Two 14-year-old girls charged with the first-degree murder of an Augusta woman enter pleas of not guilty.

 The two are accused of killing 93-year-old Joanne Johnson in her Augusta home on September 3^rd of last year. Because they are being tried as juveniles, the two are being referred to as I.H. And A.W. Kansas law states that no person under the age of 14 can be tried as an adult. Both girls were 13 when the alleged crime occurred.

The judge in the case denied a motion to release the affidavit and charging documents, so other details about the case will not be released.

The next hearing for both girls is scheduled for October 31.

 The Kansas Highway Patrol reminds drivers this Labor Day Weekend to plan for safe travels and a safe observance of the holiday.

 Troopers will be on Kansas highways as a part of the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign. Adult beverages are often part of Labor Day celebrations but Shawn Steward of Triple-A Kansas says part of a good safety plan is to have a sober driver.

Steward adds that driving while impaired is a risk for everyone on the road.

For those traveling this weekend, check your vehicle's condition before starting your trip, including tires, fluid levels, and mechanical equipment. Allow plenty of time to arrive at your destination. Pack an emergency kit for the car that includes water, flashlights, chargers, blankets, and non perishable food. And, always wear your seatbelt.

You can also check road conditions at kandrive.org.

K-H-P reminds all drivers that the leading causes of traffic crashes are excessive speed, inattention, and impaired drivers.

 Senator Jerry Moran takes a firm stance on a proposed national electric corridor in Kansas.

 The National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor or NIETC is a geographic area proposed by the U.S. Department of Energy that is expected to have transmission capacity constraints or congestion that would adversely affect consumers. Parts of the proposed corridor would run east-west across northern Kansas and north-south across western Kansas.

Senator Jerry Moran says he has been traveling in the potentially affected areas and has heard from those who live and work in the areas.

Kansans who would like to offer comments on the proposed transmission line to the Department of Energy, can email NIETC@hq.doe.gov

 A Wichita Cub Scout Pack is asking for the public's help in locating their stolen trailer.

 The trailer belongs to Cub Scout Pack 662 at the Calvary United Methodist Church at 29^th and Rock Road. The organization says someone cut the chains on the trailer and stole it on August 15. The trailer is white and measures 5 by 8 feet. It has a side door and a single swing door in the back with a red and blue shield. The license plate says “Under 2M.” The trailer was full of camping equipment used by the Cub Scouts.

This is the third time the pack's trailer has been stolen. It also happened in 2019 and 2015.

 A Joplin woman is arrested in Galena for vehicle burglary.

 38-year-old Tiffany Walker was taken into custody by Galena Police in connection to a recent string of car burglaries, thefts, and damage to property cases. Several victims were able to get most of their property back. Walker has been charged with multiple crimes including Aggravated Burglary, Theft, Possession of Marijuana and drug paraphernalia. More charges are expected to be filed.

The Galena Police reminds the public to lock vehicles at night and keep exterior lights on to deter criminal behavior.

Photo courtesy Galena Police Department

 Police in northwest Arkansas give chase to a stolen bus that ends on railroad tracks.

 The chase began with reports of a stolen motorcoach bus around 3am yesterday morning. Police spotted the bus in question around 7:45am on I-40 near Little Rock. Officers attempted to pull the bus over when the driver fled onto a nearby state highway. The suspect then drove the bus into the Union Pacific Rail Yard Terminal in North Little Rock, where a State Trooper disabled the vehicle by shooting out the tires.

29-year-old Elvin Richard was arrested without further incident in the case. He faces multiple charges including Commercial Burglary and Felony Fleeing.

Photo courtesy Arkansas State Police

 The Kansas Bureau of Investigation, has positively identified the man found deceased inside a pickup truck in a field in Harvey County last Sunday.

 The KBI along with the Harvey County Sheriff’s Office and the Kansas Highway Patrol, have determined the deceased man is 42-year-old Jonathan Clayton of Peabody. Clayton has been missing since August 3^rd. He had been serving as the Interim City Clerk in Peabody when allegations surfaced linking him to missing Covid funds in the central Kansas town.

An autopsy was performed and investigators say foul play is not suspected.

 An Independence teen is dead following an accident involving a car and an electric scooter in Independence.

 18-year-old Noah Corish was riding an electric scooter on Chestnut Street around 7:30 yesterday morning when a Chevy Silverado driven by 39-year-old Brent Heuer of Elk City attempted to turn onto Penn Avenue from Chestnut. Corish failed to yield and was struck in the intersection by the pick up. Corish was taken to Labette Health, but did not survive. He was not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident.

 The Kansas Bureau of Investigation is called in to investigate an officer involved shooting that occurred yesterday in Coffeyville.

 On Thursday afternoon just after 3pm, officers from the Coffeyville Police Department conducted a traffic stop on a Ford pickup truck near the intersection of 4^th Street and Poplar Place in Coffeyville. The driver of the truck, identified as by 33-year-old Derik Trotter of Coffeyville, was also connected to an active investigation.

Reports indicate that officers attempted to serve a search warrant for items in Trotter's possession . During the attempt, officers detained Trotter and attempted to place him in handcuffs. Officers say Trotter fought back and tried to escape, prompting the officers to deploy Tasers. Trotter continued to be combative and one of the officers fired his gun, striking Trotter.

Trotter was taken to Coffeyville Regional Medical Center where he was pronounced deceased. None of the Coffeyville Police officers were injured in the incident.

When the KBI concludes its investigation, the findings will be sent to the Montgomery County Attorney's Office for review.

The investigation is ongoing.

Photo by Darah Seaton

Scattered hit-or-miss storms are on the way today for the four states.

Winds up to 50 mph and pea-sized hail is possible for southeast Kansas into northeast Oklahoma after 2 p.m. Pockets of heavy rainfall are also possible. The best chance for storms for Coffeyville is around 5 p.m., although storm chances will continue through the overnight hours. Organized severe weather is not expected, but isolated severe storms could develop and produce damaging winds. KGGF will provide severe weather coverage today should it be needed.

A resurfacing project on U.S. 160 will start next week.

Kansas Department of Transportation expects to begin resurfacing work on U.S. 160 starting on Tuesday, September 3^rd. The work will begin at the east city limits of Oswego and continue east for almost 15 miles, ending at the junction with U.S. 69/K-7. Project activity includes concrete repairs, milling and pavement markings. Flaggers and a pilot car operation will direct one-lane traffic through the work zone during daylight hours. Drivers can expect delays of 15 minutes or less. The road work should be finished by mid-October, weather permitting. KDOT awarded the construction contracts totaling $2.1 million to Emery Sapp & Sons Inc. and Subsidiaries of Columbia, Missouri.

***** Update *****

CES has been given the all-clear from the Coffeyville Police Department.  School dismissal will continue as normal.  A portion of 4th Street remains closed due to the active investigation.  New reports indicate the incident stemmed from a traffic stop.

***** Original Story *****

First responders are on the scene of an active investigation in Coffeyville.

Today Just before 3 p.m., law enforcement responded to the 1700 block of West 4th Street in Coffeyville near Jigg's Smoke Shop.  Those nearby report hearing multiple gunshots.  Dr. Craig Correll confirms that Community Elementary School was locked down as of just after 3 p.m.  Nearby businesses also locked down.  The City of Coffeyville is asking all to avoid the area as the investigation takes place.  There's no official word on injuries at this time.  This is a breaking news story, we'll have more as it develops.

Photo Courtesy Darah Seaton

 A Washington County woman is arrested on violation of child custody court order charges.

 Authorities say Hope Jones attempted to pick her three kids up from school early last week, but Jones and the children's father have a custody agreement, and there is no language in the agreement saying Jones can pick the children up from school.

 The father is attempting full custody of the children.

 Jones' next court date is set for the first of November.

 The Joplin Police Department releases more details on a fatal semi-trailer rollover accident on I-44 Tuesday.

 JPD says 58-year old Mario Andres Guerrero Suarez, of Blue Springs, Missouri, was killed when the semi, heading eastbound on I-44, left the roadway near the 13-mile marker, struck the center median cables, and rolled over.

 Joplin Fire responded, as the trailer was carrying a corrosive chemical. The hazardous material situation was cleaned up and I-44 reopened to normal traffic just before 5:00 pm.

 The crash remains under investigation by the Joplin Police Department Major Crash Team.

Coffeyville's newest pizza restaurant is almost ready to open.

Coffeyville Chamber of Commerce Director Candi Westbrook says Domino's should open next month.

Westbook says Domino's is currently hiring in preparation to open their doors.

The Chamber has more information on the jobs available in person or on their website.  The new restaurant is located at the corner of 11^th and Read Avenue.

The Cherokee Nation will have one of their biggest celebrations of the year this weekend.

The Cherokee National Holiday starts tomorrow in Tahlequah to commemorate the signing of the Cherokee Nation Constitution in 1839.

Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr tells News on 6 and says the event has important historical and cultural significance.

This three-day event starts Friday and has been going on since 1952. Visitors can expect great art, music, an inter-tribal pow-wow and a parade. Hoskin says it's exciting to see everyone come together.

Hoskin will also give a State of the Nation speech at 11 a.m. on Saturday.

Kansas officials are announcing $5.6 million in grants to help improve supply chain issues.

Governor Laura Kelly made the announcement yesterday. Forty-nine projects across the state will receive funding. Eight of those will go to infrastructure and the rest will go to food and farm businesses to improve supply chain operations.

Recipients in southeast Kansas include The Kitchen C and C in Fort Scott, Schenker Family Farms in McCune, My Country Life in Alamont, and Salt Creek Farm in Eureka.

Secretary of Agriculture Mike Beam stated that with this financial support, Kansans will see improvements across the middle of the state's food supply chain, including increased food processing infrastructure, producer aggregation points, and product storage.

The 2024 Thayer Homecoming is underway with lots of fun events happening over the next few days.

Highlights include a free watermelon feed tonight at 6pm followed by gospel music by the Thayer community churches and a kids shodeo at 8pm. Tomorrow night includes a baby contest at the bandshell. Registration happens at 6:30pm. Then it’s Cow Patty Bingo at 8 and live music by Ty Ellis and the Flatliners at 8:30. A full day of activities on Saturday will include a 5K run, a car show, a parade at 11am, with music by Craig Cook and the Marauders at 9. There will be a bass tournament and an ATV shodeo on Sunday. It all happens this weekend in Thayer.

CVR Energy will conduct a siren alarm test on Tuesday, September 10, at 10 a.m.

CVR Energy and CVR Partners will conduct a drill of the emergency response plan together with the siren test. The community sirens are located west of Linden Street between 4th and 5th Streets and at 1st and Maple Streets. Company employees will be located throughout the community in order to evaluate the quality of the sirens. If severe weather is forecast for that day, the test will be postponed.

The City of Miami, OK, reports the brush pile at the city Solid Waste facility has burned.

Reports indicate it caught fire sometime yesterday afternoon. The City says it did not set the fire and the Miami Fire Department says it isn’t sure how the blaze ignited. The fire was allowed to burn out on its own. The investigation into the cause continues.

Dove season starts this Sunday in Kansas and Oklahoma. K-State Wildcat Extension District Diversified Agriculture and Natural Resource Agent Adaven Rohling says morning doves are one of the most popular game birds in all of North America.

Rohling says dove can be found in a variety of landscapes. Rohling says most dove in the area have migrated south by October but some stick around throughout the fall and winter. In Kansas, dove season runs from September 1^st to November 29^th, in Oklahoma from September 1^st to October 31^st and then reopens from December 1^st to the 29^th.

An incumbent in Nowata County is defeated in yesterday's election.

Challenger Brandon Wesson defeated Incumbent Timmie Benson in the race for Nowata County Commissioner for District 2. Wesson took 55% of the votes, while Benson had 45% and 119 votes. Wesson says he is happy with the results and looks forward to what he wants to bring to the position.

Incumbent Benson has served as a Commissioner since January 2021. Wesson is slated to take over in January of 2025.

This year's corn harvest has started in southeast Kansas.

That's according to K-State Research and Extension Wildcat District Crop Agent James Coover. Across Kansas, corn is listed at 20% mature, near 16% last year and ahead of the average at 12%.  Coover says while initial yeilds look good, he's unsure about corn that was planted later.

On the soybean front, soybeans are meeting benchmarks statewide, with 50% of the crop in good shape. Coover says development has been behind due to lack of rain.

Coover thinks soybean yeilds in southeast Kansas will be below average but says there will be at least something worth harvesting.

A small plane makes an emergency landing on a highway near Talequah.

The incident happened on Monday morning when the pilot lost oil pressure in his plane and was forced to make an emergency landing in the eastbound lane of the roadway. The Talequah Fire Department responded to the call and shut down traffic on the highway while the pilot repaired the plane. He was then able to take off and land at the Talequah airport.

The pilot was uninjured in the initial emergency landing.

Ottawa County, OK, residents in need of food assistance can visit the Emergency Food Pantry at the Ottawa County Health Department.

The Health Department has partnered with the Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma to offer emergency food boxes filled with non-perishable items to assist anyone in need. The Emergency Food Pantry is open Monday through Friday from 8am to 11am and from 1pm to 4pm. It is located at 1930 North Elm Street in Miami. Call 918-540-2481 to learn about requirements. Households may only receive one box per household a month.

Coffeyville Friends of Animals is asking for donations to help with a much-needed surgery on one of their animals.

The animal is an adult female cat named Miss Kitty. It was thought the animal was pregnant but further examination revealed the feline to have a condition called pyometra or an enlarged uterus. The condition can be fatal if not treated quickly. The shelter does not want to euthanize the cat, but the surgery will cost $400. CFA would appreciate any donations that can be made to save Miss Kitty’s life.

Donation links:

Venmo: @coffeyvillefriendsofanimals

 

PayPal: Coffeyville Friends Of Animals INC.

 

Physical Address:

4955 CR 1400

Coffeyville, KS 67337

 

Mailing Address:

Coffeyville Friends of Animals

P.O. Box 1654

Coffeyville, KS 67337

A new addiction treatment center opens in Crawford County.

The Crawford County Mental Health Center held a ribbon cutting ceremony yesterday for a new addiction treatment center in Pittsburg. The center contains 24 residential and intermediate beds as well as four social detox beds. It will also house a crisis stabilization unit for short-term supportive care.

The new center is expected to allow individuals to visit the same clinician for the duration of their care and increase the number of those available to help with treatment, which should significantly increase addiction treatment in southeast Kansas.

Two new executive directors are introduced during the Coffeyville City Commission meeting.

New Executive Director of Utilities Chris Weiner says he comes from Monnett, Missouri where he served as the City Administrator.  Also introduced at the meeting is the new Executive Director of Public Works Jim Wright, who says he has been working for Montgomery County for the last 17 years.

In other business, the Commission authorized a CDBG grant for a Commercial Rehabilitation Project.

There are about 22 species of frogs that can be found around Kansas. K-State Fisheries and Aquatics Extension Specialist Joe Gerken says the bullfrog is the most common type of frog in the state.

Gerken says the presence of frogs around a pond can indicate that the water is pretty healthy.  Gerken says tadpoles can control how long they remain tadpoles. So if there is a high number of predators present they'll speed up the process to become frogs quicker. On average the tadpole stage is one to two months but for some bullfrog species can be one to two years.

 The hot, dry weather of August in southeast Kansas often leads to the shifting of soil underground.

 Those changes in the earth can lead to twisting of underground pipes, which is why water leaks are frequent at this time of year. The City of Altamont has been busy looking for leaky pipes in the city water system. City Administrator LeeAnn Myers says sometimes things that look like water leaks aren't really leaks after all.

The City of Altamont continues to look for ways to improve their water system.

 A driver towing a trailer on I-35 in Oklahoma leads to an unusual traffic mishap.

 The driver was traveling northbound on I-35 near Ardmore, OK, this morning when his trailer began to rise. The driver was unaware this was happening … that is, until the rising trailer hit an overhead road sign and ripped the trailer from his truck. The trailer ended up on its end and leaning against the sign while traffic in the northbound lanes came to a standstill. The trailer made for an unusual sight for those stuck in traffic during the clean up. Fortunately, there were no injuries.

Photo courtesy Oklahoma Highway Patrol

 The Montgomery County Commission sets the date for the approval of the 2025 budget for September 9^th.

 In order to give the public a chance to review and comment on the budget, next week's regular meeting has been moved to 6pm next Tuesday, September 3, in the lower level of the Judicial Center on East Main in Independence. The public is invited to attend.

 Agents from the Office of the Attorney General along with several law enforcement agencies seize a large amount of marijuana and plants in Okmulgee County.

 The raid occurred on August 20 at an illegal grow operation. Agents seized more than one thousand pounds of marijuana, more than 3,000 marijuana plants, three firearms and $25,000 in cash.

Agencies collaborating with the Attorney General's Organized Crime Task Force included the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority, Okmulgee County Sheriff’s Office, the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, the Oklahoma National Guard Civil Support Team and the Department of Homeland Security.

 At Monday's Board of Osage County Commissioners meeting, an item was brought under new business stating that Chief Deputy Kevin Young was ready to retire his dog from service to the county.

 District Three County Commissioner, Charlie Cartwright says retired police dogs usually stay with their handlers

In other business, the Board signed a yearly renewal contract with Survival Flight EMS for $20,000 a month and they will provide services to Barnsdall and Avant from October 2024 through September 2025. The Board also agreed that the free county-wide dump day will be on Saturday, September 21st.

There were no utility permits signed during Monday's meeting. Because of the Labor Day Weekend, the Board of Osage County Commissioners will meet again next Tuesday at 10 a.m. for those interested in attending.

 Authorities in Harvey County continue to investigate a crashed pick up truck found on a rural property with the body of a dead man inside.

 The crash site was discovered on Sunday afternoon near the interchange of US-50 and I-135.

Investigators believe the truck drove off the road and crashed into a tree.

The victim has not been identified but the truck is registered to 42-year-old Jonathan Clayton of Peabody. Clayton has been serving as the interim city clerk in Peabody and has been missing since August 3^rd when allegations of misconduct during his time at the Kansas Department of Commerce surfaced.

An autopsy will be conducted in the case.

 Grocery shoppers across the state of Oklahoma can breathe a sigh of relief today as the state's grocery tax reduction goes into effect.

 Starting today, the 4.5% Oklahoma state sales tax on groceries will be eliminated. Public Information and Press Liaison with the Oklahoma Tax Commission Emily Haxton says not all products shoppers will see in the grocery store will be affected by the change.

Local taxes will still apply. The tax cut was approved during this year's legislative session and represents the largest tax cut in state history. The reduction is expected to save Oklahoma families hundreds of dollars yearly.

 The first-degree murder trial of 21-year-old Bryson Towers began yesterday with jury selection at the Washington County Courthouse in Bartlesville.

 Towers is accused of shooting and killing 16-year-old Markus Scott near the intersection of Western Avenue and U.S.-60 in November 2023.

A probable cause affidavit states that a mother to another juvenile who knew both Towers and Scott will testify that the two were arguing at her residence.

Security footage near the scene where Scott's body was found shows a vehicle matching Towers' dark colored 2015 Lincoln come into view approximately 10 minutes before officers were called to the scene. Security footage shows the victim get out of the car and shows the victim falling to the ground from apparent gunshots. The vehicle then sped away.

Scott was pronounced dead at the scene, having suffered multiple bullet wounds to his upper chest and the left side. Towers was caught a short time later in Coffeyville by the Coffeyville Police Department and transferred back to Washington County. He has been held in custody on a $500,000 bond.

The trial is expected to take the rest of the week before heading to the jury.

 A Bartlesville jury has found a man guilty of kidnapping in a case stemming from January 2023 incident in the Bartlesville Lowe's store.

 40-year-old Quincy Wilson of Bartlesville was convicted of the charge Thursday in Washington County Court. The jury deliberated for about 30 minutes before reaching the verdict.

Court documents show that Wilson approached a female worker at Lowe’s in January 2023 and attempted to lead her out of the store against her will. When the victim resisted, Wilson then fled the store.

He was later arrested and charged. The jury trial began last Monday and concluded with the verdict on Thursday. Wilson will be sentenced in the case on October 23^rd.

 The Oklahoma State Election Board says an audit of the June primary election shows the state voting system is accurate and secure.

 State election Board Secretary Paul Ziriax stated yesterday that the post-election audits and manual recounts in Oklahoma have proven repeatedly that the state has a voting system that Oklahomans con be confident in and proud of.

 Post-election audits were first authorized by the Legislature in 2019, and are now a routine part of the election process. 

Following the June 18 Primary Elections, Ziriax directed 76 of 77 counties to conduct manual tabulation audits of ballots in randomly-selected races across the state. The audits were open to the public and included Election Day precincts, in-person absentee ballots and mail absentee ballots. Carter County in south central Oklahoma was exempted from the audit because it had recently completed a county-wide recount at the request of a candidate in the county sheriff's race.

To view the results of the audit, go here.

 Crews in Coffeyville are responding to a blown water tap this morning around 8am in the 1600 block of West 8^th Street.

 Drivers are asked to avoid the area.

Photo courtesy of the City of Coffeyville

 A water main break in Miami, OK, is causing some traffic issues this morning.

 City officials say the break occurred aroubnd 7am this morning at the intersection of North Main and 20^th Northeast. Crews are on the scene, working to make the needed repairs. While crews are on the scene, the east, northbound lane on North Main Street will be temporarily closed.

The City of Miami says there will be delays, so drivers are urged to use caution or find an alternate route. Traffic will return to normal once the water main break is repaired.

Resurfacing on U.S. 160 will begin this week.

The Kansas Department of Transportation expects to begin a chip seal project in Montgomery County tomorrow. The work will start at the intersection of U.S. 160 and 75 and will continue west 15 miles to the Elk County line. Flaggers and a pilot car will direct one-lane traffic through the work zone during daylight hours. Drivers can expect delays of 15 minutes or less. Weather permitting, the work should be finished in early September. KDOT awarded the construction contract to Vance Brothers Inc. and Subsidiary of Kansas City, Missouri.

 The Southwest Power Pool ends the Energy Emergency Alert the provider issued yesterday.

 Due to improved conditions across the SPP Balancing Authority, SPP has changed to a Conservative Operations Advisory. This Advisory is expected to remain in effect until 8pm tonight. Conservative Operations Advisories DO NOT require the public to conserve energy.

The Advisory was issued due to forecasts of potential high peak loads due to widespread high temperatures, potential increase in resource outages and potential low output from wind and other variable energy resources during peak hours.

Coffeyville Municipal Light and Power says it will continue to monitor the situation and prepare for any changes should they occur

USD 484 changes their practice schedules for the junior high and high school football teams due to the heat forecasted for this week.

Tonight the junior high team will meet at the stadium at 6:00pm. They will be transported to the LES gym for walkthroughs until 7:00pm. The team will return to the high school weight room for the remainder of practice and will be released from the stadium at 8:00pm. The HS team will work out in the weight room from 6:00pm to 7:00 pm. They will then travel to the LES gym where they will go through walkthroughs until 8:00 pm. Neither team will be in helmets or pads.

Tomorrow through Thursday both teams will practice at 6:00am. Athletes will report to the stadium, dress out and participate in full practices until approximately 7:10 am. USD 484 says the change to morning practices is not ideal, but it does allow the teams to participate in full practices before games beginning next week. The forecasted combination of air temperature, humidity and wind speed does not allow teams to practice in-game gear this week, or be outside for extended periods. The weather forecast for next week is for much cooler temperatures and practice schedules should return to normal.

The Southwest Power Pool issues an Energy Emergency Alert Level 1.

This alert is for the entire SPP Balancing Authority and is effective until further notice. The declaration of an EEA1 does not require the public to conserve energy and does not indicate that SPP will be directing controlled service outages. An EEA1 indicates that while SPP has enough generation available to meet demand and fulfill its reserve obligations, conditions exist that could put reserves at risk if they worsen. Individuals should contact their local utility for details specific to their area.

Coffeyville Municipal Light and Power will continue to coordinate with GRDA and SPP to monitor the situation, prepare for any current status changes, and communicate these changes to customers as they become available. The EEA1 is being declared based on forecasts of high peak loads due to widespread high temperatures, an increase in resource outages and low output from wind and other variable energy resources leading into peak hours.

 A major construction project will close South Buckeye Street in Coffeyville beginning tomorrow.

 Montgomery County has been planning for several months to begin the project that will run from the Coffeyville city limits south to County Road 1450. Brandon Beurskins from the Public Works Department tells the county commission that that street will be closed until the project is finished.

The County Commission also approved to continue using the services of Circle C Paving for another year at a cost of 49 cents per square yard. Montgomery County has plans to chip seal 23 miles of county roads in 2025. Commissioner Robert Bever says Public Works should look into a different type of material for the chip seal process.

The Commission also set the date of September 9^th for the 2025 budget hearing.

 Osage County Sheriff's deputies are being credited with saving the life of a woman who was experiencing a mental health episode.

 Two deputies responded to the call on August 18^th and found a woman clinging to a tree and covered in blood from several self-inflicted wounds.

The deputies quickly administered first aid to the woman, using a first aid kit to staunch the bleeding from her wounds. They also administered medication to prevent a drug overdose.

Officers from the Osage Nation Police also assisted on the call.

 The Sedan City Council will hold a special meeting tonight at 5:30.

 The purpose of the special meeting is to discuss the 2024 budget and the 2025 budget. The meeting will be held at City Hall at 111 East Cherokee Street. It is open to the public.

 The Cherokee County Sheriff's Office is looking for a suspect after the man fled during his arrest.

 Officers attempted to arrest 50-year-old Matthew Myers of Galena yesterday afternoon. Myers resisted arrest and then fled into a nearby wooded area. Law enforcement conducted a search for Myers, but have not stated if he was taken into custody. Myers is wanted on outstanding warrants for aggravated sexual battery and aggravated domestic violence.

 The Arkansas City Fire Department is mourning the loss of an off-duty firefighter.

 The Ark City Fire Department stated in a press release that firefighter and EMT Trevor Rusk passed away while off-duty. The cause of death was not given. News of Rusk's death was met on social media with condolences from residents, other first responders, and state officials. The A-C-F-D says Rusk's courage, selflessness, and commitment to keeping people safe will never be forgotten.

 Early morning storms in central Kansas causes the cancellation of yesterday's portion of an airshow at a Wichita air base.

 The Frontiers in Flight airshow that had been slated to happen yesterday at McConnell Air Force Base in Wichita was canceled after strong storms moved through the area. Wind gusts caused several small planes to overturn. A total of 10 people were injured after heavy winds, lightning, and rain hit the air force base on the south side of Wichita. Six of those injured were military personnel, while four were civilian vendors. Two of the injured people were transported to a nearby hospital.

More than 65,000 attended activities at the air show on Saturday.

Photo courtesy Trooper Joe Owen, KHP

 A food truck and trailer located at the Lowe's location in Carthage, MO, is destroyed in a weekend fire.

 The food truck known as Churros Colima was destroyed in the blaze that occurred on Friday. Reports indicate that several explosions were heard and that several propane containers were involved. The owners of the food truck recently purchased the business and have been in operation for less than six months.

While the food truck was a loss, no injuries were reported.

 Cherokee Nation leaders gather to break ground on a cutting-edge addiction treatment center.

 The ceremony occurred last Thursday near Tahlequah as part of a $76 million initiative aimed at combating substance use disorders among Cherokee citizens.

 The new facility, projected to cost $25 million, represents the first major project in a broader $76 million investment by the tribe to address addiction and promote recovery. The 19,000-square-foot will offer a comprehensive suite of services, including group and individual counseling, peer support, care management, and culturally grounded activities. In addition, the facility will feature innovative treatments such as equine therapy, which aims to foster healing through interactions with horses. The funding for this project is part of the Public Health and Wellness Fund Act of 2021, recently amended to allocate $100 million in settlement funds from opioid and e-cigarette lawsuits.

 The Oklahoma Highway Patrol’s Marine Enforcement division has released additional information in an August 3^rd drowning death at Skiatook Lake.

 Troopers say 61-year-old Michael Cooke, of Bethany, was walking down to a boat slip to retrieve an item at Cross Timbers Marina in Osage County. They say he fell into the water for an unknown reason just after 6:30pm.

Cooke was not wearing a life jacket.

Park rangers from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Osage County Sheriff’s Office, Skiatook Fire and Country Corner Fire also responded to the scene.

 The Kansas Bureau of Investigation along with the Harvey County Sheriff's Office, and the Kansas Highway Patrol are investigating after a fatal crash site is discovered in rural Harvey County.

 Investigators were called to the scene around 2:45 yesterday afternoon after a property owner near the interchange of US-50 and I-135 found a vehicle crashed in a field on his property. Authorities found a red 2011 Chevy Silverado at the crash site, just south of Newton. A deceased male was found inside the truck.

Investigators have identified the owner of the vehicle, but have not yet confirmed the identity of the victim.

The investigation is ongoing.

 The Montgomery County Commission will meet today and are expected to approve the scheduling of a public hearing to approve the 2025 county budget and the revenue neutral rate.

 The date for that hearing is likely to be set for September 9^th at 9am, pending commission approval.

Also on this week's agenda is an updated quote on the Civic Clerk Program, plus an update from the Public Works Department. Commissioners may hold a work session at the end of today's meeting if needed.

Today's Montgomery County Commission meeting happens at 9am in the lower level of the Judicial Center on East Main Street in Independence. It is open to the public.

Another hot day is on the way for the four states.

A heat advisory will be in place this afternoon for eastern Kansas, western Missouri and northeast Oklahoma. Highs near 100 degrees are expected, with a heat index up to 107 for much of the region. Highs will cool off slightly the rest of the week, still staying in the low to mid-90s. Rain chances are on the way starting Thursday night and continue through the weekend.

The 112^th Annual Labor Day Celebration is coming up this weekend.

The event will start Friday with an open ranch rodeo at 7 p.m. A sporting clay shoot, cornhole tournament and trap shoot will take place on Saturday, plus all-day kids activities in the park and a chuck wagon dinner. The CPRA Rodeo will also take place at 8 p.m. on Saturday, followed by a dance at 10 p.m.

On Sunday, cowboy church will take place in the park at 10 a.m. followed by a pulled pork dinner from 6 to 8 and 5 and 10K in the evening. Monday will bring a full lineup of events including a parade and rolling car show at 10 a.m., plus shodeo at the arena at 1 p.m. All events take place in Cedar Vale.  Find out more about the event here.

 The Oklahoma Highway Patrol is investigating several incidents of individuals throwing rocks from an overpass over the Indian Nations turnpike.

 Several motorists have had their windshields broken in four different incidents over the past month between mile markers 21 and 34 north of Antlers in Pushmataha County. The O-H-P has worked with the Turnpike Authority to install security cameras and have captured images of what patrol troopers say is a dark colored SUV. This is a felony and is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Anyone with information on this crime is asked to contact the Southeast Regional communications Center at 580-924-2601.

Photo: Broken windshield of victim's vehicle. Courtesy Oklahoma Highway Patrol

Suspected SUV

 Back-to-school time can be stressful for kids as they get used to being back in the regular routine of school days and homework, but it can be tough on parents as well.

 One of the difficult things for parents is sending their now-adult children off to college or just out into the world. Having a child move out of your house can be a very sad experience for parents. Dr. Ravi Johar with United Healthcare says this is a normal response.

Johar says parents need to remember that their adult children are running toward their future … and that's a good thing.

Empty nesters struggling to adjust should give themselves time to adjust and focus on the positive. Physical exercise, getting together with friends, and getting to know your child as an adult can all help parents get through this transition.

 A major paving project is set to begin in Independence.

 City Engineer John Garris says work will soon be underway on Main Street between 8^th and 2^nd streets, one of the major streets in the city.

Garris adds that the work will be adjusted so that it does not interrupt Neewollah.

Garris says because that section of road sees so much traffic, most of the work will be done at night to limit the disruption.

The Dearing Fire Department responds to a car fire in rural Montgomery County.

Dearing Engine 1 and Tanker 24 responded to a vehicle fire at the intersection of County Road 4500 and 1400 southwest of Coffeyville. A 1974 Z28 Camaro was engulfed in flames with the fire coming from under the vehicle. Firefighters extinguished the fire, but the car was a total loss.

Around 300 gallons of water were used to extinguish the fire. Coffeyville Regional Medical Center EMS also responded to the scene.

 The Oklahoma Highway Patrol needs your help in a hit and run accident that took place yesterday.

 The OHP says the crash happened sometime between 2:00 am. and 4:20 am. on US-377, 7 miles north of Tishomingo.

 46-year-old Carla Johnson was walking southbound along the highway when an unknown vehicle also traveling southbound struck and killed her, and then left the scene without stopping.

 Investigators did not find any vehicle debris at the scene, but a possible 32-inch tire imprint, possibly from a raised pickup truck with a ranch guard push bar on the front, was found.

 Anyone with information is asked to call OHP Troop F headquarters at 580-223-8800.

 The murder trial of a Fayetteville, AR, man is delayed again.

 31-year-old Kacey Jennings is accused of capital murder, abuse of a corpse, tampering with evidence, and theft in the death of his girlfriend Allison Maria Castro. Defense lawyers asked for the delay to allow for time to subpoena out-of-state witnesses.

The trial was originally set to begin in January 2023, but has been postponed several times. Jennings has pleaded not guilty in the case, after changing his mind on accepting a plea deal in April.

The murder charges stem from a call to Jennings' residence in 2022 after receiving reports of Jennings experiencing a drug overdose. During that investigation, police found documents that led them to believe Jennings had killed his ex-girlfriend.

 Two people are hospitalized following a head-on collision that police say occurred just after a domestic violence incident in Altus, OK.

 The Altus police Department says someone driving was stopped by a juvenile male who said his mother had been punched by her boyfriend and then forced into a vehicle.

Moments later, a head-on collision was reported. Authorities say, the woman's boyfriend caused the accident on purpose. Both the suspect and the victim were taken to a nearby hospital . The suspect was later flown to an Oklahoma City Hospital for further treatment. The people in the other car were also treated for minor injuries.

 Theater goers will have a fun event to attend tomorrow in Independence.

 Chamber President Lisa Wilson says the 22^nd Annual High School 24 Hour Play event on the Independence Community College campus is a lot of fun.

Performances begin at 7pm tomorrow night in the William Inge Theater on the ICC campus. Admission is free

 There's good news for Independence tennis players who like to play under the lights.

 For more than a year, twelve of the forty lights at the Riverside Park tennis courts have not been working. Independence resident Ken Brown has requested that the city repair the lights to make it possible for the courts to be used at night. Assistant City Manager Dave Cowan says the city has two options.

The Independence City Commission voted unanimously for the more expensive option, citing that, in the long run, replacing all of the lights would be cheaper because L-E-D lighters are more energy efficient and last longer. The commission agreed to spend $24,000 for W-E-S lights and another $5,000 for Blankenship Electric to install them.

 Montgomery County says it made a small mistake in some mailings that went out this week regarding the 2024 Revenue Neutral Notices.

 According to a Facebook post, some of the mailings were sent in the Wingdings font, making them unreadable.

People often wonder why the Wingdings font even exists, and why there are more than one of them. Wingdings came into existence in the early days of the internet. It used to be a lot more difficult to use and manipulate images online. There were few ways to get images, the files were often too large for hard drives, and they were of poor quality. It was also very difficult to get them to work well with text. Fonts like Wingdings gave people high-quality, scalable images that didn't use all of the hard drive space.

Wingdings also became fodder for some of the internet's first conspiracy theories, that the font contained hidden messages. On a positive note, they were also the forerunner of today's emojis.

But, they aren't really meant for reading. For those who received the Wingdings notices, contact the County Clerk's office at 620-330-1200 to get a corrected notice.

 Authorities in Wichita have released the name of the victim whose body was found in the trunk of a car on Wednesday.

 The remains of 39-year-old Kyce Barnes were discovered just after 7am Wednesday morning in a field along West Kellogg. Barnes had suffered multiple gunshot wounds to his upper and lower body and was found wrapped in bedding. Police believe Barnes was murdered in the parking lot of a nearby motel. His remains were taken to the Sedgwick County Medical Examiner's Office for further examination. Police are reviewing security footage from the motel in hopes of finding a suspect in the case. So far, no arrests have been made.

Anyone with information about the killing is asked to contact Wichita Police.

 A Collinsville, OK, man has been convicted in federal court on multiple firearm and drug trafficking charges.

 After a three-day trial, a federal jury found 60-year-old Lee Holt guilty of being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute after previously being convicted of a serious drug felony; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises; and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking Crimes.

In August 2023, law enforcement served a search warrant on Holt’s home in Collinsville. Upon search of the home, agents found a firearm and ammunition, 110 grams of methamphetamine, marijuana, scales, and cash. Laboratory testing determined the methamphetamine was 94% pure

Court records show Holt was previously convicted of several felonies, including conspiracy to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine, possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute, and unlawfully possessing a firearm after being convicted of a felony.   

The Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, Collinsville Police Department, and the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service investigated the case.

 Part of the Bartlesville skyline is now up for sale.

 The Frank-Lloyd-Wright-designed Price Tower in downtown Bartlesville has been placed on an online auction site with a starting bid of $600,000.

The 19-story skyscraper was posted on the auction website Ten-X.com yesterday afternoon. The auction is scheduled to officially begin October 7 and run through October 9.

Cynthia Blanchard of Copper Tree, LLC, purchased the Price Tower in 2023 from the nonprofit Price Tower Arts Center. She announced the auction on Tuesday — after facing scrutiny with mounting debt, selling irreplaceable artifacts, laying off staff, providing notice to tenants to find other arrangements and closing the doors to the public.

 A former volunteer firefighter with the City of Hominy and animal control officer has waived his right to a preliminary hearing.

 31-year-old Shawn Hayes was charged earlier this year with soliciting sexual contact with a minor through the use of technology and having obscene materials. Hayes will be seen for arraignment on September 12th.

 A single vehicle accident in western Kansas claims the life of a Bird City man.

 20-year-old Mitchell Howard was killed around 10:30 last night when he lost control of his vehicle on Atwood Cemetery Road near Atwood. His car left the roadway for an unknown reason and struck a concrete bridge pillar. Howard was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the accident.

Today is the last day to get your garage sale on Independence map for the Kan-Okla 100 Mile Highway Sale.

To list your sale for free, just stop by the Independence Chamber of Commerce before they close today. The sale is expanding this year and will start on Thursday, September 5^th and continue through Saturday the 7^th. Organizer Jill Wood says the sale is in its 17^th year.

Wood says it's best to team up with your neighbors to get the most traffic to your sale.

Organizer JoAnne Ernest says there are still a few spots left at the Caney Valley Antique Power Association. Those having sales in Coffeyville still have a week to get on the local map. Stop by the Coffeyville Chamber of Commerce before next Friday the 30^th to get your garage sale permit and be listed on the map for $5. Garage sales can always be called in during KGGF's Open Line any time before or during the sale.

The outlook for corn and soybean crops continues to remain positive. USDA Meteorologist Brad Rippey says it doesn't look like the weather will get in the way of a successful growing season.

Rippey says the condition ratings for corn and soybeans are looking good.  In Kansas, corn condition is rated 9% very poor, 16% poor, 30% fair, 34% good, and 11% excellent and soybean condition is rated 3% very poor, 10% poor, 28% fair, 48% good, and 11% excellent.

The Coffeyville Regional Medical Center Foundation announces the recipients of the 2024-2025 Best Family Scholarship.

Kylie Speer, a Best Family Scholarship winner in 2024, will receive the award again in 2025. Speer is a graduate of Field Kindley High School and Coffeyville Community College. She is studying radiology at Labette County Community College and plans to complete her degree at LCCC in 2025.

Brooka Thomsen-Martin is an RN at Coffeyville Regional Medical Center and is on the nursing faculty at Coffeyville Community College. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Oklahoma Wesleyan and her Master of Science in Nursing from Western Governors University. Thomsen-Martin returned to Oklahoma Wesleyan in 2023 and is pursuing a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree.

Foundation Director Amy Taylor says the Best Family has generously supported healthcare professionals since 2014 with the award of their scholarship and CRMC is honored to partner with the Best Family on their mission to promote healthcare education.

 The Kansas Bureau of Investigation is looking for a missing City Clerk from central Kansas.

 Jonathan Clayton, who has served as the Interim City Clerk for the city of Peabody since June, went missing on August 3^rd. Now it seems that Clayton has been linked to missing Covid funds and money meant for the Community Foundation for the City of Mullinville in western Kansas.

The Kansas Department of Commerce awarded $425,000 in grant money to the Mullinville Community Foundation in 2022, while Clayton was Director of Economic Recovery and in charge of Covid funds. The president of the Mullinville foundation says about half of that money is missing. The Marion County Record has reported that the Mullinville Cemetery Board discovered in 2021 that $70,000 was missing from its bank accounts. Clayton was a board member at the time the funds disappeared.

In July the State of Kansas informed Peabody's Main Street Association that it needed to payback $740,000 in grant funds. Clayton was the person in charge of keeping track of where that money was spent.

Five days after he was last seen, Clayton sent an email to several people in Peabody blaming the Department of Commerce for the issues and stating that the message would only be sent after his passing.

The KBI and area law enforcement continue to investigate Clayton's disappearance.

 Authorities in Wichita are investigating the discovery of a body found in the trunk of a car.

 Police responded to a 9-1-1 call just after 7am yesterday about an abandoned car in a field near West Kellogg. Upon arrival, police discovered the body of a man in the trunk of a white Mercedes. The body was wrapped in bloody sheets and had been shot multiple times. Police believe the original crime occurred in the parking lot of a nearby hotel.

Authorities say they know the identity of the 39-year-old victim but are not yet releasing his name pending notification of next of kin. Anyone with information on the crime is asked to call the Wichita Police Department.

 Students in Parsons USD 503 head back to class today.

 The Parsons Police Department reminds citizens to be on the look out for students on their way to and from school today. Motorists are asked to slow down and watch for pedestrians and bicyclists, especially around schools and in school zones.

Both Parsons Middle School and Parsons High School will hold an open house tonight from 5:30 to 7:30pm.

 The FFA chapter at Neodesha High School looks to expand their ranks this weekend.

 The club will host a membership party on Saturday. FFA Officer Tucker Leck says this weekend's event serves a couple of purposes.

The party is for Neodesha students who wish to join FFA and will happen Saturday evening from 6 to 8 at Library Park in Neodesha.

 A street closure scheduled for tomorrow night has been rescinded by the Parsons City Commission.

 Dave Mattox, owner of a business in the 1700 block of Main Street, was one of several building owners who made the request to keep the street open during Moonlight Madness. He says keeping Main Street open helps keep his business open.

 Mattox says he understand the risks of having the street open.

 After a lengthy discussion, Parsons City Commissioners rescinded the road closure. Main Street will remain open with additional signage in place. 18th Street, however, will be closed on both sides of Main.

 Road crews from Montgomery County expect to begin work on south Buckeye Street in Coffeyville soon.

 Brandon Beurskins with the county Public Works Department tells the Montgomery County Commission that work should be underway soon.

County Commissioner Mike Cordray questioned Beurskins about the project at this week's county commission meeting. The project has been in the planning stages for several months.

 A law enforcement officer is injured during a police stand off in Galena.

 Galena police were called for a wellness check late yesterday afternoon. After making contact with the male subject, officers learned the man had an outstanding warrant. The man then attacked the two officers, cutting one of them with a piece of glass. The man then retreated into his house, barricading himself inside and refused to come out. Galena police then requested the assistance of the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office Special Response Team. Officers used gas to enter tha house and take the man into custody.

The unnamed man now faces multiple charges including Aggravated Battery against a Police Officer.

 Authorities in Nevada, MO, suspect the cause of a weekend fire that destroyed a church is arson.

 The First Christian Church in Nevada caught fire and burned early Saturday morning. Now, authorities say a man found nearby that fire may have been the one who caused it.

When firefighters arrived on scene Saturday morning to combat the blaze, they found 58-year-old Keith Caylor of El Dorado Springs, MO, standing on a nearby sidewalk. Caylor was reportedly bleeding and covered with soot. When questioned, he told police that he had broken into the church in search of a phone because he thought someone was trying to kill him. Caylor was transported to a regional hospital for treatment for his wounds. Authorities have issued a warrant for Caylor's arrest pending his release from the hospital. Charges include Felony Arson and Felony Burglary.

Wilson County is looking for candidates to fill an opening in the County Appraiser's Office.

The opening is a full-time position, and will be assisting the appraiser with both field and office responsibilities. All inquiring applicants are also asked to have computer knowledge, math aptitudes, organization skills, communication skills, and problem solving techniques.

The position also requires a valid Kansas driver's license and may require overnight travel for training and education. If interested, submit applications to the Wilson County Appraiser's Office, 615 Madison Room 102, Fredonia KS 66736.

Additional items of business from this week's commission meeting is the opening of Decatur Road, following completion of road work. The commissoners also approved the purchase of two Kioti tractors from Fredonia Outdoor Equipment.

There will be no meeting next week due to the Memorial Day holiday. The Wilson County Commission will next convene on September 4th at 9 a.m. in Room 101 of the County Courthouse in Fredonia.

 An Oglesby, OK, volunteer firefighter was severely injured last week when he was involved in a crash while responding to an assistance call.

 Last Thursday, 20-year-old Cody Hazelwood was responding to a call for assistance when he lost control of the vehicle he was driving and crashed near the curved intersection of two county roads.

Hazelwood was transported to a Tulsa hospital in critical condition, where he remains in the ICU. Family members say that Hazelwood is now paralyzed from the waist down and faces a long recovery road.

A GoFundMe account has been established.

The Midland Theater Foundation is seeking people of all ages who are interested in bringing the arts to downtown Coffeyville.

Members of the Midland Theater Board of Directors want to gauge community interest in starting a program where a variety of artists work together to provide outdoor public entertainment. Midland Theater Manager Darrel Harbaugh says the goal is to start developing programming for when the auditorium reopens.

Harbaugh says performances would be prepared and practiced in the theater’s recently opened front of the house.

Anyone from the surrounding area who is interested in being part of this new artistic adventure is invited to attend an informational meeting in the Midland Theater this Sunday, August 25 at 2 p.m. For more information contact Harbaugh at 620-515-0579 or email at dharbaugh@cox.net.

It's more expensive by the dozen. The price of eggs was up five and a half percent from June to July and is up 19.1% since last year. USDA Livestock Analyst Shayle Shagam says this affects both retail and wholesale pricing.

This time last year wholesale eggs were averaging $1.25 a dozen. Shagam says this year's egg production is well below last year.  Shagam says bird flu has decreased the number of egg-laying hens from 313 million to 305 million. Locally eggs are about $2.50 a dozen.

 A traffic stop in Parsons leads to an arrest of the driver.

 Yesterday evening around 9pm, a P-P-D officer conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle he witnesses traveling at 55mph in a 30mph zone. During the stop, the officer discovered that the driver – Charles Dixon IV – was driving without a valid drivers license. He was also found to be in violation of the offender registration act for an aggravated burglary conviction.

Dixon was taken into custody and transported to the Parsons Police Lock-Up. He faces charges of  Violation of Offender Registration, Driving Without Valid Driver's License and Speeding

 Parsons Police Patrol Lieutenant Kyle Wiford stated that this is a great example of how a "routine" traffic stop can lead to bigger issues and how effective traffic enforcement is at finding criminal behavior that would otherwise not be found.

 The 7^th Annual Sausage Fest happens this weekend in Fredonia.

 Festivities get started early on Saturday morning with the 5K Weiner Walk.

The prime time part of the festival begins at 5pm in downtown Fredonia. There will be a cornhole tournament for those ages 12 and up. The Haute Dawg Runway Show will highlight well dressed dogs and their owners. There will also be a hot dog eating contest and other games and prizes as well. Those 21 and up can enjoy the beer garden.

It's all this Saturday at Sausage Fest in Fredonia.

 The 17^th Annual KAN-OKLA 100 Mile Highway Sale is almost here and for those who want to have a sale placed on the map, time is running out.

 Independence Chamber President Lisa Wilson says the sale has expanded this year and will run for three days on September 5^th, 6^th, and 7^th.

Wilson adds that Independence residents have until this Friday to pick up their free sale permit at the Chamber Offices at 616 North Penn.

The Chamber Offices are open from 8:30am to noon, and from 1 to 5pm. Those who may need to stop by after 5 can make arrangements by calling the Chamber office at 331-1890. Wilson says this is a great chance for free advertising for your sale.

The sale happens September 5-7 along US-75.

 If you attended the Interstate Fair and Rodeo in Coffeyville last week and you lost something, the Coffeyville Area Chamber may have it.

 Find out if they have something you're missing by calling 620-251-2550

Coffeyville has a long history of demo derby during the Inter-State Fair and Rodeo.

Since 1969, large crowds have filled the grandstand to watch some of the best drivers in the area compete, and this year was no exception.

KGGF microphones were down in the action this weekend - CLICK HERE to listen to our full demo derby feature.

 A former Kansas teacher and coach is sentenced to prison for child sex crimes.

 61-year-old Barry Fritz was setneced to nearly eight years in prison for aggravated indecent liberties with a child and aggravated solicitation of a child. The investigation into Fritz began when a victim told Salina Police about an inappropriate incident that occurred in a private residence in Salina. The investigation led to Fritz's arrest in November 2023.

Fritz formerly taught and coached at Salina Scared Heart and at Canton-Galva USD 419.

 During this week's Osage County, OK, Commission meeting, Board members were finally able to review the budgets for the assessor’s office, emergency management and free fair board.

 This comes weeks after the Board had requested a review of said budgets for the 2024-2025 fiscal year. The Board approved all three budgets.

For the assessor’s office, Ed Quinton Jr. said he planned to buy an additional vehicle and hire another employee. Quinton says he believes the budget he presented shows that can be done.

The budget for the free fair was also approved. District Three Commissioner Charlie Cartwright says he wants to make sure that the county would be compensated properly in the set-up and tear down of the fair.

The emergency management and safety budget was also approved during Monday’s meeting.

 The Bartlesville City Council approved two grant proposals Monday during a special meeting.

 One grant would provide $120,000 worth of funding over two years for mental health services for homeless persons along the Pathfinder Parkway.

Bartlesville Police Chief Kevin Ickleberry  says the grants provide a good opportunity for the city

The Opioid Abatement Project grant from the state of Oklahoma will fund two certified professionals with Grand Mental Health to accompany officers on the Crisis Intervention Response Team, who patrol the Pathfinder daily. 

Ickleberry says the CIRT team averages 150 encounters with homeless poeple per month. Many of those people have mental health, addiction and overdose problems. The addition of the mental health professionals to the team will provide immediate assistance and treatment options.

The other grant is for disaster recovery assistance to the city through the state of Oklahoma following April's severe weather and the tornado damage in early May.

Grant Coordinator Lisa Beeman says the grant allows the city to recuperate some of the expenses for manpower and expenses incurred during clean up

The Police, Fire and Public Works Departments are currently completing the damage inventories, which will detail the actual costs of eligible expenditures incurred by the city.

 A Kansas Banking CEO is sentenced to 24 years in prison for his role in an embezzlement scheme.

 53-year-old Shan Hanes of Elkhart was sentenced this week to 293 months in prison after pleading guilty to embezzling more than $47 million during his time as CEO of Heartland Tri-State Bank.

Prosecutors say Hanes transferred the funds via 11 wire transfers to crypto-currency accounts in a scam known as “pig butchering.” The embezzlement scheme that occurred between May and June 2023 caused the collapse of the bank and a loss of $9 million for investors. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or FDIC absorbed the loss.

Agents from the FBI, the FDIC Office of the Inspector General, and the Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of the Inspector General conducted the investigation.

 Early voting for the Republican run-off election for Washington County District 2 Commissioner and the Collinsville Public Schools Bond election begins Thursday and will continue through Saturday.

 Voters who will not be able to make it to the polls on Election Day, have the option of voting early at their County Election Board. Early voting is open to all voters.

Early voting is available tomorrow and Friday from 8am to 6pm and Saturday from 8am to 2pm at the Washington County Election Board office located at 401 South Johnstone Avenue in Bartlesville Suite 4 on the 4th floor. Early voting is not available at polling place locations.

Some voters may need assistance to vote because they are blind or visually disabled, physically disabled or infirmed, or illiterate.  Such individuals may request to have an assistant or vote privately and independently using the ATI device attached to the voting device. Those who require assistance should talk to their precinct official or contact the County Election Board directly for instructions.

For questions, please contact the Washington County Election Board at 918-337-2850 or washingtoncounty@elections.ok.gov.

 The Pawhuska Police Chief and an additional officer have been placed on administrative leave with pay, this pending the outcome of an ongoing investigation. 

The city says that the decision to place Chief Lorrie Hennesey and the other officer on administrative leave was not taken lightly and was necessary to maintain the trust that the community has in local government. 

Rocky Davis will serve as Interim Supervisor of the department.

 The historic Price Tower in downtown Bartlesville will soon be up for auction.

 The Frank Lloyd Wright designed building will be listed on the Tex X Commercial Real Estate Platform starting tomorrow and the public auction will run from October 7^th through 9^th. The auction will only feature the building and not the art collection currently housed inside. The art collection will be handled separately in the second phase of the transition process.

 A Kansas State Trooper is involved in a fatality crash in western Kansas.

 At around 11:15 on Monday morning, Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper Ethan Masterson was responding to a fatal car accident on K-23 between Hoxie and I-70 in Sheridan County or about 40 miles southeast of Colby.

The Trooper was westbound on 100 South Road with emergency lights and siren activated as he approached the intersection at 40 East Road.  The Trooper entered the intersection and struck the driver’s side of a southbound SUV.  As a result of the collision, the male driver 42-year-old Gerald Rahier of Hoxie was pronounced deceased.  A female passenger 38-year-old Arielle Lemos of Hoxie and a 1-year-old passenger were transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. A 3-year-old passenger was air lifted from the collision scene.  The Trooper was treated and released from the scene.

The Kansas Highway Patrol Critical Highway Accident Response Team was called to the scene, and this crash remains under investigation at this time.

An Oklahoma woman dies after a single-vehicle car accident in Rogers County.

The crash happened at 11:15am this morning on 4170 Road just south of Blue Starr Dr south of Claremore. According to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, a 1999 Dodge 2500, driven by 20-year-old Chloe Aycock, departed the road to the right for unknown reasons and stuck a tree.

Aycock was transported to Hillcrest Hospital in Claremore by Pafford EMS with massive injuries. She was pronounced dead just before noon by hospital staff. The driver was not wearing her seatbelt.

 The Nowata County Commissioners formally approved a wage increase for the Nowata County Sheriff.

 Nowata County Clerk Kay Spurgeon says the increase will go into effect soon.

Due to the move, Nowata County Sheriff Jason McClain will have his salary increase from $32,000 to $44,000 a year. The motion passed unanimously in a vote on Monday.

 The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation is looking into the discovery of a fetus in a restroom of a residence hall at Northeastern University in Talequah.

 N-S-U officials contacted ambulance services and the O-S-B-I after the remains were found inside a community restroom. While authorities were conducting a welfare check in an attempt to locate the mother, a student came forward seeking medical attention.

No other details have been released as the investigation continues.

Correction: A previous version of this story listed the name of the school as Northwestern University. It has since been corrected to Northeastern.

 Two 14-year-old girls arrested in the death of an Augusta woman cannot be tried as adults.

That's according to state law as the two appeared via a Zoom call in a Butler County courtroom Monday.

The law states that “no juvenile less than 14 years of age shall be prosecuted as an adult.” The two were both 13 when they are alleged to have caused the death of 93-year-old Joanne Johnson, who was found dead in her Augusta home last Labor Day weekend. An adult facing first-degree murder charges could be put in prison for life, but as juveniles, if the two girls are convicted, they would only serve time until they are 22 and a half years of age. They were officially charged with first-degree murder during their court appearance Monday. Since they will not be tried as adults, details of the case could be sealed and not released to the public.

A Butler County judge is expected to rule on the release of the probable cause affidavit later this week. The Butler County Attorney has confirmed that the girls are the only suspects who have been arrested in the case.

 Two Washington County, Oklahoma, FFA chapters will receive their share of more than $36,000 from the American Electric Power Foundation FFA STEM After-School Grants program.

 Public Service Company of Oklahoma, whose parent company is A-E-P, announced Monday that the FFA chapters at Bartlesville Public Schools and Caney Valley Public Schools are two of 17 chapters across the state who have been awarded the grants. The individual grants range from $700 to $2,500. P-S-O says a broad range of agriculture studies, from vet science, lasers, and greenhouse and watering systems will be funded by the grants. Each of the STEM-based projects, now funded by these grants, were created and designed by the FFA students and their advisors in their respective chapters.

The grants will be presented at five regional FFA Chapter Officer Leadership Training or COLT conferences, also sponsored by P-S-O, which begin August 27^th in McAlester.

 The Independence Community College Board of Trustees approves a 2025 budget and remains revenue neutral.

 At this month's Board of Trustees meeting, the published budget was approved unanimously. Board Chairperson Dr. Cynthia Sherwood calls for the vote.

Other items of business included the approval of a lease agreement for fleet vehicles. ICC President Dr. Jonathan Sahdoo also informed the board that the HVAC unit had been installed in the student union for $21,000, a figure that was nearly $50,000 lower than the original quote. Sahdoo also announced that the spring 25 graduation ceremony would be held in the ICC Fieldhouse instead of Memorial Hall.

 Montgomery County tallies the official vote count for the August 6 primary election.

 The canvass won't officially be complete until several provisional ballots are reconciled, but, once that happens, the totals will be sent to the state for certification. County Clerk Charlotte Scott-Schmidt says a lot of effort goes into making sure elections in Montgomery county are done in a free and fair manner.

Schmidt says this election was the second one of the year to be audited by the state audit board. Members are selected by the Democratic and Republican county chairs and the races audited are selected by the Kansas Secretary of State. Schmidt says the audit for the primary has come back clean.

The general election in November will also be audited by the state.

 One person is dead and four more are injured after a weekend car accident in Collinsville.

 The accident occurred around 11:30 on Saturday night when a 16-year-old Collinsville driver in a pick up truck failed to yield at a stop sign. The vehicle collided with another pick up truck at the intersection. The juvenile driver was pronounced dead at the scene. The identity of the juvenile is being withheld for privacy reasons. The driver of the other truck – 37-year-old Trisha Lee, also of Collinsville – sustained serious injuries and was takne to St. Francis Hospital in Tulsa. 43-year-old Larry Lee was taken to St. John Hospital in Tulsa, also with serious injuries. An 11-year-old child and a 1-year-old child were also injured.

The accident remains under investigation.

 The Parsons Police Department receives a donation of personal emergency lights.

 The Guardian Angel Personal Emergency Lights were donated by C-S-T Industries and are wearable lights that make officers more visible at night. The hands-free lights are visible from over 5 miles away and will help law enforcement officers and first responders working in nighttime environments. These safety features will help officer during traffic stops, crash investigations, and other operations where officer visibility is a safety concern. Parsons Police Chief Robert Spinks said the lights were another tool to help officers return home safely to their families. 

Photo courtesy Parsons Police Department

 Under the advisement of American Wholesale Grocers, the Caney Grocery is sustaining itself. The store was one of the topics discussed during a lighter session of last night's Caney City Council.

 City Administrator Kelley Zellner says the numbers are beginning to balance.

 Zellner credits AWG for their help in getting Caney Grocery back on track.

 Zellner also credits the staff and management of the store, making sure the advisement of AWG is being followed. He says shoppers will continue to notice changes in the store, even in how items are signed and displayed.

 Discussions will continue in the coming weeks on the distribution of duties with store staff and management.

 In other business, the council began the process of looking at the 2025 budget, and voted to condemn a property in the 400 block of State Street.

The saga of a proposed RV park in Cherryvale is continuing.

At last night's Cherryvale City Council meeting, council members voted to deny a request from Brett Hein of Kansas Equity Consultant Pros, LLC to vacate a city street near Neosho and Whelan.

Hein's proposed RV park was a topic of controversy earlier this year at the Cherryvale Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, with several nearby residents against the idea. Hein says the RV park is needed as more workers will be coming to the new soybean plant. At last night's meeting, there was confusion regarding which street was to be vacated, as the street in question is platted on county maps but has no physical presence. Hein needs the city to vacate the street to combine his parcels of land since an RV park must encompass at least two acres. Council member Norman Johnson says he needs more information before making a decision.

Because the request to vacate the street was denied, the Planning and Zoning Commission will also have to deny the request at their upcoming meeting. In other business, the board again tabled a bid on dozer work for city properties pending insurance information, opened the bid process for roof repairs at Logan Park and for the city's new comprehensive plan, and gave approval to apply for a grant to get an emergency generator for the fire department.

A man and woman from Oklahoma are seriously injured in a single vehicle crash in Montgomery County.

A 2002 Dodge Dakota, driven by 31-year-old Shawn Benson, was northbound on County Road 3900. The Dodge veered left of the center line, leaving the roadway and into the ditch striking the culvert. The Dodge slid sideways striking an electric pole and coming to rest. Benson was extricated from the vehicle by the Coffeyville Fire Department. He was transported to Coffeyville Regional Medical Center with suspected serious injuries.

His passenger, 24-year-old Kaitlyn Benson, was also transported to CRMC with suspected serious injuries. Neither the driver or passenger were wearing their seatbelts. A juvenile passenger was also in the vehicle but their condition is unkown. Evergy arrived and removed the transformer and pole.

The results of the 2024 primary election are canvassed in Labette County.

The results from the August 6^th primary were made official at this week's Labette County Commission meeting. The two biggest races in the primary were for two seats on the county commission. In District Two, Incumbent Republican Terry Weidert defeated challengers L.G. Simmions and Tyler Shelton with almost 55% of the vote. Weidert is unopposed in the November general election.

In District Three, Republican Challenger Tom Barrett beat incumbent Cole Proehl with over 65% of the vote. Barrett will face Democrat Bradley Dutton, who ran unopposed in the primary, in the general election. Labette County joined the other 105 counties in Kansas in completing their election audits for the 2024 primary. The general election is Tuesday, November 5^th.

 The Kansas Department of Revenue announces the new state standard license plate “To the Stars” is now available.

 The new plate design was chosen via online voting in December, winning 53% of the vote. The new design will be used for all new plate issuances, including replacements for any embossed plates. Kansans who were issued a plate with the old design will not be issued a new plate. However, any Kansan with the old Ad Astra design can get the new plate by transferring their registration at their local county treasurer's office.

 It's back-to-school time across the four states and going back to hitting the books can mean stress for parents and teachers alike.

 Dr. Ravi Johar with United Health Care says, even in the midwest, students can feel strain and stress from a variety of sources.

Johar says it's an important time to listen to your kids about their concerns and feelings. He also says getting back into a predictable routine can help.

Back-to-School anxiety usually isn't a cause for concern, but signs that it IS something more serious can include school-related distress after the first month of school, refusing to go to school, avoidance of school activities, and symptoms such as stomach aches, fatigue, or sleep issues.

 Authorities in Osage County, OK, arrest a semi-truck driver for DUI.

 The Osage County Sheriff's Office received a report last Friday night about a truck driver crossing multiple lanes of traffic. Deputies located the big rig and conducted a traffic stop. The driver of the truck Ray Reynolds of Baytown, TX, was determined to be under the influence and in possession of marijuana. Reynolds was arrested on the scene.

 Firefighters from Webb City and Carterville, MO, rescue a dog from a sinkhole.

 The unfortunate pooch was discovered on Saturday when a citizen was out walking and looking for his own dog that had gone missing. As the man approached the sinkhole he heard the dog – who was not his dog – whining from inside the hole.

The sinkhole is 20 feet across and 30 feet down to the surface of the water. It is unknown how deep the water inside the sinkhole is. The dog – a husky mix – was sitting on a ledge about 20 feet down. A firefighter was lowered into the hole to rescue the dog, who didn't put up a fight and seemed very happy to be rescued. The dog suffered some minor injuries and was taken to the Joplin Humane Society to be cared for. Authorities are looking for the dog's owner. The animal was wearing a blue collar with no tags and was not microchipped.

Photo courtesy Webb City Police

 A former patient at Ascension Via Christi – Saint Francis hospital in Wichita is suing the company after an alleged sexual assault in June.

 The victim says she is one of three patients who were assaulted in June. Wichita Police have arrested 28-year-old Miguel Rodela in connection to the crime. Rodela is accused of following an employee into the hospital just after midnight on June 21^st. He then proceeded to assault three different patients on three different floors of the hospital. When questioned, Rodela claimed to be a nursing student, though he was not wearing medical clothing and he did not possess a hospital ID. At one point, he was asked by a CNA to help adjust a patient bed. After the CNA left the room , he then allegedly assault the patient.

Criminal charges have been filed against Rodela. The victim in this case is suing for damages in excess of $75,000 due to negligence on the part of the hospital.

 The Board of Osage County Commissioners will convene for a regularly scheduled meeting today.

 At this week's meeting, Dalton Higgins will give an update as to how things are going with the Osage County courthouse annex project and the courthouse renovation project. There will also be discussion and possible action taken regarding the budgets for the assessor’s office, free fair and emergency management.

The Board will also consider signing and approving the financial statement for the fiscal year that ended in 2024 and consider signing the updated Osage County hazard communication program. The Board will also consider signing the updated Osage County safety manual.

 The City of Weir announces their post office has a new phone number.

 Those who need to contact the Weir Post Office will need to call 620-202-4776. The city says the old number is no longer in service.

 The First Christian Church in Nevada, MO, sustains serious damage following a weekend fire.

 Fire crews were called to the scene early Saturday morning and arrived on the scene to find the building fully engulfed in flames. A total of 70 firefighters from nine area fire departments were called to assist with the blaze.

The ATF and the Missouri State Fire Marshal's Office along with the Nevada Police Department are investigating the cause of the fire. No firefighters were injured in the incident.

 The Bartlesville City Council has called a special meeting for this evening to address grant opportunities that are available to the city.

 The council will discuss and possibly approve a $120,000 contract with Grand Mental Health over a two year period, providing two specialists who would work with the Bartlesville Police Department’s Crisis Intervention Response Team. The funding would be provided by the Opioid Abatement Grant awarded by the State of Oklahoma.

The council will also discuss and possibly approve a disaster assistance grant agreement between the city and the state for funding to reimburse the city for costs associated with severe weather in late April and tornado recovery in early May. The agreement could provide the city with up to 75% of costs associated with the recovery efforts.

The council meeting is scheduled for 5:30pm tonight in the Council Chambers at Bartlesville City Hall on South Johnstone Avenue.

 Montgomery County will canvass the vote tallies for the August 6 primary election at today's commission meeting.

 The county will finalize the vote count for the election and send those official numbers on to the state for certification. Also on the schedule for today's meeting is a report on the Opioid Grant from Marci Roberts of Live Healthy Montgomery county and an update from Public Works Director Jim Wright. County Administrator Jonathan Booe will also be at the meeting to discuss approval of the Civic Clerk Program, approval of a service agreement, and a discussion of the Economic Development Incentive fund Resolution.

The meeting is open to the public and takes place today at 9am in the lower level of the Judicial Center in Independence.

 A Saturday afternoon car accident in Neosho County leaves two people injured.

 The accident occurred at the four-way stop intersection of US-169 and K-47 just north of Thayer. A 2019 Ford Explorer driven by 47-year-old Kelly Rhoades of Topeka was stopped at the intersection. As her vehicle proceeded through the four-way stop a 2009 Lexus driven by 62-year-old Deneise Claxton of Mustang, OK, failed to stop and struck Rhoades' SUV in the passenger side doors. Rhoades along with a passenger in her vehicle, 69-year-old Ruth Henderson of Palmer, Kansas, sustained minor injuries and were taken to Neosho Memorial Hospital in Chanute for treatment. Claxton and a second passenger in the SUV were uninjured.

 The USD 436 school district began their year last week on a down note, with the self harm passing of one of their students.

 Superintendent Blake Vargas says it's important for all students to know that they are not alone.

 Vargas says organizations are available for students, and it's important for them to know that they can talk, either with someone they know or a licensed professional they don't know.

 Extra counselors were on hand for students and faculty. Vargas says counselors are ready to assist in any way they can as the school year begins.

Around 100 animals were sold at this year's Junior Market Livestock Sale at the Inter-State Fair and Rodeo.

Field Kindley Senior Lauren Lee showed swine through FFA and also qualified for this year's sale. She says it's a long process to teach pigs to walk in the ring.

Fourteen-year-old Joel Lelacheur of South Coffeyville earned grand champion lamb this year and was able to sell some sheep at this year's auction.  Lelacheur has been showing since age four and says the sale allows him to continue doing what he loves.

The entire Junior Market Livestock sale was broadcast live on KGGF 690 and was sponsored by Bartlett Coop, Coffeyville Feed and Farm, Muller Construction, Coffeyville Tire & Auto and Romans Outdoor Power.

The biggest crowd of the week turned out for this year's demo derby at the Inter-State Fair and Rodeo.

In the full-size stock class, Shane Berry took first and was also named maddog followed by Kaden Harrison in 2nd place. Travis Berry took 3^rd.

In the youth division, Colten Michael took 1st followed by Tyler McAtee in 2nd and Trever Daniels took 3rd and maddog.

For compacts, Justin Mein took 1st followed by Dakota Pease in 2nd and Kooper Smith in 3rd. Justin Clancy took 4th and Phillip Dunn was named maddog.

For the full-size builders, Cody Harris took 1st followed by Kyle Mansfield in 2nd, Jason Horton in 3rd and Heston Kavanagh in 4th, who was also named maddog.

Photo, KGGF News: Youth Derby Winner Colten Michael

 Police in Lawrence seize more than 800 fentanyl pills during a traffic stop last week.

 In addition to the large number of pills, police also seized 33 pounds of methamphetamine, and nearly 1 ½ pounds of cocaine in separate incidents. Lawrence Chief of Police Rich Lockhart stated that every pill seized is a pill that could kill someone in the community.

 Authorities in Wichita are looking for the public's help in locating a convicted murderer.

 64-year-old Kevin Harris was out on bond when he cut the ankle monitor he was wearing and fled. Harris was due to be sentenced this week after pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter in April. Prosecutors said he shot and killed 51-year-old Jose Lumbreras in August 2023. Anyone with information on Harris should cal 9-1-1

 The Interstate Fair and Rodeo continues today in Coffeyville.

 Non-sale livestock will be released this morning while 4-Hers and FFAers will take part in the livestock judging contest in the livestock arena. The Junior Market Livestock sale happens this afternoon at 4:30.

The MotoCross Show will be under the grandstand lights tonight. Gates open at 6 and the show starts at 7.

The carnival midway will be open tonight from 6pm to midnight.

 A Kansas man is killed in a single vehicle accident in northeast Kansas.

 20-year-old Senquay Montes was killed yesterday morning while riding as a passenger in a 2001 Ford Explorer as it traveled along US -283 near Norton. The driver of the vehicle 29-year-old Melanie Cotton lost control of the vehicle when it left the roadway. The SUV then rolled multiple times before coming to rest in the northbound lane of the highway. Melanie Cotton along with another passenger 75-year-old Betty Cotton were both injured in the accident and taken to the Norton County Hospital. All three victims are from Lenora, Kansas.

 A southwest Missouri woman has been found guilty by a jury in the 2021 shooting death of her husband.

 After just five hours of deliberation, a McDonald County jury returns with a guilty verdict in the murder trial of Dawn Renee Wynn. Wynn was charged with first degree murder in the November 2021 shooting death of her husband Harold Wynn. He was found dead from a gunshot wound to the head while sleeping in the couple's 5^th wheel camper.

Wynn's sentencing is set for October 7^th when she will likely be sentence to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

 The Fort Scott Fire Department receives a donation of new life-saving equipment.

 John Horn, the owner of Typhoon Bay Carwash in Fort Scott, has provided F-S-F-D with a piece of rescue equipment known as the Vikctim Drag Strap. The Vikctim Drap Strap is strong enough to pull a person out of danger in any environment. It is a wearable device to allow firefighters to pull unconscious or injured victims or firefighters out of harm's way.

Fort Scott Fire Chief Dave Bruner says the donation of the new piece of equipment will help them serve the community better. He adds that training will begin soon so that the device will be ready to be used in the field.

 The Kansas Bureau of Investigation arrests two in the murder investigation of an Augusta woman.

 Yesterday afternoon, agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the KBI, and the Augusta Department of Public Safety took into custody two 14-year-old Augusta girls on charges of first-degree murder.  The two were arrested in connection to the September 2023 killing of 93-year-old Joanne Johnson.

Johnson was found dead in her home by a family member last Labor Day weekend. In May, Governor Laura Kelly issued and executive order that offered $5,000 for information that would lead to an arrest and conviction in the case. Johnson's family offered another $5,000 as well.

The two juvenile suspects are currently being held in separate detention centers and formal charges pending against the pair.

The investigation into the case continues.

Photo: Joanne Johnson

 The Southeast Kansas Museum Alliance releases a new video promoting the 49 museums in the 16 southeast Kansas counties.

 The video highlights the small towns and big histories of southeast Kansas.

The six-minutes video provides a brief overview of area museums and also tells the viewer how they con obtain an SEK Museum Passport. The video was created using grants from the Freedom Foundations National Heritage Area and the Kansas Tourism Division.

To view the entire video, go here.

 Here is an update to a story we brought you Thursday.

 A teenager is glad to be alive after being rescued from Elk River in Noel, Missouri, late Wednesday afternoon.

McDonald County Sheriff Rob Evenson says the call came in around 5:00, saying the 15-year-old boy had been underwater for an unknown period of time. The teen was in cardiac arrest when pulled from the water. Bystanders were able to rescue and perform life saving measures.

 McDonald County Sheriff’s deputies and first responders from the Noel Fire Department were able to revive him, using an AED machine and CPR.

 McDonald County Emergency Management Director Gregg Sweetin says the teen's condition has been upgraded and he is doing better as of today.

Coffeyville Community College is bringing the best in art, music, and entertainment to town each week this fall.

CCC is hosting weekly performances on Tuesday evenings, in collaboration with Artists of Note. The performances will display numerous talented individuals from the world of comedy, poetry, music, and more.

The first performance in the series is on August 27th, and will feature songwriter, author, and composer Tom Irwin, who will present a program on "The Protest Songs of Bob Dylan." Irwin will cover how Dylan became an industry icon in the 1960s, as well as the origins, impact, and significance of his songs.

The performances will be held at the CCC Spencer/Rounds Theatre each Tuesday evening at 6:30 p.m., and is free of charge and open to the public. Performances will continue through November 19th, with no show on September 3rd due to Labor Day.

The Inter-State Rodeo is officially in the books, with the final results in for the riders.

Quintonn Lunsford claims the top spot in bareback riding with 73 points, with Bryce Eck in 2nd place with 70 points.

In steer wrestling, Tucker Ravenscroft takes 1st with 4.2 seconds, with Emmett Edler 2nd, Cooper Orr 3rd, and Tyler Scheevel 4th.

Cooper Thatcher wins the saddle bronc riding competition, with an 84 point ride. Tanner Hayes placed 2nd, with Dahlyn Thomas in 3rd, and Brady Irvine in 4th.

Tie-down roping went to Denton Oestmann, with a 9.6 second time. Colt Papy placed 2nd, with Pax Vogel in 3rd, and Booker McCutchen in 4th.

Emily Griffin took 1st in barrel racing with a time of 18.58 seconds, with Lindsey Muggli in 2nd, Suzanne Brooks in 3rd, and Sadie Wolaver-Troyer in 4th.

Dee Kyler Jr. earned the best average time in steer roping, with 35.9 seconds on two head. Trenton Johnson took 2nd place, with Billy Good in 3rd, and Connor McNeil in 4th.

The results of the 2024 Inter-State Fair and Rodeo Bucket Calf competition are in.

Timber Perkins took home the top honors, winning 1st place.

Paisley Perkins claimed 2nd place with her calf.

Charolette Haymaker rounded out the Top 3, earning 3rd place.

Photo of Top 3 finishes, and their calves. Photo courtesy of ISFR.

Severe weather is possible today for the four-state area.  

The strongest storms are expected to develop first, possibly around 4 to 6 p.m., with scattered weaker storms possible later into the evening.  The primary threats include golfball size hail or larger and 70 mph winds.  Heavy rainfall and localized flooding is also possible.  KGGF will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as we get closer to evening activities at the Inter-State Fair and Rodeo.

Winners have been crowned at the 2024 Inter-State Fair and Rodeo Goat Show.

In Jr. Showmanship, Macey Lay took home top honors, with Lakyn Sutton in 2nd, Reagan Edwards in 3rd, Grace Harrington in 4th, and Aiden Midgett rounding out the Top 5.

In Sr. Showmanship, Izzy Lewis was named Grand Champion, with William Flanagan in 2nd, Maddix Small in 3rd, Clint Harrington in 4th, and Karly Wintgen in 5th.

Lakyn Sutton was named Grand Champion Doe, with Maddix Small earning Reserve Champion Doe.

In Market Goat, Izzy Lewis earned Grand Champion, with Macey Lay taking home Reserve Champion.

Photo of Sr. Showmanship. Photo courtesy of ISFR.

The results are in for the 2024 edition of the Inter-State Fair and Rodeo Beef Show are in.

For Jr. Showman, Cambree Dick came away with 1st place, with Daylyn Fesmire taking 2nd, Gemma Emberson in 3rd, Tucker Forth in 4th, and Pistol Tatum in 5th.

In Sr. Showman, Addison Dick was the 1st place winner, with Clint Harrington in 2nd, Brody Grisby in 3rd, Darla Fesmire in 4th, and Kaylee Beehler in 5th.

Bailey Blaes won the Grand Champion Heifer, with Brody Grisby having the Reserve Champion Heifer.

For Market Steer, Hayden Howerton was named Grand Champion, with Tucker Forth earning Reserve Champion.

Photo of Grand Champion Market Steer. Photo courtesy of ISFR.

The pedal pull took place earlier this week at the Inter-State Fair and Rodeo, and the results are in.

In the 5-year-old age category, Leslie Motl took first followed by Bennett Motl in 2^nd and Emery Blaes in 3^rd.

For 7-year olds, Dallin Swain took 1^st followed by Grayson Briggs in 2^nd.

Kaiden Horn took 1^st in the 9-year-old category, followed by Ryle Howton in 2^nd.

Finally, Clara Veley took 1^st place for the 10-year-olds and Caydy Veley took 1^st for the 12-year-olds.

Top winners from this competition are eligible to compete at the state fair next month in Hutchinson.

The final big livestock event is coming up today at the Inter-State Fair and Rodeo.

The Junior Market Livestock sale will take place today starting at 4:30 p.m. and area 4-H and FFA students say they're excited to participate.

Fourteen-year-old Zander Dyches of Nowata says there's a lot of work involved to get cattle ready for the fair.

Austin Olson of Nowata, who took reserve champion in the prospect steer show, says there's a process to qualify for the sale.

KGGF will broadcast the junior market livestock sale starting at 5 p.m. today on The Mighty 690.

Photo: Austin Olson, Courtesy ISFR

Coffeyville Friends of Animals is hosting a free vaccine clinic on Saturday. Board Chair Becky Barnhart says this is made possible by the Delaware Tribe Family and Children Services.

Barnhart says it's a great opportunity to get a vaccine that has been put off.  There have been 100 rabies vaccines and 100 cat vaccines added to the event. The clinic will be located at the CFA Shelter at 4955 County Road 1400 in Coffeyville.

The summer heat doesn't look to be going away anytime soon.

Salvation Army's Joe Brooks says they can help if you're having a hard time keeping cool.  

Brooks says to call him before coming to the Salvation Army building, which is located at 102 West 12^th Street in Coffeyville, to make sure he is there to give you a fan.

 The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation and Craig County Sheriff’s Office are asking for your help to solve a 2008 cold case.

 Leota and William Huls, both in their 60's, were found dead in their Welch, Oklahoma home November 9, 2008, when they didn’t show up for church that morning. Authorities say both were shot; Leota’s purse was never found.

 The OSBI cold case unit says a Smith & Wesson SW9F was used in the killings, and asks anyone that might own one that was previously owned by someone else, to contact investigators.

 They are specifically looking in northeast Oklahoma, southeast Kansas, or southwest Missouri. A $5,000 reward is being offered for information that may lead to the arrest of anyone responsible for the crime.

 Anyone with information is asked to contact the OSBI at 1-800-522-8017, or tips can be emailed to tips@osbi.ok.gov.

 A 9-1-1 call to McDonald County, Missouri authorities alerts to a possible drowning on Elk River in Noel.

 Authorities say the call came around 5:00 Wednesday afternoon, reporting a 15-year old boy going underwater for an unknown amount of time. Bystanders were able to rescue and perform life saving measures on the teen. Noel Fire Dept, Noel Marshals, Freeman Ambulance, as well as McDonald County Sheriff’s Deputies and an off-duty Anderson, Missouri Police Officer responded to the scene.

 The teen was in cardiac arrest when pulled from the water.

 The teen was flown to an unknown regional hospital. His current condition is unknown.

 A tractor-trailer accident on I-44 injures the driver and causes a delay at a major intersection.

 Around 1:45 this morning, Joplin 9-1-1 received a report of the overturned tractor-trailer near the interchange of I-44 west and Highway 249, near mile marker 11.6 in southeast Joplin.

 The Missouri State Highway Patrol says the westbound tractor-trailer overturned to the right of the roadway, spilling thousands of spools of copper wiring.

 The driver suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Joplin Fire, Joplin Police and METS ambulance responded to the accident. I-44 was reduced to one lane during the clean up process.

 Residents of Dewey will be without water tonight, as a planned water shut off takes place.

 Lori Herron with the city of Dewey says the planned water shut off is scheduled for 9pm tonight. The reason for the shut off is to replace a fire hydrant.

 Herron says the outage should only take a few hours.

 A two vehicle collision yesterday in Mayes County, Oklahoma, takes the life of a Sapvinaw, Oklahoma, man.

 The accident occurred just before 5:00 pm., at the intersection of Indian Springs Rd and NE 455 Drive, about two miles south and west of Sapvinaw.

 The crash involved a 2002 Buick Rendezvous driven by 64-year old Dean Camren of Spavinaw. Camren was airlifted but was pronounced dead mid-flight. His wife, 57-year old Darlene Camren, and a 15-year-old passenger were transported to St. John Hospital in Tulsa. Darlene is in stable condition with head and trunk injuries, while the juvenile was treated and released with minor injuries.

 The cause of the collision and the 2^nd driver’s condition remain under investigation.

The first night of the Inter-State Rodeo is in the books, with multiple competitions coming down to the wire.

Quintonn Lunsford leads in bareback riding, with 73 points after opening night. Bryce Eck was the only other qualified rider, sitting in 2nd place with 70 points.

In steer wrestling, Tucker Ravenscroft leads with a 4.2 second mark, with Emmett Edler in 2nd, Cooper Orr in 3rd, Tyler Scheevel in 4th, and a 5th place tie between Jake Shelton and Colton Swearingen.

The duo of Jake Marlar and Robby Hull top the team roping competition, with an 8.3 second time. Corben Culley and Gus Mosley sit in 2nd, with Paul David Tierney and Billie Jack Saebens in 3rd.

Tanner Hayes leads after day one of saddle bronc riding, with 79 total points. Dahlyn Thomas sits one point behind in 2nd, Brady Irvine is 3rd, and Jet Williams is 4th.

Denton Oestmann has a 0.1 second edge on Colt Papy in tie-down roping, with the time to beat of 9.6 seconds. Pax Vogel rounds out the Top 3.

In barrel racing, Suzanne Brooks leads with a time of 18.7 seconds. Kallie Gates is currently in 2nd, and Chelsie Shoop sits in 3rd.

Round 1 of steer roping saw Thomas Smith atop the leaderboard at 14.2 seconds, with Billy Good in 2nd, Connor McNeil in 3rd, and Dee Kyler Jr in 4th. Round 2 was led by Seth Schafer, with Tanner Stec in 2nd, Trenton Johnson 3rd, and Kyler Jr. in 4th.

There were no qualified rides in bull riding on night one.

The Fitting Contest was a huge success at this year's Inter-State Fair and Rodeo, with plenty of prizes given out.

The Jr. Grand Champion team is made up of Ellie Dean, Blakeli Callahan, and Cambree Dick.

The Sr. Grand Champion team features Rian French, Bodee West, and Kennedy Kramer.

The Sr. Reserve Champion team showcases Addison Dick, Clint Harrington, and Grace Harrington.

Photo of Sr. Grand Champion Team. Photo courtesy of ISFR.

Plenty of people were in attendance to view the Swine Show at this year's Inter-State Fair and Rodeo.

The event took place yesterday, with numerous awards given out.

For Jr. Showmanship, Brynley Collier took 1st, followed by Piper Perkins in 2nd, Raleigh Bradshaw in 3rd, Colton Hanigan in 4th, and Levi Hency in 5th.

Maggie McVey was named reserve champion in the Gilt category, while Colten Hanigan was named grand champion in the same category. In senior showmanship, Taylor Elsworth took 1st place, followed by Hayden Bailey in 2nd, Kinley Langworthy in 3rd, Parker Midgett in 4th, and Addison Collier in 5th.

Finally, Brynley Collier was named Grand Champion Market Swine, while Addison Collier was named Reserve Champion Market Swine.

Junior Swine Showmanship was sponsored by Blake Collier Leatherworks, while Senior Swine Showmanship was sponsored by ABC Feeds.

Photo of Grand Champion Market Swine. Photo courtesy of ISFR.

Radio history was made on this day 97 years ago.

It was on this date in 1927 that KGGF signed on for the first time from Picher, Oklahoma. KGGF was one of the first stations in this part of the country, and according to period newspapers like the Picher King Jack, there was a lot of excitement around the station's opening. The station was started by local physician D. L. Connell to tell the story of lead and zinc mining to the country. KGGF's commitment to community involvement started from the beginning, with early programming including local band performances, bible studies and community events. The station was on the air during the lunch hour and then would sign back on in the evening. Originally broadcasting at 1010 kilohertz with 100 watts, the station gradually increased power over the years and eventually moved to our current 690 frequency. KGGF was sold in 1930 and was moved to South Coffeyville. A few years later studios were built in the Coffeyville Journal building. In 1950, a new transmitter site was built and the station's power was increased to our current 10,000 watts, making it one of the most powerful stations in the region.

A good crowd turned out to watch this year's bred and owned heifer show and prospect steer show earlier this week at the Inter-State Fair and Rodeo.

On the heifer side, Parker Buck was named grand champion and Cody Olson took reserve champion.

For prospect steer, Cody Olson was named grand champion and Austin Olson took reserve.

The bred and owned heifer show was sponsored by Coffeyville Regional Medical Center and the prospect steer show was sponsored by the Betsy Jontra-Keene Memorial.

Photo: Cody Olson, courtesy ISFR

The Ron Stevenson Building at Walter Johnson Park is filled with chickens and rabbits for this year's Inter-State Fair and Rodeo, and a good number of those are market broilers.

The poultry show took place yesterday at 1 p.m., and Logan Kiersey was named grand champion for market broilers. Timberly Greenwood was named reserve champion.

The show was sponsored by Clint Perkins Construction.

Photo: Logan Kiersey. Courtesy ISFR

Some of the final livestock events are on the way at the Inter-State Fair and Rodeo.

Tomorrow, the junior market livestock auction will start at 4:30 with an awards presentation.

Tatum Maxon has been showing steers, goats, rabbits and chickens at this year's fair, and says he's excited for this year's auction.

KGGF will broadcast the auction live tomorrow starting at 5 p.m. Because of the time of the sale, KGGF News at 5 will be moved up to 4 p.m., followed by Thru the Bible at 4:30 and then the sale broadcast.

Several area students are finishing the summer on a high note.

The sheep show took place at the Inter-State Fair and Rodeo yesterday at 9 a.m., and lots of prizes were handed out.

For the Jr. Showmanship, Lakin Nash took 1st, followed by Daylyn Fesmire in 2nd, Ellie Dean in 3rd, Cooper Robbins in 4th and Emma Hitt in 5th.

Trey Newby earned reserve champion for wether dam, and Ava George was named grand champion for the same category. In senior showmanship, Izzy Lewis took 1st, followed by Ava George in 2nd, Carter Nash in 3rd, Lilly Elsworth in 4th and Darla Fesmire in 5th.

Finally, Lilly Elsworth was named Reserve Grand Champion Lamb, and Joel LeLacheur earned Grand Champion Market Lamb.

Junior and Senior showmanship was sponsored by John Deere Coffeyville Works.

Senior Showmanship winners pictures. Photo courtesy ISFR 

The Inter-State Fair and Rodeo continues today with a full schedule of events.

Livestock activities continue with the market steer show this morning at 8 a.m.

This afternoon, the junior open heifer show will start at 1 p.m., followed by bucket calf interviews at 2 p.m. Exhibit checkout will take place from 4 until 6, then the bucket calf show will finish out the evening's livestock events at 6 p.m.

In the grandstand, the PRCA rodeo continues. Tonight is patriot night and attendees are encouraged to wear red, white and blue. The rodeo starts at 7:30 p.m. The carnival will also continue tonight from 6 to 11 p.m. Finally, there will be live music starting around 9 p.m. by Hillbilly Deluxx.

KGGF staff will also be broadcasting live tonight from 5 until 7 with a live remote on US 98.

Two new officers are sworn in for the Coffeyville Police Department. During this week's city commission meeting, Mayor Alec Hendryx swore in new CPD Officers Kanecia Brown and Steve Johnson.

Police Chief Kwin Bromley says each potential new officer goes through a background investigation, polygraph, psych evaluation and the Chief's interview.

Bromley says after officers go through the interview process they then move on to the academy for training.  Officer Brown was pinned by her mother Cheryl Brown and Officer Johnson by his wife Stacia Johnson.

The USD 461 Early Learning Center is ready to open.

The Neodesha ELC was planned to open on Monday but had to delay the opening pending the results of a final inspection by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. They have received the temporary permit from the KDHE and will open tomorrow.

The School District says they are ready to welcome students with slots available for most ages. Contact ELC Director Kaitlyn Sundberg at (620)325-8290 to enroll. USD 461 held a ribbon cutting for the new ELC building last Friday.

 Parsons Police arrest a Pittsburg man for failure to register as a sex offender.

 The arrest of 34-year-old Charles Levi Miller happened around 2am this morning (Wednesday morning), after police on patrol noticed a suspicious vehicle in a high crime area. An open-air sniff by a K-9 officer alerted the investigating officer to the presence of controlled substances. A search of the suspect's vehicle found illegal drugs leading to Miller's arrest.

Further investigation revealed that Miller is a registered sex and drug offender on Kansas and has been in violation of compliance with the law for over 380 days.

Miller faces two felony counts of Aggravated Violation of Offender Registration, one felony count of Violation of Offender Registration 2nd Offense, and one misdemeanor count of Possession of a Controlled Substance

 A Wichita teenager is dead and another man is injured after an accident in a boom bucket at the Great Bend Municipal Airport yesterday morning, August 13, 2024.

 The accident happened just after 8am when the 16-year-old and a 24-year-old were in a boom bucket that came into contact with high-voltage power lines near the airport's terminal building. The older man was able to escape and get to the ground, but the teen remained in the bucket. Both were taken to the Great Bend Regional Hospital where the teen later died. He was been identified as Ivan Joel Mollins of Wichita. The other man, also from Wichita, was taken to a Wichita hospital with serious burns.

The Barton County Sheriff's Office is investigating the incident.

 The Coffeyville City Commission hopes to craft a 2025 budget that gives taxpayers relief while still providing much-needed services.

 At last night's meeting, commissioners voted to decrease the mill rate for the 2025 budget from 56 to 26 mills. Some commissioners were hesitant to approve the move and did so only because of last year's high rate. Commissioner Marie Vannoster says the city must be careful not to cut too much.

Commissioner Don Edwards says it's important for the city to be good stewards of taxpayer money.

Edwards pointed out that one percent isn't much from the city budget, but that it might mean the difference between being able to buy groceries or medicine for a taxpayers family.

The 26 mill rate will be used to determine the budget for next year and would go into effect on January 1^st. The commission will not view the budget for final approval until the last meeting in September

 The State of Missouri has set a date for the execution of convicted child killer Christopher Collings.

 The Supreme Court of Missouri has set the date of December 3, 2024, at 6pm as the date and time the death sentenced imposed on Collings for the 2007 rape and murder of 9-year-old Rowan Ford. Collings has been on Missouri's death row since 2012 for the crime that occurred in Newton County. His case has been reviewed by the Missouri Supreme Court, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth District, and the U.S. Supreme Court. No court has found any legal errors in the case.

Ford's stepfather David Spears was also charged in the case, but pleaded guilty to lesser charges after prosecutors said the physical evidence against him did not support the stronger charges. Spears was sentenced to 11 years in prison for his part in the crime.

 The City of Nevada, MO, has a new Fire Chief.

 Nevada Interim City Manager Larry Stevens announced on Monday that Acting Fire Chief Taylor McLintic will take over the position on a permanent basis. McKlintic is a 15 year veteran of the Nevada Fire Department. He will officially step into his new role on September 1^st. McKlintic will fill the position left vacant by the retirement of former chief Troy Denney.

 A 15-year-old driver is injured in a crash with an emergency vehicle in Neosho County.

 The male driver was traveling southbound on Douglas Road about 5 miles south of Chanute around 5pm last night. An emergency vehicle driven by 33-year-old Christopher Gericke was traveling westbound on 160^th Road with lights and sirens activated when he failed to clear and yield at the intersection of Douglas Road and 160^th. The Ford F-150 driven by the 15-year-old struck the emergency vehicle in the intersection and rolled. The juvenile was taken to Labette Health for treatment for minor injuries.

 A homeless man faces charges of indecent exposure after being arrested in Washington County, Oklahoma, on Monday.

 51-year-old Harry Barnes was arrested Monday outside of a Vera fire station after complaints of a man walking around naked in the area. Barnes allegedly told the fire chief that he was walking around, trying to find a way to cool down when he grabbed a hose behind the fire station. Authorities found Barnes completely nude and holding a fire hose when they arrived on scene.

Barnes asked a Washington County District judge fro a reduced charge, claiming he had no indecent intent. Barnes is being held in the Washington County Jail in Bartlesville on a $10,000 bond. His next court date is set for September 6^th.

 A Tulsa-area contractor faces 17 counts of felony embezzlement following an investigation by the Oklahoma Attorney General's Office.

 The Oklahoma Consumer Protection Unit filed charges on Monday against Todd Douglas Briggs who operated T. Briggs Construction and Oasis Pools ans Outdoor Living. Briggs is accused of taking more than $1.2 million from 17 customers for home or pool construction that he never completed or for which he never paid sub-contractors.

In July 2023, Briggs told customers that he was filing for bankruptcy only days after receiving large payments from several of them and leaving their projects left incomplete. Customers in Tulsa, Jenks, Broken Arrow, Owasso, Collinsville, Sapulpa, Bixby, and Beggs were listed among those affected.

 There's a full day of events happening today at the Interstate Fair and Rodeo in Coffeyville.

 The livestock step into the ring today starting at 8am with the rabbit show. The sheep show happens at 9am. Both of those events takes place in the livestock arena. The poultry show takes place at 1pm in the Ron Stevenson building and the goat show will be in the livestock arena at 4pm.

Other Fair activities today include the Interstate Fair and Rodeo Parade at 4pm in downtown Coffeyville, then the bean and watermelon feed will happen at 5:30 in Walter Johnson Park with the Kiddie Pedal Pull taking place on Hargis Drive.

The carnival midway will be open from 6 to 11 tonight.

PRCA Rodeo will be under the lights in the grandstand this evening for Pink Night. Gates open at 6 and the rodeo begins at 7:30. During tonight's rodeo, there will be the coronation of the Interstate Fair and Rodeo Miss, Princess, and Little Miss.

Plus, join US-98 broadcasting live from 5 to 7 tonight in front of the grandstand.

There's all this today and more in store tomorrow at the Interstate Fair and Rodeo in Coffeyville.

 Authorities in Newton County Missouri have arrested two people after a drug bust in Joplin.

 The Ozark Drug Enforcement Team, Newton County SWAT, and Joplin Police served a search warrant on a Joplin residence and found cocaine, fentanyl, marijuana, and weapons in the home.

Both suspects were arrested on multiple charges including First Degree Trafficking, Unlawful, Possession of a Firearm, and Unlawful Use of a Weapon.

No names have yet been released.

It will be another hot and humid day for the Inter-State Fair and Rodeo.

A heat advisory will be in place this afternoon for the entire four-state area, while Osage, Washington and Nowata Counties in northeast Oklahoma and areas to the south will be under an excessive heat warning this afternoon. Coffeyville is expected to top out around 96 degrees while the heat index could top out around 107. Things will cool down slightly by the time the PRCA Rodeo starts tonight, with 89 degrees expected by 7:30 p.m.

The livestock barns are busy with activity at the Inter-State Fair and Rodeo.

The bred and owned heifer show and prospect steer show took place last night, and 4-H and FFA students were busy taking care of their animals. Oklahoma Union Senior Darla Fesmire says her family raises show cattle and she's been getting animals ready for the fair since the age of seven.

Darla's sister Daylyn is in 7^th grade at Oklahoma Union and says there are easy and hard parts about raising cattle.

Livestock events taking place today include the rabbit show at 8 a.m., sheep show at 9 a.m., poultry show at 1 p.m. and goat show at 4 p.m.  The poultry show will take place in the Ron Stevenson Building.  All other events will be in the livestock arena.

The World's Largest Steam Locomotive is making its way back through Oklahoma and Kansas for the first time since 2019.

Union Pacific's Big Boy begins its nine state journey on Wednesday, August 28^th in Cheyenne, Wyoming. It arrives in Durant, Oklahoma on Sunday, October 13^th before stopping in McAlester that night. On Monday, October 14^th, Big Boy will leave McAlester headed to Coffeyville with a stop in Claremore at 1:15pm.

The train will depart Claremore at around 1:45pm and pass through Nowata before arriving in Coffeyville on Monday night. Big Boy leaves Coffeyville on Tuesday, October 15^th at 9:00am on its way to Kansas City, Missouri.  

Big Boy's full schedule can be found here.

 The USD 447 prepares for budget work.

 At this month's Cherryvale-Thayer School Board Meeting, board members began the process of talking through budget details for the upcoming year. Though the actual budget hearing won't happen until September, there is the possibility that the board may have to exceed the revenue neutral rate. Superintendent Travis Githins says a big part of this is the way the state structures aid for small districts.

Githins says the increase will increase the matching amount paid by the state.

The state match for the Local Option Budget or L-O-B would be 73 cents for every dollar provided by the district. The budget hearing will happen at the September 9^th school board meeting.

 The Board of Osage County Commissioners convened for a regularly scheduled meeting at the fairgrounds on Monday morning.

 At that meeting, the Board signed a work and pricing order for Datascout beginning this September and running through June 30, 2028. That is for the Assessor's Office and will cost $7,800 annually.

There was also discussion about a possible error that the county clerk's office had made in paying a bond payment with the wrong account. District Two Commissioner Steve Talburt says the money went to the wrong place.

Yaffe Metals was the lowest bidder and they will be picking up scrap metal across the three districts. There were no utility permits signed during Monday's meeting.

 At Monday's Nowata County Board of Commissioners Meeting, their was a discussion about increasing the salary for Nowata County Sheriff Jason McClain and the Sheriff Department.

 McClain is set to see his salary increase from $32,000 to $44,000 a year. McClain tells Bartlesville Radio that improvements to the Sheriff's Department are coming as well, as he says those are made possible by a grant.

One of the discussion pieces of the meeting was a house bill that was designed to provide funds for rural communities to help with needed resources. However, Nowata County Commissioner Troy Friddle is a major opponent of the legislation because it was rewritten as house bill 2919 where counties are now required to technically pay the increase in salary, despite the county not receiving funds. Friddle calls the issue frustrating.

The Nowata County Sheriff's Department will have $150,000 in funds to improve the Department and tells the Board of Commissioners he will have to do some work to make sure all of the allocations of funds follow proper regulations.

The Nowata Board of Commissioners are expected to pass a resolution regarding this story at next week's weekly meeting. That will be at 9 a.m at the Nowata County Annex Meeting room.

 Car break-ins may not be as rare as they used to be, but recently in Oklahoma, they have taken an unusual turn.

 Law enforcement vehicles often respond to scenes of break-ins, but recently in Oklahoma, they have become the scenes of break-ins. In Wagoner, a Wagoner County Sheriff's Deputy recently had the window of his cruiser smashed while it sat in front of his house. The deputy discovered the break-in when he went out to his vehicles. He also discovered the thieves had taken two 12-gauge shotguns and an AR-15 rifle. The deputy says it may have been bravery or stupidity that led to the theft, but, whatever it is, it's happening a lot. Deputies in Delaware County also report the theft of a 12-gauge shotgun from a cruiser. So far, none of the weapons have been recovered.

Deputies advice for citizens is the same as for themselves: Car thieves are out there, so don't leave anything of value in your vehicle.

 The Sedan police Department is warning the public about fake missing person and missing pets scams.

 These scams often appear on social media and encourage users to report them. Then, the scammer changes the original message to one that promotes a property rental, sale, or survey link that appears to be endorsed by the person who shared it.

The scams are designed to play on the emotions of viewers and are often posted in local buy and sell groups, where a sense of community and trust exists.

BBB offers these tips to avoid being scammed by these bait-and-switch ads:

— Do a bit of digging before resharing a post on your profile. Read the information carefully and look at the profile of the person who created and shared the original post. If the profile is from Florida but shared the post in a Tennessee group, it may be a red flag of a bait-and-switch publication.

— Find out when the poster created the Facebook profile. Scammers always create profiles when their old one gets banned. If you click on their profile, it will tell you how long they have been a member of the group. You can also find additional information on their public profile.

— You should see it in the news. If a child goes missing or a tragedy occurs, you'll most likely see it on different news outlets or shared by law enforcement, not on a random post.

— Do a reverse image search on Google. You can right-click on the photo and use a service like Google Lens to see if the pictures in the post are showing up as being used in other ads or websites in different cities.

— Find similar posts. Copy and paste the text from the post into Facebook's search tool to see if other posts with the same text and different pictures show up.

Navigating social media in the 21st century is riddled with dangers and pitfalls. Staying informed and being vigilant remains your best protection from any scammer.

Alert administrators to fake profiles, compromised accounts and spam messages by reporting them on Facebook and Instagram.

 The Montgomery County commission meets but conducts no business.

 The Montgomery County Commission met yesterday for its regular weekly meeting.

 The meeting was called to order at the regular 9am start time by commissioner Robert Bever. Bever says that extenuating circumstances means there can be no meeting.

Commissioner Larry McManus was not present at the meeting and has been absent for several weeks due to illness in his family, while Commissioner Mike Cordray is currently recovering from a recent surgery. Since at least two commissioners are required to make a quorum, no business was conducted. Bever then adjourned the meeting and began a work session with County Administrator Jonathan Booe and Financial Director Fred Gress. Next week's meeting will convene at the regular time of 9am in the lower level of the Montgomery County Judicial Center in Independence.

 Area drivers are reminded to drive with caution and remain alert as students begin heading back to class this week.

 Students in Neodesha start their new school year today and classes in Independence begin tomorrow. Other area school districts getting back to the books this week include South Coffeyville, Nowata, Oswego and Columbus on Thursday while public schools in Coffeyville head back to class on Friday.

The Independence High School Theater Department is being recognized for major accomplishments at the state level.

IHS Drama received praise and high marks for their musical performance of The Little Mermaid this spring. Director Elizabeth Bennin says the program received their most awards yet.

The recognition is courtesy of the Jester Awards, which is an annual night held by MTWichita to celebrate the work and creativity of high school theater. Bennin says IHS continues to get better every year.

Along with 17 total nominations, IHS Drama also made history at the state level. Bennin says the group was able to win a Jester after multiple years of nominations.

Other items of business at the August board meeting was an update on the delayed opening of the new Early Learning Center, which is targeted for September 5th. Additionally, enrollment in the district is up from last year, with over 1,500 students at Central Enrollment this fall, and over 1,700 total students expected across all schools.

 The City of Columbus and the Columbus Police Department announces two promotions within the Police Department.

 Preston Hosier has been promoted to the rank of Sergeant. Sergeant Hosier has been with the Columbus Police Department for five years and has recently taken the lead in the Filed Training Officer program. He has also played a key role in implementing the department's taser modernization initiative. C-P-D also recognizes Hosier efforts in organizing benefit events for Chief Jason Daniels and his family during Daniels' illness.

Also earning a new role is Officer Arlo Lewke who will serve as the new School Resource Officer. Lewke has also served with C-P-D for five years in the positions of Animal Control Officer, Police Officer, and Code Enforcement Officer. Lewke will be stationed at the Highland Education Center which is set to open this fall.

Photo: Arlo Lewke (left), Preston Hosier (right)

 The Interstate Fair and Rodeo is underway in Coffeyville.

 On tap for today on the exhibitor side will be the swine show at 8am in the livestock arena. The bred and owned heifer show will happen tonight to be followed by the prospect steer show. PRCA Rodeo Slack will be in the grandstand at 8am this morning. Tonight, it's LJ Jenkins Bull Riding at 7:30pm. Gates open at 6pm. US-98 will also be broadcasting live tonight from 5 to 7. Stop by our booth in front of the grandstand and say hello. It all happens at Walter Johnson Park in Coffeyville.

 Assessing the needs of today and the future has been a topic of discussion with the USD436 school district for the past few months. During last night's meeting, an architect was approved to help present current and future needs to district residents.

 USD436 Superintendent Blake Vargas says Architect One is a great choice for now and down the road.

 Vargas says the two main concerns to address is the entrance of the elementary school and storm shelters for all schools in the district. He says the projects need to be addressed, but they need to be addressed responsibly.

 Vargas says a series of public meetings will be held for USD436 residents to ask questions and look at the projects on the district watch list.

 In other business, the board received updates on hail damage repair to buildings during recent storms, and heard an update on the renovation of CV West.

Staff at South Coffeyville Public Schools are gearing up for another busy school year.

The first softball game of the year took place last night, and tonight is open house from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Superintendent Daryl Pruter says returning students and parents will notice some changes tonight when they return to school.

The first day of school for South Coffeyville is Thursday.

In other business, the board approved a bid for five new electronic signs totaling just under $50,000. Three will be inside the school buildings to display announcements, one will replace the aging electronic portion of the current sign across from the fire department and a new sign will be put up along U.S. 169 to direct visitors towards the school.

There are changes coming to Coffeyville's Customer Service hours next month.

Starting Tuesday, September 3^rd Coffeyville's Customer Service for utility customers will change from 8:00am to 4:00pm for the lobby and 8:00am to 5:00pm for the drive-thru to 8:00am to 4:30pm for both the lobby and the drive-thru. In addition to the changes in hours, all account setups must be done in the lobby starting no later than 3:30pm. Account setups will stop at 4:00pm.

For any questions, you can call customer service at (620)252-6100.

 The Kansas Department of Revenue reveals the state's new personalized license plate design.

 Five designs were put up for public vote earlier this month and the winner is the Flint Hills Design. More than 30,000 votes were cast during online voting and the Flint Hills plate received over 56% of the vote.

The new design will be available in 2025 and those who want a personalized tag can purchase one for $45.50 when they renew their tags at their local county treasurers office. The current design will no longer be available after January 1^st. Kansas who currently have a personalized tag will need to purchase as new plate during renewal to keep their personalized plate text.

To check the availability of personalized plate text, go here.

 The owner of Bartlesville's Price Tower says the Frank Lloyd Wright landmark is not closing, yet, but it is a possibility.

 Cynthia Blanchard spoke with our sister stations at Bartlesville Radio Friday afternoon. She says her ownership group is having to make some difficult decisions, including reducing operations and staff at the Price Tower, but they are hoping it is a temporary set-back .

Blanchard confirmed Price Tower has sent notifications to tenants about the financial difficulties, in hopes that the existing tenants can find other arrangements if the tower has no choice but to close.

Blanchard says the Price Tower is not currently for sale, but she is open to offers.

Blanchard's responses came just under an hour after Bartlesville Radio published another story with Blanchard and her attorney about the Frank Lloyd Wright Conservancy possibly taking legal action about artifacts that have been sold from the Price Tower. 

 An 18-year-old Fayetteville, AR, man is sentenced to 60 years in prison for his part in two separate shooting incidents.

 Authorities say Jaylin Caston was 16 years old when he was charged with aggravated assault after a shooting incident at the 2022 Washington County Fair in Fayetteville. That shooting injured a young boy who was hit multiple times and managed to survive his wounds.

Caston was also arrested in connection to an August 2023 shooting at a Fayetteville gas station that injured three people and caused thousands of dollars in damage. Three other suspects were also arrested in connection to that shooting.

 First responders in Chanute conduct a water rescue near the Neosho River.

 Chanute firefighters answered the call on Saturday night of reports of a person who had slipped and become stuck in the mud on the banks of the Neosho River. Rescuers used rope systems to secure the person from sinking further into the mud while a shovel was used unearth the victim. The rope system was then used along with a webbing harness to pull the person up the steep embankment to safety.

There were no injuries reported.

 The City of Arkansas City is asking people to voluntarily limit their water usage.

 The Cowley County city moved into a Stage 1 Water Warning after last week's city commission meeting. Stage 1 means that water conservation is done on a voluntary basis. Ark City has moved into their drought plan due to lack of rain and a pair of water main breaks. The purpose of the move is to hopefully prevent the need to move to stricter measures. Ark City's water storage is currently 65% filled. When it reaches 80%, the city will return to normal.

City officials say that will likely happen by the end of the month.

 ***UPFDATE*** The Kansas Department of Corrections reports that Ricardo Marin-Valdez is back in custody.

 An inmate at the Johnson County Department of Corrections fails to return from a weekend work detail.

 The Kansas Department of Corrections has placed 24-year-old Ricardo Marin-Valdez on escape status after he walked away from a work detail near Olathe on Saturday, August 10, 2024.

Marin-Valdez is an Hispanic male,  five-foot-11-inches and weighs 206 pounds, with a heavy build. He has brown hair and brown eyes and was last seen wearing black t-shirt and camouflage shorts.

Marin-Valdez was serving a 15-month sentence for drug-related convictions. He is considered dangerous. Anyone with information on him should contact KDOC Enforcement, Apprehension, and Investigations division at  816-266-2102, or call 911.

 The Parsons Police Department announces a temporary closure of the department today while electrical work is done on their building.

 From 8am to 2pm today, the Parsons Police Department will be closed to all walk-in and lobby activities. P-P-D assures the public that officers will still be on the job and will continue to be available to assist citizens and respond to calls

All emergency calls will be handled by Labette County 9-1-1.

The work is to install a new transfer switch for the emergency generator system.

 The City of Independence has four new police officers on the job.

 I-P-D officers Stormy Musgrove, Dominic Powell, Yamilka Pereira, and Kayne Abrams were sworn into their new position last week. All four graduated from the Kansas Law enforcement Training Center. New I-P-D Police Chief Dustin Stafford welcomed the new officers, stating it was very exciting to welcome them into the I-P-D ranks. Independence Mayor Tim Emert told the new officers that seeing them sworn in made everyone on hand feel good.

 Authorities in Jasper County, MO, respond to a weekend RV fire.

 Fire crews were called to the scene just before noon yesterday (Sunday) when black smoke was reported in Carterville, just east of Webb City. The blaze was quickly brought under control but the camper was a total loss. Jasper County Deputies, Carterville Police, along with Carterville Fire and Duenweg and Webb City Fire responded to the call.

No injuries were reported.

 An Overland Park man was killed on Saturday when he was struck by a semi tractor-trailer on I-135 in Harvey County.

 44-year-old Richard Anthony Hall was standing in front of a Ford Fusion that was legally parked on the shoulder of the roadway along I-135 near McPherson. The tractor trailer was heading northbound in the right lane and was unable to move to the left lane as it approached the car. The semi slowed down as it approached and, for an unknown reason, Hall ran into the roadway and was struck by the right front corner of the truck.

 There will be a hunter safety course offered in Parsons in September.

 The course begins on September 16^th and includes 4 evening sessions and a Saturday morning session. The class will cover hunter responsibilities, firearm basics, safety, Kansas hunting regulations and more. Persons ages 11 and up are eligible to attend. Students must attend all session of the class. The class will be held at the Arvon Phillips community Center at 200 South Heacock in Parsons. The course is free to attend.

To sign up or view courses in other cities, go here.

 The Interstate Fair and Rodeo gets into full swing today at Walter Johnson Park in Coffeyville.

 The week's worth of fun and activities gets going this morning with the check-in of 4H exhibit in the exhibit building and in the livestock area. Indoor exhibits will be judged this afternoon from 1 to 5 to be followed by the bake sale at 6pm. The fitting contest will take place in the livestock arena at 6:30pm.

Local fire departments respond to an early-morning structure fire in Independence.

Early this morning around 12:45, Independence Fire-EMS responded to a reported structure fire at 1630 N. 10th in Independence. Upon arrival, firefighters found a fully-involved trailer house. The fire was brought under control within 20 minutes and the fire was kept from spreading to surrounding properties. No one was injured in the fire which is being investigated by Independence Police Department. Independence Rural Fire assisted with the response.

The Independence Police Department is seeking the public's help after two instances of gunfire today.

Just before 7 this morning, officers responded to the 1700 block of North 10th Street for a report of two instances of gunfire. After speaking with witnesses and obtaining security footage, Officers learned that a vehicle arrived and fled the area around both times the gunfire was reported. The vehicle is blue in color and was operated by a white female, with blonde hair and wearing glasses.

Anyone with nearby security cameras are encouraged to check them around 6:57 a.m. this morning and report relevant information. Witnesses said the vehicle traveled North on 10th Street but may have arrived from the south. Pictures are also available in the online version of this story at kggfradio.com.

If you recognize the vehicle or have information, please call IPD at 620-332-1700 and reference case number 24-1338.

Bartlesville's Price Tower is not closing at least not yet but it is a possibility. Owner Cynthia Blanchard says her ownership group is having to make some difficult decisions.

Blanchard says the Price Tower is not currently for sale, but she is open to offers.  Blanchard confirmed Price Tower has sent notifications to tenants about their financial difficulties, in hopes that the existing tenants can find other arrangements if the tower has no choice but to close.

A Coffeyville man is dead and a Caney man is injured in a crash in Nebraska.

67-year-old Donald Sewell, of Caney, was eastbound in his 1995 Electra Motorcycle on US 30 east of Sidney attempting to make a left turn. 74-year-old Bardin Kenneth Cade was behind Sewell in a 2013 Road King motorcycle. Cade hit Sewell as he made the turn.

Both riders were ejected from their motorcycles and both motorcycles were described as totaled. Cade was pronounced dead at the scene. Sewell was taken to a hospital for treatment and later released. According to accident reports, neither driver was wearing a helmet.

 Students in area school districts head back to class over the next few weeks and its important for drivers to get back in the habit of sharing the roads with kids on their way to school.

 Drivers should remember to obey school zone speed limits, be alert when driving near schools and make eye contact with children who are crossing the street. Never pass a bus loading or unloading students.

Keep these rules in mind as students get back to classes. Those head back to school next week include Neodesha on Tuesday, Independence on Wednesday, South Coffeyville, Nowata, Oswego and Columbus on Thursday and Coffeyville on Friday.

 Most Kansans know to tread lightly when walking in the woods.

 A Chautauqua County resident recently captured video footage of a timber rattlesnake in a shed near their home.

Snake sightings in southeast Kansas are not rare, but just how many of them are dangerous? Of the 42 different species of snakes that are found in the Sunflower state, only 5 are venomous and only four of those are commonly found in the southeast part of the state.

Herpetologists at Fort Hays State university say copperheads are the most likely snake to be seen in southeast Kansas with the broad-banded variety seen in Chautauqua, Elk, Greenwood, Montgomery, Wilson, and Woodson Counties. The timber rattlesnake has been spotted 49 times in Chautauqua County, and the Western Massasauga has been seen as well.

Bites by venomous snakes are rare as snakes tend to avoid humans even in the wild. Humans are nine times more likely to be hit by lightning than bitten by a venomous snake.

To learn more about what to do if you encounter a snake, go here.

 The Kansas Hospital Association names the CEO of the Neosho Regional Medical Center in Chanute as the winner of the 2024 Charles S. Billings Award.

 Dennis Franks has served as the CEO at Neosho Regional Medical Center since 2006. He has also served as CEO of two hospitals in Oklahoma and as administrator/commander for the U.S. Air Force in San Antonio.

The KHA says Franks' commitment and excellence in healthcare has made an impact on the communities in which he has served.

The Charles S. Billings Award, named after the association’s first president, was created in 1971 to recognize distinguished service and outstanding contributions to the field of health care in Kansas. Franks is the 44th recipient of this award and has demonstrated these qualities during his 43 year health care career.

 The Independence City Commission takes a proactive step to keep vandalism out of Riverside Park.

 At this week's city commission meeting, officials from Riverside Park presented commissioners with a bid to install security cameras in high-traffic areas of Riverside Park. Those areas include the playgrounds, the band shell, and newly refurbished big train, among others. Commissioner Dean Hayse says the value the park brings to the community is worth protecting.

Hayse adds that the cost of camera installation is less costly than damage to the park.

The Commission approved the bid of $76,000 for camera installation to D & A Electrical Systems. The work is expected to be completed in about a month.

 Two people are arrested on charges of child endangerment in Crawford County.

 The Crawford County Sheriff's Office responded on Wednesday to the request for a welfare check on a residence in McCune. An investigation led to the arrest of 42-year-old Clayton Hiben and 48-year-old Athena Siu, both of McCune. The two were booked into the Crawford County Jail for child endangerment and interference with law enforcement.

Four children were taken from the home and placed in protective custody. They were late released to relatives.

The investigation into the incident remains ongoing.

 Authorities have determined the cause of a fatal plane crash that happened near Oklahoma City earlier this week.

 The Federal Aviation Administration has determined that the crash was caused when the single engine Beech F-33-A aircraft clipped a hay bale with its left wing during take off. The collision caused the small plane to veer off of the runway and into a nearby wooded area.

Crews from the Oklahoma City Fire Department said the plane was fully engulfed in flames when they arrived on the scene.

There were four people on board the plane when the accident occurred. There were no survivors. The names of the victims have not yet been released.

 The Board of Osage County Commissioners continue to aid in the Hulah Lake Rural Water District 20 Project thanks to a community development block grant.

 J.T. Darling with INCOG was at Monday's meeting and he gave an update as to the latest happenings.

Darling made the recommendation that the Board award a bid to Pinney Dozer in the amount of just over $393,000 to do the construction on the project. Commissioners voted to approve that contract.

 Yesterday, Kansas Governor Laura Kelly ceremonially signed Senate Bill 1, the bi-partisan comprehensive tax cut measure passed in June.

 Kelly signed the original bill in to law earlier this summer after calling a special session of the Kansas Legislature specifically to craft this bill. Kelly and the legislature had been at odds over the tax package during the last legislative session and had failed to come to a compromise.

Kelly called the tax cut package long-overdue tax relief for all Kansans, adding that the measure will continue to fund schools, roads and bridges, and other essential services while putting money back into the pockets of taxpayers.

 There could soon be a solution to a proposed gas rate hike in Kansas.

 The Kansas Corporation Commission will hold a settlement hearing next week regarding a possible rate hike for gas customers in the State. The meeting was originally planned to be an evidentiary hearing between the parties in the case, which include  KCC Staff, Kansas Gas Service, the Citizens Utility Ratepayer Board, and WoodRiver Energy but was changed to a settlement following yesterday's meeting of the KCC.

If the settlement is approved, residential customers would see an increase in their monthly bill of about $3.80 per month. This amount is substantially less than the originally proposed increase.

The KCC may approve, reject or modify the agreement following next week's hearing. The KCC order is due on or before October 25.

Vaude in the 'Ville is coming up this weekend in Coffeyville.

The annual fundraiser for the Midland Theater will feature local and regional talent with a Vaudeville theme. Midland Board Member Wyatt Starnes says there are some new surprises this year.

Tickets are $30 and allow guests into the after party at the Midland in addition to the show at Spencer/Rounds Theater on the CCC Campus. Tickets can be purchased online, through the Chamber of Commerce, or a Midland board member. A link to purchase is available HERE.

Touch of Life Ministries has raised more than half the money needed to repair their building's roof.

Organizer Alicia Melton says they need $10,000 for the project, and they've already raised more than $5,000. Melton says they still need $4,790 to be able to do the project. Touch of Life opened the area's only warming center last winter, and Melton says there are big plans for the space down the road once the roof is repaired. She says one major challenge is getting people a temporary home base and an address to obtain more permanent housing and employment.

Melton says the group donating the labor to fix the roof will be in town on August 18^th, so the money needs to be raised by next Wednesday, the 14^th. Anyone interested in donating can call 918-559-8526, mail a check to 501 E 9^th Street or drop donations by the ministry's thrift store at 201 Eldridge. Touch of Life is a 501c3 and donations are tax deductible.

Three men are arrested during traffic stops in three separate drug related cases in Montgomery County.

On Friday, a deputy initiated a traffic stop at the intersection of 18^th and Maple Street in Independence. Police Service Dog Sancho arrived on the scene and alerted deputies to the presence of drugs. Deputies found methamphetamine, marijuana and drug paraphernalia in the vehicle. The driver, Joe Coy of Coffeyville, was taken into custody and booked on charges of possession of methamphetamine, marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

On Sunday, at around 2:45am, another traffic stop was conducted at the intersection of Buckeye and Velma Street in Coffeyville. Deputies observed drug paraphernalia in plain view. Deputies found methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia and hydrocodone pills. The driver, Shonterric Flowers, of Coffeyville, was arrested and booked on charges of possession of methamphetamine, hydrocodone pills and drug paraphernalia and several traffic-related offenses.

Later that morning, at around 4:45am, a deputy conducted another traffic stop in the 1100 block of W Main Street in Independence. During this stop, deputies observed drug paraphernalia in plain view inside the vehicle. A search found methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia and a loaded handgun. The driver, Max Hedges of Elk City was arrested and booked on charges of possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia and criminal possession of a firearm by a felon.

Coffeyville Friends of Animals is hosting a free vaccine clinic next Saturday, August 17^th. Board Chair Becky Barnhart says this is made possible by the Delaware Tribe Family and Children Services.

Barnhart says it's a great opportunity to get a vaccine that has been put off.  Barnhart says they will only be providing the Vanguard 5 shot, there will not be any rabies vaccines. The clinic will take place at the CFA Shelter at 4955 County Road 1400 in Coffeyville.

 A 9-year-old Andale boy wins big at the U.S. Kids Golf World Championships.

 Graham Schmidt took home top honors last weekend at the tournament at Pinehurst No. 1 in Pinehurst, North Carolina. Schmidt finished with tha three day score of 9-under to win the A Division by two strokes. He also shot a personal best round with a 7-under 63.

The tournament welcomes young golfers ages 5 through 12 from around the world to compete and provide a stage for golf's next generation of players.

 While they may not be trying to steal your porridge, bears are becoming a more common sight in Kansas.

 Experts with the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks says sightings of black bears in Kansas are becoming more common.

Since 2015, there have been ten confirmed sightings of black bears in the Sunflower State. Such sightings have happened from time to time in southwest Kansas, but over the past twenty years, the sightings have become more common in the southeast part of the state.

Researchers from Fort Hays State University say the two counties in the state with the most sightings are Crawford with seven and Cherokee with five.

Other southeast Kansas counties with confirmed sightings include Labette with two sighting and Chautauqua with one.

Authorities says there is no indication that there are any bears living full time in Kansas.

 The City of Fredonia gets a clean bill of financial health in their 2023 audit.

  Phil Jarred from Jarred, Gilmore & Phillips of Chanute was on hand at last night's Fredonia City Commission meeting to present the findings of the 2023 audit of the city's finances. Jarred reported to the commission that the city is in good financial shape. Interim City Administrator John Torline also recognized the volunteer efforts of Fredonia resident Ralph Hight for his help in reconciling city finances. Torline says the city appreciates Hight's help.

In other business, the commission approved a bond ordinance to provide long-term financing for completed sewer projects. They also approved the final disbursement of funds to Interconnection systems, Inc., for their work on the solar farm project.