Kansas Klips

World View Strato-Balloon passes over northwest Kansas

ATWOOD — A large, almost translucent object resembling a balloon was seen flying near Atwood last Tuesday morning. Ryan Husted, a Goodland meterologist with the National Weather Service, confirmed that the object was not a weather balloon, but rather a prototype being tested by World View — a “space tourism” company headquartered in Tuscon, Ariz. A large helium-filled balloon, similar to what was seen Tuesday, lifts a climate-controlled, pressurized pod meant to transport sight-seeing passengers. Unveiling their space capsule prototype was a pivotal moment for the company as they prepare for their first launch from the Grand Canyon in just two short years. In addition to the maiden voyage over the Grand Canyon, customers can place $500 deposits on future trips, including the Serengeti in Kenya, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, the Great Wall of China in Mongolia, and more. You go first. (Rawlins County Square Deal)

Bloggers visit Oberlin, Decatur County

OBERLIN — Two travel bloggers, Sara Broers of Travels with Sara and Melody Pittman of the Wherever I May Roam Blog, are traveling U.S. 36 and were in Decatur County recently. The U.S. 36 Association hired the pair to travel along U.S. 36 through the northern tier of Kansas counties. Mrs. Broers is from Mason City Iowa, and Mrs. Pittman from Vero Beach, Fla., but has taken up traveling in a recreational vehicle with her husband. In their travels across the state, the women were urged to visit sites within 36 miles of the highway in either direction, north or south, so they took in a few sites that were slightly off of U.S. 36, including the World’s Largest Ball of Twine in Cawker City, the old log cabin where the song “Home on the Range” was written near Smith Center, and the Dane G. Hansen Museum in Logan. The pair visited several shops in downtown Oberlin, followed by lunch at the LandMark Inn. They also visited the U.S. 36 Museum in Norcatur, toured the Kanona ghost town, and had supper at the Re-Load. (The Oberlin Herald)

Six families displaced, firefighter injured in SW KS fire

FORD COUNTY — A firefighter and one occupant were treated for injuries after apartment complex fire in Dodge City. When crews arrived, the fire was already well established within the void spaces of the floor joists between the first and second floor as well as the attic of the building. Dodge City Police Department assisted by evacuating the building as well as the apartment buildings next door. The structural integrity of the building began to fail quickly, forcing fire personnel to withdraw from the apartments and into defensive mode to try to stop the fire from the outside of the building. One firefighter fell through a floor, sustaining minor injuries and was treated at the scene. One of the occupants of the building was also treated on scene for smoke inhalation. It took around three hours for firefighters to bring the fire under control. Six families lost their homes in the fire as the building is a total loss. The American Red Cross arrived on scene to help families who were displaced. Cause of the fire remains under investigation. (HaysPost.com)

Horde of Lincolns celebrate Kansas’ anti-slavery roots in trip to Lecompton

LECOMPTON — Abraham Lincoln(s) paid a visit to Lecompton ’s Historical Society on Saturday — roughly 30 of them. The visitors were members of the Association of Lincoln Presenters, a group of men and women across the United States who enjoy portraying Abraham or Mary Todd Lincoln. “We are living historians, you might call us, or living history reenactors,” said Kevin Wood, a Michigan-based member of the ALP. “Our goal is really just to bring to life these very important characters from our history.” The association’s visit to Lecompton served as part of its three-day annual conference in Kansas — the first one in three years, due to the pandemic. While the conference mainly took place nearby in Leavenworth, its final day featured a day trip to Lecompton. When Lincoln was “testing the political climate” for the upcoming presidential election in the late 1850s, he made a weeklong stop in Kansas. He gave several speeches condemning slavery throughout that trip, and his last one before leaving Kansas was at the Planters House Hotel in Leavenworth. “The Civil War started here essentially,” Cox said. “The part that Kansas played in not only leading into the Civil War but also how it affected Lincoln.” (Kansas Reflector)

Driver killed after car strikes home in Miami County

Bucyrus — The driver of a car died when the vehicle went airborne, struck the roof of an eastern Kansas home and landed on its side. The Miami County Sheriff’s Office said the accident happened Wednesday, April 20, in the town of Bucyrus, just south of Kansas City. The name of the driver had not been released. Deputies responding to a 911 call found a 2018 Dodge Charger flipped on its passenger side in the back yard of the home. Authorities said the driver went over a set of railroad tracks and lost control. The vehicle struck a ditch before going airborne. The driver was pronounced at the scene. Two people inside the home were not injured. Authorities believe the driver was traveling at a high rate of speed. (AP/Salina Journal)