TOPEKA, Kan.—The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) Division of Public Health has seen a substantial increase in the number of mosquitoes within the past week. These mosquitoes can potentially spread West Nile virus.

In 2012, there were 57 cases of West Nile virus in the state, the most cases since the virus first made its way into Kansas in 2002. There are currently no reported cases of West Nile virus in 2013. In addition to tracking cases of human illnesses caused by West Nile virus, KDHE assesses the potential for West Nile virus by conducting limited mosquito surveillance, including laboratory testing.

Symptoms of West Nile virus infection range from a slight headache and low-grade fever to swelling of the brain or brain tissue and, in rare cases, death. People who have had West Nile virus before are considered immune.

KDHE recommends the following precautions to protect against West Nile virus:

• When you are outdoors, use insect repellent containing an EPA-registered active ingredient on skin and clothing, including DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or IR3535. Follow the directions on the package.

• Many mosquitoes are most active at dusk and dawn. Be sure to use insect repellent and wear long sleeves and pants at these times or consider staying indoors during these hours.

• Make sure doors and windows have tight-fitting screens. Repair or replace screens that have tears. Try to keep doors and windows shut, especially at night.

• Get rid of mosquito breeding sites by emptying standing water from flower pots, buckets and barrels. Change the water in outdoor pet dishes and replace the water in bird baths weekly. Drill holes in tire swings so water drains out. Keep children’s wading pools empty and on their sides when they aren’t being used.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides the following web page with additional information about West Nile Virus and preventing mosquito bites: https://www.cdc.gov/features/StopMosquitoes/.

Congressman Tim Huelskamp (R-Kansas) highlighted the absurdity of Rep. Polis’ amendment (to the National Defense Authorization Act of FY2014) to require the appointment of atheists, “ethical culturalists,” and humanists as officers in the Chaplain Corps.

Army regulations require a chaplain to “hold appropriate religious services at least once on each Sunday” and “perform appropriate religious burial services.”  Navy regulations provide that a chaplain “conduct[s] public worship according to the manner and forms of the church of which he is a member,” “commanders … shall cause divine service to be performed on Sunday,” and “earnestly recommend to all officers, seamen, and others in the naval service diligently to attend at every performance of the worship of Almighty God.”

Congressman Huelskamp made the following statement

“This amendment would have required the Secretary of Defense to appoint ‘humanists, atheists, and ethical culturalists’ (whoever they are) as chaplains so long as they’re ‘ordained by nontheistic organizations.’  The notion that an irreligious person should be ordained by a godless organization to conduct religious services for our troops is absurd.  While there can be exceptions to the ‘there are no atheists in foxholes’ adage, by definition there can be no atheists in the Chaplain Corps.  I’m pleased 3 out of 5 House Members rejected a proposal that disrespects our noble chaplains such as Medal of Honor recipient Emil Kapaun.”

(AP) — Concealed weapons will not be allowed in public buildings in Shawnee County for another six months.

The council commission voted Thursday to seek a delay in a new state law that allows concealed-carry permit holders to bring weapons into public buildings, beginning July 1.

The law permitted local governments to seek a six-month delay until Jan. 1, 2014.

Before Thursday’s vote, Commissioner Kevin Cook said county leaders need time to consider all options.

The Topeka Capital-Journal reports (https://bit.ly/196R53r ) Earl McIntosh, the 2nd Amendment chairman for the Kansas Libertarian Party, asked the commission not to seek the delay, which he said put people in public buildings at risk.

The commission would have to supply adequate security measures for each public property to be permanently exempt from the law.

 Friday 11:50 a.m.   The body of an 18 year old Salina teen who drowned early Tuesday morning has been recovered on the southwest side of the lake in the Boldt Bluff area according to Ellsworth County Sheriff Tracy Ploutz.

Derek Wheeler had been out with two other teens kayaking early Tuesday morning, when his kayak overturned.

Searchers and divers have been searching the lake since Tuesday morning.

11:40 a.m. Wednesday  Ellsworth County Sheriff Tracy Ploutz told Hays Post, “ We have a Highway Patrol Search Airplane flying over the lake and a Saline County Rescue team is dragging the lake.  Earlier we had a K-9 search and rescue team from Kansas City walk the shoreline. The dogs picked up a scent in an area near a boat ramp and we have had the rescue team dragging the lake there.”

5 a.m. Wednesday Crews at Kanopolis Lake have resumed looking for 18-year-old Derek Wheeler. The Salina teen went missing while kayaking early Tuesday morning.

 

Tuesday A search is underway including a boat from the Saline County Sheriffs Office looking for a teenager missing at Kanopolis Lake.

Ellworth County Sheriff Tracy Ploutz said three teens had been out kayaking between 1:00am and 2:00am Tuesday morning when one of the kayaks overturned. Ploutz says two of the teens went to assist the teen who turned over and all three kayaks turned over.

Two teens made it back to shore .

Sheriff Ploutz says the search in the area of the South Shore near the area of Sandy Plum.

No identity’s of the teens involved has been released.

(AP) — A Manhattan man says he wants moderates of both the Democratic and Republican parties to form a new political party in Kansas.

Aaron Estabrook says his proposed political party would give moderates a voice to respond to extremism he sees in the current political parties. Kansas also currently recognizes the Libertarian party.

Early this year, Estabrook filed political action committee finance papers for the Moderate Party of Kansas.

Estabrook once voted for Republicans and worked for Tim Huelskamp when he was a state senator. But he switched to the Democratic party in 2006, citing the Iraqi war as one reason.

The Moderate Party must collect nearly 17,000 signatures on petitions by June 1, 2014, in order to be recognized as an official party.