Former high school pitcher and recording artist Scotty McCreery will donate $50,000 to various youth baseball programs with money raised from his six-city Major League Baseball Tour. The series of ballpark shows began Aug. 29 in Tampa Bay and will continue through September. More here.
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(AP) — A panel appointed by Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback is recommending several strategies for reducing childhood poverty, including strengthening marriages, 
improving educational opportunities and reforming welfare-to-work programs.
The Governor’s Task Force on Reducing Childhood Poverty released its report Friday, calling its recommendations a starting point for policy makers.
The report urges more targeted use of public funds to reduce high school dropout rates, help low-income residents get off government assistance and provide counseling to couples before marriage.
Task force members noted the recommendations follow traditional strategies for reducing childhood poverty. They said federal and state government efforts have historically been unsuccessful.
The Republican governor created the task force in November 2012. It was chaired by Phyllis Gilmore, secretary of the state Department for Children and Families.
Doug and Roger Thompson host this series featuring news and notes from the world of local motor sports.
State Treasurer Ron Estes announced today that individuals who attend this year’s Kansas State Fair may come across hidden treasure by finding their names listed among thousands of unclaimed property listings.
The State Treasurer’s Office will host a booth fully equipped with computers and staff ready to assist Kansans with their unclaimed property searches at the fair, Sept. 6 – 15.
Currently, there is more than $251 million in unclaimed assets held by the State Treasurer’s Office. Everyone is encouraged to stop by and check to see if their name or those of friends and family is listed.
This money comes from forgotten bank accounts, stocks, bonds, insurance premium overpayments, refunds, abandoned safe deposit boxes and other property. It is the Treasurer’s goal to locate the rightful owners and heirs of unclaimed assets currently being held by the State of Kansas.
“We had tremendous success at last year’s Kansas State Fair where we matched $331, 532 to rightful owners,” said State Treasurer Ron Estes. “We hope to achieve even better results this year.”
Visit the Unclaimed Property booth at the Kansas State Fair Sept. 6 – 15 or visit www.kansascash.com to see if you have treasure to claim.
4 p.m. AP) — Gov. Sam Brownback has signed legislation revising the Kansas law allowing convicted murderers to be sentenced to at least 50 years in prison.
Lawmakers approved the measure this week during a two-day special session. Brownback signed it Friday and delivered it to the secretary of state’s office.
The law will take effect Sept. 12 when it is printed in the Kansas register, the state’s official digest for legal notices, which is published each Thursday.
The measure provides for juries rather than judges to determine whether a defendant convicted of premeditated, first-degree murder gets the “Hard 50” sentence.
Kansas judges have traditionally made the decision, but the U.S. Supreme Court ruled earlier this year in a Virginia case that juries must do so.
(AP) — Changes in the Kansas law allowing convicted murderers to be sentenced to at least 50 years in prison are likely to take effect by Sept. 19.
A bill making the changes says they take effect upon being printed in the Kansas register, the state’s official digest for legal notices, which is published each Thursday. Lawmakers approved the measure during this week’s two-day special session.
Under the bill, juries will determine whether a defendant convicted of premeditated, first-degree murder gets the “Hard 50” sentence. Judges have handled the task, but a U.S. Supreme Court decision in June said juries must.
The Kansas House expects to deliver the bill Monday to Gov. Sam Brownback.
He has 10 days to act, but spokeswoman Eileen Hawley says he’ll sign it as quickly as possible.
4 p..m Friday (AP) — A man captured after a four-day search across southern Kansas has been charged with attempted capital murder in the shooting of a Butler
County sheriff’s deputy.
Forty-one-year-old Jan Tracy Kilbourne made a first appearance Friday afternoon in Butler County District Court. His court-appointed lawyer did not object when the state requested he be held on $1 million bond.
Kilbourne had been sought since early Monday, when the deputy was shot in the shoulder during a traffic stop near Augusta. The deputy is recovering at home.
Wichita police found Kilbourne around 3 a.m. Friday in a car outside a home. He was arrested without resistance.
The Butler County prosecutor cited Kilbourne’s previous criminal convictions in asking for the high bond.
Kilbourne declined to speak in court.
7 :55 a.m. (AP) — Wichita police say they have captured a man suspected of shooting and wounding a Butler County Sheriff’s deputy earlier this week.
Wichita Police Lt. Doug Nolte said Friday morning that Jan Kilbourne was arrested without resistance early Friday near an apartment in Wichita. No other details were immediately available.
Law enforcement officers have been looking for Kilbourne since Monday, when he allegedly shot the deputy in the shoulder during a traffic stop near Augusta.
The deputy is recovering at home from his wound.
(AP) — A Sedgwick County detention deputy is accused of stealing an inmate’s debit card and using it to buy $50 worth of items at a store.
Sheriff Jeff Easter said Friday the deputy was arrested the previous day on suspicion of theft and criminal use of a financial card. The deputy bonded out of jail and is now on administrative leave.
Easter says an investigation began when the inmate complained that his $50 debit card was missing after he had been transported to a work release facility Aug. 22. Surveillance video from a store shows a uniformed detention deputy using the card about eight hours after the inmate’s transfer.
The case will be presented to prosecutors within a few days for a decision on charges.
7p.m. According to officials with Caseys, the driver did ultimately agree to make a credit card payment for the fuel by phone. The transaction was appproximately $50.
1:40 p.m. An Ellis police officer was able to contact the driver involved in the Friday fuel theft. The vehicle was 20 minutes west of Oakley, driving to a Colorado destination, and refused to turn around to pay for the fuel. Stay tuned to Eagle Radio and Check Hays Post for more information as it becomes available.
12:55 p.m. Gas skips are not uncommon. We don’t have official numbers, but there have been several recent reports of customers in the region who fill their vehicles with fuel and “forget” to pay.
Area law enforcement authorities are searching for a driver 
involved in a Friday afternoon fuel theft from Casey in Ellis.
Staff at Caseys told Hays Post the vehicle, driven by a white female, was a dark colored Mini Van with California license plate 6ZMZ728.
The van was reported to have driven toward I-70. However, there was no confirmation the vehicle took the Interstate.
A&E, has ordered eight episodes of Crazy Hearts: Nashville. The hour-long reality show will follow the lives of aspiring country music artists as they work towards personal and career success. There is no premiere date set, but production is already underway.
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(AP) — A former volunteer firefighter in Reno County pleaded guilty to setting three grass fires after prosecutors agreed to drop 11 other charges.
Nineteen-year-old Cody Knox, of Arlington, was a volunteer for Reno County Fire District No. 4, which covers Arlington, Langdon, Plevna and Abbyville.
Reno County District Attorney Keith Schroeder previously said Knox used a cigarette lighter to set the fires, all of which occurred near Arlington last October and November.
At the time of the fires, Knox was studying fire science at Hutchinson Community College.
NASHVILLE (AP) – The Resistol hat that became Terri Clark’s trademark will be among the items on display during an exhibit about her at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville. “Terri Clark: Canadian Country Singer” will also display the original manuscript for “Better Things To Do,” the duster she wore on the back cover of her “Just the Same” album, the microphone and stand she used while co-hosting “America’s Morning Show” and the trophy she got when she was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry. The exhibit opens next Thursday and runs through the end of the year. Clark will do an interview and performance at the museum on October 12.
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The following items were some of the topics discussed at Thursday evening’s City Commission Work Session, and will be recommended for a vote at next Thursday’s City Commission Meeting. The entire packet of information is available by clicking here.
The City Commission will make a decision on whether or not to adopt two ordinances that reflect the latest changes made by the Kansas Legislature. The ordinances include the following changes:
-An amendment to the law that will help law enforcement keep pace with modern technology by allowing drivers to show proof of insurance using their cell phones, tablets, or even laptops instead of traditional paper.
-Removal of a switchblade knife from the list of weapons which are prohibited from being carried, concealed or unconcealed.
-An amendment to Sec. 6.1 – Theft should help to improve the safety of our community and our police officers. Previously, those accused of stealing guns were charged with a misdemeanor, unless the value of the gun was over $1,000.
City staff recommends authorizing the City Manager to enter an agreement with CFS Engineers for the design of the on-street bike routes to be funded out of Capital Projects.
Assistant City Manager Paul Briseno explains the updates to the Bike Hays Plan:
Consideration of a contract with Wilson & Co to make repairs and improvements to the levee
-Hays’ latest rating is “minimally acceptable,” the lowest rating in which a levee sponsor can remain in the federal insurance program called Public Law 84-99.
Hays Post
