Following the November 3rd general election, Nowata County Election Board Secretary Dave Neely updated the county commissioners on voter turnout.
 

Neely gave the update during a meeting of the Nowata County Commission on Monday morning. He says approximately half of registered Nowata County voters cast a ballot in the last week's general election.
 

Last week's totals follow up near record turnout during the period for early voting. Between 400 and 500 votes were recorded during the early voting period in the days leading up to Election Day last Tuesday.

Less than 3,000 total votes were recorded in the race for Associate District Judge in Nowata County between James Pfeffer and Linda Branstetter.

The Coffeyville Police Department says a recent saturation patrol targeting impaired drivers resulted in no DUI arrests during the enforcement period.

Officers conducted the special patrol Friday, October 30th, from 6pm until midnight, focusing on drivers impaired by alcohol or drugs. During that six-hour period, officers made 20 traffic stops, issued 16 warnings and four citations, and arrested one person on an outstanding warrant.

While no impaired drivers were identified during the saturation patrol, police say two additional DUI arrests were made elsewhere in Coffeyville over the weekend by officers working regular patrol shifts.

The special enforcement effort was funded through grants from the Kansas Department of Transportation and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Montgomery County is showing its support for those who have served on this Veterans Day by participating in Operation Green Light.

Interim County Administrator Kori White says the County Courthouse in Independence will be lit green this week in support of vets.

Residents and business owners are also encouraged to participate by placing a green light bulb at their home or workplace.

A head-on collision involving a semi in western Kansas leaves a New Mexico man dead and another man seriously injured.

86-year-old Bruce Greenfield of Las Cruces was traveling eastbound on US-54 near the City of Haviland in Kiowa County around 6:30 last night (Tuesday night). His 2018 Toyota RAV 4 crossed the center line into the westbound lanes and into the path of an oncoming semi. The driver of the semi 39-year-old Adriaan Hanekom of Greensburg, Kansas, attempted to avoid hitting the smaller vehicle but was unable to do so.

The two vehicles collided head-on, killing Greenfield and causing serious injuries to Hanekom.

The cause of the accident remains under investigation.

A head-on crash on I-70 near Junction City leaves both drivers dead.

The accident occurred around 11:15 on Tuesday morning when a 2026 Ford Explorer driven by 42-year-old Michela Brown of Abilene crossed the interstate median and struck a 2026 Hyundai Kona head-on.

Both Brown and the driver of the Hyundai 65-year-old Rex Gile of Calhan, Colorado, were fatally injured.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation by the Kansas Highway Patrol.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has issued a boil water advisory for a portion of Rural Water District #10 public water supply system located in Allen County.

Customers located south of Arkansas Road should boil water for one minute prior to drinking or food preparation or use bottled water instead. Dispose of ice cubes from trays and automatic ice makers. If your tap water appears dirty, flush the water lines by letting the water run until it clears.  Water used for bathing does not need to be boiled, but supervision of children is necessary while bathing so that water is not ingested.

KDHE officials issued the advisory on November 10^th because of a loss of pressure due to a maintenance issues.

 The advisory will remain in effect until further notice.

Fredonia residents should expect some traffic changes today as the city holds its Veterans Day Parade.

The parade will travel from Fredonia Junior-Senior High School to Lincoln Elementary School, around the downtown square, and back to the high school.

Traffic will be temporarily affected at intersections along the square, as well as 8th and 9th Streets, from about 8:45 to 10:15 this morning.

An assembly honoring veterans will be held shortly after the parade at the high school.

Meanwhile, Fredonia residents whose trash is normally collected Wednesdays will have their service delayed until Thursday. Residents should have their trash out by 7am tomorrow for pickup.

A Galena woman is injured in a collision while attempting to avoid hitting a deer.

79-year-old Tommie Bottorff suffered minor injures yesterday (on Tuesday) evening after she swerved to avoid a hitting a deer in the roadway. Bottorff was southbound on Southeast 80^th Street near the intersection with Wyandotte Road in Cherokee County, or about 8 miles east of Columbus.

The evasive action caused Bottorff's 2023 GMC Sierra 3500 to leave the road and strike a culvert.

The accident occurred just before 5pm.

***** Update *****

Labette and Montgomery are now the only counties in Kansas in the advisory.

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

A dense fog advisory is in place once again this morning.

The National Weather Service has issued a dense fog advisory for southeast Kansas and northeast Oklahoma, including Cowley, Chautauqua, Elk, Labette, Montgomery, Neosho and Wilson Counties in Kansas.

Areas in Oklahoma include Craig, Mayes, Osage, Nowata Ottawa, Pawnee, Rogers and Washington Counties.

The advisory will be in place through 8 a.m. Make sure to slow down, use low beams and allow extra time for you commute.

The State of Kansas launches a new website designed to make it easier for military spouses and veterans to transfer professional licenses when moving to the state.

Governor Laura Kelly announced the Military License Reciprocity website, which connects applicants with 34 Kansas licensing agencies in one location.

State law requires an expedited decision on a completed license reciprocity application within 15 days. Military spouses are also exempt from Kansas occupational licensing fees, including application, renewal and background-check fees. The expedited process is available to active-duty service members, including National Guard and Reservists, honorably discharged veterans, and their spouses.

The new website also provides links to Kansas job opportunities and the Kansas Works employment website. State officials say the goal is to remove barriers for military families relocating to Kansas and help them continue their careers and connect with jobs more quickly.

More information is available at this link

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has issued a boil water advisory for a portion of the City of Galena public water supply system located in Cherokee County.

Customers in the Empire Area from north of Front Street to either side of North Main should boil water for one minute prior to drinking or food preparation or use bottled water instead. Dispose of ice cubes from trays and automatic ice makers. If your tap water appears dirty, flush the water lines by letting the water run until it clears.  Water used for bathing does not need to be boiled, but supervision of children is necessary while bathing so that water is not ingested.

KDHE officials issued the advisory on November 10^th because of a loss of pressure due to a water hydrant break.

 The advisory will remain in effect until further notice.

The City of Coffeyville receives a clean audit.

Varney and Associates presented its review of the city’s 2025 finances during the city commission meeting. Owner in Audit April Swartz says the review went smoothly.

Swartz says one thing did stand out to her during the audit.  This marked the first time Coffeyville changed auditing firms since 1988.

Four people are injured in a crash on Highway 75 in Washington County.

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol says a box truck pulled out of a private drive near West 1400 Road around 7:30am this morning. The truck was turning north when a southbound truck hauling a skid steer struck it. Both vehicles came to rest in the northbound lanes.

Both drivers were injured in the crash. Troopers identified them as 39-year-old Tyler Schoonover of Fredonia and 25-year-old Jace Evans of Tulsa. Two passengers riding with Schoonover were also injured. Troopers say all four were wearing seat belts.

Red Raven Holiday returns to Coffeyville Community College with a “Home for the Holidays” theme.

The free event is open to the community and features Christmas caroling and karaoke in the theater. CCC's Haylie Bagwell and Pam Feerer says there’s plenty for families to do around campus.

Red Raven Holiday runs from 5:00pm to 8:00pm Friday, November 20th, on the CCC campus.

For one weekend in Elk Falls, outhouses are on the ballot.

The Elk Falls Outhouse Festival marks 31 years Friday and Saturday, November 20th and 21st. For $1 at festival headquarters, visitors get a button, ballot, map and schedule. They can tour the decorated outhouses at their own pace and vote for their favorite. Elk Falls Pottery also celebrates 50 years in business with commemorative mugs and T-shirts. The festival includes a quilt show, craft vendors and tours of the 1872 Keefe Homestead.

Bluegrass band Beyond Reach performs Saturday, and a car, truck and motorcycle show runs downtown from 10:00am to 1:00pm. Festival hours are 9:00am to 5:00pm both days.

A Pleasanton woman is dead after trying to avoiding hitting a deer in rural Linn County.

The accident happened just before 4pm on Monday afternoon on a rural road located about 6 miles southeast of the City of Mound City.

52-year-old Lisa Gabrini of Pleasanton swerved to avoid a deer in the roadway, causing her vehicle to cross the center line and spin. Her vehicle was then struck on the driver's side by an oncoming vehicle.

Gabrini was pronounced deceased at the scene.

The other driver was uninjured.

The Montgomery County Clerk's Office is conducting a required audit of last week's general election results.

After every election, Kansas counties must conduct a manual audit of paper ballots to make sure the hand count matches the totals reported by electronic voting tabulators. County Clerk Ami Standridge says this is required by Kansas law.

Standridge says, because the election night totals for several state-wide races were very close, the county will be required to audit additional precincts.

Because the ballots must be counted by hand, she says the audit will likely take most of this week.

The audit will be completed by Friday, when county officials will begin the canvass to certify the election results starting at 9am.

The firearm believed to have been used in a deadly shooting north of Sycamore has been recovered and is now in law enforcement custody.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and Kansas Bureau of Investigation announced the development on Monday, thanking the public for its assistance in locating the weapon.

The shooting happened around 1am November 1^st near County Roads 6200 and 3950, north of Sycamore. Investigators say a large party was taking place when multiple altercations broke out and a gunshot struck two people. 40-year-old Devin Windsor of Independence was transported to a hospital in Neodesha, where he later died. A male juvenile also suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

18-year-old Dedrick McDaniel of Coffeyville was arrested November 2^nd and booked on a charge of second-degree murder in connection with Windsor’s death. The sheriff’s office says the investigation remains active, with investigators continuing to examine evidence and follow up on leads.

Kansas is receiving more than $225 million in additional federal funding to support rural health care.

Governor Laura Kelly announced this week that the state has received $225, 896,000 for the second year of the Rural Health Transformation Program — the sixth-largest award in the nation.

The funding will expand programs aimed at improving rural health care, including grants for regional partnerships, facility improvements and technology.

New initiatives will also help rural Kansans get to medical appointments through non-emergency medical transportation, while another program will provide education, community resources and care consultations for rural Kansans with Alzheimer’s.

Kansas invested $222 million in the program during its first year, including nearly $99 million in grants to rural health care providers and community partners.

The second year of the program began October 31st and runs through October of 2027. The effort focuses on expanding access to care, strengthening the rural health workforce, improving behavioral health services and using technology to improve health care delivery.

The Coffeyville City Commission will meet tonight with plans to entertain a light agenda.

At tonight's meeting, commissioners are expected to approve a Memo of Agreement with the Fraternal Order of Police, effective through the end of 2028. They are also expected to approve the sale of twenty properties from the City's land bank. Both of those items are on the consent agenda which allows the commission to approve non-controversial, and self-explanatory items into a single package for one combined vote.

There will also be a presentation of the audit of City finances for Fiscal Year 2025.

Tonight's meeting begins at 6:30 in the Commission Room at City Hall. The public is invited to attend in person or to view the meeting online via the City of Coffeyville YouTube channel.

The Wilson County Commission approves purchases for the Road and Bridge Department and gets an update on last week's election.

During its latest meeting, commissioners approved a request from Road and Bridge Supervisor Kary Tatum to spend 122-thousand dollars with Murphy Tractor Company for a motor grader.

County Coordinator Kris Marple also reported that the Southeast Kansas Regional Juvenile Detention Center in Girard has been designated as a Kansas Secure Care Center for juveniles.

County Clerk Kayla Busch reported a 45-percent voter turnout in Wilson County for the November third general election, saying the election process went smoothly. The commission is scheduled to meet today at 11am as the Board of Canvassers to certify the general election results.

There will be no commission meeting tomorrow, November 11, because of Veterans Day, and commissioners also canceled the November 25th meeting for Thanksgiving.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has issued a boil water advisory for the City of La Harpe public water supply system located in Allen County.

Customers should boil water for one minute prior to drinking or food preparation or use bottled water instead. Dispose of ice cubes from trays and automatic ice makers. If your tap water appears dirty, flush the water lines by letting the water run until it clears.  Water used for bathing does not need to be boiled, but supervision of children is necessary while bathing so that water is not ingested.

KDHE officials issued the advisory on November 9^th because of a loss of pressure due to a water line break.

 The advisory will remain in effect until further notice.

The Kansas Correctional Industries program is being recognized for its work preparing Kansas prison residents for employment after their release.

Kansas Department of Corrections officials say K-C-I has been awarded the 2027 Performance Excellence Award from the National Correctional Industries Association.

K-C-I provides job training and work experience in 12 areas, including manufacturing, agriculture, food products, animal husbandry and woodworking. The program also has 41 workforce agreements with private companies that employ residents.

Officials say residents who participate in K-C-I have lower recidivism rates and are more likely to find employment after release.

N-C-I-A President Jeremy Elder says about 13 percent of Kansas inmates are employed in industry positions, putting Kansas among the national leaders.

The award will be formally presented to Kansas Correctional Industries at the N-C-I-A awards banquet in Columbus, Ohio, in April.

The Chautauqua County Commission unanimously approved a three-year EagleView aerial imagery agreement totaling $64,942.55.

The service will help the county appraiser’s office identify new construction and property improvements. Officials say the updated imagery will also save time, fuel and staffing resources.

Commissioners also discussed county insurance costs, which have reportedly increased by approximately 100% over the past five years. The commission plans to explore alternative insurance providers ahead of its next renewal.

The next Chautauqua County Commission meeting will be held next Monday in the Commissioners Room on the second floor of the Chautauqua County Courthouse at 8:30 am. 

The USD 446 Independence Board of Education recognizes three district educators nominated for state teaching awards and discusses a potential renovation project at the Riley Educational Resource Center.

Kara Swearingen, a first-grade teacher at Eisenhower Elementary, was nominated for the Kansas Horizon Award, which recognizes outstanding first-year teachers who demonstrate excellence in the classroom.

Lori Boyer, a fourth-grade teacher at Jefferson Middle School, was nominated for the elementary Kansas Teacher of the Year award, while Erin Shelton, a band director at Independence High School, was nominated in the secondary category. The Kansas Teacher of the Year program recognizes outstanding educators for their teaching abilities and leadership. 

In other business, the board discussed the possibility of renovating the Riley Educational Resource Center, which operates as a learning space for early childhood education and developmental programs for young learners.

USD 446 Superintendent Jason McAfee says the process would begin with information gathering in November and December. If the project moves forward, renovations could begin in the summer of 2027. McAfee estimates the cost of adding a parking lot and completing interior renovations would range from $850,000 to $950,000.

The board did not approve moving forward with the renovation process and instead tabled the discussion until its next meeting, scheduled for Monday, December 14, in the Independence High School library at 6:00 pm.