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Month: July 2012
WiFi Hotspot Added to Wild West Festival Grounds
Just in time for Wild West Festival participants, Eagle Communications is adding a free WiFi Internet hot spot at Frontier Park in Hays. This Wi
Fi Hotspot is provided free of charge and joins the growing number of Eagle WiFi and TV Hotspots throughout the community of Hays and 29 other communities that Eagle serves.
“Frontier Park is a hub of activity in Hays throughout the Wild West Festival and we want to provide our customers and the community of Hays the convenience of Eagle’s Superfast Internet with this WiFi hotspot,” said Travis Kohlrus, General Manager of Eagle Communications Broadband Division.
Eagle Communications, Inc. is a Kansas-based Broadband Services and Media Company with over 250 employee-owners. The company operates 28 radio stations in Kansas, Nebraska, and Missouri as well as cable TV systems in 30 Kansas and Colorado communities. The company also offers e-business solutions, web hosting, telephone service, high-speed Internet, and wireless Internet in most service areas. For more information logon to https://www.eaglecom.net.
Ellis County Approved for Emergency Grazing of CRP Land
Ellis County is among seven counties approved June 29 for emergency grazing of land enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program.
Also approved by the USDA Farm Service Agency are Graham, Lane, Trego, Osborne, Rooks and Wallace counties.
Tuesday, Governor Sam Brownback updated the state drought declarations, moving 36 Kansas counties to a drought emergency status, 55 to the drought warning status and 14 to the drought watch status.
The update includes all 105 counties either in an emergency, warning or watch status.
The action was recommended by Tracy Streeter, Director of the Kansas Water Office and Chair of the Governor’s Drought Response Team.
Hays Police have Active Monday
The Hays Police Department responded to nine traffic calls on Monday, according the Police Activity Log. The Police investigated three reports of theft one of which was reported at the Dillons on Vine St. and another was reported at Auto World on East 8th Street.
There was also two burglaries reported to the Hays Police Department on Monday. The first was the reported as a burglary of a residence in the 2200 block of General Custer Rd.and a burglary of a vehicle was reported in the 110 block of East 6th Street.
Finally the Hays Police Department investigated a pair of accidents on Monday. The first was a hit and run accident in the 1300 block ofAllen Streetand the other was in the 3700 block ofVine Street.
Fireworks Spectacular Set Up Underway
Crews arrived Monday to begin setting up the Hays Wild West Festival Fireworks Spectacular.
The free fireworks display is staged on the southwest edge of the FHSU campus.
The show is still on as scheduled for 10p.m. July 4.
Mayor Troy Hickman banned the sale and use of fireworks in Hays Friday afternoon. The ban is also in effect for unincorporated areas of Ellis County.
Kansas Parks Restrict Fireworks; Displays At Kanopolis, Wilson Lake Cancelled
Dry conditions across Kansas are prompting state officials to curb use of fireworks at state parks and lake for the July 4 holiday.
The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism said Tuesday that only two of the state’s 26 state parks will allow personal fireworks to be used on the holiday. Visitors may use them in restricted areas of Perry State Park and at Elk City State Park.
Professional fireworks displays have been canceled at Cedar Bluff, Lovewell, Kanopolis, Prairie Dog and Wilson state parks. Professional displays are still scheduled near Milford State Park, Pomona State Park and Tuttle Creek State Park.
Park officials are also advising visitors to heed weather advisories to avoid dangerous health conditions brought on by the excessive heat.
WWF Performance Stage Going Up in Municipal Park
Trying to beat the heat and the clock, about 50 volunteers began setting up the concert stage, lighting and sound systems at 7a.m. Tuesday in the Hays Municipal Park for this week’s Wild West Festival.
Some crew members were recruited by Hays High School’s Music Director Johnny Matlock. The money they earn will go towards a fundraiser for the school’s 12th Street Auditorium
“Our students from the Hays High Singers, the musical and the Chamber group have helped set up the stage equipment for their own performances, so we have a little bit of experience (doing this),” laughed Matlock.
The recruits are working with the professionals, Sure Sound and Lighting of Grand Island, Nebraska, who oversee the swarm of people working at mid-day to set up trusses and rigging, in preparation to hoist the lights.
The crew is working every day this week. One perk is getting to see all the performances on stage each night.
And then, when the 18th annual Wild West Festival is over, it’s time to “strike the set,” bright and early Sunday morning at 8 o’clock.
See more tonight on Street Beat Eagle Community TV Channel 14.
FHSU Dwight Drive Extension Now Open
A newly extended road at Fort Hays State University just east of Big Creek opens a new path through the campus.
Dwight Drive now curves northwest around the levee and connects with Gustad Drive, the road connecting the main campus to Gross Memorial Coliseum.
Although other vehicles were already parked on the new pavement, University Police Chief Ed Howell got behind the wheel of his black police cruiser and had the honor of being the first to officially drive across the road extension.
During Tuesday morning’s opening ceremony, FHSU President Dr. Ed Hammond said the road also marks completion of the university’s old master plan.
“This is also a transition to a new plan for the future and Dwight Drive will provide access to a new academic building, the Center for Networked Learning, ” Hammond said. Final design presentation of the new building is scheduled for July 10.
The Dwight Drive extension project cost was $500,000. It was built by APAC-Kansas Inc. of Hays.
Watch more from the opening ceremony tonight on Street Beat Eagle Community TV Channel 14.
Washington County Couple Plead To Aggravated Criminal Sodomy, Other Crimes
A Washington County couple each pleaded today to various child sex crimes, Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said.
Troy Jearald Fencil, 40, Greenleaf, pleaded guilty to aggravated criminal sodomy, aggravated indecent liberties and sexual exploitation of a child. Virginia Fencil, 30, Greenleaf, pleaded no contest to one count of aggravated criminal sodomy and two counts of aggravated endangerment of a child. All charges were felonies. Judge Kim W. Cudney accepted the pleas in Washington County District Court and adjudged both defendants guilty of the charges. Sentencing is scheduled for August 8 at 9 a.m.
Washington County Attorney Elizabeth Baskerville Hiltgen and Assistant Attorney General Christine Ladner prosecuted the case. The charges stemmed from an investigation by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and the Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce.
Mother Of Boys Found In Dog Kennels Pleads No Contest To Child Abuse, Receives 2 years probation in return
The mother of two boys police found locked in a dog kennel will serve two years of probation after pleading no contest to felony child abuse.
23-year-old Ashly Clark changed her plea on Monday. Several other charges were dropped.
Prosecutors made deals with Clark and three other defendants in the case after a judge ruled that some of what they told investigators couldn’t be used as evidence.
Police say they found Clark’s two boys sleeping in a wired-shut kennel last October inside a filthy home. Last week, 22-year-old Lacy Beyer and 26-year-old Bryson Eyten pleaded no contest to two misdemeanor charges and received one year of probation.
Similar charges are pending against 25-year-old Samantha Eyten, who is due in court on July 12.
HPD To Conduct DUI Check Lane This Weekend
The Hays Police Department will be conducting a sobriety check lane on Friday, July 6th, between 11:00 pm and 2:00 am in the 1000 block of Vine Street.
The purpose of the lane is to improve the safety of the City of Hays community by identifying intoxicated drivers. Any motorists suspected of intoxication will be given on-site sobriety field tests.
Efforts will be made to minimize the interruption of traffic flow, but many drivers will be stopped as part of this program.
This event is being conducted in accordance with the Kansas Department of Transportation “I.D.D.P.” – Impaired Driving Deterrence Program.
Kansas Couple’s Giant Tortoise On The Run
A southwestern Kansas family has lost a beloved pet, but it should be easy to spot. After all, how many 130-pound tortoises could be on the loose in the area at one time?
Tony Lowery tells KWCH-TV that Leona – an African sulcata tortoise – and her male partner Puck broke out of their enclosure near Greensburg about a week ago. Puck turned up quickly, but Leona remains on the run.
The tortoises were about the size of hockey pucks when the family got them nearly 20 years ago. The African sulcata is one of the largest species of tortoise in the world, and the Lowerys’ two are still growing.
Tony Lowery says Leona could be at risk from traffic on nearby U.S. 54 and chemicals recently sprayed on farm fields.
Ellis County Man Arrested for Endangering A Child
Ellis County Sheriff’s Officers arrested two persons were June 20th in the 100 block of West 12th Street. According to officials, 42 year old Rex Allen Chambers was arrested for Domestic battery; Knowing or reckless bodily harm to a family member and endangering a child. According to the report, the incident actually occurred a day before the arrest on June 19th.
At the same location, Sheriff’s officers arrested 31 year old Justin Adam Dible of Hays and charged him with Criminal trespass; Unknown circumstance.