Get ready for Thanksgiving stuffing -- and stuffed highways before you get to Grandma's house. Just in Kansas, over 860,000 residents are expected to travel at least 50 miles for the holiday travel period, which AAA lists as between this upcoming Tuesday and Dec. 2. That's an increase of 2 percent from last year. Also,...

Thanksgiving week is among the busiest travel times of any given year, and three state agencies are teaming up to ask drivers to be safe as they travel. The Kansas Department of Transportation, Kansas Highway Patrol and Kansas Turnpike Authority are reminding drivers and riders to buckle up. KDOT says over 20 people ha...

Employees at Simmons Pet Food cranked up their support for the United Way of the Flint Hills. Last year, employees donated around $10,000. A check presentation at the Emporia plant Wednesday revealed a total of over $51,000. Spokesperson Brenda Coburn says she had conversations with plant management about ways to incre...

Residents in an east Emporia neighborhood will see traffic blocked for around two weeks. Starting Monday, crews will close Whittier Street just south of East 11th. The reason is a storm sewer replacement. The city says 11th will be open to traffic through the project. Residents can also get to properties in the 900 and...

Once again this year, the David Traylor Zoo and Emporia Police Department Benefit Association are teaming up to light up the start of the holiday season. Tuesday features the zoo's annual Happy Holidaze lighting ceremony -- and the Benefit Association's annual toy drive for foster children. Benefit Association spokespe...

The Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is getting ready to start its holiday event schedule. Saturday has its annual Candlelight Tour, with tours beginning at 6 pm and ending with the final tour at 8:45 pm. Residents will go out on the preserve's gravel and grass paths as the preserve offers "historic first-perso...

Jury trial in an Emporia aggravated battery case was previously listed as beginning Monday, but it now won't begin until next month. The next court appearance for Raena Grana will be a jury tiral status hearing at 4 pm on November 27 before Judge Lee Fowler. Trial in Grana's case could begin either Monday, December 2 o...

If approved by voters in March, a city-wide half-cent sales tax could potentially do more than just help pay off the cost of a new Emporia recreation facility. During their regular action meeting Wednesday morning, Emporia City Commissioners approved authorizing the special sales-tax question for a vote next spring. Fo...

It has been a long conversation, but work towards a new headquarters facility for Emporia Fire has borne fruit. The official groundbreaking at 518 Market took place Wednesday afternoon. Fire Chief Brandon Beck tells KVOE News this is a big day for his department. While construction is starting soon on a new headquarter...

Cookies make people happy, and that was definitely the case for the Emporia Public Schools' annual cookie delivery Wednesday. District Director of Community Relations Lyndel Landgren says it's reinvigorating to see the work teachers and staffers do as part of Cookie Delivery Day. The district delivered 1,500 cookies We...

As the Emporia Arts Council continues its early work to own and operate the Granada Theatre next door, it plans some financial adjustments soon and a capital campaign to come. That was one of the topics addressed Wednesday with Arts Council Director Dawn Young and Board Chair Jill Burton as part of KVOE's Newsmaker seg...

Blustery conditions will lead to a high fire danger areawide Wednesday. Low relative humidity levels, generally at or below 30 percent, will combine with westerly winds at 20-40 mph to elevate the fire danger. This comes despite anywhere from 1-1.6 inches of rainfall areawide on Monday, meaning any fires that develop c...

One person was hurt during a wreck in north Lyon County on Tuesday afternoon. Lyon County Deputy Dylan Jacobs says the wreck happened at the junction of Roads 330 and K shortly before 4:30 pm and involved a pickup and car. The pickup driver, 58-year-old Christie Wyda of Admire, apparently could not remember most of the...

The National Teachers Hall of Fame has its biggest public fundraiser of the year on KVOE's airwaves Thursday evening. The annual auction will take place on KVOE and KVOE.com/TV, with all activities at the Emporia State Federal Credit Union's Industrial Road location. Bidding will start at 6:05 pm. Hall of Fame Executiv...

Emporia Public Schools is getting ready for the Seasonal Celebration next month. On KVOE's Showcase with USD 253 Superintendent Allison Anderson-Harder, Emporia High Choir Director Sarah Bays said this is a holiday tradition for the district and the area. This will be the 89th Seasonal Celebration for the district. Per...