3,367 total cases and 95 hospitalizations as of yesterday morning, according to the KDHE.

The Caney Police Department has been informed of a new scam that has surfaced. 

The caller will say they are with the United States Customs and Border Protection. They will tell the potential victim that calling to inform you that they are coming to arrest you and you should press one for further information.

Caney PD said that scammers tend to pressure and threaten victims into giving them their personal information, including checking and savings account number. If they happen to call you, make sure to hang up and not give out any personal information.

Have your yard egged by the Coffeyville Community College soccer team. Director of College Relations Yvonne Hull says this is an annual event to help raise money for the Red Ravens women and men soccer teams.

Hull says the cost is $20 per dozen eggs and there will be different treats in each egg. The link to the signup form can be found here.

The Chautauqua County Commission took a long look at its 2020 inventory at its regularly scheduled meeting Monday. All commissioners were in attendance as they quietly looked over the county inventory, which was comprised of several pages of items. No significant action was taken.

In other business, the commission spoke with a representative from Kone Crane regarding a county crane that had been recently ruled non-compliant. Also, County Health Administrator Misti Byers spoke to the commission once again regarding a grant the county had received. The money from that grant will be used to pay salaries and benefits for the county's registered nurses.

Near the end of the meeting, the commission discussed an article, recently published in the Wichita Eagle, that was critical of the county's lack of an emergency declaration over the COVID crisis. The commission will meet again next Monday.

Rural Water District 2C will have a meeting this Thursday at 6:00pm. 

The meeting will be held at the Senior Citizens Activity Center in Coffeyville.  Masks and social distancing will be required.

Adjustments to the rural fire departments in Montgomery County were discussed once again at the most recent Montgomery County Commission meeting.

District Fire Chief and Director of Emergency Management Rick Whitson made some clarifications regarding his proposal from a week ago. He clarified that he is hoping to reduce the fleet of firetrucks up to and no more than 25% instead of a solidified 25%. He also cleared up who the primary response units of the county are.

Whitson also discussed with the commission why he believes it would benefit the fire chiefs in the county to have an additional part-time employee that checks for safety issues among their fire trucks. The commissioners were hesitant to approve the new employee saying that these are checks that wouldn't take too much effort for the fire chiefs to do themselves.

Whitson is meeting with fire chiefs in the area tonight to discuss these issues.

March is National Women's History Month and Coffeyville Community College has a display recognizing women inventors. CCC's Yvonne Hull says you can check out the poster display in the Graham Library.

Hull says the library is located inside Weinberg Hall. Some of the women who are featured in this display include Alexis Lewis, Marilyn Hamilton and Theresa Dankovich.

The city of Caney sent an alert stating that the city water plant was struck by lightning.

Caney is asking its residents to please conserve water until further notice. The city said that once the problem is fixed, they will let everyone know.

State Senator Virgil Peck talked about several bills that he has been actively working on during the current legislative session.

Peck first brought up Senate Bill 76 also known as the Golden Year Homestead Freeze Act. Sen. Peck said that this bill will help senior citizens with property taxes.

Sen. Peck also said that senior citizens will not be the only ones that will benefit from this bill if passed.

Sen. Peck also described Senate Bill 50 which was just recently passed by the Senate by a 35-3 count.

You can hear the entire interview with Sen. Peck here.

Lifesaving Awards were presented to Jason Curtis and Mike Shinkle at the most recent Independence City Commission Meeting. On February 9^th, Curtis arrived at work and could smell smoke. After alerting Shinkle they went outside and could see flames reflecting off of the windows of houses in the neighborhood and saw the fire at 708 Washington.

Curtis called 911 and on the way to the house met a woman running down the street toward them stating her house was on fire and people were trapped inside. Curtis and Shinkle ran up to the house and could see someone trying to escape through a window on the front porch. It was not big enough for a rescue, so they broke out the window and pulled the two victims from the residence without hesitation and unselfishly risked their lives to save the lives of other people.

Motorists in Kansas continue to see gas prices climb higher due to rising crude prices, tightening gas supplies, and increased gas demand.

Prices in Montgomery County have risen to $2.70 which is a 27-cent increase since last month while Labette County has seen an increase to $2.69 which is a 32-cent increase. In Chautauqua County, prices are up 34 cents to $2.67 a gallon. The state average is $2.66 a gallon, up 36 cents since last month.

In Oklahoma, the state average jumped to $2.65 a gallon. Gas in Washington County is up 32 cents to $2.62 while Nowata County is up 36 cents to $2.57.

The national average for a gallon of regular gasoline is at $2.83, which is eight cents more than a week ago, 33 cents more than a month ago, and 51 cents more than a year ago.

The Independence City Commission recognized Director of Public Works Mike Passauer on his retirement from the city. Passauer has worked for the city for over 31 years, starting off as a seasonal worker for the street department in 1989.

Due to COVID-19, the city will be hosting a card shower instead of a reception. Cards may be sent or delivered to the City of Independence at 811 W. Laurel.

The Midland Theater renovation project is pivoting to a six-stage plan to restore the theater to its former self.

In a Facebook post Thursday, those with the theater announced the pivot and that Project 1, titled "Secure the Shell," had been completed. Project 2 is called "The Front of the House" and will focus on restoring part of the interior of the building. Examples include repairing the ballroom walls and floor, renovating the ticket booth and concession stand, and updating both restrooms to meet ADA standards.

Donations are still welcomed, either online or by mailing a donation to the Coffeyville Area Community foundation.

Parts of southeast Kansas could see up to four inches of rain through the weekend, according to the National Weather Service.

We can expect scattered to numerous storms starting this morning with pea to nickel-sized hail. Rainfall could be heavy at times tonight and Saturday night.

The NWS warns of flooding of poor drainage and low-lying areas as well as mild to moderate flooding in some creeks and rivers.

The Kansas Department of Transportation expects to begin a pavement reconstruction project on U.S. 59 at Parsons on Monday. The road work starts just north of Commerce Drive and continues north for just over ¼ of a mile.

Project activity includes replacing the pavement and installing underdrains. Two-way traffic will be carried through the work zone. Mission Construction of St. Paul is the primary contractor on the $1.3 million project. Work should be completed by midsummer, weather permitting.

KDOT reminds drivers to slow down in the work zone.

The Caney Police Department is warning residents of a new email scam.

The scammer is sending emails to people regarding an Amazon order that cannot be shipped. The email has a link that will send you to a website asking for your personal information and credit card information. Caney PD says the email and link look legitimate so always be careful to who you give your personal information.

High winds and reduced visibility resulted in a two-vehicle accident this afternoon in Osage County. One vehicle was driving southbound on County Rd. 3660, approximately eight miles west of Pawhuska and the second vehicle was traveling northbound when the two subjects hit head-on.

The driver of the first vehicle, Caleb Drummond was ejected around 70 feet from the vehicle. Drummond was taken to the St. John Medical Center in Tulsa where he was admitted in critical condition with head, arm, leg and internal injuries. The driver of the second vehicle, Ladd Drummond, refused treatment at the scene.

The Coffeyville Police Department has received an award for traffic safety.

On Tuesday, the CPD received a gold AAA traffic safety award. Only 43 agencies throughout the state of Kansas were selected to receive traffic safety awards, and only 11 were selected to receive the gold award.

A law enforcement liaison from the Kansas Department of Transportation stopped by the police department to present them with their award.

The Kansas Department of Transportation plans to begin a reconstruction project on a 13-mile stretch of U.S. 169. The project area starts approximately three miles north of the U.S. 169/K-47 junction and continues north to end nearly 2 miles north of the Neosho-Allen county line.

The first phase of the project will cover U.S. 169 from north of K-47 and continuing north to K-39 at Chanute. Starting March 15th, this section will be closed to through traffic. Traffic will follow the signed state route detour on K-47, U.S. 59, and K-39. Following completion of the first phase, this section is expected to reopen in mid-July 2021.

During the second project phase, U.S. 169 will be closed to through traffic from K-39 north to 1.7 miles north of the Neosho-Allen county line. The state route detour for the second phase will be signed on U.S. 54, U.S. 75 and K-39. The second phase is set to begin after the first phase is completed and should be finished by mid-November 2022.

KDOT awarded the nearly $33 million construction contract to Emery Sapp & Sons, Inc., of Kansas City.

Coffeyville is continuing to renovate the Midland Theater.

There have been improvements made on the outside of the building, but there is still a long way to go. The total project cost is $220,000 and the city hopes to achieve this goal by April 1st.

The city is hoping to receive funds from service organizations, businesses, families and leaders. They're also hoping they can get some financial help from outside of the city as well.

The theater holds a capacity of approximately 800 people. The banquet hall also holds around 300 seats and the ballroom can hold 60 people.

U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. appeared on the Hugh Hewitt show talking about an op-ed he wrote regarding COVID-19 vaccine distribution. Senator Marshall says there is science showing that giving more people a single dose of COVID vaccines saves more lives than giving fewer people two doses.

Senator Marshall says this would not include senior citizens or those who are considered high risk.  A link to Senator Marshall's op-ed can be found here.

Kansas' longtime Attorney General has announced his bid for the governorship in 2022.

Derek Schmidt, who has served as the state's Attorney General since 2010, announced his run in an online video posted early Tuesday. He highlighted his past work and support for former President Donald Trump's policies.

Schmidt joins a list of Republicans interested in taking back the governorship. Former Kansas governor Jeff Colyer, who lost the GOP primary to Kris Kobach in 2018, has announced his interest in running again. The winner of the GOP primary wil challenge Democratic Governor Laura Kelly, who is up for reelection in 2022.

As vaccination efforts continually ramp up, the number of COVID-19 cases continues to drop statewide.

The state of Kansas only saw 590 new cases but four new deaths and 24 new hospitalizations between Friday and Monday, according to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

Locally, there have been only six new cases between Friday and Monday, but there were 18 new positive cases on Thursday. The total number of COVID-19 cases in Montgomery County is 3,337.

An Independence Middle School student has tested positive for COVID-19, according to the Montgomery County Health Department.

Areas that the student occupied over the last several days have been closed off to be disinfected. Those who were identified as close contacts have been notified and they will not be able to return to school until they are released by the health department. However, they will have access to remote learning.

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

As tornado season rapidly approaches, the city of Coffeyville is taking steps to ensure everyone has a safe location to go during severe weather. The city is now letting those with shelters register those locations on their website.

Those registering a shelter need to leave a name and number, and answer a few questions about the shelter itself, including whether it is a safe room or a storm shelter. There is also space for comments if need be. To register your shelter or safe room, follow this link.

A grass fire in Empire City occurred yesterday morning around 10:30 a.m.

The fire was on Forest Avenue and it took six different fire departments, 15 emergency units and 25 total firefighters to extinguish the flames.

Cherokee County, like the majority of the state, was under an extreme fire danger warning yesterday.

The USD 445 School Board votes to approve two agreements involving the City of Coffeyville. The board approved the superintendent's recommendation for the Interlocal Agreement for the Coffeyville Neighborhood Revitalization Plan and the Cooperation Agreement for Veterans Memorial Stadium fund. Assistant Superintendent Michael Speer says they have extended the stadium agreement until the end of the year.

In other business, the board received an update on the Kansas Education Systems Accreditation, in which they are accredited. The board also voted to forgive two inclement weather days. The board approved the resignation of six employees including Roosevelt Middle School Principal Jeff Pegues.

The City of Independence is soliciting quotes for structural modifications to the existing bear exhibit for the Ralph Mitchell Zoo. Quotes need to be received in the City Clerk's office by 2:00 p.m. March 18th. Quotes need to be plainly marked “Bear Exhibit”. The city reserves the right to accept or reject any or all quotes or to waive any irregularities should any occur as may best benefit the City.

If you have any questions regarding the quotes or would like to schedule an appointment to view the exhibit before constructing a quote, please contact Angela Anthony at 620-332-2512.

The Kansas Department of Transportation plans to close and begin reconstruction on the intersection of 1000 Road and U.S. 169 at Welda on Wednesday. No through traffic will be allowed on 1000 Road.

The road work is part of the KDOT project to reconstruct 7½ miles of U.S. 169 in Anderson County. U.S. 169 remains closed from K-58 north to the south U.S. 169/U.S. 59 junction, with traffic following the signed state route detour on U.S. 54 and U.S. 59.

U.S. 169 traffic will be reduced to one lane, controlled by signals, north of the south U.S. 169/U.S. 59 junction. Bettis Asphalt & Construction of Topeka is the primary contractor on the $21 million modernization project.

USD 445 Superintendent Dr. Craig Correll talked about several items including school day forgiveness and graduation. Dr. Correll said that even though school was missed for a few days because of the ice and snow a few weeks back, an extension of the school year will not be needed.

Dr. Correll also discussed ideas being talked about for graduation as parents have been asking questions about it for this year.

The full interview with Dr. Correll can be found here.

A Caney woman was arrested on a probation violation charge over the weekend. An officer with the Caney Police Department came in contact with 40-year-old Kristen Vanetta, of Caney, in the 500 block of South Wood St.

Vanetta is currently on probation with the Montgomery County Court system and had an active probation violation pick up order. Officers arrested Vanetta after she ran on foot. She was arrested and transported to the Montgomery County Jail on probation violation charges.

Montgomery County District Fire Chief and Director of Emergency Management Rick Whitson proposed an overhaul of the rural fire departments regarding where the county's money is going and how they would operate.

Whitson said that one of their fire trucks is 50 years old. He said that there could be huge ramifications if that truck were to get into an accident. Whitson proposed hiring someone to check and document any issues the trucks might have to avoid a situation like this.

Whitson also said that new volunteer firefighters need to be trained better. These courses would provide liability defense in case something goes wrong.

Whitson also is planning on reducing the fleet of firetrucks. This would eliminate any trucks that are deemed to be "liabilities" and are not being used or are old and breaking down.

Whitson said that the main goals of this overhaul are liability defense and safety for the rural fire departments. No action was taken regarding the proposal and more details will be ironed out in next week's Montgomery County commission meeting.

There is an extreme fire danger warning in effect today in southeast Kansas.

Warmer temperatures along with low humidity in the air and winds blowing 20-30 mph and 40 mph gusts make for prime conditions for fires to spread quickly.

The National Weather Service is highly discouraging any outdoor burning today. Most areas in the state are under an extreme fire danger warning except for parts of the south-central and southwestern portions of the state which are under a very high fire danger warning.

U.S. Senator Roger Marshall offered an amendment to the COVID relief legislation currently before the U.S. Senate that would change the funding formula to ensure that Kansas isn’t cheated of $400 million when it comes to receiving state and local relief.

Unlike previous COVID packages, the current legislation provides state and local funding for states based on unemployed population instead of actual population.

U.S. Senator Jerry Moran advocated for students across the country to safely return to the classrooms. Senator Moran says the highest priority of many Kansans is to see their kids in the classroom.

Senator Moran says he is pleased that students are back in the classroom for most of Kansas, so we know it can be done, and it can be done safely.

A fire consumed ten acres of land on P Street NW in Miami yesterday afternoon.

Miami Fire Chief Robert Wright spoke about the details regarding the cause of the fire.

Wright went on to say that the fire was under control relatively quickly and said that the size of the fire "wasn't too bad". In terms of the amount of damage from the flames, Wright said that it burned a shed and a boat.

No injuries occurred in the incident.

An estimated 8% of Montgomery County residents have been fully vaccinated. That was the unofficial total given by Montgomery County Director of Emergency Management Rick Whitson at the First Friday meeting in Independence this morning.

However, getting the total has been difficult and officials in the county and the state are still trying to find out the exact number.

The way the county was able to get the estimated 8% is purely based on the amount of the vaccine that the county has received.

Whitson said that the numbers could be a little skewed due to the fact that some people are still hesitant to receive the vaccine.

According to Whitson, the health department is vaccinating approximately 100 people per day and Independence was able to vaccinate 500 people on Wednesday.

USD 447 in Cherryvale is cancelling school next Friday, March 12th, to vaccinate teachers and staff.

For students, Spring Break will start a day earlier than scheduled and will last from the 12th through the 21st. School will resume on Monday, March 22nd.

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 occupied over the last several days have been closed off to be disinfected.

Those who were identified as close contacts have been notified and they will not be allowed to return to school until the health department deems it safe. However, they will have access to remote learning.

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

The Coffeyville Police Department is asking for the public's help in identifying two people in connection to a recent case of theft. The two suspects were caught on camera and were last seen driving a maroon 4-door car. If you have any information that could lead to the identification of the two individuals, contact the police department at 620-252-6160 and reference case number 21-2188.

A picture of the suspects is included with this story.

A Tulsa man was arrested in Caney for driving under the influence early yesterday morning.

An officer with Caney PD pulled over a vehicle for failing to dim headlights at the corner of 3rd and McGee Street. Upon speaking to the driver, the officer could smell the odor of alcohol. The driver, who was identified as 70-year-old Ronald Rebold, failed a field sobriety test.

Rebold was arrested for driving under the influence and for failure to dim headlights and was transported to the Montgomery County Jail.

Just over four months remain until the return of the Coffeyville Summer Celebration. The one-day event is scheduled for July 10th this year, with organizers sharing that they are in the planning stages for this year's event.

Several events have already been planned, including a 1K/5K Walk/Run, a car show, music, vendors, and a fireworks display. The event organizers are still looking for vendors for this year's event at Walter Johnson Park. If interested, contact Mike Bradley at 620-988-0038.

Police say a suspicious device found near the Pittsburg State University campus contained a small amount of incendiary components. Police were notified after the device was found on a block adjacent to the campus.

The Kansas State Highway Patrol’s Hazardous Device Unit removed the device from campus Thursday evening. Pieces of it will be taken to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation’s Forensic Laboratories for further examination. Police said the investigation is continuing. Pittsburg State officials thanked law enforcement for their work.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has rescinded a boil water advisory for the City of Parsons public water supply system. The advisory was issued by the system because of a loss of pressure in the distribution system.

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.

For consumer questions, please contact the water system or you may call KDHE at 785-296-5514.

A 28-old-man has been arrested for animal cruelty and discharging a firearm. Earlier this week, the Parsons Police Department received a call from a citizen that a dog had been shot in the 1400 block of South 12^th Street.

Officers arrived in the area and met with witnesses to the incident. Officers were able to collect video surveillance of the incident, which shows Jordan Thompson of Parsons going to a nearby vehicle after seeing the dog, retrieves a pistol, and then stalks his way over to the dog and fires a shot striking the animal in the hip and leg area. The dog then ran away injured and bleeding. The dog was taken to the Parsons Animal Hospital for emergency care.

Thompson was later taken into custody for felony cruelty to animals and a misdemeanor count of criminal discharge of a firearm in city limits. Cruelty to animals in this situation is a felony with a maximum penalty of up to one year in prison with a maximum fine of up to $5,000.

Spring calving season is underway and one of the biggest worries of cow-calf producers are coyotes. Hunting or trapping coyotes are usually the first control measures producers go to, but Kansas State University Wildlife Specialist Drew Ricketts says the challenge with coyote control rests with the social behavior of this predator.

Ricketts says it is the wide-roaming coyotes that are more threatening.  Ricketts says this is why comprehensive coyote control is so difficult to achieve and why preventative management against predation is so important.

Caney Police Officers were dispatched to Casey's General Store for a disturbance call earlier this week. Upon arrival, officers identified 48-year-old Dale McCoy, of Caney, and 30-year-old Joshua McKinney, of Peru, had been involved in a physical altercation.

After speaking with those involved and witnesses at the scene Dale McCoy was given a notice to appear in Caney City Court for Battery and McKinney was cited for Driving while suspended. Both men are scheduled to appear in court on April 6^th. Neither of the two men sought medical treatment.

The Kansas Department of Transportation is restricting traffic to one lane on K-47 between US 59 and US 169 in Neosho County. A semi has overturned on K-47 near Gray Road. Complete closure of this section is expected for a towing operation later this morning. Traffic should use alternate routes.

The Independence police department is asking for assistance in locating a missing man. Curtis Delwood Sales was reported missing on February 16th. Since then, there have been multiple unconfirmed sightings of Sales in the Independence area.

Saleshas since missed a court appointment on March 2nd. He is described as 6'0" tall and weighs 185 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. If you have seen Sales, or have any information about his whereabouts, contact the IPD at 620-332-1700.

Three students at Independence High School have tested positive for COVID-19, according to the Montgomery County Health Department.

Per the school district's protocol, all areas that those students have occupied over the last several days have been closed off to be disinfected.

Those who were identified as close contacts have been notified and they will not be allowed to return to school until the health department deems it safe. However, they will have access to remote learning.

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

Two parents from Miami were arrested for charges of child abuse.

On February 20th, during the winter storm, a child walked into Walmart cold, wet and hungry. The child proceeded to tell the workers at the store that his mother had given him a black eye. Workers then called the police and noted bruising all over his body. Officers then started an investigation and were able to arrest two individuals yesterday afternoon.

Christopher Haury was arrested on the charge of child abuse and assault by strangulation, and Kristin Pierot was arrested for the charge of child abuse. Both individuals were transported to the Ottawa County Sheriff's office and held on a $150,000 bond.

Peak tornado season in Kansas runs from April to June with the state averaging 95 tornadoes per year. Kansas State University Assistant State Climatologist Mary Knapp says now is the time to prepare a plan for what you’ll do when severe weather alerts are issued in your area.

Knapp says it's not just tornadoes that you need to worry about with severe weather in the spring, but also lightning, hail and strong winds. When there is severe weather in the area make sure to tune into KGGF for your two-time award-winning severe weather coverage.

A 23-year old man and a juvenile have been arrested in connection with a robbery in Coffeyville.

Coffeyville PD was investigating an aggravated robbery that took place and the suspect vehicle and occupant information were relayed to Deputies with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies were able to locate the suspect vehicle on U.S. Highway 169 North of Cherryvale.

A traffic stop was conducted and two subjects were located in the vehicle. Deputies took Sah’mondre Vanburen of Parsons as well as a juvenile into custody. Both subjects were transported to the Montgomery County Sheriff’s office where they were booked on the charge of Aggravated Robbery.

Pittsburg State University has announced commencement plans for spring that will, like Fall Commencement, look different than pre-pandemic ceremonies. In the past, Spring Commencement has been held in four ceremonies — one for each of the university’s four colleges.

This year, PSU will hold eight in two days to comply with COVID-19 mitigation strategies. All ceremonies will start in the Robert W. Plaster Center and then proceed to the Garfield Weede Building. Graduates and their guests will remain together as a group throughout, except when the graduate crosses the stage. PSU also will hold a pinning and graduation event in the afternoon on Friday, May 7, for graduates in the Irene Ransom Bradley School of Nursing. 

The ceremonies are scheduled as follows: 

Friday, April 30, 2021 

• 3:30 p.m. - College of Technology (Automotive Technology and School of Construction) 

• 5:00 p.m. - College of Technology (Engineering Technology, Graphics & Imaging Technologies, and Technology & Workforce Learning) 

• 6:30 p.m. - College of Arts & Sciences (Communication, English & Modern Languages and Literatures, Family & Consumer Sciences, and History, Philosophy, and Social Sciences) 

• 8:00 p.m. - College of Arts & Sciences (Art, Biology, Chemistry, General Studies, Integrated Studies, Math, Music, and Physics) 

Saturday, May 1, 2021 

• 9:00 a.m. College of Education (Health, Human Performance, & Recreation, Psychology & Counseling, and Teaching & Leadership undergraduate candidates) 

• 10:30 a.m. - College of Education  (Teaching & Leadership graduate degree candidates)  

• 12:00 p.m. - College of Business (all undergraduate candidates) 

• 1:30 p.m. - College of Business (all graduate degree candidates)

Dr. Michelle McGuirk and Dr. Shravan Gangula held a live Q&A session on Facebook live yesterday.

The Live was for answering any questions residents had regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and giving advice as the numbers of cases continue to slow down.

One frequently asked question is whether or not to pre-medicate with aspirin before getting a vaccine shot.

Dr. McGuirk also clarified some of the misconceptions of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

A link to the full Q&A session can be found here.

Miami detectives were able to seize over 50 stolen guns.

The guns were believed to be taken from a local business and were found in a residence in Miami. Miami PD got assistance from the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Quapaw Nation.

The case is still under investigation, and Miami PD believes that there are still more missing guns. If anyone has information on the case, please contact Detective Wright at the Miami Police Department.

USD 445 in Coffeyville is seeking sponsors for the rapidly-approaching Teacher Appreciation Week.

Along with snacks and treats, the district is looking for businesses who might sponsor or donate special prizes that would be given away during the week of May 3rd through May 7th.

If you're interested in donating or being one of those sponsors, contact Halie O'Connor at 620-252-6400.

An unknown person went inside the Caney City Pound yesterday and intentionally let three dogs loose.

Caney Police Chief Kevin Kitterman said in a press release that one of the dogs that were let loose was hit and killed by a car.

All of the dog kennels were locked at the time of the incident.

Kitterman asks if you know about the incident or know who opened the kennels to please contact the police department at 620-879-2141.

The Kansas Department of Transportation will begin a project to replace six bridges on U.S. 166 in Cherokee County on Thursday. The project area starts ¼-mile east of the Labette-Cherokee county line and continues east for just over 2 miles. The bridges will be replaced three at a time.

Traffic at each bridge will be reduced to one lane controlled by signals, with expected delays of 15 minutes or less. The six existing bridges are currently posted with weight limits, and the weight restrictions will remain in effect throughout the project. The replacement of the first three bridges is scheduled to complete by mid-November 2021. Project activity will be suspended over the winter months, with work resuming on the remaining three bridges in March 2022. KDOT expects all six new bridges to be opened to traffic by mid-December 2022.

KDOT awarded the construction contract of $14.8 million to Bridges Inc. of Newton. Drivers are reminded to obey the reduced speed limit through the work zone and to pay close attention to the signs and signals.

A 62-year old man has been arrested on a laundry list of charges including rape and various drug charges.

A Detective with the Chanute Police Department spoke with an individual about a sexual assault that had taken place. During the investigation, the Detective gathered statements and evidence involving the incident. Officers were able to later locate the suspect at a residence along with a vehicle that was registered to him. Chanute PD K9 was deployed and during the search, approximately 4.5 grams of methamphetamine was seized from the vehicle along with other items associated with illegal drugs.

Officers arrested Jerry Dean Sager of Moran for rape, aggravated sodomy, criminal restraint, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was transported to the Neosho County Jail without incident.

Record-breaking cold temperatures and a week-and-a-half below freezing have raised questions about the durability of the winter wheat crop. K-State Wheat Production Specialist Romulo Lollato says that the soil temperatures are the key.
 

Lollato says that the extent of winterkill was probably fairly limited, but producers should watch for indications of damage as the weather warms up.  Lollato says it will be about the middle of March before producers can make a good judgment of what happened.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has reported the continuing decline of new COVID-19 cases despite new variants of the virus coming to the United States such as the strains from the U.K. and Brazil.

As of yesterday, KDHE has reported 639 new cases, eight new deaths and 41 new hospitalizations since Friday. In total, there have been 294,302 cases, 9,290 hospitalizations and 4,743 deaths.

In Montgomery County, there were no cases reported on Sunday and one case yesterday, but there were 18 new cases reported last Thursday. There have been a total of 3,272 cases reported since the pandemic began.

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

All areas the student has used over the last several days have been closed off to be disinfected. Those who have been 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 questions, please do not hesitate to contact Superintendent Rusty Arnold at 620-496-4706.

USD 447-Cherryvale announced that board member Jo Neuburger has resigned.

Because of this, the school district is now looking for a replacement. The Board of Education has until the next general election and no sooner than 15 days to make their decision.

If you are interested in applying for the open position may obtain an application by contacting the board clerk at 620-336-8139. Applicants will be interviewed at the March 8th board meeting during the 6:30 p.m. work session.

The city of Parsons' water pressure "should be stabilized" after a drop of water pressure occurred at the city's water treatment plant last night.

There is no state-required boil water advisory, however, Parsons is asking its citizens to follow a recommended boil order for the next 24-48 hours. Make sure all water used for medication or special uses is boiled prior to use. It is recommended drinking water or water used to cook be boiled as well.

City crews are currently testing the water at a dozen points throughout the city. The next step for Parsons is for the city to get results on the water sample that was sent to the KDHE.

A Neodesha man was arrested on multiple drug charges in Caney on Sunday evening.

An officer with Caney PD pulled over a vehicle for failure to dim headlights at the corner of 6th and McGee Street. Upon investigation, it was determined that the driver of the vehicle was driving with a suspended license. The officer then did a search of the vehicle and found marijuana and drug paraphernalia which tested presumptive positive for methamphetamines.

It was also discovered the driver, who was identified as Peter Hawkins, had an outstanding warrant out of Wilson County for contempt of court.

Hawkins was arrested and transported to the Montgomery County Jail.

Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas is now offering COVID-19 vaccine appointments as part of Phase 2 of the Kansas Vaccine Prioritization Plan. There is no out-of-pocket cost to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccinations will be available at all CHC/SEK clinic locations.

To schedule an appointment, call 866-888-8650 between 7 a.m. -7 p.m. any day of the week. Spanish speakers can call 620-240-8940 from 7 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

CHC/SEK will follow the state priorities for what populations are eligible to receive the vaccine, however, vaccine recipients will not be restricted by county residency, nor do they have to be a patient of CHC/SEK.

Coffeyville Community College has expanded its online degree offerings.

In addition to its Associate of Arts degree, CCC will now offer two additional degrees that can be done online. Coffeyville Community College's Senior Director of Student Services Yvonne Hull describes what degrees are being offered.

To enroll in the new degree programs, head over to the school's website at coffeyville.edu or call (620) 251-7700.

The City of Coffeyville will sound the city's tornado sirens on Tuesday at 10 am as part of Kansas Severe Weather Preparedness Week.

Everyone is encouraged to participate in this drill by reviewing and practicing your plan to seek secure and safe shelter from a tornado.

This test will be broadcast over NOAA All-Hazards Weather Radio and many local television and radio stations including KGGF, KUSN, and KQQF.

The Kansas Department of Transportation has started a resurfacing project on U.S. 69 in Bourbon County. The project begins two miles north of the Bourbon-Crawford county line and continues north for nearly four 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 of $3.5 million to Bettis Asphalt & Construction, Inc., of Topeka.

Traffic will be reduced to one lane at the work zone. Work on the project should be completed by mid-August, weather permitting. KDOT reminds drivers to obey the signs and traffic control devices and to slow down.

The Sedan Chamber of Commerce is moving forward with its plans to hold the Yellow Brick Road Festival later this spring.

The chamber is looking for vendors interested in being a part of this year's festival, which will be held on May 29th. Those interested should contact the chamber for an application. Vendors will set up during the morning and afternoon on the day of the festival.

At this time, the chamber is also looking for volunteers to help the day of the festival. If interested, contact the chamber either directly or at the chamber Facebook page here.

Montgomery County Health Department Director Carolyn Muller gave an update on the vaccination process at the most recent Montgomery County Commission meeting.

Muller said that there will be a clinic open in Independence on Wednesday for vaccinations. She said that the county is hoping to vaccinate 500 people on Wednesday. Muller said that the health department will be closed that day to fully focus on vaccinations at the clinic.

She added that the health department has been approximately been vaccinating 100 people per day, but people have been coming from across the county to Coffeyville to get it. Muller said that the number of doses the county is getting will increase.

The health department has only been getting the Moderna vaccine due to the Pfizer vaccine requiring having certain temperature requirements that could not be met in Montgomery County.

Plenty of department heads were in attendance for Monday's Chautauqua County commission meeting.

The commission discussed a soon-approaching property appraisal conducted by KCAMP. Commissioners David Deal and Parker Massey also referred back to a previous meeting in regards to masonry company Renodry, saying they'd like to visit with other counties who have worked with them before committing to anything further.

In addition, the department heads for several offices in the county stopped by for a quick chat with the commissioners. Both Massey and Deal stressed the importances of documentation for conflicts and other important details. They also suggested that those in attendance consider taking classes offered by KCAMP for further training.

The commission will meet once again next Monday at 8:30 am.

Caney Police Department received notice that the Montgomery County Court had issued seven new aggravated failure to appear warrants for Travis Smith of Caney. Smith failed to appear for his scheduled court hearing on Thursday as directed by the court.

Charges for Smith include felony interference with a law enforcement officer, criminal trespassing, multiple theft charges, felony possession of a firearm and multiple drug charges.

After officers failed to locate Smith on Friday, he turned himself into the Caney Police Department on Saturday. Smith was transported to the Montgomery County Jail where he is being held on outstanding warrants.

A Caney man was arrested on aggravated battery charges after a family disturbance early Saturday morning.

The disturbance was reported in the 100 block of North Wood Street. An officer with the Caney Police Department spoke with a woman who lives at the residence. The victim was injured and was provided medical attention, but she refused to go to the hospital.

Upon further investigation, officers were able to arrest 24-year-old Joseph Dwayne Armitage on aggravated battery charges. Armitage was transported by Officers to the Montgomery County Jail.