The Ellis County Public Works Road & Bridge Division has announced that Union Pacific will be performing railroad crossing maintenance on the crossing located at Walker Avenue and Highway 40, reference DOT #814307L, MM 275.46.
The maintenance will begin at 7 a.m. Thursday and will last through Saturday.
Motorists traveling in the affected area should use alternate routes of travel until the project is completed.
Please direct any questions to Union Pacific at 303-405-5031
KANSAS CITY (AP) — Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday seeking to stop a Missouri law that bans abortions beyond the eighth week of pregnancy from taking effect Aug. 28.
Lawyers for the ACLU and Planned Parenthood Reproductive Health Services of St. Louis argued in the lawsuit that the bill signed by Gov. Mike Parson in May is unconstitutional. They want the federal court to issue a preliminary injunction and/or a temporary restraining order to stop enforcement of the law until the lawsuit is decided.
The new law is considered one of the most restrictive in the country because it doesn’t include exceptions for rape or incest, and would allow the state to charge any provider who performs abortions at or after eight weeks with a felony that could bring a sentence of up to 15 years.
The organizations argue that if the court doesn’t stop the law from taking effect their patients will be severely restricted from accessing pre-viability abortions “preventing the vast majority of patients from obtaining the constitutionally protected medical care they seek.”
Parson’s spokeswoman, Kelli Jones, said the office had no immediate comment. Attorney General Eric Schmitt’s spokesman, Chris Nuelle, office didn’t immediately return a phone call seeking comment. Parson and Schmidt are among the defendants named in the lawsuit.
If courts don’t uphold the eight-week ban, the bill includes a series of less-restrictive bans ranging from 14 weeks up to 20 weeks. The bill also bans abortions based solely on race, sex or a diagnosis indicating the potential for Down syndrome.
Federal law allows states to prohibit abortions after fetuses are viable outside the womb, which can be from 24 to 28 weeks.
Missouri’s bill also includes an outright ban on abortions except in cases of medical emergencies, but that would take effect only if Roe v. Wade is overturned.
“We are in the fight of our lives to protect abortion for 1.1 million Missouri women of reproductive age in our state,” Dr. Colleen McNicholas, chief medical officer of Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region, said in a statement. “The attacks are relentless, but our commitment to our patients’ rights and freedoms is unwavering.”
Planned Parenthood Reproductive Health Services of St. Louis currently is the only abortion provider in Missouri. The clinic sued state health officials in May, accusing them of using facility licensing rules to close the clinic.
The ACLU also is seeking to collect signatures to put the eight-week ban to a statewide vote in 2020 but Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft has not yet approved the petition. With only a month left until the law takes effect, the organization is running out of time to collect the 100,000 signatures needed to force a referendum.
The City of Liebenthal is seeking one or more individuals to fill the following part time positions. A valid driver’s license is required. Individuals seeking to fill multiple positions will be given priority in hiring.
Anyone interested is asked to submit inquiries and contact information to [email protected] or by calling 785-259-8778.
K-State Research & Extension
COLBY — Come celebrate 30 years of K-State’s progress with subsurface drip irrigation for field crops. The event will take place at the Northwest Research and Extension Center in Colby on Wednesday, Aug. 7, from 2:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Much has been learned these past 30 years and we would like to share our thoughts with you and also hear about your successes and challenges. The focus will be on strategies to make SDI last, make it pay, optimize crop production, and make wiser use of our limited water resource.
In addition to research and extension presentations, there will be a panel discussion by SDI producers from around the region. A continuously running trade show is also planned. The afternoon field tour will begin at 3:00 pm. Everyone should plan to be present for the 4:30-7:30 slot that will be the trade show, free meal, poster displays, and SDI producers’ panel.
The event is free and open to the public. Pre-registration by July 30 is required to get an accurate meal count. You can register online at https://www.ksre.k-state.edu/sdi/events or by contacting Vicki Brown at [email protected] or 785-462-6281.
MANHATTAN — Firefighters responded to 711 Allison Avenue at 2:28 a.m. on Tuesday for a report of an apartment fire. Crews found a three-story apartment building with fire showing from a third-floor balcony. according to Deputy Fire Chief Ryan Almes.
The occupants of the building were notified by police and were able to exit the structure before firefighters arrived.
The fire reached a second alarm before it was contained.
The building is a three-story 12-unit apartment building. and the fire appears to have started on a third-floor balcony and the damage occurred mostly to the exterior and attic areas of the building.
Investigators determined the fire cause to be accidental. The fire is believed to have started due to improper disposal of smoking materials.
The loss is estimated at $30,000 to the structure and $2,000 to the contents. The owner is listed as Francis Properties, with the resident agent being listed as Patrick Lee of St. George.
WICHITA – Wyatt Divis and Trevor Munsch combined to throw a four-hit shutout as the Hays Larks knocked off the Denver Cougars 2-0 to advance to the First Week semifinals at the NBC World Series at Eck Stadium. The Larks will play the Derby Twins in the feature game at 7 p.m. Wednesday for the right to advance to Championship Week. The Twins eliminated 316 Elite 5-2 Tuesday.
Frank Leo Postgame Interview
Game Highlights
The Larks turned double plays to end the first and second innings. Divis then allowed only one Cougar to reach second base until the eighth when he walked the bases loaded. Munsch entered with two outs and induced a ground ball to shortstop from Nick Schifftner on the first pitch to end the threat. He then worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his first save of the summer.
Divis (6-1) allowed four hits with nine strikeouts and four walks.
Denver starter Adam Artis (0-1) was impressive early, retiring the first nine Larks batters. He worked around two walks in the fourth without giving up a run.
Hays (34-11) finally scored in the fifth. Jerrod Belbin led off the inning with a single to short right field. Taylor Daniell then reached safely on a bunt single. After a popup and a strikeout, Jimmy DeLeon came through with a solid two-out single to left field to drive in Belbin.
Belbin led off the seventh with a double down the right field line. Max McGuire drove him home with a one-out single to center.
SEDGWICK COUNTY — A Kansas man with 16 previous convictions is going back to prison.
On Monday, Sedgwick County Judge Stephen Ternes sentenced 37-year-old Samuel Haley to 41 months for the 2017 burglary of a home in Wichita, according to the district attorney’s office.
Haley with a long history of burglary and theft was found guilty of stealing $400,000 in guns and jewelry from the home. Investigators say he took antique jewelry, a Civil War-era revolver and other property.
A detective posed as a potential buyer and arrested Haley at a Wichita hotel. Court records say some of the jewelry was found in Haley’s backpack and more was in a storage facility.
Police returned most of the stolen items to their owners.
The judge also ordered Haley to pay $70,000 in restitution, according to the district attorney.
Haley has five previous convictions for burglary, six for theft, one for criminal damage, one for making a false writing, criminal possession of a firearm and for arson, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.
TOPEKA — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting, have one suspect in custody and continue to search for a second suspect.
Just after 11 p.m. July 13, officers were dispatched to 1516 SW 16th Street in Topeka on a report of a shooting, according to Lt. Aaron Jones. Upon arrival, officers located a victim suffering from life-threating injuries. The victim was transported to a local hospital for treatment of his injures.
Witnesses reported seeing a dark colored vehicle leaving the area northbound at a high rate of speed
On Sunday, police arrested Jihad Anwar Keys, 20 years old in connection to this investigation on requested charges of Aggravated Battery, Felon in Possession of Firearm, and Aggravated Assault.
On Monday, 21-year-old Anthony Soto came to the Law Enforcement Center on his own accord. After speaking with investigators, he was later released. Investigators are still attempting to locate and speak with 19-year-old Larry D. Huggins.
OFFICE OF GOV.
TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly signed Senate Bill 128 into law on April 10, 2019, changing the number of safety drills K-12 schools in Kansas must perform each year from 16 to nine.
As schools across the state of Kansas know, Senate Bill 109 changed the landscape of how K-12 schools conducted school drills. When Senate Bill 109 passed in 2018, schools were required to change the number and type of drills conducted during the school year. The change required schools to conduct nine crisis drills, four fire drills and three tornado drills during the school year, for a total of sixteen drills per school year. The change was positive in bringing about crisis drills to schools. However, the total number of drills proved to be overwhelming for many school districts.
With that in mind, Senate Bill 128 was introduced to change the number of drills required for schools. The bill changes the total number of drills from 16 to nine. Schools must conduct at least two tornado drills (one in September and one in March), three crisis drills and four fire drills per school year.
Crisis drills should reflect events that have a potential to occur in your school and can include, but are not limited to, things such as a water main break, earthquake, missing student, hazardous spills, intruders, active shooters or medical emergencies.
The new law went into effect July 1, 2019 and will be in effect for the 2019-2020 school year. Updated information and the new K-12 School Drills Form, reflecting the changes in the drill requirements, are posted on our website at https://firemarshal.ks.gov/information-on/schools—usd-k-12.
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — A former University of Kansas football player has pleaded not guilty to allegations that he choked a woman and pointed a shotgun in her face.
Nineteen-year-old Kenny Evel Bastida waived his right to a preliminary hearing Tuesday and pleaded not guilty to aggravated assault and aggravated battery and two misdemeanors, criminal damage to property and possession of marijuana.
A woman told university police that Bastida assaulted her May 15 at Stouffer Place Apartments on campus. She said he then loaded a shell into a shotgun and pointed at her face.
KU Athletics officials say Bastida, a linebacker from Pompano Beach, Florida, was no longer with the football team a month before the alleged attack but didn’t say why.
His trial is scheduled for Nov. 6.
By JOHN P. TRETBAR
Monday’s cash price for light sweet crude on the Nymex was $56.85/barrel. By midday Tuesday the near-month futures contract was up 28 cents to $57.15. London Brent was up 36 cents a barrel to $64.07. Monday’s price for Kansas Common crude at CHS in McPherson was $47 a barrel.
Independent Oil & Gas Service reports 17 newly-completed wells for the week, 823 so far this year. Operators filed 32 permits for drilling at new locations. That’s 550 so far this year. There is one new permit in Barton County, two in Ellis County and one in Stafford County.
Independent Oil & Gas Service reported ten active drilling rigs in eastern Kansas, up two from last week, and 26 in Western Kansas, up one. Operators are drilling on one lease in Ellis County and preparing to spud a well on another. Drilling also was underway at one site in Barton County. Baker Hughes reported 946 active rigs nationwide, down three oil rigs and down five seeking natural gas. North Dakota’s count was down eight rigs from the week before. Louisiana was down four and Oklahoman was down two.
The government reported a decline in U.S. crude oil inventories. In its weekly report, the Energy Information Administration said current stockpiles total 445 million barrels, down 10.8 million barrels from the week before. U.S. crude oil production slowed down last week. The government reported total crude production of 11.259 million barrels per day for the week ending July 19. That’s down nearly 700-thousand barrels from the week before. Imports averaged seven million barrels per day, an increase of nearly 200,000 barrels per day.
As much as $9 billion will be needed over the next decade just to throw away dirty water in the world’s busiest shale field. That’s according to analysis by research firm Raymond James & Associates as reported by Bloomberg. As the Permian Basin in Texas and New Mexico shifts further into what analyst Marshall Adkins calls “manufacturing mode,” water produ tion growth will create the need for nearly 1,000 additional salt water disposal wells by the year 2030.
Health officials in Colorado are proposing new regulations on the oil and gas industry to reduce air pollution. In an effort to comply with federal ozone limits, regulators on Monday proposed mandatory inspections twice a year to find and repair leaks, eliminating some permit exemptions, and requiring comprehensive annual self-reporting on pollution levels.
The U.S. continues to ship more oil by rail than in years past, but the increases are slowing. According to the Association of American Railroads, 12,121 tanker cars shipped petroleum and petroleum products during the week ending July 20, an increase of more than nine percent over the same week a year ago. The cumulative total so far this year is 22% higher than the same figure a year ago. Canada’s oil-by-rail traffic last week increased more than 35% compared to a year earlier.
Reuters and other international news agencies have been following a controversy involving contaminated Russian oil. The Russian plunged into crisis in April when buyers discovered some of Russia’s crude shipments were contaminated with organic chloride, a chemical used in oil recovery but which can damage refining equipment. Since then, several tankers loaded with the tainted crude have struggled to sell their cargoes. In the latest turn, French oil company Total reportedly sold a cargo of contaminated Russian oil to a firm in Poland for its refinery in Lithuania. The Polish firm is diluting the contaminated product with clean oil so it can be processed.
ExxonMobil and its partners expect production to reach 750,000 barrels per day over the next 5 years in the most prolific offshore discovery in recent years. The first oil is expected soon from the Stabroek block off the coast of Guyana. Forbes magazine reports funding is pouring into the country, making Guyana the fastest-growing economy in the Caribbean. Energy analyst group Rystad Energy found that Guyana leads the world in offshore crude oil discoveries since 2015.
Lloyd’s of London reports some huge spikes in war-risk insurance premiums for ships sailing through the Persian Gulf. Market sources tell Lloyd’s List those premiums jumped an additional $500,000 in one case.
Saudi Aramco expects to complete the expansion of an oil pipeline across that country by September, as the kingdom tries to bypass the Strait of Hormuz. The long-planned expansion will give Saudi Arabia the option to ship more oil from the Red Sea rather than the Persian Gulf. The Web site “World Oil” reports the state-owned oil company will finish the project by September, increasing the line’s capacity from five to seven million barrels per day.
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Fossil Energy announced five projects selected to receive a total of nearly $40 million in matching federal funding for research and development of advanced technologies for Enhanced Oil Recovery, or EOR. The projects are hosted in North Dakota, Texas, Wyoming and Michigan. The government hopes to reduce technical risks and expand methods for onshore enhancements in both conventional and unconventional reservoirs.
