TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Gov. Sam Brownback is proposing a state sales tax increase and other measures to deal with the state’s projected budget shortfall.
Brownback on Saturday proposed that legislators address an estimated $406 million deficit by increasing the state sales tax to 6.65 percent from 6.15 percent and eliminating most income tax deductions.
The plan also would exempt 388,000 low-income Kansans from income tax and increase cigarette taxes by 50 cents per pack. The plan would raise $23.7 million by imposing income tax on some previously exempted small business revenues.
All income deductions except the one for charitable donations would be eliminated, while mortgage and property deductions would be cut in half.
The plan is estimated to fill the budget gap and leave $81 million in reserves for the next fiscal year.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Wichita State University says one of its students was among four people killed in a suicide bomb attack outside a Shiite mosque in Saudi Arabia.
The university says 22-year-old Abduljaleel Alarbash, an undergraduate student, had returned to Saudi Arabia to get married and was scheduled to return to Wichita for classes this fall.
He was killed Friday when a suicide bomber blew himself up in the parking lot of a Shiite mosque in the city of Dammam. It was the second such attack in as many weeks claimed by the Islamic State group.
Relatives of Alarbash told The Wichita Eagle that Alarbash was among a group of young men who intercepted the attacker outside the mosque, saving lives.
Wichita State is holding a service June 5 to honor Alarbash.
WINFIELD- A Kansas teen was injured in an accident just after 9 a.m. in Cowley County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1995 GMC Sierra driven by Gabriel J. Moreland, 14, Winfield, was southbound on 111th Road eight miles north of Winfield.
The vehicle went off the roadway, the driver overcorrected, and the vehicle rolled into the east ditch.
Moreland was transported to William Newton Memorial Hospital.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Legal experts say a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling could mean more trouble for Kansas officials already struggling with budget problems.
The court ruled that Maryland’s policy of providing only partial credit for income taxes paid in other states is unconstitutional.
Kansas gives residents full credit on state taxes for income taxes paid to other states where they work. But it does not provide the credit for the 1 percent earnings tax paid by those who work in Kansas City, Missouri.
The Kansas City Star reports the Supreme Court ruling could force Kansas to pay full tax credits to Kansans who work in Kansas City, Missouri, at an estimated cost of $35 million or more a year. The question is likely to be decided by lower courts.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas House has approved a measure that would allow alcohol at state events at the Capitol and adjusts a number of liquor permit processes.
The chamber voted 90-30 Friday to approve the bill, which also would allow patrons of art galleries to bring their own bottles of wine to painting sessions. Alcoholic beverages could also be consumed at farmers markets, state fairs and catered events on public property.
It also would allow alcohol distributors to provide samples and let vineyards sell wine on their property.
Republican Rep. Joseph Scapa of Wichita said he opposed the bill because he believed some of its provisions could lead to an increase in underage drinking.
The Senate approved the bill Thursday and it now goes to the governor.
The 150th anniversary of Fort Hays, Hays City, Rome and Ellis County is not until 2017, but it is never too early to begin planning for a sesquicentennial celebration.
“We are starting early. We want to make everyone aware of everything that happened 150 years ago,” said Dr. Juti Winchester, assistant professor of history at Fort Hays State University, president of the Board of Directors of the Ellis County Historical Society and chair of the Ellis County Sesquicentennial Planning Committee.
The committee held its first meeting May 21.
In 1967, Ellis County celebrated its 100th anniversary with a week-long celebration around the Fourth of July. The first event was a Governor’s Ball, with Gov. Robert Docking in attendance. A performance depicting the evolution of Hays was held at FHSU’s Lewis Field Stadium every night, and fireworks concluded each day’s activities.
The committee’s goal for the 150th anniversary is to attract visitors from within and outside the county, to celebrate the history of Hays and help generate revenue for local businesses. They are encouraging businesses to use 1867 as a theme in 2017, from special brews or food to other merchandise.
“We want to raise awareness and create a better profile regarding the history of Hays,” said Don Westfall, executive director of the Ellis County Historical Society. “We hope the sesquicentennial attracts tourists to Hays for the celebration.”
The historical society and the Fort Hays State Historical Site are planning activities throughout the entire year. The society is sponsoring a look-a-like contest of three well-known historical figures — Buffalo Bill Cody, George Armstrong Custer and Wild Bill Hickok. Potential event ideas include another Governor’s Ball, a Sesquicentennial parade, ghost tours, a chili cook off, quilt making and a prairie dog eating contest (hot dogs). Historians and authors from surrounding counties will attend to help educate the public and tell stories from the early days of Hays.
In June 2017, the Little Big Horn Associates, an organization dedicated to preserving the history of Gen. Custer and the Battle of Little Bighorn, plans to hold its annual conference in Hays. About 800 members are expected to attend.
The Sesquicentennial Committee encourages all local businesses and the university to get involved in the celebration of the history of Hays.
“The celebration belongs to the community,” said Winchester. “I hope people get together and make it a memorable one so they can say ‘I was there.’ ”
The next meeting, open to the public, will be at a brown-bag lunch at noon, Wednesday, June 10, in the Ellis County Historical Society Museum.
“The Most Dangerous Animal of All,” by Gary L. Stewart and Susan Mustafa
For decades, the Zodiac Killer has captivated America’s imagination. His ability to evade capture while taunting authorities made him infamous. The vicious specificity of his crimes terrified Californians before the Manson murders and after, and shocked a culture enamored with the ideals of the dawning Age of Aquarius. To this day, his ciphers have baffled detectives and amateur sleuths, and his identity remains one of the twentieth century’s great unsolved mysteries.
Marleah Augustine is Adult Department Librarian at the Hays Public Library.
If you’re interested in reading a book about a man grappling with his identity as he searches for his birth parents, this one’s not bad. If you’re interested in finally learning who the Zodiac Killer was, decades after the murders that terrorized the Bay Area, skip this book.
The problem with this book has nothing to do with its readability. Stewart provides a compelling account of the troubling relationship between his biological parents, supporting it with documents and photos, and the first part flows well, although later parts suffer from somewhat stilted dialogue. However, Stewart’s push to once-and-for-all reveal the identity of the Zodiac killer falls flat. Discrepancies abound, particularly when it comes to the reliability of the handwriting analysis and the lack of DNA results. The idea of a coverup by police is always intriguing, but in this case is doubtful.
Was Earl Van Best Jr. a despicable person? I think it’s safe to say yes. But was he the Zodiac? We will probably never know for sure.
Listen to Mike Cooper interviewing Orthopedic Physician and Surgeon, Dr. Vivek Sharma, from the Hays Orthopedic Institute at HaysMed, by clicking the link above and then clicking the play button
Adella B. Dodrill, 98, Wichita, died Wednesday, May 27, 2015 at Wellspring of Wichita.
She was born October 21, 1916 to Jim and Emma (Lacy) Brumitt in Hays, KS. She graduated from Hays High School. She married Roy A. Dodrill Feb. 28, 1937 in Hays, KS. He died December 19, 1997. She and her husband owned the grocery store in Gove, KS for 16 years. Survivors include sons LeRoy (Donna) of Oregon, Jim (Julie) of Colorado, and Adella Wenzel of Wichita, 3 nieces, 1 nephew, 12 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren, and 2 great great grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, a son, Don, daughter-in-law, Linda, son-in-law, Don, and grandson, David.
A graveside service will be 2:00 pm on Wednesday, June 3, 2015 at Mt. Allen Cemetery in Hays.
In lieu of flowers a memorial has been established in her name to: Wellspring of Wichita, 6311 E Marjorie Wichita, KS 67208. Condolences may be left for the family at www.haysmemorial.com.
At its regular quarterly meeting held at the Kansas Historical Society in Topeka on Saturday, May 9, the Historic Sites Board of Review voted to forward eight nominations to the office of the Keeper of the National Register of Historic Places in Washington, D.C., to be evaluated by its professional staff. If staff members concur with the board’s findings, the properties will be included in the National Register.
The National Register of Historic Places is the country’s official list of historically significant properties. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America’s historic and archeological resources. Eligible properties must be significant for one or more of the four criteria for evaluation. Properties can be eligible if they are associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our history. They can be eligible if they are associated with the lives of persons significant in our past. Distinctive construction can qualify properties for the National Register if they embody the characteristic of a type, period, or method of construction, or represent the work of a master, or possess high artistic values, or represent a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction. Lastly, properties may be eligible for the National Register if they have yielded or may be likely to yield information important in prehistory or history. The National Register recognizes properties of local, statewide, and national significance.
The Register of Historic Kansas Places is our state’s official list of historically significant properties. Properties included in the National Register are automatically listed in the State Register. However, not all properties listed in the State Register are included in the National Register. The same general criteria are used to assess the eligibility of a property for inclusion in the state register, but more flexibility is allowed in the interpretation of the criteria for eligibility.
National Register of Historic Places Nominations include:
Grant School – 520 W 12th Street, Goodland, Sherman County
Grant School, Goodland, circa 1927
Grant School was built in 1926 to relieve overcrowding at other public schools in Goodland. It served the community as an elementary school from 1926 to 1969 and then as a junior high school until 2015. The opening of Grant School coincided with the addition of Kindergarten to the district’s curriculum, resulting in the district’s first purpose-built Kindergarten classroom. The school, which exhibits the Late Gothic Revival style, was designed by Hutchinson-based architects Mann and Company, a firm known for its designs of schools.
Grant School, Goodland, circa 1927
The school reflects traditional elements of the Gothic Revival style with its variegated red brick exterior, stone detailing, multiple gable roofs and dormers, stone quoining, and central tower. The building reflects Progressive-era tenets of school design with a combined auditorium and gymnasium space and specialized classrooms.
It is nominated as part of the Historic Public Schools of Kansas multiple property nomination for its local significance in the areas of education and architecture.
HUTCHINSON— A Reno County Judge on Friday granted another defense request to continue the trial for a Hutchinson teen accused of killing his mother and sister and attempting to kill his father.
Public Defender Kelly Driscoll who was representing Samuel Vonachen is leaving the Public Defenders Office.
The head of the local office, Sarah Sweet-McKinnon is taking over the case.
She told the judge that she isn’t ready, so asked for additional time. Judge Rose granted the request and the new trial date is September 21.
There was some concern over the defendants right to a speedy trial, but the defendant waived that right Friday morning.
Vonachen was 14 at the time of the alleged crimes and is charged with two counts of first-degree murder, two alternate counts of felony murder, attempted first-degree murder and aggravated arson.
He’s accused of setting fire to the family home back of 2013, by pouring gas throughout the house, then lighting it. The blaze killed his mother, Karla Jo Vonachen, and his sister Audrey. The teen’s father was able to escape the fire.
He remains jailed on a $1,000,000 bond and is being housed out of county.
