Early voting gets underway next Thursday for voters in Kay County. 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. You can cast your ballot Thursday and Friday from 8am until 6pm and Saturday from 8am to 2pm at the County Election Board located in The Kay County Administration Building on Main Street in Newkirk.
The City of Ponca City Board of Commissioners this week approved resolutions authorizing funding for the COVID locals fiscal recovery funds (ARPA Funds) for the Ponca City Small Business Assistance Grant Program and the Ponca City Non-Profit Assistance Program. The purpose of this program is to assist local small businesses who have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and help mitigate any losses as a result of the pandemic and offset any financial hardship. This will help 32 business and 17 non-profits.
The Winfield city commission recently voted to increase EMS fees-if you have ever had to be taken to the hospital in an ambulance-you already know it is expensive-starting July 1st it will cost your insurance even more for the ride. Officials say that this the first time since the city took over running EMS back in 2014 that rates have changed. The city was planning on raising the rates at the end of the year or beginning of next year, but they decided it was necessary to do it now due to the ever-increasing vendor costs and the continuous rising gas prices. So basically, the four flat-rate EMS fees are being raised, as well as the milage rate, which increased from $18 to $22 per loaded mile. They also added a new “treat no transport” fee for patients who are just treated in the ambulance, which is $100.
Hot temperatures are impacting Kansas. An Excessive Heat Watch is in effect for north-central Kansas for tomorrow through Monday evening.
Ponca City Library staff on Monday will be changing over to a new library computer system. Until the process is completed the computer center will be closed to the public and patrons will only be able to check out four items. Check poncacitylibrary.com for updates and information about events at the Ponca City Library or stop by the library at 515 East Grand.
A Newkirk man is in good condition after crashing into a power pole Wednesday morning. Officials said it happened at around 11:25 am, 47-year-old John Vannoy was driving his 2013 Mack truck westbound on Fountain Road near S Street, when his vehicle left the roadway-he over-corrected causing his truck to overturn hitting a culvert and then into an electric pole.
A Blackwell woman died in a car accident Thursday morning near the intersection of S 19th Street and West Hubbard Road shortly before 11am. Oklahoma State Troopers say that 56-year-old Cynthia Cox was driving northbound on 13th street when she ran a stop sign at Hubbard Road. A dodge ram pickup truck driven by 34-year-old Marques Odem struck Cox’s car and caused it to flip several times before finally landing on its top. Troopers say it appears that she died from massive head trauma. Odem was also injured in the crash. He was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Officials say that the cause of the crash was distracted driving by Cox which caused her to blow through a stop sign.