Month: October 2020

Kansas announces short-line rail improvement projects

Thirteen short-line railroad projects were announced Tuesday, totaling $5 million in grants.

Gov. Laura Kelly and Kansas Transportation Secretary Julie Lorenz announced the 13 recipients. In all, 15 miles of track will be built.

Four projects were awarded to short-line railroads and nine projects were awarded to shippers. The program is a 70-30 matching grant, with the state providing 70 percent, and the applicants, 30 percent.

The governorsaid at the news conference that the short-line improvement projects were a major request from rural communities in the state.

The funding for the program is through the state’s bipartisan Eisenhower Legacy Transportation Program.

Adding short-line rail improvements will provide solutions for several problems, according to Lorenz. It will be another choice for shippers, especially in rural areas, and will take some of the heavy truck traffic off the state’s roads, according to Lorenz. For some grain elevators, the short-line railroad is the only method of transportation available, according to Lorenz.

There were no Wyandotte County locations in the grant awards, but Johnson County is listed at $256,163 for major rehabilitation of New Century Air Center Railroad. The awards were mostly in rural areas.

Lorenz said Kansas has another $100 million of railroad projects planned across the state.

Police notes

Assault reported on Central Avenue

A victim said that after a verbal argument, a suspect placed a knife to her throat and threatened to kill her, according to a social media post by the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department.

The assault was reported near 10th and Central Avenue on Oct. 5.

The suspect fled before officers arrived, according to the report.

Victim run over by car on South 10th

A victim reported being run over on Oct. 5 in the 300 block of South 10th, according to a social media post by the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department.

The victim stated he was on foot when a suspect hit him with a car. While the victim was on the ground, the suspect ran over his legs, causing a fracture, the report stated.

The victim was taken to a hospital for treatment, according to the report.

Man dies after shooting on Stine Avenue

Update: The victim has died from his injuries, according to police.

Police are investigating a shooting at 10:27 p.m. Monday, Oct. 5, in the 600 block of Stine Avenue.

Kansas City, Kansas, police officers found the victim, a male in his mid-20s, outside a house, a police spokesman stated.

The victim was taken to a hospital, where he was in critical condition. He has since died from his injuries.

Stine Avenue is about a block south of Metropolitan Avenue.

The Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department’s Major Case Unit is investigating. Anyone with information is asked to call the TIPS hotline at 816-474-TIPS, the spokesman stated.