Residents in some areas of Kansas will be experiencing a change to the way they make local calls.

Beginning Sunday, people with either the 620 or 785 area code will have to start dialing 10 digits to complete local calls. This is in compliance with the Federal Communications Commission's plan to implement 988 as the three-number speed-dial code to reach a suicide prevention hotline.

 Montgomery County guardrail survey to take place starting next week.

On Thursday, November 4^th, The Kansas Department of Transportation plans to start a survey for guardrail updates on U.S. 166. The survey area begins east of 1900 Road and continues east to end ½ mile east of 3950 Road. The survey is expected to be completed by December 3^rd. If you have any questions regarding the survey you can contact KDOT Public Affairs Manager Priscilla Petersen at (620) 902-6433.

A Galena man is being held in the Cherokee County Jail after Sheriff Investigators took him into custody Thursday afternoon.

The arrest stems from an investigation into the alleged theft of multiple checks from a rural Galena resident on October 20th.

As a result of the investigation, which included the execution of a search warrant on a Galena home earlier this week, the suspect is believed to have forged and altered several of the checks before cashing them at an area bank.

19-year old Joseph Lee Kirker is being held in lieu of a $38,000 bond on allegations of Theft, Three Counts of Forgery, and Four Counts of Making False Information.

Bartlesville FFA will return home from national competitions with a 3-Star National Chapter Award, a Top 4 Agriculture Communications team, and a Top 10 Individual.  The Ag Communications team placed third at the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana this week.  Senior Matt Fries was the fifth high individual as well.  Advisor Marty Jones says the future is bright.

Jones says 350 out of almost 9,000 FFA chapters in the United States have received a 3-Star National Chapter Award like they have. He says they are proud of their students and what lies ahead.

Coffeyville Community College will host its annual Junior/Senior Day on November 11^th. Students will have the opportunity to tour the main campus, hear from each of the activity and program directors, enjoy lunch in the newly remodeled cafeteria, and visit in a one-on-one setting with each activity or program. 

The choir and band will be conducting auditions. Those interested in auditioning should register beforehand. Audition information is available on the CCC Fine Arts Facebook page. Students interested in participating in CCC Junior/Senior Day should register online at coffeyville.edu. Activities begin at 9:30am in Nellis Hall and will end around 1:00pm.

A Caney man is arrested after a search warrant leads to the location of drugs. Yesterday, Caney Police Officers executed the search warrant in the 500 block of South Wood St. for stolen property. During the search, officers found drugs and drug paraphernalia in the home and obtained a second search warrant for drugs.

As a result of that search, officers found methamphetamine, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia. Officers arrested 34-year-old Matthew Dunham and transported him to the Montgomery County jail. Dunham is charged with possession of methamphetamine, marijuana and drug paraphernalia. Dunham is currently on bond in Montgomery County for a previous drug case in which he was recently arrested.

A Preliminary hearing will be held next Tuesday for a Bartlesville man who allegedly stabbed a woman to death in late July. Koalton Ellis is currently facing charges of murder in the first degree with deliberate intent.

Ellis was last in court on August 20 for a felony status date. The defendant has been given a court-appointed attorney. Mark Kane will represent the accused. Ellis remains in custody at the Washington County Jail on a $1,000,000 bond.

Surveillance footage from the Skyline Motel appears to show Ellis stab the victim multiple times before walking away. Ellis then returned to stab the victim several more times. Officers found the victim lying in a pool of blood. The victim was identified as Buffie Raulston who later died due to her sustained injuries.

The hearing is set for Tuesday at 9 a.m. from the Washington County Courthouse.

Animal waste spills onto Washington Boulevard at the Price Road intersection in Bartlesville.

According to Bartlesville Police Department Captain Jay Hastings, a semi-truck lost what appeared to be animal waste on Thursday afternoon. Hastings said the debris was sitting in the inside southbound lane of Washington Boulevard

This incident occurred near McDonald's and the Washington Park Mall. Capt. Hastings says traffic was backed up a quarter mile to the north from Price Road to Nowata Road along South Highway 75. He says it took over an hour for the rendering company to clean the mess.

No other vehicles were involved and no injuries occurred as a result of this incident.

While most of us have been enjoying the cooler Fall weather, wildlife in the area have had other priorities. Some animals are looking for their winter homes and stocking food. While these changes don't have a lot to do with humans, they do impact our daily lives.

Two different animals that come to mind are mice and deer. Mice usually try to come indoors while deer are on the run. K-State Extension Agent Adaven Scronce first explains why mice try to come indoors.

Scronce also says this is a time of year to look out for deer as they are currently in rut which runs from September to February but hits its peak in November. Most of this activity occurs at dusk and dawn when most people are on the move. Scronce gives tips on what to do if you see a deer in the road.

For more information on this subject, you can contact Scronce at the K-State Extension Independence office at 620-331-2690.

A Wichita woman has been arrested on a pair of charges.

Late Wednesday night. Caney police officers made a traffic stop for speeding at McGee and Boarding in Caney. Upon speaking to the driver, who was identified as 32-year-old Tara Sanders it was determined she was driving without liability insurance.

Officers also found out that Sanders had an active warrant for Theft out of Allen County Ks. She was arrested without incident. A subsequent search of her vehicle revealed an open container of alcohol.

Sanders was transported to the Montgomery County Jail on the Allen County Warrant and charges of speeding, no liability insurance, and open container.

A Caney man has been arrested on multiple drug charges.

Wednesday afternoon, Caney police officers made a traffic stop at 6th and Wood Street due to a vehicle improperly displaying a tag. Upon speaking with the driver, officers determined the driver did not have a driver’s license.

The passenger in the vehicle was identified as 37-year-old Kenneth Hufferd was on community corrections in Montgomery County. Hufferd was found to be in possession of a drug pipe on his person. A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed drug paraphernalia, marijuana, and methamphetamines. Hufferd admitted the drugs belonged to him.

Hufferd was arrested and transported to the Montgomery County Jail on charges of possession of methamphetamines, possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia. The driver of the vehicle was cited and released.

  Neewollah continues tonight in Downtown Independence and features more family fun. The first of three parades kicks off tonight with the DooDah Parade at 6:00 pm. The DooDah Parade is the adult-only event of Neewollah. The theme for the parade this year is “ We're Not in Kansas Anymore”. Prizes will be awarded for the best individual costume and the best group costumes in the DooDah Parade.

Our own Matt Jordan will also be broadcasting live this evening at Neewollah on KUSN 98.1FM from 5:00 pm-7:00 pm.

(Photo courtesy of Neewollah)

Election Day is just a few days away.

Next Tuesday is an important day for the county's citizens to choose their next leaders and engage in issues that are vital to the communies they live in.

To vote in Kansas, you must present a government-issued ID in order to vote. Valid IDs include a driver's license, a non-driver ID card, U.S. passport, or a Kansas college ID.

A list of candidates can be found here. The Coffeyville candidate forums that were held earlier this month can be found here as well.

The Coffeyville Chamber of Commerce's first Business Over Breakfast is next week. Chamber Director Candi Westbrook says the City of Coffeyville will be the first sponsor of the event.

Westbrook says breakfast and networking will begin at 7:45am with the program beginning at 8:00am next Wednesday. The monthly Business Over Breakfast will be the first Wednesday of every month and is replacing the weekly Coffeyville News and Networking.

Multiple railroad crossings are closed in Coffeyville after an earlier morning train derailment. Union Pacific Railroad has reported a minor train derailment. There are no injuries or spills of any hazmat materials reported at this time.

All crossings from the South Buckeye street crossing west to the far west City limits are blocked due to this derailment. Union Pacific already has crews on the scene trying to get the issue resolved. These crossings will remain closed for an unknown amount of time. Crossings closed include South Buckeye & Overlook along with several residential driveway crossings. The overpass at the west city limits is open and the underpass on Read St is open. All crossings east of the Read St overpass including Walnut St and Willow St remain open.

A group of students from Independence High School visits the campus of Coffeyville Community College.

Yesterday, President Dr. Marlon Thornburg welcomed about 160 IHS Sophomores and jokingly thanked them for skipping school to spend the morning at CCC.

While on campus, students were able to explore over fifteen technical programs, visit various coaches and activity directors, and learn how it is possible to graduate from CCC before graduating high school.

U.S. Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall say a federal grant will help to expand stress-related and mental health services to Kansas farmers and ranchers.

Moran and Marshall say the $500,000 U.S. Department of Agriculture grant will help to build on the programs of the Kansas Department of Agriculture.

The expanded service will use the grant to create a statewide campaign to raise awareness for the KansasAgStress.org website, develop reusable media content and work to destigmatize the concept of mental health awareness while lowering suicides in the agriculture industry in Kansas.

Next week 680^th Avenue in Crawford County will close east of U.S. 69.

According to the Kansas Department of Transportation, the road will be closed for 6-8 weeks for the reconstruction of the intersection with U.S 69. 680^th Avenue will be open west of U.S. 69.

Multiple Montgomery County services will close early on Friday.

The Montgomery County Courthouse, Independence and Coffeyville Health Department, Coffeyville Tag Office, Family & Children Services, Community Corrections, Court Services, and the District Court will close at 2:00 pm on Friday so the employees can attend the Annual Kiddie Parade. The Coffeyville Tag Office will not process title work after 12:00 pm.

For more information, call 620-330-1200.

Three people have been injured in an accident in just north of Girard.

According to the Kansas Highway Patrol, 72-year-old Gerald Greer of Lexington, Oklahoma was driving a 2018 Motorhome northbound in K-7 about six miles north of Girard. For an unknown reason, the passenger side dropped off the road, and Greer over-corrected which caused the motorhome to overturn. Greer suffered minor injuries.

Greer's passengers, 60-year-old Ladonna Carlson-Greer was transported to Freeman Hospital in Joplin with serious injuries and a 14-year-old male was transported to Girard Medical Center with minor injuries. Seatbelts were in use.

Six candidates were narrowed down to one during the Queen Neelah Coronation. Sarah Schwatken was crowned 2021 Queen Neelah during last night's Neewollah Pageant at Memorial Hall in Independence. Brynn Bertie was selected as first runner up and Diane Unruh as second runner up. A full list of the queen's court can be found here.

Rain may dampen some of the Neewollah activities tonight.  The carnival and food booths are scheduled to open tonight through Saturday in downtown. KUSN's Connor Harbit will be downtown for a live broadcast from 5:00pm to 7:00pm.

Parsons police are investigating car thieves that might be targeting certain vehicles in the area.

Officers received three calls between Sunday and Monday in regards to either attempted theft or theft of a vehicle. It is believed that the thieves have been targeting GM pickups and Blazers in the model years of 1994 to 2004. These specific models can have their ignitions compromised easily.

There is no suspect at this time, but the investigation remains ongoing. Parsons police chief Robert Spinks suggests everyone practice a "It's Time to Lockup 9PM Routine," consisting of locking all vehicles, storing away all valuables, and activating any exterior lights or security systems.

Any information on this incident or any other criminal activity should be reported to the Parsons Police Department at 421-7060 or the Tip Line at 421-7057.

Independence Fire/EMS responds to an early morning fire at an apartment complex. IFD responded to a fire alarm at 601 S. Penn at 1:25am this morning. Arriving units reported flames coming from a 3rd floor apartment. Tower 1 immediately began fire suppression and rescue with four reported missing occupants.

A rescue was performed from the burning apartment and the patient was transported to Labette Health in Independence. All other tenants were assisted from the building and accounted for. The fire was contained to one apartment with smoke throughout the building. Occupants have been temporarily placed at Penn Terrace community room while the facility staff evaluates the situation and safety for residents to return to their apartments. Independence Rural and Independence Police Department assisted on the call. The fire is under investigation by the IFD.

A Joplin Missouri couple were taken into custody after Cherokee County Sheriff's Deputies were dispatched to a reported burglary just outside of Galena Monday afternoon.

Upon arriving, deputies arrested 42-year-old Raymond Spink and 50-year-old Barbara Grunklee, who were allegedly attempting to steal car parts and scrap metal.

Both suspects are being held in the Cherokee County Jail on allegations of Burglary, Theft, and Criminal Damage to Property.

A Weir man has been arrested on several domestic abuse charges.

Late Monday night, Cherokee County Deputies were investigating a physical altercation in which a household member was allegedly keeping the victim, who sustained injuries during the incident, from escaping and seeking help.

After concluding the investigation, Deputies arrested 42-year-old Matthew Billington on allegations of Aggravated Domestic Battery and Kidnapping. He is currently being held on a $40,000 bond.

Three ADA-compliant parking areas will be available during the upcoming Neewollah festival.

Areas available include the south row of the municipal parking lot located on the southeast corner of Chestnut and 8th, the east half of the 100 block of E. Myrtle on both sides of the street, and the municipal parking lot located on the northeast corner of 6th and Myrtle.

Standard signage and temporary painted lines will help indicate where ADA parking spots are. Van accessible spaces with extra space will also be available.
 

Festival goers may not park in any row that is marked for ADA parking without displaying ADA credentials. This is required by law. All violaters will be cited and towed immediately. A map highlighting where the parking areas are is included with this story.

The Coffeyville City Commission will hold their regularly scheduled meeting tonight will several items on the docket. The item on the consent agenda that deals with a property at 2601 South Walnut.

One of the other items on the agenda will deal with the Coffeyville Airport including the purchase of a self-service refueling station.

The meeting will be held on the second floor of City Hall in the Commission room at 6:30 pm.

    Pittsburg State University is mourning the death of a student in a weekend car crash. Two other students were seriously injured.

According to the Kansas Highway Patrol, the crash happened in Coffey County, Kansas on October 24, 2021. A Dodge Ram was traveling northbound on US75 when it crossed the center line, hitting a Toyota 4Runner going south. The 52-year old driver of the Ram suffered a serious injury according to the crash report.

There were three people in the 4 Runner, all were students of PSU. The driver, 19-year-old Brandon W. Darbyshire, and passenger, 20-year-old Thomas G. Greig, both suffered serious injuries and were taken to a nearby hospital.

The other passenger of the 4Runner was Griffin Thomas Lamb. The PSU student from Lenexa, Kansas died at the scene.

PSU President Steve Scott issued the following statement Monday, “ Our thoughts and prayers are with the Lamb family, and with Griffin's friends and classmates.” He also said that Gorilla Nation is pulling for all involved in the crash.

Six young ladies were chosen from last night’s Talent Competition to continue tonight in the Queen Neelah Pageant at Neewollah.

Aubree Bainum and Keimara Jones were chosen for vocal, Brynn Bertie for dance and vocal solo, Sarah Schwatken for tap, Sydnee Clubine for skit and Elissa Lopez-Pom for hip hop.  The six will continue on tonight to be crowned Queen Neelah 2021.

Tonight’s Queen Neelah Coronation gets underway at 7:30 in Memorial Hall in Independence.  Face masks will be required.

Three people are facing charges and are in custody in the Montgomery County Jail after a raid in Independence.  The three face various drug and counterfeiting charges following a raid at a West Laurel residence in Independence around 10:00 Friday night.

The raid involved the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department, the Independence Police Department and agents with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.  Booked into the jail were Brandy Mularkey on charges of possession of meth and drug paraphernalia, Ernest Hufferd on a Montgomery County warrant for failure to return after a medical furlough and Adeline Mattes on charges of counterfeiting and forgery..

A man from Copan Oklahoma is in custody with multiple charges.

On October 14^th, Caney PD was dispatched to Garden Walk Apartments located at 108 E. 4th Ave. Caney Ks. in reference to an intoxicated individual knocking on doors of apartments. The person was identified as, 61-year-old, Bradley Finney, At the time of his arrest Finney was released as there were no other reports that night. It was later reported to Caney PD, by two female residents of the apartments that Finney had sexually battered them on the night of October 14^th.

Finney was interviewed and arrested with suggested charges of mistreatment of a dependent adult, kidnapping, aggravated sexual battery 2 counts, and aggravated burglary 2 counts.

Full-depth concrete patching has begun in Montgomery County.

The Kansas Department of Transportation has started a patching project on a section of U.S. 400 in Montgomery County. Crews are replacing concrete at locations between U.S. 75 and the Montgomery-Labette County line. Work zone traffic is reduced to one lane, expect delays of 10 minutes or less.

The road work should be finished by the end of November.

  A youth baseball clinic will be held in Pittsburg.

The Pittsburg Parks and Recreation Department has partnered with PSU Club Baseball to host a Youth Baseball Clinic on Saturday, November 20 at the PSU Robert W. Plaster Center, 1701 S. Homer St. The clinic is open to youth ages 9 – 13 for session one, from 9:00 am – 11:00 am and youth ages 14 – 16 for session two from 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm. Pre-registration is required the deadline to sign up is November 12. To register, call (620) 231-8310

The Independence City Commission will consider approving bids for two construction projects at Kiddy Land in Independence.

Kiddy Land is the play area at Riverside Park and Zoo. According to the request for commission action, the area has an aging sidewalk infrastructure that needs to be addressed. The recommended bid comes from Jeff Graham Construction out of Coffeyville and is worth $233,335. One other bid was submitted, with the cost estimated at over $390,000. The former bid, if chosen, includes ADA access to several specific attractions.

Another bid was sought for the construction of a restroom, as the closest one to Kiddy Land is located over 620 feet away. The recommended bid comes from Decker Construction and will cost the city $118,900. Two other bids were submitted, both just over $134,000.

The city commission will meet this Wednesday at 5:30 PM at Memorial Hall.

Thousands of people turned out to Riverside Park in Independence Saturday for the first full day of Neewollah activities.  Rain and thundershowers threatened to put a damper on the activities but by 10am precipitation moved out of the area paving the way for big crowds to turn out.  Enthusiastic crowds turned out to sample chili in the annual Chili Cook-off,  participate  in the 5k, 10k and fun run and later in the day the kick-off to the medallion Hunt and a theatrical production of “The Wizard of Oz at Memorial Hall.

For the next couple of nights Queen Neelah activities take center stage at Memorial Hall with carnival and food vendors moving in downtown on Wednesday.    

    In Cherokee next week the BNSF railway will close and repair its crossing east of the U.S. 400/K-7 junction. The road work will begin at 6 a.m. Monday, Oct. 25, and continue through Thursday, Oct. 28. U.S. 400 will be closed to traffic at the work zone. Traffic will detour on K-7, K-103, and U.S. 69.

For more information on this closure go to www.kandrive.org.

The Pittsburg Farmers Market will be hosting an event during the last market day of the season.

The Halloween Harvest Event will take place on Saturday, October 30. The vendors will set up at 8:00 am and the activities will begin at 9:00 am. Kids are highly encouraged to show up in their Halloween costumes and trick or treat at the vendor booths, there will also be a kids costume contest held at the event. Vendors are invited to dress in costume and deck out their booths with festive decorations. Prizes will be awarded to market vendors for best costumes, decorations, and setup.

To register as a vendor, contact the Pittsburg Parks & Recreation Department at (620) 231-8310.

Around this time each year deer activity increases as more and more deer are on the move due to what is known as the rut. While this time is great for deer hunters it can be a bad time for drivers as there is generally an increase in deer-related crashes during this time of the year.

In an effort to help reduce the likelihood of a crash, Cherokee County Sheriff David Groves has some tips to help drivers. Be extra alert near water sources and wooded areas, use bright lights when possible, reduce speed, especially in areas known to be common habitats for deer, scan the ditches and remember if you see one deer, there are likely others close, pay particular attention during dusk and dawn, which are times when deer are more on the move, buckle up and reduce distractions while driving.

Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt has announced the awarding of a grant to the Coffeyville Police Department.

The grant is part of the Federal Edward J. Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program. CPD will receive $2,672, and will be using those funds to upgrade crime scene lighting systems. That will better allow the department to respond in situations that require negotiations and investigations.

Schmidt said the the grant will help the department carry out its mission throuh the application of "21st century technology." The grant is awarded by the Kansas Criminal Justice Coordinating Council. Schmidt serves as the chair of that council.

The Coffeyville Friends of Animals are running a special this month on cats and are looking for volunteers.

CFA's Brad Gray says tells us about this month's special.

Gray also said they are looking for volunteers to help out where they can.

The CFA is open Tuesday - Sunday from 2 pm - 4 pm and you can contact them at 620-252-6060.

The USD 445 superintendent has been named the Superintendent of the Year. Dr. Craig Correll says it was an honor to be nominated by his peers.

Dr. Correll says this is not only an honor for him but the entire school district.  Dr. Correll says one of the things that comes with the award is a $2000 scholarship he can give to a Field Kindley senior.

With the ½ cent sales tax extension vote coming up next month in Coffeyville, some citizens want to know what the sales tax has been used for in the past. City Manager Mark Hall says it was used with a mill levy to help build Community Elementary School.

The sales tax if extended will be for a ten-year period and tax will be used for improvements downtown and to the city's parks. The vote will be on the ballot of the November 2^nd elections.

Bartlesville residents will have the opportunity to discard items they wish to recycle this weekend.

Replenysh, a recycling company based out of Orange County, California, is visiting Bartlesville for a launch event this Saturday at Lee Lake. Company spokesperson Ryon Hart said it's a great opportunity for residents to get rid of items they no longer need.

Hart said Replenysh is different from other recycling centers.

Saturday's event begins at 10 AM. For a full list of items that will be accepted, visit Replenysh's website here.

As soon as Neewollah wraps up in Independence, it will be time for Truck or Treat in the downtown area the next night.

With hundreds of kids expected in the downtown area, Independence Chamber of Commerce Director Lisa Wilson says they need plenty of trunks.

To register for a parking spot in downtown, contact the Chamber at 620-331-1890.

Pittsburg State University reports no new COVID-19 cases for the third straight week. Fifteen symptomatic students were tested for COVID-19 at the Bryant Student Health Center between October 13^th and 19^th, with zero positives. Currently, no students are in isolation and in the same period, no faculty or staff members reported an infection. 

Isolation numbers can differ between reporting agencies due to students being tested elsewhere and then later reporting as PSU students via the Crawford County Health Department. Quarantine numbers are managed solely by the Crawford County Health Department. Numbers change daily. 

A Coffeyville woman was the victim of a fatal car accident in Independence. IPD identified 73-year-old Martha Hargis as the victim. At around 1:18pm in the afternoon on Friday, October 8, officers were dispatched to Park and Main for an injury accident involving an SUV and a hatchback car.

The passenger in the hatchback, Hargis, died the following day due to complications from injuries sustained in the crash. The investigation revealed that the SUV was traveling south on Park Boulevard, stopped for the stop sign, then failed to yield to the hatchback as it traveled east on Main. This is the first fatality accident in Independence for 2021.

The first annual Coach Flores Tailgate Party will be this Saturday as the Coffeyville Community College Red Ravens host Garden City. Director of College Relations Yvonne Hull says activities will start around 2:00pm.

Hull says they are also honoring the National Championship basketball team this Saturday as they receive their national championship rings during halftime of the football game.

Parsons Police Officers were dispatched to a rollover crash in a residential area of town on Monday.

Two vehicles were involved in the collision, which occurred in the 200 block of North 29th. Both vehicles had significant damage done to them. One party was taken to Labette Health via ambulance to treat injuries sustained in the crash.

The serious nature of the accident has sparked an ongoing investigation into what caused the crash, with speed possibly being a primary factor. Speed surveys are currently being conducted in areas of town that see a significant number of accidents or speeding complaints.

Photo credit: KSN-TV/Joplin

The increase in the use of soybean oil and the potential for an increase in renewable diesel bring a positive economic impact from bringing a soybean crushing facility to the area.  Agricultural Economist Dr. Dan O'Brien says it will increase competition but there is more to the story than just filling a gap with this plant.

Dr. O'Brien says this is going to create competition for how soybeans are used, whether they are exported or crushed.  It was announced last week that Bartlett, a Savage Company, would be bringing a soybean crushing facility to Montgomery County. This facility is a $325 million project that will bring 50 jobs to the area.

A Tennessee man has been charged with murder after a woman was shot to death in Pittsburg.

Just before 6:30 pm Saturday, a caller reported finding her apartment door open and found 18-year old Jase Delitch, of Pittsburg lying on the floor. Police and EMS responded and pronounced Delich dead at the scene.

After reviewing surveillance footage in the area and speaking with witnesses, they identified 23-year old Bri’yon Baker, of Mount Boswell, Tennessee as the suspect. Baker was located early Sunday after he was spotted by police in northeast Pittsburg. After questioning Baker, he was arrested for second-degree murder and is being held at the Crawford County Jail on a $1 million bond.

A dropped bag of meth has lead to an arrest.

A Parsons police officer was at the Sonic Drive-In on Tuesday when he was notified of a potential drug case. An employee showed the officer a baggie with a substance that resembled methamphetamines. After a field-testing kit was used, it was deteremined that it was, in fact, meth.

After reviewing video surveillance and working with Sonic management, officers arrested 38-year-old Nathanial Phillip Willey of Parsons on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance and interference with law enforcement. He was taken to the Parsons Police Department and charges are being sent to the Labette County Attorney's Office.

A Parsons man has been arrested on various drug and gun charges. Parsons Police Corporal Kyle Shields and K9 Karim conducted a traffic stop on a white Nissan Armada that had defective equipment. The driver, 30-year-old Danny Joe Cash Jr was found to have a pending Municipal Complaint. While waiting for the court paperwork, Corporal Shields deployed his K9 partner Karim to conduct a sniff of the vehicle. Karim gave a positive indication, and a search of the vehicle was conducted.

Illegal narcotics packaged for individual sale, digital scale, syringes, along with a semi-automatic Taurus handgun were all found in the vehicle. The handgun was later found to be stolen out of Labette County.

Cash was arrested with requested charges for Sale and Distribution of Certain Stimulants, Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Possession of Stolen Property, Criminal Possession of a Firearm by a Felon, Defective Tail Lamps, and No Liability Insurance.

The 4^th Annual Night of Fright Spook Trial will begin this weekend at Cedar Bluff Camp. The Spook Trail will begin at 7:30 pm and will run until 11:00 pm.

Chuck McFate from the Cedar Bluff Camp explains how the Spook Trail works.

McFate also said there will be concessions on hand serving coffee, hot chocolate, water, soda, and chips.

The Night of Fright Spook Trail will be open on October 22^nd, 23^rd, 29^th, and 30^th, and the cost to enter is $8.00 per person.

The Seward County Sheriff's office has opened up an investigation into the case involving the former Coffeyville tourism director. According to the Liberal Police Department, the information was reported to the sheriff's office on Sunday night, with the police department passing the investigation over to them. Seward County Undersheriff Ryan Roar says his office is looking into this incident.

30-year-old Zach French was caught on video by MotorCity Justice allegedly trying to pick up a 15-year-old girl in Liberal last weekend. French was in the area attending a tourism conference. KGGF will provide more information as it becomes available.

The Coffeyville Recreation Commission will offer a basketball clinic through next month.

The clinic is for players in 3rd through 6th grade, and features Ronnie Davis and Magic basketball. Coach Davis and his team of coaches will coach the players in basketball fundamentals such as ball handling, shooting, and defense.

Sessions will be held once a week for three weeks from 5 PM to 7 PM. The dates are November 7th, 14th, and 21st.

Spots are limited to 40 participants. A consent form must be turned in to secure your child's spot. Consent forms can be found at the Bobby Clemons Recreation Center.

Field Kindley High School is hosting a College and Career Fair today.

KGGF and 25 other area employers, colleges and industry representatives are set up at the high school. The career fair will continue through the noon hour.

The City of Dewey continues to trend in the right direction when it comes to sales tax collections. City Manager Kevin Trease says they have received $94,518 in sales tax for the month.

Trease says they have had great months in sales tax collections lately. He hopes it continues.

The KBI is currently investigating the death of an inmate at the Crawford County Jail.

Corrections officers at the jail were alerted to an injured inmate. They located Dante M. Martinez, 20, of Pittsburg. Martinez was suffering from multiple injuries and was transported to Girard Medical Center. It was discovered via video surveillance that 25-year-old Gavin P. Wood, of Arma, had attacked Martinez causing his injuries. Martinez was later pronounced deceased from his injuries and Wood was arrested on a second-degree murder charge.

A crash in Crawford County has left one man dead.

Vehicle One was southbound on Highway 69, and Vehicle Two was northbound on Highway 69. Vehicle One drifted into the center lane, both vehicles attempted evasive maneuvers then collided in the center of the roadway. The driver of Vehicle One, 61-year-old Jeffery Leroy did not survive the crash. Both people in Vehicle Two survived with little to no injury.

Jeffery Leroy was the only person not wearing a seatbelt.

The former Tourism Director for Coffeyville has found himself under fire after an internet story broke alleging that he attempted to lure a 15-year-old girl to his hotel room while at a state tourism convention in Liberal this weekend. 

The video, which appeared on the Facebook page of MotorCity Justice depicts 30-year-old Zach French allegedly trying to meet an underage girl over the weekend.  According to sources, the Liberal Police Department is investigating the incident. 

A Caney man has been arrested for auto theft. Late last week, the Caney Police Department received a call in reference to a stolen vehicle in the 100 block of East Orange St. The victim reported a person, who they knew, had stolen their 2010 Suzuki SX4 from their residence.

Later that day officers made contact with the suspect 48-year-old Shadwick Travis Hoffine and arrested him for auto theft. Hoffine was transported to the Montgomery County Jail. The vehicle was returned to the owner. 

Fab Lab ICC’s Fab Food Lab has booked local entrepreneur Kaci Gilchrist for its next community cooking class. The class will be November 10^th and can be viewed live by Zoom. It will also be recorded for later viewing. This cook-along class will be held at 5:30pm in the culinary kitchen at ICC West.

This class is designed to offer basic instruction in preparing three different family meals which can be stored in the freezer and cooked later as needed. The meals being prepared include broccoli chicken Alfredo bake, pulled pork sandwiches and tortilla soup. The class will offer participants the opportunity to download the recipes, grocery list, freezer labels and basic preparation instructions once they are registered. Registration is available at the Fab Lab’s website.

A Baxter Springs firefighter is injured while fighting a fire late last week. Friday night Baxter Springs firefighters responded to a structure fire. Lieutenant Malachi Brown sustained injuries during the fire operations. The cause of the fire is under investigation by the State Fire Marshall's office.

Lt. Brown’s wife shared an update yesterday via Facebook. She says he has severe 3rd-degree burns over 27% of his body, is sedated and on a ventilator. Lt Brown is a veteran and a very active member of the department. If you would like to donate to the family you can visit the Baxter Springs Fire Auxiliary Facebook page for more information. They are creating an official support group for donations and fundraising.

The Kansas Department of Transportation plans to place an asphalt overlay on the deck of the Neosho River Bridge on U.S. 59 south of Erie on Oct. 19^th. The resurfacing work was scheduled for the week of Oct. 11^th but has been delayed by rains.

Traffic will be reduced to one lane controlled by automatic flaggers at the bridge. Expect brief delays between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

National Drug Take-back day is on October 23.

If you have unwanted or unused medication, please come to the Parsons Police Department at 217 N Central and drop off your unused medication. When medication is improperly disposed of, it can have lasting effects in our local environment, so it is crucial you properly dispose of your medication.

There have been reports of counterfeit currency being circulated around Neodesha. The money looks and feels real, with the exception of having a red script on the front of it. The script is generally in Asian characters and sits to the left of the face on the front of the bills. This is called training money and it is used in foreign countries to train bank tellers on how to use and handle American currency.

By all accounts, this is a very good replica of real money. Attempting to use these bills is a felony. The Neodesha Police Department is advising anyone who comes in contact with this money or knows someone trying to pass this money as real to contact law enforcement immediately.

The Coffeyville Chamber of Commerce Spooktacular is back this year. Chamber Director Candi Westbrook says they are looking for candy donations.

Westbrook says there will be around 25 to 30 tables set up in downtown handing out Halloween candy. Spooktacular is next Thursday, October 21^st starting at 4:30pm.

Area county commission meetings are cancelled next week as commissioners travel to Overland Park for the Kansas Association of Counties Conference. Both the Montgomery County Commission and Labette County Commission have cancelled their meeting for Monday.

Both counties will meet for their next regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, October 25^th at 9:00am. The Montgomery County Commission meets in the commission office in the basement of the county judicial center in Independence. The Labette County Commission meets in the commission room on the first floor of the county courthouse in Oswego.

The grim statistics show that one in eight women will get breast cancer and 40,000 women die each year from the disease. It is also estimated that just over 330,000 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed.

Wilson Medical Center's Brandy Maffei says that there are ways to try and curb these numbers.

Maffei also laid out factors that increase a woman's chance of developing breast cancer.

Although rare, men can also get breast cancer. In 2021, an estimated 2,650 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer and in the U.S. and approximately 530 will die.

If you need to schedule an appointment for a mammogram, you can contact the Wilson Medical Center at 620-325-8360.

Halloween and Neewollah are just around the corner and the Independence Police Department wants everyone to have a fun and safe Halloween. Independence Police Chief Jerry Harrison provides tips on how to stay safe during this fun time of year.

Chief Harrison also talked about some of the rules when it comes to the Neewollah Grand Parade.

You can listen to the entire interview with Chief Harrison here.

John Deere workers in Coffeyville are joining other workers across the country on strike.

More than 10,000 United Auto Workers have gone on strike against John Deere after rejecting the company's latest contract offer. UAW reached a new six-year deal with the company just two weeks ago, only to see 90% of rank-and-file members reject the vote.

This is the nation's largest private-sector strike since 2019, when the UAW committed to a strike against General Motors. Union and management negotiation members talked into the night on Wednesday, but were unable to meet on an agreement.  KGGF reached out to local John Deere representatives but they had no comment at this time.

A Nowata County man was arrested on October 2^nd for domestic assault and battery by strangulation. 38-year-old Andrew Vanzant is accused of strangling his girlfriend where they were living in Northeast Nowata County.

Vanzant was hiding in a camper that was locked from the outside when South Coffeyville Officers and Nowata County Deputies arrived on the scene. Further investigation into the incident revealed that Vanzant has been accused of banging his girlfriend's head on the kitchen floor and threatening to throw her body into a river. Vanzant is currently jailed and has a $10,000 bond.  

Work has begun to replace a culvert in Coffeyville.

B&B Bridge began the work to replace the culvert on Overlook Drive. The road will be closed except for local traffic between Woodland to 2400 Road.

Emergency services, First Student Bussing, and trash services have all been notified by the city so that they may propery prepare for the closures. A map depicting road closings and signage has been included with this story.

The Independence Fire and EMS responded to a structure fire with possible entrapment at 317 S. 2nd early this morning. Tower 1 arrived on the scene at around 12:07am and found the front of the home on fire.

The living room was fully involved with extension to the attic. All occupants were out of the house. Independence and Dearing Rural fire assisted on the call.

Coffeyville Regional Medical Center is offering mammograms over the next few Mondays.

Between 4 PM and 7 PM, those interested may sign up for a mammogram to test for breast cancer. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Spots are limited for this event. The link to signup may be found here.

For the second straight week, Pittsburg State University Reports no new COVID-19 cases. Twelve symptomatic students were tested for COVID-19 at the Bryant Student Health Center between October 6th and October 12^th. Of those, none were positive, also no students are in isolation. In the same time period, no faculty or staff members reported an infection.

Bryant Student Health Center Director of Operations Rita Girth noted that the only tested and positive numbers the university can reliably report are those from the health center. Isolation numbers can differ between reporting agencies due to students being tested elsewhere and then later reporting as Pitt State students via the Crawford County Health Department.  

A Parsons man was arrested for burglary following a routine traffic stop. Parsons Police Sergeant Brice Dickens was checking local storage units when he located a vehicle leaving the Townsman Mini Storage Units at 1830 S Hwy 59.

The vehicle was stopped for expired tags and it was later found the driver, 36-year-old Christopher Hilton, was driving without a valid driver's license. During the traffic stop, Corporal Keenan Roberts located a storage unit that had been broken into. A probable cause search of the vehicle was conducted, and various items were located that were collected.

The Parsons Police Department has requested charges on Christopher Hilton for non-residential burglary, theft, criminal damage to property, expired tag, no valid Driver's License, and no insurance.

One man is dead following a fatality crash in Parsons.

Parsons PD responded to reports of a vehicle that had collided with a tree then caught fire. A local neighbor was able to put out the fire and it was reported by the driver, Harold Whetzel, that the accelerator had stuck thus causing the crash.

Harold and Bette Whetzel were both transported to Labette Health by EMS. Harold was later transported to Tulsa, where he passed due to his injuries. Bette is in critical condition at Freeman Hospital.

The Coffeyville Police Department will host another Drug Take Back Day later this month.

On Saturday, October 23rd, from 9 AM to 11 AM, you may stop by and give up unused or unwanted drugs or medication. Items accepted include unused/expired prescriptions, over-the-counter medications, patches, ointments and pet medications. Items not accepted include needles, inhalers, aerosol cans, lotions and liquids.

Drugs may be deposited at the police station at 1206 W. 11th Street in Coffeyville.

Friday, October 15^th will be the last Midland Movie Night of the season. Come dressed up as your favorite superhero as it will be superhero-themed. The movie playing will be Superman. The movie will begin around 7 PM. There will be free popcorn as well.

The Salvation Army is hosting a luncheon on October 26^th. You can go to 300 W 9^th St. in Coffeyville from 11 AM- 1 PM. On the menu will be four different types of soup, a cookie, cornbread, and some crackers.

The meal cost $5 and is open to the public. You can buy tickets for the luncheon from members of the Salvation Army or on the day of the luncheon. If you are going to the luncheon they ask that you enter off of 8^th street.  

A Peru man appears in Washington County Court on one felony charge of lewd acts to a minor child under the age of 16. Billy Peel was arrested on a warrant that stemmed from a series of incidents that started in 2020.

According to an affidavit, the defendant was on site when Jason Frey sexually abused a 15-year-old girl. Frey currently has five felony charges filed against him in Osage County. Peel allegedly witnessed the alleged incident which occurred near Copan Lake. Peel also admitted to investigators that he received explicit videos of the victim from Frey. Peel failed to report the incident to protect the victim. His bond was set at $150,000.

The Independence Police Department and USD 446 are working together to protect students and staff from becoming victims of TikTok challenges. IPD is aware of a recent social media trend that challenges students to damage school property, steal from the school, and make unwanted physical contact with people on school campuses.

IPD warns students that any TikTok challenges that violate the law will result in arrest and criminal charges. Police Chief Jerry Harrison says the schools are known as safe places to teach and learn and IPD intends to keep it that way. 

Genesis of Coffeyville will be distributing USDA Commodities on October 26-29, from 9 am – 11:30 am at 1312 West 8th Street.

Those coming to receive commodities are asked to bring a piece of mail you have received in the last 30 days to verify your address. To see if you are eligible, please call 620-251-3004 for income guidelines.

This distribution is for Coffeyville, Liberty, and Dearing residents only.

With election day just three weeks away, the Independence Chamber of Commerce is hosting a candidate forum to help citizens make an informed decision.

The forum will be at the ICC West campus on October 21^st. Chamber Director Lisa Wilson says that this forum will be broken up into two sessions.

The forum is free and open to the public. If you would like to submit a question to the candidates, you can do so here.

A local Cherokee County man is facing felony charges following a weekend incident in the southeastern part of the county.

Cherokee County Sheriff Deputies were dispatched Sunday afternoon when it was reported that a Case Compact Tractor was stolen from a property. A suspect was identified in the theft and Kansas State Trooper spotted him and the tractor Monday morning. The suspect was identified as 23-year-old Hunter Hayes Bebee of Galena.

Bebee was taken into custody and is facing felony charges of theft and driving without a valid license.

Bartlett, a Savage Company, will be building a new soybean crushing plant in Montgomery County. The facility that will be built will be capable of handling 38½ million bushels of soybeans per year. They expect to process about 100,000-110,000 bushels per day. To build the facility will cost around $325 million and will bring 50 new jobs to the county when finished building. Bill Webster from Bartlett talked about when construction will begin.

Construction on the soybean plant is projected to be done in 2024. The $325 million facility will help benefit supply chains for renewal fuels, food products, and animal feeds. Bartlett obtained approval from the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners to receive county-issued industrial revenue bonds to support the development of the soybean crushing facility.

Citizens of Coffeyville looking to get rid of their hazardous waste may do so in just a couple of days.

The city will be collecting hazardous waste from 8 AM to 2 PM this Thursday in the downtown parking lot south of Commerical Bank. Items accepted include antifreeze, pesticides, used oil, transmission fluid, household cleaners, paint and batteries.

Explosives, compressed gas canisters, tires, trash and asbestos will not be accepted.

The Parsons Chamber of Commerce will host its candidate forum later this month.

On October 26th, candidates for the Parsons City Commission, the USD 503 school board, and the Labette Community College Board of Trustees are invited to attend a forum with public-submitted questions.

The forum will begin at 6 PM in the commission room at the Parsons Municipal Building. If you'd like to submit a question, either email the Parsons Chamber or drop by their headquarters at 506 Main Street in Parsons.

Labette County Health Department released their COVID-19 update Today. As of Today, Labette County has had a total of 3,405 COVID-19 cases with 16 currently active in the county.

A total of 3,330 people have recovered from COVID-19 with 59 total deaths. Labette County Health Department strongly encourages you to stay home if you are sick or have symptoms of COVID-19.

The City of Pittsburg along with community volunteers will conduct a bulky item pick-up on Saturday, October 23, from 9:00 am – 1:00 pm. Residents inside the Pittsburg city limits can register to participate.

City staff and community volunteers will disperse across eight zones in the city and collect bulky items between the hours of 9:00 am – 1:00 pm. Residents must sign up by Wednesday, October 20 in order to participate.

You can sign up using the city’s SeeClickFix or call Customer Service at (620) 231-4100 between the hours of 8:00 am until 5:00 pm.

Items to be picked up should be placed on the curb no sooner than 8:00 am Thursday, October 21, and no later than 8:00 am Saturday, October 23. Items must be in front of the listed address against the street curb or at the edge of your driveway on flat, level ground.

 Items accepted:

• Mattresses or Box Springs
• Recliners, Lounge Chairs, and Couches
• Wooden Furniture (Dressers, Shelving, Etc.)
• Large Plastic Children’s Furniture/Playsets
• Wooden Pianos
• Refrigerators
• Chest Freezers
• Washers/Dryers
• Hot Water Tanks
• Microwaves
• Tires

 Items NOT accepted:

• Limbs or brush
• General household waste or trash
• Carpets or flooring
• Lumber, gypsum product, or construction debris of any kind
• Electronic waste such as TVs, computers, etc.
• Hazardous waste

Items not accepted that are left out will not be picked up and will be considered a code violation if left on the curb after three days. Bulky items not registered in the system by the October 20 deadline will not be picked up.

Jacqueline Love is wanted by the Caney Police Department in reference to a domestic disturbance in the 300 block of Bradley. Love is wanted for aggravated burglary and aggravated battery.

All suspects are innocent until proven guilty. If you have any information on Love's location you are asked to contact Caney Police at 620-879-2141.

Caney Police Officers and Chautauqua County Sheriff officers locate and arrest the suspect in the motorcycle theft in Caney. Last Wednesday, a motorcycle was reported stolen in Caney by neighbors who saw the suspect ride off with it. During the course of this investigation, Caney PD identified a possible suspect in this case from Peru.

Caney PD then worked with the Chautauqua County Sheriff's Department and developed enough information for Chautauqua County to obtain a search warrant at an address in Peru. On Friday, sheriff's officers executed a search warrant on a storage shed where they located the stolen 1989 Harley Davidson. The suspect was identified as Joshua McKinney. Officers were able to locate and place McKinney into custody.

A Caney man is arrested on an outstanding warrant. Early yesterday morning, Caney Police Officers and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department made contact with 29-year-old Aaron “A.J.” Walker at the Garden Walk Apartments.

Walker was arrested without incident on an aggravated failure to appear warrant that was issued through Montgomery County District Court. Walker was transported to the Montgomery County Department of Corrections. 

A Caney Man is arrested for domestic battery. Yesterday, Caney Police Officers were dispatched to the 100 block of South Wood St. in reference to a domestic disturbance.

Upon arrival and investigation officers arrested 38-year-old Dennis Meer for domestic battery after a physical altercation took place.

Meer was transported to the Montgomery County Jail where he is being held on a domestic battery charge.

A Caney man is arrested for a domestic disturbance. Late Friday night at around 11:30pm, the Caney Police Department received a call about a domestic disturbance in the 800 block of North Wood Street. The victim reported the suspect had broken several windows out on his home and fled on foot.

The victim pursued the suspect and directed arriving officers to another residence where the suspect was believed to be located. Officers made contact with the suspect, Jason Kelly, who was intoxicated. Officers arrested Kelly for criminal damage to property and transported him to the Montgomery County Jail. 

A warm and windy October afternoon brought crowds out for the Coffeyville Chamber of Commerce's annual Hops Around Town Brewfest Saturday.  Chamber Director Candi Westbrook said a sell out crowd of nearly 400 turned out along 9th Street in the downtown area to enjoy the weather, games, music and a sampling of regional brews and wines.

The event which ran from 2:00 - 6:00 Saturday afternoon featured samples of the wares from 9 regional breweries, 3 wineries and 3 distilleries.  In addition to the brews and wines participants also enjoyed a cornhole tournament and music.  The event was cancelled last year due to the pandemic but bounced back in a big way this year.  Brewfest is a major annual fund raiser for thr Chamber of Commerce.

A two-vehicle crash occurred in Crawford County yesterday. A 1989 Dodge driven by Wyatt Hall of Weir was northbound on Buckeye when he struck the rear axle of a school bus. The school bus was westbound on Ceder. Ceder and Buckeye is an uncontrolled intersection.

Hall was taken to Via Christian Hospital with suspected minor injuries. The school bus had 11 passengers on it and only two reported injuries. One was taken to Girard Medical Center and the other to Via Christian Hospital with suspected minor injuries.  

The Independence Police Department offers reserved parking for the Neewollah Grand Parade to those who qualify. Permits can be picked up at City Hall and you must present an ADA Placard or other proof of qualification. Permit holders are required to enter the parade route from the west side of the intersection at 9^th and Maple beginning at 7:30am on parade day.

Parking escorts will assign permit holders to a reserved spot, first come, first serve. Reserved parking is limited, and the permit and reservation do not guarantee a spot, so IPD encourages permit holders to arrive early. The IPD Limited Mobility Parking Permit must be displayed when entering the reserved parking area. This permit is issued by IPD and is not honored as a parking permit at any other location or event.

The Nowata County Sheriff's Office has received a donation to go toward new equipment for its patrol cars.

The Arvest Foundation has given the department $5000, which will be used to purchase computers for police cars. Those upgrades will allow for faster service for the entire community.

Pictured is Sheriff Jason McClain receiving the donation from representatives of the Arvest Foundation.

Photo Credit: Nowata County Sheriff's Office/Facebook

Four USD 445 School Board candidates answered questions during a forum held at Windsor Events Center last night. There are three openings on the board up for election. Two of the three current board members, whose spots are coming open, were not at the forum. The current board president Darrel Harbaugh and former board vice president Bob Roesky were not in attendance while Dr. Jerry Hamm was present.  Alongside Dr. Hamm, the other three candidates include Jessica Herring, Kevin O'Connor and Greg Wilkinson.

After the school board forum, three candidates for the Coffeyville Community College Board of Trustees answered questions during their part of the forum. There were three candidates in attendance with three spots on the board coming open. Current board Chairman Becky Barnhardt and Vice Chairman David Baldwin were both in attendance alongside new candidate Ron Bryce. Both elections will be held on Tuesday, November 2^nd. Both forums can be seen below.

A motorcycle was stolen from a Caney property late Wednesday night. The theft occurred in 700 block of North State St. Neighbors reported suspicious activity and observed a male taking a 1989 Harley Davidson from the property.

The suspect pushed the motorcycle down the street before starting it and driving away. Witnesses reported that a white Sedan was in the area at the time of the theft. Anyone with any information concerning the theft is asked to contact the Caney Police Department at 620-879-2141.

Labette County Commissioner Brian Kinzie is challenging the recall petition that is calling for his removal from office. The request was filed Monday against County Clerk Gena Landis. Landis is named because of her duties that include receiving a recall petition and declaring the petition signatures sufficient to proceed to a recall election.

Kinzie's petition wants a judge to review the recall petition to determine if the process followed and completed by Landis was legally sufficient under the law. Kenzie claims that Landis did not follow the proper procedure for the recall petition.

A recall committee filed the petition in June seeking the ability to collect signatures for Kinzie’s recall. The recall committee turned in the petition in late August and Landis and her staff completed the review of signatures in September. The special election has been set for December 7^th.

Montgomery County Emergency Management and Montgomery County Sheriffs Office are hosting a seminar tomorrow. Sgt. Dave Walker who was featured on the A&E television show The First 48 will speak at the seminar. Walker is retired and has 36 years of experience leading the Tulsa Police Department's Homicide Team.

As a leader of the Homicide Unit, they were nationally recognized for solving 95% of their cases. The Seminar will be from 8 AM- 4 PM at Memorial Hall in Independence and it is open to the public.  

Caney is hosting a trunk or treat on October 31^st at Downtown 4^th Ave. From 4:30- 6:30 PM, you can come and get candy from trunks of cars. Spaces can be reserved by going to the police department and signing up.

Donated candy can be dropped off at the Police Department anytime before October 31^st. Trunks must be in place an hour before trunk or treat starts and spacing is limited.  

There were no new COVID -19 cases reported for the end of September and the start of October for Pittsburg State University.

There were 27 symptomatic students that tested for COVID-19 at the Bryant Student Health Center between September 29^th and October 5^th, with no positives. Currently, no students are in isolation. There have been no faculty or staff members who have reported an infection as well. This comes after only one positive from the week prior.

A vehicle chase goes through two counties and involves four law enforcement agencies.

Early Tuesday morning, the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office was alerted to a vehicle pursuit by the Neodesha Police Department that was entering the county. The pursuit continued east on US 400 to US 169 then west on County Road 6000, where the Cherryvale Police Department joined. Sheriff's deputies joined the pursuit on US 75 in Sycamore. The vehicle continued south and as the vehicle entered into city limits the Independence Police Department joined.

At around 1:06am the vehicle came to a stop and officers were able to take the driver into custody. The driver was identified as 40-year-old Valarie Bigley of Independence. She was transported to the Montgomery County Department of Corrections where she was booked for felony fleeing and eluding, no liability insurance, trafficking contraband into a correctional facility and possession of methamphetamine.

The Ralph Mitchell Zoo in Independence is bringing back a family favorite for the Halloween season. Zoolloween is back this Saturday from 5 pm to 7 pm after being canceled last year due to the pandemic.

Independence Chamber of Commerce Director Lisa Wilson says this event is a lot of fun.

For more information on this event contact the Ralph Mitchell Zoo at 620-332-2512.

The Neosho River bridge on U.S. 59 South of Erie will begin resurfacing this week. The work will take place Wednesday and Thursday, Oct. 6-7, and Monday through Thursday, Oct. 11-14.

Traffic will be reduced to one lane controlled by automatic flaggers at the bridge. Expect brief delays between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

A partnership between Coffeyville Regional Medical Center and Coffeyville Community College has been mutually beneficial to both parties.

The hospital cooperates with the college in several ways. One such way is in the classroom, where CRMC staff teach students in the paramedic program and assist with the EMT program. CCC's Yvonne Hull said the support the college receives from CRMC is beneficial as they take in students from a wide area.

In addition, CRMC recently donated an ambulance to the college. It will be used to provide on-hand and real-life experience for students.

The superintendent of Coffeyville schools has been named as a finalist for a prestigious award.

Dr. Craig Correll is one of three finalists for the Kansas School Superintendent Association's "Superintendent of the Year" award. Previously, he had been one of 12 superintendents nominated for the award back in June.

Eight of those 12 nominees completed an application process including completing questions regarding community engagement and student success. Nominees also completed a personal video.

Over the next two weeks, the three finalists will be interviewed by a committee comprised of former superintendents of the year. The other two finalists are Dr. Wayne Burke of USD 230 Spring Hill and David Grover of USD268 Cheney. The winner will be announced during the week of October 18th.

The Coffeyville City Commission Candidate Forums were last night at the Windsor Place Event Center. The three candidates were each asked a series of questions, including the single most important issue they would want to see improvement on.

Mayor Ann Marie Vannoster says she wants to continue to improve fiscal responsibility.  Candidate Jason Swindell says he wants to see more community awareness and involvement.  Candidate Deborah Maples says the most important thing to improve would be communication.

The full forum can be seen below. The Coffeyville Community College and USD 445 board forum will be tomorrow at 6:00pm at the Windsor Place Event Center and can be heard on 690AM and seen on the KGGF Facebook page.

Cherokee County Deputies were dispatched to a rural Galena home Monday evening, when the owner discovered someone had entered the residence and stole property, including furniture and tools.

During the course of their investigation, deputies identified suspects and searched a nearby home where they found and recovered the stolen property and found one of the suspects allegedly hiding in a bedroom.

Deputies arrested 37-year-old Samantha Brant and 56-year-old David Lee Ashley. Both suspects were transported to the Cherokee County Jail on allegations of Residential Burglary, Theft, and Criminal Damage to Property.

Fab Lab ICC’s Fab Food Lab has booked Boy Scout Leader Roy Shafer for its next community cooking class. The class will be presented on October 20^th from 5:30pm to 7:30pm. This class is designed to offer basic instruction in outdoor cooking, including safety, materials, tools, resources and methods. It will cover topics such as types of wood and charcoal, types of cookware, building a fire, Dutch ovens and more.

The class will offer audience members the opportunity to interact, ask questions and sample the food prepared, and take-home recipes will be provided for participants. Registration for audience seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis at fablabicc.org. After the live class, the recording will be edited and made available for download from the Fab Lab’s website.

After 101 years a fallen Independence Police Officer has been added to the Kansas Memorial. On Sunday, March 21^st, 1920 at about 11:30pm Officer C. A. McKinney was fatally wounded by gunfire. McKinney’s name has finally been added to the National Law Enforcement Memorial in Washington DC and the Kansas Law Enforcement Memorial in Topeka.

This Friday IPD members will attend the memorial ceremony. The service will begin at noon inside the Capitol at the second floor Rotunda and end with a wreath laying at the Kansas Law Enforcement Memorial located on the northeast corner of the Capitol grounds.

Numerous improvements are being made to the area around Field Kindley High School and Roosevelt Middle School in Coffeyville.

Construction has gotten well underway, leading some to become curious about what changes are being made. FKHS Principal Travis Stalford said the changes are for the benefit of all students, parents, and staff.

In addition to the new parking lot, other improvements include safer entrances and a new, extra gymnasium. Stalford said having a second gym at the high school will save time for students.

You can listen to the full interview with Stalford at kggfradio.com's Community tab.

Tonight's Coffeyville Commission candidate forum will be broadcast in its entirety on 690AM, KGGF.

The three candidates will be asked questions submitted by local citizens. Candidates scheduled to attend include Deborah Maples, Jason Swindell, and Ann Marie Vannoster. If you'd like to listen in, you may either tune in to 690AM or, alternatively, the KGGF Facebook page.

Those who would like to attend in person can do so at the Windsor Event Center at 102 W. 8th Street in Coffeyville. The USD 445 and Coffeyville CC board forums will be held later this week, October 7th.

KGGF has been awarded Best Severe Weather Coverage in the State by the Kansas Association of Broadcasters.  The award marks the third consecutive year KGGF has been cited by the state broadcast association for providing the top severe weather coverage in Kansas.  The award was presented during the KAB’s Annual Convention in Wichita Monday night.

Pictured are Connor Harbit and Matt Jordan accepting the award from KAB President, Allison Mazzei.  KGGF also was awarded second place for spot news coverage by Matt Jordan of the Edna Mattress Factory fire.

In addition KGGF General Manager, John Leonard was elected as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the KAB.  Leonard is the second KGGF manager to serve in the post.  Former KGGF General Manager Bob Pratt served as the association’s chairman in 1963.

The results from a campaign by Pittsburg State University to encourage COVID-19 vaccination among employees and students are in. Of the over 3,000 individuals who are on campus regularly are now vaccinated.

The incentive was announced on Aug. 9 and employees and students had until Sept. 17 to submit proof of vaccination. Incentives are being funded by the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund.

Approximately 4,480 students who attend class, live, or work on campus were eligible. Of those, 55 percent submitted valid vaccination records. Each will receive a $500 scholarship toward their tuition next semester, or, for those who graduate in December, a $500 refund. Additionally, a drawing will be held this month to pick two students, each of whom be awarded an $8,500 scholarship that will cover their tuition, fees, and room and board for one semester.

Over 80 percent of the approximately 800 eligible employees submitted valid vaccination records. Each will receive a $1,000 incentive. All benefits-earning employees were automatically eligible to earn the incentive.

Vaccinations are still available and free at any time at the Bryant Student Health Center.

A water line that had been reported as broken earlier this morning in Caney has been repaired.

City Administrator Fred Gress gives the details of the current situation.

Gress went on to say that he doesn't think there will be an advisory issued by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment due to the line break.

Flu season right is just around the corner. To help combat contracting influenza, it is suggested to get a flu vaccination.

On October 9^th, free flu shots are being offered to the community. Independence Chamber of Commerce Director Lisa Wilson goes into more detail about this event.

There will be approximately 200 flu shots available and they will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

For more information on this event, contact the Independence Chamber of Commerce at (620) 331-1890.

An Oklahoma man died in an accident just before 7 pm Sunday in Neosho County.

According to the Kansas Highway Patrol, 45-year-old Daniel Maxwell of Oklahoma City was driving a 2008 Chevy northbound on U.S. Highway 169 just north of 35^th Street.

For an unknown reason, Maxwell left the roadway to the east and the driver overcorrected which caused his vehicle to roll over. The vehicle then left the roadway to the west and rolled into the ditch. Maxwell was transported to St. Francis Hospital where he died.

According to the KHP, Maxwell was not wearing a seat belt.

The City of Caney is reporting a 12” water line break near the water tower. City Administrator Fred Gress says the main area affected is the area around the Industrial Park.

Gress says the city is working to get this fixed as soon as possible to prevent any further inconvenience to residents and businesses.

A Discovery Channel TV crew was in Coffeyville over the weekend shooting footage of the Dalton Defenders Days. Expedition: Unknown Host Josh Gates says the show is a travel adventure show where they go all over the world investigating mysteries.

Gates says the Dalton Gang had already made a name for themselves and could have been even more infamous had they succeeded.  Gates says you can catch this episode of Expedition: Unknown on Discovery Channel or Discovery+ sometime next year around April or May. If you want to check out the show it airs weekly on Wednesdays.

Full Josh Gates Interview

A man and woman have been arrested after leading multiple law enforcement departments on a chase across two states.

According to the Crawford County Sheriff's Office, on September 30^th, a deputy attempted to pull over a suspected stolen vehicle. The vehicle then fled and the deputy began a pursuit. During the pursuit, the suspect vehicle nearly struck a deputy who attempted to deploy a spike strip and almost collided with another deputy's car. The suspect vehicle crossed over the border into Barton County, Missouri where after approximately an hour, the pursuit ended after the car crashed into a bean field. The 2020 Nissan was confirmed to be stolen out of Joplin.

29-year-old Justin Cochran and 22-year-old Victoria Herring, both of Pittsburg, were arrested and will be charged with aggravated assault on an LEO, fleeing and attempting to elude, and numerous other traffic violations in both Kansas and Missouri.

The number of those applying for unemployment benefits has risen for a third week across the United States. The number rose by 362,000 claims last week, according to the U.S. Labor Department. At its peak, more than 900,000 Americans were signing up for those benefits in early January.

More than 22 million jobs were lost when the pandemic first began, but hiring has rapidly increased since that time. Around 17 million jobs have been restored and as vaccines become readily available, businesses have been encouraged to open and expand their hours.