Drivers across the state battled the storm on Tuesday.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas residents began the slow process of digging out from a thick blanket of snow, leaving behind closed schools, slick streets and bitter temperatures.
The snow had stopped falling by early Thursday as the storm moved toward the New England states. The National Weather Service said snowfall totals included 9 inches in Wichita and more than a foot in Topeka and surrounding cities.
Temperatures for Wednesday were forecast to stay under 10 degrees for much of the state, accompanied by wind chills well below zero.
Gov. Sam Brownback, who took to a snow plow during the storm Tuesday, closed state government for a second day. Most schools and universities also remained closed on Tuesday.
A fourth show has been added toThe Garth Brooks Comeback Special Event on July 28 following last week’s three-show, 240,000-ticket sellout for July 25-27 at Croke Park in Dublin, Ireland. Tickets are limited to six per person at €65.45 each, or roughly $88, and go on sale Thursday (2/6) at 9am GMT here.
Kansas State University Research and Extension will have the program “Optimizing Weed Control in Croplands” from 9 a.m. to noon Feb. 19 at the Extension office, 601 Main. A light lunch will follow.
An Extension weed specialist will present results of unbiased weed control field trials across Kansas. There also will be updates on management and control of herbicide resistant weeds, and choosing the best herbicide for the job. Credit will be offered for commercial applicators.
RSVP for the meal is requested by Feb. 17 by calling (785) 628-9430.
Conversations with Conservatives meets monthly with traditional press and bloggers to discuss the most important issues of the day. Chaired by Reps. Tim Huelskamp, R-Kan, Raúl Labrador, R-Idaho, and Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, each meeting features different conservative members of Congress who share ideas and field questions from the media.
Participating Members at the February 2014 session of Conversations with Conservatives include: Rep. Tim Huelskamp (KS-01), Rep. Raúl Labrador (ID-01), Rep. Jim Jordan (OH-04), Rep. Joe Barton (TX- 06), Rep. Jeff Duncan (SC-03), Rep. Vicky Hartzler (MO-04), and Rep. Cynthia Lummis (WY-AL).
Viewers may also participate in the conversation on Twitter (tweet to @conversations using #CWC113).
The event will be moderated by Genevieve Wood of The Heritage Foundation.
The city of Hays appears on the verge of developing a new water resource after officials discussed the issue at Tuesday evening’s Hays City Commission meeting.
City Manager Toby Dougherty told commissioners his staff has considered all options and believe developing R9 Ranch located south of Hays is the city’s most viable solution.
“The city is looking at a long-term issue here. We are not looking at short-term,” Dougherty said at a press briefing Tuesday morning. “We are looking 50-plus years into the future.
“The governor recently tasked the Kansas Water Office with developing a long-term water vision, and the governor asked for a 50- to 100-year vision. This is where we should be looking for water, not five to 10 years down the road,” he added.
The project, a pipeline to deliver water from Edwards County north to the Hays area, is estimated to cost $65 million. The city has approximately $27 million in reserves to assist with the project. Since 1992, the city has collected a special sales tax to help fund water projects, and the majority has been placed into reserve, a fund Dougherty said would continue to grow.
Dougherty told commissioners the regulatory process with the state will be lengthy — between five to 15 years.
However, he said the city has a good case because of the low level of precipitation Hays receives compared to peer cities, such as Garden City and Emporia.
Dougherty also said the fact Hays is No. 1 in the state when it comes to water conservation will help the city’s cause.
“When you talk about wise water usage, we use 95 gallons per capita, per person,” he said. “The regional average is 172 gallons per person.”
Doughery said Hays is not in “desperate” need at this time, and there are no plans to enforce a total ban on outdoor watering, but it was important to start the process now considering how long the it could take.
On the other hand Dougherty said city staff may have to extend water restrictions this summer. He encouraged residents to consult the city’s drought index.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A Sedgwick County District Court judge’s ruling in a fight over a 2-year-old girl has left the girl’s future undecided.
Judge Robb Rumsey ruled Monday that the girl’s 67-year-old great-grandmother is not fit to adopt the girl, who has been in a Wichita foster home since shortly after she was born.
But Rumsey’s ruling also denied a request by the girl’s foster parents to adopt the child, although she will stay in their home for now.
The Wichita Eagle reports the Kansas Department of Children and Families will retain custody of the child until an adoptive family is found.
Rumsey said DCF should consider the Dixons, the child’s paternal great-uncle and other family and nonfamily members as possibilities for adoption. The great-uncle has adopted the girl’s three older sisters.
GARDEN CITY (AP) — Pit bulls and similar breeds are no longer considered vicious dogs in Garden City.
The city commission voted Tuesday to remove the breed from its vicious dog ordinance. The decision includes any American Pit Bull Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier or American Staffordshire Terrier, or any mixed animal that appears to be predominantly one of those breeds.
The Garden City Telegram reports the decision means owners of those types of dogs no longer have to post signs or maintain pens or structures unless their animals are declared vicious in municipal court. Owners also can walk their dogs without muzzles.
City Attorney Randy Grisell says decisions on whether a dog is vicious now will be based solely on the animal’s conduct.
In some areas of western Kansas the winter wheat crop continues to show signs of stress. Constant windy conditions and a lack of snowfall or other moisture is turning the crop bluish brown in color.
John Schlageck writes for the Kansas Farm Bureau.
Hamilton County crop and stockman Steven Hines says the winds have been terrible.
“Gusts from 40 to 60 miles per hour seem to sweep through our country nearly every other day,” Hines says. “Temperatures have been one roller coaster ride after another. For a few days its 50 or 60 degrees then we’ll experience a cold snap in the teens or near zero.”
How well the wheat stands up depends on how well the crop is rooted, Hines says. It could winter kill if it isn’t rooted firmly in the soil. The ground will heave until it pulls the roots lose and the wheat will die.
“Most of ours is pretty well rooted down with the moisture we received in August and September,” the southwestern Kansas farmer says. “That drink of water started our wheat crop with a bang.”
Unfortunately, the moisture ranging from 1 to 3 inches in August and one-half to 4 inches in September wasn’t enough to provide much needed subsoil moisture. Until more moisture arrives this year’s wheat crop is living on borrowed time.
February can be a really good month, if wet snows blanket the crop. The ground is generally thawed enough so the snow melts and the moisture insulates the wheat. On the other hand, if moisture continues to be scarce this does not bode well for the young crop.
Blowing soil has been another problem this winter. When this happens farmers chisel their ground in an attempt to keep their fields from blowing. Hines, his two brothers and nephew chiseled 240 acres of their winter wheat ground recently.
“There’s not enough cover on the ground to keep the soil from moving when it’s dry like this,” Hines explains. “We had to run pretty deep with the chisel to pull up any clods, but I feel good about what we accomplished.”
Certain regions of western Kansas have been in some degree of drought since 2007. The Hines family farm didn’t harvest any fall crops to speak of last year. The 2013 wheat crop was a total bust.
“We harvested 1246 bushels from 2,200 acres planted,” Hines says. “Last year was the first time in 40 years I had to buy wheat seed to plant back in the ground.”
Hines hopes February will bring snow and spring rains. He understands if his wheat receives moisture at the right time his region of the state can raise a tremendous crop on 10-12 inches of moisture – if temperatures don’t get too hot.
Because of the sparse fall harvest, the Hines family kept its entire milo crop to use for cattle feed. This grain shortfall hit them hard in the pocketbook.
The extended drought has also resulted in downsizing their momma cow herd.
“We’re down between 50-75 head,” Hines says. “Any cows that haven’t produced calves were sold and we haven’t replaced them.”
Other Kansas cattlemen have been forced to liquidate or down-size their herds as well. Hines fears cattlemen in his region will not restock their herds when, and if, better times return.
“A lot of the guys that sold their herds are older and some will retire or find it too difficult to take a chance with cattle again,” he says.
John Schlageck, a Hoxie native, is a leading commentator on agriculture and rural Kansas. He writes for the Kansas Farm Bureau.
KENNEBUNK, Maine (AP) — The “stop, drop and roll” mantra came in handy for a Maine eighth-grader when her cellphone caught fire in her pocket at school.
Kennebunk middle school Principal Jeff Rodman tells the Portland Press Herald the girl heard a popping sound Friday morning and smoke started billowing around her.
Boys were herded from the room so the 14-year-old girl could shed her flaming pants. She also did the “stop, drop and roll” move to help put out the fire. She was treated at a hospital.
Her mother had given her the Apple iPhone 5C two months earlier.
Several northwest Kansas college students were applauded this week for achievements in the fall 2013 semester.
Washburn University announced seven area students were named First Year Experience Scholars, maintaining at least a 3.0 grade-point average in their first semester in college. The students will be honored at a banquet Wednesday.
FYE Scholars included: Hayley Normandin, Damar; Bailie Hennes, Downs; Jeffrey House, Goodland; Nicole Rieth, Grainfield; Lesley Pennington, Hays; Staci Morford, Hill City; and Courtney Copeland, PLainville.
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Katelyn Dinkel, Hays, was named to the Fall 2013 Dean’s Honor List at the University of Saint Mary, Leavenworth. Students named to the list maintained a GPA of 3.5 or better.
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Emily Volker, Hays, was named to the Fall 2013 Dean’s List at Avila University, located in suburban Kansas City. Students named to the list maintained a GPA of 3.5 or better.
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Audrey Elise Doane, Downs, was named to the Fall 2013 Dean’s Academic Honor List at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. Students named to the list maintained a GPA of 3.7 or better.
The Kansas Highway Patrol was very busy on Tuesday.
UPDATE As of 6 a.m. Wednesday the KHP reported 129 property damage crashes,12 injury crashes,475 motorist assists, and 1 fatality crash over the past 24 hour
As of 6 p.m. Tuesday, the KHP reported working 94 property damage crashes, 11 injury crashes, 1 fatality crash and 371 motorist assists during the snowstorm.
Driving is still a challenge. KDOT reports that highways across most of the state are completely snow packed and icy. If you don’t have to drive, stay home.
