Andover

St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church was leveled when the Andover tornado hit the area in 1991. Twenty-years later, the church has rebuilt, and the congregation is larger than before.      "God gives you what you need to move along," said Father Mike Baldwin Tuesday afternoon in his sanctuary.  "And we've been blessed. " Father Mike was the pastor at St. Vincent de Paul then.  He still remembers arriving here at midnight, and seeing the destruction by a car's headlights.  "I remember most walking up and seeing a flask of oil.  This particular oil was the oil of healing.  It was a crystal bottle, sitting on the sidewalk, still with some oil in it. "  To the priest, this was highly symbolic.  "I guess I knew from that moment on that we would be okay, that we were in God's hands.

On April 26th, 1991 a series of tornadoes barreled down on the Midwest from East Texas up to the Iowa/Minnesota border killing 24 people, injuring 200 more and causing $250 million in property damage. The storm left 19 people in Kansas dead, 13 in the city of Andover, home to 4,149 people at the time. The single Andover tornado siren that would have warned the residents of the danger was not working that day, leaving people in the area listening to news reports to find out how close the funnel was to their homes.

Andover happened a little more than a year after the Hesston tornado, which despite its size and strength, killed just two people. There was much talk at the time that the many warnings sent out by KWCH and other media had a big part in limiting the death toll.  For hours after the Andover tornado, it appeared the same had happened.  But later in the evening, we found out from one of our reporters while we were on the air that the...

You hear people say it after a tornado.  Mary Jacob said it after Sunday night's storm. "It sounded like a train," said Jacob.  She and her family ran to the basement Sunday night when the windows in their Andover home started shaking.  But Jacob says as soon as it hit, it was over.  The wind had ripped the family's play set out of the ground and thrown it into a twisted mess in the yard.  Her neighbor has a similar play set which was...

Wichita Public School has cancelled and activities for Tuesday, February 1. All schools and non-attendance centers are closed. Officials cite the anticipated dangerous weather conditions as a reason. Decisions on the status of classes for Wednesday will be made later. Other districts including Derby, Haysville, Salina, Andover and Winfield are also closed. There will be no classes or activities at Wichita State University. You can get an update list of closings and delays by clicking on the link on the left side of this story.

It's the middle of the season, so should a high school basketball player get a new try-out? That's the question for a judge who says he'll announce his decision Tuesday morning. He's hearing the case of a family whose child didn't make the team. As we told you last month, the family claims the Andover School District created a "pay to play" environment. Monday, both parties were in court, because attorneys for the Andover School District asked the judge to dismiss the case. "It's an issue that belongs in front of the school to make the decision," said Richard James, representing the district.

The Andover School District is responding to a lawsuit filed in Butler County court by parents who claim the school helped create a “pay to play” atmosphere. In the lawsuit, parents Paul and Melinda Peffly claim a conflict of interest was created when then Andover High basketball coach Jason Stucky borrowed money from them for a business venture. Paul Peffly says he had trouble getting the coach to pay him back. He got his money, but believes his business deal may be the reason his son and a friend were cut from the team.

Parents of two Andover High School students have filed suit against the district. “I have two sets of parents who are very upset their sons didn't get a fair shot at making the team,” says attorney Corlin Pratt who represents the parents. “Neither set of parents are saying their kids are superstars, but what they're saying is their kids deserve an even playing field.” They filed suit because of former Andover High School head basketball coach Jason Stucky.

About 600 people showed up to see former vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin in Andover for the latest stop on her book tour. The former Republican vice presidential candidate and Alaska governor is promoting "American by Heart: Reflections on Family, Faith, and Flag. " The book is her first since her memoir, "Going Rogue. " The tour began two weeks ago in Phoenix, the home state of her 2008 running mate, John McCain. People started waiting in line early Sunday morning at the Andover Dillions for wristbands and copies of the book.

Area law enforcement officers issued 349 citations during Thursday’s 24-hour traffic safety exercise along the 21st Street corridor from Andover through Wichita to western Sedgwick County.   Most of the tickets, 203 in all, were for speeding. There was one arrest for DUI. The An dover Police Department, the Wichita Police Department, the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office and the Kansas Highway Patrol.