(KAIR)--Two separate Atchison County wrecks Wednesday sent two to the hospital.

According to a report from Atchison County Sheriff Jack Laurie, one of the two crashes sent an out-of-area woman to the hospital.

29-year-old Darrin Schmidt, of Winchester, was the driver of a pickup truck, southbound on Jewell Road, coming from 286th Road, that stopped at the stop sign at U.S. Highway 73. As he attempted to cross the highway, Laurie says Schmidt's truck was struck by a car, eastbound on the highway, driven by 76-year-old Margaret Elliot, of Eudora, Kansas.
She was transported to Amberwell Atchison, by Atchison County EMS, for the treatment of non-life threatening injuries.
Schmidt was not hurt, but was cited for failure to yield.

The other wreck happened around 4:00 Wednesday afternoon, when a Lancaster teenager's Camaro ran off the road and rolled over.

Laurie says Landon Burge was westbound on 286th Road, between Graham and Greely, when the car went off the road, and appeared to have rolled over before stopping in a corn field, north of 286th Road.

Burge was transported to Amberwell Atchison, by Atchison County EMS, with unknown injuries.

(KAIR)--The Give Back to Valley Match Day 3-day match event has come to an end, with more than $100,000 raised, and 710 gifts given to 42 Valley Falls-area nonprofit organizations.

Arranged by the Valley Falls Community Foundation, the Give Back to Valley Match Day raised a total of $125,930.02 dollars during the event's run, which lasted from midnight, Friday, September 22 through 11:59 Monday night, September 25. In-person matches were also included as part of the 2023 fundraiser, with those donations presented during last Saturday's Grasshopper Falls Day event.

Match Day is held annually, with all donations presented to participating organizations then matched, meaning more monies for those groups to utilize in their community efforts.

According to the website givebacktovalley.com's totals, Jan's Kids earned the most donations, with $14.7 thousand dollars. That organization is followed by Valley Falls Athletic Association, earning $11.6 thousand, the Valley Falls Historical Society gained $11.3 thousand, Valley Falls Lions Club Community Improvements earned more than $8.7 thousand, and the Delaware Township Library earned $8.5 thousand, rounding out the top five.

In the top gift counts, Jan's Kids took the top spot with 61, the Valley Falls Historical Society earned 59 gifts, Delaware Township Library earned 47, the Valley Falls Athletic Association gained 41, while Valley Falls FFA and Ag Education rounded out the top five, receiving 40 gifts.

(KAIR)--The Give Back to Valley Match Day 3-day match event has come to an end, with more than $100,000 raised, and 710 gifts given to 42 Valley Falls-area nonprofit organizations.

Arranged by the Valley Falls Community Foundation, the Give Back to Valley Match Day raised a total of $125,930.02 dollars during the event's run, which lasted from midnight, Friday, September 22 through 11:59 Monday night, September 25. In-person matches were also included as part of the 2023 fundraiser, with those donations presented during last Saturday's Grasshopper Falls Day event.

Match Day is held annually, with all donations presented to participating organizations then matched, meaning more monies for those groups to utilize in their community efforts.

According to the website givebacktovalley.com's totals, Jan's Kids earned the most donations, with $14.7 thousand dollars. That organization is followed by Valley Falls Athletic Association, earning $11.6 thousand, the Valley Falls Historical Society gained $11.3 thousand, Valley Falls Lions Club Community Improvements earned more than $8.7 thousand, and the Delaware Township Library earned $8.5 thousand, rounding out the top five.

In the top gift counts, Jan's Kids took the top spot with 61, the Valley Falls Historical Society earned 59 gifts, Delaware Township Library earned 47, the Valley Falls Athletic Association gained 41, while Valley Falls FFA and Ag Education rounded out the top five, receiving 40 gifts.

(KLZA)-- Farmers and ranchers interested in preventing erosion, improving soil health, conserving water and wildlife, or making other natural resource conservation improvements to their property are encouraged to apply now for funding available from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Those interested in receiving funding this year should sign up before November 17, 2023.

NRCS accepts conservation program applications on a continuous basis but sets application cutoff dates as funding allows. According to NRCS Nebraska State Conservationist Rob Lawson, there are several options still available to producers for this year.

Individuals interested in applying for these conservation programs may do so at any time, but applications need to be submitted by November 17th to be considered for this year- funding. For more information about conservation programs and other assistance available, contact your local NRCS field office or visit www.nrcs.usda.gov/NE

(KLZA)-- Farmers and ranchers interested in preventing erosion, improving soil health, conserving water and wildlife, or making other natural resource conservation improvements to their property are encouraged to apply now for funding available from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Those interested in receiving funding this year should sign up before November 17, 2023.

NRCS accepts conservation program applications on a continuous basis but sets application cutoff dates as funding allows. According to NRCS Nebraska State Conservationist Rob Lawson, there are several options still available to producers for this year.

Individuals interested in applying for these conservation programs may do so at any time, but applications need to be submitted by November 17th to be considered for this year- funding. For more information about conservation programs and other assistance available, contact your local NRCS field office or visit www.nrcs.usda.gov/NE

(KNZA)--The Hiawatha City Commission Monday evening approved a resolution setting a hearing for November 13 to consider the condemnation of 13 properties the city has deemed as unsafe and dangerous.

The owners will have an opportunity at the hearing to present evidence why the structures should not be condemned and ordered repaired or demolished.

The resolution was approved on a 4-1 vote. Commissioner Brian Shefferd cast the lone dissenting vote, voicing his concerns about the city's process for addressing derelict properties.

In other business, discussion was held again on property at 310 Hiawatha Avenue.

Hiawatha resident Michelle Martindale, representing the property owners, was present for the discussion. She argued there's been a lot of progress made on the property.

Mayor Becky Shamburg and other commissioners acknowledged the property has been cleaned up but voiced concerns about the safety the house itself.

Martindale said she has purchased siding and roofing materials for the house, but her current schedule has made repairs difficult to perform.

Commissioner Toni Hull said she would hate to see Martindale put any more money into a house that's only valued at $2,550 by the county.

Martindale said she doesn't want to lose the house, saying its all her and her siblings have left from their deceased parents and it would leave three people homeless.

Commissioner Shefferd recommended having an outside third party licensed by the state inspect the house to determine if it should be demolish or not.

The Commission tabled further discussion for two weeks so Shefferd can check into what an inspection would cost.

(KNZA)--The Horton City Commission has selected a new Chief of Police.

The Commission in a special meeting Wednesday evening voted 3-2 to authorize City Administrator John Calhoon to offer the position to William Smith, Jr., of Paola, contingent on a successful background check.

Commissioner Tina Nigh and Mayor Byran Stirton cast the dissenting votes.

Smith was among five candidates interviewed by the Commission.

The position came open last month following the resignation of former Chief of Police Jonathan Boller. His last day on the job was August 25.

Assistant Police Chief Cody Spire is overseeing the department until a new Chief of Police is hired.

(KNZA) --A Horton woman is facing drug related charges, and a child is placed in protective custody, following the execution of a search warrant at a Horton home Wednesday.

Brown County Sheriff John Merchant, in a release, says 32-year-old Jade Spruill was arrested at the conclusion of the early evening search, taken into custody on charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of a stimulant, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, and child endangerment.

Following her arrest, Spruill was booked into the Brown County Jail.

According to Merchant, the search came after a deputy established probable cause to obtain a search warrant, which was granted, for 240 West 15th Street, in Horton.

The juvenile, placed into protective care, was at the home at the time of the search.

The Horton Police Department assisted the Brown County Sheriff's Office Drug Task Force at the residence.

(KAIR)--A Horton woman is facing drug related charges, and a child is placed in protective custody, following the execution of a search warrant at a Horton home Wednesday.

Brown County Sheriff John Merchant, in a release, says 32-year-old Jade Spruill was arrested early that evening at the conclusion of the search, taken into custody on charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of a stimulant, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, and child endangerment.
Following her arrest, Spruill was booked into the Brown County Jail.

According to Merchant, the search came after a deputy established probable cause to obtain a search warrant , which was granted, for 240 West 15th Street, in Horton.

The juvenile, placed into protective care, was at the home at the time of the search.

The Horton Police Department assisted the Brown County Sheriff's Office Drug Task Force at the residence.

(KAIR)--One person is injured in a late Thursday morning Atchison crash that also led to a collision for a responding police officer.

According to a release from Atchison Police Chief Mike Wilson, officers responded to the 1200 block of South U.S. Highway 73, around 10:10 in the morning, where a Chevrolet Tahoe had crashed.

Wilson, in the release, says the driver, 32-year-old Atchison resident Alexandria Woessner, had been northbound on the highway when the Tahoe struck the curb on the west side of the northbound lanes. Woessner overcorrected, sending the vehicle off the roadway on the east side of the northbound lanes, where it struck a retaining wall that runs parallel to the highway. The impact caused the Tahoe to overturn once, before landing on its wheels.

Woessner, the lone occupant of the vehicle, was transported by Atchison County EMS to Mosaic Life Care in Saint Joseph, Missouri for treatment of her injuries.

According to Wilson, a police vehicle was enroute to the crash scene, westbound on U.S, Highway 59, and turning south onto Hwy 73, when it collided, in the intersection, with a vehicle northbound on 73.

No injuries were incurred in that crash.

The Kansas Highway Patrol investigated.

(NPPD)-- Fall weather is moving into the area and as farmers start to harvest their crops, Nebraska Public Power District wants to remind equipment operators to look up and look out for powerlines.

NPPD asks large equipment operators working around powerlines to keep their equipment at least 20 feet away from any lines.

If a piece of equipment gets too close to a line, electricity can arc to the equipment and result in potentially serious or fatal injury. Whether it is a piece of farm equipment, or other large equipment such as excavators, it- important that operators are aware of powerline locations so they can complete their work safely.

NPPD also wants to remind farmers who utilize drones to take note of where powerlines are located. The pilots should be aware of powerlines, so they don’t damage their drones or the powerlines near the fields they’re operating in.

If an equipment operator does get too close or contacts a powerline, anyone inside the vehicle should remain there until help can arrive and deenergize the line.

When a powerline is touching a vehicle or lying on the ground, it can electrify both the vehicle and the ground in the surrounding area. If a fire forces you to exit the vehicle, then do so by jumping away from the vehicle, landing on two feet, and shuffling as far away from the area as possible.

Each day review all farm activities and work practices that will take place around powerlines and remind all workers to take precautions.

• Know the location of powerlines and when setting up the farm equipment, be at least 20 feet away from them. Contact your local public power provider if you feel this distance cannot be achieved.

  Use caution when raising augers or the bed of a grain truck or wagon. It can be difficult to estimate distance, and sometimes a powerline is closer than it looks. For large equipment, use a spotter to make certain the equipment stays a safe distance from the line.

• Always adjust portable augers or elevators to their lowest possible level - under 14 feet - before transporting them. Variables like wind, uneven ground or shifting weight can cause unexpected results.

(KAIR)--Special honors are announced for Locally Atchison Main Street, selected as one of only three Kansas communities to take part in Main Street America's E3 in Rural Communities Pilot Program.

According to a release from the Atchison Area Chamber of Commerce, E3 "is an entrepreneurial ecosystem building program designed to give the technical assistance to local communities that support and nurture entrepreneurs." The release explains that the process was competitive, but says, "Locally Atchison's record of success and professional capacity enabled it to be selected for this great opportunity."

According to the website MainStreet.org, E3 stands for Equitable Entrepreneurial Ecosystems in Rural Main Streets Program, and is supported by the Kauffman Foundation. The program "leverages Main Street America's past work in ecosystem building and combines organizational partnerships with Forward Cities for greater equity and inclusiveness, as well as professional development training in entrepreneurial-led development through the International Economic Development Council."

In selecting grantees, priority was given to applicants who demonstrated a sincere interest and commitment to expanding their own internal entrepreneurial ecosystem programming, coupled with a lack of resources and staffing to start and scale this work in their communities.

Inclusion in the program isn't the only good news, with the Chamber, in a release, saying that locally Atchison recently received needed funding. That comes through the Courtney S. Turner Charitable Trust, with the grant to replace the 1990 trolley utilized for tours and events.

According to the release, "the new trolley will allow the City of Atchison, Kansas Local Government to be more inclusive of all visitors with ADA accessibility."

Trolley tours include Atchison's haunted, historical, and African American History.

(KAIR)--A Leavenworth woman is going to prison, sentenced in Leavenworth County District Court this week for her role in in the murder and robbery of a man whose body was found in a ditch in rural Leavenworth County.

According to a release from the office of Leavenworth County Attorney Todd Thompson, 37-year-old Patricia Perkins was sentenced to 17-years-2-months of incarceration on charges of second-degree murder and robbery stemming from the 2019 shooting death of Travis Doughty.
Perkins entered a guilty plea to the charges in August.

The release, citing court documents, says that Perkins, and two others, hatched a plot to rob the 23-year-old Doughty of money, doing so by Perkins driving him to a rural Leavenworth County area, near Oak Mills Road, with the promise that the group would target shoot with guns. Instead, Doughty, of Leavenworth, was shot and robbed of his money, with his body found March 12, 2019 in a ditch.

One of the alleged participants in the crime has since died due to a drug overdose unrelated to Doughty's murder.

(KLZA)-- The Southeast Community College Board of Governors voted to reverse course after months of public pressure at SCC- Milford campus on Tuesday. They’re keeping the tax levy flat heading into their final year of property tax collection.

SCC administrators will need to chart a new course on the path to possible, away from a planned levy increase.

They’ll need to steer toward a projected budget $9 million lighter, born from the vote to keep the Levy at 7.37 cents instead of raising it to 8.5 cents.

SCC president Paul Illich said the action will require some cuts, and likely pause some construction projects, cutting equipment, technology, operating maintenance. Some budget re-structuring will be required.

Beginning next year Nebraska Community Colleges will see the equivalent of a 7.5 cent levy to be paid out of a state fund, the funding will grow by just 3.5% a year unless enrollment numbers soar. But with the old property tax model, SCC could rely on a more than 5% increase every year.

Some on the SCC Board of Governors told channel 10-11 News in Lincoln that they feared reprisal from state government which spurred the 10-1 vote in favor of keeping the levy the same.

(KLZA)-- The University of Nebraska's latest rural Poll revealed there is increased pessimisim about the present and future of rural Nebraska.

This marks the 28th year of the poll. 27 percent of those responding indicated they are worse off today than five years ago. That is up from 21% last year and 11% from in 2021.

45 percent of respondents felt they are better off now than five years ago.

39 percent of those surveyed think they will be better off in 10 years. In addition, younger people as well as those with higher household incomes and levels of education, tend to be more optimistic about their current and future well being.

Of the 6,000 household surveys sent out as part of the poll, only 1,100, responded, representing 89 of the sates 93 counties.

(KLZA)-- Harvest is in full swing and the Nebraska State Patrol encourages all motorists to be aware of agriculture equipment traveling on roads.

With ag producers on the move, all motorists should stay alert for slow-moving ag implements. Due to their dimensions and loads, operator visibility is often reduced, so drivers are urged to be cautious when approaching, following, or attempting to pass farm vehicles.

Ag producers across Nebraska utilize a harvest permit to move their products to market. There are a number of benefits with this permit, including an overweight allowance of up to 15 percent above state law. To utilize the harvest exemption, the product owner should provide the hauler with a signed statement of origin and destination.

Haulers should maintain the safety of their vehicle by conducting pre-trip inspections, voluntarily complying with traffic safety laws, displaying warning signs on machinery, using flashing yellow caution lights when traveling, and staying aware of vehicles that may be attempting to pass.

(KNZA)--The Hiawatha City Commission heard a request from the Hiawatha Redhawk Trap Club when they meet Monday evening.

Head Trap Club coach Art Vonderschmidt appeared before the Commission to request the use property at the old Hiawatha Airport to build an in-ground trap house.

Vonderschmidt said the Club currently has to utilize a facility in Falls City for practice and competition.

The spring of 2024 will mark the Club's 7th season.

Vonderschmidt said plans are to seek grant funding to help with the estimated $10,000 cost for the trap house and the Club is not seeking any city funding.

Commissioners said they thought it was great idea but wanted to gathered more information before giving their approval.

In other business, the commission approved the reallocation of $205,000 in ARPA funds from various city projects that are not able to be completed to the Aquatic Park.

City Parks and Recreation Director Stacy Jasper, along with Public Works Director Brad Scott, said they would like to utilizing the funding for several cosmetic and water feature upgrades at the Aquatic Park.

They said the focus is to make the Hiawatha Aquatic Park an attraction for not only the community, but those in the area.

The Commission also approved a storm drainage repair project on Chippewa Avenue at a cost of just over $48,000. The project will include the installation of a drainage tube, an inlet box and concrete improvements. J & B Contractors will perform the concrete repairs. City crews wil clean out the drainage ditch and install the drainage tube.

(KLZA)-- A Table Rock. Nebraska man suffered minor injuries in a single vehicle wreck on Route U, five miles southwest of Rock Port, Missouri Monday afternoon.,

The Missouri Highway Patrol report says 53-year-old Stephan Friedenthal was driving a tractor eastbound on Route U when it went off the south side of the road.

The right tire of the unit the tractor was towing became disabled causing the towed unit to turn onto its side.

The tractor returned to the roadway and came to a controlled stop.

Friedenthal was transported by the Atchison-Holt Ambulance to Community Hospital in Fairfax.

The wreck was reported around 3:30 Monday afternoon.

(KNZA)--A Horton man has been charged in connection with a July 4th two-vehicle Brown County wreck that left four others injured.

44-year-old Timothy Pahmahmie was arrested last week by the Brown County Sheriff's Office on a felony warrant for four counts of aggravated battery, driving under the influence, failure to yield the right-of-way at an uncontrolled intersection and operating a motor vehicle without a valid driver's license.

Brown County Sheriff John Merchant said Pahmahmie was arrested without incident in the vicinity of 1100 Dewberry Road in Brown County.

The charges were filed following an investigation by the Kansas Highway Patrol into a wreck early July 4th at the intersection of 100th and Kingfisher Roads, a mile west of U.S. 159 Highway.

The Patrol says Pahmahmie was westbound on 100th Road when his pickup truck crashed into the driver's side of a southbound SUV on Kingfisher Road driven by Brandon Wingender, of Everest.

Wingender and a passenger in his vehicle, Brenda Middleton of Horton, suffered suspected serious injuries in the wreck.

Pahmahmie and two passengers in his vehicle, Roberta Hanchor of Nevada, and Adrain Darnell, of Horton, were also injured.

A preliminary hearing in the case has been set for October 4.

Pahmahmie remains in the Brown County Jail, held on a $100,000 bond.

(KNZA)--An apparently damaged Toyota 4-Runner, stopped in Fairview Saturday night, drew the attention of a Brown County Sheriff's Deputy who observed defective headlights and sparks from the undercarriage, as it was earlier traveling eastbound near U.S. Highway 75 and U.S. Highway 36.
The vehicle was stopped by the Deputy, who identified the driver as 18-year-old Hiawatha resident Nixon Castro.

Just two minutes after the stop, Brown County Dispatch infomed officers that a rollover crash had been reported west of Fairview, with investigators learning that a Toyota Yaris, eastbound on U.S. 36, was sideswiped by an eastbound Toyota 4-Runner, the same vehicle allegedly driven by Castro. He had allegedly driven away from the wreck, leaving the roadway to travel through a soybean field where field fencing was destroyed, prior to being stopped by the Deputy.

Castro, uininjured in the wreck, was arrested on charges of DUI, transporting an open container, reckless driving, and failure to report an accident.

The driver of the Yaris was unhurt, but his two passengers suffered what Brown County Sheriff John Merchant, in a release, called "non-life threatening injuries." Both refused medical treatment.

(KLZA)--= During a meeting earlier this month the Nebraska State College System Trustees voted to approve an offer from Daryl Long to give Peru State College approximately 26 acres abutting the Peru State campus, western edge.

The property, valued at $585,000, will allow Peru state officials to explore the development of new facilities in the future, which could include expanded housing and new meeting and event spaces.

Darly Long taught at Peru State Collge for 50 years.

(KLZA)-- Following public hearings during a special meeting of the Falls City Council Monday night, the Council approved the Fiscal Year 2023-24 budget that calls for a 12.09 percent decrese from last years budget.

The total budget amounts to $24,011,211 with a property tax request of $773,660.

The property tax levy will be 42.2921 cents per $100 of assessed valuation.

The total assessed value of property in Falls City increased 8.15 percent.

(KAIR)--Horton City Commissioners will be in special session Wednesday, with the selection of a new Chief of Police for the Brown County community the focus of the meeting.

According to the agenda, the bulk of the session will be held behind closed doors, in executive session, as Commissioners are set to interview candidates for the position.
The meeting will begin at 5:15 at Horton City Hall.

The need to fill the role of Police Chief follows a 3-1 vote of the Commission on August 21 to accept the resignation of then Police Chief Jonathan Boller III. His last day on the job was August 25.

Boller submitted his letter of resignation on August 11th, with the unofficial meeting minutes saying he gave a statement about his time with the city, his concerns with micro-management, and questioning of his department's integrity by certain commission members which led to his decision to resign.

Boller became Chief of Police in January 2021.

Assistant Police Chief Cody Spire is overseeing the department until a new Chief of Police is hired.

(KAIR)--A 69-year-old Lansing inmate seated in a wheelchair when he bit a corrections officer has been sentenced to serve 2-years-8-months in the Kansas Department of Corrections on the charge of attempted battery of a law enforcement officer.

According to court documents, Dennis E. Shaw, a Lansing Correctional Facility inmate, was making inappropriate comments to a female corrections officer before the incident. When officers attempted to push Shaw's wheelchair away from the shower area, Shaw put the right brake on his wheelchair. When an officer released the break, Shaw grabbed the officer's right arm and refused orders to release his grip. When Shaw refused orders, pressure points were used to gain compliance. Shaw then bit one of the officers on the right forearm, drawing blood.

The new sentence Shaw received last week in Leavenworth County District Court will begin after the sentence Shaw is already serving.

(KAIR)--The Benedictine College Knights of Columbus Council #4708, earlier this month, was awarded the distinction of Double Star Council, the international organization's top honor for local councils.

The Star Council Award recognizes overall excellence in the areas of growing membership, promoting Knights of Columbus insurance benefits, sponsoring Catholic faith formation programs and volunteering time through service-oriented activities.

This year, the Benedictine College Council performed what a release calls "phenomenal programs and activities," from partaking in multiple Eucharistic Processions and leading daily rosaries on the Benedictine campus, to hosting multiple breakfasts for students and their families and assisting other on-campus student groups with activities.

Membership in the Knights of Columbus is open to men 18 years of age or older who are practicing Catholics in union with the Holy See.

(KMZA)--The Nemaha County Commission has adopted a 2024 county budget that calls for total expenditures of $15.1 million and a slight mill levy decrease.

The Commission took the action following a public hearing last week.

About twenty-five county residents attended the hearing, with several voicing their concerns about the budget. Concerns were heard about the increase seen in residential appraisals in 2023 and about how a tax increase will affect county residents on a fixed income.

Commissioner Dylan Keim said the state of Kansas has not funded the local ad valorem tax reduction fund since 2003, which was designed to help local governments lower property taxes.

The budget contains an estimated tax rate of 36.057 mills, which is down .668 mills from last year's levy.

The budget calls the county to collect nearly $8.5 million in local tax revenue.

Even though the mill levy will decrease slightly, the county will collect more than $200,000 in additional tax revenue due to a nearly $10 million increase in the county's assessed valuation.

Following a second hearing, prior to the budget hearing, the commission approved a resolution to exceed the revenue neutral tax rate of 35.165 mills.

(KLZA)-- During the September meeting of the Nemaha Natural Resources District Board of Directors meeting, Tim Schaardt was appointed to fill a vacancy on the board, representing subdistrict 10, which is in Pawnee County.

There are two more vacant directors seats. Applications to fill vacancies in subdistricts 4 and 9 will continue to be accepted and will be considered for appointment by the Board during their October 12 meeting.

Subdistrict 4 is in Otoe County. Subdistrict 9 is in Richardson County.

(KLZA)-- A Tarkio woman was transported to the Community Hospital in Fairfax, Missouri with injuries suffered in a wreck Sunday morning about 9:40 two miles north of Tarkio on 180th Street.

The Missouri Highway Patrol reported a Ford one ton truck driven by 41-year-old Don Hurst of Fairfax was eastbound on 180th and a car driven by 57-year-old Mary Ryan of Tarkio was turning west at the intersection.

The puckup truck struck the rear left of the car.

Mary Ryan suffered what were described as moderate injuries and was trasnported from the scene by the Atchison-Holt Ambulance.

The Atchison County Sheriff's Office assisted at the scene of the wreck.

(KLZA)-- Pawnee County Commissioners approved the purchase of an NMC Cat 140 motorgrader when they met last week through the Sourcewell Contract program.

With a trade allowance of $110,000, the machine will cost the county $236,650. The machine will be available in December.

A bid submitted for a John Deere 670 GP motorgrader from Muprhy Tractor came in with trade- in at $268,780.

In other business the Board approved Sheriff's Office Administrative Assistant Nancy Tilton changing the courthouse emergency notification to Everbridge through Johnson County Dispatch.

(KNZA)--A North Dakota woman was arrested on drug charges Sunday afternoon in Jackson County after a Sheriff's deputy stopped to assist a stranded motorist.

Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse, in a release, said a deputy stopped to assist a motorist with a 2016 Ford Focus around 3:00 on 158th Road and U.S. Highway 75.

Morse said the 49-year-old driver, Tonia Carlson, of Wahpeton, North Dakota, was arrested by deputies for for possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Following her arrest, Carlson was booked into the Jackson County Jail where she is being held on a $50,000 bond.

(KNZA)--A public health advisory has been issued for a local lake due to blue-green algae.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment, in conjunction with the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, announced Friday that Atchison's Warnock Lake has been placed under "warning" level status due to presence of the toxic hazard.

Warnock Lake joins five other lakes in the state under " warning" status.

KDHE says blue-green algae poses many health risks for both humans and animals.

For lakes under warning status, the agency says direct contact with the water should be avoided.

Fish may be eaten if they are rinsed with clean water. However, only the fillet portion should be consumed and all other parts discarded.

(KNZA)--The city of Hiawatha will hold its annual fall Citywide Cleanup Day on Saturday, September 30th.

City residents can take their unwanted items to the city public works property at 912 Hiawatha Avenue for disposal free of charge from 8:00 in the morning until 1:00 in the afternoon.

Paper Eaters will be on site to offer shredding services. Recycling will not be available this year.

Each household will be allowed one pickup load, one carload or one single-axle trailer load. No contractors are allowed and the city reserves the right to refuse any load. Proof of residency will be required.

Unacceptable items include household trash, leaves, grass clippings, tires, paint, oil, gas, hazardous materials and any material containing Freon except appliances.

(KNZA)--An Auburn, Kansas man was arrested following a high speed pursuit in Jackson County Saturday evening.

Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse, in a release, said a Sheriff's deputy attempted to stop a car for allegedly speeding near 102nd Road and U.S. 75 Highway around 6:30.

The vehicle allegedly failed to stop and a pursuit ensued.

The vehicle went east on K-214 Highway. The vehicle continued through the City of Hoyt and eventually stopped in the Hoyt City Park where the driver was taken into custody.

Morse said the driver, 20-year-old Samuel Traynham, was arrested for fleeing or attempting to elude a law enforcement officer, possession of a hallucinogenic drug, possession of drug paraphernalia and traffic charges.

Following his arrest, Traynham was booked into the Jackson County Jail where he remains held on a $50,000 bond.

(KAIR)--A Saint Joseph, Missouri man is dead, killed Sunday afternoon in a double vehicle, Buchanan County, Missouri crash, south of Faucett.

Dead is 64-year-old Jackie Chappel, whose Harley Davidson motorcycle, northbound on Missouri Highway 371, was struck head on by a southbound pickup truck that crossed the center line.

That's according to a report from the Missouri State Highway Patrol, which says Chappel was ejected from his motorcycle and pronounced dead at the scene.

The 66-year-old driver of the pickup truck, Steven Humes, of DeKalb, Missouri, was not hurt.

Chappel was wearing a helmet at the time of the fatal crash, which happened around 1:40 Sunday afternoon, four miles south of Faucett.

(KAIR)--The 2024 Atchison County budget has been finalized.

The Atchison County Commission Tuesday approved a budget that calls for more than $20.5 million in total expenditures and a property tax levy increase of nearly two mills. The budget contains an estimated tax rate of 51.573 mills. That's anticipated to raise more than $11 million in local tax revenue—a 9.52 percent increase over this year.

The county's assessed valuation increased about $10 million, which means a mill will generate $214,073.

The county had initially been looking at a 4 mill tax levy increase, but following a September 5 public hearing on the budget agreed to make a further attempt to reduce the mill levy--setting a goal of cutting another around $400,000 from the budget.

(KMZA)--An Axtell woman was killed and two Sabetha residents were seriously injured in a three-vehicle wreck Friday afternoon in Marshall County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol says the wreck was reported shortly after 4:15 at the junction of U.S. 36 and K-110 Highways, two miles south of Axtell.

The Patrol says a SUV driven by 63-year-old Denise Torrey was attempting to turn left onto K-110 from U.S. 36 when her vehicle was struck by a semi tractor-trailer. Her SUV was then struck by a westbound pickup truck.

Torrey was pronounced dead at the scene.

The pickup driver, 39-year-old Timothy Winkler, was transported to a Lincoln, Nebraska hospital for the treatment of suspected serious injuries.

59-year-old Margaret Winkler, who was a passenger in his vehicle, was transported to a Topeka hospital with suspected serious injuries.

A juvenile passenger was also present in his vehicle, but no information was released on the juvenile.

The semi driver, from Shawnee Mission, was not hurt.

The Patrol says all the occupants were buckled up when the wreck occurred.

( Editor's note: the KHP originally reported the juvenile was a passenger in the Torrey vehicle but later corrected their report)

(KNZA)--A jury has found a former Doniphan County Sheriff's deputy guilty on five child-sex related charges.

The jury returned the verdict Wednesday in the trial of 35-year-old Nathaniel Keller

He was found guilty of criminal sodomy, three counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child and furnishing alcohol or cereal malt beverage to a minor for illicit purposes .

Keller was acquitted on a charge of promoting obscenity to minors.

Sentencing was set for November 8th.

The trail began Monday in Doniphan County District Court.

Keller was charged with sex crimes alleged to have occurred in 2017 with a child 14 or 15 years of age.

He was arrested in June of 2021 after Kansas Bureau of Investigation agents served a search warrant on his home.

Keller also faces nine domestic-related charges stemming from alleged incidents in 2019 and 2021.

He remains in the Doniphan County Jail after his bond was revoked last month.

(KMZA)--There's a vacancy on the Seneca City Council.

The City Council Wednesday evening accepted the resignation of longtime 2nd Ward Councilwoman Alice Lackey, which was effective September 21.

Lackey read her letter of resignation at the end of the meeting. No reason was stated for the resignation.

Lackey initially served on the Council from April 16, 1997 to April 20, 2005. She then served on the Council from April 17, 2013 to September 21, 2023.

The City is asking any resident who resides in Ward 2 interested in filling Lackey's unexpired term to fill out a council interest form at City Hall by 4:00 p.m. October 3, 2023.

Following an executive session, the Council voted to hire Tracy Rusche as assistant city clerk for $20 an hour beginning October 9th. The Council also voted to hire Andrea Beyer to fill the new position of community development director. She will paid $19 an hour and begin work October 16.

In other business, the Council approved an ordinance rezoning property in the Fairway Addition where the Northridge Church is building a new church. The City Planning Commission recommended the zoning change from commercial to residential, which was requested by the church.

The Council also accepted the lone bid from BAR Excavating, of Baileyville in the amount of $9,115 to demolish a house located at 213 North 1st Street. The house is being demolished to make room for a new water treatment plant.

(KLZA)-- St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church at 20th and Towle Streets in Falls City will host a Community Supper Sunday evening from 5 - 7 p-m.

For a freewill offering you will receive a homemade meal of meatballs, potatoes, green beans and dessert. Carry-outs are available.

The proceeds rasied from the benefit will go to the Matthew and Laura Goff family. Laura Goff has been diagnosed with triple negative, stage 2 ductal carcinoma cancer.

Funds for the supper will be supplemented by the Thrivent Action Team.

Everyone is invited to attend.

(KLZA)-- Richardson County Commissioners approved forming a committee to make plans for the 100-Year Recognition of the Richardson County Courthouse when they met Tuesday. The events will begin in 2024 and run through 2025.

Appointed to the committee were Clerk of the District Court, Pam Scott, who will serve as chairman; County Assessor, Kim Riggs, County Treasurer, Amanda Bartek-Ramsey and County Clerk Mary Eickhoff.

Two additional members from the community will be appointed to the committee.

Commissioners approved the purchase order for a 2023 Ford Police Interceptor at a cost of $44,709 from Hullman's Ford of Falls City through a Nebraska contract with Anderson Ford of Lincoln.

The Board also approved $5,700 worth of repairs by Nebraska Machinery on a 2013 Cat motor grader during the meeting.

Emergency Management Agency Director Brian Kirkendall informed the Board that FEMA is going to require members of political subdivision governing boards to receive training to be in compliance with the National Incident Management System known as NIMS. The training is likely to be held within the next year and will take about one week to complete.

(KLZA)-- Pawnee County Commissioners conducted budget hearings Tuesday drawing no public comment.

Following the hearings the Board approved a total budget of disbursements amounting to $10,495,226 plus an additional $450,000 for necessary cash reserve.

The personal and property tax request will increase 2.319 percent to $2,424,415. The increase amounts to an additional $54,954. The tax levy will be 28.9343 cents per $100 of assessed valuaiton which is a decrease of 0.1444 cents per $100 of assessed valuation.

The Pawnee County valuation increased 2.83 percent to $837,904,741 which is a total dollar increase of $23,059,492.

(KNZA)--The Doniphan Co Commission has approved a proposal to increase fares for the county's public transportation service, effective January 1st, 2024.

According to the unofficial meeting minutes, County Aging Director Diana Crouse-Johnson presented the proposal to commissioners Monday.

Under the proposal, fares for local rides, which includes St. Joseph and Atchison, will increase from $7 to 10, while fares for out-of-area rides to Kansas City and Topeka ,will increase from $25 to $35.

The fare increases are subject to approval of the Kansas Department of Transportation and public feedback after a 30-day publication notice.

(KMZA)--A Pratt man has been hired for the new position of county administrator in Nemaha County, Kansas.

The Nemaha County Commission voted at a special meeting on September 8th to offer the position to Mike Miller.

Miller most recently served as risk manager and director of support service at Pratt Regional Medical Center.

He told MSC News he feels the new position in Nemaha County is a tremendous opportunity and looks forward to being part of the community.

Miller said he decided to apply for the position because he has family in the area and many portions of the job description were similar to his duties at Pratt. "The projects that I've been involved in, here in Pratt, include renovating blighted properties for a new hospital laundry and an urgent care center. Those were the things that I actually enjoyed most...looking back at the last five years, what I've been doing and what I enjoyed the most, seemed to be more consistent with municipal leadership, either being a city or county administrator." said Miller

Miller is to begin work October 2nd at an annual salary of $103,000.

(KNZA)--The annual Maple Leaf Festival will take place Saturday around the Brown County Courthouse Square in downtown Hiawatha.

The festival, which will run 9:30 to 4:30, will include vendors, activities, entertainment, a car show and food trucks.

Maria the Mexican of the Kansas City area is the headlining performer.

Also new this year is the Brent Isom Trio, of St. Joseph Missouri, which features Hiawatha band instructor Jarod Estrada on drums.

Back this year is solo artist Stephanie Gummelt, of St. Joseph, along with local solo artists Nirvanna Petersen and Tori Wist.

In addition, there will be children's and adult activities from 10:30 to 3:30---including bouncy houses, leaps and bounds, screamer slide, a mechanical bull and log slammer. A $10 wristband will be available at the festival for the events.

Local magician Barron Stringfellow will perform at at 10:00 and 1:30. The Kansas Children's Discovery Center will be set up on the courthouse lawn.

Craft and food vendors will be set up around the courthouse square.

New to downtown will be a petting zoo, sponsored by the Brown County Historical Society, along with basket weaving and the Pioneer Musketloaders.

There will not be any activities at the Ag Museum this year.

The festival is organized by the Hiawatha Chamber and Visitor's Bureau.

(KAIR)--The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has rescinded a boil water advisory for the City of Linwood public water supply system located in Leavenworth County. The advisory was issued because of a line break resulting in a loss of pressure in the system. Failure to maintain adequate pressure may result in a loss of chlorine residuals and bacterial contamination. 

Public water suppliers in Kansas take all measures necessary to notify customers quickly after a system failure or shutdown. Regardless of whether it's the supplier or KDHE that announces a boil water advisory, KDHE will issue the rescind order following testing at a certified laboratory.

Laboratory testing samples collected from the City of Linwood indicate no evidence of bacteriological contamination and all other conditions that placed the system at risk of contamination are deemed by KDHE officials to be resolved.  

For consumer questions, please contact the water system at: 913-301-3024 or you may call KDHE at 785-296-5514. For consumer information please visit KDHE- PWS Consumer Information webpage: kdhe.ks.gov/waterdisruption.

(KAIR)--Energy-provider Evergy has opened it's new Atchison Service Center, with the about 15-thousand-square foot building occupying 12 acres at 2103 Main Street.
The new facility opened Wednesday.

A release from Evergy explains that the new center "allows the company to efficiently store and secure their materials at one site," adding that "having all the materials, vehicles and employees at one site will improve communication, coordination and outage response times for the community."
Ryan Mulvany, Evergy Vice President, Distribution, in the release, says that "with one centralized location to keep material and equipment needed for service and outage response, [Evergy] will be able to provide better customer service to Atchison and surrounding communities," adding that the company is "excited about some of the technology that was used in this project to make the facility more sustainable and energy efficient."

According to the release, the building includes an "associated service yard and vehicle parking for company and employee vehicles," with the additional space to "allow for improved organization and safer travel and loading and unloading of material." The site also features two acres of fenced storage with room to expand.

Technology was also incorporated in the construction of the enclosed storage and maintenance bays - they are heated with water-based efficient heat pumps through floor piping, which keeps the heat in the insulated concrete mass of the floor and lets far less heat escape into the air and open doors.

Future plans include adding electric vehicle charging stations and solar power to the building. 

Construction began in Spring 2022 and was completed last month.

(KMZA)--The Valley Heights Elementary School in Blue Rapids has been named a 2023 National Blue Ribbon School, one of four elementary schools in Kansas to receive the honor.

The announcement was made Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Education.

The Department of Education said in a release that recognition is based on a school- overall academic performance or progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups.

The release says the award affirms the hard work of students, educators, families and communities in striving for - and attaining - exemplary achievement.

There were 353 schools across the country designated as 2023 National Blue Ribbon Schools—including the four in Kansas.

All Kansas schools were recognized in the Exemplary High Performing Schools category.

Now in its 40th year, the National Blue Ribbon Schools program has presented about 10,000 awards to more than 9,700 schools, with some schools winning multiple awards.

In Kansas, 145 schools have been designated as National Blue Ribbon Schools since the program's inception in 1983.

(KNZA)--The Brown County Commission has approved a revised road use agreement with Chicago-based Invenergy for the Grain Belt Express transmission line project.

The Commission took the action Monday on a 2-1 vote, with Commission Chairman Bill Pollock casting the lone dissenting vote. Pollock had proposed waiting to approve the agreement until construction begins.

County Attorney Kevin Hill said the agreement provides protections for the county, guaranteeing the the company will fix any roads damaged during construction. The company will be required to provide a one-million dollar surety bond.

Commissioner Rich Lehmkuhl said the majority of the roads that will be utilized during construction will be township roads.

Invenergy officials met with the commission earlier this month to seek approval of the agreement.

Construction on the 800-mile line, which is deliver up to 4,000 megawatts of wind-generated power from southwest Kansas to eastern states, is slated to begin in the 4th quarter of 2024. The line will go through 14 Kansas counties—including locally, Brown, Doniphan, Marshall and Nemaha.

(KAIR)--Friday marks the start of a 3-day match day event, with the Give Back to Valley Match Day to provide funds to more than 40 non-profit organizations that benefit the Jefferson County community of Valley Falls.

Arranged by the Valley Falls Community Foundation, the Give Back to Valley Match Day will begin Friday, at midnight, and run through 11:59 Monday night.

According to the event's website, in-person matches are designated for Saturday, during Grasshopper Falls, and will happen at the Kendall State Bank Community Hall, located at 406 Broadway Street, in Valley Falls. It will run from 9 that morning until 2:00 that afternoon, with giving also being accepted online, through mail, or hand delivered to VFCF Board Members.

Funds donated to the organizations will be matched during the 3-day event, meaning more monies for those groups to utilize in their efforts.

Full details about Give Back to Valley Day can be found online at givebacktovalley.com

(KLZA)--The Falls City Council voted to approve on final reading an ordinance to merge the duties and position of the Utility Superintendent and Street Superintendent into the position of Public Works Director as recommended by the Board of Public Works when they met Monday evening.

Trevor Campbell who started work for the City in August will serve in the position.

The council approved the final allocaiton of levy authority for the Falls City Airport Authority at 3.3455 cents per $100 of assessed valuation for the next fiscal year.

The Council also approved installation of a mural on the south patio retaining wall at the Falls City Library and Arts Center.

Also approved was a request from Jay Morehead to close a portio of Lane Street on Halloween for trick or treating.

(KLZA)--The Nebraska Examiner is reporting that State Auditor Mike Foley has asked for a criminal investigation into the transfer of nearly $220,000 from a southeast Nebraska development agency to a food truck run by the husband of the agency- director.

In a report Monday, the auditor- office detailed 200 credit card and check payments made to Arley- food truck from December 2015 through November 2022 while Bobbie Meints was serving as executive director of Five Rivers Resource Conservation and Development Inc.

The food truck, based in Steinauer, was operated by Meints’ husband.

Foley said he could find no services provided to Five Rivers to justify the payments, nor how the payments fit with the mission of the nonprofit, which focused on improving the economy and cultural opportunities in southeast Nebraska.

The RC&D was formed in 1993 to benefit Otoe, Nemaha, Richardson, Johnson, Pawnee, Gage, Jefferson and Saline Counties, and was funded primarily via state environmental and agricultural grants.

Foley called the payments “outrageous” and has asked the Nebraska Attorney General- Office and local prosectors to conduct a criminal investigation.

The Five Rivers RC&D was dissolved in July, according to the audit. A bank statement showed the agency had no money at the end of 2022.

One of the primary sources of funding for the agency was the Nebraska Environmental Trust, which had approved more than $182,000 in grants to Five Rivers from 2020-22.

(KLZA)--Beginning Wednesday, October 20, crews from Phillips Hardy, Inc., will move traffic control on Atchison County U.S. Route 136 to begin work on the last segment of flood remediation work.

Crews will begin work at the Missouri River and work their way east toward Rock Port. U.S. Route 136 will be narrowed to one lane. During construction, access to Atchison County Route D and D Avenue will be closed for two weeks.

Traffic will continue to be directed through the work zone by temporary traffic signals. A 12-foot width restriction and 14-foot height restriction will be in place throughout the project. All work is expected to be complete by December 2023.

(KNZA)--A jury trial is underway for a former Doniphan County Sheriff's deputy facing multiple child sex and domestic-related charges.

The trial for Nathaniel Keller began Monday in Doniphan County District Court.

Keller is facing 15 counts.

He is charged with sex crimes alleged to have occurred in 2017 with a child 14 or older, but less than 16 years of age. Keller is also charged with domestic-related offenses alleged to have occurred in 2019 and 2021.

Keller was arrested in June of 2021 after Kansas Bureau of Investigation agents served a search warrant on his home.

Lenexa attorney Adam Zentner is serving as special prosecutor in the case.

The trial is scheduled to run through Friday.

(KNZA)--The Brown County Sheriff's Office has been recognized for their efforts in addressing local traffic safety issues.

Don Hughes, law enforcement liaison for the Kansas Department of Transportation, on Wednesday presented the 2022 Platinum Traffic Safety Award to the Sheriff's Office, the highest award given.

According to a release, the Sheriff's Office has received the Platinum
level award each year since 2017 and were the only recipients in the
eastern region for 2022.

The release says many categories are considered and points are awarded by judges in deciding the level of award to be given.

The awards have been presented annually since 2011.

The Brown County Sheriff's Office said their “Teen Lifesaver Initiative” certifies Horton and Hiawatha High School students in the American Heart Association- “Heartsaver” First Aid, CPR, and AED use. As a department, they are involved in many other programs such as the Kansas Department of Transportation STEP program where they conduct special enforcement lanes concentrating on impaired and distracted drivers as well as unsafe or aggressive driving behaviors. They conduct First Aid and CPR certifications, as well as the American Automobile Association's Driver Improvement Course (Defensive Driving) certification for the County's school district staff and bus drivers. Other programs include “Look, Listen and Live” highway and rail crossing enforcement. They also operate a child restraint inspection and fitting station where they ensure child restraint seats are properly installed. All of these and other programs were considered during the judging of the award.

“We are honored as a department to receive this recognition from the Kansas Department of Transporation,” said Sheriff John Merchant. “It was a team effort on the part of the Sheriff's Office personnel.”

It is the policy of the Brown County Sheriff's Office to enforce the criminal and traffic laws of the State of Kansas to ensure the citizens feel safe as they go about their daily lives. This effort puts their deputies in all the small communities in Brown County, officer presence in itself is a crime deterrent. This award aligns perfectly with their motto, “Proactive Law Enforcement for Safer Communities.”

(KNZA)--A longtime, award winning educator has died.

Mike Ford, of Holton, was 69-years-old at the time of his death Monday.

Ford's love of Star Trek is noted in his obituary from Holton's Mercer Funeral Home, which states that he was "beamed up" to heaven.

Ford, the obituary says, taught various subjects at Holton Middle School, earth and space science and astronomy at Holton High School, and courses in astronomy for Highland Community College. He also taught and served as a substitute teacher at Sabetha, Kickapoo Indian Nation School, Jackson Heights and Horton. He also served on the Holton USD 336 Board of Education since 2008 and the Jackson County Tourism Council. He was inducted into the Jackson County Hall of Fame in 2014.

Ford, an education embassador for NASA, earned accolades and awards as a teacher, including a Toyota Tapestry grant, a Christa McAuliffe grant, a US Department of Education grant, Topeka Capital Journal Distinguished Kansan in Education and a Milken Award.

A lover of astronomy, Ford was responsible for establishing the Elk Creek Observatory in 2000 and later helped establish the Banner Creek Science Center in 2004, where he served as observatory director.

Among his numerous other roles, Ford also served as a Captain in the Kansas Army National Guard 105th Public Affairs Detachment.

Among his survivors are his wife, Karen, and a son, Michiel Clayton Ford.

Ford's funeral service, complete with military honors, will be Monday morning at 10:30 at the funeral home.

(KAIR)--A late Tuesday morning Atchison apartment fire caused no injuries, with all occupants of the two story, 3-unit structure, evacuated safely.

That's according to a release from Atchison Fire Chief Patrick Weishaar, who says fire fighters were called to North 6th and Parallel Street, around 10:52 in the morning, and found heavy smoke and flames coming from the second story, upon arrival.

Realizing that the first floor occupants had made their way to safety, and with the second floor found unoccupied, firefighters went to work and quickly extinguished the fire, but not before it had extended into the attic.

Utilizing the Fire Department's Aerial/Ladder truck, firefighters "were able to gain access to the fire through an attic ventilation port on the opposite side of the fire and extinguish the fire that had found its way into the attic."

Firefighters remained on the scene well into Tuesday, performing salvage and overhaul operations, with the department's investigator interviewing the tenants as part of the investigation into the cause of the fire.

The Atchison Police Department, the Atchison County Sheriff's Office, Atchison County EMS, and the City of Atchison Public Works all assisted at the scene.

The Atchison Salvation Army also assisted, working with the displaced tenants to make arrangements until the damage, repairs, and cleaning can be assessed.

(KAIR)--A Monday afternoon, two vehicle Atchison wreck sent an Atchison woman to the hospital.

According to a release from Atchison Police Chief Mike Wilson, it happened at 13th and Santa Fe Streets when a northbound car, driven by Christina Ross on 13th,, and an SUV, wesbound on Santa Fe, collided.

Wilson, in the release, said the 67-year-old Ross was transported to Amberwell Atchison for examination.
The driver of the SUV, Shandel Thompson, of Atchison, was not hurt.

The wreck happened around 3:35 Monday afternoon.

(KAIR)--The ACLU of Kansas is sending a reminder to Leavenworth County Commissioners why a private prison, which is attempting to reopen as an ICE dentention center in Leavenworth, originally closed it's operations, with a history of violence among the reasons cited.

The ACLU of Kansas, in a release, says that as private prison corporation CoreCivic attempts to reopen its detention center in Leavenworth, it's urging the County Commission to remember why the U.S. Marshals Service ended its contract with the facility in 2021.
Micah Kubic, Executive Director of the ACLU of Kansas, in the release, says that “the people who suffered through the facility- conditions of extreme violence, whether as staff or as residents, have definitely not forgotten—and neither have the families and community that witnessed it all.”

According to the release, the ACLU of Kansas, in 2021, "was one of the ACLU affiliates and public defenders’ offices in four states that signed a letter urging the White House to ensure the facility was shut down by the end of the year, when CoreCivic's contract ended."

WIBW-TV reports that previously, the Department of Homeland Security said it would not pursue a contract with CoreCivic for a contract to become a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center, but Commissioners announced during their September 6 meeting that the company has reached out to them several times in an effort to reopen the facility.

The ACLU of Kansas is also urging U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, not to engage with CoreCivic for any plans in Leavenworth.

(KAIR)--A 33-year-old Leavenworth man, who multiple times intimidated his victim by calling her from the Leavenworth County Jail, has been sentenced to prison.

According to a press release from the office of Leavenworth County Attorney Todd Thompson, Bobby James Brown Jr. was sentenced last week to 12 months of incarceration after he pled guilty to one count each of domestic battery and intimidation of a witness.

Brown was arrested May 14, and later charged with domestic battery and intimidation of a witness or victim. Brown was arrested following a domestic disturbance inside a home in downtown Leavenworth. Court documents state Brown became angry with a woman inside the house and attacked her when she attempted to call the police. The victim suffered a laceration to her arm and red marks on her neck after Brown grabbed her while trying to wrestle a phone from her.

Brown placed multiple phone calls from the Leavenworth County Jail to his victim between June 2, 2023, and June 12, 2023. According to court documents, during those phone calls, Brown instructed the victim of his attack to avoid subpoena service to appear in court. Brown would also tell his victim several times not to come to court so he could “beat” the charges. After the victim told him she received notification of a hearing, he told her that she could come to court and say that she lied about what happened.

Brown was sentenced to six months in prison on the charge of domestic battery and six months for intimidating a witness. Both sentences will run consecutively for a total of 12 months. Brown received credit for time already served.

(KAIR)--Benedictine College is the highest ranked college in Kansas and the highest ranked Catholic college in the midwest.
Those rankings are shown in the annual "America's Best Colleges" edition of U.S. News and World Report, with the college moving into the top ten overall.

According to a release from the Atchison-based Catholic college, the rankings list 74 colleges in the Midwest Division of Best Regional Colleges. Benedictine College has been a U.S. News “Best College” since 2007, and is also listed as a Best Value school and a top performer in social media.

The annual rankings - in which U.S. News groups schools based on categories created by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching - provide a resource for parents and students considering higher education opportunities. Using a proprietary methodology, the annual U.S. News rankings represent the most comprehensive look at how schools stack up based on a set of 19 indicators of excellence, and help consumers evaluate and compare data compiled from more than 1,500 accredited four-year schools.

At the same time, Benedictine has earned full ABET accreditation for its mechanical, chemical and civil engineering programs and its Nursing School was named the best in Kansas. Benedictine College has nearly doubled in enrollment in the past 10 years and is now the largest private college in Kansas, according to the Kansas Independent Colleges Association, and the best private college in Kansas, according to The Wall Street Journal.
College President Stephen Minnis, in the release, calls the recognition "a clear indication that [Benedictine is] becoming a great Catholic college, and [its] graduates will help transform culture in America."

Along with an all-time high record enrollment, the college has announced an agreement to build an independent medical school on the Atchison campus, and construction is already underway on a new college library that will triple the space of the old facility. Recently, the college also completed construction of Westerman Hall, a top-rated science and engineering facility, as well as two new row houses and a new men- residence hall.

(KNZA)--A two-vehicle wreck in Buchanan County, Missouri Saturday evening sent an Atchison woman and two others to the hospital.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports 57-year-old Judith Williams was southbound on U.S. 59 Highway, about seven miles south of St. Joseph, when her SUV struck a pickup truck that had broken down in the middle of the roadway.

The Patrol said the two occupants of the pickup, 46-year-old Clinton Pine and a 13-year-old boy, both of Platte City, Missouri, were outside of the vehicle when the crash occurred. The impact forced the pickup into the path of the two.

All three were transported by ambulance to Mosaic Life Care in St. Joseph for treatment. The Patrol says Pine suffered serious injuries, Williams had moderate injuries and the juvenile had minor injuries.

The wreck was reported shortly after 8:30 Saturday evening.

(KNZA)--The Brown County Commission adopted a 2024 county budget Monday after agreeing to reinstate funding for economic development.

The action came on a 2-1 vote, with the $50,000 in funding for economic development to come from the commissioner's budget. Commission Chairman Bill Pollock casting the lone dissenting vote.

A large group appeared during a hearing on the budget to urge commissioners to reconsider their decision to cut economic development funding from the budget--including representatives of Hiawatha's and Horton's economic development organizations, city and business leaders. They spoke about the benefit economic development provides to the county and impact the funding cut would have.

In an effort to reduce the proposed property tax levy, the commission voted last month to cut more than $300,000 in funding from the budget--including the $50,000 that had been earmarked for economic development.

That came after a group of county residents urged commissioners to take steps to reduce the 4.6 mill levy increase contained in the original proposed budget.

The revised budget adopted Monday calls for nearly $13.5 million in total expenditures and a property tax levy increase of nearly 3.3 mills. It contains an estimated tax rate of 35.173 mills, which is anticipated to raise more than $8 million in local tax revenue.

(KNZA)--The Kansas Department of Transportation has approved bids for several area highway improvement projects.

In Doniphan County, Herzog Constructing Corporation, of St. Joseph, Missouri, was awarded the contract for a milling and overlay project on a 1.4 mile stretch of K-238 in the amount of $582,608. The project is to take place from the junction with U.S. 36 north to the Kansas/Nebraska state line.

In Jackson County, Vance Brothers, Inc., of Kansas City, Missouri, was the successful bidder for a sealing project on a 2-mile stretch K-214 in the amount of $101,564.

In Jefferson County, Bettis Asphalt and Construction, of Topeka, was awarded the contract for a mill and overlay project on a nearly 6 mile stretch of K-16 in the amount of $1, 876,751. The project is to take place from the junction with U.S. 59 to the west city limits of McLouth.

Construction start dates haven't been announced yet for the projects.

The bid letting took place August 23 in Topeka.

(KLZA)-- Richardson County Commissioners voted unanimously last week to notifiy the City of Beatrice and Southeast Communcations Center 9 1 1 at Beatrice that Richardson County will not be renewing a contract for dispatching services when the contract expires at the end of July, 2024.

Richardson County had received notice that to continue the contract, the new fee would be nearly double the $190,000 the County is paying this year.

In other business Commissioners approved the appointment of Jeremiah Franks as Chief Deputy Sheriff in Richardson County, effective as of September 15.

The Board approved the purchase of a patrol unit for the Sheriff's Office from Hullman's Ford, Lincoln, Mercury at a cost of $44,709 for a 2023 Ford. Funding will come from the Sheriff's budget and the Inheritance Tax Fund.

The purchase of a generator from Generators for Sale out of Omaha in an amount of $12,386 was approved. The generator will be installed at the Humboldt Rural Water Tower to be used for the future installation of Nebraska Regional Interoperatiblity Network equipment.

(KLZA)-- The Johnson-Brock School Board conducted public hearings on the proposed General Fund Budget and the Property Tax Resolution for the 2023-24 fiscal year when they met last week.

During the regular Board meeting the Board approved a total budget of $6,100,903 which is a decrease of $162,332.

The property tax request will be 54.722 cents per $100 of assessed valuation which repreent a 14 percent decrease from last year. The total property tax request will amount to $2,816,303.

Johnson-Brock Board members also voted to recognize the Johnson-Brock Educaiton Association as the collective bargaining agent for the teachers for the 2024-25 school year.

The purchse of a 2018 Transtech 14 passenger school bus was approved and the Board approved the appointment of Mike Casey ande Bruce Sohnholz to three-year terms on the Johnson-Brock Foundation Board.

(KLZA)-- Butch and Dobey Falter Haws grew up in Falls City and graduated from Falls City High School. Butch continued his education at Peru State and graduated in 1969 with a degree in industrial education and was a member of Epsilon Pi Tau. Dobey, a graduate of UNL, got summer school hours from PSC.

Both value the excellent education they received during their Bobcat years in the mid to late 1960s and have continued to enjoy campus activities with many of their lifelong alumni friends.

They will be honored as the 2023 Peru State Homecoming Grand Marshals on Saturday, Sept. 30, according to President Michael Evans. The Homecoming Parade begins at 10 a.m.

Lincoln has been their home for the past 50+ years. After military service and 13 years of teaching for Lincoln Public Schools, Butch started a manufacturing company which did business internationally for 32 years. Dobey taught elementary Physical Education for 40 years for LPS.

Since retirement, they have been involved in volunteer projects in Peru, Falls City, and Lincoln.

They were instrumental in establishing the John Philip Falter Museum in Falls City which highlights works by the world-renowned illustrator, a relative of Dobey's.

Their contributions to the Lincoln Community Foundation help support charitable organizations, and they have proudly backed many Peru State College projects including the new football facilities at the Oak Bowl, the campus entrance, the Performing Arts Center, and the exciting latest development - Project ROAR. That project, now underway, includes the first new major building construction at Nebraska's first college in more than 40 years.

(KNZA)--The South Brown County USD 430 Board of Education accepted the retirement resignation of a longtime teacher and approved the hiring of a new teacher when they meet last week.

According to the unofficial meeting minutes, the board accepted the resignation of Everest Middle School 6th grade teacher Sherry Wellman. The resignation is effective at the end of the 2023-24 school year. Wellman has taught in the district for 20 years.

Following an executive session, the board approved the hiring of Adam Maas as elementary school physical education teacher.

In other personnel action, several supplemental contacts were approved as part of the consent agenda. They included Bryan Hirsch as high school head boys baseball coach; Gary Sorenson as head girls basketball coach; Zach Mendez as head girls softball coach; Lyle Wissman as high school assistant football coach; and Angela Bush and Amelia Cluck as junior class assistants.

In other business, District Curriculum Director Robyn Allen informed the board that the district has received a $100,000 grant from the Patterson Family Foundation. The funds will be used to purchase equipment, materials and curriculum for some of the district's career technical education or CTE courses.

(KAIR)--A Meriden man, placed last week on the Jackson County Most Wanted list for burglary, is now in custody.

According to a release from Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse, Gary Wayne Emery Jr. was captured Sunday evening by Jackson and Jefferson County Sheriff's Deputies during what the release calls "a fugitive apprehension operation near the Perry Dam in Jefferson County."

Emery was named as a suspect following an invetigation into a burglary near 182nd and U.S. Highway 75, in Jackson County on September 13.

A search warrant was then served the next day at a Jefferson County residence, southeast of Meriden, where Emery was believed to be residing.

According to Morse, Emery is now named as a suspect in two Jackson County burglaries on September 13.

Following his arrest, Emery was booked into the Jackson County Jail.

(KNZA)--No major damage was reported in an early Saturday morning fire at Sabetha High School.

The Sabetha Fire Department said in a social media post that firefighters responded to the school shortly before 2:45 a.m. after being notified by an alarm company for a fire alarm sounding and smoke detector activation at the building.

Upon arrival, the Department said firefighters found a moderate smoke condition in the building, and began to search for the source of the smoke.

Firefighters found a washing machine on fire in the wrestling room of the new addition and extinguished the fire, containing it to the room of origin.

Firefighters remained on scene for another hour evacuating smoke from the building with their ventilation fans so the fire alarms could be reset without going off again.

Firefighters cleared the scene after 4:00 a.m.

(KNZA)--The Kickapoo Tribe of Kansas has announce the inauguration of its new tribal council, effective immediately.

According to a release from the Tribe, the newly elected members of the Kickapoo Tribal Council are as follows:

.Gail Cheatham, Chairperson
.Gary Samqua, Vice Chair
.Grace Ross, Treasurer
.Carla Cavin, Secretary
.Sharon Doxtator, Member 1
.Pricilla Wakole, Member 2
.Jessi Blacksmith, Member 3

The release say these individuals have assumed their respective roles on the council, marking a significant moment for the Kickapoo Tribe of Kansas.

"The election of this capable council marks a pivotal step toward preserving and celebrating the rich traditions of the Kickapoo Tribe while empowering the entire Kickapoo community and the generations to come."

(KLZA) -- Following two public hearings drawing no comment Wednesday, Richardson County Commissioners approved the fiscal year 2023-24 budget and property tax request.

The property tax levy will be 33.1695 cents per $100 of assessed valuation which is 4.15 cents, or 11 percent below last years levy.

The total tax requirement will be $5,857,123 which is a 1.96% increase, or $112,492 more than last year.

The total budget of expenditures will be $20,320,489 which is a 4.7 percent decrease from last year, totaling $1,006,964.

The county valuation increased by $216,512,669 or 14.85 percent to $1,674,625,309.

(KAIR)--27 cities across Kansas will receive a total of $22 million for projects to improve intersections and state highways extending through cities as part of the Kansas Department of Transportation's City Connecting Link Improvement Program, known as CCLIP.

Announcement of the funds was made in a release issued by Kanasas Governor Laura Kelly, who says that due to "increasingly solid financial footing at the state and federal levels, Kansas is finding ways to solve problems and bring resources directly to communities across the state.” KDOT was able to increase CCLIP funding for this selection cycle due to additional federal funds coming to Kansas as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Legislation, with the program to provide $5.1 million in state fiscal year 2025 and $16.9 million in state fiscal year 2026. Both federal and state funds are designated for the CCLIP program. Local matching funds are required based on city population.

CCLIP projects can be submitted in three categories: Surface Preservation, which involves maintenance work such as resurfacing; Pavement Restoration, which includes full-depth pavement replacement and possibly drainage issues; and Geometric Improvement, which addresses turn lanes, intersection improvements, or modifications to lane configurations. The first category is what will benefit the City of Atchison, with $400,000 designated for surface preservation in the fiscal year 2025. Leavenworth will also receive $400,000 for the same year, for the purpose of surface restoration.

In total for this CCLIP cycle, KDOT received 60 applications requesting $53 million.

(MSC News)--The fall turkey hunting season is canceled in Kansas, with a release from state wildlife officials citing declining populations at state and regional levels as the reason.

The release calls it a "difficult decision" that was reached by members of the Kansas Wildlife and Parks Commission "after hearing compelling recommendations from staff over the course of four public meetings."

The hunting season's end begins this fall.

Kent Fricke, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks small game biologist, in the release, says the trend of a declining population, as noted over the past 15-years, is not unique to Kansas, saying that "states across the Midwest and Southeast have experienced similar patterns in turkey populations.”

Though far fewer turkey hunters participate in the fall season than in the spring in Kansas, wildlife biologists said it remained an important component of overall harvest, with Fricke saying "the estimated statewide fall harvest of turkey was less than 500 birds in 2022."

The release explains that over the past several years, Commissioners have approved other preventative recommendations to reduce the impact of the fall season on turkey populations. In 2017, Commissioners voted to reduce the statewide bag limit from four birds to one bird, while in 2019, fall turkey season dates were reduced from 123 days to 41 days.

According to the release, state wildlife staff continue working diligently to obtain as much data as possible in hopes of one day reversing declining population trends. One such example is a new research project set to begin in Kansas in January 2024 to examine wild turkey populations and ecology to inform state harvest and habitat management.

(KLZA)-- A Holt County, Missouri bridge project has been delayed for a second time.

he southbound Interstate 29 bridge over the Nodaway River in Holt County will be reduced to one-lane beginning Monday, Sept. 25 for a joint repair project.

The project has been delayed again due to contractor scheduling.

Crews from Capital Paving & Construction, will begin the joint repair in the right-hand driving lane with traffic narrowed to the left-hand passing lane.

Once the work in the driving lane is complete, crews will close the passing lane and shift traffic. This shift is scheduled to take place in October.

11.6-foot width restriction will be in place for southbound traffic. The project is expected to be complete by November.

(KMZA)--A Hiawatha man is jailed in Nemaha County, accused of taking indecent with a child.

The Nemaha County Sheriff's Office reports 40-year-old Derrick Wichman was arrested Monday on a Nemaha County District Court warrant charging him with the felony offense.

The charge was filed following an investigation by the Sheriff's Office.

According to court documents, Wichman is accused engaging in the lewd fondling or touching of a 14 or 15-year-old child on or about May 27-28 of this year.

A preliminary hearing in the case has been set for September 26.

Wichman remains in the Nemaha County Jail, held on a $100,000 bond.

(KMZA)--A vacancy has been filled on the Prairie Hills USD 113 Board of Education.

The Board Monday evening approved the appointment of Doug Renyer, of Wetmore, to fill position 4 on the board

The position came open in March following the resignation of Anissa Bloom, of Wetmore.

Superintendent Todd Evans said the opening was published in April but no one had expressed an interest until Renyer came forward recently.

Evans said Renyer will serve until January 8th, 2024.

The position is up for election in November and the person elected will serve the remaining two years of Bloom's term.

(KMZA)--The Nemaha Central USD 115 Board of Education has adopted the 2023-24 budget as published.

The action followed a hearing Monday evening drawing no public comment.

The budget calls for net expenditures of $15.3 million and a 16.5 mill property tax levy increase.

The mill levy increase includes 14.7 mills for debt service on the $24.2 million bond issue voters approved last November for school improvements.

Taxpayers in the former USD 442 portion of the district also have an additional 6 mill levy for bonds issued for the construction of the elementary/middle school.

In addition, the budget contains a 1.8 mill levy increase for the supplemental general fund budget.

Following a second hearing prior to the budget hearing, the Board approved a resolution to exceed the revenue neutral tax rate for the 2023-24 budget.

(KAIR)--The vehicle two missing Atchison teenagers were believed to be traveling in has been located.

That comes as the search for 15-year-old McKhenna Maybrier and 16-year-old Elijah Horned Eagle continues.

According to the advocacy group, Kansas Missing and Unsolved, the gold, 2005 Chevy Malibu Classic, with Missouri license plates, has been located in Wichita. However, there's still no sign of the whereabouts of the two teens, who were last seen Saturday in Atchison. Both are listed as missing/endangered runaways and are believed to be boyfriend/girlfriend.

Maybrier is described as 5-foot-6, weighing 130 pounds, with bown hair and hazel eyes.

Horned Eagle is described as 5-foot-8 to 6-feet tall, weighing 180 pounds with brown hair and hazel eyes.

Anyone with information related to the whereabouts of the teens is asked to call Atchison Police at 913-367-4323, the Buchanan County, Missouri Sheriff's Department at 816-236-8800, or the Kansas Bureau of Investigation at 785-296-4017.

(KAIR)--A Meriden man has been named to Jackson County's Most Wanted list, identified by investigators as a suspect in a recent residential burglary, and a reward is offered for his whereabouts.

Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse, in a release, said his "deputies and detectives responded to a report of a residential burglary near 182nd and U.S. Hwy 75" on Wednesday, and have since identified 52-year-old Gary Wayne Emery Jr., of Meriden, as a suspect in the case.

He's described as a white man who stands 5-foot-8, weighs 185 pounds, and is balding with brown hair.

He may be driving a dark blue Nissan Murano, or a 2018 Black Ford Fusion.

Morse said the day after the burglary, Thursday, a search warrant was served on a Jefferson County residence, southeast of Meriden, but details are not immediately stated regarding the outcome of the search.

A reward is being offered for information leading to the capture of Emery, with those who have such information told to contact the Jackson County Sheriff's Office at 785-364-2251

(KLZA)-- The Pawnee City School Board approved a resolution to increase the base growth percentage to determine the Districts Property Tax Request Authority for fiscal year 2023-24 when they met Monday evening.

The resolution passed 5-1 with Board member Hope Koester casting a nay vote.

In other business the Board recognized the Pawnee City Education Association to be the bargaining unit for the 2024-25 teacher negotiations.

Board members discussed but too no action on declaring if the school would play 6 or 8-man football for the 2024 and 2025 seasons. If Pawnee City plays 6-Man for the two-year cycle they would be ineligible to participate in the playoffs due to enrollment numbers based on the projected number of boys in high school during the cycle. Projections have Pawnee City right at the cutoff for determining which division to participate in.

Pawnee City is playing 6-Man football this season which is the final year of the current cycle.

(KAIR)--The vehicle two missing Atchison teenagers were believed to be traveling in has been located.
That comes as the search for 15-year-old McKhenna Maybrier and 16-year-old Elijah Horned Eagle continues.

According to the advocacy group, Kansas Missing and Unsolved, the gold, 2005 Chevy Malibu Classic, with Missouri license plates, has been located in Wichita. However, there's still no sign of the whereabouts of the two teens, who were last seen Saturday in Atchison. Both are listed as missing/endangered runaways and are believed to be boyfriend/girlfriend.

Maybrier is described as 5-foot-6, weighing 130 pounds, with bown hair and hazel eyes.
Horned Eagle is described as 5-foot-8 to 6-feet tall, weighing 180 pounds with brown hair and hazel eyes.

Anyone with information related to the whereabouts of the teens is asked to call Atchison Police at 913-367-4323, the Buchanan County, Missouri Sheriff's Department at 816-236-8800, or the Kansas Bureau of Investigation at 785-296-4017.

(KLZA)-- The Richardson County Fair got underway Wednesday evening in the Humboldt town square with the Humboldt Fall Festival during which the 100th Queen of the Richardson County Fair was crowned along with the King for 2023 and the Humboldt Woman of the Year being honored.

Crowned as Queen was Laramie Glathar, the daughter of Jason and Kelly Glathar. She is a Junior at HTRS High School.

First Runner-up was Alexis Brewer of Falls City. Second runner-up was Lily Wamsley of Humboldt. Third runner-up was Adelynn Maddox of Shubert. The fourth runner-up is Alyssa Askren, of Humboldt.

Crowned as King of the Richardson County Fair was Curt Maschman of Humboldt, who retired in the last year as District 1 County Court Judge and has served the last several years as Master of Ceremonies for the Humboldt Fall Festival.

Crowned the Humboldt Woman of the Year by the Humboldt Chamber of Commerce was Trudy Fankhauser.

The theme for the Fair is “Memorable Milestones.”

The Fair activities begin Thursday with the first of three parades that begin at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday around the square in Humboldt.

Each day of the Fair also features free acts on stage on the square at 2:00 p.m . and 8:00 p.m. Thursday it will be Rich Patton, a one-man show feauring a wide variety of music with Patton playing, guitar, blues harmonica, sax and the slide guitar, plus singing.

Prior the the act, the Southeast Nebraska Community Band will present a concert beginning at 6:30, followed by the presentation of the Ak-SAR-BEN 150 Heritage Farm Award to the Rieger Family Farm.

Friday's act is Sebatian Sings Sinatra. Sebastion Anzaldo from Omaha wo has performed his Sinatra tribute act in New York, Los Angeles and Las Vegas as well as many countries around the world.

Saturday the free entertainment will feature the Jimmy Harris Band from Kansas City who will perform everything from Johnny Cash to Stevie Ray Vaughn and Blackberry Smoke.

The D.C. Lynch Carnival will be set up around the square in Humboldt featuring clean concessions and modern rides for family entertainment for all ages.

In addiiton there will be food stands on the midway. The Agriculture Building at the fairgarounds will house cultural, educational and entertaining exhibits from around the area. The Humboldt Volunteer Fire Department will be hosting bingo every day and night of the fair.

Events going on during the three-day fair will include:

Thursday: Sheep and goat judging; juding of photos, flowers, textiles, crafts, ag products, foods and clothing; The Salsa contest will be at 3:30 p.m. in the Ag Building followed by a casserole contest at 5:00 p.m. There is also a sidewalk art contest on 4th Street from 2 - 3:00 p.m.

Friday: Poultry judging at 1:00 p.m.; The Kiddie Pedal Tractor Pull will be at 4:00 p.m. at the Livestock Pavillion;

Saturday: Cattle judging and horse judging at 1:00 p.m.; The antique tractor and gas engine show will be in the lot west of the United Methodist Church.

High praise for Atchison- Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum, with honors this week to be bestowed on the attraction by the Midwest Travel Journalists Association.

According to a release from the museum, the association, Thursday, will present the museum with what the release calls “the prestigious GEMmy award 2023.” The ceremony is planned for 10:00 that morning. The GEMmy, or “gems of travel,” the release explains, “is an honor presented by the MTJA to attractions and tourist destinations worthy of being highlighted that offer an exceptional experience to travelers both near and far.”

Journalist Diana Lambdin Meyer, of Parkville, Missouri, nominated the Museum with a supporting vote of two other members from the association. She- quoted in the release as saying that “the best part [of the museum] may well be the virtual reality of flying one of Amelia- planes on her solo flight across the Atlantic, landing in Ireland in 1932.”

Leadership of the museum, in the release, says they “are happy to stand among other budding destinations within the Midwestern region that are being recognized for their drive towards excellence and our personal goal of spreading Amelia's passion for flight and her fighting spirit when faced with adversity.”

Since it's opening in April, the museum, located at Atchison's Amelia Earhart Memorial Airport, has hosted 13,251 visitors.

(KAIR)--A Leavenworth man, traveling on the Kansas Turnpike in Wyandotte County, suffered what's identified as "suspected serious" injuries, following a Wednesday afternoon, two vehicle crash, on I-70.

Injured, according to a report from the Kansas Highway Patrol, was 40-year-old Brian Parker, who was transported to Overland Park Regional Hospital for treatment.
He was not buckled up at the time of the wreck, which happened around 3:45.

The report states that Parker was westbound in lane 3 of I-70, when his Ford Ranger pickup truck left the roadway to the right, entered the grass, then came back onto the interstate broadside, causing the front of a semi tractor trailer, which had been westbound in front of him, to strike the driver side door of the pickup, causing the pickup to overturn onto its passenger side. The semi then continued to push the pickup, laying on its side, from lane 3 to lane 1 for a short distance.

The semi driver, from Cowgill, Missouri, was not hurt.

(MSC News)--The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has issued a boil water advisory for the City of Linwood public water supply system located in Leavenworth 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 was self-issued by the City on September 13, 2023 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 line break resulting in a loss of pressure in the 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.

For consumer questions, please contact the water system at 913-301-3021, or KDHE at 785-296-5514. For consumer information please visit KDHE- PWS Consumer Information webpage:kdhe.ks.gov/waterdisruption

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- food safety & lodging program at kda.fsl@ks.gov or call 785-564-6767.

(KMZA)--The city of Seneca will pursue an opportunity to bring an outdoor fitness court to the community.

The City Council last week heard a presentation from City Recreation Director Jordan Weaver about the National Fitness Campaign sponsored by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas.

$500,000 in grant funding is being made available to bring fitness courts to ten communities across the state in an effort to improve health outcomes and create equitable access to outdoor exercise programs.

If awarded, the city may receive $30,000 to $50,000. The grant requires local matching funds.

The Fitness Court is an outdoor gym that lets people use their own body weight to get a complete workout using seven exercise stations.

A site east of the Aquatic Center parking lot is being proposed for the 38-by-38 foot fitness court.

The council unanimously agreed to allow Weaver to look further into the proposed project.

There are currently eight Fitness Courts in the state. The first fitness court in Kansas was launched last year in the Jefferson County community of Meriden.

(KNZA)--The Hiawatha School Board Monday evening adopted the 2023-24 budget as published following a hearing drawing no public comment.

The budget calls for total expenditures of more than $22 million and a 1.2 mill decrease in the property tax levy.

The budget contains an estimated tax rate of 47.290 mills, which is anticipated to raise more than $6.8 million in tax revenue.

The district's assessed valuation increased about $6 million, which means a mill will generate nearly $149,000.

In an effort to give residential property owners some relief, Board President Ian Schuetz noted the capital outlay mill levy was reduced nearly 1.9 mills but said it will not be sustainable in future years.

Following a second hearing prior to the budget hearing, the board approved a resolution to exceed the revenue neutral tax rate for the 2023-24 budget. Superintendent Lonnie Moser noted the part of the budget the district controls will be “ revenue neutral.” However, due to the 20 mill general fund levy set by the state, the school district will exceed the revenue neutral tax.

(KLZA)-- The Richardson County Fair begins Wednesday evening in the Humboldt town square with the Humboldt Fall Festival at 7:00 p.m. during which the 100th Queen of the Richardson County Fair will be crowned along with the King for 2023 and the Humboldt Woman of the Year being honored.

The theme for the Fair is “Memorable Milestones.”

The Fair activities begin Thursday with the first of three parades that begin at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday around the square in Humboldt.

Each day of the Fair also features free acts on stage on the square at 2:00 p.m . and 8:00 p.m. Thursday it will be Rich Patton, a one-man show feauring a wide variety of music with Patton playing, guitar, blues harmonica, sax and the slide guitar, plus singing.

Prior the the act, the Southeast Nebraska Community Band will present a concert beginning at 6:30, followed by the presentation of the Ak-SAR-BEN 150 Heritage Farm Award to the Rieger Family Farm.

Friday's act is Sebatian Sings Sinatra. Sebastion Anzaldo from Omaha who has performed his Sinatra tribute act in New York, Los Angeles and Las Vegas as well as many countries around the world.

Saturday the free entertainment will feature the Jimmy Harris Band from Kansas City who will perform everything from Johnny Cash to Stevie Ray Vaughn and Blackberry Smoke.

The D.C. Lynch Carnival will be set up around the square in Humboldt featuring clean concessions and modern rides for family entertainment for all ages.

In addiiton there will be food stands on the midway. The Agriculture Building at the fairgarounds will house cultural, educational and entertaining exhibits from around the area. The Humboldt Volunteer Fire Department will be hosting bingo every day and night of the fair.

Events going on during the three-day fair will include:

Thursday: Sheep and goat judging; juding of photos, flowers, textiles, crafts, ag products, foods and clothing; The Salsa contest will be at 3:30 p.m. in the Ag Building followed by a casserole contest at 5:00 p.m. There is also a sidewalk art contest on 4th Street from 2 - 3:00 p.m.

Friday: Poultry judging at 1:00 p.m.; The Kiddie Pedal Tractor Pull will be at 4:00 p.m. at the Livestock Pavillion;

Saturday: Cattle judging and horse judging at 1:00 p.m.; The antique tractor and gas engine show will be in the lot west of the United Methodist Church.

(KLZA)-- On Tuesday, the Nebraska Public Service Commission opened separate investigations into recent 911 outages involving telecommunication carriers Lumen and Windstream.

Determining why the outage resulted in the loss of 911 service over such a wide area of Nebraska will be essential to the Lumen investigation.

A primary focus of the Windstream investigation will be to determine why a fire and loss of electrical power at a single Windstream facility resulted in a disruption of 911
service to a large portion of southeast Nebraska.

In both investigations the Commission seeks an explanation as to why the redundancy required of both telecommunications carriers failed and a solution to prevent this from happening again.

PSC Commission Chairman, Dan Watermeier said, “The highest level of service is expected and required of our 911 service providers. There are no exceptions.”

(KLZA)_-- The Falls City Board of Education conducted public hearings on the budget and property tax request on Septembe 11.

During the regular meeting the Board approved the 2023-24 fiscal year budget and property tax request.

The General Fund budget decreased from last year by approximately 1% to $18,177,842. The Depreciation Fund was set at $402,733; Employee Benefit Fund was approved at $120,000; The Activities Fund at $650,000; The School Nutrition Fund approved at $742,630; the Special Building Fund will be $2,187,262; and the Student Fee Fund was approved at $14,200 for a total of $22,294,779.

The Property Tax Request from District 56 patrons for the next fiscal year budget was set at $8,844,427, representing a $910,144 decrease from last year.

The main contributing factor to the propery tax decrease is due to increased funding from the State Foundation Aid and Special Education funding.

The property tax levy will be 80.5604 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. This is a 9.3% decrease from 2022.

(KAIR)--The 30-year-old Ozawkie man, accused of beating his father to death with a hammer at the home they shared, is now charged for his death.

According to court documents, Jefferson County Attorney Joshua Ney, on Tuesday, filed an amended complaint in Jefferson County District Court charging Michael T. West with first-degree murder in the beating death of his 59-year-old father, also named Michael.

The younger West had originally been charged with attempted first-degree murder following the alleged, Saturday morning attack, but the charge was upgraded following the death of his father Monday.

The elder West, who had been hospitalized following the beating, died after being removed from life support.

The 30-year-old West remains held in the Jefferson County Jail without bond.
A court appearance is set for September 21.

According to a release from the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, Saturday morning, around 8:30, Jefferson County Sheriff's deputies were joined by the Jefferson County Ambulance Service, and First Responders, in responding to 6926 Shawnee Lane, in Lake Ridge Estates, at Ozawkie, following a report that a man had been hit in the head several times with a blunt object at that address.

It was there they found the elder West suffering from life threatening injuries, and he was transported for treatment at a Topeka hospital, where he later died.

(KNZA)--The Hiawatha City Commission has adopted a 2024 city budget that calls for a more than 16 percent property tax increase and an additional 1.4 mills levied.

The budget was adopted on a 3-1 vote Monday evening following a hearing in which local residents Stuart Aller and Richard Schilling voiced their concerns about the tax increase.

Commissioner Brian Shefferd casting the lone dissenting vote. Evans Woehlecke was absent. Shefferd proposed keeping the mill levy at the same rate as this year, which he said would still bring in about 12.5 percent in additional funding for the city budget due to an increase in the city's assessed valuation.

Following a second hearing prior to the budget hearing, the Commission approved a resolution to exceed the revenue neutral tax rate for the 2024 budget. The resolution was also approved on a 3-1 vote, with Commissioner Shefferd casting the dissenting vote.

City Administrator Becky Berger reviewed the budget. She said the spending plan maintains service levels, budgets for adequate fund balances, while also providing for needed capital improvements and equipment purchases.

The budget contains an estimated tax rate of 42.459 mills, which is anticipated to raise more than $1.2 million in local tax revenue.

Berger said the mill levy increase would amount to roughly $103 more a year on a home valued at $150,000 or $68.82 more year on a home valued at $100,000.

She noted the city's property tax levy is below the average 54 mills for cities of similar size in the state.

In other business, the Commission approved the appointment of three additional members to the city's Housing Rehabilitation Advisory Board. Appointed were Bob Freese, Dave Thompson and Richard Schillling.

The Commission also gave Public Works Director Brad Scott approval to apply for a grant through the Kansas Department of Transportation to help fund a runway lighting project at the municipal airport.

(KAIR)--A collision with a parked vehicle, on an Atchison Street early Tuesday morning, sent an Atchison woman to the hospital.

According to a release from Atchison Police Chief Mike Wilson, 26-year-old Allyson Fuhrman had been northbound on 7th Street when the wreck occurred.

Fuhrman was transported by Atchison County EMS for treatment.

The wreck, which happened around 12:15 Tuesday morning, remains under investigation.

(MSC News )--Governor Laura Kelly is requesting a major federal disaster declaration for the state due to damages sustained in multiple Kansas counties by several rounds of severe weather in late June and early August.

Kelly is seeking public assistance for 42 counties to repair vital infrastructure, including locally, Jefferson, Marshall and Nemaha.

She said the total federal expenditure is expected to meet or exceed $18,687,000.

According to a release from the Kansas Adjutant General's Office, Kelly sent a letter to President Joe Biden through the Federal Emergency Management Agency on September 8 seeking the declaration.

From June 27 through August 8, the release says Kansas was hit with multiple severe thunderstorms that included strong damaging winds, heavy rainfall, flooding, large hail, and tornadoes.

“Over that two-month period, many Kansas counties experienced some sort of severe weather,” Governor Kelly said. “The damages inflicted by these storms have severely affected the safety and livelihoods of Kansans across the state. I have ordered the adjutant general to activate the disaster response and recovery portions of the Kansas Response Plan and to use all available resources of the state to cope with the disaster, as necessary.”

(KLZA)-- The Nebraska State Patrol is investigating a crash that involved a school bus Tuesday morning on Highway 2 east of Palmyra. Several students were injured in the crash.

At approximately 7:35 a.m. Tuesday, NSP received a report of a crash involving a school bus approximately one mile east of Palmyra. Troopers, Otoe County Sheriff- Deputies, and rescue crews from Palmyra, Douglas, Syracuse, and Nebraska City all responded.

Upon arrival, several students were found with mostly minor injuries. All nine students aboard the bus were transported to Bryan Health Center West Campus with what are believed to be non-life-threatening injuries. The students were all between ages 5 and 14.

Parents were reunited with their kids at the hospital. Both drivers involved were also transported with non-life-threatening injuries.

Preliminary investigation shows that the bus was westbound on Highway 2 when it was slowing to turn onto a driveway. A westbound Ford F-150 then failed to slow down and rear-ended the bus causing it to roll onto its side. NSP is investigating the crash. That investigation is ongoing.

(KAIR)--The man who authorities say was beaten by his son last weekend at the Ozawkie home shared by the pair has died.

WIBW-TV, citing Jefferson County Sheriff Jeff Herrig, reports that 59-year-old Michael West died after being removed from life support. He was hospitalized following the beating he allegedly incurred by his son, also named Michael.
According to court documents, the younger West allegedly used a hammer during the Saturday morning attack on his father.

The younger West, court documents show, made his first appearance in Jefferson County District Court Monday, then facing a charge of attempted first degree murder. However, charges are epected to be upgraded following his father's death.
His next court appearance is set for September 21.

According to a release from the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, Saturday morning, around 8:30, Jefferson County Sheriff's Deputies were joined by the Jefferson County Ambulance Service, and First Responders, in responding to 6926 Shawnee Lane, in Lake Ridge Estates, at Ozawkie, following a report that a man had been hit in the head several times with a blunt object at that address.
It was there they found the elder West suffering from life threatening injuries, and he was transported for treatment at a Topeka hospital.

The release notes that the investigation is continuing.

--

(KAIR)--A Jefferson County man is accused of attempting to murder his father at the Ozawkie home they share.

A release from the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office identifies the accused as 30-year-old Michael West who was arrested Saturday in Leavenworth, and taken into custody on the charge of attempted first degree murder.

Following his arrest, West was booked into the Jefferson County Jail.
He's held on no bond until his first District Court appearance.

The release explains that on Saturday morning, around 8:30, Jefferson County Sheriff's Deputies were joined by the Jefferson County Ambulance Service, and First Responders, in responding to 6926 Shawnee Lane, in Lake Ridge Estates, at Ozawkie, following a report that a man had been hit in the head several times with a blunt object at that address.

Injured was West's 59-year-old father, also named Michael, who was transported by Jefferson County Ambulance to Stormont Vail, in Topeka, for the treatment of what the release calls "life threatening injuries."

The release notes that the investigation is continuing.

(KLZA)-- Richardson County Sheriff Rick Hardesty informed Richardson County Commissioners last week that longtime Deputy Sheriff Roland Merwin has submitted his letter of resignation. His last day on the job will be Friday, September 15.

Merwin has served in numerous positions within the department over the years including a stint as interim Sheriff. He has also served as an investigator, Jail Administrator and Chief Deputy over the years as well as the School Resource Officer at HTRS during the 2022-23 school year.

Commissioners approved the re-hiring of Nick Hildebrand as a part-time deputy.

Sheriff Hardesty reported that during the August 16 - September 4, grant period, officers made 480 traffic stops with 22 arrests being made.

During the month of August the Department made 52 arrests, responded to 260 calls and made 561 traffic stops.

Commissioners briefly discussed implementing a hiring restriction with-out prior approval from the County Board on all new hires with a review of the job description to be filled in all County Departments.

The idea will be discussed further when the Board meets Wednesday.

(KAIR)--A longtime Atchison leader, including time served as a City Commissioner and Mayor, has been indicted for embezzling credit union money while serving as State Credit Union Advisor.

According to a release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Kansas, Rita Hartman was arraigned Monday on federal charges related to what the release calls "a years-long scheme to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars from her employer, Muddy River Credit Union."

The 68-year-old Hartman was indicted by a federal grand jury on August 23.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, Hartman was the manager of Muddy River Credit Union, formerly Bradken Federal Credit Union, from the early 1990s through January 2021. Muddy River served the employees of the Bradken foundry located in Atchison.

In 2013, the then Kansas Governor appointed Hartman to the Kansas Credit Union Council, which advises the Kansas Department of Credit Unions on issues and needs of credit unions.

The release states that as manager, Hartman had responsibility for and control over all aspects of Muddy River's finances and books and records.
From at least 2010 through December 2020, Hartman is accused of using her position to steal money from Muddy River, allegedly doing so by crediting fraudulent deposits and loan payments to her or her relatives’ accounts or by stealing cash deposits, then concealing her conduct by altering Muddy River's books and records, and falsifying information submitted to Muddy River's regulators.

The case was investigated by the FBI.

(KLZA)-- The Nebraska Deparment of Health has lifted the health alert for Kirkman's Cove Lake near Humboldt.

The health alert was issued earlier due to toxic green algae.

Kirkman's Cove Lake is now open for all allowed activities including swimming.

(KNZA)--The Kickapoo Tribal Council in Kansas has new leadership.

According to a release, Gail Cheatham was elected to her first term as Tribal Chairwoman this past Saturday. Joining her in leadership roles are Grace Ross, who will serve as Treasurer, along with Priscilla Cadue-Wakole and Jessi Blacksmith, who were elected as Tribal Council members.

The four will assume office for three-year terms, effective immediately.

The release says the seven-member Tribal Council plays a vital role in shaping policies, overseeing government programs and executing the collective will of the Kickapoo Tribe in Kansas General Membership.

Chairwoman Cheatham expressed her deep commitment to her new role, stating, “Serving the Kickapoo Tribe in Kansas is both a privilege and an honor as I begin my term. Safeguarding and championing our sovereignty and lands is the solemn duty of every Tribal Council member. We embrace this responsibility with unwavering resolve, nurturing a vision of prosperity and balance for our tribe and its people.”

An official swearing-in ceremony is to be announced.

(KAIR)--A GoFundMe fundraiser has been put in place to assist a local police officer suffering from a form of cancer.

According to the description of the online fundraiser, Atchison Police Officer Alex Moore was recently diagnosed with tonsil and throat cancer, meaning multiple doctor visits, recovery, and hours of drive time from Atchison to Kansas City.

According to a post made by his wife, Jodi, Moore is scheduled for surgery September 26 at the University of Kansas Medical Center, in Kansas City, Kansas. She explains, in the post, that a five-day hospital stay is scheduled, and a 6 week recovery period that will be followed by another six weeks of radiation treatment.

The Moores are known for starting the organization Heroes Helping, which raises funds and gathers items to provide local children with school supplies, new shoes, and other such assistance at the beginning of each school year.

The Moores have four school-aged children.

The fundraiser was started by Moore's fellow Atchison Police Officer Whitney Wagner who says the $10,000 goal is intended "to make sure that Alex and Jodi have one less thing to worry about" during his cancer treatment.

(KLZA)-- Pawnee County Commissioners approved the use of $8,921 in ARPA funds to purchase a radio repeater for the Pawnee County Sheriff's Office when they met September 6.

Emergency Manager Megan Buckley discussed the communications she had held with Haug Communications concerning the cost estimate and the monthly billing.

Commissioners also approved a resolution setting the levies for the Ag Society and Rural Fire Departments during the meeting.

Also approved with expenditures of $5763 for the annual membership dues with the Southeast Nebraska Development District. The Board denied the housing dues with SENDD in an amount of $340.

(KLZA)-- Auburn's Community Redevelopment Authroity recently completed the purchase of the Westgate Subdivision property.

The Auburn City Council approved a resolution clearing the way for the purchase to be completed in August.

he Auburn CRA paid Dennis Wheeler $950 thousand for his home on the propoerty and just over 35 acres of land.

The plan is to create residential lots on the property. The City will provide funds to the CRA for expenses on the project with the money to be recovered by the City through tax-increment financing.

Preliminary plans call for 33 lots to be created on the property. It is estimated that once a home is constructed on a lot, the value will be in the neighborhood of $350 thousand, which would push the total value of the subdivision to more than $11 million.

(MSC News)--Today is the anniversary of the September 11 attack on the nation, and heeding the call to "Never Forget," flags will fly at half-staff today to honor those who lost their lives in the terrorist attacks of 2001.

Flags in Kansas will fly in that formation, from sun-up to sun-down today, through the direction of Kansas Governor Laura Kelly. Kelly, in a release, says that "the extreme tragedy of that day is only half the story," adding that "we also remember that our country's brave first responders went above and beyond the call of duty to save lives-even as they lost more than 400 of their own."

(KLZA)-- Richardson County Third District Commissioner Rick Karas reported during the September 6 Board meeting, that he and Sheriff Rick Hardesty had met with the Beatrice City Administrator and Chief of Police regarding terms for renewing the 911 dispatching services contract in August of 2024.

The Beatrice representatives indicated that providing the service to Richardson County would require an increase in the conract rate, which was quoted at almost double the current amount. For the current contract year that runs through July 31, 2024, Richardson County is paying $190 thousand for the dispatching service.

The Richardson County officials requested another meeting to negotiate the costs but said they have not received return calls or correspondence.

Sheriff Hardesty recommended Richardson County provide notice to the City of Beatrice that the county will not be renewing the contract. Commissioners will consider the recommendation further during their meeting Wednesday.

James Allman with the Nebraska Public Service Commission attended the Commissioners meeting to review the services provided by Southeast Communications Center 911 in Beatrice.

Wednesday evening, during the Falls City Council meeting, City Administrator Anthony Nussbaum told the Council that Richardson County had requested preliminary cost estiamtes for the City to perform 9 1 1 dispatcing for Richardson County, utilizing the Falls City Police Department dispatchers.

Nussbaum said he expects to provide a preliminary interlocal agreement to the Council in the near future.

No action was taken by either entity concerning 9 1 1 dispatching in the future.

(KMZA)--The Nemaha County Commission has voted to change employee health insurance providers.

During a special meeting August 31, the Commission voted to end the contract with the state employee health plan on December 31. The Commission then voted to contract with Saylor Insurance as the county's health insurance broker beginning January 1, 2024.

Also at the meeting, the Commission voted to allow Commission Chairman Dylan Keim to make an offer and negotiate a contract for the county administrator position. The action followed an executive session to discuss the hiring of non-elected personnel.

Meanwhile, the Commission approved a resolution at their August 28 meeting to adopt the comprehensive plan presented by the Nemaha County Planning Commission. The Planning Commission had approved the plan July 31 that was developed by consultant Dick Horton.

(KMZA)--The 2024 budget for the city of Seneca has been finalized.

The Seneca City Council unanimously approved the budget following a hearing at their September 6 meeting drawing no public comment.

The Council also approved a resolution to exceed the revenue neutral tax rate following a second public hearing prior to the budget hearing.

The budget calls for total expenditures of $14 million and maintains the same property tax levy.

It calls for the city to collect more than one-million dollars in local tax revenue.

Even though the mill levy will remain the same, the city will collect around $142,000 in additional tax revenue due to a more than $4 million increase in the city's assessed valuation.

(KMZA)--The Kansas Department of Transportation has approved a bid for a Nemaha County bridge project.

Reece Construction Company, of Salina, was awarded the contract for the replacement of a bridge on U.S. 36 Highway over the North Fork Black Vermillion River located about one mile east of the Nemaha/Marshall County line.

The bid was for $4.2 million.

A construction start date hasn't yet been announced.

The bid letting took place August 23 in Topeka.

(KAIR)--An Atchison man is dead, killed early Sunday morning in a single-vehicle crash in Buchanan County, Missouri.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol says killed in the wreck on U.S. Highway 59, two miles east of Atchison, was 28-year-old Ryan Roper.

The Patrol says Roper was westbound when his Hyundai Sonata crossed the center line of the highway. According to the Patrol's report, Roper's car then began to skid and slide, sending the vehicle crashing into what the Patrol identifies as a "fixed object."

Roper, who was pronounced dead at the scene, was transported to Atchison's Arensberg-Pruett Funeral Home, where his funeral services are pending.

According to the Patrol, he was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the fatal crash, which occurred shortly before 7:00 Sunday morning.

(KNZA)---A Friday evening two-vehicle Jackson County wreck sent a Holton woman to the hospital.

The Kansas Highway Patrol says it happened on U.S. 75 about three miles north of Holton around 5:30.

According to the KHP report, a SUV driven by 34-year-old Jody King was stopped waiting to turn west onto 254th Road when it was struck from behind by a northbound pickup truck driven by 18-year-old Devin Bloom, of Holton.

King was transported to a Topeka hospital with suspected minor injuries.

Bloom was not hurt.

There were also three juvenile passengers in his vehicle, but no information was provided on them because of their age.

The Patrol says both drivers were buckled up when the wreck occurred.

(KLZA)-- The Falls City Council voted unanimously to access the additional 1% allowable budget growth to the Restricted Funds Authority as allowed by state statute when they met Wednesday evening.

If utilized, the additional amount would be just over $94 thousand.

City Administrator Anthony Nussbaum informed the Council that a special meeting will be scheduled for September 25th for public hearings on the fiscal year 2023-24 budget proposal followed by adoption the final budget.

In other business the Council approved an ordinance on second reading to merge the duties and position of the Utility Superintendent and the Street Superintendent into the position of Public Works Director as recommended by the Board of Public Works.

Also approved was the abatement of nuisance homes at 710 West 21st Street, 813 Harlan Street and 1515 Lane Street. All three homes will be razed.

(KAIR)--The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has rescinded a boil water advisory for the City of Linwood public water supply system located in Leavenworth County. The advisory was issued because of a line break resulting in a loss of pressure in the system. Failure to maintain adequate pressure may result in a loss of chlorine residuals and bacterial contamination.

Public water suppliers in Kansas take all measures necessary to notify customers quickly after a system failure or shutdown. Regardless of whether it- the supplier or KDHE that announces a boil water advisory, KDHE will issue the rescind order following testing at a certified laboratory.

Laboratory testing samples collected from the City of Linwood indicate no evidence of bacteriological contamination and all other conditions that placed the system at risk of contamination are deemed by KDHE officials to be resolved.

(KNZA)--A Holton man is facing charges in connection with a pursuit Wednesday evening in Jackson County.

Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse, in a release, said a Sheriff's deputy attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a Dodge Dart around 9:00 Wednesday evening north of 198th Road and K-16 Highway for a traffic infraction.

The driver of the vehicle allegedly failed to stop and fled, eluding law enforcement. Law enforcement lost sight of the vehicle near 158th and T. Roads due to dusty conditions.

On Thursday morning, a Jackson County Sheriff- deputy located the wrecked Dodge Dart near 190th Road and the Jefferson County line.

Morse said deputies identified the driver as 30-year-old Casey Crawford and located him walking on Banner Road in Holton late Thursday evening where he was taken into custody.

Following his arrest, Crawford was booked into the Jackson County Jail for felony fleeing and eluding law enforcement, interference with law enforcement and driving while suspended.

(KMZA)--A single-vehicle wreck this week in Marysville claimed the life of a two-year-old boy.

Marysville Police Chief Matt Simpson told The Marysville Advocate that the child was riding in car that went out of control and struck a utility pole on Center Street near Fifth Street shortly before 5:00 Monday morning.

The boy was pronounced dead at Community Memorial Healthcare in Marysville.

An obituary from the Ward Funeral Home, in Washington, Kansas, identified the victim as Kistan Mashburn, of Washington.

The teen driver was transported to a Lincoln hospital for treatment.

The wreck remains under investigation.

(KNZA)--Representatives of Chicago-based Invenergy met with the Brown County Commission Tuesday to discuss a road use agreement with the county for the Grain Belt Express transmission line project.

Meeting with the commission were Jason Brown, director of land and community affairs with Invenergy, along with Invenergy attorney Andrew Schulte.

Brown said construction on the 800-mile line, which is to deliver up to 4,000 megawatts of wind-generated power from southwest Kansas to eastern states, is scheduled to begin in the 4th quarter of 2024. The line will go through 14 Kansas counties—including locally, Brown, Doniphan, Marshall and Nemaha.

So far, Brown said they have acquired right-of-way easements for about 90 percent of the route in Kansas and Missouri. He said they are still in the process of obtaining a general contractor for the $7 billion project, which is to be constructed in phases.

Brown said he believes the road use agreement provides good protections for the county. He said the roads would not take the wear and tear that building a wind farm would entail, as they aren't traveling in with heavy loads such as big wind turbines. He said the transmission stations would be brought in pieces and put together on site.

Commissioners suggested some wording changes they would like to see made to the agreement, which they will consider for approval when they meet Monday, September 11th.

(KNZA)--A Doniphan West teacher has received state recognition.

According to a post on the USD 111 website, Doniphan West Elementary School art teacher Rachel Gibson, of Leona, has been named the 2023 Outstanding Elementary Art Educator of the Year by the Kansas Art Education Association.

Gibson was nominated for the honor by the school's principal.

She currently teaches art to children in pre-school through 6th grade. This school year marks her 20th year of teaching.

Gibson will be recognized at the KAEA fall conference on October 7 at Emporia State University.

(KNZA)--The Horton City Commission is proposing a 2024 city budget that calls for total expenditures of more than $6.1 million and a nearly 6.4 mill property taxx levy decrease.

The Commission recently approved the budget for publication.

According to the budget hearing notice, the budget contains an estimated tax rate of 56.443 mills. That's anticipated to raise around $456,000 in local tax revenue.

The Commission will consider adoption of the budget following a public hearing at their September 18th meeting.

(KLZA)-- The southbound Interstate 29 bridge over the Nodaway River in Holt County, Missouri, will be reduced to one-lane beginning Monday, September, 18 for a joint repair project. The project was delayed due to contractor scheduling.

Crews from Capital Paving & Construction, LLC, working with the Missouri Department of Transportation, will begin the joint repair in the right-hand driving lane with traffic narrowed to the left-hand passing lane.

Once the work in the driving lane is complete, crews will close the passing lane and shift traffic. This shift is scheduled to take place in October.

A 11.6-foot width restriction will be in place for southbound traffic. The project is expected to be complete by November.

All work is weather-permitting, and schedules are subject to change.

(KAIR)--A rural Horton man, already serving a prison sentence for child sex crimes, now faces additional charges stemming from an Atchison County Sheriff's Office investigation into similar crimes.

According to a release from Atchison County Sheriff Jack Laurie, 34-year-old Shandon Hoobler was arrested August 31 on an outstanding Atchison County District Court warrant charging him with two counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child.

Laurie, in the release, explains that the warrant stems from a 2021 investigation into two separate incidents, with the first believed to have occurred in 2007/2008 with a child under the age of 14. The second occurred in 2013, and involved a child under the age of 14.

Hoobler, already serving his past sentence in a Kansas prison, was transported from there to the Atchison County Jail, where he's held on a $500,000 bond.

According to past MSC News reporting, Hoobler, in 2015, was sentenced to over 12-years in prison, after being convicted in Brown County District Court on child sex related charges, including electronic solicitation and sexual exploitation.

At the time of Hoobler's sentencing, authorities said those crimes happened between January 1 and May 16 in 2014.

(KLZA)-- Water customers of the City of Peru are no longer under a Stage 2 Water Warning.

The City announced that Westrum Leak Detection was able to find the water leak and it has been repaired.

Water customers are able to resume normal water usage.

(KAIR)--The Atchison County Commission continues the process of setting a budget for 2024, holding a public hearing this week that ended with the decision to work toward more cuts.

Atchison County Commission Chair Casey Quinn told MSC News constituents provided "great feedback" during the session, which was held with the goal of each Commissioner individually looking at the budget in order to find additional reductions in the total amount of $400,000.

Discussion regarding potential reductions, to meet that goal, will take place Tuesday during the Commission's regular weekly meeting.

A deadline for finalization is not immediatly set, but Quinn said it's her hope that after Tuesday's meeting, the County leaders will be able to reach a consensus and make additional adjustments based on the feedback presented during the public hearing.

The Commission has, for weeks, been working toward the goal of setting the budget, under the guidance of Atchison County Finance Director Mark Zeltner.

(KAIR)--An Atchison Police investigation, focused on fraudlent access to a safety deposit box, had lead to the arrest of an Atchison woman.

According to a release from Atchison Police Chief Mike Wilson, 21-year-old Dreyona Seymore was taken into custody Monday, arrested on an Atchison County District Court warrant charging her with forgery and theft.

Wilson, in the release, explains that the investigation has been ongoing, opened to focus on the March 3 fraudulent access made to the safety deposit box, located at an Atchison bank. According to Wilson, cash was taken from the box at that time.

Following her arrest, Seymore was booked into the Atchison County Jail.

She has since been released on a bond of $20,000.

(KNZA)--The Hiawatha City Commission is proposing a 2024 city budget that calls for total expenditures of $9.3 million and a 1.4 mill levy increase.

The Commission approved the budget for publication last week.

It contains an estimated tax rate of 42.459 mills, which is anticipated to raise more than $1.3 million in local property tax revenue.

The budget is built on an assessed valuation of nearly $31 million, which is an about $344,000 increase from last year.

One mill equals $1 in tax for every $1,000 of assessed property valuation.

The commission will consider adoption of the budget following a public hearing at their September 11th meeting. Prior to the budget hearing, the commission will hold a second public hearing on its intent to exceed the revenue neutral tax rate of 36.475 mills.

(KLZA)-- The City of Peru declared a Stage 2 water warning Tuesday afternoon.

The city and Peru State College will cut water usage including fountains, lawn watering, vehicle washing an recreational activities involving water.

The public is required under the Stage 2 water warning to water lawns on an odd - even system and outdoor water usage is restricted to 12 hours per day.

Officials are hoping to cut peak demands for water by 20 percent and overall weekly consumption by 10 percent.

(KAIR)--A Leavenworth man who used an axe and a machete to threaten family members and police officers pled no contest to aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer last week in Leavenworth County District Court.

According to a release from the office of Leavenworth County Attorney Todd Thompson, 34-year-old Justin Toms-Gardner was arrested on January 22 after officers were forced to use a beanbag round fired from a shotgun to subdue him.

According to court documents cited in the release, Leavenworth police officers responded to a disturbance call involving Toms-Gardner and two family members at a home located southeast of downtown Leavenworth that January afternoon. Upon arrival, officers were met by Toms-Gardner, who had an axe and approached them, eventually raising the axe, acting like he would throw it at officers. Feeling threatened, an officer fired a beanbag round, striking Toms-Gardner.

Following Toms-Gardner's no-contest plea last week, he was found guilty, with his sentencing scheduled for the afternoon of October 6.

(KAIR)--Hundreds of pills, along with other alleged controlled substances, led to the arrest of an Atchison man, following a single vehicle crash Friday.

According to a release from Atchison Police Chief Mike Wilson, his officers, Friday afternoon shortly before 1:00,. were called to the 800 block of South 5th Street, following the report of a vehicle crash.

Officers learned that 21-year-old Quinn Gamino had been driving southbound on 5th Street when his Dodge Charger struck a parked vehicle.

Atchison County EMS assisted at the scene, where they evaluated Gamino, who refused medical treatment.

Officers investigating the wreck discovered what Wilson calls "controlled substances" inside Gamino's vehicle, including what's alleged to be hundreds of pills, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia.

Following his arrest, Gamino was booked into the Atchison County Jail.

He has since been released on a $10,000 bond.

(KNZA)--The Jackson County Commission is proposing a 2024 county budget that calls for total expenditures of $32.6 million and maintains the same mill levy.

The Commission approved the budget for publication last week.

According to the budget hearing notice, the proposed budget contains an estimated tax rate of 72.647 mills, which is anticipated to raise more than $11 million in local tax revenue.

Even though the mill levy will remain the same, the county will collect more than $684,000 in additional tax revenue due to a $9.4 million increase in the county's assessed valuation.

The Commission will consider adoption of the budget following a public hearing at 6:00 the evening of September 18th at the Jackson County Courthouse. Prior to the budget hearing, the commission will hold a second hearing on its intent to exceed the revenue neutral tax rate of 68.157 mills.

(KLZA)-- A rural Shubert, Nebraska man was pronounced dead at the scene of a farm accident Saturday afternoon on a farmstead west of Indian Cave State Park, off of 720 Road.

A release from the Nemaha County Sheriff's Department says 75-year-old Ron Shubert was attempting to detach a farm implement from a tractor when he was run over by the tractor.

The Sheriff's Department was notified of the accident shortly after 4:00 Saturday afternoon. The Falls City Volunteer Ambulance Squad and the Richardson County Sheriff's Office also responded to the scene.

The funeral service for Shubert will be Friday morning at 10:30 at the Shubert Christian Church.

(KNZA)--Brown County Sheriff John Merchant is urging motorists to be vigilant at intersections along rural roadways.

Merchant says corn continues to mature across Kansas and while it may be beneficial to farmers, those fields of green can be a danger for drivers traveling on rural roads. Given the height of the corn, visibility when nearing or entering intersections in the country can be greatly compromised.

Merchant says those driving on country roads should slow down---make sure to clearly look both ways from right to left, and proceed with caution when crops are blocking visibility.

In a few weeks, farmers will be starting to harvest and traffic will increase. Merchant said give combines, farm trucks and equipment ample room when you are behind them. If followed too closely they may not be able to see you.

He said parents have also expressed concerns about the stop light at 1st and Oregon in Hiawatha, especially when harvest begins as more trucks will be on the roadway. Traffic from the east and west are required to come to a complete stop while north and south bound traffic needs to slow down as they approach the intersection as the traffic light is blinking yellow.

(KLZA)--A White Cloud, Kansas man suffered serious injuries in a single-vehicle wreck Monday afternoon in Richardson County, southeast of Rulo.

The Richardson County Sheriff's Office says the wreck was reported shortly after 2:00 at 703 Trail and 664 Avenue.

According to a release from the Sheriff's Office, 56-year-old Jason Lunsford was driving a pickup and swerved to miss a deer. His pickup rolled and struck a tree.

Lunsford was flown from the scene by medical helicopter.

The Sheriff's office says an investigation determined that safety restraints were not in use at the time of the wreck.

(KAIR)--The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has issued a boil water advisory for the City of Linwood public water supply system located in Leavenworth 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 September 5, 2023 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 line break resulting in a loss of pressure in the 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.

For consumer questions, please contact the water system at 913-301-3021, or KDHE at 785-296-5514. For consumer information please visit KDHE- PWS Consumer Information webpage: kdhe.ks.gov/waterdisruption

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- food safety & lodging program at kda.fsl@ks.gov or call 785-564-6767.

(KAIR)--An Atchison educator, named Ms. Wheelchair Kansas 2023 in March, is now named 1st runner up in the Ms. Wheelchair America National Competition, held last week in Grand Rapids, Iowa.

A congratulations post made by Atchison Public School District 409, where Daija Coleman works as a 5th grade teacher, says "she spent all week with 18 amazing women where she was able to continue spreading her platform, “Why not us? Why not now? Be an Advocate in Your Community!"

The Crowning Gala for the Ms. Wheelchair Amercia competition was held Saturday.

The 23-year-old Coleman uses a wheelchair for mobility because she has Cerebral Palsy.

Coleman volunteers at Exceptional Humans, a nonprofit organization that supports humans with diverse abilities to live self- determined lives.

(KAIR)--The City of Atchison will not contact residents by text message to notify them about a weed, mowing, or nuisance violation.

That's the message delivered by the City in a release, which follows what appear to be scam text messages received by some residents.

According to the release, which comes after an initial warning about the messages was issued, the City of Atchison has learned that a number of citizens have received text messages from a 913 area code number regarding mowing and trimming of trees, with the City adding that the text messages include misinformation regarding City code and some have threatened penalties to the recipient despite that these text messages are not from the City and should be ignored.

The release clarifies that if property is found to be in violation of City code, the owner will receive a certified letter, and a first class copy will go the tenant if the home is a rental property with the letter allowing ten days to abate the violation.

The most recent text messages referenced the landlord by name and named a neighbor as the complainant.

Any questions or concerns, should be addressed to the City of Atchison Community Development Department at 913-367-5560.

(KLZA)-- 9 1 1 service was restored in southeast Nebraska counties Sunday according to Windstream.

An outage Saturday was blamed on a fire at a data center in Lincoln, wich required use of battery backups. Telephone lines at 9 1 1 centers across southeast Nebrask were down due to the outage.

In all 18 counties were impacted by the outage, including Richardson, Pawnee, Johnson and Gage counties according to the new release.

(KLZA)-- The office hours for the Auburn Board of Public Works Office will be changing as of Monday, September 11.

The new hours will find the office open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Hours for service will remain the same, 7:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. during the week.

BPW customers can make payments anytime in the drop box on te north side of the main office at 1600 O Street or online at auburnbpw.com.

(KLZA)-- Richardson County Commissioners met with Jim Rush during the August 29 Board meeting to disucss his concerns of a Windstream telecommunicaitons cable laying in the county road right-of-way on 712 Road.

Rush noted that he is required to mow the roadside and maintain the ditch along the road on his property and while doing so he has cut the wire with his mower, cutting off phone service to neighbors in the area. Rush has contacted the Public Service Commission concering the matter.

Highway Superintendent Steve Darveau Jr. said he would make another efffort to contct Windstream to get the cable buried as soon as possible as the permit for the project was approved several months ago.

Mark Gonnella also attended the meeting with concerns about the same matter on his property on 710 Trail.

Sheriff Rick Hardesty noted that Chief Deputy Sheriff Clinton Stonebarger is resigning. His last day will be September 14.

Jail Supervisor Kristen Morehead provided information to Commissioners regarding the agreement with ChartMeds Inc. that has been used for inmate health care records. After the review, the Board voted to notify the company that their agreement witll be terminated.

Commissioners also approved writing a letter to the U.S. Department of the Kansas Army National Guard explaining the Richardson County Sheriff's Office is faced with the reduction of adequate staffing of deputies due to the lack of properly trained and experienced applicants, and that the absence of Sheriff's Deputy Dutcher would prove to be a hardship for Richardson County. Deputy Dutcher is scheduled for a one-year call to service with the guard.

Commissioners also continued to review the fiscal year 2023-24 budget.

(KLZA)-- The 70th annual Holt County Autumn Festival will take place September 6 through the 9th in Oregon, Missouri.

Events will include the baby show, crowning of the “Junior Festival Queen” “Senior Queen” 'prince and princess contests and the “Junior Miss /Festival Queen contest.”

There will be a baby show, water fights, bingo, a children's parade, hot dog eating contest , a 5K Run / Walk and a tractor, car, motorcycle and golf cart show.

The theme for this year Holt County Autumn Festival is “It's A Marvelous Time.”

(KMZA)--Community Memorial Healthcare has announced plans to open a new rural health clinic in Axtell.

According to a release from CMH, the new clinic location will be in partnership with the Axtell Community Fitness Center and housed in the Fitness Center- new building.

Construction for the proposed clinic area is anticipated to be completed by the New Year.

The Axtell Community Fitness Center is a community project spearheaded by residents in the Axtell area. Monetary and in-kind donations are being collected to fund the completion of the project. Construction labor is being donated by local businesses and community members.

The building will house a 24/7 fitness center including exercise equipment and a walking track, a space for group fitness, and will also be used by school students as a weight room, in addition to CMH- new rural health clinic space.

The release says committee- goal is to improve rural access to a healthy lifestyle all year round by offering a safe and convenient location to work towards personal health goals.

The fitness center is located on a purchased lot just south of Axtell High School, near the school- greenhouse. Access to the fitness center- equipment will be by paid membership; public clinic hours will be staffed by CMH personnel.

Community Memorial Healthcare also has rural health clinics in Marysville, Blue Rapids, and Wymore, Neb, In addition, it has a surgeon- office, 25-bed critical access hospital, home health, and a durable medical equipment store in Marysville.

(KAIR)--A Leavenworth man was injured over the Labor Day holiday weekend when his motorcycle crashed on Interstate-70 in Leavenworth County.

According to a report from the Kansas Highway Patrol, 52-year-old Ian Murphy was eastbound when his motorcycle left the roadway and collided with the inside barrier wall shortly before 7:45 Saturday evening.

Murphy was transported to the University of Kansas Hospital in Kansas City with suspected serious injuries.

The report didn't indicate if he was wearing a helmet when the crash occurred.

(KNZA)--A Horton man is accused of threatening two law enforcement officers with a hatchet.

44-year-old Ricky Wabaunsee was arrested Friday by deputies with the Brown County Sheriff's Office, with assistance of the Horton Police Department, on Brown County District Court Warrant charging him with felony counts of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, aggravated assault and interference with law enforcement.

Wabaunsee made his first appearance in a Brown County courtroom Wednesday on the charges. A preliminary hearing was set for September 13.

According to court documents, the charges stem from an incident on August 25 involving an officer with the Horton Police Department and a deputy with the Brown County Sheriff's Office.

Wabaunsee remains in the Brown County Jail, held on a $75,000 bond.

(KMZA)--Seneca Police are investigating the recent vandalism of public bathrooms and other facilities in the city.

The Police Department made the announcement in a social media post Sunday.

The Police Department did not release locations or further information about the vandalism cases. However, police said if the vandalism continues it will be hard to keep the public restrooms open.

Anyone with information about the vandalism cases is urged to contact the Seneca Police Department at 785-336-2141.

(KMZA)--USDA Rural Development has awarded grants for several local renewable energy and energy efficiency improvements.

The grant awards were announced last week.

USDA Rural Development Kansas State Director Christy Davis says the investments will lower energy costs, generate new income and strengthen the resilience of small businesses in Kansas.

Titan Trailer Manufacturing, in Waterville, will receive a nearly $299,000 grant to help purchase and install a 499 kilowatt roof mounted solar array. According to a release, the project is estimated to replace nearly 649,000 kilowatt hours annually, enough energy to power 61 homes. Titan Trailer has 92 employees.

A more than $16,000 grant will help install a rooftop solar power system at Charles Bebermeyer- agricultural operation in rural Hiawatha. The project will save nearly $2,800 and generate more than 16,000 kilowatt hours annually

Also a nearly $6,400 grant will help install a new energy efficient heating, ventilation and air conditioning system at Kelly's Kennels in McLouth. The project will save more than 4,000 kilowatt hours per year.

(KNZA)--The report of a suspicious driver in Jackson County leads to the arrest of a Wamego man on drug charges.

Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse said in a release that the sheriff's Office received a report Tuesday, August 29 of a suspicious driver in the area of 214th and R-4 Road, south of Holton.

The report indicated that the driver may have struck a gate with the vehicle.

A deputy quickly located the vehicle and made contact with the driver who was identified as 44-year-old William Hill.

Morse said deputies located illegal drug contraband allegedly in the possession of Hill.

He was arrested for possession of methamphetamine, possession of a hallucinogenic drug, possession of drug paraphernalia, felony interference with law enforcement and driving while suspended.

Following his arrest, Hill was booked into the Jackson County Jail.

(KAIR)--A motorcycle, reported stolen from an Atchison location where it had been parked in July, has been recovered.

That's according to a release from Atchison Police Chief Mike Wilson, who says the 2015 Honda was recovered Thursday in Leavenworth. Additional details regarding how and where it was found in Leavenworth are not immediately made public.

The 2015 CBR500 was reported stolen July 11 after it had been taken from the 1000 block of Patriot Street.

No suspects are immediately named.

(KMZA)--The Nemaha County STEP Foundation's third annual STEP-Up Nemaha Match Day set a new record.

The event was held on August 25, with donations taken in-person and on-line.

STEP Treasurer Tim Rottinghaus shared, “With online and in person donations on Match Day totaling $133,425, a 77% increase over last year, we couldn’t be happier. After adding in the $70,000 matching grant from the Patterson Family Foundation and donations from our generous STEP-Up Supporters the day- grand total was $234,900. We truly thank the Patterson Family, our STEP-Up Supporters, and all who donated on that day.”

Executive Director Tory Jost said all twenty-nine funds received donations, which ranged from $50 to $28,263. Eight funds were successful in securing the maximum $4,000 match.

The General Endowment Fund brought in the most overall donations with $28,263.69. That was followed by the Sts. Peter and Paul School Fund with $20,325, and the Centralia Project Fund at $15,450. Three hundred eighty-one gifts were received.

For a complete list of funds and balances, check out the leaderboard at www.stepupnemaha.com.

The fourth annual Match Day will be held in August 2024.

To become a STEP-Up Supporter or set up a fund with the STEP Foundation, please contact Tory Jost at info@nemahastep.org.

(KMZA)---Three area school districts have jointly petitioned the Kansas State Board of Education to initiate a formal mediation process and appoint a mediator as the next step in an ongoing dispute over school district boundaries.

The request was submitted Wednesday to the State Board by the Kriegshauser Ney Law Group, of Olathe, on behalf of Nemaha Central USD 115, Jackson Heights USD 335, and Vermillion USD 380, and comes after months of stalled negotiations with Prairie Hills USD 113.

In January, the USD 113 school board voted 5-2 to close the Wetmore Academic Center at the end of the 2022-2023 school year.

Of the roughly 125 students who attended that school, a release from the law firm says the majority have chosen to attend public school in adjoining districts while others have left the public school system altogether.

The release says USD 335, in particular, is experiencing extraordinary enrollment growth as a direct result of the school closure. At the start of the 2023-2024 school year, USD 335 welcomed more than 100 new students who formerly attended school in Wetmore.

“We have gladly accepted the responsibility of educating these students within our district,” said USD 335 Superintendent Jim Howard. “We have added bus routes, hired new drivers and teachers and anticipate substantial increases in a number of other costs, including fuel, food service and educational materials. Unfortunately, we haven’t received any of the base state aid to educate those students this year and we don’t currently have the property tax base to support that increase long term.”

The release says Kansas law provides a process for school districts who have experienced a substantial and material change in circumstances to petition for transferring land from one school district to another when it is in the best educational interest of the affected school children.

“In April, we initiated good faith negotiations with USD 113 to discuss the transfer of land to USD 115, USD 335 and USD 380, respectively,” said USD 115 Superintendent Tavis Desormiers. “Together, we have thoughtfully presented a uniform proposal for new boundary lines that accurately reflects the educational needs of the students and preferences of the landowners. Unfortunately, those interactions haven’t brought us any closer to an agreement with USD 113, and we are hopeful that formal mediation will produce an outcome all four involved districts can accept.”

Prairie HIlls USD 113 issued the following response Thursday :

Sabetha--Yesterday, three northeast Kansas School Districts filed a legal maneuver to diminish local control of the USD 113 Prairie Hills schools. USD 115, USD 335, and USD 380 dismissed an opportunity to continue ongoing conversations and resolve northeast Kansas education issues at the local level.

USD 113 Prairie Hills Superintendent Todd Evans said, “I am deeply disappointed that three neighboring school districts rejected an opportunity to discuss differences school district to school district and superintendent to superintendent but have instead chosen to involve outsiders in a traditionally local matter - educating children.”

Earlier this year after a long, systematic and painful process the local Prairie Hills school board voted 5-2 to close the Wetmore Academic Center. Evans said, “Closure was an emotional and painful process. Nobody wanted to close a school, but we involved the community, followed the law and made a fiscally responsible decision at the local level in the best interests of all of the Prairie Hills students.”

At the time of closure USD 113 made the commitment to educate all students who live in the geographical area compromising USD 113. This includes the Wetmore area. USD 113 has adequate classroom space, sufficient staff and the buses and drivers to bring each student to a USD 113 school.

USD 113 initiated the discussion of transfer of territory with a written proposal to each of the three school districts, accompanied by an explanation for suggested transfer. Evans said, “The USD 113 board is sensitive to the request that residents have representation in the school district in which their children attend school. Our proposal to each of the districts focused on this goal. However, none of the districts were willing to discuss, school district to school district, reasonings for their demands.”

Chad Tenpenny, Tenpenny Law LLC, serves as legal counsel to USD 113. Tenpenny said, “We welcome the opportunity to engage in a structured and professional mediation process where confidential conversations are happening directly between individual school districts without the involvement of interest groups who frankly sometimes appear more concerned about a statewide agenda than what is beneficial for local northeast Kansas students. Should mediation not produce a reasonable solution, we look forward to advocating on behalf of Prairie Hills taxpayers, parents and, most importantly, students before the Kansas State Board of Education.”

Tenpenny also said, “Unfortunately, due to many forces beyond our control, population is declining in rural America, which presents significant challenges. The USD 113 Board has acted prudently and courageously. Local rural people ought to be looking for ways to work together, make the best of their local situation and visit like neighbors instead of reaching out to government forces in Topeka for solutions on a local issue like educating children.”

Superintendent Evans said, “We have been diligent about following the law written by the Kansas Legislature. With that in mind, our board has an obligation to the taxpayers and patrons of USD 113 to provide financial oversight of our resources to meet the responsibility of educating USD 113 students. We will continue to strive to fulfill that obligation.”

(KNZA)--The Brown County Commission has approved a revised 2024 county budget for publication that contains a lower mill levy than originally proposed.

The Commission took the action Thursday on a 2-1 vote after making more than $308,000 in budget cuts. Commissioner Lamar Shoemaker cast the dissenting vote.

$250,000 was cut from road and bridge, $50,000 from economic development and $3,800 from direct elections.

The original budget proposal had contained a 4.6 mill levy increase. With the cuts, commissioners were able to reduce the levy about 1.4 mills to 35.173 mills.

Several county residents voiced their concerns about the proposed mill levy increase during a hearing Monday on the original budget proposal and urged commissioners to take steps to reduce the levy.

The commission will consider adoption of the revised budget following a public hearing at their September 18 meeting.