DODGE CITY, Kan. (AP) — Authorities say a staffer for U.S. Rep. Tim Huelskamp has been arrested and charged with 17 counts of sexual exploitation of a child.
A Ford County jail official told The Associated Press on Saturday that Matthew P. Pennell is being held on $75,000 bond. The official said he couldn’t release the name of Pennell’s attorney or make Pennell available for an interview. No information is available in online court records.
KWCH-TV reports that Pennell was arrested Thursday after an investigation by Dodge City police and the Internet Crimes Against Children task force.
Chief of Staff Mark Kelly said in a written statement that Huelskamp’s office has placed Pennell on unpaid leave. The statement said there would be no further comment.
Huelskamp is a Republican representing Kansas’ 1st Congressional District, which includes all of western Kansas.
DODGE CITY, Kan. (AP) — Authorities say a staffer for U.S. Rep. Tim Huelskamp has been arrested and charged with 17 counts of sexual exploitation of a child.
A Ford County jail official told The Associated Press on Saturday that Matthew P. Pennell is being held on $75,000 bond. The official said he couldn’t release the name of Pennell’s attorney or make Pennell available for an interview. No information is available in online court records.
KWCH-TV reports that Pennell was arrested Thursday after an investigation by Dodge City police and the Internet Crimes Against Children task force.
Chief of Staff Mark Kelly said in a written statement that Huelskamp’s office has placed Pennell on unpaid leave. The statement said there would be no further comment.
Huelskamp is a Republican representing Kansas’ 1st Congressional District.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas labor officials say the state’s private-sector job growth last year was stronger than previously reported and the highest rate since 2007.
The state Department of Labor reported Friday that the number of people employed in private sector jobs was 1.9 percent higher on average each month than in 2013.
The department said the new rate was based on more comprehensive federal data. The previous figure was 1.3 percent.
An average of about 1.14 million Kansas residents held private-sector jobs each month in 2014. The department had calculated the figure was 14,000 higher than in 2013, based on preliminary data.
But federal officials provide more comprehensive data after about six months, and it showed Kansas having an average of 20,800 more private-sector workers each month, compared with 2013.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — One of the four applicants seeking to build a casino in southeast Kansas with the state’s last remaining casino license has dropped its bid.
The Kansas Lottery said in a news release Friday that SE Kansas Casino Partners LLC is withdrawing its application for a $140 million facility. Its proposal called for a casino to be built on 123 acres along U.S. 400 along with hotels, an equestrian center, a concert venue, restaurants, a lake and retail shops.
A letter dated Thursday from a SE Kansas Casino Partners representative said the company was unable to move forward. It cited “the remaining time available” and the company’s “ongoing due diligence.”
The three remaining applicants are Kansas Crossing Casino & Hotel; Emerald City Casino & Resort; and Castle Rock Casino Resort.
An overhead view of Saturday’s early morning fire at the Heartland Truss Plant. (Picture and video courtesy Darrel Goheen)
Hays resident Darrel Goheen used a drone to shoot aerial video of Saturday’s early morning fire at the Heartland Truss Plant, 710 General Custer Road, south of Hays.
One building was completely destroyed; a second one was salvaged, according to Ellis County Rural Fire Director Dick Klaus.
About 30 firefighters responded. The state fire marshal is on the way to Hays to investigate the scene.
About 30 firefighters responded to an early-morning fire Saturday at the Heartland Truss Plant south of Hays. (Photos courtesy Dylan Thomas)
By BECKY KISER Hays Post
An early morning fire destroyed one building at the Heartland Truss Plant, 710 General Custer Road, and damaged a second building.
Hays City Firefighters initially responded to a 911 call at 4:40 a.m. Saturday. The caller thought the fire was in the trailer park on Reservation Road in south Hays.
According to Ellis County Rural Fire Director Dick Klaus, once HFD arrived, they found the fire was actually in the nearby truss plant, which is out of the city limits.
Ellis County rural fire units were then dispatched from companies 4, 5, 6, and 8. Ellis City and Victoria also responded. About 30 firefighters fought the blaze.
“It burned down and is a total loss but we were able to salvage the east building,” Klaus said.
Klaus expects the state fire marshal to be in Hays about 11 a.m. to investigate the scene.
A nearby resident, Dylan Thomas, said he “woke up thinking I heard thunder” but then fell back asleep. His wife Melanie woke him up again and said “there’s a fire and the fire department is here.”
The Thomas’s house is located less than 250 feet from the truss plant.
Firefighters remain on the scene Saturday morning of a fire that destroyed one building at the Heartland Truss Plant.
“We could feel the heat from the fire as we stood on our porch,” Dylan said.
There were no injuries.
Fire units remained on the scene at 9 this morning, still spraying water on the debris.
TOPEKA. — The Kansas Court of Appeals Friday upheld the sentence for a Hutchinson man convicted for the killing of another man on Halloween night in 2012.
22-year-old Isaac Beltran was sentenced to nearly 13 years in prison by Judge Tim Chambers who said the aggravating factors required him to give the aggravated sentence of 154 months.
He says the aggravating factor was the fact that Beltran was on community corrections when the shooting of Dustin Brooks occurred. The judge says he shouldn’t have had a gun in his possession because of a previous felony conviction for possession of cocaine.
Beltran was convicted for shooting 26-year-old Brooks in the alley behind the home where Beltran lived on Halloween night in 2012.
Brooks suffered a gunshot wound to the torso and died after emergency surgery failed at Hutchinson Regional Medical Center.
There was some question on appeal of whether the judge should have sentenced him to the aggravated number without a jury deciding guilt and also questions of his criminal history. The appeals court ruled those issues had no merit.
NORTON — At approximately 9:13 PM on Friday March 6th, Norton Police responded to a reported man with a gun in the 300 block of Ward Avenue. A resident advised the dispatcher that there was a male subject walking in the area carrying a firearm.
Upon arrival the responding officer began to search the area known as “Pool Park” near N. West Street & W. Wilton Street for the individual and as he searched the area the officer was fired upon. Multiple rounds struck the patrol unit, but the officer was able to make his way to cover and was not injured. As additional officers responded to the area other shots were fired as officers began to try and isolate the shooter.
As officers swept the park they discovered that a 48 year old Norton resident had been shot and killed in the park. Officer continued to search for the gunman and additional 911 calls about the man lead police to U.S. Highway 36 near the west edge of Norton where the suspect was spotted walking on the highway. The subject was confronted by a Norton Police Officers and the suspect fired multiple shots at these officers. An officer’s vehicle was struck several times, but the officer was uninjured.
The subject fled toward a subdivision in northwest Norton as Norton Police, the Norton County Sheriff’s Office, and the Kansas Highway Patrol responded to the new scene along and north of U.S 36. As police continued to search for the suspect he was able to obtain a vehicle from a residence and fled westbound on Highway 36 at speeds over 100 mph. Troopers from the Kansas Highway Patrol pursued the vehicle into Decatur County and the individual who was driving the vehicle was eventually taken into custody without further incident approximately 5 miles north of Oberlin at approximately 12:41AM on Saturday, March 7, 2015 .
The Kansas Bureau of Investigation is assisting the Norton Police Department with the multiple crime scenes within the City of Norton. There are also scenes to be processed in Norton County and Decatur County. Numerous area law enforcement agencies sent officers to Norton to assist NPD due to the nature and scope of this incident.
The victim’s identity is not being released at this time pending the notification of family.
The person taken into custody will not be identified until formal charges are filed in Norton County District Court. He is currently being held in the Norton County Jail.
Updates will provided as the case continues to develop.
GREAT BEND – The Barton County Health Department and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment are currently investigating an additional case of pertussis at the Great Bend High School.
This confirmed case of whooping cough is the second case found at the high school and was announced Friday.
The first symptoms typically appear 7-10 days after a person is exposed. The health department and the USD 428 school district sent letters to all parents or guardians in the district. The health department is attempting to call all persons potentially exposed to this pertussis case with guidance on how to proceed.
They also are reminding residents to make certain all vaccinations are up-to-date.
ENCINO, Calif. (AP) – Dierks Bentley, Miranda Lambert and Florida Georgia Line are among the acts who will participate in a CBS concert special, “ACM Presents: Superstar Duets!” Others on the bill include Clint Black, Patty Loveless, Kenny Chesney, Darius Rucker, Dwight Yoakam, Ronnie Milsap, Eli Young Band, Alabama, Sam Hunt and Luke Bryan. The special will tape during the ACM Party For A Cause Festival in Arlington, Texas, on April 17 and 18. The festival will benefit the Academy of Country Music’s charitable arm. The special will air May 15.
It’s as simple as putting one step in front of another. That’s the idea behind Walk Kansas, an eight-week program that starts March 15, designed to promote activity, good nutrition and better health. Even Kansans who do not routinely walk or have other fitness routines find Walk Kansas to be an easy way to get moving.
Groups of six people, one serving as a captain, work together toward a common goal – typically to exercise at least 150 minutes per person per week. Although the team does not actually walk across Kansas, by exercising 150 minutes per week, a team of six people would be able to cover the 423-mile distance across Kansas in eight weeks.
Teams that want a greater challenge can set a goal to walk the equivalent of across the state and back, 846 miles or around the perimeter of Kansas, 1,200 miles. The walking can be done individually or in groups, on a treadmill at home, in your neighborhood, or at a gym – whatever works for each individual.
The cost to participate is only $3 per person which covers weekly newsletters, extra activities and statewide program support. An optional Walk Kansas t-shirt can be ordered at an additional cost. Register your team at the Ellis County Extension Office by March 9; walking begins March 15 through May 9. Team registration materials are available at the Extension Office, 601 Main Street in Hays, or online at www.ellis.ksu.edu under “Health and Nutrition.”
Although walking is easy for most people, any moderate-to-vigorous activity can count for Walk Kansas as long as you do it for at least 10 consecutive minutes at a time. So if you play basketball, ride a bike, or work in the garden, Walk Kansas is still a great fit for you.
Team members record minutes of exercise and cups of fruits and vegetables eaten each day and report the totals to their team captain at the end of the week. The captain tallies team totals and reports to the Walk Kansas website each week. The website converts the time walked into miles. Teams can track their progress across or around the state on the website map.
Physical activity reduces stress, combats depression, improves heart health and helps fight off unwanted pounds – and you feel better almost immediately after getting some exercise.
This year’s theme is “Walk Tall, Walk Strong, Walk Kansas, with an emphasis on posture, strength training (which can count toward Walk Kansas minutes), and walking or any activity that promotes cardiovascular health.
Don’t have a team? Contact the Ellis County Extension Office and ask to be placed on a team.
This year marks the 14 th year for Walk Kansas. With a cumulative total of 203,250 participants over the first 13 years, it is considered one of the most successful K-State Research and Extension programs in the state’s extension history.
“We have a lot of conveniences in our lives today,” said Sharolyn Jackson, statewide Walk Kansas coordinator. “Taking care of ourselves is a privilege. Investing in your personal health now pays off down the road, and being physically active is one of the most important steps we can take to improve our health.”
For more information or to register your Walk Kansas team, contact the Ellis County Extension Office, 601 Main Street, Suite A, Hays, (785) 628-9430.
Linda K. Beech is Ellis County Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences.
