Northeast Kansas rebounds from storm

Forecast warm breezes mean that by the end of today the winter storm that Tuesday dumped less than an inch of snow and sleet on Lawrence and the area will be a chilly memory.

Students in Lawrence public schools and other area school districts who enjoyed a day off Wednesday return to class today.

Lawrence schools were closed because of concern about students traversing slick sidewalks in neighborhoods around the schools, Supt. Randy Weseman said.

Though snow and sleet contributed to some traffic accidents in the area, law enforcement officials reported few other weather-related problems.

What little snow may be left should quickly disappear as temperatures soar into the 50s today and possibly into the 60s Friday, 6News meteorologist Matt Makens said.

Lawrence

Fired officer to take appeal to city manager

Fired Lawrence Police Officer Stuart “Mike” Peck is scheduled to meet this morning to appeal his dismissal with City Manager Mike Wildgen.

Peck was fired last month after Douglas County District Judge Michael Malone ruled Peck had misled the court in an affidavit used to obtain a warrant for searching the residence of a drug suspect.

A city-employee grievance committee last week upheld Police Chief Ron Olin’s decision to fire Peck. Peck’s meeting with Wildgen represents the final step in the city’s procedures for handling employment grievances.

Asked if he planned to file a lawsuit against the department in civil court, Peck declined to comment.

Manslaughter

Driver in fatal accident makes court appearance

The man accused of killing a 31-year-old Lawrence woman in a head-on accident on U.S. Highway 40 west of Lawrence, made his first appearance Wednesday in Douglas County District Court.

Charley Davis, 19, Lawrence, faces involuntary manslaughter charges stemming from the Dec. 4, 2002, accident.

The crash just east of the junction of U.S. 40 and Kansas Highway 10 killed Tisha Downing, a Eudora school district employee, and injured her 6-week-old daughter.

According to the Kansas Highway Patrol, Davis collided with Downing’s van while passing on a hill.

A judge set a preliminary hearing in the case for March 11.