News

Southwest Medical Center announces renovation project to enhance infrastructure and safety

Southwest Medical Center

Southwest Medical Center is excited to announce the hospital is undergoing significant renovations to enhance our infrastructure and improve the overall experience for patients, visitors and staff.

These upgrades, which include necessary repairs to infrastructure and windows on the tower, are part of an ongoing commitment to providing a safe, comfortable, and state-of-the-art environment for everyone who relies on the facility’s services.

Bleacher project going back to bid

ROBERT PIERCE

• Leader & Times

The rodeo arena at the Seward County Fairgrounds will likely not get needed upgrades this year.

At its May 20 regular meeting, the county commission opted to reopen the bidding process for bleachers at the arena. That decision came after Contract Consultant Neal Coffey reviewed discussion of the project from the May 6 commission meeting.

Liberal City Commission hears update from Watkins Public Strategies

ELLY GRIMM

• Leader & Times

The City of Liberal has been partnered with Watkins Public Strategies for several months now to help get the community more representation in Topeka. Tuesday evening, the Liberal City Commission got to hear an update on how those efforts have been going from Watkins Public Strategies Vice President Jessica Lucas.

Seward County Sheriff’s office works deer-related accident Sunday morning

ROBERT PIERCE

• Leader & Times

A vehicle was deemed undrivable, but its driver and passenger were uninjured after the vehicle hit a deer early Sunday morning in Seward County.

Sheriff Gene Ward said shortly after 2 a.m. Sunday, Selene Zamora Nava from Plains was driving a 2016 Chevrolet Traverse eastbound on U.S. Highway 54 about four miles west of Kismet when a deer came from north of the grass median.

CDC reports second human case of H5 Bird Flu tied to dairy cow outbreak

ELLY GRIMM

• Leader & Times

Another case of H5 bird flu has been confirmed in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

“A human case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5) (‘H5 bird flu’) virus infection in the United States has been identified in the state of Michigan. This is the second case associated with an ongoing multi-state outbreak of A(H5N1) in dairy cows,” the CDC noted in a release. “As with the case in Texas, the individual is a worker on a dairy farm where H5N1 virus has been identified in cows. While a nasal swab from the person tested negative for influenza in Michigan, an eye swab from the patient was shipped to CDC and tested positive for influenza A(H5) virus, indicating an eye infection. Similar to the Texas case, the patient only reported eye symptoms. CDC has been watching influenza surveillance systems closely, particularly in affected states, and there has been no sign of unusual influenza activity in people, including in syndromic surveillance.”