WASHINGTON (AP) — Sen. Pat Roberts is urging people to “let it go” after his cellphone filled a somber committee hearing room with the first few bars of a song from Disney’s “Frozen.” Watch the video here
The Kansas City Star reports that the 78-year-old Kansas lawmaker was questioning Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on Thursday when his phone went off. Vilsack tried in vain to repress a smile as an apologetic Roberts fumbled with his phone and quipped, “Just let it go.”
Twitter exploded, with the celebrity news focused TMZ and Roberts’ 2014 primary opponent, Milton Wolf, among those offering snarky commentary. Wolf said he figured Roberts was “more like a Sleeping Beauty kinda guy.”
Roberts spokeswoman Sarah Little said in an email that the senator’s “Frozen” ringtone is for his grandkids. He has five.
NASHVILLE (AP) – Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard will team up for a new album. Nelson says they called the album “Django and Jimmie” because the title track is about two of their influences, jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt and country legend Jimmie Rogers. Nelson and Haggard also pay tribute to each other. Nelson sings Haggard’s song “Somewhere Between,” and Haggard sings Nelson’s song “Family Bible.” The album comes out June 2.
SALINA -An employee of the Salina Wal-Mart was taken to the hospital Wednesday afternoon after he was punched several times in the head by a man he found on the ground in the area where shopping carts are stored.
Police Captain Chris Trocheck said 36-year-old Elijah Gragg, whose last known address was McPherson, is alleged to have hit 63-year-old Roger Bennett after Bennett found Gragg lying on the floor.
Trocheck said Gragg had caused a disturbance earlier at a checkout lane inside the store.
Another Wal-Mart employee took Bennett to Salina Regional Health Center for treatment of injuries.
Gragg was arrested on requested charges of battery, criminal trespass, and disorderly conduct.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The economic outlook for rural areas of 10 states in the Plains and the West remained negative in April even though it improved slightly from the previous month.
Creighton University’s Rural Mainstreet index grew to 46 in April from March’s 43.6, but any score below 50 suggests a decline. The indexes range between 0 and 100.
Creighton University economist Ernie Goss says the strong U.S. dollar continues to hurt exports of agriculture and energy products. And demand for farmland remains weak, so land prices are declining.
The farm equipment sales index sits at 15.6, up slightly from March’s 15.2, but well below the neutral level of 50.
Bankers from rural areas of Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming were surveyed.
JETMORE — The Kansas Bureau of Investigation reported Kody Lee Hanson, 30, Jetmore was arrested in Hodgeman County by the KBI with the assistance of the Hodgeman County Sheriff’s Office.
The arrest is related to the investigation into the death of Hanson’s 2-month-old son, who died last week at a Wichita hospital.
Hanson was booked into the Ford County Detention Center on suspicion of first-degree murder and felony abuse of a child.
No further information will be released as the investigation is ongoing.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The state’s highest court has taken up the dispute over the legality of a new voter-approved ordinance in the state’s largest city that lessens criminal penalties for marijuana possession.
The Kansas Supreme Court on Thursday ordered Wichita to respond by May 6 to arguments made by the Kansas attorney general seeking to nullify the ordinance because it conflicts with state law. The court also halted for now proceedings in Sedgwick County District Court that had also aimed to resolve the issue.
Attorney General Derek Schmidt asked the Supreme Court to rule so that the ordinance’s validity can be settled quickly.
Wichita voters approved the measure on April 7 with 54 percent in favor. It imposes no more than a $50 fine for first-time possession of small amounts of pot.
FHSU student volunteers during the 2013 BIG event.
FHSU University Relations
Volunteers from Fort Hays State University are seeking projects for the May 2 BIG Event, an initiative of the university’s Student Government Association in which the SGA thanks the community for its support by performing services for people who need them.
“We currently have projects lined up with a great deal of non-profit organizations in the Hays community, but we have not received many individual projects from community members,” said Gustavo Reyes, Garden City senior, the SGA’s campus relations director.
“If it does not require some sort of power tool, we are willing to do it,” said Reyes. “The Big Event is designed to help all community members of Hays. It is the students’ way of saying “Thank You” for all the support received from the community towards our education, and we want to help as many people as possible.”
He said BIG Event service projects for individuals are not based on socioeconomic standing and can be such things as raking leaves, weeding, planting flowers, cleaning gutters, washing windows or picking up trash. Work will be performed between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Saturday, May 2.
“This year, we want the community to get involved as a whole,” said Lizette Avalos, Liberal senior, SGA’s public and community relations director. “This event is important for FHSU students to get involved and give to the community that gives so much to us, but also for Hays residents to share their passion for their community by working alongside of the FHSU family.”
Getting a project on the list or volunteering can also be accomplished by calling 785-628-5311 or emailing Reyes at [email protected] or Avalos at [email protected].
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — An associate English professor at Washburn University has been named the Poet Laureate for Kansas.
The nonprofit Kansas Humanities Council announced the appointment of Eric McHenry in a news release Thursday. McHenry’s work has been featured in national publications such as Poetry International, Yale Review and Slate. His poetry reviews have appeared in the New York Times and Columbia magazines.
In his new role, he will spend the next two years presenting readings and discussions about poetry in communities across the state. He said in the release that poetry provides “language that’s equal to life’s richness and complexity.”
executive director Julie Mulvihill said McHenry brings “an abundance of talent and enthusiasm” to his position.
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal grand jury today returned an indictment against a Topeka man who was charged in a criminal complaint last week with plotting to explode a bomb at the Fort Riley military base
near Manhattan, Kan., according to U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom.
John T. Booker, Jr., 20, Topeka, Kan., was indicted on one count of attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction (explosives), one count of attempting to damage property by means of an explosive and one count of attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), which is a foreign terrorist organization.
If convicted, Booker would face a maximum penalty of life in prison.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force, including members from the FBI’s Kansas City Division, the Topeka Police Department and the Kansas Highway Patrol and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Mattivi, Assistant U.S. Attorney David Smith, and Trial Attorneys Josh Parecki and Rebecca Magnone of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
MANHATTAN –Three schools in USD 383- Manhattan-Ogden district were temporarily on lockout Thursday. Police were investigating a report of three men in an SUV brandishing a weapon near Osage Street and Juliette Avenue.
Michele Jones, USD-383 Communications and Safety Director, said three elementary schools were in lockout for about an hour because of suspicious activity around the school. All schools were back to their regular schedules late in the day.
“A school lockout means that staff double checked that all exterior doors were locked and no one is on the playground,” Jones said. “Learning continues as normal inside the building.”
According to Riley County Police Officer Matthew Droge, “There was no evidence to support a crime was being committed at the time, but the claims made initiated an investigation,” he said.
“At this time we still can’t substantiate that a crime had occurred. What we do know is that we, as well as our area schools, take the safety of our community’s children very seriously and those who noticed that several schools in the area decided to place themselves into lock-out out of an abundance of caution are witness to that,” Droge said.
Deb Nauerth, Principal of Woodrow Wilson school confirmed her school was in the lockout today. “This was prompted after two of our lunch-playground supervisors notified me of suspicious activity in a vehicle driving on Osage by the school. I immediately notified RCPD of the situation. RCPD officers responded promptly to the call and are continuing to investigate this situation.”
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Wichita State University is joining forces with Wichita Area Technical College to launch an innovative approach to degree completion.
The university said Thursday in a news release that its Shocker Pathway partnership is the first of its kind in Kansas between a two-year technical college and a four-year university.
It creates a joint Associate of Arts degree that allows students who begin their coursework at the technical college and finish their degree at the university.
The partnership allows students to bring up to 50 hours of transferable coursework to the university where they can take additional coursework to get the degree. It also makes it easier for students to pursue more advanced degrees through the program.
An official kickoff is planned Monday with a news conference featuring community and educational leaders.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Lottery Commission is giving Las Vegas billionaire Phil Ruffin more time to provide information about a proposed southeast Kansas casino.
The Joplin Globe reports that the commission raised questions Wednesday about whether Ruffin is making the minimum investment required for a state-owned casino. The commission has put off making a decision on which of three proposals to back until April 24.
Ruffin’s proposal calls for a $78.5 million project at the former Camptown Greyhound Park in Frontenac. Questions have arisen about the value of the racetrack and land.
The commission also heard proposals for Castle Rock Casino Resort, a $140 million casino that would be built in Cherokee County. The third proposal is a $62 million facility, Kansas Crossing Casino, which would be built south of Pittsburg.
NASHVILLE (AP) – Eric Church is getting into the furniture business. Church has partnered with Pulaski Furniture to create a line called Highway to Home. Church actually has some experience in this area. His dad worked in the industry, and Church himself got his first job in a furniture plant. The furniture line will include sets for bedrooms, dining rooms and living areas, in a variety of styles. The furniture will be unveiled to retailers at the end of this year and will be for sale to the public next year.
