POTTAWOTOMIE COUNTY – Kansas game wardens and Pottawatomie County sheriff’s deputies worked together and rescued five adults and three children under the age of six stranded on the Kansas River over the weekend.
According to a social media report, the rescue occurred approximately four miles upstream from St. George. There were no injuries and everyone arrived home safely.
Kansas is prepared for the country’s first coast-to-coast total solar eclipse since 1918.
Most of Kansas will see only a partial eclipse on Monday. More than 90 percent of the sun will be blocked by the moon in Wichita and most of southeastern, central and northwestern Kansas.
The path of totality is where the moon will completely block the sun’s light. The path will travel diagonally across the U.S. from Oregon to South Carolina. A narrow area of northeastern Kansas lies in the path of totality, including in Atchison, Leavenworth, Hiawatha and Marysville.
The peak of the eclipse will occur shortly after 1 p.m.
The Great American Total Solar Eclipse of 2017” as it has been dubbed by some, is sure to be a memorable day as people celebrate this exciting astronomical event.
According to NASA’s website, the sun will be completely obstructed from view for about 2 minutes and 43 seconds. For this reason, Kansas Department of Transportation encourages travelers to take safety precautions and prepare for a safe place to stay and view the event.
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, approximately 200 million people live within driving distance of the eclipse’s path of totality. An increase in traffic and travel time is expected on August 21.
Have you prepared ahead of time for the eclipse? Remember, get into a safe viewing area to watch, NOT the side of the highway! #Eclipse2017 https://t.co/UJFwwtdr3L
— KS Highway Patrol (@kshighwaypatrol) August 18, 2017
Some safety measures to be aware of are included in the list below. Please read carefully and be safe this August 21 – but don’t forget to enjoy this one-in-a-lifetime experience!
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A former lottery computer programmer who’s pleaded guilty in Iowa to running a criminal scheme that allowed him to collect $2 million in lottery winnings in four states is scheduled to be sentenced Tuesday.
A state prosecutor is seeking a 25-year prison term for former Multi-State Lottery Association security director Eddie Tipton.
Assistant Iowa Attorney General Rob Sand says in court documents that Tipton’s “depth of deceit is dumbfounding.” He says justice requires a lengthy prison sentence.
Tipton pleaded guilty in June and admitted writing code that allowed him to predict winners. His attorney is seeking a much lighter sentence of two to three years.
Sand says Tipton has detailed for authorities how he manipulated lottery computers to win lottery games in Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma and Wisconsin.
SUMNER COUNTY — A second earthquake shook Kansas Sunday. It was the third quake over the weekend.
The latest quake at 6:07 p.m. measured a magnitude 2.5, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. I was centered seven miles south of Conway Springs.
At 1a.m. Sunday, a 2.4 magnitude quake was centered approximately three miles southwest of Bluff City in Harper County, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
Just before 8pm. Saturday a quake that measured a magnitude 2.2 was centered seven miles northwest of Caldwell, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
A series of earthquakes shook the same area August 5 and 6. They measured from 2.8 to 3.4, according to the USGS.
There are no reports of damage or injuries from Sunday’s quakes.
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HARPER COUNTY – A second weekend earthquake shook Kansas early Sunday morning. The quake measured a magnitude 2.4 at 1a.m. and was centered approximately three miles southwest of Bluff City in Harper County, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
Just before 8pm. Saturday a quake that measured a magnitude 2.2 was centered seven miles northwest of Caldwell, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
A series of earthquakes shook the same area August 5 and 6. They measured from 2.8 to 3.4, according to the USGS.
There are no reports of damage or injuries from Sunday’s quake, according to the Harper County Sheriff’s Department.
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SUMNER COUNTY – A small earthquake shook portions of Kansas Saturday evening. The quake just before 8pm. measured a magnitude 2.2 and was centered seven miles northwest of Caldwell, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
A series of earthquakes shook the same area August 5 and 6. They measured from 2.8 to 3.4, according to the USGS.
There are no reports of damage or injuries from Saturday’s quake, according to the Sumner County Sheriff’s Department.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Parks officials in Kansas City, Missouri, say an 83-year-old Confederate memorial will be removed after it was vandalized.
The Missouri Division of the United Daughters of the Confederacy asked Kansas City Parks and Recreation officials to remove the monument from its current location to a place of safety. That request came after someone painted what appeared to be a red hammer and sickle on the “Loyal Women of the Old South” memorial late Friday or early Saturday.
Parks officials said Saturday the monument would be removed soon.
The memorial along one of the city’s main streets was erected in 1934 to recognize women who supported the Confederacy. It was a gift from the United Daughters of the Confederacy. It had been at its current location since 1958.
TOPEKA – Staff and members of the community are mourning the death Sunday of a longtime Kansas zoo gorilla who underwent a surgical procedure last week.
In follow-up to an ongoing health condition that had not improved, Tiffany the gorilla was taken to a local medical facility for a CT scan at 10:45 Sunday morning, according to a media release.
The CT scan revealed two abdominal masses. After consulting with a radiologist and surgeon, the masses were identified to be tumors resulting from stage four ovarian cancer.
Tiffany, 49, returned to the Topeka Zoo where a surgical team waited. In addition to the zoo’s veterinary team, Dr. Guernsey-Youngblood of University Veterinary Care Center and consultants from Tallgrass Surgical Center were onsite to evaluate Tiffany. Not long into the surgical procedure, it became evident that the cancer had metastasized to the abdominal wall.
Knowing the full extent of the condition, the procedure paused to evaluate options. “Even if all the cancer affected tissue could have been removed, we just could not see an appropriate way to administer a regimen of chemotherapy to treat the cancer,” said Zoo Director Brendan Wiley. “We made the decision that we felt was best for Tiffany and decided to not wake her up from her surgery.” Just before 3:00 and surrounded by the team of people that cared for her, Tiffany passed away.
Tiffany was loved by many. Regulars at the zoo knew her by name. “She was a big part of the persona of our zoo,” said Wiley. “It seemed like everyone knew who Tiffany was.” As a young gorilla, Tiffany became the community’s sweetheart when she was paired with a gorilla named Max. That affection stayed with her even after Max left for another zoo. Tiffany enjoyed board books and stuffed animals. One of her most intriguing attributes was her attraction to small children. She loved watching kids and kids loved to watch her.
Tiffany was born on July 15, 1968 at the Kansas City Zoo. She arrived at the Topeka Zoo on October 15, 1969. In January of 1983 at the recommendation of the Gorilla Species Survival Plan she moved to the Buffalo Zoo and returned back to Topeka in 1987. She will be missed.
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TOPEKA— A constipated 49-year-old lowland gorilla at the Topeka Zoo in Kansas is recovering after having surgery.
The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that zoo Director Brendan Wiley says the procedure that Tiffany underwent Wednesday went “really well.” A significant amount of stool was found in her colon and was flushed out.
Wiley says the best-case scenario is that she will bounce back. If issues continue, test results will be reviewed to determine how to treat her constipation.
The zoo said staff reported on Friday that the gorilla wasn’t acting like herself. Staff thought a storm the previous night might have upset her, but over the following days, she lost more of her appetite. The surgery was performed to determine why she had been reluctant to eat.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Lt. Gov. Jeff Colyer’s legislative voting record gives insight into the course of policy action he’s certain to sustain if he wins the governor’s race.
The Topeka Capital-Journal reports Colyer generally has avoided hefty policy pronouncements in recent weeks to focus on explaining what type of governor he would be.
Colyer launched a state Legislature career by sponsoring a bill equating the legal status of a fetus at all stages of gestation to that of a living human being.
This anti-abortion position he took as a freshman representative in 2007 reflected his advocacy in the House and Senate through 2010 and his public positions as lieutenant governor for more than six years.
President Donald Trump has nominated Gov. Sam Brownback to serve as U.S. ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom.
SMITH COUNTY – A Kansas man died in an accident just before 8a.m. Sunday in Smith County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2003 Dodge Stratus driven by Trevor L. Rempe, 26, Osborne, was northbound on U.S. 281 just north of Portis.
The driver failed to negotiate a curve. The vehicle entered the east ditch at U road, became airborne and rolled.
Rempe was pronounced dead at the scene and transported to Clark-Gashaw Mortuary. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.
GEARY COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on drug charges.
Just before 4:30a.m. Friday, deputies with the Geary County Sheriff’s office stopped a vehicle on U.S. Highway 77. They arrested Joseph A. Smith, South Haven, Mississippi and Jerry M. Smith, Memphis, Tennessee on suspicion of Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and No Drug Tax Stamp.
They are expected in court next week.
BY JIM MCLEAN
News of White House strategist Steve Bannon’s resignation broke Friday afternoon during U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran’s town hall meeting in Topeka.
The second-term Republican was fielding questions about President Donald Trump’s fitness for office when a man in the back of the American Legion hall reading the news on his cell phone shouted that Bannon was out.
“We have breaking news during my town hall meeting,” Moran quipped as many in the crowd applauded.
In an interview after the meeting, Moran said he hoped that Bannon’s departure and the presence of a new chief of staff — former Marine Gen. John Kelly — would bring more order to what to date has been a relatively dysfunctional White House.
“I assume that the president made a decision that his administration will perform better in the absence of Steve Bannon, and I look forward to the administration coming together in a greater level of hope that the country will be less divided,” Moran said.
Moran, one of the few Republican members of Congress to earlier this week directly criticize the president for his ambivalent statements about last weekend’s violence in Charlottesville, Va., said infighting among Trump’s senior staff had made it difficult to work with the White House.
“We’ve seen the difficult times this White House has had in having a message and knowing what that message is and staying on that message,” he said. “We saw that with Charlottesville. We had three different statements and (it) was therefore hard to know exactly where the president was.”
Prior to joining Trump’s campaign a year ago, Bannon headed the conservative Breitbart News, where he created a platform for the so-called “alt right,” a movement that includes white nationalists.
Though he said he had never met Bannon, Moran said he had seen reports indicating he was leader of one of the warring factions that had created a “very divisive world at the White House.”
Jim McLean is managing director of the Kansas News Service, a collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio and KMUW covering health, education and politics. You can reach him on Twitter @jmcleanks.
