SALINE COUNTY-The ammonia leak in Salina has stabilized and it no longer poses a threat to citizens that live in the area and business operations in that area, according to a late afternoon media release from Saline County Emergency Management. Most residents were allowed to return to their homes.

No injuries were reported.

Cause of the leak is still under investigation.

SALINA, Kan. (AP) — Investigators are looking for the cause of an anhydrous ammonia leak at the Schwan’s plant in Salina.

The leak was discovered at 2:20 a.m. Wednesday and contained about three hours later. Employees were evacuated from the facility. Two workers received medical treatment as a “precaution.”

Saline County officials say a voluntary evacuation was issued for people living west of the facility.

Schilling Elementary in Salina is closed because of the leak, but no other schools are affected.

Schwan spokesman Chuck Blomberg says ammonia is used in production at the plant as a refrigerant for frozen food. The plant primarily makes pizzas.

He says Schwan does not know yet the impact of the leak on plant operations.

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SALINE COUNTY -Emergency crews in Salina are dealing with a sizable ammonia leak at the Tony’s Pizza Factory.

Just after 2:30 a.m., crews were sent to the plant at Schilling and Centennial Road after report of the leak, according to Troy Long with the Salina Fire Department

Ammonia covered an area on the roof that measured 25′ x 25′ and was 6-inches thick in a frozen state. The ammonia is expected to convert to a gas form when the sun comes up later in the morning.

The Code Red emergency phone system was used to alert neighborhoods in the area of the leak and they were given the option of staying inside their homes or voluntary evacuation.

Some area residents did choose to leave.

Long stressed this is not an imminent danger situation, but plans for a shelter and transportation of people from the area was being prepared if needed.

The Salina Fire Department asked employees of Eldorado Bus and the Fed Ex drop off store not to report to work Wednesday.

The fire department is requesting USD 305 to keep Schilling Elementary School closed Wednesday.

Long said shutting down the leak is a slow process.

The Salina Fire Department has called one shift back for additional staff.

There have been no injuries.

 

OLNEY, England (AP) — A trans-Atlantic pancake race has taken a battering due to a technological glitch.

Apron-clad women carrying and flipping pancakes in their pans have run through the English town of Olney in an annual Shrove Tuesday race that pits the community against the town of Liberal, Kansas.

But the timer in Olney failed, so no official time was recorded for winner Kaia Larkas and there will be no showdown with Liberal.

The Liberal leg of the race was won by Maggie Lapinski, of Liberal, in 61.06 seconds.

According to legend, the Olney race started in 1445 when a harried housewife arrived at church still clutching her frying pan with a pancake in it. Liberal challenged Olney in 1950 after seeing photos of the race in a magazine.

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OLNEY, England (AP) — A trans-Atlantic pancake race has taken a battering due to a technological glitch.

Apron-clad women carrying and flipping pancakes in their pans have run through the English town of Olney in an annual Shrove Tuesday race that pits the community against the town of Liberal, Kansas.

But the timer failed, so no official time was recorded for winner Kaia Larkas and there will be no showdown with Liberal, which runs its race later.

Shrove Tuesday, known in Britain as Pancake Day, was traditionally the last day for merrymaking before the start of Lent.

According to legend, the Olney race started in 1445 when a harried housewife arrived at church still clutching her frying pan with a pancake in it. Liberal challenged Olney in 1950 after seeing photos of the race in a magazine.

OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — The Latest on a deadly shooting at a Kansas bar that some witnesses said was racially motivated (all times local):

8:20 p.m.

President Donald Trump opened his address to a joint session of Congress by condemning the recent threats against Jewish community centers and a fatal shooting in Kansas being investigated as a hate crime.

Trump on Tuesday said that “while we may be a nation divided on policies, we are a country that stands united in condemning hate and evil in all its forms.”

The president had received criticism from some civil rights groups who accused him of being slow in denouncing the violent acts. He had yet to discuss the killing of Srinivas Kuchibhotla, one of two Indian men shot inside a bar in Olathe, Kansas.
There have also been dozens of threats against Jewish community centers — and vandalism in Jewish cemeteries

2:05 p.m.

The FBI is confirming for the first time that it is investigating as a hate crime last week’s Kansas bar shooting that killed an Indian man and wounded another.

The FBI said in a statement Tuesday that it bases that probe on “the initial investigative activity” involving the Feb. 22 attack at Austins Bar and Grill in Olathe, Kansas.

The FBI is declining additional comment, citing the investigation.

Witnesses to the shooting said 51-year-old suspect Adam Purinton yelled “get out of my country” at 32-year-olds Srinivas Kuchibhotla and Alok Madasani before opening fire.

Kuchibhotla was killed and Madasani was wounded. Both were working as engineers for GPS device-maker Garmin.

Another bar patron who tried to intervene also was wounded.

Purinton is charged with murder and attempted murder.

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TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — An aide says Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback and Lt. Gov. Jeff Colyer plan to meet with India’s consul general over a bar shooting that left an Indian engineer dead and another wounded.

Brownback spokeswoman Melika Willoughby said the meeting will take place later this week. She said Brownback and Colyer plan to express their condolences and express their support for the Indian community.

Willoughby did not provide further details about the meeting in an email Monday evening.

Witnesses to last week’s shooting in Olathe said 51-year-old suspect Adam Purinton yelled “get out of my country” at 32-year-old Srinivas Kuchibhotla and 32-year-old Alok Madasani before opening fire.

Kuchibhotla was killed and Madasani was wounded. Both were working as engineers for GPS maker Garmin.

Another bar patron also was wounded.

WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Congressman Roger Marshall released the following statement regarding President Trump’s executive order asking the EPA to repeal the Waters of the U.S. rule:

“President Trump’s executive order calling for the EPA to repeal the detrimental Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule is a promise delivered for Kansas farmers and ranchers.

Members of our state’s agriculture community spent the better part of the last decade trying to operate under the burdensome and uninformed regulations imposed by the Obama administration. Today’s executive order is an exciting step in rolling back these harmful policies.

We commend the Trump Administration’s bold action.

GREENWOOD COUNTY – Two people died in an accident just before 6:30a.m. on Monday in Greenwood County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2008 Scion XB driven by Haynie, Bambi J. Haynie, 38, Herington, was eastbound on U.S. 400 just west of Z Road.

The vehicle crossed the center line hit a westbound 2004 Chevy Avalanche driven by Tanner W. McMullen, 17, Fall River.  The Avalanche caught fire and came to rest in the West bound ditch.

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GREENWOOD COUNTY -The Kansas Highway Patrol is investigating a fatal head-on crash

Just before 6:30 a.m., a 2008 Scion XB was eastbound on U.S. 400 just west of Z Road.

The vehicle crossed the center line hit a westbound vehicle head-on.

The westbound vehicle caught fire and came to rest in the West bound ditch.

Additional details on the accident were not released.

SALINE COUNTY – Police are investigating a second suspect in connection with a Thursday afternoon shooting in Salina.

Police arrested Maddilynn J. Small, 18, in McPherson early Monday morning on drug charges following a traffic stop, according to Captain Paul Forrester. She also had a gunshot wound to her arm.

Authorities believe Small was a passenger in the maroon Chevy truck that 22-year-old Tyler Reinbold was in when he was shot in the parking lot in the 1500 Block of East Iron.

Witnesses described a white female with blonde hair and wearing dark clothing fleeing the scene.

Capt. Forrester says Small was also shot during the incident. She traveled to Topeka before being picked up in McPherson, according to Forrester.

Friday afternoon, Police picked up 19-year-old Brooklyn McKnight in connection with the shooting.

Authorities believe McKnight, Reinbold and Small were all passengers in the vehicle when McKnight shot Reinbold twice, once in the stomach and once in the calf.

Reinbold was originally hospitalized in critical condition. He recovered enough to provide police with information on McKnight and Small.

McKnight faces attempted first-degree murder charges for the shooting.

Police are also looking for a fourth suspect, according to Forrester.

By BRYAN THOMPSON

The Republican majority in Congress is intent on repealing the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. Freshman Kansas 1st District Rep. Roger Marshall is on board. So he’s gathering input from constituents on how to proceed with repealing and replacing the ACA with what he calls needed “free-market reforms.”

The Great Bend Republican recently mailed a survey to 50,000 households in the Big First.

“The purpose of this survey was to let me have some science behind my feelings that everywhere I go, health care is a big concern,” says Marshall. “Based upon this survey, we’ll see specifically how ‘loud’ of an issue this is for my constituents.”

However, the three-question survey designed by Marshall and his staff is not likely to produce scientifically valid results, according to Mike Walker, of the Docking Institute for Public Affairs at Fort Hays State University. Walker, who designs and analyzes surveys regularly, says the questions could lead people to certain responses.

Walker says the first question is especially problematic. It asks, “Have you seen your healthcare premiums or healthcare costs rise since the passage of the Obama administration’s Affordable Care Act?”

“That should be broken down into maybe three or four questions,” says Walker. “Some of my health care costs may have gone up since the time ACA was passed. That’s a whole ‘nother issue of whether or not the ACA caused them to go up.”

Walker also notes that the survey is accompanied by a letter from Marshall declaring the Affordable Care Act a failure.

“That kind of raises the red flag right there, that it’s really more of a public relations ploy, I think, instead of an actual survey,” Walker says.

The Director of the Docking Institute, Gary Brinker, says it’s impossible to say for sure what Marshall’s motives are, but the survey looks to him like a “push poll”.

“People use these survey tactics when the purpose of the survey is to support an agenda, not to collect valid data on the way people truly feel about an issue,” says Brinker.

Nonetheless, Marshall thinks his survey is worthwhile.

“I’m not an expert on questionnaires like this. I’m open to suggestions, but I think there will be some valuable data out of this when it’s all said and done,” says Marshall.

His staff says thousands of responses have been received already, and more are pouring in daily. The deadline for returning the survey is the end of March. Marshall’s office promises to post the results of the survey through social media, a press release, and their weekly newsletter.

Marshall got an unexpected response to his survey mailer from constituents who showed up at a ribbon-cutting for his new field office in Salina Friday.

“Your first postcard is just Republican crap, to be quite blunt,” said Manhattan resident Christopher Renner. Instead of asking if premiums have gone up under the Affordable Care Act, Renner asserted the survey should have asked whether constituents now have healthcare coverage.

Bryan Thompson is a reporter for kcur.org‘s Kansas News Service, a collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio and KMUW covering health, education and politics in Kansas.