Western, Central Kansas Hit by Blizzard
GARDEN CITY, Kan. (AP) — Western and Central Kansas are digging out from a major winter storm that swept across the state. Kansas transportation officials closed Interstate 70 for several hours from Salina to the Colorado border as a blizzard moved through the state. Officials earlier had closed a 25-mile segment from Hayes to Russell as heavy snow and howling winds covered the roadway and led to multiple crashes. The majority of the interstate in Kansas was later closed as blizzard conditions made driving too dangerous. Many other roads and highways in the state also were closed, and officials urged people to stay inside. Businesses and services also closed as the blizzard swept northeastward into Nebraska and Iowa later in the day Saturday. Dozens of churches across Kansas canceled Sunday services.
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Silver Alert Issued for Missing Sedgwick County Woman
WICHITA, Kan. (KPR) - The Kansas Bureau of Investigation has issued a statewide Silver Alert for a missing Sedgwick County woman. 74-year-old Juanita Stecher of Derby was last seen in Wichita Friday evening. She called her family and indicated that her car -- a silver Chevy Equinox -- was stuck in the mud; she was unsure of her location but may have been in the Cheney area, about 30 miles west of Wichita. Stecher is a white female with short gray hair and wears gold glasses. The Cheney Police Department is asking anyone with information about her whereabouts to contact them.
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Police Report Death of Man Shot in KCK
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Police say a man has been shot to death in in Kansas City, Kansas. Police say in a news release that the shooting happened early Saturday morning, when officers responding to the shooting found a man in the 200 block of Kindleberger Road. Police say the man had been shot multiple times and was taken to an area hospital, where he died. Police have not released the victim's name, but say he is in his 30s.
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Tight Budget Forces Triage of Inmates with Hepatitis C
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas corrections officials are focusing on treating the most advanced cases of hepatitis C among the nearly 600 inmates with the disease, citing budget limits and expensive treatment costs. Corrections Interim Secretary Roger Werholtz tells the Wichita Eagle that the department wants to ensure all patients get treated before their release. Werholtz says 43 inmates are considered a high priority. The Kansas Department of Corrections estimates treating all 591 inmates with hepatitis C will cost roughly $9 million. A state contract sets aside only $1.5 million annually for treatment. Several states, including neighboring Missouri, have faced lawsuits for allegations of poor or lacking treatment for inmates with hepatitis C, a viral infection that attacks the liver. Werholtz says some lawmakers have voiced concerns about limited funding.
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Haskell Cultural Center and Museum Closes Indefinitely
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Haskell Indian Nations University's Cultural Center and Museum will close indefinitely because its operating grant expired Friday. Julia Good Fox, a college dean, said the university is working to secure more funding to reopen the center later this semester. Three people work at the center. The Lawrence Journal-World reports the museum's collections date back to 1884. It contains items pertaining to Haskell's history, as well as items from several tribal cultures of students, and artwork by American Indian artists, Haskell students, faculty and alumni. Good Fox says she is confident the center will reopen later this year.
