TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach says more new businesses were formed in Kansas in 2014 than at any point since 2003.
Kobach said at a news conference Tuesday that 15,780 new businesses were formed — 311 more than in 2013. Kobach says this indicates that a 2012 move to exempt 191,000 business owners from income taxes had succeeded in attracting investment. However, he did not say how many of the new businesses were of the specific designation that received the 2012 tax cuts.
Critics of the current administration have said that some business owners are closing existing businesses and re-registering them with new designations for tax reasons and therefore the numbers do not indicate growth.
In 2014, 2,676 businesses dissolved in Kansas. That’s 373 more than in 2013.
KANSAS CITY- A Kansas man died and a woman injured in an accident just before 9 a.m. on Wednesday in Wyandotte County
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2002 Ford passenger car driven by Carol C. Sneed, 79, Basehor, was westbound on Kansas 32 at 78th Street in Kansas City.
The vehicle turned in front of a 2006 Sterling Truck driven by William R. Ferguson Jr., 45, Leavenworth.
This caused the truck to brake suddenly and the load in the truck to shift.
Ferguson Jr., was pronounced dead at the scene and transported to First Call Mortuary.
Sneed was transported to Shawnee Mission Medical Center.
The KHP reported both were properly restrained at the time of the accident.
A nip and tuck first half turned ugly in the second half for the TMP Lady Monarchs as they lost back to back games for the first time this season losing to Great Bend 51-42. TMP led by seven points early in the first quarter and Great Bend went on an 11-3 run to end the first quarter and took a 16-15 lead. The two teams battled to a near draw in the second quarter with the Lady Panthers holding a slim, 29-27 lead at halftime.
TMP was only able to manage four points in the third quarter and couldn’t get any closer then seven points in the fourth quarter. Megan Koenigsman was the only Lady Monarch in double figures with 19 points. Now 14-3, TMP will be on the road at Stockton on Friday night.
ROSE MCFARLAND INTERVIEW
GIRLS HIGHLIGHTS
Boys: TMP 65, Great Bend 52
TMP survived a hot shooting first half from the Great Bend Panthers to pick up their 11th win of the season. Great Bend managed to control most of the first half with their long distance shooting. The Panthers hit six first half three pointers and the game was tied at 26 apiece at the break.
TMP came out firing on all cylinders in the second half scoring the first 15 points and essentially putting the game away. Peyton Hoffman finished with a season high 16 points to lead the 11-6 Monarchs who will be on the road in Stockton on Friday.
CARBONDALE, Ill. (AP) – Shaquille Morris scored a career-high 17 points to lead No. 13 Wichita State to an 84-62 over Southern Illinois on Tuesday night.
Morris made 7 of his 8 shots for the Shockers (25-3, 14-1 Missouri Valley), who have won five straight.
Fred VanVleet and Ron Baker each scored 13 and Tekele Cotton added 10.
Deion Lavender’s 15 points led Southern Illinois (10-18, 3-12). Anthony Beane added 14 points and Jordan Caroline scored 10.
The Shockers led by 13 at the half and used a 9-0 run early in second half to put the game away. They made 10 of 19 3-pointers and had 18 assists on 28 baskets.
Wichita State started quickly in its fourth road game in its last six, hitting its first five shots on the way to an 11-2 lead.
Neither Hays or Abilene could buy a basket in the first quarter on Tuesday night. Hays was just 1 of 12. Abilene finished the first quarter at 3-17. Then Hays high took control of the second quarter. Trailing 7-5 after the first, the Indians got a Mattison Schlaefli three pointer to take their first lead of the game at 8-7. The Lady Indians turned the basket into a 11-0 run and didn’t allow Abilene to score until there was 2:40 left in the half. Hays pushed their lead as high as 10 in the first half at 20-10, and led at half time 20-12.
Highlights
Abilene opened up the second half on a 7-1 run to close the gap to 21-19. Abilene had a chance to tie the game, but missed a contested lay up with 4:30 to go in the third quarter. Hays scored the next nine points over the third and fourth quarter building their lead to 11 at 30-19. Hays kept their lead at double figures (35-25) with under 2:00 remaining in the game. Abilene then scored five straight points to get with in six. Hays made just 1 of 8 free throws over the final one minute, but Abilene only scored one point themselves, as the Indians pull the 37-31 upset.
Coach Kirk Maska
Abilene ranked #9 in class 4A-D1 drops to 13-5, shooting just 10 of 54. Hays made 14 of 34 shots. Hays is now 5-12 and have won back to back games. Audra Schmeidler led the way with 12 points.
Boys
Hays 66 – #6 Abilene 50
The Hays High Indians hit Abilene with a three point barrage in the first half, hitting 8 of 14 beyond the arc. The Indian’s first 12 shots attempts were of the three point variety. Despite the hot shooting, Abilene kept pace and tied the game at 15 after the first quarter and took a 18-15 lead with a three of their own to open the second quarter. Hays scored six straight to retake the lead they would have for rest of the half.
Highlights
Hays and Abilene played to a draw midway through the third quarter when Hays outscored Abilene 12-7, grabbing a 12 point lead at 53-41 heading to the fourth quarter. Abilene cut the lead down to seven at 56-49 with 4:05 left in the game. Hays clamped down on defense and ended the game on a 10-1 run.
The Indians made 13 of 24 three point attempts. Keith Dryden made six three pointers on his way to a game high 24. Isaiah Nunnery scored 13 and Brady Werth added 10. The Indians are 11-6 on the year, Abilene drops to 15-3. Hays is on the road to Garden City on Friday.
If you haven’t yet been contacted by a Girl Scout, not to worry.
Girl Scout Cookie Booths opened Friday and will have their classic cookies for sale through Sunday, March 8. If you can’t get to a local booth, for the first time ever, according to Hays Girl Scout Product Sales Manager Lisa Cech, you can order online from your favorite Girl Scout.
The Girl Scout Cookie Program is going beyond the booth and offering more ways to buy cookies and support girls’ learning. Digital Cookie is now available for girls to market their online cookie business by inviting customers to visit their personalized cookie websites through a link sent via email.
“This year they’ve added where you can actually purchase cookies online tied to a specific Girl Scout and they can be shipped directly to your home,” explained Cech. “It’s definitely one of those features we look to be really utilized with family and friends who live out-of-state or elsewhere.
“They’re very excited about it. All our girls are online these days so it’s best to provide them with a safe environment to be in,” Cech added.
There’s an online Cookie Finder available at https://www.girlscoutcookies.org to find Cookie Booths at retail stores, restaurants, churches, sporting events, and other special events throughout the 80 western Kansas counties served by Girl Scouts of Kansas Heartland.
Eight varieties of Girl Scout cookies are available in Hays: Thin Mints, Caramel deLites, Peanut Butter Patties, Lemonades, Peanut Butter Sandwiches, Shortbreads, Thanks-A-Lots and the new gluten-free Trios.
The local favorites are “Thin Mints and Shortbreads,” said Cech.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas House committee has approved rival proposals for changing how state Supreme Court justices are selected.
Justices would be elected under one proposal clearing the Judiciary Committee. Under the other plan, the governor would appoint the justices directly, subject to Senate confirmation.
Currently, a lawyer-led commission screens applicants for Supreme Court vacancies and names three finalists. The governor must pick one, with no role for lawmakers.
Republican Rep. Mark Kahrs of Wichita said Tuesday that the decisions of the Judiciary Committee represent progress in reforming judicial selection.
But Democratic Rep. John Carmichael of Wichita said there’s no reason to change the selection process.
The House committee approved the two rival proposals Monday on 13-9 votes. Debates by the full House have not been scheduled.
MARION, Kan. (AP) — A former sheriff’s dispatcher who played Santa Claus for preschool children in central Kansas’ Marion County is accused of sexually attacking an 8-year-old girl.
KWCH-TV reports that prosecutors have charged 46-year-old Kenneth Newell of McPherson with 13 counts involving sexual misconduct.
KWCH says Newell’s Dec. 23 arrest was revealed Monday night to Marion County commissioners.
The sheriff says the county may have to continue paying $30 a day to keep Newell jailed in McPherson County because he’s too familiar about operations of the Marion jail.
A message left Tuesday with Newell’s attorney, Steve Atherton of Emporia, was not immediately returned.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Younger Americans are struggling to keep up with steadily-rising student debt loads, a burden that is limiting their ability to buy homes.
The Federal Reserve Bank of New York says the percentage of student loans that are 90 days or more overdue rose to 11.3 percent in the final three months of last year, up from 11.1 percent in the previous quarter. That’s the highest in a year. Total student borrowing now stands at $1.16 trillion, the most on record and 7.1 percent higher than 12 months earlier.
Previous research by the New York Fed has found that younger Americans with student loans are less likely to take out mortgages than those without student debt. That’s a reversal from the pre-recession pattern.
CLAY CENTER – A Kansas man was injured in an accident just before 2 p.m. on Tuesday in Clay County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1996 Toyota Tacoma driven by
Galen L. Parry, 81, Morganville, was eastbound on Crawford just north of downtown Clay Center.
The driver lost control of the vehicle in the snow and hit a 1999 International Truck in the driver’s side.
Parry was transported to transported to Clay County Hospital.
The driver of the International Anthony L. Sisk, 33, Morganville, was not injured.
The KHP reported Parry was not wearing a seat belt.
GARDNER, Kan. (AP) — The Gardner City Council has unanimously voted to select a Kansas City, Missouri, police major as its new police chief.
