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CNN
a day ago
- Health
- CNN
A researcher with hearing loss got a grant to study restoring hearing. The Trump administration cancelled it because of DEI
Dr. Uri Manor feels like much of his early life was blessed by fate. Born with genetic hearing loss that enables him to hear only about 10% of what others might, Manor was diagnosed at age 2, when he happened to be living in Wichita, Kansas – the home of what he describes as 'one of the most advanced schools for children with hearing loss, maybe in the world.' 'It wasn't clear if I would ever learn language, if I would ever be able to speak clearly,' said Manor, now 45. 'So I was very lucky, really weirdly lucky, that we were living in Wichita, Kansas, at the time.' Working in Wichita with experts at the Institute of Logopedics, now called Heartspring, Manor learned to speak. That same sort of serendipity led Manor into an unexpected career studying hearing loss himself, first at the US National Institutes of Health and, now, leading his own lab at the University of California, San Diego, where his research into ways to restore hearing was supported by a major five-year NIH grant. But that's where Manor's luck ran out. His grant was terminated in May by the Trump administration as part of its policies targeting diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, initiatives; Manor's funding had been awarded through a program that aimed to promote workforce diversity, for which he qualified because he has hearing loss. Now, Manor's research is in limbo, like that of thousands of other scientists whose work is supported in large part by the federal government and who've been affected by grant terminations. And the halt comes as research into hearing loss, which affects as many as 15% of American adults and 1 in 400 children at birth, had recently shown signs of rapid advancement. It was intense curiosity about the world that led Manor into a career in science, where early on, fate seemed to strike again. As a researcher at the NIH and Johns Hopkins working toward his Ph.D., Manor hoped to find an adviser interested in how magnetic fields could influence cells – an obsession that stemmed from a fascination with animals' ability to navigate using magnetic fields of the Earth. 'I was describing that to a physicist PI [primary investigator] at the NIH, and he goes, 'Yeah, I can't support that project, but what you're describing sounds a lot like the hair cells of the inner ear. You should go talk to this PI, who studies hair cells,'' Manor recalled. Despite spending much of his time at the audiologist's office, he said, 'I'd never thought about the ear.' That PI, Dr. Bechara Kachar, showed him microscope images of hair cells in the inner ear, which enable us to hear, and Manor remembers being stunned. 'I fell in love with the hair cell, these mysterious cells in our ear, because the system was so amazing, how it all comes together and how it all works,' Manor said. 'I got goosebumps. I have hearing loss, and I never thought about studying it. But now I was in this room falling in love with this system. I was like, 'What if this is like my destiny? What if this is what I'm supposed to be doing?'' In 2023, Manor received his first R01 grant from the NIH, a major five-year award that would support his lab's work on ways to restore hearing. Again, serendipity had struck; the R01 grant process is intensely competitive, funding only a fraction of the applications the biomedical research agency gets. Young researchers are advised to apply to research funding programs where they may have a unique edge, to improve their odds, Manor said. There was one that seemed a perfect fit; he was encouraged by mentors to apply to a program at the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders that aimed to promote workforce diversity. It was specifically designed to support early-stage researchers 'from diverse backgrounds, including those from underrepresented groups,' such as people with disabilities. Manor qualified because he has 'congenital severe-to-profound hearing loss,' he said. 'It felt right.' Even at the time, Manor said, he acknowledged the risk that government initiatives supporting DEI may not always be popular. His biggest concern, though, was that he might not be able to renew his grant through the same program after its five years were up. But his luck turned. In late May, he received notification from the NIH that, only two years in, his five-year grant had been canceled. The reason: The Trump administration was targeting programs promoting DEI. 'Research programs based primarily on artificial and non-scientific categories, including amorphous equity objectives, are antithetical to the scientific inquiry, do nothing to expand our knowledge of living systems, provide low returns on investment, and ultimately do not enhance health, lengthen life, or reduce illness,' the notice read. 'It is the policy of NIH not to prioritize such research programs.' No more funding would be awarded, it continued, and all future years on the grant had been removed. 'No one ever imagined that a grant could be canceled in the middle of an award period,' Manor said. 'It might be naïve and incorrect, but when you get a five-year grant from the NIH, that's a five-year contract, and you make plans based on five years. … That's really kind of rocked our world.' A spokesperson for the NIH told CNN: 'The study itself has value, however unfortunately it was funded under an ideologically driven DEI program under the Biden Administration. In the future, NIH will review, and fund research based on scientific merit rather than on DEI criteria.' Manor spent the next two weeks sleeping two to three hours a night, writing new grant proposals to try to replace the lost funds. But the termination meant his lab had to stop experiments, some of which had taken years to set up. Manor took that measure in an attempt to avoid having to lay off staff members – which he ultimately had to do as well. Hearing loss affects more than 30 million people in the US, with prevalence rising as people age. Recently, the field has taken leaps forward, with trials of gene therapies, which deliver working copies of genes to make up for mutated ones that cause deafness, helping children hear for the first time. 'We're at the threshold of a brave new world, so to speak,' said Dr. Charles Liberman, a senior scientist and former director of the Eaton-Peabody Laboratories at Mass Eye and Ear, one of the largest hearing research laboratories in the world. 'It's pretty incredible, the progress that's been made in the last 10 or 15 years, on understanding what goes wrong in the ear and having a pretty good handle on what kinds of approaches might work to cure sensorineural hearing loss.' Liberman anticipates breakthroughs in the next five to 10 years in slowing age-related hearing loss as well and, 'perhaps farther in the future, to actually reverse age-related hearing loss.' Liberman said Manor – with whom he's collaborated in the past – is contributing to the field's advancements. 'He has not been in the field for terribly long, but he's already made a big impression because of the incredible sort of computational approaches he takes to analyzing data from the inner ear,' he said. 'His grant got cut because it was a diversity initiative,' Liberman continued, 'but Uri's research is top quality, and I'm sure it would have been funded just on its own merit.' Manor's was one of thousands of NIH grants cut by the Trump administration, amounting to almost $3.8 billion in lost funding, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. Others canceled under the banner of combating DEI ideology include those focused on HIV, where researchers reported receiving notification identical to Manor's. But recently, Manor's fortunes seemed to have changed again. A federal judge ruled in June that it was illegal for the Trump administration to cancel several hundred research grants in areas including racial health disparities and transgender health. Manor's is among the grants included, and he received notice that the funding should come through. Still, he said he worries about whether that decision will hold through future court challenges. And he, like so many other scientists affected by the administration's drastic cuts to research funding, warns about the effects on scientific progress. 'No matter what your political leanings are, you have a 1 in 400 chance of having a child with hearing loss,' he said. Anyone dealing with medical conditions 'will benefit from the amazing advances of science and our biomedical research force.' But he also emphasized the importance of recognizing that research like his is supported by taxpayers, some of whom 'are struggling to pay their own bills, who are struggling to pay their kids' doctors bills.' 'And some of their taxpayer dollars are coming to my lab,' he said. 'That's a huge responsibility and privilege, and we have to make sure we're doing good with it. For me, that's a really powerful motivating factor, and I would like to believe that we're doing it.'
CNN
a day ago
- Health
- CNN
A researcher with hearing loss got a grant to study restoring hearing. The Trump administration cancelled it because of DEI
Disability issues Homes Diversity and equity Relationships FacebookTweetLink Dr. Uri Manor feels like much of his early life was blessed by fate. Born with genetic hearing loss that enables him to hear only about 10% of what others might, Manor was diagnosed at age 2, when he happened to be living in Wichita, Kansas – the home of what he describes as 'one of the most advanced schools for children with hearing loss, maybe in the world.' 'It wasn't clear if I would ever learn language, if I would ever be able to speak clearly,' said Manor, now 45. 'So I was very lucky, really weirdly lucky, that we were living in Wichita, Kansas, at the time.' Working in Wichita with experts at the Institute of Logopedics, now called Heartspring, Manor learned to speak. That same sort of serendipity led Manor into an unexpected career studying hearing loss himself, first at the US National Institutes of Health and, now, leading his own lab at the University of California, San Diego, where his research into ways to restore hearing was supported by a major five-year NIH grant. But that's where Manor's luck ran out. His grant was terminated in May by the Trump administration as part of its policies targeting diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, initiatives; Manor's funding had been awarded through a program that aimed to promote workforce diversity, for which he qualified because he has hearing loss. Now, Manor's research is in limbo, like that of thousands of other scientists whose work is supported in large part by the federal government and who've been affected by grant terminations. And the halt comes as research into hearing loss, which affects as many as 15% of American adults and 1 in 400 children at birth, had recently shown signs of rapid advancement. It was intense curiosity about the world that led Manor into a career in science, where early on, fate seemed to strike again. As a researcher at the NIH and Johns Hopkins working toward his Ph.D., Manor hoped to find an adviser interested in how magnetic fields could influence cells – an obsession that stemmed from a fascination with animals' ability to navigate using magnetic fields of the Earth. 'I was describing that to a physicist PI [primary investigator] at the NIH, and he goes, 'Yeah, I can't support that project, but what you're describing sounds a lot like the hair cells of the inner ear. You should go talk to this PI, who studies hair cells,'' Manor recalled. Despite spending much of his time at the audiologist's office, he said, 'I'd never thought about the ear.' That PI, Dr. Bechara Kachar, showed him microscope images of hair cells in the inner ear, which enable us to hear, and Manor remembers being stunned. 'I fell in love with the hair cell, these mysterious cells in our ear, because the system was so amazing, how it all comes together and how it all works,' Manor said. 'I got goosebumps. I have hearing loss, and I never thought about studying it. But now I was in this room falling in love with this system. I was like, 'What if this is like my destiny? What if this is what I'm supposed to be doing?'' In 2023, Manor received his first R01 grant from the NIH, a major five-year award that would support his lab's work on ways to restore hearing. Again, serendipity had struck; the R01 grant process is intensely competitive, funding only a fraction of the applications the biomedical research agency gets. Young researchers are advised to apply to research funding programs where they may have a unique edge, to improve their odds, Manor said. There was one that seemed a perfect fit; he was encouraged by mentors to apply to a program at the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders that aimed to promote workforce diversity. It was specifically designed to support early-stage researchers 'from diverse backgrounds, including those from underrepresented groups,' such as people with disabilities. Manor qualified because he has 'congenital severe-to-profound hearing loss,' he said. 'It felt right.' Even at the time, Manor said, he acknowledged the risk that government initiatives supporting DEI may not always be popular. His biggest concern, though, was that he might not be able to renew his grant through the same program after its five years were up. But his luck turned. In late May, he received notification from the NIH that, only two years in, his five-year grant had been canceled. The reason: The Trump administration was targeting programs promoting DEI. 'Research programs based primarily on artificial and non-scientific categories, including amorphous equity objectives, are antithetical to the scientific inquiry, do nothing to expand our knowledge of living systems, provide low returns on investment, and ultimately do not enhance health, lengthen life, or reduce illness,' the notice read. 'It is the policy of NIH not to prioritize such research programs.' No more funding would be awarded, it continued, and all future years on the grant had been removed. 'No one ever imagined that a grant could be canceled in the middle of an award period,' Manor said. 'It might be naïve and incorrect, but when you get a five-year grant from the NIH, that's a five-year contract, and you make plans based on five years. … That's really kind of rocked our world.' A spokesperson for the NIH told CNN: 'The study itself has value, however unfortunately it was funded under an ideologically driven DEI program under the Biden Administration. In the future, NIH will review, and fund research based on scientific merit rather than on DEI criteria.' Manor spent the next two weeks sleeping two to three hours a night, writing new grant proposals to try to replace the lost funds. But the termination meant his lab had to stop experiments, some of which had taken years to set up. Manor took that measure in an attempt to avoid having to lay off staff members – which he ultimately had to do as well. Hearing loss affects more than 30 million people in the US, with prevalence rising as people age. Recently, the field has taken leaps forward, with trials of gene therapies, which deliver working copies of genes to make up for mutated ones that cause deafness, helping children hear for the first time. 'We're at the threshold of a brave new world, so to speak,' said Dr. Charles Liberman, a senior scientist and former director of the Eaton-Peabody Laboratories at Mass Eye and Ear, one of the largest hearing research laboratories in the world. 'It's pretty incredible, the progress that's been made in the last 10 or 15 years, on understanding what goes wrong in the ear and having a pretty good handle on what kinds of approaches might work to cure sensorineural hearing loss.' Liberman anticipates breakthroughs in the next five to 10 years in slowing age-related hearing loss as well and, 'perhaps farther in the future, to actually reverse age-related hearing loss.' Liberman said Manor – with whom he's collaborated in the past – is contributing to the field's advancements. 'He has not been in the field for terribly long, but he's already made a big impression because of the incredible sort of computational approaches he takes to analyzing data from the inner ear,' he said. 'His grant got cut because it was a diversity initiative,' Liberman continued, 'but Uri's research is top quality, and I'm sure it would have been funded just on its own merit.' Manor's was one of thousands of NIH grants cut by the Trump administration, amounting to almost $3.8 billion in lost funding, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. Others canceled under the banner of combating DEI ideology include those focused on HIV, where researchers reported receiving notification identical to Manor's. But recently, Manor's fortunes seemed to have changed again. A federal judge ruled in June that it was illegal for the Trump administration to cancel several hundred research grants in areas including racial health disparities and transgender health. Manor's is among the grants included, and he received notice that the funding should come through. Still, he said he worries about whether that decision will hold through future court challenges. And he, like so many other scientists affected by the administration's drastic cuts to research funding, warns about the effects on scientific progress. 'No matter what your political leanings are, you have a 1 in 400 chance of having a child with hearing loss,' he said. Anyone dealing with medical conditions 'will benefit from the amazing advances of science and our biomedical research force.' But he also emphasized the importance of recognizing that research like his is supported by taxpayers, some of whom 'are struggling to pay their own bills, who are struggling to pay their kids' doctors bills.' 'And some of their taxpayer dollars are coming to my lab,' he said. 'That's a huge responsibility and privilege, and we have to make sure we're doing good with it. For me, that's a really powerful motivating factor, and I would like to believe that we're doing it.'
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Beechcraft M-346N Unveiled as Ready-Now Solution for U.S. Navy Undergraduate Jet Training System
WICHITA, Kan., July 28, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Textron Aviation Defense LLC, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, today announced its offering of the Beechcraft M-346N jet as a "ready-now" solution from an iconic American company for the U.S. Navy Undergraduate Jet Training System (UJTS) program. The U.S. Navy has released several Requests for Information related to an upcoming Request for Proposals for a new aircraft for the UJTS program. Textron Aviation Defense and Leonardo have entered into a teaming agreement to work together to meet the Navy's requirements for its new jet trainer. The Beechcraft M-346N is part of a proven integrated training system based on the original M-346 aircraft developed by Leonardo. More than 100 Leonardo M-346 aircraft are already meeting the demanding student pilot training needs for 4th and 5th generation air forces worldwide, including at Italy's globally renowned International Flight Training School (IFTS). "With our heritage deeply rooted in the strength and reliability of American manufacturing, the Beechcraft M-346N joins a proud lineup of aircraft built on 95 years of aviation excellence," said Travis Tyler, president and CEO, Textron Aviation Defense. "The aircraft can be the cornerstone for the Navy's future of undergraduate jet training, combining operationally-proven performance with cutting-edge technologies." Textron Aviation Defense, headquartered in Wichita, Kansas, manufactures Cessna and Beechcraft aircraft for military missions around the world. Since World War II, militaries have relied on these iconic brands for high-performance training and tactical aircraft. About the Beechcraft M-346N The Beechcraft M-346N — a twin-engine, tandem-seat aircraft with fully digital flight controls and avionics — is equipped with a fly-by-wire flight control system with quadruple redundancy, a cutting-edge human-machine interface with Head-Up Display and Large Area Display in each cockpit, hands on throttle and stick (HOTAS) controls and innovative safety features such as the Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System (Auto-GCAS). Fitted with two Honeywell F124-GA-200 turbofan engines, the M-346N delivers an inherently high level of safety along with impressive performance, including a maximum cruise speed of more than 590 knots and a service ceiling of 45,000 ft. The aircraft's advanced aerodynamic design enables exceptional maneuverability and energy management, while the elevated rear cockpit gives instructors excellent visibility in all phases of flight. The result is a trainer that effectively bridges basic instruction and the high-performance world of carrier-based fighter operations. Advanced integrated training: A complete ecosystem The comprehensive M-346N integrated training ecosystem, which has been validated and continuously improved through the global operational experience of the M-346 integrated training system, is poised to provide the Navy with a complete solution that enhances student readiness and operational effectiveness while reducing training costs and risks. The Beechcraft M-346N leverages the operationally-proven Embedded Training System avionics suite for basic to advanced tactical training emulating sensors, weapons and Computer Generated Forces. This enables students to interact in real-time through a Live-Virtual-Constructive (LVC) training architecture that links aircraft in flight (Live), simulators (Virtual) and computer-generated friendly and adversary forces (Constructive). The innovative system also features adaptive training powered by Artificial Intelligence which continuously analyzes student pilot performance data to personalize learning paths, automate evaluations and tailor instruction to individual strengths and areas for improvement. Together with its full spectrum of high-fidelity ground-based training devices — comprising simulators, computer training devices, mission planning / management tools and a carrier-based LVC environment — the Beechcraft M-346N offers a complete solution for training the next generation of Navy and Marine Corps aviators. About Textron Aviation Defense LLC With a legacy of thousands of proven Beechcraft and Cessna Integrated Training Systems produced and missionized in America's Heartland since WWII, military customers turn to Textron Aviation Defense when they need airborne solutions for their critical missions. Provider of the world's foremost military flight trainer, Textron Aviation Defense equips militaries worldwide and leads in low acquisition, sustainment and training costs. The Beechcraft T-6 Texan II fleet of more than 1,000 aircraft has logged more than 5 million hours across two NATO military flight schools and fourteen countries since 2001. Textron Aviation Defense is a subsidiary of Textron Aviation Inc. About Textron Aviation We inspire the journey of flight. For more than 95 years, Textron Aviation has empowered our collective talent across the Beechcraft, Cessna and Hawker brands to design and deliver the best aviation experience for our customers. With a range that includes everything from business jets, turboprops and high-performance pistons, to special missions, military trainer and defense products, Textron Aviation has the most versatile and comprehensive aviation product portfolio in the world and a workforce that has produced more than half of all general aviation aircraft worldwide. Customers in more than 170 countries rely on our legendary performance, reliability and versatility, along with our trusted global customer service network, for affordable, productive and flexible flight. For more information, visit | | | About Textron Inc. Textron Inc. is a multi-industry company that leverages its global network of aircraft, defense, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with innovative solutions and services. Textron is known around the world for its powerful brands such as Bell, Cessna, Beechcraft, Pipistrel, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO and Textron Systems. For more information, visit: Certain statements in this press release may project revenues or describe strategies, goals, outlook or other non-historical matters; these forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update them. These statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the risk that the U.S. Navy does not choose the Beechcraft M-346N for the UJTS program. View source version on Contacts Media Contact: Rachel Williams+1. 316.517.5653rawilliams@ Erreur lors de la récupération des données Connectez-vous pour accéder à votre portefeuille Erreur lors de la récupération des données Erreur lors de la récupération des données Erreur lors de la récupération des données Erreur lors de la récupération des données
National Post
2 days ago
- Business
- National Post
Beechcraft M-346N Unveiled as Ready-Now Solution for U.S. Navy Undergraduate Jet Training System
Article content WICHITA, Kan. — Textron Aviation Defense LLC, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, today announced its offering of the Beechcraft M-346N jet as a 'ready-now' solution from an iconic American company for the U.S. Navy Undergraduate Jet Training System (UJTS) program. The U.S. Navy has released several Requests for Information related to an upcoming Request for Proposals for a new aircraft for the UJTS program. Article content Article content Textron Aviation Defense and Leonardo have entered into a teaming agreement to work together to meet the Navy's requirements for its new jet trainer. The Beechcraft M-346N is part of a proven integrated training system based on the original M-346 aircraft developed by Leonardo. More than 100 Leonardo M-346 aircraft are already meeting the demanding student pilot training needs for 4 th and 5 th generation air forces worldwide, including at Italy's globally renowned International Flight Training School (IFTS). Article content 'With our heritage deeply rooted in the strength and reliability of American manufacturing, the Beechcraft M-346N joins a proud lineup of aircraft built on 95 years of aviation excellence,' said Travis Tyler, president and CEO, Textron Aviation Defense. 'The aircraft can be the cornerstone for the Navy's future of undergraduate jet training, combining operationally-proven performance with cutting-edge technologies.' Article content Textron Aviation Defense, headquartered in Wichita, Kansas, manufactures Cessna and Beechcraft aircraft for military missions around the world. Since World War II, militaries have relied on these iconic brands for high-performance training and tactical aircraft. Article content About the Beechcraft M-346N Article content The Beechcraft M-346N — a twin-engine, tandem-seat aircraft with fully digital flight controls and avionics — is equipped with a fly-by-wire flight control system with quadruple redundancy, a cutting-edge human-machine interface with Head-Up Display and Large Area Display in each cockpit, hands on throttle and stick (HOTAS) controls and innovative safety features such as the Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System (Auto-GCAS). Fitted with two Honeywell F124-GA-200 turbofan engines, the M-346N delivers an inherently high level of safety along with impressive performance, including a maximum cruise speed of more than 590 knots and a service ceiling of 45,000 ft. Article content The aircraft's advanced aerodynamic design enables exceptional maneuverability and energy management, while the elevated rear cockpit gives instructors excellent visibility in all phases of flight. The result is a trainer that effectively bridges basic instruction and the high-performance world of carrier-based fighter operations. Article content Advanced integrated training: A complete ecosystem Article content The comprehensive M-346N integrated training ecosystem, which has been validated and continuously improved through the global operational experience of the M-346 integrated training system, is poised to provide the Navy with a complete solution that enhances student readiness and operational effectiveness while reducing training costs and risks. Article content The Beechcraft M-346N leverages the operationally-proven Embedded Training System avionics suite for basic to advanced tactical training emulating sensors, weapons and Computer Generated Forces. This enables students to interact in real-time through a Live-Virtual-Constructive (LVC) training architecture that links aircraft in flight (Live), simulators (Virtual) and computer-generated friendly and adversary forces (Constructive). The innovative system also features adaptive training powered by Artificial Intelligence which continuously analyzes student pilot performance data to personalize learning paths, automate evaluations and tailor instruction to individual strengths and areas for improvement. Article content Together with its full spectrum of high-fidelity ground-based training devices — comprising simulators, computer training devices, mission planning / management tools and a carrier-based LVC environment — the Beechcraft M-346N offers a complete solution for training the next generation of Navy and Marine Corps aviators. Article content About Textron Aviation Defense LLC Article content With a legacy of thousands of proven Beechcraft and Cessna Integrated Training Systems produced and missionized in America's Heartland since WWII, military customers turn to Textron Aviation Defense when they need airborne solutions for their critical missions. Provider of the world's foremost military flight trainer, Textron Aviation Defense equips militaries worldwide and leads in low acquisition, sustainment and training costs. The Beechcraft T-6 Texan II fleet of more than 1,000 aircraft has logged more than 5 million hours across two NATO military flight schools and fourteen countries since 2001. Textron Aviation Defense is a subsidiary of Textron Aviation Inc. Article content About Textron Aviation Article content We inspire the journey of flight. For more than 95 years, Textron Aviation has empowered our collective talent across the Beechcraft, Cessna and Hawker brands to design and deliver the best aviation experience for our customers. With a range that includes everything from business jets, turboprops and high-performance pistons, to special missions, military trainer and defense products, Textron Aviation has the most versatile and comprehensive aviation product portfolio in the world and a workforce that has produced more than half of all general aviation aircraft worldwide. Customers in more than 170 countries rely on our legendary performance, reliability and versatility, along with our trusted global customer service network, for affordable, productive and flexible flight.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
How much rain did south-central Kansas get? Here are totals for Wichita, other spots
Some areas of Kansas saw heavy rains late Thursday and overnight Friday. Wichita saw a much lower amount than other areas of the state, with 0.64 inches falling since Thursday morning. About 0.16 inches of that fell since midnight. There were no reports of flooding in Wichita, which had been a concern in the forecast. One report near the area of the Ninnescah River that flows into Cheney Lake, where Wichita gets its water, saw 4.42 inches of rain during Thursday and Friday morning. 'That is definitely something of note,' said Scott Smith, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Wichita. Wichitans have had restrictions on water use during a drought. But levels at Cheney Lake have been rising because of recent rains. More rain is forecast Friday too. The effect of these rains on lake levels is not yet know. Cheney was 96.62% full at a measurement taken Monday. Here is a look at rainfall around the state on Thursday and overnight into Friday: A station in Butler County measured 3.65 inches of rain Thursday and then 0.42 inches since midnight Friday. A station 10 miles southwest of Hutchinson measured 2.34 inches of rain since midnight Friday and 0.04 inches on Thursday. There was some flooding in Rice County, Smith said. Quarter-sized hail was reported in Newton around 8:45 p.m. Thursday. So far this month, as measured at the Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport, Wichita has had 3.86 inches of rain. Wichita has had 27.54 inches of rain so far this year compared to the normal 30-year running average of 20.64 inches, NWS data shows. Solve the daily Crossword
