TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A lawsuit against an Oklahoma-based company claiming it and other natural gas companies gouged two Kansas plaintiffs is headed for the U.S. Supreme Court.
The Topeka School District and Learjet are part of a lawsuit with more than a dozen other businesses and schools that say ONEOK and other natural gas companies illegally fixed prices between 2000 and 2002.
The Topeka Capital-Journal reports oral arguments before the Supreme Court are scheduled for next month.
ONEOK used to own Kansas Gas Service, but the companies split in 2013. KGS and natural gas distribution companies in Oklahoma and Texas formed a new company called ONE Gas.
KGS spokeswoman Dawn Ewing says neither KGS nor ONE Gas is involved in the lawsuit.
At Thursday’s Hays City Commission work session, commissioners will discuss lifting the water watch restrictions in place in the city of Hays.
According to agenda materials, current conditions, projections and triggers are at levels that do no longer warrant a water watch, and city staff believe that it is “highly unlikely” the city will reach a watch status in 2015 due to the amount of summer rains this past year. Those rains helped both the Big Creek and the Smoky Hill wellfields.
The city’s Drought Response Plan does allow commissioners to preemptively move in and out of a phase. Current ordinances restrict any kind of outdoor watering from noon to 7 p.m. and, when watering does take place, it cannot escape the property. There are also added costs to water bills if users go over the second conservation tier.
In other business, commissioners will discuss moving forward with a $4.50 Passenger Facilitation Charge at the Hays Regional Airport. The fee would be charged to all tickets originating from Hays. Revenues from the charge can be used for capital improvement projects including the terminal improvements currently taking place and the rehabilitation of the crosswind runway. Airport officials have already consulted with the public and SkyWest Airlines regarding the charge. If commissioners approve the final application to the Federal Aviation Administration, the fee would be instituted in February and the city would receive its first payment in May. City staff expects to collect approximately $188,000 through 2018 when the fee will expire.
Other agenda items include a joint meeting with the Hays Recreation Commission. The amount needed to subsidize the Hays Aquatic Park in 2014 will be approximately $7,900, which is less than 2013 due to increased pool attendance last season. The commission will also discuss the approximate $16,000 profit at Bickle-Schmidt Sports Complex. Contractual obligations require the HRC and the commission to meet yearly to decide what to do with profits or losses at the complex.
Click HERE for a complete agenda for the work session, scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at City Hall.
Hays Kiwanis members deliver 471 poinsettias Tuesday.
By KARI BLURTON Hays Post
Members of the Hays Kiwanis made special deliveries Tuesday — 471 poinsettias hand-delivered to Hays residents and businesses throughout the community.
According to Kiwanis member Margaret Gabelmann, the Hays Kiwanis Club Poinsettia Fundraiser has been around for 20-plus years and is the group’s most popular. The project raises more than $4,000 every year — funds that go right back to the Hays community.
“Our priority with the Hays Kiwanis is children, so a lot of the kids programs, arts programs in the area,” she said. “We try to donate in the best way we can.”
The Kiwanis Poinsettias come from Stutzman Greenhouse in Great Bend and come in traditional red, white or red with white speckles.
Gabelmann said the purpose of the fundraiser and the beauty, quality and large size of the poinsettias they receive — and the fact the members volunteer “all the work” — add to popularity of the Christmastime fundraiser.
“The plants are really beautiful. … The best poinsettias I have ever seen,” Gabelmann said. “I think the fact that we deliver them to your house helps … really all you have to do is give us the money, and we take care of the rest.”
The Christmastime fundraiser began in October and orders were accepted through mid November.
For more information on fundraiser and the Hays Kiwanis, click HERE.
After nearly five years of frustration regarding road conditions in his area a local business owner is asking for Ellis County’s permission to upgrade the road himself.
Joel Younger, owner of Flatlander Dirtworks, approached the Ellis County Commission on Monday night and proposed using his equipment and employees, with the county’s help, to reconstruct 1 mile of Bison Road and a half-mile stretch of 230th avenue.
In a written statement to the commission, Younger said the roads lead to his shop south of Hays.
When it rains or snows, he said, the road is nearly impassable for his 15 employees and the approximately 11 people that use the road on a daily basis.
Younger also added he does not believe that, as a taxpayer, it is his responsibility to fix the road, but if it means getting something done he will use his own equipment and employees to make the upgrades.
“We build lease roads that are in better shape thAn that county road,” Younger said.
But Public Works Director Mike Graf said, “I don’t doubt that we can build lease roads that hold up, but they don’t get traffic that runs 55 mph either.”
Graf said that section of road is on the list to be upgraded, but there are a number of similar roads and the county does not have the resources or manpower at this time.
Counsel Bill Jeter and Graf both said the commission needs to decide whether they want to establish this type of standard going forward, where private citizens work on public roads.
Commission Chairwoman Barb Wasinger said they need more information.
“I’m well aware we of the fact that we have cut an awful lot of budget figures,” Wasinger said, but “it is nice we have someone in the county that wants to help.”
A road construction agreement, similar to the ones used to build roads to area wind farms was discussed as a way to limit the county’s liability.
The commission will discuss the issue again next week.
The student chapter of the National Science Teachers Association at Fort Hays State University will present “Santa’s Twin” at 10 a.m. Saturday in the Seibel Lobby of the Sternberg Museum of Natural History. Admission is free, and the public is welcome.
“Santa’s Twin” is a story written by Dean Koontz about two brave young girls who are determined to save Santa Claus from his evil twin and to stop him from ruining Christmas.
The event is sponsored by the Science and Mathematics Education Institute and the Sternberg Museum.
SALINA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas doctor is comparing the effects of synthetic drugs showing up in Salina with those experienced by PCP users when he was doing medical training in Chicago.
Dr. Keir Swisher says 60 people have been brought into the emergency room at Salina Regional Health Center in the past six weeks, most of whom arrived by ambulance, after smoking chemical-laced potpourri.
The Salina Journal reports most patients come to the hospital “either seizing, convulsing or unconscious, in a coma.”
The current spike in medical emergencies related to so-called potpourri reminds him of four years ago, before publicity about the unpredictable side effects of the products and a law enforcement crackdown on sellers slowed use.
Swisher says at least one patient had smoked potpourri that was laced with methamphetamine.
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Supreme Court has declined a murder suspect’s request to have the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office disqualified from his case because his son lives in the home of one of the lead prosecutors.
Martin Miller was convicted of first-degree murder in 2005 for the July 2004 death of his wife at the family’s Lawrence home. Prosecutors say he strangled his wife in her sleep because he was having an affair and wanted to collect $300,000 in life insurance money.
The Lawrence Journal-World (http://bit.ly/12zbqAL ) reports the Kansas Supreme Court overturned his conviction in February. Miller’s next trial is scheduled for March.
Miller had sought a change of prosecutors because his son, 22-year-old Matthew Miller, is a friend of an assistant prosecutor’s son and lives in their home.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), a member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, on Wednesday sponsored the bipartisan Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act. The legislation would provide critical measures to improve mental health care and suicide prevention resources for American service members.
“The Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act would be instrumental in developing a VA system capable of offering first-rate mental health care services, as well as utilizing the expertise of outside organizations to provide support for those struggling with the invisible wounds of war,” Sen. Moran said. “It is critical that the VA follow through on its commitment to our nation’s veterans – especially so families who have lost loved ones may take comfort in knowing the VA is committed to suicide prevention. I will keep working to find solutions and to hold the VA accountable when it comes to providing our nation’s veterans with the timely, high-quality and specialized care they earned.”
The Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act would require third-party evaluation of existing suicide prevention programs at the Department of Defense (DoD) and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to gauge their effectiveness and make recommendations for consolidation, elimination or improvement. It would also provide for a new website that offers veterans information regarding available mental healthcare services; create a pilot loan repayment program for VA psychiatrists; and improve the exchange of training, best practices, and other resources among the VA, Veteran Service Organizations (VSO), and nonprofit mental health organizations to enhance collaboration of suicide prevention efforts.
The bill was named for Clay Hunt, a Marine veteran who committed suicide in March 2011 at the age of 28. Clay enlisted in the Marine Corps in May 2005 and deployed to Anbar Province, near Fallujah, in January 2007. He was shot in the wrist by a sniper’s bullet that barely missed his head, earning him a Purple Heart. Clay recuperated at Twenty Nine Palms, Calif., and then graduated from Marine Corps Scout Sniper School in March 2008. He redeployed to southern Afghanistan a few weeks later. His unit returned in late October 2008 and he was honorably discharged from the Marines in April 2009. After returning home, Clay suffered from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) for many years and struggled with inadequate care at his local VA hospital before taking his own life.
The legislation is supported by the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.
During a Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee hearing on Nov. 19, 2014, Sen. Moran pressed the VA on the importance of supporting veterans struggling with mental health issues. Sen. Moran was moved to hear from Clay’s mom, Susan Selke, who testified before the committee. Susan shared her son’s story of reliving the traumatic experiences of war and his disappointment when the VA failed to offer the care he needed to treat his despair. To address the lack of mental health care professionals in the VA and improve suicide prevention over the last decade, Sen. Moran has asked the VA to utilize Community Mental Health Centers (CMHC) to address the shortfall. The Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014, passed by Congress and signed into law in August,provides that a veteran can receive care from the doctor or provider of their choice if they live more than 40 miles from a VA medical center or Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC.) Sen. Moran raised concerns that many times a veteran will live near a VA facility, but that facility will not offer the mental health services they need.
Today Partly sunny, with a high near 50. South wind 5 to 9 mph. Tonight Rain likely, mainly between midnight and 5am. Areas of fog after 1am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 37. South wind 5 to 7 mph becoming light and variable after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible. Friday A 30 percent chance of rain, mainly before 7am. Areas of fog before 8am. Otherwise, cloudy through mid morning, then gradual clearing, with a high near 54. Light north northwest wind increasing to 6 to 11 mph in the morning. Friday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 26. North wind 8 to 11 mph. Saturday Mostly sunny, with a high near 45. North wind 7 to 9 mph becoming east southeast in the afternoon. Saturday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 31. Sunday A 20 percent chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 53.
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) – Delon Wright hit a go-ahead jumper in the lane with 14 seconds left in overtime to boost No. 25 Utah over No. 8 Wichita State 69-68 on Wednesday night, snapping the Shockers’ regular-season winning streak at 35 games.
Wright, Utah’s do-everything guard, scored five of his 13 points in the extra period as Utah (6-1) withstood a late Shockers comeback and three missed free throws in the final 3.2 seconds.
Brandon Taylor had 17 points and Dakarai Tucker scored 13 for the Utes, who hadn’t hosted such a highly ranked team since toppling No. 1 Alabama 51-49 on Dec. 30, 1999.
Ron Baker scored 15 points, Tekele Cotton had 14 and Fred VanVleet added 13, but the Shockers (4-1) couldn’t overcome 38 percent shooting.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Senate Vice President Jeff King has hired an aide to a House leader to be his new chief of staff.
King says he hired Laine Raitinger because of his legislative experience. Raitinger has served as legislative liaison for House Majority Leader Jene Vickrey.
King is a Republican from Independence, and Vickrey is a Republican from Louisburg.
As King’s chief of staff, Raitinger will replace Katie Koupal. She left the job in May to become an area governmental relations manager for telecommunications company AT&T.
King is an attorney who served in the Kansas House for four years before joining the Senate in 2010. GOP senators named him vice president in December 2012, and he serves as chairman of the Judiciary Committee.
Ron Wilson is director of the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development at Kansas State University.
By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development
The man from Beijing, China deftly steps forward. He swings and turns and throws his partner up into the air. Is this judo? Karate? Olympic gymnastics? None of the above. This is a performance of a country swing dance troupe which is honoring the heritage of rural Kansas.
Dr. Donita Whitney-Bammerlin is an instructor in the Department of Management in the K-State College of Business. She grew up on a farm near Manhattan, where she enjoyed music and dance. She learned to country swing dance with her brother and became a twirler at K-State. She even performed with a western dance troupe at Six Flags over Mid-America.
Donita went on to a career in education and academia, ultimately returning to a faculty position at K-State. Then she met a group of students who especially enjoyed country swing dancing.
In 2011, a young woman from Lyndon, Kansas organized some students into the K-State Country Swing and Two-Step Club. Soon after, the person they asked to be their faculty adviser was Donita Whitney-Bammerlin.
“They had a lot of fun and they had some great dancers,” Donita said. “When I watched them dancing, I said, `Wow, there is a lot of great student talent here. We should form a performance dance troupe.’”
The idea went over so well that auditions were held at the recreation center in September 2013. “I got three judges from the (K-State) dance program,” Donita said. Seven couples were selected.
The group got organized, selected a captain, and worked on plans for the future. After lots of discussion, they settled on a name which would reflect the country dancing nature of the group: Swingin Spurs.
“Just two weeks after we were formed, the College of Agriculture had its Barn Party in Weber Hall and our students were asked to perform,” Donita said. It was a trial by fire, but the group worked hard to perfect a routine. It went so well that the Swingin Spurs started to get lots more requests.
“The group probably averaged a performance once a month in 2013, but that doubled in 2014,” Donita said. Under her tutelage, these couples prepare and perform remarkable precision dances. They practice after the weekly dance club meetings. As director, Donita works closely with a choreographer who happens to be one of the former members of the original dance troupe.
The girls wear matching tops and the boys wear black shirts, blue jeans and cowboy boots. They perform unison floor routines as well as aerial moves, which means the boys fling those girls around in remarkable ways. (Kids, don’t try this at home without adult supervision.) Besides doing demonstrations, the Swingin Spurs will also do informal lessons for groups.
As students have graduated, additional tryouts have been held. Most members of the group are K-State students, but it has also included one Fort Riley soldier. The members have included an African-American and even an international student from China. “He’s a great dancer, and he’s arranged for us to perform for the Chinese student group,” Donita said.
The Swingin Spurs reflects the agricultural roots and relationships of rural Kansas. The group’s website states, “As part of a land grant institution, we believe that a portion of the heritage passed down through the agricultural generations and disseminated to a wide range of citizens was evident in the social aspect of dancing. Swingin Spurs sustains and advances country two-step and swing dance by providing performances at local, state, and national events.”
Many of the group members come from rural places such as Holcomb, Blaine, Weskan, Beloit, and Eureka. The group’s choreographer comes from Plevna, Kansas, population 98 people. Now, that’s rural.
For more information, go to www.swinginspurs.com.
The man from Beijing, China deftly steps forward. He swings and turns and throws his partner up into the air. No, this is not judo or gymnastics. It’s not a martial art, but it is a performance art. This is a performance of the Swingin Spurs, a precision country swing dance troupe which is making a difference by sustaining and advancing this element of rural culture. Let’s dance.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A lawsuit against an Oklahoma-based company claiming it and other natural gas companies gouged two Kansas plaintiffs is headed for the U.S. Supreme Court.
