March 2013 – Page 25 – Hays Post Archive

Republicans Don’t like Property Tax Relief Plan

Posted on March 21, 2013March 20, 2013

The Republican-controlled Kansas House has rejected a Democratic member’s proposal to provide $45 million in state aid to local governments to hold down property taxes.

GOP legislators argued Wednesday that the plan from Rep. Jim Ward of Wichita would redistribute taxpayer dollars from the state to local governments, not reduce taxes. The money would have been provided over two years.

The vote was 73-48 against an amendment offered by Ward to a bill requiring local government commissions to take a public vote if they intend to spend an increase in property tax revenues that is above the rate of inflation. Local governments can gain extra revenues without raising levies if property values rise.

The House voted 63-58 to give the bill first-round approval, with final action expected Thursday.

KHAZ Country Music News: Kenny Chesney Unveils 2013 Line of Limited Edition Sunglasses

Posted on March 20, 2013September 16, 2014

Kenny Chesney has unveiled five new limited edition sunglasses as part of his ongoing partnership with Costa sunglasses. Some of the new styles include the metal aviators known as “KC” as well as the new retro Prop design. Each of the styles will be available in a variety of frame colors including the orange-to-red Tequila Sunrise and the brown-to-green Créme de Menthe.

Kenny had a big hand in designing these sunglasses, and proceeds from the sunglasses sales benefit the Coastal Conservation Association.

Says Kenny, “For something to have my name on it, I take a lot of pride making sure the end product lives up to my high expectations in terms of quality and performance.”

He adds, “These Costa sunglasses have my personality showing through — they work hard, but they definitely know how to have a good time, too.”

To purchase a pair of Kenny’s sunglasses, go to CostaDelmar.com.

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“Excellent Appearance” for Kansas Veterans Cemetery

Posted on March 20, 2013March 20, 2013

The state’s four veterans’ cemeteries in Fort Dodge, WaKeeney, Winfield, and Fort Riley received the “Excellence of Appearance Award” today from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Cemetery Grants Service (VCGS), and National Cemetery Administration (NCA).

“This is a great honor. The state of Kansas has four great veterans’ cemeteries that provide excellent options for the veterans and their eligible dependents,” Gregg Burden, Executive Director of the Kansas Commission on Veterans’ Affairs (KCVA).

The state received $19.3 million dollars from the Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Cemetery Grants Service and National Cemetery Administration, for the construction of the four State Veterans’ Cemeteries.

In 2002, the Kansas Veterans’ Cemetery at Fort Dodge was dedicated and opened, and in 2004, the Kansas Veterans’ Cemeteries at WaKeeney and Winfield were dedicated and opened. In 2009, the Kansas Veterans’ Cemetery at Fort Riley was dedicated and opened.

One Man Dead, Two Arrested in Strange Turnpike Accident

Posted on March 20, 2013

A bizarre crash in Wichita involving a pair of empty school buses has left one man dead and two others under arrest.

KAKE-TV reports the accident happened early Wednesday on the Kansas Turnpike.

The Highway Patrol says one school bus was towing another southbound when the towed bus broke loose. Troopers say the driver of the first bus turned around in the southbound lanes and drove back to the other one.

Other motorists tried to avoid the buses, setting off a chain-reaction crash that killed a driver identified as 60-year-old Donald Putman, of Wichita.

Investigators believe the drivers of the two buses recently bought them at auction and were taking them to Mexico. One of the men is from Mexico and the other from Texas. Both are in custody.

Tigers Swept at Nebraska-Kearney

Posted on March 20, 2013March 21, 2013

Nebraska-Kearney erased an early 2-0 deficit two beat Fort Hays State 10-5 in game one then used a walk-off home run in the ninth to take game two 8-7 Wednesday afternoon at Memorial Field in Kearney. FHSU has now lost four-straight and falls to 11-11 overall and 8-10 in the MIAA. The Lopers improve to 11-9 and 11-7 in the conference. The Tigers are back at home Thursday for a doubleheader with Pittsburg State beginning at two o’clock.

Steve Johnson Post Game Interview

Game 1: Nebraska-Kearney 10, Fort Hays State 5
The Tigers struck first, scoring two in the first, but the Lopers respond with five in the second, two in the third, one in the fifth and two in the sixth.

Trailing 8-2, Casey Sedbrook hit a two-out bases loaded single to cut the margin to 8-4. The Lopers got them back on an Eric Ringblom two-run homer in the bottom of the inning to push the lead back to six.

The Tigers got one in the seventh on a Kelton Rule sac fly.

Jesse Hart took the loss (3-1), allowing all 10 runs (7 earned) on 12 hits, walking one and striking out none.

Game 1 Highlights

Game 2: Nebraska-Kearney 8, Fort Hays State 7
Anthony Pocheco hit a two-out walkoff homer off off Kyle Leroy with one out in the ninth to lift the Lopers to the come-from-behind win.

The Tigers scored two in the third and three in the fifth in building a 5-2.

The Lopers scored two in the eighth to tie the game 6-6. Fort Hays State came back with a leadoff single from Sam Thornton who moved to second on a wild pitch then on to third an a sac bunt from Clayton Garland then scored on Kenton Rule’s two-out single, putting the Tigers up 7-6.

The home run from Pacheco in the bottom of the inning was the first given up this season by Leroy who drops to 1-1.

Game 2 Highlights

KHAZ Country Music News: Road to Ram Jam Hits the Home Stretch as Easton Corbin’s Truck Hits eBay

Posted on March 20, 2013September 16, 2014

The Road to the Ram Jam all-star country music series continues, with Easton Corbin‘s 2012 Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn now up for auction. Easton drove the truck for the past year, and the money raised through its auction at eBay.com/RoadtoRamJam will benefit the Freedom Alliance Scholarship Fund. That organization honors Americans in the Armed Forces who have sacrificed life or limb in the line of duty by awarding college scholarships to their children.

Easton says, “I definitely encourage my fans to bid on the auction. They get a great truck out of the deal and also provide college scholarships to some well-deserving young people.”

Easton’s Ram is the fifth and final truck to go up for auction as part of the Road to the Ram Jam. Zac Brown‘s truck recently went for $39,300 with proceeds going to his Camp Southern Ground. Brantley Gilbert‘s Ram truck raised more than $34,000 for the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. Billy Currington‘s truck raised about the same amount for Team Rubicon, while Kellie Pickler‘s truck brought in more than $36,000 for the USO Warrior and Family Care program in January.

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No. 11 FHSU Softball Splits at Metro State

Posted on March 20, 2013March 20, 2013

The 11th-ranked Tiger softball team split their doubleheader at Metro State in Denver Wednesday. The Tigers won the opener 8-1 to push their win streak to a school record nine straight. They dropped game two 6-4. FHSU is now 22-4 on the season.

Game 1: Fort Hays State 8, Metro State 1
The Tigers scored two in the second to build a 2-0 lead. A solo home run pulled the Roadrunners within a run, but Amy Dunn hit a solo homer helping FHSU build a 3-1.

The Tigers put the game away with five in the fifth. Amanda Vaupel and Paxton Duran hit back-to-back doubles for the first run. Kellsi Olsen and Courtney Dobson both added two-run singles.

Paxton Duran allowed just one run on one hit over 5.0 innings in the circle, striking out four and walking three to move to 8-3.

Game 2: Metro State 6, Fort Hays State 4
Maddie Holub hit a two-run homer in the first giving the Tigers the early lead. Metro got a solo homer in the fourth.

Metro State scored five in the fifth, taking advantage of a pair of Tiger errors. Four of the five runs were unearned.

Danie Brinkmann hit a two-run homer in the sixth. They would get a pair of base runners in the seventh but Maddie Holub flied out to right field to end the game.

Paxton Duran (8-4) allowed four runs (two earned) on six hits over 4.1 innings and takes the loss.

Closet Classic – Point Blank – The Hard Way

Posted on March 20, 2013March 18, 2013

Closet Classic ~ Rock Archive

Point Blank
The Hard Way

Moran: Put Safety of Americans ahead of Politics

Posted on March 20, 2013March 20, 2013

Voters Approve Tax to help Hospital

Posted on March 20, 2013March 20, 2013

Trego County voters overwhelmingly approved a one percent sales tax to help the Trego County-Lemke Memorial Hospital with expenses by a 950-430 vote, nearly 68 percent of the ballots returned by Tuesday.

Trego County-Lemke Memorial Hospital Administrator Harold Courtois told Hays Post “We are not only happy but also relieved that the voters recognized the importance of the hospital.”

Courtois said that while the sales tax meetings held earlier this year were poorly attended they believed that the voters would approve the sales tax. Turnout was much higher for the no-fund warrant meetings.

The sales tax will go into effect on July 1st.

Sheriff Harbin: “#1 Need is Jail Capacity”

Posted on March 20, 2013March 20, 2013

Ellis County Sheriff Harbin talks about space needs at the Ellis County Jail. — Ellis County Sheriff Ed Harbin talks about space needs at the Ellis County Jail with Becky Kiser of Eagle Local News.

Since he started as an Ellis County jailer in 1980, Sheriff Ed Harbin has seen a lot of changes in law enforcement.

“The day I was hired, I was one of four jailers. There was one inmate, who wasn’t even from Ellis County,” he recalls.

Now there are 9 full-time jailers with a 10th person soon to be hired, plus one part-time jailer. The March 20 jail census is 42 people, housed in a facility built in 1975-76 for about 30 inmates.

“Our number one need is capacity, space for people,” says Harbin. He wants Ellis County residents to understand how, and why, the jail would be re-designed and expanded if a proposed half-cent sales tax is approved by voters May 14.

“Jail is a very different place. We have strong and weak prisoners; high-security risk prisoners; some who are suicidal; some who are in protective custody,” explains Harbin. “We can’t put some types of people in the same area and we can’t put a lot of people in one area.

“It’s a safety and security problem–for the prisoners, for my staff, and ultimately, for the public.”

The proposed countywide sales tax would be used to fund the jailhouse project and increased security within the courthouse. It would also fund construction of a new combined Ellis County EMS/Rural Fire building.

Watch Eagle Local News, ECTV Channel 14 tonight as we accompany Sheriff Harbin on a tour of the Ellis County jail.

No Tax Relief with State Highway $$

Posted on March 20, 2013

Kansas House members have rejected a proposed diversion of highway funds to other uses as they consider cutting sales and individual income taxes.

The House debated a bill Wednesday to follow up on income tax cuts enacted last year. Members expected to vote later on giving the tax legislation first-round approval.

The bill originally would have diverted $382 million in highway funds over two years to other uses, to help stabilize the budget.

But the idea inspired strong protests. The House first voted 59-58 to reduce the diversion to $181 million, then voted to eliminate it altogether.

The bill promises future income tax reductions if overall state revenues grow. It also would allow the state sales tax to decline in July as scheduled by law.

KHAZ Country Music News: Reba to Be Honored with Country Music Hall of Fame Exhibit Opening August 9

Posted on March 20, 2013September 16, 2014

Reba will be the subject of a new biographical exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville opening August 9. “Reba: All the Women I Am” will celebrate Reba’s multi-platinum career, highlighting her achievements in music, TV, Broadway and several other formats. An ongoing series of programs will accompany the exhibit from the time it opens until it closes on June 8, 2014.

Reba was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2011. She currently stars in the sitcom Malibu Country, airing Friday nights on ABC.

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