The Kansas Supreme Court hears an appeal from a convicted Kansas serial Killer.

The Court has heard arguments in the latest appeal of convicted serial killer John Robinson Sr., who has spent more than two decades on death row. Robinson was convicted in 2002 of killing three women in Johnson County and later pleaded guilty in Missouri to five additional killings. In 2015, the Court upheld Robinson's capital murder sentence after a woman was found in a barrel on his farm near the City of La Cygne.

His attorney argued on Monday that ineffective defense counsel and errors in how prosecutors presented the case violated Robinson’s rights and should overturn his remaining death sentences.

State attorney Jacob Gontesky urged the justices to reject the appeal, saying Robinson had a highly experienced defense team.

The justices did not immediately rule on the issue.

The Kansas State Fair in underway in Hutchinson as Kansans and other fair goers brave the heat.

According to the Kansas Highway Patrol, 59 people have been treated for heat-related illness at this year's fair, that began on Friday. Temperatures across the state have reached or exceeded 100 degrees in central Kansas for 10 straight days just prior to the kickoff of the fair. That is the longest 100 degree streak since 2000. Hot weather remains in the forecast this week.

Anyone heading to Hutchinson this week to enjoy the fair should remember to stay well hydrated and take regular breaks from the heat, including finding shade or air conditioning. While at the fair, anyone feeling sick can seek help from the K-H-P, EMS, or fair staff. The Kansas State Fair runs through Saturday.

Those staying closer to home should also use caution when spending time outside while the heat wave lasts.

Osage County Commissioners work to improve transparency.

At this week's meeting, commissioners discussed contract payments for the Osage County Free Fair . This included a $3,000 payment to a petting zoo, $2,800 payment to a magician and two separate payments to individual bands totaling $3,000. District Two Commissioner Steve Talburt says even though this was approved in June, the Board wants to be more transparent about what they are paying for in the future.

In other business, commissioners also signed a service agreement with Guy Engineering for a right of way acquisition proposal to begin work on a bridge in District Three.

The Altamont City Council makes quick work of business at this week's special meeting.

On Monday night, council members approved changes to city ordinance 672 for special assessments. City Administrator LeeAnn Myers says the changes will allow the City to cover expenses associated with code enforcement.

Monday's meeting was held after last week's regular meeting was canceled. Myers says the change resulted in the City moving the date of an scheduled public hearing.

The next regular meeting of the Altamont City Council is set for September 24.

The city of Columbus lifts its burn ban.

The city-wide burn ban was lifted on Monday after the recent rainfall in the area. The Columbus Fire Department continues to monitor conditions, paying close attention to the weather, wind and dry conditions in the event that a burn ban may need to be put back in place. Officials ask that residents continue to use caution and good judgment in regards to outdoor burning.

Those with questions can contact the Columbus Fire Department at 620-429-1592

The City of Independence is expanding a program designed to help homeowners improve their neighborhoods.

The Independence City Commission has approved new guidelines for the City’s Neighborhood Exterior Grant Program. Housing Authority Director April Nutt says there were two changes made to the program.

The grant requires at least two neighbors who live within line of sight of each other to co-apply for funding and for each to make a minimum of $1,000 investment in eligible exterior improvements. The program now has two levels of funding, which are dependent on the applicants income. Mayor Dean Hayse says the program helps improve local neighborhoods

Qualifying improvements include projects such as exterior painting, window or door replacement, awnings and gutters, and driveway repairs.

For more information on the grant program, follow this link.

The recently held Guardians of the Greens Charity Golf Tournament raises more than $18,000 for the Parsons Police Legacy Fund.

The third annual tournament happened last Saturday at the Katy Golf Club in Parsons as 57 players turned out in the hot weather to help support the P-P-D Legacy Fund. The money raised will go to help the Fund finance community projects and local programs in and around Parsons. The Parsons Police Legacy Fund is a community outreach initiative created by the Parsons Police Department to invest in local youth, education, athletics, and community programs.

The money raised will go toward the Legacy in Leadership Scholarship which benefits local students at Labette Community College. It also goes toward annual community programs like Shop with a Cop and Operation Warm Shield, and has helped fund recent donations to Parsons and Altamont schools.

Several community events are coming to the Coffeyville area this fall.

The Native Unity Gathering is September 26^th in South Coffeyville, featuring Native dance demonstrations, storytelling, music, children’s activities, craft vendors and free food. Dalton Defender Days returns to downtown Coffeyville October 2^nd and 3^rd with reenactments of the Dalton Gang raid, entertainment, vendors and children’s activities. The Aviation Heritage Museum will celebrate women in aviation October 10^th, followed by Downtown Spooktacular October 15^th.

Haunted History Tours are scheduled for October 16^th, 17^th and 23^rd. Cedar Bluff Camp will hold its Night of Fright October 23^rd and 24^th and October 30^th and 31^st. The fall schedule concludes with the Coffeyville Craft Fair November 21^st at the Recreation Commission. More information is available through the Coffeyville Chamber of Commerce.

A former firefighter pleads guilty to child sex crimes.

26-year-old Spencer Barnard of Baxter Springs pled guilty to attempted electronic solicitation and two counts of aggravated endangering a child. Investigators say Barnard attempted to contact teenagers online over a six-month period to obtain sexual content.

KBI agents arrested Barnard in July of last year following a traffic stop in Cherokee County. Investigators say a subsequent search of his home and electronic devices uncovered child sexual abuse material. Barnard is scheduled to be sentenced November 5^th.

The USD 446 Independence Board of Education votes to exceed the revenue neutral tax rate and approves the 2026-2027 school year budget. 
 

The vote came in last night’s Independence Board of Education meeting. The total mills of the proposed budget is 45.355, a projected increase of 0.471 mills from the 2025-2026 budget. 

In other business, the board approved the purchase of 35 new smartboards to replace older-model BenQ boards that began failing at high rates during the 2025-2026 school year. BenQ boards are 4K touchscreen displays that allow teachers and students to interact with lesson material. Each new smartboard will cost $2,450. 

The next USD 446 Independence School Board meeting will be on October 12 at 6:00 pm.

The Wilson County Commission approves a major purchase for the Road & Bridge Department at its most recent meeting.

Commissioners approved $22,000 for the purchase of an Iron Craft 3510 mower from Fredonia Outdoor Equipment. The heavy-duty mower is built for demanding mowing jobs on uneven terrain, including roadsides and right-of-ways.

In other business, County Coordinator Kris Marple updated commissioners on the progress of Neodesha's planned Granby Street Project.

Commissioners also agreed to cancel this week's regular meeting. The next meeting of the Wilson County Commission will be on September 23^rd at the courthouse in Fredonia.

A representative from Nowata EMS addresses the Nowata County Commission regarding the recent reclassification of the Nowata hospital.

Ascension St. John's application was recently accepted to reclassify Nowata's hospital to a Rural Emergency Hospital or R-E-H. Nowata EMS Supervisor Sabrina Lee says the reclassification will bring only minor changes.

In June, Ascension St. John submitted an application to the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH). That application was then reviewed and approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), reclassifying Ascension St. John Nowata from a Critical Access Hospital (CAH) to an REH.

Outpatient services and 24/7 emergency care do not change as a result of the reclassification.

There will be an Opioid Townhall tonight in Cherryvale.

The event will feature keynote speaker Shawn Campiti and a panel of experts who can answer questions and help attendees learn more about the issue. Substance use around Kansas has skyrocketed since 2017, with Montgomery County being in the top 10 of counties in Kansas per capita. Campiti, a Special Agent with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, will share his personal story about losing a loved one to fentanyl use. The public is invited to attend ask questions, and be part of the conversation as communities work together toward a healthier Montgomery County. Refreshments will be served.

Tonight's event begins at 6pm at the Cherryvale Community Center, located at 712 South Liberty Street. The public is invited to attend.

A Scammon man suffers serious injuries in a crash with a semi truck in Cherokee County.

23-year-old Raven Bailey was injured on Monday morning in an accident at the intersection of Scammon Road and US-69. According to the Kansas highway Patrol, Bailey failed to yield at a stop sign at the intersection and was struck on the driver's side of his 2011 G-M-C Acadia by a southbound semi on US-69. Bailey was taken to Joplin's Mercy Hospital.

The driver of the semi was uninjured.

The City Of Coffeyville unveils a new process for purchasing property from the City's Land Bank.

Starting this week, the City is using a sealed bid process, giving interested buyers an opportunity to review the available properties and submit their best bid during the designated bidding period.

Bids are currently being accepted on 33 properties located throughout Coffeyville. The bidding period will remain open through October 14. The time frame will give interested buyers time to explore available properties, review property information and submit their bids to the City.

Property information, photos, minimum bid amounts, sale requirements and sealed bid materials are currently available through the City of Coffeyville’s Community Development webpage.

Kansas Works will be hosting a virtual job fair next week.

The job fair will occur online on Thursday, September 24, from 8am to 5pm and will be accessible through any digital device. The event is designed to allow jobseekers to discover and explore open job opportunities in a wide variety of career fields . Those seeking employment will be able to fill out applications, chat live, and interview virtually with participating employers. Training videos, a list of participating employers, and channels for attendees to register and log in are also available through the job fair online portal. Participants are encouraged to dress professionally, as employers may request to engage in a video interview.

Registration is required. For more information or to register, follow this link.

A mill and overlay paving project originally set to begin this week on a short stretch of US-169 in Labette County is postponed until October.

The project will cover a short, 2-mile portion of US-169 in the northwest corner of Labette County from the Montgomery County line to the Neosho County Line. Other work to be included in the project is the paving of the shoulders, adding center and shoulder rumble strips, and new pavement markings.

According to the Kansas Department of Transportation, the $1.5 million project is now scheduled to begin in late October.

The Montgomery County Commission clarifies its position on Coffeyville’s Neighborhood Revitalization Plan.

At last week’s meeting, commissioners voted 2 to 1 against supporting Coffeyville’s latest N-R-P. An N-R-P is a local economic development program that offers property tax rebates to encourage people and businesses to fix up old buildings or build new ones. At issue was the commission’s approval of a similar plan presented by Independence last year. Commissioner Phil Clubine says last week’s decision doesn’t mean the county is not supporting Coffeyville.

Clubine says there is still a plan in place for Coffeyville that is in effect until through 2030 and that it is supported by the county.

Commission Chair Mike Cordray then read aloud a letter from the Coffeyville City Commission asking the commission to either reconsider last week’s decision or to explain the difference in treatment between the two cities. The City of Coffeyville stated in the letter that it would continue to move forward with the City’s N-R-P plan.

Neodesha’s Granby Street Project is nearly ready to go.

That was the word at the most recent meeting of the Neodesha City Commission. City Administrator Brogan Jones says the funding portion of the project is complete.

Jones says the project will be funded in large part through grants.

Jones added that the earliest possible start date for the project would be June of 2027.

In other business, the City agreed to settlement terms with Labette Health regarding an ambulance that was totaled in a traffic accident and also tabled an appointment to the Rankin library board until the September 23 meeting.

Enrollment numbers are up slightly for South Coffeyville Public Schools.

That's according to Superintendent Daryl Pruter who says they now have slightly more than 225 students enrolled.

Those numbers are up around 5-10 students from last year.  Pruter says they still have more room for students wishing to enroll for this year.

Emergency crews are responding this morning to an early morning traffic accident near Havana.

The initial call came in around 5:30 this morning as Independence EMS was dispatched to the intersection of US-75 and County Road 2600, just east of Havana and about 5 ½ miles north of Caney. Early reports indicate multiple emergency units are on the scene with possible injuries involved.

Drivers are advised to use caution in the area or find a different route. Again, that location is US-75 just east of Havana.

The USD 445 Board of Education votes to exceed the revenue neutral rate and approves the 2026-2027 school year.

The Board held their hearings for the RNR and budget during this month's meeting, with no one from the public speaking during either hearing. The mill levy was raised by 1.8 mills.

In other business, the board heard facility updates including the completion of the Community Elementary School roof project. The board also got a timeline on the Natatorium project, which is scheduled to be complete by late April 2027 and will be ready for the 2027-2028 swim season.

The burn ban in Labette County has been lifted effective immediately.

Labette County Emergency Management Director Charlie Morse met with county commissioners this morning to discuss the ban. Recent rainfall across the county has helped ease the dry conditions that led commissioners to originally approve the ban.

Residents may resume outdoor burning but are encouraged to continue using caution.

The Wilson Medical Center Board of Trustees is named as the Kansas Hospital Association's Board of the Year.

The announcement was made at the K-H-A Convention and Trade Show held in Overland Park last Friday. The award recognizes community hospital boards that display excellence in governance and leadership. The prize was changed this year from an individual award to a group award to honor hospital boards of directors who are leaders, and who give back to the community while routinely going beyond the call of duty.

The board includes Chad Estes, Justin Newland, Michael Springer, Mitchell Peitz, Amy Brown, Drew Johnson and Doctors Miranda McKellar and Bert Chronister.

The board shares the 2026 award with the Mitchell County Hospital Health Systems Board of Trustees in Beloit.

Photo: (left to right, front) Amy Brown, Dr. Miranda McKellar, Drew Johnson, justin Newland. (back) Chad Estes Michael SPringer, Mithell Peitz

The Altamont City Council will hold a special meeting tonight after not having a quorum at last week’s regularly scheduled meeting.

Council members will entertain a light agenda with a residential development incentive up for consideration. There will also be a discussion on the city-wide rummage sale set for September 19 and for bulk trash collection on September 21 through 23.

Tonight’s meeting will begin at 6:30 at the Altamont City Hall. The meeting is open to the public and can also be viewed online via the City of Altamont Facebook page.