Wichita Police Make Arrest in Woman's Murder
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Police in Wichita, Kansas, say they've made an arrest in the killing of a woman found dead in a house. The Wichita Eagle reports that investigators took a 27-year-old man in to custody Thursday and expect to present the case to prosecutors next week. His name was not released, and police offered no other immediate details. Authorities say the boyfriend of 27-year-old Ciera Ray found her body June 25th when he returned from an out-of-town business trip. Police have said without elaborating that Ray died from "multiple injuries." Ray's 3-year-old daughter was found unharmed inside the home.
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Officials Issue Algae Warning for 6 Kansas Lakes
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has issued a warning of high levels of toxic blue-green algae for six lakes. The agency said Thursday the lakes under warning status are in Brown, Sedgwick, Jewell, Marion, Barton and Rooks counties. The environmental agency said in a statement that boating and fishing on the lakes under warning are safe, but people should avoid direct contact with the water.
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State Parks Race to Recover from High Water
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Workers have been scrambling to ready flood-damaged Kansas parks for an expected onslaught of Fourth of July visitors. Linda Lanterman is state park director for the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism. She says waters are receding and conditions are "looking good," despite a few trouble spots that include some closed swim beaches and docks. She also says parks workers haven't had a chance to clear some of the debris or replace all the gravel that was washed off roads. Problems began around Memorial Day, with water lapping a restroom roof at northeastern Kansas' Perry State Park during the worst of the flooding. Staff was shuffled around and extra seasonal workers were added to help clear the mess. Lanterman described the effort as a success.
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Former SWAT Leader Sues, Claims Age Discrimination
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A former lead member of the police tactical team in southern Kansas' Wichita is suing, alleging he was forced off the unit because of his age. The Wichita Eagle reports the federal age-discrimination lawsuit by 58-year-old Richard McCluney seeks more than $75,000 in damages, including lost overtime pay. The lawsuit alleges McCluney was 57 and had spent 21 years on the SWAT team when he resigned "under duress and at the direction of" of a police administrator. McCluney still works for the department. Police Captain Doug Nolte, a spokesman for the department and the city on the matter, said that city officials have seen the lawsuit and are reviewing McCluney's version of events. He declined further comment.
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Longtime On-campus Family Housing Unit at KU Closes
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The closing of a longtime apartment complex means the end of family housing on the University of Kansas campus. The final family moved out of the university's Stouffer Place apartments last week, bringing an end to the 58-year-old housing complex. The Lawrence Journal-World reports the 25 buildings opened in 1957 for married students, and eventually opened to students with children and single graduate students. The university's long-range plans do not include replacing family housing. A tentative plan for the site includes new integrated science buildings and some apartments for single students. Kip Grosshaus, associate director of student housing, says the complex's buildings were at the end of their usefulness and the university could not build new ones and charge the low rents that attracted students to Stouffer Place.
