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KS - January 03 2025

Kansas braces for winter storm; Kelly celebrates bipartisan wins; remote college degree partnership; Cozy Inn; Across Kansas; Sports

Greg Loving

03 Jan 2025 • 8 min read

1. Kansas Cities Prepare for Weekend Ice, Snow Storm
2. Gov. Kelly Touts Bipartisan Victories in 2024 Legislative Session
3. K-State, Garden City CC Partner on Remote Degree Program
4. Restaurant Review: Cozy Inn - Salina, KS
5. Across Kansas
Sports

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1. Kansas Cities Prepare for Weekend Ice, Snow Storm

A Storm Team 12 Weather Alert is in place for the upcoming weekend with a mix of ice and snow that will impact roads. The messy weather should begin Saturday morning and it may not end until Sunday evening. Some areas may get enough ice to cause power outages. Overnight and through Friday, the weather remains quiet. Highs will be in the 30s and 40s Friday afternoon, but as an approaching storm moves in, colder air will arrive too. At this time, freezing drizzle is the expectation for Saturday morning through mid-afternoon for most of Kansas. However, a changeover to some wet weather may take place for the Wichita area by early Saturday evening, but central and western Kansas will remain icy. Late Saturday night, a changeover to all snow will begin in western and northern Kansas, and by Sunday morning, a change to snow should be underway for central Kansas.

Article Source: KWCH

2. Gov. Kelly Touts Bipartisan Victories in 2024 Legislative Session

Gov. Laura Kelly says bipartisan highlights of 2024 include strengthening authority of the state’s independent advocate for children, overhaul of Kansas’ worker compensation system and advancement of a blueprint for improving classroom instruction in reading. Kelly, a Democrat in the middle of her second term as governor, said collaboration with the Republican-led Legislature, led to progress during the year on tax relief, K-12 education funding, infrastructure investments, economic development. In 2024, Kelly signed 103 bills that earned bipartisan support in the Legislature. “I’m sort of amazed how much we’ve been able to get done,” Kelly said in an interview with Kansas Reflector. “We made promises and we’ve actually been able to deliver on those promises.”

Article Source: KS Reflector

3. K-State, Garden City CC Partner on Remote Degree Program

A long-distance collaboration between Kansas State University and Garden City Community College offers residents of southwest Kansas the opportunity to earn a four-year college degree without relocating. The agreement would combine remote instruction with on-site laboratory experiences as students completed the initial 60 to 75 hours of course credits at the community college in Garden City before finishing a bachelor’s degree at the land-grant university based in Manhattan.

Article Source: KS Reflector

4. Restaurant Review: Cozy Inn - Salina, KS

The hamburger originated in the late 19th to early 20th century, but its exact origins are still vigorously debated today. The Cozy Inn hamburger stand in Salina, KS was founded during the Administration of the doomed President Warren G. Harding in 1922, making it one of the oldest restaurants of its kind in America. Regardless of the hamburger’s origins, the Cozy Inn is about 30 miles north of McPherson on I-135. I stopped by after visiting a college friend in town around 2:30pm for a late lunch. He happened to work at Cozy Inn during high school, grinding onions and building character.

By 2:30pm, I was exceptionally hungry and ordered 12 hamburgers. Each burger is approximately the same circumference as a 12oz can of pop (or soda depending on your geography). They only serve burgers in multiples of 6 on the menu, so you must like burgers to enjoy the Cozy Inn. And enjoy them I did, eating 8 while my normally pescatarian (veggies and fish) mom devoured 4. We were both so full that we skipped dinner.

The Cozy Inn has a large, unfinished mural on its north wall of a hamburger. The mural is unfinished because the proprietor is in a legal dispute with the federal government after the City of Salina said the Cozy Inn violated municipal singe regulations by painting it. The Cozy Inn says the state is infringing on its First Amendment rights. According to the Salina Post, the case will go to trial in September 2025. In the meantime, support free speech by visiting the Cozy Inn. If political statements don’t move you, go to the Cozy Inn to support your stomach- these burgers are tasty.

5. Across Kansas

News from across the Great State of Kansas

Arkansas City

Arkansas City will be getting another Mexican food truck on Jan. 7. Las Monarcas, which translates to The Monarch, will be set up in the empty lot at 2914 N. Summit Street in Arkansas City. The location is between the car wash and the Chinese restaurant.

Source: Cowley CourierTraveler

Chanute

Chanute city commissioners and others participated in a brief groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday for the new Chanute water treatment plant.

Source: Chanute Tribune

Coffeyville

Coffeyville residents that are wanting to drive all-terrain and utility vehicles on Coffeyville streets must register them with the Coffeyville Police Department. Registration and inspections can be done during the week from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Coffeyville Police Department.

Source: Coffeyville Journal

Dodge City

An administrative associate with the Dodge City Fire Department is giving new life to old fire hoses. Tasha Blanchett works for DCFD and created an American flag out of worn fire hoses that are no longer usable for the department. She says she used both ends of seven hoses.

Source: KAKE

Emporia

Kollyns Kyle Couch became the first baby of Emporia born in 2025 when she arrived at 10:14 a.m. at Newman Regional. Kollyns was born to Noah Couch and Aydin Deeter and weighed 6 pounds, 6.7 ounces at birth, with a height of 19 inches.

Source: Emporia Gazette

Garden City

The Finney County Historical Museum's History at High Noon and Evening at the Museum programs start anew on Jan. 8. The free lecture series has two presentations in January, February, March and April, with one taking place during the lunch hour, beginning at noon, and the second taking place at 7 p.m. at the museum.

Source: Garden City Telegram

Great Bend

Two people are confirmed dead as a domestic incident at a Mexican establishment in Great Bend escalated into a high speed chase into Stafford County Friday morning according to accumulated agency reports.

Source: Great Bend Tribune

Greeley County

A western Kansas school district faces a multimillion-dollar setback after the state rejects its school bond proposal despite voters approving it. Greeley County Schools proposed a $4.6 million in 2024, and there was a special election in May. A few months later, in August, the Attorney General's Office let the district know it blocked the bond.

Source: KWCH

Hays

Augustine's Bakery celebrates 20 years of delicious flavors in Hays. From a small dream to 20 years of sweet success, Augustine's Bakery has baked its way into the hearts and stomachs of Hays. The bakery, 1305 Main St., celebrated 20 years on Dec. 1, giving gratitude to their customers and surrounding communities for their life-changing support.

Source: Hays Post

Hutchinson

Police in Hutchinson are investigating an armed robbery at a store in the Hutchinson Mall. The robbery occurred just before 5pm on Monday when an armed suspect entered the Selectel Wireless store in the Hutchinson Mall.

Source: KGGF

Independence

USD 446 has named Independence Middle School Physical Education teacher Shawn O'Kane as the Quality Teacher of the Month for December. This is O'Kane's 24th year with the district and his nomination stated: "Mr. O'Kane does a little bit of everything and has been a staple in our halls for years."

Source: Independence Daily Reporter

Junction City

Law enforcement are investigating a bank robbery in Junction City and continue to search for a suspect. Just after 4:30p.m. Friday, a man entered the Sunflower Bank, 510 North Jefferson Street in Junction City, according to a media release from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Source: JC Post

Kansas City

The Kansas City Kansas Police Department had a record-low number of 22 homicides in 2024. KCK police say that resulted in a 23% decrease in violent crime compared to the year before.

Source: Fox4KC

Lawrence

A dredging project at the Kaw River Water Treatment Plant could close a portion of the river for up to two months sometime this year, but the exact details of when that work might happen are still up in the air.

Source: Lawrence Journal World

Liberal

Last week, Gov. Laura Kelly announced Flora Food Group, which is a global food company out of Amsterdam, purchased the former Kansas Dairy Ingredients (KDI) manufacturing facility in Hugoton, which will equal a capital investment of around $90 million and the creation of approximately 100 new jobs over the next several years.

Source: Liberal First

Manhattan

Manhattan city commissioners will meet Tuesday for the first time in 2025, and will discuss the possibility of naming a new mayor. As is typical for the city commission this time of year, the city government on Tuesday will call for the nomination of a new mayor, mayor elect and mayor pro tem.

Source: Manhattan Mercury

McPherson

McPherson's historic trolley service capped off 2024 with a bustling holiday season, providing 57 tours during December.

Source: McPherson Citizen Journal

Newton

A 71-year-old Newton man was convicted of second-degree intentional homicide and aggravated battery in the killing of his wife.

Source: KWCH

Parsons

A Coffey County man suffered serious injuries when his single-engine plane crashed on landing after striking a power line. The Kansas Highway Patrol reports the crash happened at 1:25 p.m. Saturday at 1520 21000 Road, south of Parsons.

Source: Chanute Tribune

Pittsburg

A daring feline found itself in a precarious spot atop a power pole outside Pittsburg State University's Natural History Reserve, prompting a swift rescue by an Evergy employee. Thanks to the employee's efforts, the adventurous cat was safely brought down and is now enjoying warmth and affection from students.

Source: KOAM News

Salina

A 38-year-old Salina man suffered serious facial injuries on Dec. 27 in an alleged machete attack that took place at his residence in the 400 block of South 12th Street in Salina.

Source: Salina Post

Topeka

The city of Topeka said it's addressing ongoing concerns about overflowing dumpsters at several properties throughout town owned by Oklahoma City-based real estate developer Lew McGinnis.

Source: Topeka Capital-Journal

Wichita

A Wichita man who stole human body parts and fetal corpses when he worked at Wesley Medical Center and sold them to someone he met online was sentenced Thursday to spend 18 months in prison, court records show.

Source: Wichita Eagle

Winfield

Before Winter Break, Winfield Middle School students took part in Explore Day for a glimpse into possible career paths. Students here gather around the Winfield chapter of HOSA, Health Occupations Students of America.