HOXIE — The Kansas Department of Transportation announced today it has rescheduled an open house regarding pavement replacement and closure of Kansas 23 from Hoxie to the U.S. 83/Kansas 383 junction.
The initial meeting was postponed in the midst of this week’s snowstorm.
The two-hour meeting to discuss the project, scheduled to begin this spring, will be at 11 a.m. Feb. 18 at the Hoxie EMS building, 1717 Oakley.
KDOT engineers and employees with the contractor in charge of the project will outline the temporary phasing of construction, detail the official state detour, and answer specific questions regarding access to county roads.
For more information or for special-needs requests for the meeting, call (785) 877-3315.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas’ top wildlife official is warning legislators that complaints from state officials will not stop the federal government from taking action to protect the Lesser Prairie Chicken.
Robin Jennison, secretary of the state Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, told a legislative committee that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will either impose a conservation plan across the range of the bird, or list it as a threatened species.
Jennison says the conservation plan would be best for Kansas. He says listing the bird on the threatened species list would dramatically impact the state’s economy.
Agriculture and energy officials say their costs will increase if the Lesser Prairie Chicken is listed as a threatened species because they will have to avoid disturbing the bird’s habitat.
Dear Dave,
My parents co-signed on government loans so I could go to college. Would my forbearance or non-payment affect their credit if I don’t pay? Tiffany
Dave Ramsey
Dear Tiffany,
Yes, it would. I’m not trying to lay a guilt trip on you, kiddo, but you’ll be trashing your mom and dad’s credit if you don’t pay the bills on time. If they co-signed for you, they’ll start getting phone calls, too, if you don’t do the right thing and pay back these loans.
The truth is, your mom and dad shouldn’t have co-signed for you in the first place. There’s only one reason lenders want a co-signer, and that’s because they’re afraid the person taking out the loan won’t be able to pay back what’s owed.
My goal here isn’t to beat you up, Tiffany. It’s to give you information that you—and your parents—need in order to make different, smarter decisions in the future. We all do dumb things sometimes. In the past, I did some really dumb things with very large numbers attached. The goal is to grow, learn, and try to use what we learn in order to do fewer dumb things in the future. —Dave
Dave Ramsey is America’s trusted voice on money and business. He’s authored four New York Times best-selling books: Financial Peace, More Than Enough, The Total Money Makeover and EntreLeadership. The Dave Ramsey Show is heard by more than 6 million listeners each week on more than 500 radio stations. Follow Dave on Twitter at @DaveRamsey and on the web at daveramsey.com.
LAKEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Colorado public school teachers are on the lookout for students who are using devices in class to hide the smell and smoke of marijuana.
Some students are using vapor pens, which are just like e-cigarettes. The can be purchased $25. When used for marijuana there’s no unusual smell, which makes it easy for students to bring them to school.
According to KCNC-TV, teachers are told to keep a special eye out for students who appear to be biting their pens.
Lakewood High School campus security supervisor Tim Martinez says students can use the pens to smoke marijuana and hash oil.
MOMS Club of Hays will have an open house for full- and part-time stay-at-home moms from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Feb. 12.
The event will feature information about the club and offer a chance for participants to meet current members. Mothers are invited to bring their children, and there will be playtime and refreshments.
The open house will be at Hays Recreation Commission, 1105 Canterbury.
EMPORIA (AP) — The Emporia City Commission approved tax abatement incentives for Hostess Brands planned expansion of the company’s plant.
The Emporia Gazette reported Hostess plans to add a 36,000-square-foot warehouse for $3.5 million, add $24 million in equipment and make leasehold improvements of $2.5 million.
In exchange for the 10-year tax abatement, Hostess said it will create 50 full-time jobs with a total payroll of $1.5 million.
The Regional Development Association of East Central Kansas board of directors approved the agreement on Jan. 10.
No timeline has been announced for the expansion project.
MANHATTAN — Civil rights champion, world-renowned entertainer and human rights advocate Harry Belafonte will deliver the keynote address for Kansas State University’s Black History Month celebration in February. Belafonte will speak at 4 p.m. Monday, Feb. 10, in McCain Auditorium.
Harry Belafonte
This event is free and open to the public. Because seating is limited, tickets must be picked up at the McCain Auditorium box office, open from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays.
During Belafonte’s entertainment career, he broke racial barriers by becoming the first artist ever to sell a million records. Using his celebrity, he became a champion for many social and political causes during the civil rights era and with international social justice and humanitarian efforts such as the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa and with UNICEF.
In the 1950s, Belafonte became a confidant of Martin Luther King Jr. He was instrumental in the civil rights movement by providing and raising funds among his Hollywood friends and using his celebrity to call attention to the numerous historical nonviolent rallies and protests. Belafonte was with King when he gave the famous “I Have A Dream” speech in Washington, D.C., and visited with civil rights leader just days before he was assassinated in 1968.
“This is a time for our campus and community to come together and witness history,” said Bryon Williams, adviser to the university’s Black Student Union. “Mr. Belafonte is one of the last living civil rights era activists and it is huge for him to visit K-State.”
The Black Student Union has a month of events to celebrate the legacy of African-Americans in the United States. Activities, most free unless otherwise noted, include:
* A viewing of “Sing Your Song,” a documentary on the life and work of Harry Belafonte, at the Black Student Union general body meeting, 7 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 11, Room 227 at the K-State Student Union.
* “The Essence of Black Artistry,” featuring slam poet Jasmine Mans, at 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15, in Salsarita’s at the Union Station, K-State Student Union. If interested in performing, contact Micaela Torres at [email protected].
* “Test Your Black History Knowledge,” in partnership with the Union Programming Council,
Partnership with Union Programming Council, at 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 17, in Salsarita’s, Union Station, K-State Student Union.
* “The Talented Tenth: Redefining Black Student Leadership,” Myra Gordon, university associate provost for diversity, at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 18, in Room 227, Union.
* “The Story,” a theatrical performance by Ebony Theater, at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 20-22 and 2:30 p.m. Feb. 23 in East Stadium’s Purple Masque Theatre. Tickets can be purchased by calling 785-532-6428 or online at https://www.k-state.edu/mccain. Tickets also will be sold at the door, if available.
* A viewing of “12 Years a Slave,” in partnership with the Union Programming Council and K-State Alumni Association, will be at 7:30 p.m. in Forum Hall, Union.
Manhattan, Kansas – Just when you thought it couldn’t get any bigger or better, the 19th annual Kicker Country Stampede announces even more artists to its all-star line-up! As announced on CMT, Randy Houser, Lee Brice, Easton Corbin, Will Hoge andThe Railers will hit the stage June 26-29, 2014 in Manhattan, Kansas, in addition to previously-announced country superstars Luke Bryan,Eric Church, Chris Young, Joe Nichols, Dustin Lynch, Thomas Rhett, Charlie Worsham, Tyler Farr, Joe Diffie, Jon Pardi, Sarah Darling, 6 Degrees West and Logan Mize.
Four-day passes are currently available for the discounted price of $120 until Feb. 28. Preferred and Premier camping are SOLD OUT! However,a limited number of campsites are available starting at the low price of $140. Reserve them now before they’re all gone. (Don’t forget, patrons must purchase a four-day general admission, weekend reserved or weekend VIP ticket to enter the campgrounds.) Complete ticket and camping package information can be found online at www.countrystampede.com or by calling 800-795-8091.
Country Stampede is an annual four-day country music and lifestyles festival held the last full weekend in June at Tuttle Creek State Park inManhattan, Kansas, located less than an hour from Topeka and Salina and two hours from Wichita, Kansas City, Lincoln and Omaha. The event features multiple live stages with performances from today’s biggest stars, mouth-watering vendor food, shopping, interactive exhibits, an on-site saloon, camping and much, much, more!
HUTCHINSON — A Hutchinson man who entered a no contest plea to animal cruelty was granted one year probation Wednesday by District Judge Joe McCarville. That is with an underlying sentence of one year, which would be the maximum penalty for the charge, which is a Class A misdemeanor.
Media reports he would serve time in jail are inaccurate. He was granted probation, according to the court file.
Bradlee Ellis, 24, will also have to pay court costs $158 , plus a $60 probation fee.
Ellis and 20-year-old Emileigh Martens were charged in the case after they allegedly killed a kitten by taking turns throwing it against doors and walls.
The couple were arrested after police discovered the dead kitten after responding to the a “check on welfare” call involving a disturbance on back on Oct. 20. The couple told police that they were upset that the kitten was going to the bathroom inside.
Most recent flu map from Center for Disease Control
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — State health officials say 16 Kansans have died from the influenza during the current flu season.
Flu season is generally considered to run between November and March.
A spokeswoman for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment says at this time last year, 42 people had died from the flu. The state’s reporting period is from September to May.
The Topeka Capital-Journal reports the H1N1 flu strain this season is the same strain that caused killed more than 18,000 people in the U.S. in 2009. But state epidemiologist Charles Hunt says this year’s strain won’t be as severe because people have developed more immunity to that strain.
State health officials remind Kansas residents that it is not too late to get a flu shot to hold off the disease.
ROCHESTER, Minn. (AP) — Big Mouth Billy Bass apparently got the best of a would-be burglar in Minnesota.
Authorities in Rochester say the motion-activated singing fish apparently scared off an intruder who tried to break into the Hooked on Fishing bait and tackle shop.
The novelty bass had been hung near the door and would start singing “Take Me to the River” whenever someone entered the shop.
The Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office says the fish was found on the floor after the intruder knocked it down while breaking the door to get in late Sunday or early Monday.
Sgt. Tom Claymon tells the Star Tribune the would-be burglar left without stealing anything, including cash that had been left in “a very visible spot.”
TOPEKA (AP) — Gov. Sam Brownback has scheduled a Statehouse news conference to discuss the state’s response to the winter storm that dumped more than a foot of snow in parts of Kansas.
Brownback will be joined at Thursday morning’s conference by Transportation Secretary Mike King, Deputy Emergency Management Director Angee Morgan and Highway Patrol Maj. John Eichkorn.
The storm prompted Brownback to close state offices in Shawnee County on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Legislature also canceled all of its meetings for those two days.
