The Chanute Tribune

The Chanute Tribune A tradition of excellence in serving the Chanute area since 1892. Published Tuesdays and Fridays.

NEOSHO COUNTY AUTHORITIES SEEK TWO MEN IN RELATION TO CHANUTE FIREFrom the Neosho County Attorney's Office Chanute Fire ...
05/16/2026

NEOSHO COUNTY AUTHORITIES SEEK TWO MEN IN RELATION TO CHANUTE FIRE

From the Neosho County Attorney's Office

Chanute Fire Department crews were called to 712 N. Kansas in the early morning hours of Saturday, May 16.

When crews arrived the house was fully engulfed in flames and is a total loss.

County Attorney Sheryl Bussell said local investigators determined the fire to be of a suspicious nature, and Kansas State Fire Marshals were on site early Saturday afternoon to document the loss.
Bussell said the fire allegedly started simultaneously with an assault on the woman resident, with two suspects fleeing the scene in a 2008 white Cadillac with dark tinted windows and black wheels.

The car was stopped shortly thereafter by an Allen County Sheriff’s deputy. Bussell said the driver was arrested on suspicion of DUI but was later released.

Both men remain at large and are wanted for questioning in the assault and fire investigation. If you have information as to the whereabouts of these individuals, please call 620-431-5768.

Pictured is: Michael Tippie of the Kansas Fire Marshal's office spent Saturday, May 16, in Chanute investigating an early morning house fire at 712 N Kansas Avenue. Tippie said that newer 360 degree video technology helps to both document the potential crime scene and provides jurors with an easier to understand picture of the crime scene should their investigation result in criminal charges.

đź“· Photo by Tim Erickson, for The Tribune

05/06/2026

We have made been aware of reported shots fired outside of Chanute High School. The school is on lock down at this time.

Emergency responders are on scene.

There is no comment from the school or law enforcement on the matter at this time.

More details will come as they are made available.

***UPDATE at 2:20 p.m.

There were no shots fired, Chanute was one of many schools targeted for "swatting" today.

Multiple locations in Southeast Kansas have had reported threats of violence made this afternoon, including Parsons, Chanute, Humboldt, Oswego and Fort Scott.

Swatting is where an individual or group attempts to get emergency services to respond in a specific location under false pretenses.

More details will follow as more is learned about this incident.

U.S. 160 in Montgomery County to close for reconstructionFrom Kansas Department of TransportationThe Kansas Department o...
05/04/2026

U.S. 160 in Montgomery County to close for reconstruction

From Kansas Department of Transportation

The Kansas Department of Transportation will begin on or about May 6 to reconstruct a section of U.S. 160 in Montgomery County at the Bartlett soybean processing plant.

The contractor began setting up the detour signs on May 4, and U.S. 160 between U.S. 169 and County Road 5500 should be closed on or near May 6, conditions permitting.

The official state detour follows U.S. 169, U.S. 166 and U.S. 59. KDOT uses state highways for official detour routes for safety, weight and maintenance concerns. While K-101 is in the detour boundaries, many bridges on this section of road are not rated for heavier trucks. The road is also narrow.

Through traffic on U.S. 160 will be stopped at County Road 5500 on the east and U.S. 169 on the west. Commercial traffic will be able to access the soybean plant and landfill from U.S. 169 during construction using a temporary road.

The project will create 12-foot driving lanes on U.S. 160, add 8-foot shoulders, build turning lanes on the highway at County Road 5300 for Bartlett and the landfill and smooth out/expand ditches. A paved surface also will extend north from U.S. 160 on CR 5300 for a short distance. Work should be done by May 2027, conditions permitting.

Wildcat Construction Co. Inc. & Subsidiaries, of Wichita, has the $8,730,036.03 contract for the project.

KDOT urges motorists to stay alert and follow posted signs in all work zones. For current road conditions, visit kandrive.gov or call 511. For updates on construction projects in southeast Kansas, visit ksdot.gov/projects/southeast-kansas-projects.

In other KDOT news, A Kansas Department of Transportation bridge repair project on U.S. 160 in Montgomery County has been completed.

The project repaired a bridge over Big Hill Creek about 2 miles east of U.S. 169 to extend the bridge's useful life. Work concluded around May 1.

03/27/2026

Structure fire near Evergreen and 2nd please use caution.

03/24/2026

We are having some website issues that we are working to get resolved.

Thank you for your understanding.

03/23/2026

Boil Water Advisory Issued for the City of Thayer, Neosho County

TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has issued a boil water advisory for the City of Thayer public water supply system located in Neosho County.

Customers should observe the following precautions until further notice:

Boil water for one minute prior to drinking or food preparation or use bottled water.

Dispose of ice cubes and do not use ice from a household automatic icemaker.

If your tap water appears dirty, flush the water lines by letting the water run until it clears.

Disinfect dishes and other food contact surfaces by immersion for at least one minute in clean tap water that contains one teaspoon of unscented household bleach per gallon of water.

Water used for bathing does not generally need to be boiled. Supervision of children is necessary while bathing so that water is not ingested.

Persons with cuts or severe rashes may wish to consult their physicians.

The advisory took effect on March 23, 2026 and will remain in effect until the conditions that placed the system at risk of bacterial contamination are resolved. KDHE officials issued the advisory because of a loss of pressure. Failure to maintain adequate pressure may result in a loss of chlorine residuals and bacterial contamination.
Regardless of whether the public water supplier or Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) announced a boil water advisory, only KDHE can issue the rescind order following testing at a certified laboratory.

For consumer questions, please contact the water system at 785-283-4238, or KDHE at 785-296-5514. For consumer information please visit KDHE’s PWS Consumer Information webpage: https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/468/Disruption-in-Water-Service

Restaurants and other food establishments that have questions about the impact of the boil water advisory on their business can contact the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s food safety & lodging program at [email protected] or call 785-564-6767.

YATES CENTER TEEN BELIEVED TO BE IN PARSONSThe search continues for 15-year-old Lia Seely, a Yates Center teen, who is b...
03/04/2026

YATES CENTER TEEN BELIEVED TO BE IN PARSONS

The search continues for 15-year-old Lia Seely, a Yates Center teen, who is believed to be in Parsons.

Lia’s guardian reported her as missing on March 2, at approximately 6:15 a.m, according to Yates Center Police Department. She was last seen at roughly 8 p.m. on March 1, wearing a dark teal sweatshirt and gray sweatpants.

According to the department, Lia was picked up by an individual known to her, and left without her guardian’s knowledge or permission near 10 p.m. on March 1. Lia was then dropped off at an unknown location in Parsons. On March 3, Jesse James Grainger Jr. was identified as a person of interest in this case, as potentially the person who picked up Lia. Parsons Police Department is assisting with this case.

On March 4, YCPD released the following statement: “The Yates Center Police Department has made contact with Jesse Graninger Jr., and at this time, he is cooperating with law enforcement in the search for Lia. Lia is not currently believed to be with Jesse, and it appears she decided to run
away from the custody of her legal guardian on the night of March 1, 2026."

It is believed Lia could still be in the Parsons area with a white, teen, male friend, who may be going by the name "Ronnie."
Lia has blonde hair, hazel eyes, and has piercings on either side of her nose.

This case still remains under investigation at this time, and once the investigation is complete, a report will be submitted to the Woodson County Attorney's Office for review, according to YCPD.

Those with information regarding this case are asked to call the Woodson County Sheriff’s Office at 620-625-8640, or their local law enforcement. It has been reported that Lia has ties to the Alma, Chanute, and Parsons area.

01/25/2026

Neosho County Courthouse in Erie Kansas will be closed tomorrow Monday, January 26th,2026 due to inclement weather.

01/25/2026

Chanute Public Schools has cancelled school on Monday, Jan. 26.

USD 101, which has schools in Erie and Galesburg has also cancelled classes and activities tomorrow.

Humboldt Public Schools has cancelled classes on Monday, as has Marmaton Valley and Iola.

Thayer and Cherryvale schools will not be in session on Monday, neither will Altoona-Midway schools.

Neosho County Community College will not hold classes tomorrow.

-Hannah E.

01/23/2026

Snow is set to begin late this evening. Current predictions estimate that we will receive over 6 inches of snow over the weekend.
The wind chill will be extremely cold through Monday, with the potential to be well below zero degrees.

Be safe, Chanute. Make sure to have bottled water, batteries, and plenty of blankets ready and stock up on groceries today if you haven't already. Dress in layers. Drip your faucets.

And, if you get any, share your snow pictures in the comments below.
-Hannah E.

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Chanute, KS
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