Kansas Highway Patrol receives fuel donation

For the 24th consecutive year, the Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Store Association of Kansas donated gasoline to the Kansas Highway Patrol to fill up patrol cars during the holidays.

Through the Holiday Highways Safety Program, the PMCA donates fuel to the patrol to fill up patrol cars from Dec. 24 through Jan. 1. The donation will be of great assistance at a time when budgets continue to be tight.

“For many years now, PMCA’s Holiday Highways Safety Program has worked to help motorists in Kansas make it safely to their holiday destinations,” said Tom Palace, executive director of PMCA of Kansas. “Through their participation in this one-of-a-kind program, fuel distributors and convenience stores are voluntarily partnering with the Kansas Highway Patrol to ensure the safety of their customers, their families, and the many visitors traveling to and through Kansas over the holidays.”

“For the 24th consecutive year, PMCA of Kansas has graciously provided tanks of fuel to the Kansas Highway Patrol. This fuel will go towards our personnel who are working the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, and who are committed to keeping Kansas roadways safe,” said Lt. Joshua Kellerman, KHP public information officer. “One of the most important things during the holiday season is getting the opportunity to spend time with friends and loved ones. The donation received from the PMCA of Kansas has definitely helped us to assist motorists in those efforts. As always, we want to thank PMCA for their continued support of our agency.”

The PMCA of Kansas is a nonprofit organization for independent petroleum distributors, gasoline retailers, and convenience store owners. This year, participating members of the PMCA graciously provided vouchers for 71 tanks of fuel for troopers to use as they patrol the highways this holiday season.
Last year, during the 2013 Christmas and 2014 New Year’s reporting periods, the provided fuel allowed the patrol to assist 2,829 motorists, remove 45 impaired drivers from the roadways, and issue 372 citations for occupant protection violations.

The donation last year no doubt contributed to the patrol’s efforts to keep the roadways safe during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, a spokesman said. This year, it will help further safety efforts during the holiday season.

Kaw Point a good observation place to see eagles

An eagle flies over Wyandotte County. This photo is from about a year ago at Wyandotte County Lake. Friends of Kaw Point Park are sponsoring an eagle viewing event in January at Kaw Point,  Kansas City, Kan. (File photo by Steve Rupert)
An eagle flies over Wyandotte County. This photo is from about a year ago at Wyandotte County Lake. Friends of Kaw Point Park are sponsoring an eagle viewing event in January at Kaw Point, Kansas City, Kan. (File photo by Steve Rupert)


by William Crum

Soon the eagles will arrive after the first ice on the river. The confluence of the Kaw and Missouri rivers has long been very important to birdwatchers as an active winter fishing site for American bald eagles.

These birds will roost here during the freezing temperatures because the churning waters provide openings in the ice and oxygen which brings this to the surface. This allows the adult eagles to teach their young to catch an easy meal.

These magnificent aerial acrobats have gathered there for countless generations. The public is invited to join the show. Friday Jan. 30, 2015, is designated as the school kids’ day and the public is welcome. On Jan. 31 they’ll have public tours and displays.

The public is requested to park in the upper lot and walk out to the point where the Lewis and Clark statue is; do not make any noise and bring a good set of binoculars and dress warmly.

Kaw Point is located where the two rivers, Missouri and Kansas, meet in Kansas City, Kan. Access to Kaw Point Park and the levee area is off I-70 near downtown Kansas City, Kan.

The Friends of Kaw Point Park will post information regarding special Eagle Day events. For more information go to the website www.lewisandclarkwyco.org or call 913-677-7752.

Distracted driving involved in accident on I-70

The driver of a Subaru Legacy on I-70 near I-435 in Kansas City, Kan., became distracted and looked down at 11 p.m. Dec. 20, according to a Kansas Turnpike Authority trooper’s report.

The next thing the Subaru driver knew, when he looked up, a Ford Edge was in his path. The Subaru struck the Ford, according to the trooper’s report.

The 53-year-old Topeka woman driving the Ford was injured and taken to the hospital.

The 25-year-old Topeka man driving the Subaru was not injured, according to the report.