Category Archives: News
Wall That Heals organizers win $2,500 Pay it Forward grant
Organizers of Emporia's effort to bring The Wall That Heals to town last year have another reason to celebrate. Organizers say they received the grand prize in the Pay it Forward effort involving DeVa...
Jan 19, 2026 Chuck Samples/KVOE News.
Wade Barrett Memorial Fund benefitting from $2,000 Sertoma Club grant
Emporia's Sertoma Club is serving as a pass-through agent for a grant benefiting another local nonprofit. A $2,000 Sertoma Club grant is designed to help the Wade Barrett Memorial Fund, which was esta...
Jan 19, 2026 Sertoma Club logo.
Janice Borla and Friends plan Valentine's Day concert
Tickets are now on sale for a special Valentine's Day concert. Jazz vocalist Janice Borla is partnering with three jazz musicians from Wichita, drummer Steve Hatfield, pianist John Goering and bassist...
Jan 19, 2026 Janice Borla. Emporia Granada Theatre photo.
ESU Professor: Could removal of MLK Day and Juneteenth from free-admission days at national parks be testing waters for greater de-emphasis of such holidays in the future
Monday is Martin Luther King Day across the nation. No formal gathering has been announced in Emporia to mark the life and legacy of Dr Martin Luther King Jr, but an informal gathering is on the calen...
Jan 18, 2026 ABC News Image.
Discrimination lawsuit against ESU set to go to jury Tuesday
Closing arguments and jury deliberation are set for Tuesday in a religious discrimination lawsuit filed over three years ago against Emporia State University. Final steps towards a verdict this week f...
Jan 18, 2026 KVOE News file photo.
Emporia man arrested on suspicion of trading in child sex abuse materials, exploitation
Formal charges are pending against an Emporia man accused of internet crimes against at least one child. Emporia Police officers arrested 21-year-old Alexander Ballenger on Friday on suspicion of inte...
Jan 18, 2026 Alexander Ballenger. Lyon County Jail photo.
Rec Commission set to field updates on new public rec building, DeBauge Complex plans
The Emporia Recreation Commission has several updates ahead for its meeting this week. Board members will get the latest from the Rec Commission Steering Committee overseeing a possible new recreation...
Jan 18, 2026
High fire danger continues areawide
The area fire danger remains high as the week begins. The National Weather Service says Sunday will have highs in the mid-40s with winds shifting from south to northwest and gusting as high as 30 mph ...
Jan 18, 2026 KVOE News file photo.
Emporia Planning Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals convening Tuesday
The Emporia Metropolitan Planning Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals have their first meetings of 2026 Tuesday. The Board of Zoning Appeals will have two items on their agenda to consider, both re...
Jan 17, 2026 Photo by Tagan Trahoon/KVOE News.
Emporia High School girls basketball coach hospitalized following two vehicle accident Friday
Emporia High School girls basketball coach Bill Nienstedt was hospitalized following a two-vehicle accident at the Emporia city limits Friday morning. According to the Kansas Highway Patrol crash log,...
Jan 17, 2026 KVOE News file photo.
