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Report: 1st US case of germ resistant to last resort drug

CREDIT CREATIVE COMMONS-PIXABAY
CREDIT CREATIVE COMMONS-PIXABAY

MIKE STOBBE, AP Medical Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Officials are reporting the first U.S. human case of bacteria resistant to an antibiotic used as a last resort drug.

The 49-year-old woman has recovered. But officials fear that if the resistance spreads to other bacteria, the country may soon see germs impervious to all antibiotics.

The woman had gone to a military clinic in Pennsylvania for a urinary tract infection. Tests found she had E. coli bacteria resistant to colistin, an antibiotic of last resort. She was successfully treated for the superbug with other antibiotics.

Bacteria resistant to the colistin have been found in other countries but not in people in the U.S. The woman had not traveled recently outside the country.

Military officials reported the case Wednesday.

One of the busiest ever for Memorial Day travel

gas fuel pumpWASHINGTON (AP) — The lowest gas prices in more than a decade could make this Memorial Day one of the busiest ever on the roads.

AAA projects some 38 million people will travel 50 miles or more over the holiday weekend. That’s about 700,000 more than last year and the most since 2005. And the auto club says the overwhelming majority of those travelers — 89 percent — plan to go by car.

The average price for a gallon of regular is a $2.30 nationwide, about 34 cents less than a year ago, and AAA estimates that Americans have saved more than $15 billion on gas so far this year.

AAA also cites rising personal income and a strong labor market as factors encouraging Americans to head to the beaches, mountains and other destinations this Memorial Day weekend.

Ronald J. Waldschmidt

Russell, Kansas – Ronald J. Waldschmidt, age 70, died Wednesday, May 25, 2016, at the Russell Regional Hospital, Russell, Kansas.

Services are pending at Cline’s Mortuary of Hays, 1919 East 22nd Street, Hays, Kansas 67601.

Kansas launches new campaign finance website amid criticism

Screen Shot 2016-05-26 at 3.03.59 PMTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission has launched a new campaign finance website that officials say might not address the public’s needs.

The website aimed to give people easier access to information about which political candidates are receiving money and who’s contributing to campaigns, The Lawrence Journal-World reported.

Carol Williams, who heads the commission, said the website won’t address many of the concerns raised in a new national report that says most states have campaign finance websites that are confusing, difficult to navigate and often provide inaccurate information.

Williams said she believes the new website is easier to navigate but that the data itself is still the same. It’s composed mainly of PDFs, which are hard for users to search or navigate because many of them are handwritten.

1 hospitalized after vehicle hydroplanes on I-70, sideswipes semi

Wet drive on I-70 Thursday KDOT camera image
Wet drive on I-70 Thursday KDOT camera image

RILEY COUNTY – One person was injured in an accident just before 1:30p.m. on Thursday in Dickinson County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2014 Mitsubishi passenger car driven by Shannon M. Timm, 41, Phoenix, AZ., was westbound on Interstate 70 just west of Tallgrass Road.

The vehicle hydroplaned on the wet surface and sideswiped a semi.

Timm was transported to the hospital in Manhattan.

The semi driver Bradley C. Pooler, 50, Delphos, was not injured.

Both drivers were properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

Mildred M. Littler

Mildred M. Littler, 95, La Crosse, Kansas, died Wednesday, May 25, 2016, at Rush County Memorial Hospital Long Term Care, La Crosse, Kansas.

Mrs. Littler was born September 2, 1920, in rural Ness County, Kansas, the daughter of George and Marie (Jedlicka) Seuser.  She was a lifelong resident of Ness and Rush Counties.  A 1939 graduate of Bison High School, Bison, Kansas, she was a homemaker.

She was a member of the United Methodist Church, La Crosse, Kansas.

On April 19, 1942, she married Melvin F. Littler at Hays, Kansas.  He preceded her in death June 24, 2011.

Survivors include:  one son, Frank Littler (Elaine), McCracken, Kansas; two daughters, Carol Herdman (Terry), Blacksburg, Virginia, and Pat Miller (Terry), La Crosse, Kansas; seven grandchildren, Scott Littler, Brenda Rosenlund, Kirk Herdman, Darwin Herdman, Kimbra Melton, Leanne Miller, and Deanna Stevens-Heier; 15 great grandchildren; six great great grandchildren; and one brother, George Seuser, Jr., Marquette, Kansas.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; one brother, William “Bill” Seuser; and one sister, Marguerite Albers.

Visitation will be Friday, May 27, 2016, from 4:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. at the Janousek Funeral Home, La Crosse, Kansas, with the family receiving friends from 6:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M.

Church visitation will be Saturday, May 28, 2016, from 1:00 P.M. to 1:50 P.M. at the United Methodist Church, La Crosse, Kansas.

Funeral service will be Saturday, May 28, 2016, at 2:00 P.M. at the United Methodist Church, La Crosse, Kansas, with Reverend Janice Farrell officiating.  Interment will be in the McCracken City Cemetery, McCracken, Kansas.

Memorials are suggested to the Rush County Memorial Hospital Long Term Care Activity Fund, La Crosse, Kansas, or the United Methodist Church, La Crosse, Kansas.

Condolences or remembrances may be left for the family at www.charterfunerals.com/locations/janousek-lacrosse.php.

Arrangements were by Janousek Funeral Home, 719 Pine Street, P O Box 550, La Crosse, Kansas 67548, 785/222-2517.

Governor Brownback views Dickinson Co. Tornado Damage

View from the air over Dickinson County on Thursday-photo Kan. Division of Emergency Mgmt
View from the air over Dickinson County on Thursday-photo Kan. Division of Emergency Mgmt

Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback and Maj. Gen. Lee Tafanelli, the adjutant general and director of the Kansas Division of Emergency Management, visited Dickinson County and the Abilene area today, assessing the damage caused by a tornado that touched down north of Abilene. Brownback and Tafanelli took an aerial tour of the tornado damage.  While on the ground in Abilene, Brownback and Tafanelli were given an update from county emergency management and Incident Management Team officials.

“Our thoughts are with all those affected by Wednesday night’s tornadoes,” said Brownback. “The local and statewide teams that are on site have done great work helping initial recovery efforts. With additional rounds of dangerous weather expected, I encourage everyone to remain aware of weather conditions and take action to be safe.”

The Kansas Division of Emergency Management staff in the State Emergency Operations Center in Topeka continues to monitor storm activities across Kansas.  Additional storms are predicted to move across Kansas starting during the afternoon/evening hours of Thursday,

Gov.Sam Brownback and Maj. Gen. Lee Tafanelli survey tornado damage from the air
Gov.Sam Brownback and Maj. Gen. Lee Tafanelli survey tornado damage from the air

May 27 into Saturday, May 29.

Wichita teachers vote for shorter school year, longer day

school fundingWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Union officials say Wichita teachers have approved a plan to lengthen the school day and shorten the year.

United Teachers of Wichita president Steve Wentz tells The Wichita Eagle that nearly 70 percent of the more than 4,000 ballots the union received Wednesday morning were in favor of the proposed calendar.

The calendar was proposed as a way to trim about $3 million from next year’s budget. It’ll shorten the school year by 15 days for Wichita students and lengthen the school day by 30 minutes.

The Wichita school board must approve the proposed change. Members are expected to approve an addendum to this year’s teacher contract noting the calendar change, as well as a new calendar for the 2016-17 school year, during its June 6 meeting.

Kan. man enters plea in 5-year-old girl’s chase-related shooting death

McGowan
McGowan

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A man faces life in prison now that he’s admitted in federal court that he kidnapped his Kansas girlfriend’s 5-year-old daughter and killed her during a police chase.

Thirty-two-year-old Marcas McGowan pleaded guilty Thursday in Kansas City to charges of kidnapping resulting in death, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.

Authorities allege McGowan abducted Cadence Harris on July 18, 2014, after a domestic dispute in the Atchison, Kansas, home they shared with the girl’s mother.

During an ensuring chase in which McGowan fired at police, authorities pursuit him into Missouri before officers shot McGowan after they say he pointed a gun at them in Leavenworth, Kansas.

Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 6. Both sides have agreed to recommend a sentence of life on the kidnapping charge.

Kan. Senate leader seeks vote against Obama’s LGBT directive to schools

Susan Wagle
Susan Wagle

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Senate President Susan Wagle wants the chamber to vote next week on a resolution condemning a recent federal directive on accommodating transgender students in public schools.

Wagle’s office disclosed Thursday that she is drafting a nonbinding Senate resolution to be considered next week, when lawmakers have a brief ceremony scheduled to formally adjourn their annual session. Wagle sent an email to GOP senators Wednesday evening.

President Barack Obama’s administration earlier this month directed public schools to allow transgender students to use the restrooms associated with their gender identities rather than their birth genders.

Many GOP officials in Kansas question whether the Democratic president’s administration has the legal authority to issue such a directive.

LGBT-rights advocate Tom Witt said Thursday that lawmakers are singling out transgender children for harassment.

Road work planned in Ellis County

Kansas Department of Transportation

Starting in early June, the Kansas Department of Transportation will begin work on a pair of mill and inlay projects in Ellis County.

The first project will cover an 11-mile portion of U.S. 183 from the south city limit of Hays to the Rush County line. Upon completion of the work on U.S. 183, KDOT will begin an additional resurfacing project on K-247 from the north city limit of Ellis to the north side of the I-70 junction at Exit 145.

Traffic through the construction zones will be reduced to one lane and controlled by flaggers and a pilot car operation during daylight hours. Minor delays, not exceeding 15 minutes, should be expected. KDOT encourages motorists to slow down, obey the warning signs and “Give ‘em a Brake!” when approaching and driving through work zones. Both projects are expected to be completed by the end of June, weather permitting.

Venture Corporation of Great Bend is the primary contractor for the projects with contract costs totaling approximately $1.5 million for the U.S. 183 project and $144,000 for the K-247 project. The projects are funded by T-WORKS, the transportation program passed by the Kansas legislature in May 2010. Find out more about this and other T-WORKS projects at https://kdotapp.ksdot.org/TWORKS.

For more information on the Ellis county projects, contact KDOT area construction engineer Nick Rogers at 785-625-9718 or [email protected].

Hays USD 489 superintendent search process almost over

By JAMES BELL
Hays Post

The Hays USD 489 Board of Education will meet at 12:30 p.m. Friday in the Toepfer Board Room, 323 W. 12th, to take action on the superintendent position.

The board interviewed four candidates in the last two weeks to fill the position that will be vacated by current Superintendent Dean Katt.

Katt announced his retirement from the district in early February to take a position  with the Independence, Mo., school district in human resources.

The four candidates interviewed are all currently serving as superintendents within Kansas and are listed as follows in order of their interview date.

 

 

 

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