Meridian

The City of Wichita celebrates the completion of a project to rebuilding part of south Meridian. The $5.1 million project expanded the street between 31st St. S. and 47th St. S. It included adding a center turn lane, new pedestrian crossings and improved drainage. Wichita Mayor Carl Brewer says the project makes the road safer and more useful for drivers and neighbors. Nearly 2,500 vehicle drive on that stretch of Meridian each day. Work on the project began in January 2010 and was finished in November 2010.

Local law enforcement issued 56 citations while conducting Operation Impact on Meridian.  For 24 hours, Wichita Police, Sedgwick County Sheriff's Deputies and the Valley Center Police department monintored the busy road. After they were done, they issued 35 speeding tickets, 9 seat belt violations and 7 no proof of insurance tickets.  Two were brought in for felony warrants and two others for having an open container. ________________________________________________________________________________________ November 2, 2011 Some unlucky drivers on Meridian saw Valley Center Police Sergeant Matt Vogt's flashing lights in their rear view mirrors.

The fences are up, and it may look like it's ready for Wichita's four-legged friends...but, Wichita parks officials are asking dog owners to refrain from using the new dog park at 21st and Meridian. The dog park isn't set to open until later this year and parks officials are trying to get grass to grow in nice and hearty before the park is used. Parks officials tell Eyewitness News that some dog owners have been using the park, and that's causing some damage to the new grass.

A motorcycle rider is dead after hitting a truck. The accident happened around 1:30 Monday afternoon at First and Meridian. Wichita police say the truck was going north on Meridian at the time of the crash. The driver was making a left turn onto First Street when it was hit by the motorcycle. The driver says he thought he had enough time to turn. The motorcyclist has been identified as 25-year-old Brian C. Hitchcock. The two people inside the truck were not hurt.

Construction work to reconstruct 47th Street South from Meridian to Seneca is slated to begin February 1st. A public information meeting regarding the improvements is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on Monday at Glenville Church, 4604 S. Seneca. The $5 million project will improve the street from a two-lane asphalt mat surface to full-depth pavement with three, four and five lane sections, with curb and gutter and storm drains. The 47th and Meridian intersection also will be re-constructed to include signalized left turn lanes.

Wichita police arrest a man after a disturbance in southwest Wichita. Authorities had urged people near 31st S. and Meridian to stay in their homes while they search for the man who was believed to be armed. No one was hurt.

Emergency crews are on the scene of a motorcycle accident at Meridian and 1st Street in Wichita. Two victims have serious injuries. KWCH Eyewitness News will bring you more details as more information becomes available.

It's a normal part of Casey Keeney's day, starting at about 4:00 she waits and she worries. Her six year-old daughter is one of the only two kids who get off at a bus stop at the intersection of Third and Meridian. Keeney feels its dangerous to drop kids off so close to such a busy street and for months has been fighting to have the stop moved further down Third Street and away from Meridian. "A car could lose control and come over the curb. Some weirdo could grab my kid and she could be in their car and gone on Meridian.

Nine people received minor injuries after an accident near McCormick and Meridian in Wichita.  Police say they attempted to stop a speeding Mustang near Orient and Vine.  When the driver didn't stop, police used stop sticks. When the Mustang came to a stop, it hit two other vehicles.  Nine people were checked on scene for minor injuries.  The accident is under investigation.

A pedestrian is killed after he was hit by a vehicle in a northwest Kansas town. It happened Saturday night just after 8:00 in the town of Brewster in Thomas County. Authorities say 44-year-old Val Gallentine of Goodland was in a crosswalk of the intersection of KS and Meridian when he was struck by the vehicle. The driver was not hurt. The accident is still under investigation.

Wichita police are investigating after a man's window is shot out while he was driving Monday afternoon.  Police say the 38-year-old man was turning from Meridian to get onto Kellogg at around 1:55 Monday afternoon when, all of a sudden, his driver-side window shattered.   The man pulled over to try and figure out what happened. Officials showed up and found damage consistent with a bullet striking the window.  They looked closer and found bullet fragments among the window debris inside the car. Police don't know where the bullet came from or who shot it.  They're asking anyone who saw something in that area at around that time to contact police at (316)

"I thought it was a very ambitious project, and thought it would be great if Wichita could develop the brand new reputation as the pro-life capital of the world," Rob Rotola says. Rotola is pastor at Word of Life Church which owns land at 37th and Meridian which is the planned site for the National Pro-Life Memorial and International Life Center.  Pastor Mark Holick from Spirit One Church is one of the project leaders. "We need a place to come and properly grieve and memorialize the children that we've lost to abortion," Holick says.

Nine people received minor injuries after an accident near McCormick and Meridian in Wichita.  Police say they attempted to stop a speeding Mustang near Orient and Vine.  When the driver didn't stop, police used stop sticks. When the Mustang came to a stop, it hit two other vehicles.  Nine people were checked on scene for minor injuries.  The accident is under investigation.

A pedestrian is killed after he was hit by a vehicle in a northwest Kansas town. It happened Saturday night just after 8:00 in the town of Brewster in Thomas County. Authorities say 44-year-old Val Gallentine of Goodland was in a crosswalk of the intersection of KS and Meridian when he was struck by the vehicle. The driver was not hurt. The accident is still under investigation.

The fences are up, and it may look like it's ready for Wichita's four-legged friends...but, Wichita parks officials are asking dog owners to refrain from using the new dog park at 21st and Meridian. The dog park isn't set to open until later this year and parks officials are trying to get grass to grow in nice and hearty before the park is used. Parks officials tell Eyewitness News that some dog owners have been using the park, and that's causing some damage to the new grass.

Residents in both Sedgwick and Butler Counties arein the dark tonight.  Westar says downed tree limbs and lighting have caused power outages in the area.  Westar says they should all be fixed by 10 Monday night. The storm has also flooded streets.  It caused buses for Wichita schools to be delayed on the way home. In Valley Center, the Ark Valley news reported at least five vehicles were submerged in areas along Meridian. Two people had to be rescued from their cars near Clay and Meridian.

Local law enforcement issued 56 citations while conducting Operation Impact on Meridian.  For 24 hours, Wichita Police, Sedgwick County Sheriff's Deputies and the Valley Center Police department monintored the busy road. After they were done, they issued 35 speeding tickets, 9 seat belt violations and 7 no proof of insurance tickets.  Two were brought in for felony warrants and two others for having an open container. ________________________________________________________________________________________ November 2, 2011 Some unlucky drivers on Meridian saw Valley Center Police Sergeant Matt Vogt's flashing lights in their rear view mirrors.

The Red Cross helps a southwest Wichita family after its home catches fire late Sunday night. The fire broke out around 10:30 in the 2100 block of West Dora that's near Meridian and May. Officials say they saw smoke coming out of the room when they arrived on scene. Crews found a fire in the attic and put it out. Officials believe the fire may have started by something electrical. Two adults and a child were in the home. They made it out safely.

Emergency crews are on the scene of a motorcycle accident at Meridian and 1st Street in Wichita. Two victims have serious injuries. KWCH Eyewitness News will bring you more details as more information becomes available.

Investigators say it appears a woman set her house on fire with the intention of harming herself. The Wichita Fire Department says a 16-year-old who lived in the neighborhood noticed smoke coming from a home in the 5700 block of north Meridian Monday night. They say the teen crawled inside under the smoke, found a 53-year-old woman and pulled her to safety as fire crews arrived. The woman was taken to a Wichita hospital with burns and smoke inhalation. Tuesday morning she was still in critical condition.