TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Gov. Sam Brownback and legislative leaders have agreed to give five school districts roughly half a million dollars in additional funding.

The State Finance Council, which is comprised of the Republican governor and leaders from each chamber, voted Monday to give more money to districts hit hard by recent policy changes and unforeseen expenses.

Eight districts requested about $1.1 million from the $4 million extraordinary needs fund. The panel voted to partially fund five of those requests.

Superintendents testified that they had been squeezed due to enrollment changes, rising costs and Brownback’s “block grant” school funding law, which cut $51 million in funding districts expected for the current fiscal year.

Requests from the following school districts were approved:

USD 438 Skyline, $118,000

USD 416 Louisburg, $128,680

USD 333 Concordia, $119,099

USD 272 Waconda $57,237

USD 243 Lebo-Waverly, $55,000

The following requests were not approved.

USD 251 North Lyon County

USD 470 Arkansas City

USD 252 Southern Lyon County

The governor’s office denied in a statement that the block grant reform was to blame for shortfalls.

The monthly weather summary is starting to sound like a broken record.
Above average temperatures and below average rainfall. Three of the first
four months of the year have had above average temperatures. Likewise,
three of the first four months of the year have had below average
precipitation. For the record, January had above average precipitation and
February had below average temperatures.

The average daily high during April was 67 degrees, 1.1 degrees above
average. The average overnight low was 45.1, 2.9 degrees above normal.
These gave us a monthly mean temperature of 56.1, 2.0 degrees above
average. The highest temperature for April was the high of 78 degrees on
April 1st. The lowest temperature for April was the morning reading of 29 on
April 3rd. All in all there were some very nice spring like days during April this
year! There was one temperature record set during April. The overnight low
of 59 on the 17th broke the record high low temperature for that date. The
old record was 57 and was set in 1964 and then again in 1996 and 2004.
The hottest April on record was in 1955 when we had a monthly mean
temperature of 63.2, The coldest April was in 1983 with a chilly monthly
mean temperature of 45.9. Our average last frost date, since 1950, is April
15th. Our latest frost has been on May 14th (1953).  Our earliest last frost
was March 10th (2012). Barring an unusual cool down in the coming two
weeks, it appears that our last frost will have been on April 4th this year,
about a week and a half earlier than average but well within the expected
range.

April showers historically have delivered us 2.95 inches of rain. We fell short
of that this year. Junction City received 2.15 inches during the month and
Milford Lake 2.05 inches. Year to date Junction City has received 4.14 inches
of precipitation and Milford Lake 3.98 inches. Normal year to date
precipitation through April is 7.06 inches. The driest April on record was the
drought year of 1989 when we only had 0.36 inches of rain. The wettest April
was in 1944 when 12.59 inches flooded the region. Long term average
snowfall for April is 0.7″. The area hasn´t seen snow since mid February and
this effectively brings the snowfall season to a close with a mere 7.2 inches
of snow recorded. Average seasonal snowfall for our area is 18 inches.

May brings us more spring weather with an occasional hint of summer.
Average daily highs in May start with 72 on the 1st and by month´s end are
up to 81. Overnight lows start the month with a chilly 48 and by the 31st are
up to a comfortable 58 degrees. May and June are our wettest months of the
year. Average May rainfall is 4.79 inches. It isn´t uncommon to see
temperatures above 90 in May, but temperatures of 100 or above are
uncommon. In fact 100 has only been reached twice in May. May 21, 1956
and May 30, 1998 both had high temperatures of 100 degrees.

Released by Chuck Otte, Geary County Extension Agent.

HAYS -Four Fort Hays State University students, including a Manhattan woman, were hospitalized after a one-vehicle accident over the weekend southwest of Hays.

According to Ellis County Sheriff Ed Harbin, at approximately 8:20 p.m. Saturday, a 2005 Dodge pickup driven by Jack Bellon of Blue Springs, Mo., was traveling north on 210th Avenue and lost control as the vehicle crested a hill.

The vehicle traveled across the roadway to the west ditch, and the driver overcorrected, sending the pickup into the east ditch.

The pickup then struck an embanked flipping once and rolling three times, according to Harbin.

Two of the four passengers were ejected.

All four were taken to Hays Medical Center. Harbin said two of them suffered serious injuries.

The three passengers were identified as Carly Lindsey, Manhattan; Jocelyn Demotte, Topeka; and Chris Jones, Tulsa, Okla.

Rainfall totals exceeded five inches Monday night in and around Manhattan.

Pat Collins, Riley County Emergency Management Director, said Tuesday morning there are some basements in the Bertrand, Kearney and some areas between the K-State campus and Third Street. “We know that there were some businesses that received some minor damage, downtown. They got some water in the front door, but my guess is most of those are insured damages.”

Collins said he received reports Tuesday morning that some residents in the southwest part of Manhattan reported 5.75 inches of rain, and noted in his own rain gauge at his home on the west side of the city he had 5.20 inches of rain.

At the Riley County Courthouse the total reported was 4.50 inches.

The big concern now is the possibility of more rainfall ahead tonight and in the coming days. “That’s our big concern right now is that the ground is saturated and is not going to hold much more water if we get another rain or a big rain. ” Collins added, “We’re trying to get the people in those flood prone areas to be cognizant of that, start taking some preparedness activities, moving stuff in their yards, securing the stuff that normally floats away if the water gets up” He noted that could also include moving items off the floor in the basement.

The weather forecast includes a possibility of thunderstorms every day this week.

The Junction City Fire Department will be conducting their annual fire hydrant flushing program.

They will begin flushing in zones 1,2, and 3 Tuesday, May 5. This will be east of Webster between Ash Street and 6th Street, and north of 6th Street for the entire City.

They will be flushing hydrants between the hours of 8 a.m.and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Residents may experience brown or rusty water during this time. The Junction City Fire Department suggests you refrain from washing clothes during those hours. If your water does not clear up by the next day, call Junction City Public Works at 238-7142.

Junction City police have reported the arrest of a juvenile on suspicion of Rape and Aggravated Sodomy.

The arrest occurred just before 7 p.m. Monday in the  block of Oak Street.

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The JCPD is also reporting a case involving criminal damage to property and trespass at Little Caesars Pizza at 107 East 6th Street. Police responded to the scene at 2:48 a.m. Tuesday.  There have been no arrests reported.

Storms expected to continue through the early morning hours. No severe weather is expected. A few storms may have small hail. Storms capable of producing heavy rain could move over the same area causing localized flooding.

Tuesday: Partly sunny. A 20 percent chance of thunderstorms in the morning. Highs around 78. South winds 10 to 20 mph with gusts to around 30 mph.

Tuesday Night: Cloudy with thunderstorms. Lows around 62. Southeast winds 10 to 15 mph with gusts to around 25 mph.

Wednesday: Breezy…thunderstorms. Highs in the mid 70s. South winds 15 to 25 mph with gusts to around 35 mph.

Wednesday Night: Breezy. Mostly cloudy with a 50 percent chance of thunderstorms. Lows in the mid 60s. South winds 20 to 25 mph with gusts to around 35 mph.

Thursday: Mostly cloudy with a 50 percent chance of thunderstorms. Highs in the upper 70s.

Thursday Night: Thunderstorms likely. Lows in the lower 60s. Chance of rain 70 percent.

Friday: Mostly cloudy with a 50 percent chance of thunderstorms. Highs in the mid 70s.

Friday Night: Thunderstorms likely. Lows in the upper 50s. Chance of rain 70 percent.

Saturday And Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy with a 50 percent chance of thunderstorms. Highs in the mid 70s. Lows in the upper 50s.

Sunday: Partly sunny with a 40 percent chance of thunderstorms. Highs in the lower 70s.

Sunday Night: Cooler. Mostly cloudy in the evening then becoming partly cloudy. A 30 percent chance of thunderstorms. Lows in the upper 40s.

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas State University researcher has found that fast-walking or a light jogging on a regular basis can improve cancer treatments.

The university announced Monday that Associate Professor of Exercise Physiology Brad Behnke found a link between moderate exercise and better recoveries in cancer patients.

Behnke and his co-researchers had a $750,000 American Cancer Society grant and found that moderate exercise improves blood flow to tumors and enhances the effectiveness of radiation treatments. Existing research has found that moderate exercise can also help cancer patients counteract some negative side effects of treatment like fatigue, low blood count and muscle atrophy.

But Behnke said that too much exercise can be counter-productive.

Behnke and his fellow researchers have published their findings in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

The Geary Community Schools Foundation hosted their 11th annual Celebration of Teaching Banquet Monday night at the Geary County Convention Center.

During the banquet the Schools Foundation presented 14 teacher scholarships and one para scholarship.

-Devin Family Memorial Teachers Scholarship, established by Mary and Doug Devin: Tyrek Artley, Freshman Success Academy; Kristin Barker, Larry Dixon Center; Deann Hunt, Eisenhower Elementary.

-Ron Shandy Memorial Teachers Scholarship, established by Ron’s children: Crystal Holzer, Junction City Middle School.

-Geary Community Schools Foundation Scholarship: Meredith Boydston, Junction City Middle School; Amanda Brown, Washington Elementary; Reesa Darby, Westwood Elementary; Jennifer Farr, Lincoln Elementary; Amanda Fox, Seitz Elementary; Kirsten Keller, Ware Elementary; Stephanie McNemar, Seitz Elementary; Kristin Reeder, Fort Riley Elementary; Emily Warren, Seitz Elementary; Katie Wendlend, Spring Valley Elementary.

Margie Pinnaire, GCSF President explained that they have given away 88 scholarships since 2003,”these scholarships total over $80,000.”

Starting in 2010 the GCSF began awarding a para scholarship along with the teacher scholarships. This years recipient was Heather Boland, Seitz Elementary.

The Banquets Keynote Speaker was Devin Scillian who is a 1981 JCHS Graduate and now successful journalist, best-selling author, songwriter, musician, and news anchor.

He explained that it wasn’t until he began thinking his trip back to Junction City this week that he realized most of his professional career can be linked to his two years at JCHS.

“So many teachers really encouraged my love of writing, which is really what a journalist is. Mr. (Charles) Voland with music gave me the confidence to be a singer and a musician. It was really funny how much of it came back here,” said Scillian.

Scillian also explained that the seeds for Fibblestax, one of his 16 books, were, “sewn right here,” after receiving a writing assignment in one of his English classes at JCHS.

He has gotten to enjoy a very successful career and at the end of his speech Monday he wanted to thank, “everyone in the Junction City education program for making me who I am today.”

 

As of 9:20 p.m. Monday evening much of the high water from flash flooding that ripped through Manhattan had receded.

Riley County Emergency Preparedness Director Pat Collins confirmed at that hour that only one area was still closed to traffic, the 1100 and 1200 blocks of North Manhattan where the street had been damaged due to the flooding.

Earlier in the evening it was a different story. Collins said officially more than four inches of rain fell in a four-hour period, and the majority occurred in the first hour-and-a-half. “Most of the flooding occurred from east of KSU or on KSU and east of KSU down toward the mall area. As far as I know there wasn’t any flooding at the mall.”

There was flooding in other areas. “But some of the businesses on Poyntz, some of the businesses on Third Street, and then some of the houses around different intersections west of there had some minor flooding….water in basements, things like that.”

Officials continued to watch for other storms that impact Riley County and Manhattan overnight.

The National Weather Service confirmed a new daily rainfall record was set in Manhattan. By 7 p.m. 2.97 inches had fallen, breaking the old record of 2.91 set in 1908.

About 9 p.m. Westar Energy reported 3,300 customers without electricity, but by 9:40 that number had dropped significantly to 12.