Resignation complicates wind farm plans
ERIE The apparent resignation of a county commissioner could complicate a wind development project in Neosho County, according to The Chanute Tribune. Jennifer Orr, who has not attended meetings since November because of her job, said she plans to resign at the end of January but has not made proper notification to the state. Opponents of a wind farm asked for a special meeting so Orr could be present to vote on the project, possibly to break a tie between the other two commissioners.
Gas company to replace pipelines
WELDA The Southern Star Central Gas Pipeline plans a $141 million project to replace two 30-plus mile pipelines with a single line, according to The Anderson County Review. The company will abandon two smaller lines 20-inch and 26-inch pipelines from Ottawa to Welda and construct a single, 36-inch pipeline. An application was filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in December.
K-9 joins Labette Sheriffs Dept.
OSWEGO A 2-year-old Dutch shepherd has joined the Labette County Sheriffs Department, The Parsons Sun reported. Gustaw partners with Deputy Charles Brown; the department has another K-9 unit, a 3-year-old German shepherd named Memphis and his partner, Deputy Tony Adams. Gustaw is from Poland and trained in Texas. He can sniff out marijuana, methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine and ecstasy. He also tracks.
Erie man arrested after chase
An Erie man led law enforcement officers on a two-day car chase through multiple counties, The Wilson County Citizen reported. The incident began the evening of Dec. 19 in Parsons, when police were called to a report of a possible kidnapping with children involved. They attempted to pull over a red pickup but the driver fled into rural Labette County and back into Parsons. The driver intentionally rammed a Parsons police vehicle and a Labette Sheriffs vehicle. Officers lost sight of the truck until the next morning, when it was spotted coming from an alley with the same driver, who again fled when officers attempted to pull him over. The chase continued into Neosho County and across multiple counties into western Kansas, and ended in Edwards County near Kinsley where the driver, Dakota Demeritt, 24, was arrested. Another Parsons police vehicle was damaged during the second pursuit. The red truck was found to have been stolen.
Animal shelter construction to wrap up soon
CHANUTE Construction is nearly complete on the Castaways Animal Shelter, The Chanute Tribune reported. Major construction is expected to finish by the end of the month, leaving cosmetic work like paint and trim, and installing sinks and toilets. Ground was broken in 2016, with a 12-month financing effort to raise $250,000. The next phase, to set policies and procedures and to create a sustainable organization, is expected to take one to two years.
