Month: May 2014
Teen hospitalized after being hit by a car
INDEPENDENCE, Kan.-A teenager is hospitalized after being hit by a car in Montgomery County on Tuesday afternoon.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1992 Toyota Corolla driven by Rakesha R. Rowe, 36, Independence was westbound on Main Street and hit a 14 year old who was crossing from the south side of the road.
The KHP said Jewel J. Houk, of Independence, was taken to Mercy Hospital and
Lifeflight transported her to Wesley Medical Center in Wichita.
Obama delays DHS deportation review
JOSH LEDERMAN, Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Senior White House officials say President Barack Obama is asked his Homeland Security chief to hold off on completing a review of U.S. deportation policies until the end of the summer.
The move is aimed at salvaging any hopes for Congress to act on immigration this year.
Obama in March directed the government to examine whether deportation practices can be made more humane. That emboldened House Republicans to argue that they can’t trust Obama to enforce laws and that Obama is undermining prospects for a broader immigration overhaul in Congress.
The White House sees a narrow window this summer for Congress to act before the midterm elections consume Washington. So Obama is directing Homeland Security Jeh Johnson not to release the results of the review until that window closes.
Northwest Kansas man hospitalized after Tuesday truck accident
ATWOOD–A Kansas man was injured in a Tuesday afternoon truck accident in Rawlins County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1991 Mack Truck driven by Brian L. Rucker, 43, McDonald, was northbound on K-117 fourteen miles east of Atwood.
The truck blew out front left driver’s side tire, entered the westbound ditch and rolled unknown amount of times.
Rucker was transported to Rawlins County Health Center,
The KHP reported he was properly restrained at the time of the accident.
Fort Riley soldier found dead in apartment UPDATE
JUNCTION CITY, Kan. (AP) — Police in Junction City are investigating the death of a Fort Riley soldier in an off-post apartment.
The serviceman was identified Tuesday as 26-year-old Shawn Michael Thomas. Police responding to a report of a shooting Monday found Thomas dead of a single gunshot wound.
Investigators said in a news release that Thomas was assigned to E Company of 3rd Battalion, 1st Aviation Regiment. His rank and hometown were not known.
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JUNCTION CITY, Kan. (AP) — A soldier from Fort Riley has been shot to death in an off-post apartment.
KJCK-AM reports Junction City police went to the apartment Monday and found the 26-year-old soldier dead of a single gunshot wound.
The soldier’s name had not been released Tuesday while authorities notified relatives. Police were continuing to investigate.
Law enforcement working with new state gun laws
TOPEKA—A new Kansas gun law takes effect on July 1.
The legislation signed by Governor Sam Brownback nullifies city and county gun restrictions.
It also ensures that it’s legal across the state to openly carry firearms.
The men and women who enforce the laws in Kansas have different opinions on the new law. However, they know their job is not to question but to enforce the law.
Police officers are obviously human and by virtue of that we have opinions,” said Officer Matt Droge with the Riley County Police Department
“In my opinion,” said Droge. “One aspect of professionalism is not allowing your personal opinions to cloud the judgments you make as a police officer. Whether an officer is personally for or against a certain law (and not just gun laws, I’m talking any law in general), they have an obligation to the community to execute their duties in a professional manner, and do so with integrity. We enforce laws that society has democratically deemed necessary and I am proud of our department’s overall candor on this front.
When it comes down to it, it’s really about community members, who choose to legally own a gun, being responsible about it. To my knowledge there are no major changes in the way we conduct business. We follow laws and laws change, this concept is nothing new and our officers as part of their employment receive regular legal updates.”
Supporters of the bill say a patchwork of local regulations has infringed on gun-ownership rights.
“Every year changes are made to laws. Our job is to enforce them,” said Salina Police Captain Sweeney. “I think the intent of this law was to make the gun laws similar in all counties so that it is easier for the public. If we see any issues we will report it but our local ordinance was similar to what the state has in place.”
The bill would sweep away local restrictions on open carry, though cities and counties could prevent people from doing so in public buildings.
“The new law will allow you to walk into any business, unless they have a sign prohibiting it, and you can carry a gun, said Great Bend Police Chief Dean Akings. “As long as you have a permit, you will also be able to carry a gun into our municipal court.”
I do like that the law allows for stronger penalties if you have a gun in your vehicle and are caught with the drugs or alcohol,” he said.
And while we’ve never had enough guns to participate,” said Akings. “Larger cities no longer will be able to use tax dollars for gun buy back programs.”
Jim Daily has worked in law enforcement since 1973. He’s been a county sheriff and in 2001 was hired as Chief of Police in his hometown of Newton.
“Our community simply won’t have the ability to pass new laws to regulate guns, said Daily. “We haven’t had any problems with open carry here but others have had some problems.”
Daily was also concerned what a police officer would do when they see someone carrying a gun out in the open. “It is our responsibility to determine whether that individual has the right to carry the firearm,’ he said.
It’s an encounter that creates another challenge for law enforcement officers.
Charges added in shootings at Kansas Jewish sites
OLATHE, Kan. (AP) â A southwest Missouri man accused of killing three people in a shooting rampage outside Jewish facilities in northeast Kansas is facing additional charges.
The Kansas City Star reports Johnson County prosecutors on Tuesday filed three counts of attempted murder against 73-year-old Frazier Glenn Cross, of Aurora, Missouri. The charges allege Cross tried to kill additional people during the April 13 rampage in Overland Park, Kansas.
Cross remains held on $10 million bond. He’s charged with capital murder in the deaths of 69-year-old physician William Corporon and his 14-year-old grandson, Reat Griffin Underwood, outside the Jewish Community Center. He’s also accused of first-degree murder in the shooting of 53-year-old Terri LaManno, of Kansas City, Missouri, outside a Jewish retirement facility where her mother lived.
Cross’s next court appearance is Thursday.
Neb. woman eats two 72-ounce steaks in 15 minutes
AMARILLO, Texas (AP) — A competitive eater from Nebraska has set a record by devouring a 72-ounce steak at an Amarillo steakhouse, and then decided to chase it down with another 72 ounces.
The Amarillo Globe-News and the Twitter page for the Big Texan Steak Ranch say Molly Schuyler on Monday downed the 4 ½-pound slab of beef in 4:58.
She then took a more pedestrian time of 9:59 to finish the second.
The restaurant invites anyone to a free meal if they eat not just the 72-ounce steak, but also a baked potato, shrimp, a salad and bread roll in less than an hour.
The previous record was 8:52.
In February, Schuyler, a 5-foot-7, 125-pound mother from Bellevue, Nebraska, ate 363 chicken wings in 30 minutes to set a record in Philadelphia.
Chamber will offer appreciation for health care workers at reception
Hays Area Chamber of Commerce
Health care providers offer support, expertise and education, impacting our community in profound ways.
In recognition of their work, the Hays Area Chamber of Commerce is hosting a medically inspired cocktail hour from 6 to 8 p.m. June 10 at Fort Hays State University’s Robbins Center.
Werth Wealth Management for sponsoring the event on behalf of the chamber.
Invitations for this exclusive event have already been delivered. Those planning on attending should RSVP to [email protected] or (785) 628-8201.
Kansas expanding mental health programs
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback and his administration are investing $9.5 million in state and federal funds to expand mental health services and agency coordination.
Brownback said Tuesday the goal is to address the causes of mental health problems and provide treatment to people who use state services or are in the corrections system.
The governor said the state will put $7 million in federal funds from the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families program toward helping families with members who have behavioral health problems.
Law enforcement will also use state funds to improve training for officers to identify people in crisis.
The expansion of services was recommended by a mental health task force formed by Brownback in July 2013.
Kansas woman sentenced for embezzlement
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) The former chief financial officer of an eastern Kansas company has been sentenced to four months of home confinement for embezzling $266,000 from the firm.
The U.S. Attorney’s office says 58-year-old Sandra Moore, of Emporia, must also pay full restitution under the sentence she received Tuesday in federal court.
Moore was an executive of Sauder Custom Fabrication, a manufacturing firm in Emporia. She pleaded guilty in December to one count of embezzlement and faced a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
In her plea, Moore admitted that starting in 2008, she made unauthorized transfers from a company account to her personal account. She also admitted writing unauthorized company checks and putting them in her own account, and writing unauthorized checks to repay loans she took from her 401K account.
Leadership Kansas class visits Garden this month, Hays in September
TOPEKA — The Garden City area will play host to the 2014 Leadership Kansas class from May 28 to 30, part of a series of meetings around the state.
During the Garden City session, the 40 members of the 2014 Leadership Kansas class will meet with Mayor Roy Cessna, participate in an immigration/diversity panel and energy panel, and tour Royal Farms Dairy, Reeve Cattle Co., Sunflower Electric Power Corp., and Tyson Foods. In addition, the group will meet Secretary of State Kris Kobach and others.
Over the course of the six-month regional meetings, the class will engage in discussions with top experts on the key issues facing Kansas. The Garden City area is the first of the six communities to host the 2014 Leadership Kansas class. Other locations include: Wichita, Manhattan/Junction City, Hays, the KC Metro area, Topeka, and an optional session in Pittsburg.
The Hays visit — the group’s fifth — is scheduled for Sept. 24 to 26.
Leadership Kansas is one of the oldest and most prestigious statewide leadership programs in the country. Established by the Kansas Chamber in 1979, the program is celebrating its 36th year of educating and motivating Kansas leaders from all four corners of the state. The Leadership Kansas program remains committed to its original mission to inspire persons to maintain involvement in the social, business and political fabric of our Kansas communities.
Leadership Kansas is currently accepting nominations through the end of the year for applicants for next year’s program, which will begin in April 2015 at www.leadershipkansas.org.
Northwest Kansas has two member of the Leadership Kansas board of trustees — Mary Hammond, Hays, and Jenifer Sanderson, Goodland.
FHSU named one of five most inexpensive colleges by USA Today
In a recent USA Today article, Fort Hays State University was mentioned as one of the “most inexpensive colleges and universities in the United States,” based on publications by Online U and The Best Colleges.
According to the article, “To attend FHSU, students pay only $182 per credit hour for undergraduate programs. This school has an 18-to-1 student to faculty ratio and it offers bachelor’s degree programs in many areas, including business education, teaching, information technology, management and marketing and health care.”
FHSU ranked fifth on USA Today’s list.
The other five schools mentioned were Liberty University Online, Western Governor’s University, Columbia Southern University and Eastern New Mexico University.
Read the entire article HERE.