The Manhattan Fire Department responded to 5406 Holden Court at 10:59 a.m. Sunday. When they arrived on the scene of the single story wood frame structure there was nothing showing, Upon gaining entry crews found smoke throughout the structure from a basement fire that had been extinguished.

The structure was unoccupied at the time of the fire and no injuries were reported.

The owner is listed as Jacinta Hoyt of the same address. The residences received an estimated $25,000 damage to the contents, and $75,000 to the structure. The cause of the fire is under investigation at this time.

Earlier at 8:10 a.m. Sunday fire crews responded to 1533 Williamsburg Drive to a two-story duplex and found heavy smoke  showing from the second floor of the structure.  This was at the same address of a fire that crews had responded to at 1:07 a.m. Sunday. Crews arrived on scene and found heavy smoke showing from the second floor of the structure. Crews tried to extinguish the fire from the interior but were unsuccessful due to the structure being compromised from the earlier fire. After about one hour on scene they were able to contain the fire from a defensive position. The blaze remains under investigation.

The residence of 1533 Williamsburg Drive was unoccupied at the time of the mid-morning fire on Sunday. The residence received a total estimated loss of $100,000 to the contents and $309,000 to the structure. The occupants are displaced and are receiving help from the Red Cross. The owner is listed as John and Jolene Cameron of Manhattan.

A connecting residence at 1546 Williamsburg Court was occupied at the time of the second fire and the occupants were able to exit without injury. Damage estimates to this structure are listed at $25,000 to contents and $50,000 to the structure. The owner is listed as David Carpenter.

The Manhattan Fire Department responded to 1533 Williamsburg Drive at 1:07 a.m. Sunday for a report of a structure fire. Crews arrived on scene of the two-story duplex and found smoke showing on one side of the structure. Crews made entry and quickly knocked down the fire.

Two occupants of 1533 Williamsburg were home at the time of the fire and were able to exit prior to arrival of fire crews. One occupant was transported to the hospital by Riley County Emergency Medical Service for smoke inhalation.

The connecting resident, 1546 Williamsburg Drive, was occupied by six people at the time of the fire and they were able to exit without injury. A total of 15 firefighters responded on five fire trucks.

The residence of 1533 Williamsburg Drive received an estimated loss totaling $50,000 to the contents with $150,000 to the structure. The occupants of that residence are displaced and are being assisted by the Red Cross. The owners are listed as John and Jolene Cameron of Manhattan.

The residence of 1546 Williamsburg Court did not receive any damage. The owner is listed as David J. Carpenter of Manhattan.

The cause of the fire is under investigation at this time.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) issued the following statement in reaction to a letter from U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer notifying Congress of the administration’s intention to open trade talks with Canada and Mexico regarding the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA):

“During my meeting with Mr. Lighthizer this month, I stressed the importance of trade with Mexico and Canada for Kansas farmers, ranchers, manufacturers and small businesses. Our country’s economic success is dependent on our ability to sell the food and fiber we grow. Strong trade relationships enable our rural communities to survive and our agriculture and manufacturing industries to continue employing millions of Americans. We must maintain these important relationships and expand market access for American producers, and I look forward to the administration continuing to consult with Congress and providing more detailed plans to achieve that goal.”

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) this week introduced bipartisan legislation to ensure our veterans receive care from trusted doctors in their communities. The Veterans Acquiring Community Care Expect Safe Services (ACCESS) Act would protect veterans seeking care through VA community care programs, like the Choice Program, from being treated by doctors who have been fired or who are suspended from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

“VA healthcare providers who have been removed from the VA should never be allowed to continue treating our nation’s veterans,” Senator Moran said. “This commonsense legislation would help protect veterans from those who put their health at risk – whether at a VA hospital or outside the VA – and keeps our veterans out of harm’s way.”

Currently, a loose patchwork of VA regulations are intended to stop fired or suspended VA providers from participating in VA-administered community care programs. However, the VA’s continued failure to consistently implement national standards at the local level demonstrates that Congress must act and not leave veterans’ health and safety to chance. The Veterans ACCESS Act would require the VA Secretary to deny or revoke the eligibility of a healthcare provider to participate in community programs if that provider was removed from employment with VA, violated his or her medical license, had a Department certification revoked or broke the law.

In addition, this bipartisan reform would ensure that when a provider is suspended from VA care, the provider is also suspended from non-VA care. The legislation would also give VA the ability under certain circumstances to deny, revoke or suspend a provider’s eligibility if that action is necessary to immediately protect the health, safety or welfare of veterans.