An Indendepence man made his first appearance in court at the Montgomery County Courthouse this afternoon.

39-year-old Ryan Barnes was charged with attempted criminal damage to property and criminal trespass. According to reports, it was alleged that Barnes tried to trespass inside the Arby's in Independence.

His bond is set at $2,500 with the next court date set for Thursday, April 7^th at 9:00am.

Coffeyville Community College is hosting an April Fool's Day comedy magic show. Magician Pete Walterscheid says he's bringing in a professional to help with the show.

The April Foolery show will be at the Spencer Rounds Theater on the campus of CCC. The event will start at 7:00pm and admission is free.

The Independence Chamber’s First Friday is set for tomorrow morning.

Speakers at tomorrow’s event from the Kansas Children’s Service League will be Samantha Maritt who will talk about Healthy Families.  The Director of the Veteran Student Success Service at ICC will talk about the Green Zone Training program.  Principal at Independence High School Kurt Seiler will tell attendees about the Work-Based Training Program at the high school while Andy Taylor from the Lion’s Club will speak about their 100-year celebration.

Attendees are encouraged to wear blue for child abuse prevention.  First Friday gets underway at 7:30 tomorrow morning at the Independence Civic Center.    

Coffeyville FFA sees success competing in two contests in Independence.

The Vet Science and Discussion Meet teams competed yesterday with the Vet Science team taking first overall and Discussion Meet team finishing second. For the Vet Science competition, Kloey Rash finished 3^rd individually and Trinity Kuehn finished 4^th. On the Discussion Meet team Halle Hayes finished 3^rd overall, Bradyn Johnson finished 4^th and Reagan Wiles was 5th. 

There will be a vote to allow Sunday liquor sales in Nowata County. The county commissioners authorized the resolution to call for an election to permit liquor sales in the county on Sundays.  District Three Commissioner Troy Friddle says this is being done in an attempt to keep tax dollars in the county.

This item will be on the ballot for all Nowata County voters on June 28^th. It is a yes or no resolution and needs a majority of yes votes to pass. For more information, you can contact the Nowata County Election Board at (918)273-0710.

The countdown to this year's Coffeyville Summer Celebration rolls on.

The year's festival is scheduled for July 9th. The list of events is ever-growing, and now includes a 5K Fun Run, car show, cornhole tournament, musical entertainment and more.

For further updates, or to get your business involved, make sure to follow the Coffeyville Summer Celebration on Facebook. Donations are always appreciated.

The Coffeyville City Commission presented their State of the City address. The five commissioners, including the mayor, each discussed different topics from the budget, to mill levies and plans for the future. Mayor Ann Marie Vannoster says the citizens of Coffeyville are the reason they do what they do.

Mayor Vannoster discusses what they have planned and what they are working on for the future.  Mayor Vannoster says she cannot promise that this will be easy, the decisions they make will be popular or that they won't have shortcomings. She says she will commit their honesty, dedication and their actions to the city.

A Cherryvale man leads deputies on a chase through Montgomery County and into Labette County before being arrested.

On Monday evening around 5:10pm, a Montgomery County Sheriff's Office patrol sergeant was alerted to a green motorcycle passing vehicles in a no-passing zone traveling east on Highway 160. The sergeant located the motorcycle and attempted to pull over the driver but the motorcycle sped away. The motorcycle continued into Labette County, where the Labette County Sheriff’s Office joined the chase.

The pursuit continued for about twenty minutes, taking deputies on several different gravel and paved roads, running stop signs, crossing the center line and speeding. The driver lost control attempting to make a right turn putting the motorcycle in the ditch and attempted to flee on foot. Montgomery County deputies were able to apprehend the driver, who was identified as 33-year-old Anthony Rush. He has recommended charges of fleeing law enforcement as well as numerous traffic violations.

Independence Community College is holding a Career Fair for those seeking employment within the medical profession. The fair will be held on April 1^st, from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm, at ICC West. This event is free to the public to attend.

Independence Chamber of Commerce Director Lisa Wilson says that this fair is aimed at potential employees and employers.

If you or your business is interested in setting up a table at this event, please contact Mallory Byrd at mbyrd@indycc.edu.

An Independence man is arrested at work in Caney.

Earlier this week, the Caney Police Department received a call from Spear’s Manufacturing regarding a female employee who was assaulted by a co-worker. Officers arrived and were advised the suspect had already left the premises. Caney PD had also received a call from the suspect, identified as 26-year-old Dakota Owens, requesting medical help for an injury he sustained.

An officer responded and took Owens into custody without further incident. Owens was transported for medical treatment and then booked in the Montgomery County Jail for aggravated battery

The Independence Police Department investigates a crash at Penn and Poplar.

Yesterday evening at around 7:20pm, officers responded to a two-vehicle crash. The investigation revealed Ryan Barnes, who was driving a red 2004 Chevrolet Aveo, did not stop for the stop sign at the intersection Barnes’ vehicle then struck a white 2010 Toyota pick-up driven by Billy White. Both vehicles were towed from the scene and both drivers were transported due to injuries from the crash.

The base for a new bench was installed in downtown Coffeyville.

The bench is for the new pocket park that is coming at the corner of 8^th and Elm Street. The base for the bench is two train car wheels attached to two train rails. The bench will be two-sided one side facing the intersection and the other facing the pocket park. The ribbon-cutting for the finished bench will be April 30^th at 5:00pm.

The City of Coffeyville will hold a State of the City Government Address tonight. 

The address will begin at 6:00pm this evening in the Commission Room of City Hall.  Seating for the event is limited.

Applications for 3 City of Coffeyville Board openings are due next week.   

The city has two openings on the Public Library Board of Trustees and one opening on the Planning Commission.  The Board opening on the Planning Commission is for someone who lives outside of but within 3 miles of the city limits.  Applications are available at City Hall or online at the city’s website and are due by next Wednesday.

The Kansas Attorney General is urging Kansans to use caution this tax season to avoid scammers trying to take their refunds or steal their identity. AG Derek Schmidt says the Consumer Protection Division has experienced an increase in calls and emails from Kansans who are being targeted. The scammers are offering to assist them with filing their tax returns.

Often the scammers will promise to expedite a taxpayer’s refund that is due back from the Internal Revenue Service or the State of Kansas. Identity thieves are always looking for ways to use a legitimate taxpayer’s identity and personal information. This time of year, they use the information to file a tax return and claim a fraudulent refund.

An escaped sheep is located and caught by Caney Police officers.

Yesterday, Caney PD received a call from an individual regarding a sheep loose in the city. Officers responded and were able to locate the wooly suspect. The sheep was identified as Sam the Sheep, who had escaped from his pen. Sam the Sheep made a valiant effort to stay at large.

Caney PD called in an off-duty police officer to assist in catching the sheep. Officer Missy Simmons used her roping skills and was able to eventually catch the sheep. Caney PD says they will not be requesting any charges for Sam the Sheep, who was returned to his pen.

A Nowata man has been arrested and is being charged with multiple counts of animal cruelty.

The Nowata County Sheriff's Office received a tip of deceased dogs in a pond located in the Big Creek area of Nowata County. Approximately 12 deceased dogs were observed from the county road, lying on the bed of a dry pond. Investigation revealed the dogs had been in the pond for about a month before the pond dried up and revealed the animals.

Nowata Police executed a search warrant on the property. During the search, 16 deceased dogs were recovered from the pond bed and a total of 6 firearms were found on the property. The resident of the property, James Wooten Jr., is a convicted felon which prohibits him from possessing firearms. An autopsy conducted on four of the deceased dogs by a veterinarian revealed the cause of death as a gunshot to the head. Bond for Wooten was set at $25,000.00, with anticipated charges of animal cruelty and felon in possession of firearms.

Three bomb threats are made across southeast Kansas. Bomb threats were called into the Judicial Center in Parsons and the courthouses in Neosho and Crawford County. Labette County Sheriff Darren Eichinger says the caller left a voicemail that was found around 8:00am this morning.

There were no bombs found at any of the three locations. Sheriff Eichinger says the investigation is ongoing but it was the same sounding voice on all three of the recorded threats made.   

A brief spurt of warmer temperatures are expected to move into southeast Kansas starting today and Tuesday.

According to the National Weather Service in Wichita, temperatures in Coffeyville are expected to reach the upper-70s by Tuesday. This will be the peak for the week, as temperatures will then drop back down to the mid-50s by this Thursday.

Additionally, there is a slight chance for thunderstorms to move through the area starting Tuesday evening. The strongest activity could bring quarter-size hail and 60mph winds.

A man, a woman, and a child are dead after a weekend standoff and shootout in Baxter Springs.

On Saturday, Baxter Springs Police Officers were dispatched to 340 Wyandotte Avenue in Baxter Springs. The female caller told dispatch she needed help. Upon the arrival of officers, the woman exited the home and a male suspect, identified as 37-year-old Eli Crawford, shot and killed 27-year-old Taylor Dawn Shutte. Crawford then retreated back inside with their 2-year-old child.

At that point, law enforcement personnel began taking fire from the suspect. During the nearly three and a half-hour assault on law enforcement, an officer was able to return fire toward the suspect. When officers approached and entered the residence, Crawford and the child were found dead.

Per standard agency protocol, the law enforcement officer who engaged the suspect has been placed on paid administrative leave. The investigation is ongoing and is being led by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.

Three Montgomery County Sheriff's deputies have been promoted. Detective Chad Dunham has been promoted to Lt. Detective, Sergeant and K9 Handler Jeremy Hunsucker has been promoted to Detective and Deputy Will Wilkinson has been promoted to Patrol Sergeant.

Lt. Detective Dunham begin his career with the sheriff’s office in 2013 and prior to that he served as a firefighter in Independence for 16 years. Detective Jeremy Hunsucker started at the sheriff’s office in 2009, after serving as a Chautauqua County Sheriff deputy for two years. Sergeant Will Wilkinson joined the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office in 2014. Sheriff Ron Wade and Undersheriff Chris Williams want to congratulate all three deputies on their promotion.

A 36-year old man has been arrested on an array of charges after leading Parsons police on a foot chase.

Parsons officers were notified of an anonymous tip about Jason Anderson-Moseley being on his way to a residence in the 900 block of South 16^th Street. Anderson-Moseley was wanted on multiple warrants out of Labette County, Allen County, and the City of Parsons.

Officers located the residence and watched for the vehicle that was described Anderson-Moseley would be in. When Anderson-Moseley arrived at the residence and spotted the officers, he fled on foot. Officers were able to catch up to Anderson-Moseley and he was taken into custody. A search of Anderson-Moseley and the vehicle that he was driving revealed multiple narcotics and drug paraphernalia.

Anderson-Moseley was arrested on suspicion of two counts of Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Sales and Distribution of a Controlled Substance, Interference with a Law Enforcement Officer, and a Parsons Municipal Warrant for Failure to Appear.

The Kansas Legislature has approved the budget for the state for the coming fiscal year. Representative Rich Proehl says they put a large focus of the budget on funding education.

Representative Proehl says in addition to working on the budget they have also worked on tax cuts as well including the food sales tax.

Fab Lab ICC has been selected as one of six locations across Kansas to host a listening session called Heartland Together. The session co-sponsored by the Kansas Leadership Center and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and will take place on April 5^th at 5:30pm, lasting 60 to 90 minutes.

Anyone interested in attending is encouraged to contact Fab Lab ICC Director Jim Correll. The multi-state listening tour is an effort to address the challenges that make it hard to start and grow local businesses in rural communities. The sessions will take place over a two-week period with stops in Kansas, Iowa, Missouri and Nebraska.

Fab Lab ICC is offering new Sewing and Quilting Classes. A Beginning Sewing Class making a tote bag will take place on April 5^th and 12^th from 5:30pm to 8:30pm and a T-Shirt Quilting Class will take place on April 19^th and 26^th also from 5:30pm to 8:30pm.

Individuals interested in developing basic sewing skills or growing their quilting skills are invited to enroll. The classes will be taught by local quilting and sewing expert Janet Mayes. The cost of either non-credit course is $40. Participants in the class will receive an 8-week membership to Fab Lab ICC, with the option to purchase a full 12-month membership. 

A Parsons man appears in Washington County Court where he was charged with drug trafficking.

Christian Scott was arrested last week after he was found with a large quantity of methamphetamine. Scott was pulled over on the 800 block of Washington Boulevard and his truck was flagged because his Kansas driver’s license was listed as revoked.

During the traffic stop a police K9 alerted the vehicle. A search produced a small baggie containing 1.5 grams of methamphetamine and a water bottle that contained two syringes. The bottled weighed 556 grams in total. Bond for Scott was set at $25,000.

A Southeast Kansas man is being held without bond in the Cherokee County Jail.

30-year-old Richard Anthony Sanchez, of Cherokee, was taken into custody Wednesday, following a month-long investigation. As a result of the investigation, an arrest warrant for Sanchez was issued in Cherokee County District Court.

Sanchez is charged with aggravated indecent liberties with a child, attempted indecent liberties with a child, criminal solicitation of a child, attempted rape, and aggravated intimidation of a witness.

Parsons police are seeking a 16-year-old who ran away from a crisis center.

Jesse James Graninger, Jr was first reported as a runaway from the Youth Crisis Center in Parsons on March 10th. At the time he had walked away with a friend. Since then police have tracked him to a couple of different locations in town where he has been seen with friends, but he has not yet been located. He also has associates who live in Independence.

Officers had checked on a couple of potential sightings of Graninger in town, but have not located him. Police say this is not an abduction, nor have there been any indications that Graninger is in any specific danger. Graninger has no known medical conditions that would elevate his risk.

Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada has awarded the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting to the City of Pittsburg for its annual comprehensive financial report for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020.

The report has been judged by an impartial panel to meet the high standards of the program, which includes demonstrating a constructive “spirit of full disclosure” to clearly communicate its financial story and motivate potential users and user groups to read the report.

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

A second suspect has been arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of a Chanute girl in Coffeyville nearly two weeks ago.  20-year-old Makinzey Steeves of Topeka has been arrested in the shooting death of 15-year-old Nasha Gregory of Chanute on March 13^th.

Steeves is a co-defendant along with 19-year-old Treyvin Hayes-Smith of Coffeyville who was arrested March 15th.  Steeves has been charged with one count of aggravated endangerment of a child, one count of contributing to a child’s misconduct, and one count of interference with law enforcement for falsely reporting a crime.

Republicans in the Kansas Senate have approved a ban on transgender athletes in girl’s and women’s school sports with enough votes to override an expected veto from Gov. Laura Kelly.

The 27-12 vote sent the measure to the House. Conservatives had exactly the two-thirds majority they would need for a veto override.

LGBTQ-rights advocates argue that the bill represents discrimination and targets transgender youth already vulnerable to bullying and suicide.

Supporters of the bill argue they’re protecting fair competition and preserving college scholarship opportunities for other girls and women.

Eleven states have bans, but Republican governors in Indiana and Utah vetoed measures this week. Gov. Kelly vetoed similar legislation last year.

The City of Coffeyville and the Coffeyville Fire Department are asking residents to register their storm shelters through the city website.

Registration includes informing the city of the homeowner's name, address, type of shelter, and GPS coordinates if possible. Information is then stored inside of a database maintained by the fire department.

If a disaster occurs, residents could be trapped inside of their shelter due to debris. If that occurs, the city uses this database to assist in locating residents. To register your shelter, follow this link.

Independence Community College has named a new Foundation Director.  In his new role, Bryce Saia will oversee and direct all aspects of the Foundation, including fundraising, operations, management, and outreach to the community. Saia will work closely with the ICC Foundation Board of Directors and the ICC Administration.

ICC Foundation Board President Corey Hugo says the board is excited to work with Saia as their new Foundation Director and confident that the ICC Foundation will be well-positioned under his guidance to thrive for years to come. Saia has a background in coordinating student scholarships, specifically within the NJCAA and KJCCC.

A West Mineral man is arrested in Cherokee County after a standoff with officers.

Sheriff deputies were dispatched to a home for a reported domestic disturbance. Upon arrival, deputies learned that 46-year-old Larry Overman was armed inside the home and refusing to allow an adult female and numerous children to leave. Deputies approached the home and the woman and several children, including an infant, fled from inside. Overman, however, remained armed inside with several other kids.

After a nearly hour and a half standoff, he was eventually taken into custody. He was transported to the Cherokee County Jail and is being held on allegations of domestic battery, multiple counts of aggravated child endangerment, kidnapping and assault on law enforcement. 

The Parsons Police Department is searching for a man believed to be involved with a shooting earlier this month.

On March 5th, officers with the Parsons Police Department were called to the scene of a reported shooting. Upon arrival, officers rendered first aid to a victim, who was identified as 42-year- old Tyrone Mayweathers of Kansas City. He had received multiple gunshot wounds.

The ensuing investigation revealed that there had been a large fight at the scene of the crime. Officers then obtained a felony arrest warrant for 22-year-old David Lamont Young III. The warrant is for one count of attempted second degree murder and one count of criminal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

The department has notified the US Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force to request assistance in locating Young. Police believe he fled the area after the shooting, although leads have suggested that the suspect may return to the Parsons area. So far, those leads have not panned out.

This continues to be an ongoing investigation. The arrest warrant extends to the entire nation for inter-state extradition. Mayweathers remains under medical care at an undisclosed location.

A career-focused program offered through the Kansas State Department of Education is coming to Independence High School.

Work-Based Learning will be offered to IHS upperclassmen starting next school year. The program allows juniors and seniors to combine a student's career goals and workplace experience through partnerships with local businesses. IHS Principal Kurt Seiler said students use time during their school day to explore their career of interest.

Seiler said that Work-Based Learning not only helps students with hands-on experience, it also helps local businesses.

To kick off this program, an event will be held on April 5^th at the IHS Cafeteria. To RSVP for this event, contact the high school at 620-332-1815.

The friends of Riverside Park and Zoo in Independence have announced that the opening day for Riverside Park will take place on Saturday, April 9 from 11 am-3 pm.

The theme this year is “ There's No Place Like Riverside Park and Zoo”. There will be plenty of activities for the kids including Free Carousel Rides, Petting Zoo, and Train Rides. Food Vendors will be onsite as well.

Riverside Park is located at 400 Mickey Mantle Way in Independence.

Springtime severe weather is here.

The City of Independence reminds citizens to join the “Civic Ready” community alert system. The Civic Ready system provides both community notifications and emergency alerts. Citizens can set up their profile and how they receive these alerts from the city.

You can view the Civic Ready page by clicking here.

Independence Community College is welcoming representatives from two local businesses to speak with students. John Deere and Cobalt Boats will both speak about various components of the professional world.

John Deere will be on campus on March 30^th from 12:30pm to 1:30pm and Cobalt Boats will be on campus on April 7^th, from 12:30pm to 1:30pm. Students will be learning about resumes, cover letters, professional dress, internships, and job opportunities within their respective companies.

Academic Success Center Coordinator Courtlynn Rose says both companies have been great industry leaders in Southeast Kansas for many years and have locations nationwide.

The bipartisan delegation who visited Germany and Poland has returned after gaining insight on the needed support for Ukraine. Senator Jerry Moran says what he witnessed was an inspirational citizen of Ukraine.

Senator Roger Marshall says this weekend they witnessed the worst of mankind and saw the best in humankind.  In addition to visiting with refugees and members of the military, the Senators also visited U.S. officials at the embassy in Berlin and German Parliamentarians.

Work on connecting a generator at the Nowata County Courthouse has been awarded to Holtz Electric in Bartlesville. The Nowata County Commissioners tabled the item last week after wanting to see a breakdown of the costs. Commissioner Burke LaRue says the proposal was for $78,000.

LaRue says he thinks the Cherokee Nation could have funds to help with the project. ARPA funds could also be used for this project. The county has already purchased a generator for around $4,000 but will play nearly 20 times that amount for installation.

The Labette County Commission met in three executive sessions at this morning's meeting.

The first was to discuss cleaning of the courthouse, the second was to discuss a bridge that was being closed for maintenance by KDOT and the third included discussion of the indigent defense contract. No action was taken in any of the executive sessions. The county had not been made aware of the bridge's closing and will meet with KDOT to get the proper detours in place.

In other business, the county is having memorandums of understanding worked up for the ARPA funds and they also received an update on their employee insurance.

The Chautauqua County Commission has approved the purchase of a motor grader.

During the short meeting, the commission approved the purchase of the 5-year-old grader. It will cost the county $195,000. The county is funding the lease through Howard State Bank at an interest rate of 2.75%.

The commission meets once again next Thursday, March 31, the last day of the month.

One man was found dead after a shooting in Pittsburg over the weekend.

Early Saturday morning, Pittsburg police received a call regarding a shooting at 111 W. Park Street. When officers arrived, they located 64-year-old Harold L. Sheets of Pittsburg. Sheets was pronounced dead at the scene from a gunshot wound.

61-year-old Verla L. Gilliand, also of Pittsburg, was questioned about the incident. After interviewing Gilliand, Officers placed her under arrest and transferred her to the Crawford County Jail, where she awaits charges for 2nd-degree murder.

Gilliand is being held on a $150,000 bond.

An Oklahoman is arrested in Caney for speeding on a motorcycle.

This weekend a Caney Police officer clocked a motorcycle going 90mph in a 35mph zone. During the traffic stop, the driver told the officer he would have outrun him, but he didn’t have any gas. The driver further bragged to the officer that he had been running up to 180mph prior to being stopped.

The driver was identified as 18-year-old Alexander Toro from Tulsa. The motorcycle had expired plates and no insurance. Toro was in possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. He was charged with speeding, expired tag, no insurance and possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

The Kansas Department of Transportation expects to begin a bridge replacement project on U.S. 59/U.S. 160 in Labette County this Wednesday.

The bridge being replaced spans Labette Creek and is a little over 5 and a half northwest of Oswego. Starting Thursday the work zone will be closed to traffic.

KDOT will sign the state route detour on U.S. 160, K-101, U.S. 166, and U.S. 59. A.M. Cohron and Son Inc. of Emporia is the primary contractor on the $3.2 million project. The work should be completed and the new bridge open by the end of the year, weather permitting.

U.S. Senators visit troops in Germany and Ukrainian refugees in Poland. Senators Roger Marshall and Jerry Moran from Kansas visited with troops in Germany. Senators visited with Kansans who are currently deployed to the region including those from Fort Riley.

The Senators also joined a bipartisan group of Senators who visited Poland. The seven-member group visited reception centers for refugees from Ukraine. Poland has accepted more than 2 million people fleeing war since Russia's invasion.

Widespread rain will begin this afternoon bringing much needed rainfall to our region after high fire danger this weekend. There's a chance of at least an inch of rain for most areas with one to two inches expected.

The rain will bring in cool temperatures as it will be about 10 to 15 degrees cooler than normal tomorrow and Wednesday. Temperatures are forecast in the mid-50s to 40s. Strong north winds will support wind chills in the 20s and 30s.

A U.S. Representative has helped introduce legislation to suspend normal trade relations with Russia. Representative Ron Estes says the American marketplace is not something that is a right, but a privilege for those that uphold international order.

Representative Estes serves on the House Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee, where this legislation was developed with broad bipartisan support to further isolate Russia.

Fab Lab ICC is offering a new 10-week program geared toward small business owners and entrepreneurs in rural communities, which will start March 30^th.

The SEED Initiative will take participants through the fundamentals of managing and operating a successful rural business by focusing on eight key topics. Those topics include management, marketing and branding, sales, finance and accounting, human resources, legal fundamentals, technology and strategy.

Fab Lab Director Jim Correll says small business management training has been part of his vision for the last 16 years and this new streamlined course has been a long time coming. The classes will be on Wednesdays from 6:00pm to 8:00pm. Class size is limited to 15 participants and the cost is $400. Register at www.seed-initiative.com.  

The Kansas House of Representatives is almost finished with the state House redistricting map. Representative Jim Kelly says the House should be able to vote on the map early next week.

Representative Kelly says there will be some changes to the way Montgomery County is represented.  Representative Kelly says the districts are divided up specifically based on population and not by any specific demographic.

The Coffeyville Chamber of Commerce is holding a workshop designed to help local businesses "find their niche" within the community.

The workshop is set for March 23rd. Participants will learn how to leverage their market and find new, local customers. Tourism Director Amy Dollar said finding what makes your store special is vital to bringing in local shoppers. 

Any questions can be directed to the chamber at 251-2550, or you may send them a question on Facebook.

An investigation leads to the arrest of a Cherryvale man for a number of thefts.

Earlier this week, a Montgomery County Sheriff deputy received a lead on a burglary that occurred near Sycamore sometime between September 1^st, 2021 and March 11^th. A bass boat and multiple other items such as furniture, home décor, clothes, and jewelry were taken. While pursuing the lead the deputy was able to locate some of the stolen property at an address in Independence. The property had been traded for a pickup truck the suspect, who was identified as George Montgomery, was now driving.

Detectives and Deputies were able to bring Montgomery into custody. Detectives learned of more stolen property that was located at four different locations and after obtaining search warrants were able to recover multiple items that had been reported stolen. Montgomery was arrested for burglary, theft and criminal damage.

Three are arrested in Caney for possession of drugs and stolen property.

Yesterday, Caney Police Officers executed a search warrant in the 700 block of North State St. At the residence, officers located 65-year-old Monty Stern, 31-year-old Toni Dean and 34-year-old Seth Privitt. Officers located property that had been reported stolen in Sedan late last summer. Officers also located methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia and marijuana.

All three were arrested and have recommended charges of possession of drugs and paraphernalia. Stern is also charged with possession of stolen property and buying sexual relations and Dean is charged with promoting the sale of sexual relations. 

Application requests for the USDA’s Self Help Housing Program in Coffeyville are coming in rapidly.  The program has nearly $625,000 available to assist low-income families help build and own their own homes.  Director of Housing for Coffeyville Charla Brown says once a family has completed the application they need to schedule an appointment.

Brown says that 20 applications have already been requested to build the first 5 homes.  Amber Dean is the Group Coordinator for the City’s Housing Department and she can be reached at (620)252-6129.

A social media post leads to an arrest for domestic violence.

Independence Police officers were dispatched to a report of domestic violence in the 200 block of S. Pennsylvania Ave. No serious injuries were reported. A person messaged the IPD Facebook page that they saw a post showing domestic violence. An alert dispatcher saw the message and dispatched officers to a possible location.

After an investigation officers arrested 33-year-old Dustin Register, of Independence, for domestic battery. Police Chief Jerry Harrison does discourage citizens from reporting crimes to the Facebook page. He says the best way to report an emergency is to call 9-1-1 if you can, text 9-1-1 if you can’t.

A naked bike thief is arrested in Independence.

Around 9:00pm Wednesday, Independence Police officers were dispatched to a theft near 16^th & Maple. The victim reported his electric bike was stolen by a naked man. Dispatch immediately began receiving other reports of a naked man running around the 10^th and Myrtle area. Officers located the nude man but he refused to surrender. The man ran into oncoming traffic and jumped on the side of a slowing vehicle. At this time officers were able to grab the man and physically subdue him.

The naked man was taken into custody. The man was identified as 33-year-old Shane May, of Independence. May was arrested for aggravated robbery, interference with law enforcement officers and disorderly conduct.

Fertilizer prices are currently three to four times higher than they are normally. Livestock Production Extension Agent Wendie Powell says with the higher costs of fertilizer the most important thing a producer can do is take soil tests.

Powell says where you gather your samples from and how many samples you bring in will depend on the layout of the land you are having tested.  Powell says when gathering soil samples you want to go down about six inches to gather soil to be tested.

Kansas's U.S. Senators will be heading to Poland and Germany this week to gain more insight on needed support for Ukraine. Senator Jerry Moran says America has a special role in this world.

Senator Roger Marshall says he believes the United States can do so much more.  Senators Moran and Marshall were both speaking in reaction to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's address to Congress yesterday morning.

Coming up in a couple of weeks is April's K-State Garden Hour webinar. Extension Districts Jesse Gilmore says this month's topic will be about designing gardens for year-round food sources for pollinators.

Gilmore says the webinar will be available over Zoom.  April's Garden Hour will be on April 6^th from noon until 1:00pm it will be a 45 minute presentation with about 10 to 15 minutes to ask questions.

As temperatures rise over the next few weeks, Caney Police Department is recommending a few spring safety tips.

Caney PD suggests locking your doors and windows when you go to bed or leave your house, even if you are only leaving for a short period. Yard working tools, ladders, bicycles, gardening tools, or anything else you may have in your yard should be secured. It is important to be aware of house improvement scams, if you did not solicit the contractor or salesman who shows up at your door unannounced, do not do business with that person.

Caney PD also suggests reporting suspicious activity and to call the station, at 620-879-2141, if you are leaving town over the weekend or going on vacation, and would like your home/business to be on the police watchlist.

Charges have been recommended in the shooting that left one juvenile dead in Coffeyville.

19-year-old Treyvin Xavier Hayes-Smith has recommended charges of involuntary manslaughter, aggravated endangering a child, contributing to a child's misconduct and interference with a law enforcement officer. Hayes-Smith was arrested Tuesday by the Coffeyville Police Department.  The incident occurred just before midnight on Sunday. CPD Officers responded to the scene to find a juvenile victim from Chanute suffering gunshot wounds. The victim was transported to Coffeyville Regional Medical Center but was later pronounced dead.

CPD says the investigation is ongoing and additional arrests and charges are expected.

The U.S. Senate passes legislation to end mask mandates for public transportation, including airplanes. Senator Roger Marshall says the CDC continues to make decisions as if they are in a vacuum without consideration for the big picture.

Senator Marshall says he has looked at around eighty studies done by the CDC in regards to wearing masks.  Senator Marshall served as an original cosponsor of the resolution to repeal travel mask mandates which the Senate passed with a bipartisan vote of 57-40.

Independence High School is set to present its spring musical next week.

Starting Friday, March 25, and running through Sunday, March 27, the IHS drama and vocal music departments will present "Nice Work If You Can Get It." Independence Chamber of Commerce Director Lisa Wilson said she and others got a small taste of what's to come at a previous First Friday.

General admission tickets are $8. Performances on Friday and Saturday are at 7:30 PM, and Sunday's performance is set for 2:30 PM.

The suspect in a weekend shooting has been arrested.  19-year-old Treyvin Hayes-Smith was taken into custody yesterday by the Coffeyville Police Department.  CPD says the charges will be forthcoming. 

The incident happened Sunday just before midnight in the 200 block of North Walnut St.  Officers who responded to reports of the shooting found a juvenile gunshot victim at the scene.  The victim was transported to Coffeyville Regional Medical Center by EMS but was later pronounced dead.  The victim was from Chanute.

Coffeyville police are searching for a person of interest in a shooting death that occurred around midnight Sunday.  Police are searching for 19-year-old Treyvin Hayes-Smith for questioning in the shooting that left a Chanute man dead. 

Police responded to the 200 block of North Walnut for a report of a shooting where they found a Chanute juvenile gunshot victim.  The victim was transported to Coffeyville Regional Medical Center by EMS and was later pronounced dead.  Anyone with any information is asked to contact the Coffeyville Police Department.  Those wishing to remain anonymous may provide information to the Crime Tip Hotline at 620-252-6133.

A Caney Police Officer finds drugs during the arrest for an outstanding warrant.

The officer was on routine patrol when he observed a subject who he knew had an outstanding warrant out of Montgomery County. The subject, A.J. Walker II, had an outstanding warrant for contempt of court. During the arrest, the officer discovered Walker was in possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.

Walker was transported to the Montgomery County Jail on charges of possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia and the contempt of court warrant.

Montgomery County Sheriff Deputies stop a burglary in progress thanks to the homeowner's security system. At around 3:30am this morning, deputies were dispatched to a home in rural Independence for a report of a burglary in progress. The homeowner was relaying information to deputies from their security system.

Deputies and officers from the Independence Police Department surrounded the home and on approach called out the suspects. Austin Harris of Independence and Amber Goodsell of Cherryvale were located in the home and taken into custody. Both are facing charges of burglary and theft and Goodsell is facing charges of possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.

The legal battle in the state of Kansas when it comes to congressional redistricting continues. Attorney General Derek Schmidt says there are currently three lawsuits pending, one in Douglas County and two in Wyandotte County.

Schmidt says they are going to be arguing that the lawsuits don't belong in state courts and should be thrown out and the opposition will be arguing that they do belong and the map should be thrown out.  The Kansas legislature is currently working on three other redistricting maps, one for each of the state Senate, the State House and the State School Board.

Legislation to award the Congressional Gold Medal to members of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion during World War II was signed by President Joe Biden. U.S. Senator Jerry Moran, who presented the legislation, says this bill honors the only all-black, all-female unit to serve overseas.

Moran says the women of the Six Triple Eight have earned a special place in history for their service to our nation. Fellow Kansas Congressman, Representative Jake LaTurner helped pass this legislation through the House.

Proposals for a new generator for the county were discussed at yesterday's Nowata County Commission meeting. The board looked at two proposals that were much higher than expected.  The county has already purchased a new generator but needs a licensed electrician to hook it up. Chairman Burke Larue says there could be more expenses.

According to the board, an automatic ignition system could be the reason the proposals were so high. The submissions were not itemized because they were not official bids. The commissioners will reach out to the companies for more details.

The Kansas Attorney General is calling on the Biden administration to immediately rescind its mask mandate for the federal Head Start program. AG Derek Schmidt says the mandate subjects children to inconsistent discipline at a time when similar mask policies are being discontinued in schools.

The mandate has not taken effect in Kansas because it is blocked by a federal court injunction in a case Schmidt filed. 22 state attorneys general have sent a letter to the president and officials with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services which administers the Head Start program. The attorneys general cited opposition from the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children’s Fund to requiring children under age 5 years to wear a mask because of the potential impact on learning and development.

Independence Community College is holding a career fair for those interested in a career in the medical profession. The fair is April 1^st, from 1:00pm to 3:00pm, at ICC West. This event is free to the public.

Director of Allied Health Mallory Byrd says they want to provide their students and local medical professionals with opportunities to seek out new employers or learn about programs that will help them reach their career goals. If you or your business is interested in setting up a table at this event, you can contact Byrd by email mbyrd@indycc.edu.

Independence Community College is hosting a free resume writing workshop. The workshop is on Thursday, March 24^th, from 12:30pm to 2:00pm in Room 132 of the Academic Building. Lunch will be provided.

Program Coordinator for Veteran Student Success India Bennett says this will help students with any level of work experience create a resume that will stand out to employers or transfer universities. She says they can show you how to highlight your extracurricular activities and coursework to show off what you have learned both on and off-campus.

Students will learn tips for a great resume, what employers look for and what not to do during the process. Staff will be available to review an existing resume.

Senate Bill 282 has been passed in the Kansas Senate on a 33 to 4 vote. SB282 provides tax credits for aerospace and aviation program graduates and their employers. Senator Virgil Peck says there are amendments added to the Bill to provide other provisions.

Senator Peck says he believes it is important to try and reduce property taxes in the state because that is the biggest complaint legislatures hear. He says this is a real opportunity to that if he passes the Kansas House.

Springing forward can mean falling back into bad driving habits. The arrival of Daylight Saving Time this weekend means one less hour of sleep, a darker morning commute and the potential for more sleepy drivers on the road.

Drivers should adjust their sleeping habits along with their clocks, to stay alert behind the wheel and to look out for pedestrians, especially children who will be on their way to school and may be hard to see. AAA Kansas Spokesman Shawn Steward says losing one hour of sleep takes an adjustment, and drivers need to prepare by getting more rest, especially on Sunday.

A U.S. Senator from Kansas calls for legislation to be passed to provide aid for Ukraine. Senator Roger Marshall says the President has been repeatedly late to act.

Senator Marshall says they need to pass this Ukraine Aid immediately.  Senator Marshall spoke in support of providing Ukraine aid on the Senate floor one week after Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy asked Congress for this assistance.  

With Snow covering much of Southeast Kansas and Northeast Oklahoma, crews are clearing roads.  About 2-3 inches of snow fell overnight with more snow expected through the midmorning.  

Temperatures are expected to climb above freezing by the afternoon but expect considerable cloudiness for the day.  The area is under a winter weather advisory until 12:00pm today.  With road conditions and visibility lower than usual make sure you allow plenty of time for travel if you have to get out this morning. Stay tuned to KGGF for all your weather updates.

You can find a list of all closings and cancellations here. 

You can also find maps for road conditions for Kansas, Oklahoma and Missouri.

To report to us your closing or postponement, call 620-251-3800 or email us at news@kggfradio.com.

Those pursuing a degree in nursing at Coffeyville Community College now have a new scholarship available.

To honor Nancy Evans, RN, BSN, for her 17 years of service to CHC/SEK and a lifetime dedicated to nursing, CHC/SEK has established the Nancy Evans Community Health Nursing Scholarship at the Community Foundation of Southeast Kansas.

The purpose of the Nancy Evans Community Health Nursing Scholarship will provide an annual scholarship to a student pursuing a higher education degree from an accredited nursing program in the region, who is entering their final year of study in the field of nursing.

Applications will be accepted on a rotating schedule with this year's scholarship designated for a student at Coffeyville Community College.

A link for the scholarship requirements and application can be found here.

The Coffeyville Recreation Commission is now accepting registrations for baseball and softball for the upcoming seasons.

The registration fee is $15 for students in the USD 445 district and $20 for students outside of the district. The deadline to register is April 1st with a late registration deadline of April 8th with a late registration fee of $3.

Soccer and flag football are also starting up soon and Coffeyville Chamber of Commerce Director Candi Westbrook says CRC is looking for volunteers.

A link to the registration page for players and coaches can be found here.

The Elk County Sheriff’s Office is looking for one of their most wanted.

Kayla Marie McDow is wanted on arrest warrants in Elk County. If you know the whereabouts of McDow, please call the sheriff’s office at (620)374-2108 or your local law enforcement.

USD 503 Board of Education has accepted the resignation of the choir director. The board accepted the resignation of Aaron Burke after meeting in an executive session during a special meeting earlier this week.

Superintendent Lori Ray sent out a letter to the families of students who are in choir. In the letter, Ray says the student's music education will be uninterrupted, and students will continue to have music opportunities as they search for the replacement.

The trip to Carnegie Hall in New York City will go on as scheduled. Ray says she will be in contact with students planning to attend the event. The concert tonight will go on as scheduled as well.

Southeast Kansas residents should expect another round of snow heading into Friday as a system makes its way through the area.

Two waves of winter weather are expected, the first coming through central Kansas from Thursday morning to the midday. Southeast Kansas will experience the second wave, which it predicted to hit Thursday evening and continue on through the overnnight hours. The National Weather Service in Wichita is calling for 2 to 4 inches of snow.

As always, stay tuned to KGGF and kggfradio.com for severe weather updates and closings/cancellations if the need arises.

Republicans on the House Energy Action Team gathered on the House floor to discuss the effects of high energy prices on America. Representative Ron Estes says they've seen policies from the President's administration devastate families and small businesses across the country.

Representative Estes says the prices at the pump are not just the result of the recent events in eastern Europe.  Representative Estes says President Joe Biden and the congressional Democrats are solely responsible for the year-over-year increase, and their anti-American energy agenda prevented the United States from maintaining its energy independence at a critical moment in history.

Two new honorary members and four new members were inducted into the Eta Gamma Chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society at Coffeyville Community College.  Inducted as honorary members were the President of CCC, Dr. Marlon Thornburg and a long-time supporter of the organization, Dirk Andrews.

Also honored at last night’s ceremony were alumni Linda McFate and Stephen Rench, one of the original charter members of the Phi Theta Kappa chapter at CCC. 

Eighteen students were inducted into the Honors Society during last night’s ceremonies.  They included Morgan Anderson, Pedro Branco, Tiago Dias, Elly Gossard, Garret Hanna, Mattie Haynes, Haylee Jernegan, Keonah Morgan, Abigail Moss, Kasandra Ordonez, Riley Palmer, Adyson Peck, Kai Pierce, Takeshi Pollard, Kaley Schmidt, Jaden Shufeldt, Colton Slavin, Kylie Speer and Alessandra Thompson.

Crawford County Consulting Health Officer Dr. Timothy Stebbins will step down from his post effective March 31^st.

Dr. Michael Ehling on behalf of the Crawford County Local Board of Health said Dr. Stebbins has served the people of Crawford County since June 2020, including individuals, families, businesses, and schools during the COVID-19 pandemic. To the best of his abilities and within the role as a sworn Health Officer, he has exemplified the virtues of honesty, straightforwardness, and clarity in an ever-changing environment.

Stebbins plans to maintain his role as Medical Director for EMS. Dr. Teddi Van Kam will continue duties as the Crawford Counties Health Officer.

The Caney Police Department has announced that they have received six trauma packs and a FLIR Scout TK monocular. The items were donated to the department by the United States Deputy Sheriff's Association.

Trauma kits contain essential supplies for treating life-threatening traumatic injuries, such as gunshot and stab wounds, in a field environment until certified medical assistance reaches the scene. Trauma packs generally include gloves, a tourniquet pressure bandage, and a hemostatic dressing.

The FLIR Scout TK is a pocket-sized thermal vision monocular for exploring the outdoors - at night and in lowlight conditions.

Caney Assistant Chief of Police Ike Dye said that these items will help the department fight the war on drugs in Caney and that they appreciate the resources they received from the USDSA.

Independence Community College hosted an open house and ribbon cutting yesterday for its brand-new, state-of-the-art Esports Arena.

Plenty of students, ICC faculty, and members of the community showed out for the ribbon cutting early Tuesday afternoon. Attendees were given a brief tour of the various facilities. Director of Esports Chris Kumke said the program has the potential to bring in students who wouldn't otherwise attend the college.

Those students have made an immediate impact. Despite being founded only this academic year, the team has already seen a large level of success. The team's Call of Duty squad won the NACE (National Association of Collegiate Esports) Starleague Grand Finals last December. Freshman Paul Solano, who was part of that team, said their drive to improve was their greatest strength.

The facility is open to the public from 12PM to 12AM. It features 21 gaming stations for students, three public flatscreens for gaming, and a driving/flight simulator.

The Postal Service Reform Act of 2022, which will help improve and sustain the United States Postal Service, has passed through Congress. Senator Jerry Moran says throughout his time representing Kansas he has advocated for the preservation of rural post offices and reforms to help sustain them.

Moran says when a post office closes it creates problems for businesses and the community and can cause significant harm to the local economy. For rural Kansans and older residents, the Postal Service is the glue that keeps them connected to the rest of the country.

Coffeyville FFA has a successful day competing in Iola. The teams competed in Ag Sales, Dairy Cattle and Poultry judging.

The Poultry B Team took first place. Halle Hayes was 2^nd high individual, Emma Thompson was 4^th and Ashlyn Velasquez finished 5^th. The Poultry A Team finished 3rd. The Dairy Judging B team placed 4^th overall. Garrett Vannoster was 10^th high individual. The Dairy A Team finished 3^rd, with Morgan Way placing 5^th and Tucker Roberts 10^th individually.

Multiple local law enforcement agencies show their support for the Joplin Police Department. Two Joplin officers are in critical condition and one is dead after a shooting broke out yesterday afternoon.

The Independence, Coffeyville, Parsons and several other local police departments shared their condolences on Facebook as well as the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office. Cherokee County Sheriff David Groves says he is saddened for the family and friends, whose lives will never be the same and for other law enforcement officers, including those who arrived on scene to find their co-workers fighting for their lives.  

The Independence Fire Department and EMS were dispatched to a reported structure fire at the Garden Walk Apartments. First arriving units found an apartment fire with a bedroom fully on fire.

Crews started working on putting out the fire while the Independence Police Department aided with search and rescue of the apartment complex. The fire was brought under control within 15 minutes, and all residences were safely evacuated, along with three animals rescued. The fire was contained to just the one apartment and was isolated to a bedroom, and contents to that bedroom were considered a total loss. The fire is under investigation by the IFD and IPD. All other residents were allowed to return to their apartments.

A Coffeyville man has been arrested and charged with the rape of an infant. Charges were filed against 56-year-old Archie Leon Cannon, who was arrested by the Coffeyville Police Department last Thursday.

Cannon is charged with one count of rape where the victim is under the age of 14 and one count of witness intimidation. In a Facebook post, the parents of the victim say that the infant was just four months old and had to have surgery as a result of the incident. Cannon will make his first appearance in court next Tuesday.   

The Kansas Department of Transportation has closed U.S. 166 at the intersection with 5 Mile Avenue east of Baxter Springs as work to expand U.S. 166 begins. Traffic should follow the signed state route detour on U.S. 400 and U.S. 69A.

The closure will remain in effect until this summer. U.S. 166 traffic will be shifted to two 12-foot lanes south of the K-26 junction, with a speed limit reduction of 55 miles per hour. KDOT is expanding U.S. 166 to four lanes and constructing two interchanges from U.S. 400 southeast to the Kansas-Missouri state line. The expanded U.S. 166 alignment and interchanges should be open to traffic by late May 2024, weather permitting.

KDOT awarded the construction contract of $54.8 million to Emery Sapp & Sons of Kansas City, Mo.

The Coffeyville Recreation Commission has announced that the popular Daddy/Daughter Ball will return for 2022.

CRC Special Events Coordinator Jaime Grant says a lot of thought went into bringing back this event.

The Daddy/Daughter Ball will be Saturday, April 9^th from 6 pm – 8 pm with the doors opening at 5 pm to begin taking pictures. The cost for the ball is $6 per person in district and $8.00 per person out of district. You must register beforehand as tickets will not be sold at the door. The registration deadline is April 4^th with the late registration deadline on April 8^th.

For more information or to register, call CRC at 251-5910.

Independence Community College will be closed for Spring Break from March 14th until March 18th.   

The Residence Hall will be open during this time and Food Services will be offering a Brunch and Dinner menu.   The ICC Softball team will be in action over the break. You can visit www.indypirates.com for a complete softball schedule. 

A ribbon-cutting ceremony is held on the campus of Pittsburg State University.

The ribbon-cutting was for the renovated Original Broadway Entrance in front of Russ Hall. The ceremony kicked off the annual Apple Day observance, which is a day that celebrates the founding of Pitt State. The Original Broadway Entrance was erected in 1940 and was a gift from the senior classes of 1936 through 1940. Senior class gifts from the classes of 2000 and 2003 through 2008 helped fund its recent renovation.

As a part of Severe Weather Preparedness Week, the National Weather Service in Topeka will conduct a tornado drill at 10:00am today.

Everyone is encouraged to participate in the drill by practicing seeking secure, safe shelter from a tornado. Test sirens will go off in Montgomery, Labette and Cherokee County as well as other surrounding counties.

The Nowata County assessor has resigned. The commissioners accepted the resignation of Chandee Hawk at yesterday's meeting. Hawk has served in the role since being appointed in October 2019. Commission Chairman Burke LaRue says he is grateful for the work Hawk has done for the county.

Hawk is taking a role with the Oklahoma Tax Commission. The resignation is effective March 13^th. The board will need to appoint a temporary replacement, which could be done at the March 14^th meeting. The position comes up for election this year.

One is injured and police are looking for a person of interest following a shooting in the parking lot of a bar in Parsons.

When officers arrived, there was a large crowd of people surrounding the victim, who was identified as 42-year-old Tyrone Mayweathers of Kansas City.  Mayweathers had multiple gunshot wounds. Officers rendered first aid before releasing him to EMS.  According to witnesses, there was a large fight in front of the bar that quickly escalated to gunshots.

The police have a person of interest, who was identified as David Lamont Young III. Police are asking for any information leading to the location of Young for questioning about the fight and shooting. The police are not yet naming Young as a suspect. Raymond Rigazio and Daruis Colbert are also wanted for questioning about the shooting.

Motorists traveling on U.S. 400 in Montgomery County should give themselves extra time as the Kansas Department of Transportation has started a full-depth concrete patching project on U.S. 400 in Montgomery County.

Crews are replacing concrete on the four-lane section at the south junction with U.S. 75. U.S. 400 traffic will be restricted to one lane with a speed limit of 50 miles an hour at the work zones. Weather permitting, the road work should be finished by the end of the month.

KDOT reminds drivers to obey the signs and drive carefully.

Late winter and early spring can be the ideal time for controlled agricultural burning. 911 Dispatch Director Brandy Scott says if you are planning a controlled burn let dispatch or your fire department know.

Scott says letting them know ahead of time keeps them from sending the fire department out to a fire that doesn't need to be put out. She says if a fire does get out of control the first thing to do is call 911.  Scott says the same would apply for any non-agricultural related controlled burns like burning brush or trash.

The Chautauqua County Commission took care of several items of business at its meeting Monday morning.

The commission granted a 10-year tax abatement to Sedan Floral. An abatement is a reduction or exemption on the level of taxes owed by an individual or property.

In other business, the commission approved the Fire District boards for 2022 with no changes made. Emergency Management Officer Cody Collier offered no input on any possible changes.

The commission meets once again next Monday, March 14th.

A Bill has made its way through the Kansas House that will help support the department of wildlife and parks through license plates. Representative Doug Blex says as someone who worked for wildlife and parks it was an honor to introduce the Bill.

Representative Blex says the four licenses plates come with an added benefit.  House Bill 2597 will still have to make its way through the Senate. Representative Blex says it passed through the House on a 116 to 5 vote.

An arrest is made during a joint narcotics traffic enforcement between the Montgomery County Sheriff's, Neodesha Police Department and the KBI. The enforcement was along the Montgomery and Wilson County line on Highway 400 and Highway 75.

At around 11:35pm Friday night, a deputy conducted a traffic stop on a 2010 Toyota Camry. During the stop, Police Service Dog Hector was used and hit on the vehicle indicating the odor of illegal narcotics. Deputies searched the vehicle and located crystal methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. The driver, David Arnold of Neodesha, was taken into custody.

In all during the traffic enforcement, deputies and officers seized over 5 ounces of marijuana along with other THC products, drug paraphernalia and crystal methamphetamine.   

The Inter-State Farm and Home Show was a huge success 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. KGGF and KRIG would like to thank the Coffeyville Community College for their hospitality along with everyone who made the show possible from security, vendors, and the many people who came out to visit the exhibits. 

There were many door prizes given out throughout the weekend from the stations along with vendors.

Door Prize Winners from Saturday’s Drawing Include:

• Ashley Ledford and Sierra Oyler both of Coffeyville won a gift bag from Scentsy from Melissa Kastler 

• Denise Hugenot from Derby Kansas Gift Bag from Ashlynn Nicole’s Boutique

• Susan Joplin and Doug Misch both of Coffeyville won Advantage Spot Remover from Advantage Carpet Care

• Ken Froebe won a stainless steel mug from Lewis Cattle Oilers 

• Ron Lona of Coffeyville won a Case Construction Die Cast toy from Washington County Equipment 

• Crystal Vannoster of Coffeyville won a four-pack of oils from Cask and Grove of Independence

• Charlie Farrow Senior won a Family bundle from American Heritage Beef Company

• Linda McFall of Coffeyville won a $50 Gift Certificate from The Crafty Candle Shoppe 

• Mark Waits of Coffeyville won a 1 year Air Evac Membership from Air Evac Lifeteam

• Shailynn Bisch of Fredonia and Kathy Cook of Coffeyville both won charcuterie boards from T-Bar Mercantile 

• Caitlyn Briggs of Edna won a gift basket from Bluestem Body

• Crystal White of Caney won a Coffeyville Kansas Mug with Icee Candy from Visit Coffeyville

• Carol Swiger of Coffeyville Won a pair of tickets to Hot Rods and High Heels in the Clay Cooper Theratre, Grand Jubilee at the Grand Country Music Hall and The World’s Largest Toy Museum

• Tom Stritzke of Nowata Won a 4 Pack to Arbuckle Wilderness in Davis, OK

• Janey Reynolds of Ark City won a pair of tickets to the Dean Z Ultimate Elvis at the Clay Cooper Theater, Comedy Jamboree and the Down Home Country at the Grand Country Music Hall

• Roger Hathcoat won a pair of tickets to The Country Express, Ozark Gospel and The World’s Largest Toy Museum

• Katie Walker from Piedmont, OK won a Family 4 Pack to Riversport and National Cowboy Museum

• Wanda Garnett of Coffeyville Won a Family 4 Pack to The Great Passion Play and Turpentine Creek Wildlife

• Becky Isle Won a Weekend Getaway to Branson including two nights stay at the Comfort Inn at Thousand Hills from Myer Hotels and tickets to shows and attractions

• Katy Greer won the $500 Cash from KRIG 104.9

Friday's winners can be found here.

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:

• Janae Taylor won a $150 Gift Certificate from Rejuvenation Med Spa

• Tom Barton won 15 lbs of Ground Beef from American Heritage Beef Company

• Troy Jones won a 30-minute massage from Advanced Physical Therapy

• Robert Kriebel Won a pair of tickets to the Comedy Jamboree at the Grand Country Music Hall, Hot Rods and High Heels at Clay Cooper Theatre, and the World’s Largest Toy Museum.

• Mary Schaplowsky Won a 4 Pack to Arbuckle Wilderness in Davis, OK

• Ron Rhodes Won a 4 Pack to Stafford Air and Space Museum in Weatherford, OK

• Bob Reed Won a pair of tickets to Ozark Country at the Grand Country Music Hall and Hot Rods and High Heels at Clay Cooper Theatre

• Nancy Gregory Won a Family 4 Pack to Riversport and National Cowboy Museum

• David Harkins Won a Family 4 Pack to The Great Passion Play and Turpentine Creek Wildlife

• Jenell Hughes Won a Weekend Getaway to Branson including two nights stay at the Comfort Inn at Thousand Hills from Myer Hotels and tickets to shows and attractions

• Rhonda Shy Won $500 Cash from KGGF 690

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

A 23-year old man has pleaded no contest in the fatal shooting of a Coffeyville man.

Ethan Bellamy had been accused of shooting and killing 38-year-old Otis Horner at an east Coffeyville apartment complex in June 2020.

As a result of a plea agreement with the Montgomery County Attorney's Office, Bellamy entered the no-contest plea.

Bellamy was originally charged with first-degree murder, attempted aggravated robbery, criminal discharge of a firearm, and aggravated assault. Sentencing for Bellamy has been set for May 26^th.

Bellamy faces 4½ to 20½ years in prison for voluntary manslaughter.

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PREVIOUS STORY: Coffeyville Police Department Investigating Homicide

*KOAM helped contribute to this report

Due to expectations that this year's street maintenance season will be a challenging one, Pittsburg street crews are getting a headstart on pothole repairs.

Winter weather is always hard on roads, but freeze and thaw cycles like we’ve seen in Pittsburg the past two months can cause worse conditions. Extreme fluctuations in temperature combined with heavy snow and ice accumulation is rough on streets. Add sand, big trucks, and other de-icing treatments to the mix, and you get a recipe for potholes. For now, crews will be working with cold patch asphalt, which is a temporary measure until the weather is favorable and better materials become available.

An Arcadia man is left injured after a non-contact crash in Pittsburg.

55-year-old, Kevin Murphy was riding his Harley Davidson motorcycle when, 59-year-old, Pat Yeoman, turned in front of Murphy. Murphy laid the motorcycle over to avoid there being a collision. Murphy was taken to Pittsburg hospital with reports of a minor injury. Pat Yeoman sustained no injuries and was wearing his seatbelt.

The State of Kansas has been awarded the Governor's Cup for 2021. This award is presented by Site Selection Magazine for the state with the most economic development per capita in the country. This is the first time in state history that Kansas has received this national economic development award.

Governor Laura Kelly says this is proof of their efforts to secure a strong foundation for economic growth by staying focused on the issues that Kansans elected them to take care of, like fully funding public schools, strengthening roads, bridges, and high-speed internet, have paid off. In 2019, Kansas was ranked 20th out of all the 50 states for capital investment per capita, and in 2020 Kansas moved up to 10th.

Kansas Legislators join together in a bipartisan effort on the statehouse steps to pass a resolution in support of Ukraine.

Representative Doug Blex says the Country of Ukraine and the State of Kansas have some things in common.  The legislators were joined by Ukrainian students from both the University of Kansas and Johnson County Community College.

The Sixth Annual Inter-State Farm and Home Show begins today in Coffeyville.

Join KGGF and KRIG as the doors open up at 1:00pm today and are open until 7:00pm tonight. Then tomorrow the doors will open up at 8:30am in the morning and be open until 4:00pm tomorrow afternoon. The farm and home show is located at Nellis Hall on the campus of Coffeyville Community College.

There will be two gyms full of vendors as well as vendors set up outside. There will be multiple chances to win door prizes including a $500 giveaway each day. Both admission and parking are free. The 2022 Inter-State Farm and Home show is presented by Bartlett Co-op.

Meteorologists from the National Weather Service in Witchita will present a special training on severe weather in Independence.

The program is titled “ Storm Fury on the Plains” the presentation is set to take place on Wednesday, April 6^th at 6:00 p.m. inside Memorial Hall located at 410 North Penn in Independence. This event is free to the public and no registration is required.

The program provides severe weather training and education for everyone. The sessions will last about two hours and will provide information about storms and severe weather safety.

Governor Laura Kelly has announced $160 million in grants available for child care providers in Kansas. The third round of Child Care Sustainability Grants will aid child care providers in meeting the costs of operating their businesses through the remaining impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Qualifying child care providers are guaranteed nine months of payments ranging from $1,800 per month for family child care programs to $18,000 per month for large centers. In addition, the providers will be eligible for an additional five months of funding either in the same amount or more, depending on the utilization of the grants during the first nine months.

The grant program will be administered by Child Care Aware of Kansas. The grant application is available here. Applications are accepted until November 30.

Grant dollars may be used for personnel costs, rent/mortgage, utilities, personal protective equipment, goods or services, purchases of or updates to equipment and supplies, and mental health supports.

The Pittsburg Parks and Recreation Department is gearing up to host its first Underachiever’s .5K starting at 1:00 pm on March 12^th at Shelter #3 in Lincoln Park.

This race includes a t-shirt, donuts at the starting line, and pizza at the finish line. There will be cornhole available for those that what to play afterward.

Participants can register by calling the Pittsburg Parks and Recreation Department at 620-231-8310 or in person at 710 West 9^th Street. Early-bird registration is only $25.

For additional information regarding the Underachiever’s event, contact the Pittsburg Parks & Recreation Department at 620-231-8310.

Dangerous Fire conditions return to the Southeast Kansas area on Saturday.

According to the National Weather Service in Wichita, strong southwest and west winds will combine with dry air behind an advancing dryline to produce extreme to very high fire danger on Saturday.

Wind gusts between 30 mph to 45 mph are possible. Outdoor burning is highly discouraged and be mindful of any activity that may cause a spark.

The Coffeyville Community College men's soccer team is hosting a youth soccer clinic later this month.

From March 14th through the 18th, 9AM to 12PM, boys and girls ages 6-14 will be able to work directly with members of the CCC men's soccer team. Participants will be taught technical drills, and will take part in team building games and competitions. Prizes will be given out.

The cost is $40 per day, or $150 for all five days. Questions can go to head coach Keelan Barker at 316-990-1885, or barker.keelan@coffeyville.edu.

A high-speed chase that reaches over 100mph ends in a foot chase in Montgomery County.

Earlier this week, a deputy with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office was patrolling in Independence, when he observed a Blue Ford Focus swerving from lane to lane. As the deputy attempted to stop the vehicle, it sped off reaching over 100mph in a 40mph zone. The vehicle continued swerving in and out of traffic as it exited the city limits. The vehicle came to stop on County Road 4600 where the driver exited the car and the deputy pursued on foot.

The driver was identified as Cheyenne Dodge, who had an active arrest warrant out of Labette County. Dodge was transported to the Montgomery County Department of Corrections and was booked for fleeing law enforcement as well as numerous other traffic violations.

The U.S. Senate has passed legislation to stop President Joe Biden's COVD-19 vaccine mandate for healthcare workers. Senator Roger Marshall, who put forth the resolution, says the federal vaccine mandate is not about public health or science.

Marshall says this legislation getting passed is a huge victory for those who worked to stop this vaccine mandate. He says healthcare workers are the true heroes of the pandemic and deserve their best fight and utmost respect.

A U.S. Senator from Kansas calls for a unified response from the Senate for Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Senator Jerry Moran says this war is a terrible tragedy but is also a wake-up call for America.

Senator Moran says each of these challenges can be met if the Senate is unified in purpose. He says they have done it before and they can do it again.

The Montgomery County Action Council is working on site certification in the county. Interim Director Tom Simpson says in the State of Kansas there are about twelve pages of requirements for certified sites for industry.

Simpson says this is a big project for MCAC that he hopes can be finished by this summer around May or June. He says he wants the new director to be able to come in and this be done.

Yet another phone scam is making the rounds in Montgomery County.

The scam involves the caller impersonating an officer with the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, saying that the receiver owes money and that deputies will arrest them if they do not pay.

The department's Facebook account took to social media to warn people of the scam, and remind people that the sheriff's office will never call and ask for money, or tell you that you owe. They'll also never call and tell you that a warrant will be placed on you if you do not pay. If you find yourself receiving a call like this, immediately hang up the phone.

Affordable health insurance will be coming to members of the Coffeyville Area Chamber of Commerce.

Chamber Director Candi Westbrook shares a few details of the new plan.

Westbrook says she is excited to be able to offer this insurance to Chamber members and that if your business is interested in this insurance, to give her a call at 620-251-2550.

More information about this program will be e-mailed out in the coming weeks.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has seen crude oil prices spike to over $110 a barrel.   Coffeyville Resources currently has Kansas Common selling for an average price of 97.5 and Oklahoma Sweet for 103.37. The increase in the global price of oil has led to higher pump prices in the U.S. Kansas saw a 15 cent increase which ranked third for the largest increase in the country since last week.

In Montgomery and Chautauqua County, residents are paying $3.39/gallon which is 30 cents higher than a month ago while Labette County residents are shelling out $3.34/gallon which is 5 cents lower than the state average of $3.39. Elk County is the lowest in the immediate area at $3.02/gallon.

Oklahoma's prices are up 26 cents over the past month to $3.31/gallon. Washington County is currently $3.38/gallon while Nowata County sits at $3.29/gallon.

The national average for a gallon of gas is $3.65, which is 12 cents more than a month ago and 93 cents more than a year ago.

The City of Coffeyville is looking to rename the Coffeyville Aquatic Center. The city is holding a contest to rename the aquatic center A link to submit your name can be found here.

You can also submit name suggestions to the city clerk's office. You have until April 1^st to submit names for the contest. After that submissions will be narrowed down and the public will vote for the winner. The new name will be revealed at the 20^th anniversary celebration on July 4^th. The person with the winning name will receive a pool pass for the season.

A number of topics were covered during President Joe Biden's State of the Union address last night including the situation in Ukraine, COVID and the economy. Senator Roger Marshall says the state of the union the President described is not what Kansans are describing to him.

Senator Marshall says there were some positive takeaways from the address as the President mentioned securing the border and funding the police.  Before last night's address, Senator Marshall did introduce legislation that would ban the U.S. purchase of Russian oil. Marshall says the U.S. purchases nearly one million barrels a day from Russia.

The City of Independence's First Friday of March is coming up this Friday morning from 7:30 am until 9:00 am at the Civic Center.

Independence Chamber of Commerce Director Lisa Wilson gives a preview of what we can expect to see.

Wilson says the speakers for the event will be Moises Rivera of the IHS JAG-K Program, Hannah Joyce from the William Inge Theatre Festival, Kelly Passauer and David Cowan with the City of Independence annual report, and Chris Kumke from the ICC E-Sports program.

Attendance to First Friday is free and open to the public.

A significant streetscape improvement project is underway in Independence on Main Street. The project will include a complete reconstruction of the street, sidewalks, and underground stormwater runoff systems from east of the intersection of 8th Street and Main west to the east side of the 10th Street and Main intersection.

This two-block section of Main Street will be closed to vehicle traffic for the duration of the project, which is estimated to take approximately four months, depending on weather conditions. Eastbound U.S. Highway 160 traffic will detour on 10th Street north to Chestnut and westbound traffic will detour using 6th Street north to Chestnut.

The $1.7 million project was made possible with the help of a $1 million grant awarded by the Kansas Department of Transportation, with matching monies provided through the City’s infrastructure improvement budget.

Police are looking for information on a hit and run incident in Caney involving a parked car.

Yesterday evening at around 9:45p.m. someone struck a vehicle in the 500 block of East 5^th St. in Caney.  The driver of the vehicle fled from the scene and did not report the accident to the police.  If anyone has any information concerning this incident, please contact Caney Police Department at 620-879-2141.

Tickets for the upcoming OK Cooking School are officialy on sale as of today.

Those interested in purchasing reserved seating can do so at the Bartlesville Community Center website. Furthermore, those interested in VIP tickets can call 918-336-1001.

The OK Cooking School is coming up on April 12th. Regular tickets are $11 each. Make sure to arrive early to enjoy many vendor booths from around the area.

The Coffeyville Police Department has won a AAA Community Traffic Safety Award.

CPD was one of 35 law enforcement agencies in the state to win the award. Others in the area include Cherokee County Sheriff's Office, Parsons Police Department and Pittsburg Police Department. The award is given out to law enforcement agencies who keep their communities safe through a variety of initiatives and programs. CPD was awarded with a gold level award.  Cherokee County, Parsons and Pittsburg were all awarded with the platinum level.

Coffeyville's Housing and Community Development Department is now officially open to the public.

The USDA Section 523 Mutual Self-Help Housing Grant has invested $624,960 in the city. Coffeyville is the only city in the State of Kansas to receive this grant, and the team in the Housing Department is ready to receive applications and begin finding the families for the first five homes. Applications are received by appointment only, and homes are awarded by USDA on a first-come, first-served basis.

Students from Caney Valley High School post racist imagery on social media.  Students shared a picture on social media and is now being shared on Facebook as well. The picture depicts a racist and violent act.

USD 436 has responded to the incident saying that they in no way condone the actions of the students involved. In a letter posted on Facebook, the school says that after a multi-day investigation, the incident has been handled according to the district's student disciplinary policy. The school is working on creating a new strategic plan that will include a racial equality component.