Temporary traffic markers will be installed this week immediately north of the intersection at Maize Road and 21st Street to prevent left turns into two drives leading to Dillons and Walgreens.

 

The tubular-shaped orange markers — about twice as tall as traditional cones and spaced about four feet apart — will be left in place on Maize Road for 30 days to see how traffic flow is affected.

 

Access to Dillons and Walgreens will still be available from right turns off Maize Road and from either direction off 21st Street.

 

The intersection, one of the busiest in west Wichita, serves a major retail area, including New Market Square. Left turns north of the intersection may be contributing to congestion, city traffic engineer Paul Gunzelman said.

 

"The simulated median will help the city test the impact of traffic changes being considered for construction next year," he said.

 

The city plans to improve the intersection, including adding dual left-turn lanes.

 

—Rick Plumlee

 

New dog park opens Friday at K-96 and North Hillside

 

The city of Wichita will hold a grand opening at 10 a.m. Friday for its dog park at the Murfin Animal Care Campus at K-96 and North Hillside. Residents are encouraged to bring their dogs with them.

 

This is the city's second off-leash dog park. The first was opened in late 2009 at Chapin Park, off MacArthur Road between K-15 and Hydraulic.

 

_ Rick Plumlee

 

Police seek two men in east-side home robbery

 

Police are looking for a man with the phrase "Hustler's Ambition" tattooed on his arm in connection with a home robbery early Tuesday in east Wichita. A second man is also being sought, police said.

 

Three people were at the home in the 6100 block of East Boston when two men they did not know forced open their door around 12:50 a.m., Wichita police Lt. Doug Nolte said. The men threatened the occupants — a 19-year-old woman, a 21-year-old man and a 1-year-old boy — with unknown weapons, and stole personal property and cash, Nolte said.

 

The woman sprayed mace at one of the men, Nolte said.

 

Police described the man with the tattoo as black, approximately 27 years old, 5 feet 11 inches and about 250 pounds. He has other tattoos.

 

The second man is described as white with red hair, about 23 years old. He weighs around 145 pounds and is 5 feet 7 inches.

 

Anyone with tips can call 911 or Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.

 

—Amy Renee Leiker

 

Mid-Continent Airport to practice disaster response

 

Nearly two dozen agencies and hundreds of people will converge on Wichita's Mid-Continent Airport for a mock disaster drill Thursday.

 

The airport says the full-scale disaster exercise is required every three years by the Federal Aviation Administration.

 

Thursday morning's drill will involve a large commercial aircraft with 78 passengers and crew colliding with a small, general aviation plane on a runway. Both planes break apart and stop in a field about 2,000 feet off the runway.

 

—Associated Press

 

Authors to help mark bookstore anniversary

 

Eighth Day Books, 2838 E. Douglas, plans an open house and appearances by three authors this week to celebrate its 23rd year

 

On Thursday, poet and retired Wichita State University professor Jeanine Hathaway will read from her new book, "The Ex-Nun Poems."

 

On Friday, Gordon Houser, associate editor of the Mennonite, will read from his "Present Tense: A Mennonite Spirituality."

 

And on Saturday, poet John Estes, formerly of Wichita and now of Malone University in Ohio, will read from his new collection, "Kingdom Come."

 

All events are free and begin at 7 p.m.