Chamber of Commerce: Brownback to visit HINU, speak at breakfast

U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., is expected to address an 8 a.m. breakfast meeting today at Stidham Hall on the Haskell Indian Nations University campus.

The breakfast, which is open to the public, is sponsored by the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce. Tickets are $10.

Topics to be discussed include the economy, the war on terrorism and establishment of an abolitionist museum.

After the hourlong breakfast, Brownback will tour the university’s new cultural center and museum.

Health: West Nile virus found in Jefferson County

More Kansas counties including Jefferson are being added to the list of locations where the West Nile virus has been confirmed.

On Monday, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment said the most recent cases involving horses were reported in Jefferson, Norton and Pratt counties.

Cases of West Nile in dead birds most recently were confirmed in Barton, Johnson, Comanche and Montgomery counties, according to KDHE.

West Nile is passed through mosquito bites. People cannot get the disease from horses and birds, but they can get it from mosquitoes.

In humans, West Nile usually causes mild flulike symptoms but generally does not require medical treatment. Death can occur in rare cases. People older than 50 or with weak immune systems are most susceptible to serious illness.

West Nile was confirmed in Douglas County earlier this month.