Prairie Star

09/07/2026

PARSONS MAN INJURED IN ROLLOVER WRECK

PARSONS — A Parsons man sustained serious injuries in a one-vehicle rollover wreck on a gravel road at 25000 Road and York Road on Sunday afternoon.

According to a Kansas Highway Patrol crash report, Bryar Cares, age 29, of Parsons was driving his Ford F350 pickup truck northbound on York Road and lost control over the vehicle on the gravel at 25000 Road. The vehicle’s rear-end slid to the right, striking a concrete culvert and overturned. The vehicle rolled an unknown amount of times before coming to rest near the intersection.

Cares was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the rollover.

He was transported to Mercy Hospital in Joplin with suspected serious injuries.

09/05/2026

09/03/2026

A happy 223rd birthday goes to Prudence Crandall, one of Elk County's great historical secrets. A noted social reformer, abolitionist and educator who spent most of her life in Connecticut, Crandall spent her elder years in Elk Falls. She died in 1890 and is buried in the Elk Falls Cemetery.

Happy 223rd Birthday to Prudence Crandall, Connecticut's Official State Heroine!

08/24/2026

SEDAN MAN DIES OF INJURIES FROM ROLLOVER WRECK

SEDAN — A Sedan man died of injuries stemming from a vehicle rollover on U.S. 166 Business Highway early Sunday morning.

The deceased is Jacob N. Darbro, age 19, of Sedan.

According to the KHP preliminary crash report, a 2000 Toyota Camry driven by Avery W. Stewart, age 20, of Sedan was northbound on U.S. 166 Business, exited the roadway to the left, overturning the vehicle.

Darbro, who was the passenger in the vehicle, was ejected from the car. He was taken to Ascension St. John Medical Center in Tulsa, Okla., where he died of injuries.

The rollover was reported around 3:45 a.m.

Neither Stewart and Darbro were wearing seat belts, the report said.

08/23/2026

RECENT GRADUATE OF CENTRAL OF BURDEN HIGH SCHOOL IS KILLED ON KANSAS TURNPIKE; GOFUNDME ACCOUNT ESTABLISHED TO DEFRAY FUNERAL EXPENSES

A recent graduate of Central of Burden High School was struck and killed on the Kansas Turnpike in Sumner County on Friday night.

The Kansas Highway Patrol has identified the victim as Shyann Clark, age 18, of Atlanta, Kan. Clark graduated in May from Central of Burden High School, where she was active in softball, yearbook, cheerleading and Student Council. She also was named Miss Atlanta 2025.

According to the KHP preliminary crash report, Clark was parked along the left barrier of the Kansas Turnpike due to suspected mechanical issues. The report said Clark was running across the highway — from the left lane to the right lane — when she was struck by a northbound van driven by Fernando Martinez Gonzalez, age 31, of Kansas City, Mo.

Clark was pronounce dead at the scene.

The fatality was reported to law enforcement shortly before 8:15 p.m.

A GoFundMe account has been established to help Clark’s family with funeral expenses. Follow this link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/a-loving-farewell-for-shyann-marie-clark?utm_id=97757_v0_s00_e0_tv2_a1demontuixyhn&fbclid=IwY2xjawT3PppwZG9mAWV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR6NaW_-QKyIkmyShcYOW6C-dyG2jhyP7Y3qFS1IH_tp2zfGicw-vMFJ4kfbjA_aem_vhqFjwDwGyz8gzvPGreEpQ

08/20/2026

Boil Water Advisory Issued for the City of Grenola, Elk County

TOPEKA –The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has issued a boil water advisory for the City of Grenola public water supply system located in Elk 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 August 20, 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 waterline break resulting in a loss of pressure in the distribution system. 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.

07/29/2026

A former West Elk special education teacher is facing child s*x crime charges in Elk and Greenwood Counties, where she is being charged with multiple alleged crimes, including aggravated child endangerment and furnishing alcohol to a minor.

Cristen Bahr resigned from West Elk USD 282 in June and is no longer employed by the district. She has made her appearance in Greenwood County, where she is charged with six crimes including unlawful distribution of a controlled substance, unlawful distribution of a controlled substance using a community facility, contributing to a child’s misconduct, aggravated endangering a child, furnishing alcoholic beverages to a minor, and unlawful acts.

In Elk County, Bahr is facing charges of criminal so**my, indecent solicitation of a child, and electronic solicitation of a child.

The West Elk school district has issued a letter to all district families addressing the news, and shares their immediate investigation within the district in conjunction with local law enforcement, plus the June resignation from Bahr.

She will make her first court appearance in Elk County Court on Wednesday, Aug. 12 at 1:30 p.m., then in Greenwood County Court on Friday, Sept. 25 at 1:30 p.m.

07/05/2026

Severe thunderstorm warning issued for Chautauqua County. See info below.

Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Chautauqua County in KS until 8:00pm. Download the Doug Heady Weather App

06/26/2026

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