MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State head coach Bruce Weber announced today that two players have been dismissed from the men’s basketball program and another has elected to transfer.
Sophomore Marcus Foster and freshman Tre Harris have been dismissed from the program, while sophomore Jevon Thomas has decided to transfer.
“Marcus and Tre have been unable to live up to the standards that we expect of our players,” said Weber. “It is a privilege to represent Kansas State University and there are consequences when players don’t live up to those expectations. Hopefully, they will learn from this experience and make the necessary progress to continue their basketball careers elsewhere.”
“As for Jevon, he has worked diligently to succeed in our program both athletically and academically,” Weber continued. “He has made tremendous strides during his time at K-State. We wish him the best as he moves forward in his college career.”
A 6-foot-3, 210-pound guard from Wichita Falls, Texas, Foster averaged 14.1 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 62 games in his two-year career, including 12.5 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game this past season.
A 6-foot-5, 195-pound guard from Edwardsville, Illinois, Harris saw action in 21 games as a true freshman in 2014-15, averaging 3.8 points and 0.9 rebounds per game.
A 6-foot, 185-pound guard from Queens, New York, Thomas saw action in 52 games in his two-year career, averaging 3.7 points, 3.0 assists and 2.6 rebounds per game. This past season, he averaged 4.5 points, 3.3 assists and 3.0 rebounds per game.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Two bills that could limit public employee protections face key votes in the Kansas Legislature as lawmakers handle a packed agenda.
The House was taking a final vote Wednesday on a bill to allow state agencies to remove civil service protections for new workers and employees changing positions.
The Senate was voting on a bill rewriting rules dealing with teacher contracts.
The measure would automatically terminate all teacher salaries at the end of their current term and require re-negotiating them from scratch. It also would narrow the items negotiated by teacher unions and school boards.
Supporters say the measures would create flexibility and allow public agencies to operate more like businesses. Critics see the bills as attacks on teachers and government workers.
Fort Hays State needed eight innings to defeat McPherson College by a score of 11-1 by run-rule in eight innings on Tuesday evening in McPherson, Kan. The Tigers used four home runs to power their way to victory.
Kevin Czarnecki led the power surge for FHSU, hitting two home runs on the afternoon, while leading the team in RBI with four. He hit a two-run homer in the third and then a solo shot in the fourth. He also drew a bases-loaded walk in the first inning to get the scoring started for FHSU.
Connor Ross and Andre Vieyra also homered for the Tigers. Ross got both of his RBI in the game on his two-run shot in the fourth, while Vieyra led off that inning with a solo shot for his lone RBI. FHSU had a total of three home runs in the fourth, a four-run inning.
Joe Mapes, Alex King, Cooper Langley and Clayton Basgall all drove in one run. Mapes had a sacrifice fly RBI, King and Langley each had RBI singles, and Basgall had an RBI groundout. By inning, FHSU scored three in the first, two in the third, four in the fourth, and single runs in the seventh and eighth.
Alex Cox picked up the win on the mound, tossing a pre-determined three innings in his start. He struck out four, while allowing just one hit and one walk. Trevor Rinne threw three innings and allowed just two hits. Will Amen allowed the only run to McPherson in the seventh and he went 1.0 innings with three hits allowed and a walk. Ty Thomas picked up the last three outs in the eighth, allowing one hit, while striking out two.
The Tigers return to action Wednesday at home in a non-conference contest against Southwestern Oklahoma State. Game time is set for 2 pm at Larks Park in Hays.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The IRS says federal workers and retirees owed more than $3.5 billion in unpaid taxes last year.
That’s a $200 million increase from the year before.
In data released Tuesday, the IRS said almost 305,000 federal workers and retirees owed back taxes, down from 318,000 the year before.
The delinquency rate among federal workers was 3.1 percent. Among executive departments, workers at the Department of Housing and Urban Development had the highest delinquency rate, at 4.7 percent.
Workers at the Treasury Department, which includes the IRS, had the lowest delinquency rate, at 1.2 percent.
Compared with the general public, federal workers are more likely to pay their taxes.
The IRS estimates that the delinquency rate for the general public is between 8 percent and 9 percent.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas is close to allowing residents 21 or older to carry concealed firearms without a state permit.
The state House was debating a bill Wednesday to end the permit requirement. The Senate approved the measure last month, and House members so far have made only one technical change in committee.
Supporters contend gun owners are responsible and shouldn’t have to ask the government’s permission to carry concealed.
A permit costs $132.50, and a person seeking one must undergo eight hours of firearms training. The bill’s opponents say the state still should require some training to carry concealed.
But the Republican-dominated Legislature has strong gun-rights majorities in both chambers.
The House also was considering a bill to prevent cities and counties from levying special fees or taxes on gun sales.
Fort Hays State men’s golf finished 14th at the Broncho Invitational in Oklahoma City, hosted by the University of Central Oklahoma. The Tigers played at Gaillardia Country Club, a par-72 venue.
Dylan Wonnacott led the way for FHSU, shooting rounds of 74 and 73 (3-over par overall). He tied for fourth overall individually. Trey Herman was only three strokes back with two rounds of 75, finishing 6-over par. He tied for 15th.
With rounds of 80 and 87, Grant Storey finished in a tie for 83rd. Billy Frey finished 92nd with rounds of 88 and 84. Kade Megaffin finished 96th with rounds of 92 and 89.
As a team, FHSU shot scores of 317 and 319 for a total of 636. Central Oklahoma won the tournament with a total of 596 and Central Missouri was second five strokes back at 601.
FHSU returns to action in two weeks at the Lindenwood Invitational in St. Charles, Mo., April 6-7.
TOPEKA–While 21 public meetings have been held, there are five more to be hosted in March by the Water Vision Regional Goal Leadership Teams to begin the goal setting process to help develop water supply goals for each region.
Each of the 14 teams are participating in a public scoping process in their region to develop and draft water supply goals based on public input and available resource condition information.
Stakeholders’ input is helpful to each team to identify the region’s water supply priorities. Water supply priorities and goals should seek to implement the following Vision statement:
Kansans act on a shared commitment to have the water resources necessary to support the state’s social, economic and natural resource needs for current and future generations.
The most resounding message Kansas citizens shared with the Water Vision Team last year during the vision tour was the need for regional water supply goals, instead of statewide water supply goals.
At the upcoming meetings the public will be asked to share their input on specific topics that are water supply issues for their region. Trained facilitators from Kansas State University Research and Extension as well as the Institute for Civic Discourse and Democracy will be helping with the goal development and facilitate the public meetings. All regional stakeholders and citizens are encouraged to attend one of the remaining input sessions.
Tuesday, March 24
Equus-Walnut
Wichita, KS – 7 p.m., City Council Chambers, 455 N. Main Thursday, March 26
Solomon-Republican
Phillipsburg, KS – 7 p.m., 4-H Building, 1481 Hwy 183
Monday, March 30
Red Hills
Medicine Lodge –7 p.m., Jr./Sr. High School Gym, 400 W El Dorado Ave
Tuesday, March 31
Equus-Walnut
El Dorado, KS – 7 p.m., Civic Center, 201 E. Central Solomon-Republican
Beloit, KS – 7 p.m., Beloit Technical College, Conference Room, 3033 US Hwy 24
The teams will present the proposed draft regional water supply goals to the Kansas Water Authority (KWA) in May. The KWA will provide advice towards further development of the regional goals with final goals to be approved in August 2015.
For more information on the public meetings, water supply information about each region or read the final version of the Long-Term Vision for the Future of Water Supply in Kansas, visit www.kwo.org.
Moderator Dr. Larry Gould questions Hays City Commission candidates Scott Simpson, Lance Jones, Henry Schwaller IV and James Meier Tuesday night.
By BECKY KISER Hays Post
All the audience seats were filled for Tuesday night’s Hays City Commission Candidate Forum at Fort Hays State University hosted by the FHSU American Democracy Project and the Hays Area Chamber of Commerce.
After brief opening statements of introduction from the four candidates, prepared questions came from moderator Dr. Larry Gould, FHSU professor of political science, followed by written questions submitted by the audience.
Three of the candidates are political newcomers: Lance Jones, a career counselor with the National Guard; James Meier, a HaysMed pharmacist; and Scott Simpson, owner of Best Radiator.
Along with incumbent Henry Schwaller IV, president of the real estate investment firm Henry Schwaller and Associates and an FHSU business management professor, the candidates gave their views about the city’s water policies and the R-9 Ranch as a long-term water source.
All agreed for the need to conserve “a precious resource.” Meier, who has a private water well at his home, said if the city is to grow, a new water source will be needed. “We should move forward with the R-9 project.” Simpson said he is “open to other options that might be less expensive than the R-9 Ranch,” but acknowledged “a lot of research and money” has already been invested in the project.
The candidates had differing views of the city’s economic development strategy and how to improve it.
“I put up a new building a few years back,” Simpson said, “and it became quite an endeavor to comply with some of the building code. I think it wasn’t uniform building code as much as it was local policy for building. That can be prohibitive.” He also advocated “putting in as many types of businesses as possible” and is wary of “big businesses that take advantage of tax breaks from the city and then leave town, leaving a lot of people without jobs.” He cited the Travenol plant closure in 1984.
The candidate forum was streamed live on Hays Post by Tiger Media Network.
Meier said the strategy should be “not to concentrate on what the commission can do for businesses but how the commission can remove obstacles to businesses coming to town. ..Land prices are somewhat outrageous and building codes could be eased.” He added that it’s important for the Chamber of Commerce, Ellis County Coalition for Economic Development and the Downtown Hays Development Corporation to work together.
“I’m very much in favor of bringing in new businesses but there’s an underlying issue of affordable housing,” according to Jones. “People who work in Hays don’t live in Hays. They can’t afford it. Before we can even bring in businesses that want to employ 100 or 200 people, we have to have places for these employees to live.”
Schwaller, seeking his sixth term on the commission, touted “focusing on new businesses, and, build on what’s already here and invest in it. Our strengths are the university, the medical areas and we have fiber to the premises everywhere which means Hays can compete with business from Los Angeles to New York to Chicago.”
A final question from the audience asked the candidates whether they agreed with outgoing Hays City Commissioner Kent Steward’s recent suggestion that city commissioners’ pay be increased from $150 a month to $1,500 a month.
The three first-time candidates all said they were “unaware of the commission pay” when they decided to run.
“It might draw more candidates–there are just four of us here tonight–and we’re all high quality candidates,” said Jones, “but I would vote against it. Ten times more than the current pay is probably too much.”
“I would pay $150 a month if I can make a difference and get more feedback from local business owners who provide the jobs and bring the money to town,” Simpson said earnestly.
Meier, who has a Volga German heritage and called Hays the “hometown I never knew I was missing,” replied “No. If you’re sitting up here, you’re not in it for the money.”
Schwaller, who currently serves as mayor, is “opposed to it. We can use $84,000 (a year) in a lot of better ways.”
The entire Hays City Candidate Forum can be seen here, courtesy of Tiger Media Network.
It will also be aired in its entirety on Eagle Community TV Channel 14 numerous times prior to the April 7 election.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas has not held a presidential primary since 1992, and lawmakers are advancing a bill to stop the state from scheduling such a contest every four years.
The state Senate gave first-round approval Tuesday to a bill that repeals the law setting the primary on the first Tuesday in April in each presidential election year. A final vote is expected Wednesday.
The special election in 2016 would cost an estimated $1.8 million.
Legislators have canceled the past five primaries because of their cost. The Republican and Democratic parties have instead held presidential caucuses and covered the cost themselves.
The bill before the Senate initially would have cancelled the 2016 primary while still allowing future elections, but senators amended it to stop scheduling the contests in the future.
Kansas Department of Agriculture Assistant Secretary Susan Metzger.
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts, R-Kan., Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, today held a hearing on the impacts of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed ‘Waters of the United States’ (WOTUS) rule. Video here.
Among the witnesses invited to testify was Kansas Department of Agriculture Assistant Secretary Susan Metzger. Video of Assistant Secretary Metzger’s testimony HERE.
The proposed WOTUS rule expands federal jurisdiction under EPA’s Clean Water Act and has ignited widespread concern from farmers, ranchers and rural constituencies around the country. The hearing, titled “Waters of the United States: Stakeholder Perspectives on the Impacts of EPA’s Proposed Rule,” featured two panels of witnesses comprised of state and local officials responsible for the administration and enforcement of the proposed Clean Water Act changes and key agricultural industry representatives impacted by the burdensome regulation. For witness info and testimony click here.
“I find it particularly troubling that despite the unanimous outcry from a broad coalition of stakeholders and industries that have voiced concern about the manner and process by which EPA advanced this proposed rule, EPA continues to plunge ahead,” Chairman Roberts said.
“Just last week, EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy made public statements that the agency is working to finalize the proposed rule as early as this spring or summer.
“However, the Administrator did say that they are changing the name of the rule from ‘Waters of the United States’ to the ‘Clean Water Rule.’ Quite frankly, Administrator McCarthy, merely changing the name is not enough. Change the rule. If you want to protect clean water, it is time to listen and change the rule in a manner that allows for public input and collaboration AND is effective for farmers, ranchers and rural America.”
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Health advocates and business owners are divided over proposed increases in cigarette and alcohol taxes in Kansas.
The Senate Assessment and Taxation Committee considered the measures Tuesday. Republican Gov. Sam Brownback recommended the moves in January as a part of his budget proposals.
The cigarette tax would jump by $1.50 per pack to $2.29 and the tax paid by consumers at liquor stores would increase to 12 percent from 8 percent.
Health advocates testified for the bill, saying that increasing prices is the best way to get smokers to quit.
But representatives of liquor and tobacco businesses testified that the bill would hurt local shops and send shoppers to Missouri.
Chairman and Republican Sen. Les Donovan of Wichita said the committee will likely vote on the bill in April.
