With her historic career at Fort Hays State University now in the rear-view mirror, women’s basketball icon Kate Lehman is tackling a new challenge.
Beginning in the 2015-16 school year, Lehman said she will be “first and foremost” a first-grade teacher at Plainville Elementary School — as well as the new girls basketball coach at the high school.
Lehman, who came to FHSU from Newton, also will serve as assistant coach for the Cardinal volleyball team.
Check out a portion of her interview with Eagle’s Gary Shorman and watch for the complete airing of The Forum on Eagle TV Channels 14 and 614 beginning June 1.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Westar Energy plans to increase its rates starting in June to cover the costs of its environmental projects.
The Kansas Corporation Commission on Thursday approved a $10.8 million increase in Westar’s environmental cost recovery rider, for a total of about $68.6 million. The increase will cost the average customer about an extra $4.07 a year.
The increases are for 12 environmental upgrades at Jeffrey Energy Center, six at Lawrence Energy Center, one at Tecumseh Energy Center and one at Gordon Evans Energy Center, a natural gas plant near Colwich.
The Topeka Capital-Journal reports tariffs are approved with a simplified process that doesn’t require the public hearings involved in a general rate increase. No groups opposed the tariff amount.
A report of a missing vehicle offered a relatively benign reminder not to leave keys in an unattended vehicle.
According to the Hays Police Department, a Hays resident reported his vehicle was stolen after parking in his driveway about 9 p.m. Thursday. The investigation did not last long.
“The owner discovered it missing,” said HPD Lt. Ron Rounkles, “and within minutes, the vehicle was located less than one block from his residence.”
There are no suspects. The vehicle was not damaged and nothing appeared to be missing.
Approximately 4.5 inches of rain in May — following a wetter-than normal second half of 2014 — has greatly reduced the drought severity in Kansas.
The U.S. Drought Monitor now lists much of northwest Kansas between “abnormally dry” and “severe drought.” In May of 2014, nearly the entire state was listed in the “severe” category, with large portions of western Kansas in “extreme” drought — the second most severe category.
Only about 7.5 percent of the state is now considered to be in a severe drought.
Click HERE for more on the drought watch in Kansas.
With showers continuing Friday morning, the Hays region received another dose of much-needed precipitation overnight.
Early reports range from 0.05 inches near Ellis to 0.37 inches in the northwest portion of Ellis County. Most of Hays received accumulation of approximately 0.05 inches.
Surrounding counties all received rainfall in the quarter-inch range.
The heaviest rain fell overnight in southern Kansas, with reports from Ford, Gray, Meade and Clark counties adding up to about an inch. Seward County reported the heaviest rain overnight — 1.4 inches.
Rain is expected to continue Friday, with thunderstorms possible tonight and early Saturday morning. Ellis County has a chance of rain and storms through the long Memorial Day weekend.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — An emergency room at a Veterans Affairs hospital in Topeka might be reopening soon.
William Patterson, a regional Veterans Affairs director, told two Kansas members of Congress this week that the emergency room at Colmery-O’Neil VA Medical Center is expected to reopen by the end of this month. The emergency room was closed in January 2014 because of understaffing problems.
Jim Gleisberg, spokesman for the VA Eastern Kansas Healthcare System, said Colmery-O’Neil officials haven’t set an exact date for reopening but it’s getting close.
The Topeka Capital-Journal reports Sen. Jerry Moran and Rep. Lynn Jenkins will tour Colmery-O’Neil Tuesday to meet with director Rudy Klopfer, visit with patients and get an update on the emergency room.
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A California man pleaded guilty Thursday in federal court in Kansas to operating an Internet fraud scheme that cost more than 200 victims a total of more than $1.6 million, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.
Anthony Renfrow, 57, Folsom, Calif., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. In his plea, he admitted he made fraudulent claims to entice people to pay to become “autosurf investors” with 14DailyPlus.com.
Investors paid a membership fee and were promised a 14 percent daily return on their money for clicking on advertisers’ Web sites for a certain period of time each day. To achieve that rate of return, 14DailyPlus.com purportedly pooled the capital investments of members and purchased advertising units on the Internet with Fortune-500 type companies.
Renfrow held regularly scheduled conference calls with investors via telephone and Internet to lull them into believing the program was legitimate and returns on investments were being paid as promised. In truth, there was no investment vehicle and the promise of a 14 percent daily return was completely unrealistic.
Renfrow founded 14DailyPlus.com in March 2006. Co-defendant William Fox, 46, formerly of Olathe, Kan., allegedly was a promoter and recruiter for 14DailyPlus.com in the Kansas City metropolitan area. He is awaiting trial.
Sentencing will be set for a later date. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. Grissom commended the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Johnson County District Attorney’s Office, the California Attorney General’s Office and Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Rask for their work on the case.
Great Bend physician Dr. Roger Marshall, a Republican, will be in Hays this week for a campaign kickoff event.
Marshall, an OB/GYN, has announced his intentions to be on the 2016 primary ballot against incumbent First District U.S. Rep. Tim Huelskamp, R-Fowler. Huelskamp began his third term in the U.S. House this year after a runaway victory in the 2014 general election.
Marshall will appear at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Robbins Center on the Fort Hays State University campus.
For more information, click HERE or view Marshall’s biography HERE.
Hays city commissioners discuss the CID portion of the city’s economic development policy.
By BECKY KISER Hays Post
The Community Improvement District will remain in the city of Hays’ economic development policy.
City commissioners Thursday night discussed the possible removal of the CID section at the request of Commissioner Henry Schwaller.
After input from city manager Toby Dougherty and city attorney John Bird, the commission ultimately agreed no changes will be made.
Schwaller, who is the city’s representative to the Ellis County Coalition for Economic Development, suggested “more shared information” between the two bodies. He also wants to implement a “check list” to make it absolutely clear to developers what is required to be in place in their application before asking for a CID.
Mayor Eber Phelps noted the city is a “pass-through agency. We are not ‘giving money’ to anybody.”
A CID is “enabling legislation” by the state of Kansas used as an economic development tool for developers to come before the cities, “which can add any caveats they want,” Phelps pointed out. “It’s a tool. Let’s keep it in the tool box.
“We don’t know. We might have somebody come in with something we haven’t even thought about — some sort of development — and they might say ‘We’re going to pay 50 percent of it,’ ” he added. “This (CID) can be tweaked, readdressed, whatever the case may be.”
In November, the city approved a CID of a 1-cent sales tax hike on purchases at the Hays Mall. The increase was effective May 1 and property improvements are underway.
The developer, DP Management, did not provide any capital for the renovation project besides the revenue from the CID, an estimated $3 million.
In February, the city changed the CID to require applicants to financially participate in the project in an amount that is at least 25 percent of the total project cost.
There are “at least two CIDs in the wings now and maybe another,” according to Schwaller.
Commissioners directed Dougherty to “carry on and report back” about the developers’ applications.
The Ellis girls won the 4×100 meter relay and finish second in the 4×400 to highlight their day at Thursday’s Smith Center 2A regional track and field meet. The Railers girls finish sixth with 44 points.
Eli Lohrmeyer wins the discus and was the Ellis boys only first place finisher.
Plainville won three events. Kim Junkermeier takes the girls shot put while Kolt Newell wins the high jump and the 4×100 relay finishes first.
Lonnie Alan Wallace, 65, of Pueblo, Colorado and former Waldo and Paradise, Kansas resident, died on March 12, 2015, at his home.
Lonnie was born on October 12, 1949, in the Russell City Hospital in Russell, Kansas, the son of George W. and Bonnie (Williams) Wallace. He grew up in Waldo, Kansas and graduated from Paradise High School in Paradise, Kansas. He met, fell in love and was united in marriage to Rose Marie Williams in May 1969 in Hutchinson, Kansas. Lonnie and Rose raised two son Aaron and Paul Williams. He worked as a service technician working on machinery and hydraulic equipment. He also worked in the asphalt paving industry.
He is survived by his two stepsons Aaron H. Williams and Paul D. Williams; brothers Ronald G. Brozek (Lana) and Donald V. Engle (Betty); sister Marjorie E. Wheeler (Bobby); 5 step grandchildren and 3 step great grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents, wife Rose on November 29, 2013, and sister Vonda J. Powell.
A graveside memorial service to honor Lonnie’s life will be held at 2:00 P.M. on Friday, May 29, 2015, at the Luray City Cemetery with Reverend Jason Mason officiating. Cards and condolences may be sent in care of the mortuary. Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell is in charge of the funeral service arrangements.
Porter E. Hackerott, 88, of Luray, Kansas, died on Wednesday, May 20, 2015, at the Hays Medical Center in Hays, Kansas.
A celebration of Porter’s life will be held at 11 A.M. on Wednesday, May 27, 2015, at the Luray United Methodist Church in Luray, Kansas, with Pastor Les Rye officiating. Burial will follow at the Luray City Cemetery. Visitation will be from 9 A.M. to 8 P.M. on Tuesday, May 26, 2015, at the Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary in Russell, Kansas. Family will greet guests from 6 P.M. to 7 P.M. Tuesday evening at the mortuary. Memorials may be given to the Luray United Methodist Church and sent in care of the mortuary. Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell, Kansas, is in charge of the funeral service arrangements.
