News

Sn. Co. Commission: Expocentre Wins State Rodeo Finals Bid

The Expocentre announced at the Shawnee County Commission meeting Monday that it won the bid for the Kansas High School Rodeo Association Finals. The event returns from Hutchinson after a 3-year hiatus from Topeka, where it once held 54 consecutive years of the competition. "It's more of an awakening to us when we lost the event that we really need

USD 379 Officials Report Fewer Positive Drug Test Results

Grant County to consider wind farm project

ULYSSES, Kan. (AP) — Developers are proposing a $600 million wind farm that would stretch across Grant and Haskell counties. The Grant County Commission will discuss the project Tuesday. Tradewind Energy of Lenexa says the wind farm would generate enough electricity for 65,000 homes. The company has worked more than three years to secure long-term leases for 40,000 acres in

Fate of Stafford County hospital hinges on vote

STAFFORD, Kan. (AP) - Some Stafford County residents want to force a public vote on the county's decision to issue $555,000 in no-fund warrants for the Stafford County Hospital. County leaders say it's likely the hospital will close if an election is required because a vote could not be held in time to satisfy the hospital's vendors. The Hutchinson News

Banks to pay foreclosure victims

WASHINGTON (AP) — More than 40 U.S. states have agreed to a nationwide settlement over foreclosure abuses. Five of the nation's largest mortgage lenders would be forced to reduce loans for one million households. And the remaining holdouts could sign onto a deal in the coming days. The lenders — Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Citigroup and Ally Financial

NYPD officer pleads on trial in gun smuggling case

NEW YORK (AP) — A Brooklyn police officer has pleaded guilty in a smuggling case that involved guns, cigarettes and slot machines. Officer William Masso pleaded guilty Monday to four conspiracy counts. He could face roughly five to six years in prison when he's sentenced on June 15th. Masso was among five NYPD officers charged in October with smuggling firearms

Death toll in 6.9 Philippines quake rises to 15

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Rescuers digging for survivors among dozens of people buried by earthquake-triggered landslides on a central Philippine island have found only bodies. The death toll climbed to 15 on Tuesday, and at least 73 people were still missing. Monday's 6.9-magnitude earthquake also collapsed bridges and damaged roads on Negros Island, forcing soldiers and firefighters to hike mountains

Ex-Panama dictator Noriega 'stable' in hospital

PANAMA CITY (AP) — Doctors in Panama say former dictator Manuel Noriega is "stable" after being hospitalized for extreme hypertension. Health Minister Franklin Vergara says Noriega is "conscious and well oriented," and will be kept for 48 hours for observation at Panama City's public Santo Tomas hospital. Vergara said in a statement Monday that officials plan to return Noriega to

Asia stocks down

BANGKOK (AP) — Asian stock markets were muted Tuesday as talks dragged on to resolve a massive debt mess in Greece before it explodes into a wider financial crisis. Japan's Nikkei 225 fell 0.2 percent to 8,916.09. South Korea's Kospi rose 0.3 percent to 1,979.30 and Hong Kong's Hang Seng was 0.6 percent higher at 20,826.19. Benchmarks in Taiwan and

American Airlines traffic rises from a year ago

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Consumers seem not to care whether the airline they fly is under bankruptcy protection. Passengers flew more miles on American Airlines last month than they did in January 2011 despite the company's well-publicized bankruptcy status. Led by growth on international flights, American's paying passengers flew 10 billion miles last month. That's up 1.4 percent from

Sn. Co. Commission: Expocentre wins State Rodeo Finals bid

Sn. Co. Parks and Rec Director requests to fill 3 positions after recent resignations; Sn. Co. Appraiser says some property values may drop

USD 379 officials report fewer positive drug test results

In the past 3 years, Clay County high school and middle school random drug tests are yielding fewer positive drug tests.