WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Authorities say a man has been rescued from the Arkansas River in Wichita.
KWCH-TV reports that the rescue happened around 2:15 a.m. Thursday near the Lincoln Street Bridge. Police described the rescued man as a swimmer. He is expected to be OK.
No other information about the rescue was immediately available.
By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post
ELLIS COUNTY – Ellis County celebrated the reopening of a bridge southwest of Hays Tuesday morning with a ribbon cutting ceremony.
According to Public Works Director Bill Ring, the bridge located on 180th Avenue over the Smokey Hill River southwest of Hays, was considered fracture critical, meaning that if a portion of the bridge were to fail, the entire structure could collapse.
County Commissioner Dean Haselhorst said the county is grateful for the help from the Kansas Department of Transportation.
“A lot of times when people think of KDOT you’re thinking of I-70, 183 the main corridors that go across Kansas and to have KDOT partner with us out in rural Ellis County it’s a great opportunity,” said Haselhorst.
The county took advantage of a Kansas Department of Transportation grant that made it an 80-20 split between the two entities. Ellis County was responsible for 20-percent of the $1 millon project. The county also covered the preliminary engineering costs.
The new structure replaces the previous bridge that had been in place since the 1940s.
Ring said there are more than 200 bridges in Ellis County and said it takes “a lot of revenue to keep this operation going.”
Crews completed construction on a second bridge northwest of Hays on Yocemento Avenue earlier this year.
I would like to state my sincere appreciation to Congressman Tim Huelskamp and his staff for their assistance in resolving a recent issue at Hays Regional Airport.
Last month, equipment that monitors air speed, temperature, humidity and other conditions broke. Unfortunately, the Federal Aviation Administration was being quite slow in replacing the equipment. Further, they would not allow the city of Hays to fix the equipment itself, allow manual weather observations or use any of the other ten weather stations in town.
Without this information, it would not be safe for flights to take off or land. This could have severely impacted operations at the airport.
Several federally elected officials were contacted to see if a mutually agreeable solution could be reached so operations would not be impacted. Within a few hours of being contacted, Congressman Huelskamp’s office had already scheduled a meeting with the FAA and the issue was resolved within 48 hours. Over the ensuing weeks, his office followed up with the FAA to ensure such a situation does not occur again.
I want to publicly thank Congressman Huelskamp and his staff for their efforts. I believe without his personal intervention a positive outcome would not have been possible.
James Meier
Commissioner, City of Hays
Photos by Harrison Brent
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Sponsored by World Pest Control
HPL
Scared of snakes? You may want to avoid the library on Friday! It’s World Snake Day and the library has all-day programs for those who are eager to learn more about those slithering reptiles.
Snake Pillows – This DIY project will be held in the young adult department at 11 AM and in the children’s department from 2 PM to 4 PM. You need to reserve your space for this program and can do so by visiting our online calendar at hayspublib.org.
International Snake Day Presentation – The Sternberg Museum will present a “lively” presentation on snakes at 1 PM in the Schmidt Gallery. There will even be some snake themed snacks! This program is for all ages.
Scary Movie Night – The young adult department will host a scary movie night for teens beginning at 7 PM. Parental permission is strongly encouraged.
For more information about these and other programs and events, call 785.625.9014 or visit www.hayspublib.org.
SHAWNEE COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities in Shawnee County are investigating a bank robbery and asking for help to identify a suspect, according to a media release.
Just after 5:30 on Wednesday, police responded to the US Bank 1064 Southwest Wanamaker in Topeka after a robbery. A suspect entered the bank and demanded money from a teller. He did not display a weapon. He left in an older silver car.
A suspect described as a white male, 30-40 years of age, medium height, slender build and wearing a black short sleeve t-shirt over a gray long sleeve shirt, baggy gray pants and white and gray tennis shoes, blue and black ball cap and dark glasses.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Topeka Police.
HAYS – A split for the Hays Larks Wednesday at Larks Park. Liberal won the completion of Tuesday’s series opener 10-3 but the Larks (24-8, 20-7 JL) came back to take the regularly scheduled game 10-7.
Frank Leo Postgame
Game Highlights
Liberal manager Carlos Lezcano played the first game under protest when he was forced to take out a pitcher in the sixth inning after his first visit to the mound on Tuesday night. The game resumed Wednesday with one out in the bottom of the sixth with the Larks trailing 4-2. They had runners on second and third with one out and Garrett McKinzie at the plate. McKinzie popped up then Andy Shadid struck out. Liberal (15-16, 14-15 JL) then scored a run in the seventh, three in the eighth and two in the ninth.
D.J. Carr (4-3) allowed four runs on nine hits with four strikeouts and one walk and suffered the loss.
The Larks overcame a 3-0 first inning deficit in the second contest. Starter Alex Lopez (6-0) gave up a two-run homer to Kyle Knauth then a solo shot to Cale O’Donnell but settled down to pick up the win. Lopez allowed four runs on nine hitsw ith four strikeouts and two walks.
Andy Shadid hit his second grand slam of the season in the second to give the Larks the lead for good. Fort Hays State’s Alex Weiss added a solo shot to lead off a four-run sixth inning.
Ty Redington and Mikey Gangwish each had three of the Larks 14 hits.
The Larks, who are 4-4 in the second half of Jayhawk League play and trail the Bee Jays by two games, look to make up some ground when they close out the series Thursday night. Free admission courtesy of Emprise Bank and AFLAC. It’s also Educators Night with the first 100 educators receiving a T-Shirt. You can also hear the game on KAYS (1400-AM, 94.3-FM) beginning at 6:45 pm.
Chance of thunderstorms will continue through the start of the weekend.
Today Showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 11am. High near 86. East wind 9 to 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall 
amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Tonight A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 9pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 65. East wind 5 to 10 mph.
Friday A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 2pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 87. Southeast wind 5 to 15 mph.
Friday NightA 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 66. Southeast wind 8 to 14 mph.
SaturdayA 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91.
Saturday NightA 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 72.
SUBMITTED
Fort Hays State University and the American Red Cross are hosting an upcoming blood drive.
Please join our lifesaving mission and schedule an appointment today. Walk-ins are also welcome.
Drive Details:
Site: Comeau Campus Center
Address: 506 W. 6th, Comeau Campus Center, Hays
Room Name: Activity Center
Date: Fri Jul 15, 2016
Time: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
It’s the blood products on the shelves today that help save lives in an emergency. Currently, the American Red Cross has less than a five day supply of blood on hand.
Visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS for your lifesaving appointment to donate.
The need for blood is constant and only volunteer donors can fulfill that need for patients in our community. Nationwide, someone needs a unit of blood every 2 to 3 seconds and most of us will need blood in our lifetime.
HUTCHINSON— A Kansas man who managed to post bond in a case where he’s charged with two counts of aggravated criminal sodomy was taken to jail Wednesday afternoon on warrants for failing to register as a sex offender.
Richard Dean McHenry, 55, was in court for a waiver-status docket and the case was continued until Aug. 24, but deputies were waiting to serve the warrant for his arrest.
He was taken to jail for failure to register at least a couple of times according Sheriff Captain Steve Lutz.
McHenry will have to post a bond again.
He has a prior conviction for aggravated criminal sodomy for a case from 2000 in Jefferson County and is required to register as a sex offender.
He is expected back in court next week.
HARVEY COUNTY- Two people were injured in an accident just after 9:30p.m. on Wednesday in Harvey County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1993 Honda motorcycle driven by Christopher Hilger, 29, Wichita, was southbound on Interstate 135 just south of Kansas 196.
The motorcycle had a tire issue. The driver lost control and had to lay the motorcycle over.
Hilger and a passenger Shelli M. Matzek, 34, Wichita, were transported to Wesley Medical Center.
They were both wearing helmets, according to the KHP.
