Wichita News

Wednesday's announcement by the U.S. Air Force that McConnell Air Force Base has been selected as the Main Operating Base for the new KC-46A refueling tanker solidifies a major component of the Wichita-area economy.

Marlena from Country Legends 106.9 will broadcast live from 11 am to 2 pm Thursday, May 23, from the Red Cross office at 1221 SW 17th St.

Wichitan Jenifer Cook, a volunteer physician, strategizes with Heart to Heart International founder Gary Morsch about clinic locations and how to distribute donated pharmaceuticals Wednesday morning in Moore, Okla.

The Wichita-based company, which manufactures wooden and steel containers, is planning to take a semi-truck load of supplies to Oklahoma on June 3. Crate Tech launched the donation drive on Tuesday, and already donations are pouring in, says company Vice President Dan McDonald .

Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran announced live on KFDI Wednesday morning that the Air Force has awarded the KC-46A tanker assignment to McConnell Air Force Base in Wichita.

The 90,000-square-foot speculative industrial/warehouse building developed by David Shannon, at 2113 S. West St., is officially ready to occupy.

A former Wichita police officer and two other people were charged Wednesday with conspiracy and wire fraud after an internal investigation by police concluded that they were involved in scheme to keep the officer from losing her job, according to U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom.

Wawrzewski, a physician's assistant and founder of Wichita-based Clinic In A Can, hauled one of the organization's 20-foot modified shipping containers that serves as a medical clinic to Moore on Tuesday afternoon.

Wichita police took a man into custody Tuesday morning. Lieutenant Randy Reynolds said a Crime Stoppers tip led the gang unit to conduct surveillance outside a home in the 1500 block of N. Topeka.

After a brief chase and pursuit that shut down part of a Wichita neighborhood for about an hour, police on Tuesday morning arrested a man described as a "person of interest" in a recent shooting.

Wichita Public Schools is in the process of building a safe room in every school, and so far, the rooms are installed in all but 18 schools.

It's common for companies to make big cash donations after a disaster. But following Monday's tornado in Oklahoma City, several firms are going beyond writing a check, offering help through the use of their equipment, staff, buildings and other in-kind donations.

Highs are expected to reach the upper 70s under mostly sunny skies, with light winds out of the north.

The movement came Tuesday morning as House and Senate Republicans agreed to let their tax and budget negotiators meet again after nearly a week of political posturing that resulted in little more than bickering.

"I've never seen anything like it a and my mom's house was destroyed in the April 1991 tornado." - Former Wichitan Kristin Peck , vice president for government and public affairs for Cox Communications in Oklahoma, in an e-mail about the massive tornado that hit Moore on Monday

The Cocoa Dolce Artisan Chocolates founder is opening her second store, this time in Overland Park's Prairiefire development on West 135th Street between Nall and Lamar avenues.

As revenues ebb under the income-tax cuts, state leaders are looking at everything as a potential place to cut spending.

The Wichita Thunder, Eddy's Toyota and the Wichita Ice Center are joining forces to help the Salvation Army of Central Oklahoma aid disaster relief.

Photo cutline: Michael Phipps, general manager of the DoubleTree by Hilton Wichita Airport, shows off the CARE Cup Awards the hotel won for 2012 and the fourth quarter .

A Warren Theatres facility in Moore, Okla., was damaged and a Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers location was also near the path of Monday's deadly tornado.