Wichita Eagle: Local

New Wichita school boundary plan scales back some changes

Suzanne Perez Tobias — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:00 CST

A new attendance boundary plan presented to Wichita school board members Monday would close four elementary schools, relocate Northeast Magnet High School and keep most high school assignments the same.

Superintendent John Allison said he doesn’t know precisely how many of the district’s 50,000 students would be forced to change schools under his proposal.

But several board members said they want to know that and other details before they vote later this month.

Appeals backlog leaves unemployed Kansans hanging

Dion Lefler — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 18:49 CST

Layoffs and reorganization at the state Department of Labor have led to a substantial backlog in unemployment appeals, leaving more than 6,500 Kansans waiting months to find out if they’ll qualify for benefits.

The backlog is more than twice what it was three months ago and four times the level in 2010, according to a report from the Legislative Research Department.

Rep. Jim Ward, D-Wichita, who requested the research on the backlog, said the unemployment system wasn’t broken when Gov. Sam Brownback’s administration took it over in January — and appeals were getting done even when the economy and unemployment were worse than they are today.

Americans For Prosperity completes guest-tax petition drive

BILL WILSON — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 20:37 CST

A free-market group says it has completed its petition drive to put the Ambassador Hotel guest tax provision on the ballot for public vote, collecting a little more than 3,500 signatures.

Jen Rezak, a spokeswoman for the Wichita chapter of Americans for Prosperity, said the group plans to deliver signed petitions to the city clerk’s office at 3:30 p.m. this afternoon, triggering a weeklong review process that could result in an election sometime next year. The petitions must contain at least 2,528 verified voter signatures. At issue is the use by Ambassador developers of $2.25 million in guest tax revenues generated by the hotel at Douglas and Broadway in its first 15 years of operation. Susan Estes, another AFP spokeswoman, said the group’s final weekend of signature collection was “very successful and humbling.”

Tabitha Lehman, Sedgwick County’s election commissioner, said Monday she’s uncertain when her office will receive the petitions from the city clerk. She said her employees will verify that each signature is from a registered Wichita voter.

More than 100 attend World AIDS Day activities in Wichita

Hurst Laviana — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 00:45 CST

More than 100 people took part in a candlelight vigil and walk Thursday in Wichita to commemorate World Aids Day. The event began at the Wichita Art Museum and ended up at the Mid-America All-Indian Center.

Among those taking part was Teresa Romey, an HIV medical case manager for the University of Kansas School of Medicine. She said in an interview before the vigil that the world has changed dramatically since the first AIDS case was diagnosed on Dec. 1, 1981.“Because of the new medications and because people are finding out their status earlier and taking care of themselves, they’re living a lot longer,” she said

Romey said 25 Kansans died of AIDS in 2009, the last year for which figures are available. That’s down considerably from the 134 who died in 1994, the peak year for AIDS deaths in the state. At the end of 2009, there were 2,599 Kansans living with HIV virus or AIDS, about 725 of whom live in the Wichita area, Romey said.

Moran, Roberts file bill to allow state inspection of natural gas storage

Dion Lefler — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 21:59 CST

Sens. Pat Roberts and Jerry Moran have filed a bill in Congress to restore state authority to oversee the safety of facilities that store natural gas in underground caverns, in an effort to prevent potentially deadly explosions like the ones that rocked Hutchinson 10 years ago.

Federal agencies have declined to regulate underground storage, leaving Kansas facilities — as much as 270 billion cubic feet of gas — uninspected for the past 19 months.

Roberts’ and Moran’s bill, the Underground Gas Storage Facility Safety Act of 2011, would allow Kansas to restart its program of safety inspections of interstate gas storage facilities. State regulations would be subject to review by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

HUD grant to help build housing for low-income Wichita seniors

DEB GRUVER — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 22:08 CST

The Mental Health Association of South Central Kansas plans to use $3.4 million in federal funds to build 24 apartments for low-income seniors and provide rent subsidies.

The association was the only Kansas agency to receive part of $749 million in grants awarded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The grants, a news release from HUD said, will help nonprofit groups provide accessible housing, rent assistance and support services for seniors and people with disabilities. The money will be used to build or rehabilitate more than 189 housing developments in 41 states, to serve 4,800 elderly and disabled people, HUD said.

Fire is a particular hazard in vacant buildings, Wichita officials warn

Stan Finger — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 05:59 CST

The recent fatal fire in what was supposed to be a vacant house vividly illustrated why this can be a particularly dangerous time of year for fires, officials say.

With temperatures turning sharply colder, homeless residents who shun shelters may be tempted to stay warm and dry in unoccupied buildings. Such structures are also tempting to arsonists, fire Capt. Stuart Bevis said.

“It’s a big concern whenever people get into unsecured structures,” Bevis said. “There’s just a lot of bad situations that can happen.”

Colwich family struggles to cope with impact of year-old burglary

Stan Finger — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 11:24 CST

It’s been a year now since someone pried open a hole in the back of a transmission shop in Colwich and made off with a truck and $100,000 in tools.

No arrests have been made.

Steve Jett wants whoever is responsible to know that they didn’t just create a hole in a building when they pried open a back wall in the steel building – they cut a hole in his business’ future.

Kansas oilman, athlete, philanthropist and convicted fraudster Jim Hershberger dies

Dan Voorhis — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 21:22 CST

Jim Hershberger lived a big life.

He was a millionaire oilman by the time he was 30 – and gave away at least that much to charity over his lifetime. In 1963 he built what was reputed to be the biggest new house in the country since World War II and invited 1,400 people to his housewarming party. He bought the first private jet in Kansas in 1969. He was generous with his time, money, energy and enthusiasm, creating and leading many local charities. He is perhaps best known for his relentless enthusiasm for athletics and the many events he competed in over the decades.

But he also crashed in a big way. He served five years in federal prison beginning in 1990 for what prosecutors said was defrauding oil investors. He never admitted guilt. His wife, Sally, still says the conviction was a miscarriage of justice.

Rose Hill alpaca ranch has ‘open barn’

Deb Gruver — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 19:08 CST

Some people might have thought Minuit was having a bad hair day in the Kansas wind Saturday, but this alpaca actually has award-winning hair.

Or fleece, anyway.

The alpaca – just about the same color as a chocolate Labrador – joined her 16 of her camel-esque friends for an “open barn” at the Royal Plush Alpaca Ranch in Rose Hill. The unique take on Small Business Saturday and the Black Friday shopping weekend brought out people curious about the animals, who are the “cute cousin to the llama,” said Mike Green.

After two years, charity learns it needs permit to feed homeless in Wichita

RON SYLVESTER — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 18:55 CST

David Hill figures he feeds about 300 homeless people a month near the corner of William and Main, where he’s been serving hot food every third Saturday for the past two years.

But the police didn’t show up until this fall. The officer asked to see his food safety permit.

“I didn’t know we needed one,” he said.

NBA player Maurice Evans hands out free turkeys in Wichita

Hurst Laviana — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 20:56 CST

As vice president of the National Basketball Players Association, Maurice Evans has been directly involved in the negotiations that have led to the current NBA lockout and possible loss of the 2011-12 season.

Because he wasn’t playing basketball in Washington this week, Evans decided to take advantage of an opportunity to return to his hometown of Wichita to help deliver 500 turkeys as part of the NBA’s annual Great Turkey Giveaway.

He handed out the frozen turkeys at Boys & Girls Club, 2400 Opportunity Drive, after offering a few tips to some of the club members practicing in the gym.

First-draft proposal would close five Wichita elementaries

SUZANNE PEREZ TOBIAS — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:00 CST

A first-draft proposal for new Wichita school attendance boundaries would close five elementary schools, add classes to eight existing elementary schools and shift where many students go to school.

The plan, presented for the first time to a district advisory group Tuesday night, suggests that five of Wichita’s 56 elementary schools be considered for closing: Bryant Core Knowledge Magnet, Lincoln, Mueller Aerospace and Engineering Magnet, Payne and Woodland Health and Wellness Magnet.

The draft would add one section per grade – six classrooms – to the following K-5 schools: Allen, Black Traditional Magnet, Earhart Environmental Magnet, Enterprise, McCollom, McLean Science and Technology Magnet, OK and Price-Harris Communications Magnet.

Northbound Woodlawn remains closed at 21st after water line mishap

Stan Finger — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 13:31 CST

Northbound Woodlawn remains closed at 21st Street on Tuesday morning in the wake of a construction crew drilling into a water line there Monday afternoon.

City officials have not said whether water service has been restored to affected homes and businesses, though police are no longer directing traffic in the area.

The area without water stretched from the 2600 block of North Woodlawn south to Rock Hill Road, and from Farmstead to just east of Woodlawn on 21st Street, city officials said. A number of homes, apartment complexes, and businesses are in that sector.

Job loss leaves woman struggling

Ammarah Usmani — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 06:08 CST

Share the Season is an annual campaign that offers one-time aid to people affected by unforeseen hardships. The people are not identified to protect their privacy.

She finally got a job in August, after losing her job in May 2009 and exhausting her unemployment payments.

Now she is struggling to catch up on her bills.

Share the Season off to a good start

Annie Calovich — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 14:01 CST

“2010 has been a year of loss and hardships for our family. We’ve suffered the loss of three family members, one our granddaughter. ... Your help has removed a great burden and a large amount of stress, giving us hope and the ability to focus on helping our grandchildren work through their grief and move forward.”

“With tears in my eyes I want to thank you for helping me and my family this holiday season. I am a single mom with no child support and I live paycheck to paycheck to make ends (meet). Helping me pay some bills has allowed me to get caught up on other back finances and provide for my daughter this year for Christmas. I work three jobs and still never have extra for her.”

“Thank you so much for my new tires. It is comforting to know that my children are safe now while riding in the car.”

State board: Laws should ban children being left alone in vehicles

Tim Potter — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 07:49 CST

The Kansas Child Death Review Board is recommending that the Legislature enact laws that prohibit children from being left alone in vehicles.

“There is no substitute for supervision, especially when it involves children and vehicles,” the board says in its 2011 annual report.

Children left in vehicles can die from exposure to heat and cold, strangulation and crashes caused by a child putting a vehicle in gear, the report said.

Book fair to benefit Catholic school libraries

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 19:09 CST

A book fair on Saturday will collect books for Catholic school libraries in the Wichita Diocese and raise money for the Family Literacy Program. The event will take place at Barnes & Noble at Bradley Fair, 1920 N. Rock Road.

Special events at the fair include a book-signing from 12:30 to 2 p.m. with local author Clare Vanderpool, who won this year’s Newbery Medal for “Moon Over Manifest”; Skippyjon Jones storytimes at 10 a.m. and 11 a.m., and school choir performances throughout the day.

A wish list table will have books needed by each school library, which customers can buy to donate to that particular school library. Also, customers may tell the cashier that they want a portion of the sale to benefit the schools.

Thousands of toys, delivered on two wheels

BECCY TANNER — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 00:05 CST

Almost anywhere you went Sunday, you could hear motorcycles growling through Wichita.

All told, 2,777 cycles traveled from Lawrence-Dumont Stadium Sunday afternoon and followed Broadway north to the Kansas Pavilions for the 32nd annual Wichita Toy Run.

It took the better part of two hours for the biker parade to finish as people lined Broadway to cheer and wave support.

More Hispanic students in Wichita schools a factor in school boundaries

SUZANNE PEREZ TOBIAS — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 05:53 CST

For clues about how the Wichita school district has changed over the past decade, you don't even need to walk into a classroom.

Call the main phone number at most schools, and you'll hear, "For English, press 1."

Signs outside several schools post important dates in Spanish as well as English. Tuesday at Irving Elementary School in north Wichita, for instance, is Math Day and also Dia de Matematicas.