News news 2008-08-15 Andanh.com

Kansas River stage Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:57:00 EST
The Kansas River stage in Topeka was 9.92 feet at 4:45 p.m. Thursday.

Police and fire calls Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:57:00 EST
Police calls

Births Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:57:00 EST
St. Francis

Pets Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:58:00 EST
The following animals have been brought to the Helping Hands Humane Society, 2625 N.W. Rochester Road. The telephone number is 233-7325.

Lake levels Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:57:00 EST
Date — Aug. 14

Motion cites double jeopardy Thu, 14 Aug 2008 01:22:00 EST
In trying to stop David Wittig and Douglas Lake from appealing a judge's ruling, federal prosecutors are attempting to deprive the former Westar Energy executives of their constitutional right under the double jeopardy clause, the defendants said in a motion filed earlier this week in U.S. District Court.

Fuel prices down from mid-July Thu, 14 Aug 2008 01:21:00 EST
Fuel prices have reversed direction in the last month, according to figures released by AAA.

Report: State's ACT scores above national average Thu, 14 Aug 2008 01:23:00 EST
High school seniors in Kansas continue to score better on the ACT college entrance exam than their counterparts across the nation, and their marks are slightly higher than they were four years ago.

Silver Lake receives budget updates Thu, 14 Aug 2008 01:23:00 EST
SILVER LAKE — Silver Lake Unified School District 372 board of education members made some final decisions and received a few final updates Wednesday night before students return to classes today.

River swept away son, but not father's faith Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:56:00 EST
MAPLE HILL — One year ago today, John Zapletal, a fifth- and sixth-grade teacher and vice principal at the Catholic school in this Wabaunsee County community, was making plans to take his wife, Linda, out to dinner to celebrate his 45th birthday.

Fleeing driver's jaw gets broken Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:57:00 EST
A use of force board will review whether a Topeka police officer followed procedure this past weekend in a car chase that left a young man with a broken jaw west of the city's Potwin community.

Seaman Middle School opens its doors Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:57:00 EST
Around every corner, the school's new identity is painted on walls.

Daily Dose: Back to the books Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:57:00 EST
Dave Miller simply relaxes while other Kansas superintendents scramble to start school.

Judge gives Hecht more time Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:57:00 EST
Shawnee County District Attorney Robert Hecht has been granted more time to react to the city's request that a judge dismiss his lawsuit seeking to block its purchase of a software system.

County defers hiring action Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:57:00 EST
In some cases, the county would save money by hiring more employees, Shawnee County commissioners were told Thursday.

Man arrested in kidnapping Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:59:00 EST
A Topeka man was arrested Thursday morning after a reported kidnapping and battery incident in northeast Topeka.

Police find missing woman Fri, 15 Aug 2008 01:01:00 EST
A 56-year-old Topeka woman missing from a local care facility since Tuesday morning was located by police around 9 p.m. Thursday.

Preliminary hearing set for Sept. 11 Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:57:00 EST
A 23-year-old man charged with a fatal shooting last month at a southeast Topeka bar will appear at a preliminary hearing Sept. 11, a Shawnee County District Court judge ruled Thursday.

Help sought in homicide Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:57:00 EST
Police detectives are asking for assistance from the public in solving a homicide that occurred last month in East Topeka.

Childhood report to be released Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:57:00 EST
Child care providers in the community are invited to attend a meeting from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday at the Burnett Administrative Center, 624 S.W. 24th. At the meeting, a draft of an early childhood education report will be presented. Input will be sought on the draft. The report is to be presented to the school board in Topeka Unified School District 501 on Thursday.

Road work planned Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:57:00 EST
• The alley in the 600 block between N.E. Freeman and N.E. Twiss will be closed until Aug. 22 so the contractor can fix the alley after sewer repairs. No detour will be provided.

One injured in rollover Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:58:00 EST
An eastbound Ford Explorer flipped over Thursday afternoon on Interstate 70 near I-470 and S.W. Wanamaker.

Six graduate Moving Ahead Program Fri, 15 Aug 2008 01:01:00 EST
Kansas Legal Services will have a ceremony today for the 33rd graduating class of the Topeka Moving Ahead Program.

Most local high school ACT scores fell slightly Fri, 15 Aug 2008 01:01:00 EST
There was mixed news this week for area high schools reviewing their ACT scores.

Canine competition is first of three in 2008 Fri, 15 Aug 2008 01:01:00 EST
By being friendly to canines and their cash-spending owners, Topeka is running with the big dogs in a niche convention market.

Harvest 'Hoo-Haw' corn Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:58:00 EST
WAMEGO — Old jokes and new music are the ingredients for fun in the fourth edition of the Columbian Theatre's "Hoo Haw" country jamboree.

Topeka band to debut CD Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:59:00 EST
Topeka's version of Southern rock and Kansas' roots music queen both take turns in the spotlight this weekend.

This weekend's hottest tickets Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:59:00 EST
Surfer sells out venue

Symphony seeks players Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:58:00 EST
The Topeka Symphony Orchestra will conduct auditions for its 2008-09 season on Sept. 3. The orchestra has openings for principal flute, section horn and section violin, viola, cello and bass. Registration deadline is Aug. 23.

Tryout slated for ballet Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:56:00 EST
Ballet Midwest will conduct auditions Aug. 23 for its Dec. 19-21 production of "The Nutcracker." Auditions will be at Barbara's Conservatory of Dance:

Actors sought for premiere Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:56:00 EST
The Helen Hocker Center for the Performing Arts will conduct auditions from 7 to 10 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday for the premiere production of "One Night Dickie Didn't Come Home," a play by Topeka native Darren Canady.

Weekend calendar Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:59:00 EST
at the clubs

Local racing results Tue, 12 Aug 2008 01:34:00 EST
Dirt Series No. 8

Valentine's day came with Patton's suspension Fri, 15 Aug 2008 01:01:00 EST
MANHATTAN — Not long after starring in the Spring Game, Keithen Valentine turned his attention toward training camp.

Daily Dose: 'Right in the mix of everything' Fri, 15 Aug 2008 01:01:00 EST
Kansas State coach Ron Prince calls Logan Dold one of the biggest surprises of training camp, and the buzz around Manhattan is that Dold could be the Wildcats' No. 2 running back by the start of the season.

KU, K-State both ranked in Playboy preseason poll Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:58:00 EST
To all those reading Playboy for the articles, Kansas is No. 10 and Kansas State is No. 22 in Playboy's Pigskin Preview, which hits newsstands Friday.

Big 12 releases preseason volleyball rankings Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:57:00 EST
Washburn Rural product Kaylee Manns, a junior setter for Iowa State, was named to the All-Big 12 preseason volleyball team released Thursday.

Blocking is back for Chiefs Fri, 15 Aug 2008 01:00:00 EST
It's been two seasons now since the Chiefs last had a real fullback.

Mortensen on Butkus list Fri, 15 Aug 2008 01:02:00 EST
Joe Mortensen has been named to the Butkus Award watch list, joining 65 other players vying for the award, given to the best linebacker in the country.

Four straight homers lead ChiSox Fri, 15 Aug 2008 01:01:00 EST
CHICAGO — Jim Thome's long three-run homer started it. Shortly after he returned to the dugout, the parade really got going.

Birt's return bolsters Bods Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:57:00 EST
It was one of those bad news, good news scenarios for Mitch Birt.

Philips looks to go lean in manufacturing
All they wanted to do was keep up with the production line — and avoid having to work Saturdays to get caught up.Unfortunately, the production line making high-intensity lights at Philips Lighting’s plant in Bath, New York, was turning out 500 or more lamps an hour — while the packaging crew could prep and box about 300 an hour.But rather than seeing their job as putting light bulbs into boxes — in other words, doing the job they were told to do — the women who worked on that packing line started thinking.And by the time they had finished, the 24 to 48 hours a lamp typically spent between coming off the line and going into a box had been reduced to 15 minutes, and the amount of cardboard used in the packaging had been significantly cut. And, with the reduction in packaging, they were able to nearly double the number of lamps they could pack into a given space — resulting in 44 percent fewer trucks needed to ship the same amount of material.The changes have been in place for less than a year, and already saved the company nearly a half-million dollars: It’s not a one-time savings, either.That was just one of more than a dozen stories shared Thursday during Philips Lighting’s Lean Symposium, which brought together teams from Philips plants across North America to Salina for three days to talk about “lean manufacturing,” a way of doing business modeled after Toyota’s long-established and emulated process.

Reporter Mike Strand can be reached at 822-1418 or by e-mail at mstrand@salina.com.

Two Salina boys arrested for attempted breakin
Two 17-year-old Salina boys have been arrested for attempting to break in to Sacred Heart High School through a skylight.The burglary attempt, which was reported to have occurred between 5 p.m. Sunday and 6 a.m. Wednesday, was apparently thwarted by an injury caused by broken glass. Officers found blood on the roof near where the skylight was broken, said Deputy Salina Police Chief Carson Mansfield.Scott D. Hartman, 2015 Raymond, a Sacred Heart student, was arrested Tuesday, and Anthony Santiago, 1115 Andrew, a former student, was arrested Thursday, accused of causing more than $3,550 damage to the skylight, metal exhaust fans, roof vents and a window at the school at 234 E. Cloud, Mansfield said. Mansfield said Hartman received stitches for a deep cut at Salina Regional Health Center Tuesday. When police talked to him about how he received his injury, he reported that he had been attacked by several people, one who used a knife, Mansfield said. Police are seeking an additional charge of falsely reporting a crime against Hartman.

Rogers named co-chair of transportation panel
Tim Rogers’ daily duties are fixed on air traffic, but the Salina Municipal Airport manager knows the importance of all forms of transportation to Salina and Kansas. He was a member of then Gov. Bill Graves’ committee that helped shape the 2000 transportation plan. The 10-year plan is nearing an end.Thursday, Gov. Kathleen Sebelius announced Rogers’ appointment as co-chair — along with Transportation Secretary Deb Miller — of the Transportation-Leveraging Investments in Kansas committee.The 26-member group includes these members from north-central and northwest Kansas: Fred Bailey, owner of Bailey Trucking, Abilene; Rooks County Commissioner Pat Hageman, Plainville; Brenda Herrman, director of public works, Hays; and Joan Brabec of Twin Valley Developmental Services, Greenleaf.

Reporter Tim Unruh can be reached at 822-1419 or by e-mail at tunruh@salina.com.

Car stolen from Central Mall lot
Two suspects are being sought for attempting to steal one vehicle in Salina and successfully stealing another Wednesday afternoon.Jerry L. Taylor, Salina, reported an estimated $400 damage done to his pickup while it was parked in the south parking lot at Dillon’s, 2350 Planet, between 9 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, said Deputy Police Chief Carson Mansfield. A window was shattered and the ignition was damaged.Robert J. Vajnar, Tampa, reported his 1988 tan Chevrolet Chrysler Caprice, with an estimated value of $3,000, was stolen while parked at Central Mall, 2259 S. Ninth, between 12:35 and 2:30 p.m. A witness reported seeing two Hispanic males driving away in the vehicle, Mansfield said.

Abilene pool demolished to make room for new pool
ABILENE — The old municipal swimming pool in Abilene closed for the season Monday, and by Thursday it was reduced to rubble.Only the bathhouse remains from the pool that was built in 1936 as a Works Progress Administration Project. A new $1.8 million pool, will replace it.Last November, voters approved a 0.31/2 percent sales tax to pay for the new pool and an expansion to the public library. In April, the city’s sale sax increased to 7.15 percent as a result of that election.The city will pay $200,000 of the pool project. The remaining $1.6 million will be paid by the sales tax over 10 years, city finance director Eddie Balluch said.

Reporter Tim Unruh can be reached at 822-1419 or by e-mail at tunruh@salina.com.

Boy, 10, says he was shot with BB gun
A 10-year-old boy playing outside at a friend’s house Wednesday reported being shot in the arm by a BB gun from a car driving by. The boys reported they were at a house in the 1100 block of Otto at 8 p.m., when a red, four-door car with four black males in it drove by and a BB was shot out of one of the car’s windows, said Deputy Police Chief Carson Mansfield.The boy was treated at the scene by ambulance personnel, Mansfield said.

Schilling cleanup progressing, but slowly
After almost a year of analysis, Salina has put together a proposal to take cleanup of groundwater contamination at the former Schilling Air Force Base out of the hands of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.Details, such as how much that would cost and what portion the federal government would pay, have yet been disclosed.“It is substantial,” is all Tim Rogers, executive director of the Salina Airport Authority, would say about the estimated cost to complete the cleanup. The federal government has spent well over $20 million on cleanup so far, and its estimates to complete the task run to several times that.The contamination was left behind after the airport was used by the Air Force between 1942 and 1965.

Reporter Duane Schrag can be reached at 822-1422 or by e-mail at dschrag@salina.com.

Hospital gets OK to demolish three houses
The downtown Lee District’s Design Review Board was the only government body standing between Salina Regional Health Center and its plan for demolition of three vacant properties near the hospital campus.Design Review Board members took little time Thursday before unanimously approving a certificate of compatibility that enables the hospital to proceed with its plan for clearing the entire block directly behind the hospital-owned Tammy Walker Cancer Center at 511 S. Santa Fe.The properties remaining to be cleared are located at 207 and 217 E. Prescott, and 523 S. Fifth.Hospital officials plan to fill in the basements, and seed the lots with grass pending a future determination how best to use the property to accommodate future growth of the medical campus.

Reporter David Clouston can be reached at 822-1403 or by e-mail at dclouston@salina.com.

Officer breaks ankle during traffic stop
A Salina police officer suffered a broken ankle Wednesday when a suspect he was arresting for traffic infractions began struggling and fell on top of him as he was taking the man to his patrol car.

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