KIKS & KIOL Radio News 10/3/2018

Moran City Council members have yet to decide where to purchase its electricity. According to The Iola Register, the Council heard proposals from Westar and the Kansas Municipal Energy Agency. Both promised lower rates than what Moran currently pays. City Clerk Lori Evans told Council members that she will try to make a true “apples to apples” comparison. Moran’s existing pact with Westar runs through May 2020, although the utility giant offered the city an opportunity to tear up its contract at the end of the year for a lower rate.
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The Kansas Highway Patrol says say two children were killed and three other people suffered critical injuries in a crash in Franklin County. It happened just after 8:30 p.m Monday evening at K-68 and Tennessee Road just east of Ottawa. An 11-year-old girl and 3-year-old boy, both of Wellsville, died at the scene. Two girls, ages 12 and 6 also of Wellsville, were taken to Kansas City hospitals in critical condition. Both drivers, 31-year-old Clytie Bowden of Wellsville and 40-year-old Craig Evans, of Ottawa were hospitalized as well.

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KIKS & KIOL Radio News 10/2/2018

Mercy officials say in the face of declining patient numbers and shrinking reimbursement, they’ve decided to close the Mercy Hospital Fort Scott by the end of the year. A news release says the decision was made after months of exploring options for keeping hospital services in the community. Mercy officials say they’re finalizing an agreement with the Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas to maintain primary care services in Fort Scott.
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A man from Iola was injured in a one vehicle accident at about 10 a.m. on Monday on US 54 in Bourbon County.  The highway patrol reports that 62 year old James Myers was transported to Mercy Hospital for treatment.  The report said that for an unknown reason his vehicle ran off the road to the right, over-corrected and ran off the road to the left.   The vehicle then struck a tree in the north ditch.

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Another accident injured a Wichita man early Monday morning.  This was a two vehicle crash on Highway 400 five miles west of Fredonia in Wilson County.   The highway patrol reports that one of the vehicles veered left of center resulting in a collision which caused both vehicles to come to rest on the shoulder.  The driver of a pickup, 39 year old Christopher Zollman, was taken to Fredonia Regional Hospital with injures.  The driver of the second vehicle, a semi, was not injured.

KIKS & KIOL Radio News 9/28/2018

A new group designed to encourage tourism in Allen County may be a little bit closer to becoming reality.   Thrive Allen County has proposed creating the group called VISIT Allen County.  The Iola Register reports that a group of about 30 local citizens came together this week to learn about the group at the request of county commissioner John Brocker.  He said he wanted input before he would vote to approve $50,000 to help launch the program.   It would disseminate information gathered from a number of sources.

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The Eureka High School Homecoming will go on even though they won’t be playing at home.  They are playing all road games this year due to tornado damage at the team’s home stadium.  But KOAM-TV reports that Douglas High School has decided to treat this week’s game as a Eureka home game, including a performance by the Eureka band and cheerleaders, with Eureka’s homecoming candidates on the cover of the program.

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Kansas Bureau of Investigation agents arrested an employee of the Linn County Jail on Thursday.  On June 8, the Linn County Attorney’s Office requested the KBI investigate allegations of sexual battery against 48 year old John O. Carr an employee of the jail. Following an investigation into an incident which reportedly occurred on July 25, a warrant was issued for Carr’s arrest for sexual battery, which is a class A misdemeanor.

KIKS & KIOL Radio News 9/27/2018

The Allen County Attorney has filed one count of aggravated battery of a law enforcement officer against a fast food worker who alledgedly spiked a deputy’s drink with a cleaning chemical.   According to KOAM-TV, 22-year-old Trevor Hockaday was charged Wednesday after being arrested in the incident on September 12th.  According to investigators, the deputy picked up the drink while going through the restaurant’s drive-thru and later experienced flu-like symptoms.  Aggravated battery of a law enforcement officer is a level 3 person felony.

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Allen County Regional Hospital trustees have voted to file a lawsuit over leaks that have plagued the hospital since it opened.  The Iola Register reports that the hospital has worked for years  to resolve the issue with the architect, HFG of Wichita, and the builder, Murray Company of Overland Park.   Earlier this year, the trustees and attorneys worked with a mediator but were unable to reach agreement.  They are suing the contractor.

KIKS & KIOL Radio News 9/26/2018

If Iola voters eventually decide to build a new elementary school, two of the three existing elementary school buildings could be converted into affordable living complexes for older adults.  The Iola Register reports that USD 257 Board of Education members were told that this week by Prairie Fire Development Group of Kansas City.   They say that McKinley and Lincoln would be ideal structures to convert into housing.  Jefferson’s structure and proximity to the downtown square makes it more suitable for office space.

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At this week’s meeting, Iola City Council members approved a 10-percent water rate hike, effective Jan. 1st.  According to The Register, it is a “first step” to shoring up the city’s water fund.  Even with the rate hike and other reductions, the water fund will continue to lose money, and run out end of 2022.  The increase will buy members time to look at additional options.

KIKS & KIOL Radio News 9/24/2018

Two men from Chanute were injured early Sunday afternoon when their vehicle crashed at the end of a police pursuit. The accident occurred on K47 five miles west of US169 in Wilson County. According to a highway patrol report, their vehicle was being pursued by the Kansas Highway Patrol and Neosho County Sheriff’s Office. It struck another vehicle and came to rest in the southbound ditch, while the second vehicle jack knifed. The driver, 19 year old Melvin Gerardi Paxtor Oxlaj and his passenger, 18 year old Bregman O. Paxtor, were both taken to Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center. The driver of the second vehicle was not injured.

 

KIKS & KIOL Radio News 9/21/2018

The Kansas Department of Agriculture Division of Animal Health says West Nile virus has been confirmed in horses across the state over the past few weeks.  One of those confirmed cases was in Neosho County.  Other cases have been reported in Lyon, Seward, Marion and Wichita counties.  Officials say the confirmed cases in Kansas were in unvaccinated horses.  Horse owners should consult with their local veterinarians and make a vaccination plan for their horses.

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A lease option for Allen County Regional Hospital is back on the table.  The Iola Register reports that a task force studying hospital management agreed to talk to a Kansas City-area health system after facing criticism for excluding companies that only lease hospitals.  The task force is considering whether to renew its management contract with Hospital Corporation of America which expires in 2020, or switch to a different management company.