Beginning as early as January 6, a project to replace the bridge over Middle Ladder Creek along K-27 Highway in Wallace County will begin.

The bridge is located approximately one mile north of the Wallace/Greeley County line.

Workers will start placing signs and traffic control devices on or around January 6 – weather permitting.

The bridge is 50 years old, according to a news release from the Kansas Department of Transportation.  The scope of the project includes replacing the existing bridge which was constructed in 1963.

The construction work will be completed in phases. The first phase includes earthwork and installing a temporary shoo-fly detour which will be located east of the existing bridge.

“Traffic will not be affected during the first phase of construction,” reports KDOT Area Engineer Mathew Withington. “The second phase of the project includes construction of the new bridge structure during the first part of April. At that time, drivers will then utilize the temporary shoo fly detours to navigate around the construction.”

KDOT awarded the construction contract – totaling $2.4 million – to L & M Contractors, Inc., of Great Bend.

Weather permitting this project will be completed by fall of 2014.

The bridge replacement project is funded by T-WORKS, the transportation program passed by the Kansas Legislature in May of 2010.

FROM THE KANSAS HEALTH INSTITUTE

Topeka, KS — A two-year study has just concluded that examined the process of health assessment and improvement planning in Kansas communities. Community health assessment (known as CHA) is a process of systematically collecting and analyzing data about health, health care status, issues and needs within a defined population. Community health improvement planning (CHIP) is the step that follows, which utilizes results from the CHA to identify and implement strategies to improve health within that community.

In 2010, the Public Health Accreditation Board issued the first set of criteria for use in the accreditation process of state and local health departments. Those criteria included requirements for health departments to complete community health assessments and community health improvement plans at least once every five years. Furthermore, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (ACA) also set new requirements for tax-exempt, nonprofit hospitals to conduct community health assessments at least once every three years.

An issue brief has been released that summarizes the results of this study conducted by the Kansas Health Institute and the University of Kansas School of Medicine – Wichita, in a collaborative effort with statewide public health practitioners (i.e., health departments and hospitals). The information for this study was gathered through various focus groups and surveys about CHA/CHIP experiences and outcomes in Kansas between 2012 and 2013.

Key findings of the study showed that many CHA/CHIP activities have already been initiated in Kansas communities and have reported progress. In addition, public health practitioners (i.e., health departments and hospitals) have reported an increase of confidence to complete a CHA/CHIP.

More than 40 people have become ill after eating at a Garden City sandwich shop.

The Finney County Health Department issued a news release Saturday saying it’s working in conjunction with Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Kansas Department of Agriculture and Jimmy John’s to find the cause of the numerous cases of gastrointestinal illnesses that have been associated with eating at Jimmy John’s in Garden City.

Those who’ve become sick have eaten at Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches, 503 East Kansas Avenue, on December 11, 2013 or after, according to Finney County Health Department Administrator Ashley Goss.

Currently the Health Department has been notified of more than 40 cases of the gastrointestinal illness. The symptoms are much like the stomach flu, including vomiting, diarrhea, and fever in some cases, muscle and joint aches as well as fatigue.

The Kansas Department of Agriculture has conducted their inspection of the facility as required.

Any findings have been corrected and require no further action.

PRATT – If you’re dreaming of warmer weather and making plans for next year’s state park fun, you can reserve your favorite campsite, beginning at noon Friday, Dec. 20.

In addition, many Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) 2014 permits and licenses went on sale Monday, Dec. 16, 2013, and they are valid through the rest of 2013 and all of 2014.

Camping and cabin reservations guarantee the holder their spot will be open and ready when they arrive at the park. All of KDWPT’s 121 cabins can be reserved year-round, up to 364 days in advance. About half of each individual park’s sites are reservable for the camping season, which is April 1-Sept. 30, 2014.

Payment in full is required at the time a reservation is made. Reserving a cabin requires a non-refundable $14 reservation fee. Reserving a campsite requires a non-refundable $3 reservation fee per stay.

When you renew your vehicle tags and registration, you can purchase Kansas State Parks Passports for $15. State Parks Passports will get you into any state park for a year and represent significant savings over traditional annual vehicle permits, which are still available at KDWPT offices for $25. Daily vehicle entrance permits are $5. Annual vehicle permits for seniors and persons with disabilities are available through department offices for $13.75.

From the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism

Topeka – Kansas Governor Sam Brownback announced in a news release today recent appointments to boards and commissions.

Solid Waste Grants Advisory Committee
The advisory committee serves to award grants to cities, counties, and other municipalities. These grants pay for up to 75% of project costs for any projects relating to development or operation of recycling, source reduction, waste minimization and solid waste management public education programs.

• Stacy Neilson, Kinsley, is being reappointed to a two year term. Ms. Neilson currently works for the Edwards County Conservation District.
• Charles Peckham, Atwood, is being reappointed to a two year term. Mr. Peckham earned a bachelor degree from Washburn University, a master’s degree from Ohio State University, and a law degree from University of Kansas, School of Law. He currently is a partner at Brown, Creighton & Peckham.

Northwest Kansas Library System

NWKLS is one of seven regional library systems in Kansas, which provides cooperative support to all types of libraries in a sparsely populated region of Kansas.  There are ten counties in Northwest Kansas that participate: Cheyenne, Decatur, Gove, Logan, Norton, Sheridan, Sherman, Thomas, Trego, and Wallace, with a total population of 37,610.  The system serves 21 public libraries, 33 school libraries, 2 academic libraries, and 3 special libraries.

• Bette James, Hoxie, is being reappointed to serve a four year term. Ms. James earned a bachelor and master’s degree from Fort Hays State University. She currently works as a Copy Editor for Imaging Notes and LBx Journal.

(TOPEKA)— Sandy Praeger, Kansas Commissioner of Insurance,  announced today in a news release the Kansas Insurance Department (KID) will receive $510,146 in settlement funds from seven different insurance companies following a review of the companies’ death benefit practices.

The department has or will receive the following amounts from these insurance companies: ING, $114,726; New York Life, $110,255; Lincoln National, $78,182; TransAmerica, $67,668; TIAA-CREF, $67,620; Aviva and Global Atlantic, $48,057; and Midland, $23,638. The funds are the Kansas portion of the national settlements for each company.

Previously, life insurance companies used the Social Security Death Master File to search for and stop payments to deceased annuity holders, but they hadn’t used the database to identify deceased life insurance policyholders in order to pay beneficiaries promptly. Under the settlement agreement, they now have to.

The settlement money, under Kansas law, goes to the state’s general fund budget.