Algae file photo 

(KNZA)--A public health advisory is in effect for Hiawatha City Lake due to the presence of blue-green algae.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment and Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks issued the advisory Friday.

Hiawatha City Lake is among 11 Kansas lakes currently under a watch status. Also on the list are Pony Creek Lake north of Sabetha and Elkhorn Lake near Rafters Park in Holton.

Under a watch, direct contact with the water should be avoided, especially near visible algae blooms. Fish should be cleaned thoroughly with potable water, and only the fillet portion should be eaten.

The advisory will be lifted when algae levels and toxin concentrations fall below the watch thresholds.

(KNZA)--The proposed 2026-27 budget for the Hiawatha School District remains below the revenue neutral tax rate.

The USD 415 Board of Education approved the $20.3 million budget for publication at its August 12th meeting.

Superintendent Kyley Gatz says the estimated tax rate is 49.355 mills, the same as last year and slightly below the revenue neutral rate.

The budget includes a decrease in bond and interest mills, an increase in the local option budget to 33 percent, and an increase in the capital outlay levy.

The district expects to collect more than seven million dollars in property taxes.

The board will consider adopting the budget following a public hearing September 9th.

Photo credit: Atchison County Emergency Services/Facebook

Two Atchison County rescue technicians and two Missouri Highway Patrol troopers were recognized last week for their role in a Missouri River rescue that saved a man and two children.

According to a release from Atchison County Chief of Emergency Services Corey Scott, the honorees are Atchison County Rescue members Guy Galley, Junior, and Johnny Acheson, along with Missouri Highway Patrol Corporal Nick Greiner and Sergeant Kurt Schmutzler.

Scott says that on July 18th, Atchison County Emergency Services was on safety standby for the annual Amelia Earhart Festival, with Galley and Acheson assigned to patrol the Missouri River in Rescue Boat One.

During that patrol, a woman contacted rescue staff to report that a man and two children were in the water and in distress. Galley and Acheson responded to the area and located the victims, then developed a plan and notified the Missouri Highway Patrol boat also assigned to the event, staffed by Greiner and Schmutzler.

The release says that in a coordinated effort, all of the victims were pulled to safety, with Sergeant Schmutzler entering the water to reach one of the children.

Scott writes that due to the training, dedication, and skill of the rescue members and troopers, that family is complete today, adding that Atchison County EMS and Rescue is staffed with dedicated professionals, and that this type of effort and success is due to the whole team.
 

(KAIR)--A 71-year-old Atchison man is facing an aggravated assault charge following a disturbance at a fast food drive-thru.

According to a release from Atchison Police Chief Mike Wilson, Ross Low is identified as allegedly making the threat and faces a charge of aggravated assault.

According to Wilson, officers, around 5:40 Thursday evening, responded to a disturbance in a drive-thru at the restaurant, located in the 400 block of South 10th Street, with Dairy Queen being the lone drive-thru fast food location in that area.

The release says an altercation broke out between occupants of two vehicles; and during that disturbance, one individual, identified as Low, allegedly threatened people in the other vehicle with a knife.

No injuries were reported as arising from the altercation.

Low had already left the area when police arrived, but he was located a short time later and taken into custody.

Following his arrest, Low was booked into the Atchison County Jail, facing the aggravated assault charge.

(KAIR)--A 24-year-old Independence man has been sentenced to more than 10 years in prison for a 2020 shooting death in Leavenworth County.

According to a release from the office of Leavenworth County Attorney Todd Thompson, court records show the shooting happened around 2:00 on the morning of August 16th, 2020.

Following a brief altercation at a bar in Lansing, the victim left the parking lot in a vehicle. Two other vehicles eventually pursued that vehicle, with Joshua Craig identified as a passenger in one of them.

While traveling on Eisenhower Road in Leavenworth, Craig fired a gun in the direction of the victim's vehicle with the release saying the bullet shattered the rear window and struck the victim, who died as a result.

During the investigation, shell casings recovered from the scene were later compared to a firearm Craig admitted belonged to him.

Craig pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter on June 29th of this year.

On August 12th, a judge sentenced him to just over 10 years in prison and ordered him to pay more than $11,400 in restitution.

Allen Byler/Credit: Jefferson County Sheriff's Office

(KNZA)--A jury trial has been set for a Nortonville man facing child sex charges.

Court records show 34-year-old Allen Byler pleaded not guilty Monday in Jefferson County District Court to two counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child.

His jury trial is scheduled for October 28th through the 30th.

Charges of rape and aggravated criminal sodomy were dismissed last week after a judge ruled evidence presented at a preliminary hearing showed those alleged crimes occurred in Colorado.

Byler was arrested in June following a joint investigation by the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office and Kansas Bureau of Investigation into alleged crimes involving a child under the age of 14.

Byler remains in the Jefferson County Jail on 100-thousand dollars bond after a request to modify the bond was denied.

(KNZA)--The Brown County Commission is considering prohibiting data and energy storage centers in the county.

County Planning Commission Chairman William Vonderschmidt met with commissioners Monday to discuss last week’s public hearing on a proposed zoning amendment.

Vonderschmidt said three people attended the hearing, with two speaking on the proposal. All Planning Commission members voted to approve the amendment.

Commissioners also discussed concerns about data centers, including noise. Commissioner Richard Tesoriero said the centers generate a large amount of noise, while Vonderschmidt said communities can struggle with their presence.

All three commissioners expressed support for prohibiting data and energy storage centers in Brown County, but no action was taken.

(KMZA)--A State Board of Education candidate forum will be held in Seneca Monday evening, August 17.

The forum begins at 6 p.m. at the Woolsencroft Event Center at 1615 Branch Street.

Candidates Jennifer Lloyd and Amy Cawvey will discuss their vision for Kansas education, followed by a public question-and-answer session.

The forum is hosted by the Nemaha County Democrats and Republicans. Everyone is welcome to attend.

The study projects t more than $37 billion in gross revenue — up from the $22 billion projected in 2022.

The addition of five rare-earth products to the mine’s output, including dysprosium and terbium oxides, helped to drive that projected increase.

Elk Creek is the largest known source of niobium in the United States.

In early August, NioCorp also announced they’ve signed a memorandum of understanding with defense contractor Lockheed Martin, a nonbinding agreement allowing Lockheed Martin to potentially purchase around 16-and-a-half tons of scandium from the mine each year.

NioCorp has also announced  a change to its planned power source.  The company revealed it will no longer connect to the local electrical grid.

Chief Operating Officer Scott Honan said NioCorps best proposition is an onsite microgrid. 

That means the company will have a series of small natural gas fired generators that will power the site both during the construction period and during operations. 

(KLZA)--As students return to school, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Omaha Field Division is reminding communities about the hidden threat of drug trafficking through social media platforms, while also encouraging families to have conversations about the potentially lethal consequences of drug experimentation.

It’s estimated that 95% of American teenagers between the ages of 13-17 have access to a smartphone. With this in mind, the DEA recently released a series of short videos, “Hidden on Your Kid’s Phone,” as a way to raise awareness to the threat of drug trafficking through social media. The series is designed to give parents and caregivers the information needed to protect their families.  

The DEA is aware of drug traffickers using social media platforms to advertise the sale of deadly drugs through posts and disappearing stories. Often accompanied by known code words and emojis, these posts connect prospective buyers with dealers where conversation then move to encrypted communication apps like WhatsApp, Signal and Telegram.

Similar to legitimate online purchases, payment can be made through apps such as Venmo, Zelle and Cash App, with delivery often as easy as dropping off a package to your front door.

Across the five-state DEA Omaha Field Division agents have seized more than 67,000 fentanyl pills in the first seven months of 2026. This number is down from years’ past, while fentanyl powder seizures have increased nearly 87% from the same time last year. Altogether, fentanyl pill and powder seizures account for than four million deadly doses removed from communities in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota. 

(KAIR)--An 80-year-old convicted rapist, serving his sentence at the Lansing Correctional Facility, has died.

According to a release from the Kansas Department of Corrections, Larry James Gregg was found unresponsive in his cell Thursday. Staff and emergency medical personnel administered life-saving measures, but were unable to revive him.

The cause of death is pending the results of an independent autopsy.

The release notes that per protocol, when a resident dies in the custody of the Kansas Department of Corrections, the death is investigated by the department and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. That investigation is ongoing.

Gregg was serving a life sentence for convictions of four counts of rape and four counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child in Saline County.

The bill, which passed in March of 2026, prohibits school districts and school employees from using social media to communicate with students for official school purposes. It also bars districts from requiring students to use social media for any assignment or extracurricular activity.

There is some flexibility, as the law allows school districts and accredited nonpublic schools to approve a social media platform for official school business.

On the device side, students are prohibited from using personal electronic devices during the school day while on school grounds. Students who need to reach a parent or guardian can do so using a school phone. And schools are not liable for damage to, or storage of, personal devices brought to school.

There are exceptions to the bell-to-bell ban. A device is allowed if it's required for a student's individualized education program or 504 plan,
or if a physician approves it as a medical necessity. The law also does not apply to technology the district issues to students.

School districts must notify the state school board of their adopted policies and procedures by September 1st.

According to a release from the college, the summer break was used to add, renovate, and improve several areas across campus, and 2026 brought a long list of projects.

The biggest is the new Moritz Library in D'Aniello Hall. Interior work is wrapping up, and the library will be open for the fall semester, with full operating hours beginning August 26th. A formal dedication is set for the morning of September 26th during Family Weekend. Visitors will be able to see a replica of the Liberty Bell, tour a museum-quality reproduction of the Assembly Room from Independence Hall, and view an exhibition of Early American documents.

In St. Benedict Hall, a new pass-through has been carved out. Anyone entering the main central entrance can now see straight through the building and walk out the other side into the courtyard in front of the new library. The entire main floor was also refurbished with new flooring, fresh paint, and larger bathrooms.

Holy Grounds Coffee Shop has a new home, too, on the ground floor of the Moritz Library, with the release saying the move means a much larger space.

Its former space in the Haverty Center is now called Mick's Place, named for Michael "Mick" Haverty, who donated the money for the original renovations.

The college also made a number of safety upgrades. Exterior lights have been replaced with new 360-degree LEDs for brighter, broader coverage. Nearly 100 security cameras have been added around campus. The Campus Security staff has been doubled, with new officers being hired, meaning two officers on duty most of the time, allowing for more patrols and more available escorts. More doors have been added to the campus access control system, and the college has begun sending regular safety and security reminder emails, with expanded communication for off-campus students.

Some offices have also moved. The History Department, the Political Science Department, and the Center for Constitutional Liberty are all now housed in the Moritz Library.

Some individual faculty members have also relocated from the Ferrell Academic Center to St. Benedict Hall, with students asked to check with their professors on new office locations.

Meanwhile, as student move-in continues, the college has announced that Kelsey Reinhardt, President and CEO of CatholicVote and co-founder of Zeale, will give the keynote address during the 2026 Academic Convocation.

The event, set for September 1 in the Ralph Nolan Gymnasium, annually kicks off the academic year and officially welcomes the incoming freshman class.

A release from state transportation officials says Kansas law requires drivers to stop when a school bus has its red lights flashing and the stop arm extended. Drivers from both directions must stay stopped until the bus moves on or the lights and stop arm are turned off.

Officials warn that failing to stop is dangerous and comes with costly penalties while putting children’s lives at risk. Many students have to cross the street after getting off the bus, and can be hard for drivers to see. 

The release highlights that illegal passing of stopped school buses remains a serious problem, with an estimated 43 million violations nationwide each school year. National data from the last school year shows six students were killed in loading or unloading zones, with half involving drivers who failed to stop for a bus.

Drivers are urged to watch for yellow flashing lights as a bus prepares to stop, always stop for red flashing lights and the stop arm, and stay alert by avoiding distractions. A new Kansas law also requires drivers to be hands free in school zones.

(KNZA)--The future of a planned housing development in Hiawatha is unclear following action taken by the Hiawatha School Board Wednesday evening.

The board voted to protest a Reinvestment Housing Incentive District for the Villas of Beautiful Maples project, effective August 25, to allow time for re-negotiations between the city, Brown County and the school district.

Hiawatha City Administrator Brad Scott and the project developers, Dave Anderson and Michael Webb, were present to discuss the RHID and answer questions.

In making the motion, board member Ian Schuetz said he wants to see the project move forward but not under present development terms. He said he can support a ten-year RHID but not the 25 year term proposed. Board member Phil Roberts agreed with Schuetz that the housing is needed but not under the current terms.  Anderson said a ten-year period would not work financially. 

During the public comment portion of the meeting,  several patrons spoke out against the project.

The RHID is a local economic development financing tool used to assist developers with public infrastructure costs for housing projects.

Webb said it gives the option to bring back a revised development plan.

The Hiawatha City Commission approved an ordinance at their July 27th meeting establishing a housing incentive district for the project. The school board’s vote to protest the district means the city would be required to repeal the ordinance.

Troy Enke/Credit: Brown County Sheriff's Office

(KNZA)--A Hiawatha man is facing multiple felony charges following an incident Tuesday.

Police Chief David Villanueva says officers responded to the 200 block of Pottawatomie Street for an alleged criminal damage to property incident accompanied by criminal threats.

The suspect was identified as 36-year-old Troy Enke.

Villanueva says Enke fled to his residence in the 500 block of South Seventh Street and failed to leave when officers arrived.

A search warrant was obtained through Brown County District Court. The Kansas Highway Patrol Special Response Team and K-9 units assisted Hiawatha police and the Brown County Sheriff's Office.

Enke was found hiding inside the home and arrested without incident. He was booked into the Brown County Jail.

Police are requesting felony charges of criminal threat, criminal damage to property and interference with law enforcement.

The investigation remains ongoing.

(KNZA)--Two northeast Kansas boil water advisories have been rescinded.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment says the advisories for the city of Delia water system in Jackson County and the Lakeside Village Improvement District in Jefferson County have been lifted.

The Delia advisory was issued July 28 following a waterline break that caused a loss of pressure.

The Lakeside Village advisory was issued Sunday because of equipment failure that resulted in low chlorine levels.

KDHE said Wednesday laboratory testing found no evidence of bacterial contamination, and the conditions that placed both systems at risk have been resolved.

(KNZA)--Coronado Road north of the Highland city limits has been reopened to through traffic following repairs to a concrete drainage box.

The Doniphan County Commission held a special meeting Tuesday morning to discuss the project after concerns were raised about the repair.

County Commissioner Tim Collins said the concern was not with the roadway itself, which he said is better than it was, but with 90 feet of drainage tube being installed instead of the 120 feet specified in the project scope, along with concerns about the slope of the banks.

Contractor Pat Urban of Urban Construction said the changes were made to address drainage concerns and prevent water from backing up onto neighboring properties.

The commission voted unanimously to reopen the road.

Urban Construction will finish side repairs and haul rock while the road remains open. Concrete barriers will be placed along the east edge until a metal guardrail can be installed.

Commissioners also said an engineer should be hired to oversee county road projects. Commissioner Wayne Grable suggested hiring a county engineer to oversee the entire road department.

The issue was raised at Monday's regular commission meeting by county resident Matt Cluck, who questioned why the project was changed without prior approval from the commission.

(KMZA)--Nemaha County is proposing a 2027 budget of 19-point-5 million dollars that exceeds the revenue neutral tax rate.

The budget includes an estimated tax rate of 51-point-3 mills, which is 11-point-6 mills above the revenue neutral rate.

The county would collect nearly 12-point-3 million dollars in property taxes, an increase of 2-point-8 million dollars from this year.

The budget is based on an assessed valuation of more than 239 million dollars.

County commissioners are continuing to review the budget for possible cuts and could lower the mill levy before final adoption.

A public hearing on the budget, along with a second hearing on the county's intent to exceed the revenue neutral rate, is scheduled for August 24th at 5 p.m. at the Nemaha County Courthouse.

Dustin McCulley/Credit: Brown County Sheriff's Office

(KNZA)--A Hiawatha man convicted of two felony aggravated assault charges has been placed on probation.

Online court records show Dustin McCulley was given a suspended prison sentence last week in Brown County District Court and placed on two years of supervised probation.

McCulley pleaded no contest to the charges last month.

He was accused of threatening two people with a knife in August 2025.

The case was investigated by the Hiawatha Police Department.

Recent samples taken at the lake measured above the threshold of 8 parts per billion of total microcystin, which is a toxin released by certain strains of blue-green algae. 

Signs are posted advising the public to use caution, and designated swimming beaches are closed during the alert. 

Recreational boating and fishing are permitted, but the public is advised to use caution and avoid exposure to the water, particularly by avoiding any activity that could lead to swallowing the water. 

Do not let pets get in the water or drink from the lake. People can still use the public areas for camping, picnics, and other outdoor activities.

Weekly sampling at 57 lakes across Nebraska will continue to through September 14.

(KNZA)--The city of Hiawatha is proposing a 2027 budget of more than eight-point-nine million dollars that remains revenue neutral.

The City Commission unanimously approved the budget for publication Monday night after City Administrator Brad Scott reviewed the proposal.

The budget includes an estimated tax rate of 34-point-47 mills, which is the revenue-neutral rate and one-point-eight mills lower than this year's levy.

The city expects to collect more than one-point-three million dollars in property taxes, based on an assessed valuation of nearly 39 million dollars.

Scott says the budget accounts for the city's proposed 125-thousand-dollar payment to the county for dispatch services, while remaining revenue neutral.

The budget also includes a three-percent pay raise for city employees, increased funding for downtown planters, and money for curb-and-gutter grants through the storm sewer fund.

The Commission will hold a public hearing and consider adopting the budget August 24th.

(KNZA)--The St. Joseph Police Department is investigating an early Tuesday morning shooting in the area of South 33rd Street.

Police say officers responded shortly after 12:30 a.m. to a report of multiple shots fired between Mitchell Avenue and Duncan Street.

Officers found numerous shell casings in the roadway and a vehicle that had been struck by gunfire.

No injuries were reported.

No one is currently in custody, and the investigation is ongoing.

Deputies issued 36 citations for offenses including speeding, no registration, fictitious plates, no insurance, no driver's license, stop sign violations, stop light violations and driving on the shoulder as well as 74 warnings. The fastest speed was 35 mph over the posted speed limit.

The one-day event will feature donations to more than 60 local funds, impacting what a release calls "thousands of lives across Atchison County." Every dollar donated on Match Day goes further, thanks to $150,000 in matching funds that amplify contributions to the organizations and charitable causes that make Atchison County "a better place to live, work, and grow," according to the release.

Organizers say there’s a cause for everyone on Match Day, whether you’re passionate about children, education, the arts, parks, historic preservation, scholarships, food security, or helping neighbors in need.

The kick-off event, Match Day Happy Hour, will be held Friday afternoon from 4:00 to 7:00 at the Atchison Event Center. Attendees can meet local nonprofits, learn about new causes, enjoy refreshments, and celebrate the generosity that supports the community.

There are multiple ways to give, with donations to be made online anytime from 12:00 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. on August 14, or gifts can be mailed to the Atchison Foundation. Checks must be made payable to the Atchison Foundation and include a completed donation form. Mailed donations must be received by Friday to qualify for matching funds.

Organizers remind residents that "every donation strengthens Atchison County," with eligible gifts, on Match Day, receiving a proportional share of the $150,000 matching pool, with participating organizations able to receive up to $5,000 in matching funds.

For more information, visit the Atchison Foundation website or stop by the Atchison Event Center on Friday.