TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Attorneys are telling Kansas regulators an agreement that would allow the state’s largest electric company to increase its rates about 4 percent is reasonable for customers.
The rate-setting Kansas Corporation Commission had a 90-minute hearing Monday on the proposed deal. It was struck by Topeka-based Westar Energy Inc., the commission’s staff, a state consumer advocacy agency and the utility’s largest customers.
The company’s annual rates would rise $78 million — about half of what Westar wanted. Most households would see their monthly bills increase from $5 to $7 a month.
Westar sought higher rates to pay for power plant upgrades.
Attorneys representing the parties urged the three-member commission not to change any of the agreement’s terms. State law gives the KCC until Oct. 28 to issue an order.
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TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas regulators are reviewing an agreement that would allow the state’s largest electric company to increase its rates by $78 million a year.
The Kansas Corporation Commission was opening hearings Monday on the deal between Topeka-based Westar Energy Inc., a state consumer advocacy board and other parties.
State law gives the three-member KCC until Oct. 28 to issue an order revising Westar’s rates.
The utility has said that under the agreement, most households would see their electric bills rise between $5 and $7 a month. Westar has nearly 700,000 customers in Kansas.
The company initially sought an annual rate increase of $152 million, largely to cover costs already incurred for power plant upgrades. But consumer advocates and the KCC’s own staff objected.
The Geary County Sheriff’s Department report for Saturday through Monday included four arrests.
–Jason Gromlovitz, Junction City, arrested at 7302 West Lyons Creek, on suspicion of Violation of a Protection Order, Criminal Restraint, Kidnapping, Child Endangerment, Domestic Battery, and Child Abuse.
–Robert L. Johnson, Junction City, at I-70 mile post 300, on a Junction City Municipal Court warrant alleging Failure to Appear, and Driving While License Suspended.
–Mylinh Pham, Kentwood, Michigan, arrested at U.S. 77, mile marker 149, on suspicion of Speeding, Driving While Suspended, and No Proof of Liability Insurance.
–William M. Adkins, Fort Riley, arrested in the 1300 block of Grant Avenue for Improper Driving on a Laned Roadway and DUI.
Deputies also responded the area of K-177 Highway mile post 86 for a single vehicle minor injury accident. A 1996 Cadillac driven by Robert Paul, Manhattan, was traveling north on K-177 when he fell asleep and went of the roadway coming to rest in the west ditch. Also in the vehicle was his wife, Vina Paul. Both were transported to Via Christi Hospital in Manhattan.
Francis Byron (Barney) Kimble House – photo Kan. State Historical Society
Kansas Historical Society
TOPEKA — At its regular quarterly meeting held at the Kansas Historical Society in Topeka on Saturday, Aug. 8, the Historic Sites Board of Review voted to forward seven nominations to the office of the Keeper of the National Register of Historic Places in Washington to be evaluated by its professional staff. If staff members concur with the board’s findings, the properties will be included in the National Register.
The National Register of Historic Places is the country’s official list of historically significant properties.
Among the nominees is
Francis Byron (Barney) Kimble House – 720 Poyntz Avenue, Manhattan, Riley County
The nominated property was home to Barney Kimble and his wife, Mary Ann, from 1912 until Barney’s death in 1920. It is a two-story limestone, Queen Anne Free Classic style house with Colonial Revival influences. The form and layout also relate to the American Foursquare with a large hipped roof over the core of the house and smaller intersecting gables on all four sides. The nomination includes the main house and two limestone outbuildings (a stable and a barn), a grouping rarely found within the Manhattan city limits, particularly in an area that has seen growth and change throughout the 20th century. The Kimble House is nominated as part of the Late 19th Century and Early 20th Century Residential Resources of Manhattan multiple property nomination for its local significance in the area of architecture as a vernacular interpretation of the later Queen Anne Free Classic style.
Other nominees were:
Papes Barn, 890 Ellis Avenue, rural Ellis.
The Papes Barn, constructed circa 1910, is nominated for its local significance in the area of agriculture as it relates to Ellis County’s early agricultural history and the family farm economy of the early 1900s.
The limestone barn also is nominated for its architectural significance as a vernacular gambrel-roof barn, which was specifically designed for hay storage essential to raising livestock. Czech immigrants Ignaz & Josephine Papes were part of a six-family settlement south of the town of Ellis in Smoky Hill Township.
Their barn is one of two surviving resources associated with early Czech settlement in the township. It is nominated as part of the Historic Agriculture-Related Resources of Kansas multiple property nomination.
Great Bend AAF Hangar – 9047 N 6th Street, Great Bend, Barton County
The Great Bend Army Air Field (AAF) hangar is directly associated with the federal government’s wartime aviation operations from 1939 to 1945. Constructed in 1942-1943, the concrete, wood, and metal squadron hangar was designed by the Army Corps of Engineers for the maintenance and modification of aircraft as part of a national defense strategy that placed air fields in south central and southwest Kansas. The well-preserved hangar is the oldest remaining resource from Great Bend’s World War II air field and is therefore nominated as part of the World War II-Era Aviation-Related Facilities of Kansas multiple property nomination for its statewide military significance.
Great Bend AAF Norden Bombsight Storage Vaults – 9047 N 6th Street, Great Bend, Barton County
The Great Bend Army Air Field Norden Bombsight Storage Vaults, built in 1943, are utilitarian concrete structures designed by the Army Corps of Engineers for the storage and issue of the Norden Bombsights during World War II. These vaults were constructed as part of a national defense strategy that placed air fields in south central and southwest Kansas. The structures are nominated as part of the World War II-Era Aviation-Related Facilities of Kansas multiple property nomination for its statewide military significance.
Fulton High School and Grade School – 408 W. Osage Street, Fulton, Bourbon County
The Fulton High School and Grade School is comprised of three buildings. Designed by Wichita architect Fred G. McCune, the 1917 Progressive Era school building is a two-story brick example of a Town Graded School, which was built during a period of standardization in the education system. In 1936 a gymnasium/auditorium was attached to the north side of the brick school. This gymnasium, constructed as part of a Works Progress Administration (WPA) project, contains salvaged limestone from the demolition of an 1882 school building at the same location. The third building at the site is a free-standing, one-story cafeteria constructed in 1964. The property functioned as a combined high school and grade school until 1966 when the high school consolidated with Fort Scott; the elementary school closed in 1978. The property is nominated as part of the Historic Public Schools of Kansas and New Deal-era Resources of Kansas multiple property nominations for its local significance in the areas of architecture and education.
Evangelical Lutheran School – 308 N. Indiana Street, Sylvan Grove, Lincoln County
The Evangelical Lutheran School is located on the east edge of Sylvan Grove, directly north of the Bethlehem Lutheran Church. The two-and-a-half-story building reflects the Prairie School style of architecture and is constructed of native limestone, a common building material in this area during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The school is associated with the early German Lutheran immigrants who settled in this area, following the efforts of Christ Kruse, a railroad man from Chicago known as a community builder and founder of Lutheran churches. The 1913 school, designed by Salina architect C.A Smith, replaced an earlier building at the same location. The parochial school operated every year except one between 1913 and 1981. At the start of the 1918-1919 school year, Lincoln County’s Council of Defense closed the Evangelical Lutheran School due to anti-German hysteria during World War I. The school is nominated for its local significance in the areas of architecture and social history.
Martin Cemetery – US-50 Highway, St. John vicinity, Stafford County
The Martin Cemetery is nominated for its local significance in the areas of Exploration/Settlement and African American Ethnic Heritage. This small half-acre burial ground south of St. John in Ohio Township holds the remains of members of the Joseph Martin family. It is significant as the only known vestige of a unique group of African American settlers from Illinois. Their houses of worship are gone, and their descendants have moved away. The cemetery, however, remains as a reflection of their contributions to the history of Stafford County. The cemetery includes the graves of approximately 20 people, though only a few are marked.
The 2nd Armored Brigade Combat team, 1st Infantry Division, will hold Expert Infantry Badge testing Aug. 24-28 at Fort Riley.
The Expert Infantry Badge is a specialty skill badge earned by infantrymen after a grueling series of events that test the Soldier’s knowledge, skills, and endurance over one week.
Completed events necessary to earn the Expert Infantry Badge include a physical fitness test, weapon qualification, land navigation, Soldier individual task testing lanes and a 12-mile foot march.
MANHATTAN — A research project by an interior architecture & product design student at Kansas State University is one that could get some tails wagging.
his 3-D model of a dog’s skull helped a university veterinarian determine how much growth on the dog’s jaw would need to be removed. Photo courtesy K-State University
For her Developing Scholars Program project in the 2014-2015 school year, Kelsey Castinado, now a fourth-year student in the College of Architecture, Planning & Design, turned CT scans of animal bone fractures and deformities into full-scale 3-D prints that veterinarians at the university’s College of Veterinary Medicine are using for teaching, to plan surgeries and to find more cost-effective ways to treat four-legged patients.
The project, “3-D Printing Animal Bone Fractures Through Experimental Applications in Digital Fabrication,” was suggested to Castinado by her second-year studio instructor Dustin Headley, an assistant professor of interior architecture & product design. Headley’s research interest is in digital design, including 3-D printing.
“I knew that for my third year I wanted to change my research a little bit since I had been doing mostly architecture-based research,” said Castinado, who is from Overland Park. “I thought product design-based research would be a little bit more interesting, so I asked Dustin if he needed any help with his research and if he would like to mentor me in the Developing Scholars Program.”
The program pairs underrepresented students with faculty mentors on research projects.
Castinado joined Headley on a collaborative project with the College of Veterinary Medicine involving 3-D printing of bone fractures and deformities.
“A lot of my research focuses on alternative applications for the design discipline,” Headley said. “Instead of studying the lines of architecture or looking at new products to market, I’m interested in looking at what are some of the skills interior architects have that we can engage with other disciplines and expand the scope of the design profession as a whole.”
For her project, Castinado used digital files of CT scans provided by the college’s Veterinary Health Center.
“The digital CT scan files are just a lot of small, chopped up pieces of the bone image,” Castinado said. “I use a 3-D modeling software to make all those pieces into a whole. I also have to take away all the extra fragments that are attached to the bone so that when it is 3-D printed, it will look like a bone.”
The 3-D printing process retains — and can enhance — the important information found on the scan that a doctor or veterinary needs in making a diagnosis.
Walter Renberg, an orthopedic surgeon and professor and head of small animal surgery at the Veterinary Health Center, said the 3-D models Castinado and Headley have produced are proving beneficial in a variety of ways.
“While Kansas State University is not the first to use 3-D printing in veterinary medicine, we’ve thought about doing so for awhile,” Renberg said. “It helps us with a couple of things clinically, particularly with bone deformities, which can be difficult to reconstruct with a CT scan. For example, when planning a surgery to correct a deformity or even determining whether such a surgery is necessary, the model can help us determine the right surgical approach or come up with less expensive alternatives to certain procedures.”
That’s what happened earlier this summer with a 3-D print Headley made of a dog’s malformed tibia, which is one of two bones in the lower hind leg.
“I thought we would have to do an expensive reconstruction that the client probably couldn’t afford, but the 3-D modeling gave us a better understanding of the problem and we came up with a less invasive and less expensive route,” Renberg said.
The models also are teaching tools.
“From a clinical standpoint, we can use the 3-D models with clients to explain procedures,” Renberg said. “It can be easier to show them a model than a CT scan.”
Renberg and Headley are continuing to collaborate on other ways 3-D printing could be used.
“We are looking into the ability to explore soft tissues in 3-D at scale, such as tumors and vascular systems,” Headley said. Such models would have potential to assist in teaching procedures, too.”
While such 3-D models already exist, Renberg said they can be expensive. Having the capability to produce them in-house has cost benefits in a time of tight budgets for state universities.
“I’m very surprised at the capabilities 3-D printing has opened up,” Renberg said.
According to the National Weather Service of Topeka, scattered storms are expected today, mainly in northern Kansas although there is at least a slight chance across the entire area by late today. There is a small chance for a strong storm to produce damaging winds this afternoon with heavy rain possible as well. Widespread storms are expected through the day on Tuesday with heavy rain and possibly some flooding. Strong to severe storms will be possible mainly between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m. Damaging winds will be the primary hazard although large hail may develop in the strongest storms as well.
Early This Morning: Partly cloudy. South winds up to 5 mph.
Today: Partly sunny with a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the upper 80s. South winds up to 5 mph.
Tonight: Mostly cloudy. Chance of showers and thunderstorms in the evening…then showers and thunderstorms likely after midnight. Lows in the upper 60s. Southeast winds around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation 60 percent.
Tuesday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Highs in the lower 80s. Southwest winds 5 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation 70 percent.
Tuesday Night: Cooler. Mostly cloudy. Rain showers and thunderstorms likely in the evening…then chance of rain showers and thunderstorms after midnight. Lows in the upper 50s. Northwest winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation 70 percent.
Wednesday: Partly sunny. Slight chance of rain showers in the morning. Highs in the lower 70s. Northwest winds around 10 mph.
Wednesday Night: Mostly clear. Lows in the lower 50s.
Thursday: Sunny. Highs in the lower 80s.
Thursday Night: Mostly clear with slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the lower 60s.
Friday: Mostly sunny with slight chance of rain showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the mid 80s.
Friday Night: Partly cloudy in the evening then becoming mostly cloudy. A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the upper 60s.
Saturday: Partly sunny with a 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the upper 80s.
Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy with a 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the mid 60s.
Sunday: Mostly sunny with slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the lower 80s.
Some students in Geary USD 475 begin their school year on Monday. With the exception of Kindergarten and Early Childhood Center participants, all students are scheduled to be in class on Tuesday. The schedule was released by USD 475.
August 17th – Half Day
Elementary, Grades 1-5, 8:00 a.m. – 11:25 a.m. (except for Seitz & Fort Riley Elementary)
Middle School, 6th Grade & New 7th – 8th grade students only, 7:50 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
High School, Freshman, Sophomores & New Students only, 8:30 a.m. – 1:55 p.m.
*Fort Riley Elementary – 7:45 a.m. – 11:10 a.m.
*Seitz Elementary – 8:15 a.m. – 11:40 a.m.
August 18th – Full Day for All Grades
Elementary Schools, 8 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. (except for Seitz & Fort Riley Elementary)
Traci Scott of Junction City kicked off her Green Dress Project Saturday at the Dorothy Bramlage Public Library.
Scott, a recent graduate of the Presidential Leadership Scholars Program, developed the Green Dress Project to help young women transition into a professional work environment.
She told those attending the kickoff about her struggles during her years at CBS News when she struggled to overcome a college image. “I didn’t have anybody to say, Tracy when you show up to work all that stuff you were doing in college you’ve got to let it go. That’s the past, you’ve got to focus on right now.
Scott explained that’s why they were undertaking the Green Dress Project. “Okay you’re getting ready to go into college, right. When you go to college you can have out and have fun but when you graduate it’s done.
The inaugural breakout session for the Green Dress Project was held on Saturday. Each meeting will consist of team building exercises, information on how to dress in a workplace, resume workshops, and more. Scott stated she wants to take what she and other women have learned and empower the next generation.
The Green Dress Project can serve young women in both the Junction City and Manhattan communities.
The Green Dress Project was started because of the Q-mmunity Generosity project sponsored in part by Thrivent Financial.
The Float Your Boat event winners this past Saturday at the Flagstop Resort and RV Park included:
Family division
1st place tie
Team Kitty Katt. Nadia Anthony, Dennis Getting. Junction city 173 points
Team Bob Segor. Dave Bowers, Keaton Bowers. Overland Park. 173 points
2nd Place
Holy Grail II Matt, Jacob, Samantha Caleb Forristall. Fort Riley. 173 points
3rd place
Team TS Ingenuity. Jamie Getting, Linaly Anthony. Junction City. 153 points
Teen Division
1st place
Team Baby Ruth. Charade and Michaela Adcock, Holton, Ks. 165 points
2nd place.
Team U.S.S Brent. Robert Phillipson and Noland. Ft. Riley. 155 points
3rd place
Team Titanic 2.0. R.J. Hatt, Jacob Forristall. Ft. Riley. 148 points
Open Division
1st place
Team. Kinky Blue Racers. Shane and Paul Pearson. Junction City. 180 Points
2nd Place
Team T.C. mowing. Adam Strange, Travis Sisson. junction City. 161 Points
3rd place
Team Big Brothers, Big Sisters. Bryanne Howe, Michelle Hawthorne. Junction City. 153 points
Extreme Division
1st place
The Junction Function. Missy Finley, Scott Spiker, Kaitlyn and Dylan McGuire Junction City 163 points
2nd place
Team Geoint. Matthew Chenault, AJ Downes, Andrew Wood, Jacob Brooks, Ft Riley 134 points
3rd place
Team The D.U. Crew Sara Foreman, Debbie Savage, Alix Kunkle, Phil Vega, Junction City 109 points.
Results were provided by the Geary County Convention and Visitor’s Bureau. The event was sponsored by the CVB.
The Junction City Police Department Tour Log Report on Sunday morning included arrests in multiple cases.
–They included the arrest of Johnnie Allen Gideon, 44, Junction City on suspicion of Aggravated Battery, Kidnapping, and Intimidation of a Victim. The arrest occurred at 3:41 a.m. Sunday at 62 Riley Manor Circle.
–Williander N. Ngotel Jr., 28, Junction City on suspicion of Battery, Criminal Threat, and Aggravated Asssault. The arrest occurred at 1724 North Jefferson Street.
–Mason W. Elbelau, 28, Junction City, suspicion of Battery, arrested at 1724 North Jefferson.
–Sabrina Ann Carpenter, 23, Junction City, suspicion of Criminal Damage to Property, arrested at Club Coyote, 130 West 7th Street.
–Unray James Rudolph, 53, suspicion of DUI, Junction City, 1200 Marshall Drive
–Emmanuel James, 20, Fort Riley, suspicion of Minor In Consumption, 200 West 18th Street
–A juvenile was arrested on suspicion of Battery. The arrest occurred at the Regional Juvenile Detention Center at 820 North Monroe Street.
