TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Senate has confirmed two of Gov. Sam Brownback’s major appointments.
The Senate is controlled by Republicans and had been expected before Thursday’s votes to approve the GOP governor’s choices for Kansas Department of Health and Environment secretary and Kansas Highway Patrol superintendent.
The Senate voted 33-4 to approve the appointment of Susan Mosier as KDHE secretary. The votes against her came from Democrats.
Mosier has been serving as KDHE’s top administrator since the resignation of then-Secretary Robert Moser at the end of November. She previously ran KDHE’s Division of Health Care Finance.
The vote was 40-0 to confirm Maj. Mark Bruce as patrol superintendent.
Bruce is a 25-year patrol veteran elevated by Brownback to its top job in January after Superintendent Ernest Garcia retired.
For those of you who can remember bringing the new century in on January 1, 2000, several predictions were made about the new millennium, and numerous books were being sold that probably made some author or publishing house a substantial amount of money. Cars were supposed to stop in their tracks, planes were supposed to fall out of the sky and the prognosticators went on and on about the disasters ahead.
As it turned, out none of these disasters occurred, but it sure created a lot of anxiety for a lot of people.
Fast forward to 2015, and be introduced to a renowned economics guru named Harry S. Dent Jr., the founder of Dent Research. Good old Harry has predicted that the Dow Jones Industrial Average will drop from its current 18,000+, down to 6000 by late 2016 or early 2017, so mark your calendars.
In his advertising, it is stated how many predictions of his actually materialized: Japan’s lost decade, the recession of 1990-92, the biggest bull market run in U.S. history, and most recently, the 2008 credit crisis and stock market crash. It sounds pretty amazing, except they omitted the many predictions that did not come true.
In 2000, Dent predicted that the DOW would reach 40,000, a prediction that was repeated in his 2004 book. He also predicted that NASDAQ would reach 13-20,000. In 2006, he revised his forecasts to much lower levels, estimating the DOW would reach 16-18,000, and the NASDAQ 3-4,000. In January of 2006, he predicted the DOW would reach 14-15,000 by the end of the year. It ended up at 12,463, 11% below the lower end of his prediction. It ended 2007 at 13,264, again significantly lower than his prediction of 15,000 by the end of 2008.
The list goes on and on, and although those forecasts have been swept under the carpet, Houdini Harry still claims that not only can you survive all of this, but prosper by knowing the future. And Harry claims to know the future. There’s an old saying; “If you throw enough mud on the wall, some of it will stick”.
There are many others with the same claims and the same strategy to lure you into what they’re peddling. The gold ads are particularly interesting in that these companies feel it’s alright to show the monstrous returns after they pick the time-frame to report. Let’s face it, if we all could look back and do what we should have done, (e.g. buy land when it was $400/acre or oil when it was $20/barrel) we’d all be billionaires. Many of the companies even have testimonies from people on their website.
But, the reality is that no one is going to include a testimony that has bad things to say about your company.
Jeane Dixon led a colorful life and gave us all something to think about with some of her predictions. Probably the most notable being the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. However, John Allen Paulos, a respected mathematician, coined the phrase the “Jeane Dixon Effect.”
This is where psychics prove a few accurate predictions and forget about the hundreds that never come true. Some of the most notable failures include: 1) World War III would begin in 1958. 2) A cure for cancer will be found in 1967. 3) Richard Nixon would be a good president. (Boy, did she miss this one. 4) The Russians would be the first to land on the moon.
So if you’d like to get rich quick, and don’t want to rob a bank or win the Lottery (remember for 1 winner there’s 100 million losers), take the same strategy that Harry takes. Talk about all the doom and gloom in the world, and let folks know that if they buy your book or subscription, they will be saved.
More importantly, don’t believe everything you see on Internet, or you might be looking at getting poor quick.
Quite frankly, it’s hard to get rich quick, but it’s not hard to get rich. Simply start saving and the earlier you start, the easier it is.
Tim Schumacher represents Strategic Financial Partners in Hays. [email protected]
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas House has approved tighter rules for social services ahead of lawmakers’ annual spring break.
The House’s 87-35 vote Thursday sends the bill to the governor to sign it into law. The bill would enshrine policies enacted since Republican Gov. Sam Brownback took office in January 2011 into law.
The policies include a requirement that able-bodied adult recipients of cash assistance have jobs or seek work.
The measure also sets new rules that include a $25-a-day limit on ATM withdrawals with cash assistance cards.
Supporters said it furthers a goal of helping people move from state assistance into jobs. Critics see it as an attack on the poor.
Department for Children and Families Secretary Phyllis Gilmore said in a statement that the bill would empower residents to become self-sufficient.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas is expected to issue $1 billion in bonds later this year to bolster its pension system for teachers and government workers.
Legislators gave final approval Thursday to a bill authorizing the bonds. The Senate approved the measure on a 23-16 vote after the House passed it Wednesday on a 63-57 vote.
The measure now heads to Republican Gov. Sam Brownback, who praised the idea before the Senate’s vote. He had proposed $1.5 billion in bonds.
The pension system would get an infusion of cash, narrowing a long-term gap in funding for pension benefits. The state expects to earn more from investing the new funds than it would pay on the bonds.
WELLSVILLE – A Kansas man was injured in an accident just before 1 p.m. on Thursday in Franklin County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2004 Ford Taurus driven by William J. Burns, 81, Leawood, was southbound on Kansas 33 five miles south of Wellsville.
The driver failed to stop at a stop sign. The vehicle crossed the intersection at Kansas 68 and landed in the southwest ditch.
Burns was transported to Ransom Memorial Hospital.
The KHP reported he was properly restrained at the time of the accident.
Leona Winterlin, 83, formerly of Hays, died Thursday, April 2, 2015 at the Sterling House in Great Bend, Kansas.
She was born in 1931 in Shickley, Nebraska, the daughter of Dan and Elsie (Birkey) Roth. She married DeWayne Winterlin on August 21, 1954 in Iowa City, Iowa. He died June 20, 2000. She attended Wheaton College and Moody Bible Institute.
She was an LPN and worked as a nurse at the University of Iowa Hospital and later at nursing homes in Kansas. She was a founding member and deacon of North Oak Community Church, Hays. She was very active in the church children’s ministry for many years. She was a great Mother and was known for her hospitality, and her love of food.
Survivors include three daughters; Cheryl Dockum and husband Don of Norman, OK, Beth Reimer and husband Todd of Arlington, TX, and Karla Frink and husband Troy of St. John, Kansas, two brothers; Merle Roth of Loveland, CO and Eldon Roth and wife Becky of Mountain Home, AR, seven grandchildren; Carson Dockum and wife Brittany, Brooke Dockum, Chase Reimer, Lauren Reimer, TJ Frink, Grant Frink, and Justin Frink, and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, three brothers; Roy, Ivan, and Allen Roth and a sister Viola Wilkins, and a sister in law Alice Roth.
Funeral services will be at 11:00 am on Saturday, April 4, 2015 at Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home, 1906 Pine. Burial will be in the Mt. Allen Cemetery. Visitation will be from 10:00 am until service time on Saturday at the funeral home.
Memorials are suggested to the North Oak Community Church. Condolences may be left for the family at www.haysmemorial.com.
Glade resident Illa M. Johnson passed away Thursday, April 2, 2015 at the Phillips County Hospital in Phillipsburg, KS at the age of 77.
She was born Feb. 27, 1938 in Phillips County, the daughter of William & Delphia (Bretton) Chestnut.
Survivors include her husband, Doyle Johnson, of the home in Glade; sons, Curtis, of Plainville, KS and Kelly, of Lawrence, KS; daughter, Janet Wahlmeier, of Burlington, KS; and six grandchildren.
Cremation was chosen. A memorial service will be held Sat., April 4, at 2:00 p.m. in the Community Church of God, Phillipsburg, with Pastor Tim Kraft officiating.
Friends may sign the book Friday, April 3, from 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. at the Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel, Phillipsburg.
Memorial contributions may be given to the Phillips County Hospital or the Community Church of God. Online condolences to: www.olliffboeve.com.
Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel, Phillipsburg, is in charge of arrangements.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Be prepared to pay a bit more if you’re headed to some national parks and recreation areas this summer.
The federal government is increasing the price of admission at some public lands and raising the fees charged for camping, boating and other activities after a six-year moratorium.
The National Park Service says it hoped to generate as much as $45 million annually from the increases. But that total is just a fraction of the $11.5 billion needed to repair and maintain roads, trails and park buildings.
Some lawmakers have expressed concern about the increases. National Park Service Director Jonathan Jarvis says visitors are still getting an incredible deal when compared to other recreational pursuits.
Fees have increased in eight parks, including Yosemite. Several dozen more are pending.
WASHINGTON (AP) —Kansas and seven other states where same-sex couples can marry are among 15 states urging the Supreme Court to uphold gay marriage bans and leave the matter to voters and lawmakers.
These states are telling the justices in a brief filed Thursday that the court would do “incalculable damage to our civic life” if it decides that same-sex couples must be allowed to marry nationwide.
The states say they should be free to decide the issue for themselves.
The eight states where gay and lesbian couples can marry after courts struck down bans on gay marriage are: Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Oklahoma, Utah and West Virginia.
Seven other states where same-sex marriage remains illegal also joined the brief. They are: Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Texas.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Senate has sent a transportation bill to the governor that Uber says could drive it out of the state.
The Senate voted 35-2 to pass the bill requiring drivers from transportation network companies to hold additional insurance for the periods they are transporting riders for pay.
It would also require companies to do background checks on their drivers through the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.
The bill affects the company Uber, which connects independent drivers to riders through a smart device app. The company posted on its blog Monday that it would make Uber’s business “impossible” in Kansas.
The company urged users to email all Kansas legislators on the issue through a link in the app. So many did so the Legislature’s email service was temporarily inoperable Tuesday.
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TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas House has approved changes to a transportation bill that Uber says could drive it out of the state.
Changes to the bill the House approved on Thursday would require drivers from transportation network companies to hold additional insurance for the periods they are transporting riders for pay.
It would also require companies to do background checks on their drivers through the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.
The bill directly affects the company Uber, which connects independent drivers to riders through a smart device app. The company posted on its blog Monday that the bill would make it impossible for Uber to operate in Kansas.
Republican Rep. Scott Schwab said the bill would give fair regulation to Uber without giving the company special treatment.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback says he is open to raising the sales tax to fill gaps in state’s budget.
Brownback said during a news conference Thursday that over time he would like to shift the state from income and property taxes to consumption taxes.
The state faces budget shortfalls of nearly $600 million in the fiscal year beginning July 1. The Senate passed a budget in March that does not balance without tax increases.
The governor has recommended raising taxes on cigarettes and alcohol to generate the revenue needed to fill the budget gaps.
He said Thursday that he hopes the Legislature will come up with a broad mix of consumption taxes and would be open to an overall sales tax hike.
HOUSTON (AP) — Oilfield services company Baker Hughes Inc. says the number of rigs exploring for oil and natural gas in the U.S. declined by 20 this week to 1,028 amid slumping oil prices.
Houston-based Baker Hughes said Thursday 802 rigs were seeking oil and 222 exploring for natural gas. Four were listed as miscellaneous. A year ago, 1,818 rigs were active.
Among major oil- and gas-producing states, Texas and North Dakota each dropped six rigs, Louisiana was off five and Oklahoma four. Arkansas, Kansas, Ohio and Pennsylvania declined one apiece.
California was up by two and Alaska and West Virginia added one rig each.
Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming were unchanged.
The U.S. rig count peaked at 4,530 in 1981 and bottomed at 488 in 1999.
