Kansas Klips

Dolly Parton to visit Kansas for Imagination Library Celebration

TOPEKA—Governor Laura Kelly announced that on Monday, August 14th, American icon Dolly Parton would visit Kansas to celebrate the statewide success of her Imagination Library program at a closed event hosted by the Imagination Library of Kansas. Every child in Kansas from birth to age five can receive free monthly books from Dolly’s Imagination Library. This is possible through increased funding provided by Governor Laura Kelly and the Kansas Legislature to the Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund. These funds supplement local and regional resources to ensure equitable opportunity across the state. The Imagination Library has gifted over 200 million books worldwide since its launch in 1995. Kansas is celebrating over 52,000 children enrolled and the milestone of gifting more than 3.8 million books to children since 2005. (Hays Post)

Kansas deputy rescues couple from the roof of burning home

SALINA—A quick-thinking Saline County sheriff’s deputy is to tank for rescuing two Saline County residents from a house fire in rural southern Saline County when shortly after midnight on July 23rd, the deputy was sent to 1122 E. Bethel Circle to reports of an ongoing house fire. When the deputy arrived, he immediately saw the home’s occupants, Daniel and Debra Byarlay, 68, on the roof of their home. The couple had escaped through an upstairs window because of the fire below. The deputy quickly got the couple off the roof while Saline County Rural Fire District #2 was on its way. He forced his way into the Byarlay’s garage, where he located a ladder. The ladder wasn’t tall enough, so he used his patrol car to push a pickup onto the driveway underneath the house’s eaves. He placed the ladder in the bed of the pickup and was able to reach the roof of the house. The 26-year-old deputy, who has not yet been named, helped move Daniel and Debra safely off the roof and away from the fire. They were transported to Salina Regional Health Center for treatment of smoke inhalation. Daniel was released, and Debra was transferred to Ascension Via Christi. Along with over $200,000.00 in property damage, the Byarlays lost five dogs, five cats, and a chinchilla. (Hays Post)

Vandalism closes Wichita Water Park again

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Vandals destroyed a water park over the weekend of July 21st.According to the Park’s website, Splash Aqua Park is a series of inflatable slides, runways, jumping pillows, and bouncers all connected and floating in a large, clean and refreshing lake. On social media, the park wrote, “We have no words…other than we are absolutely heartbroken and so angry! We were vandalized again, only this time they destroyed the park. We are doing everything we can to figure out the rest of our season looks like, so please be patient while we navigate this horrible situation. We will continue posting updates as we get information.” (Hays Post)

Police make arrest after bomb threat to football faculties at KU

LAWRENCE—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect in connection with a bomb threat on the University of Kansas campus. Just after 3:00 p.m. on Monday, July 24th, University of Kansas Police responded to a bomb threat against KU Football facilities, according to a statement from interim Deputy Chief Damon Tucker. Out of an abundance of caution, the Anderson Family Football Complex, Beatty Family Pavilion, and David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium were evacuated and checked by law enforcement offers. Investigators found no devices, and police issued an all-clear at approximately 8:00 p.m. at that event. Police identified and arrested a suspect for making threats, but law enforcement did not release a name. (Hays Post)