The city of Hays will have a reception in honor of Assistant City Manager Paul Briseno, who is leaving after more than five years of service.
The come-and-go event will be 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Thursday, July 2, at City Hall, 1507 Main.
Briseno is leaving Hays to become assistant city manager in Kearney, Neb. Click HERE for more.
Growing up, listening to 1950s’ AM radio, I’d regularly hear the breathless, distinctive Paul Harvey talk about “the rest of the story.” It was true then, true now. There’s almost always something more.
This year in Kansas, despite the juicy, if distressing, headlines on the budget and taxes, the “rest of the story” is likely more profound and problematic.
First, the Legislature passed and the governor signed a bill that would explicitly subordinate the judiciary to the whims of Kansas lawmakers. The law (HB 2005, overwhelmingly supported by both House and Senate) ties judicial funding to a bill changing the selection process for county judges. Under the condition of “non-severability,” if one part of the budget bill is struck down, the entirety is, too.
In short, the Legislature has dared the court to rule against its policy on judges or face losing funds. And where would a case testing this law go? Right back into the court system and down an Alice-in-Wonderland rabbit hole.
Although Sen. Jeff King (R-Independence) states with a straight face that this is a matter of local control over judicial appointments, the much larger – and utterly unprecedented – issue is whether one branch shall dictate policy for another. Stay tuned for the rest of this story.
Less well-publicized, but of great long-term significance, is the move Republicans made to bring spoils system politics back to Kansas. For well over 120 years the trend in American politics has been to emphasize neutral competence within the bureaucracy, in reaction to the machine-style politics of the 19th Century, when the victor received the “spoils” – jobs, contracts, privileges – that flowed from winning elections.
Over the past fifty years, the administration of the state’s policies has been admirably free of partisanship. Scandals have been rare, and bureaucrats, despite their reputation, have strived to implement policies in fair minded and efficient ways. Beyond cutting the size of government, which sometimes makes sense, Governor Brownback and the Republican-dominated Legislature have substantially reduced the number of “classified” jobs, those protected from the ebb and flow of partisan politics.
Over time, this means that the GOP can further implement its new-style spoils system, which emphasize the loyalty of state employees to far-right and/or evangelical principles, rather than requiring workers simply to do their jobs well. The governor and others argue that the state needs “flexibility” in hiring workers. Andrew Jackson and New York’s Boss Tweed would be proud.
Mid-way through his radio broadcast, Paul Harvey would call out, “Now, page 2.” And there was always more.
This year our “page 2” includes the Legislature fulfilling Secretary of State Kris Kobach’s wish to prosecute vote fraud, given his view that local district attorneys have not been doing their job. A real-life, power-grab solution to an imaginary problem.
Likewise, lawmakers moved local elections from April to November in odd-numbered years, pretty much to demonstrate they could. Such a change has little meaning, but when turnout doesn’t improve, the push will come to change local elections to even-numbered years and make them partisan, per the Secretary of State’s desire for even more GOP advantage at the polls.
One more page-2 item. In its budget fiasco, lawmakers imposed restrictions on local increases in property taxes, eventually producing a bill that decreed that they knew better than local officials how to forge community tax policies. These are, of course, precisely the folks who absolutely despise federal mandates on the states and who have fumbled the state’s tax policies.
In sum, obscured by lengthy budget and tax battles, our governor and lawmakers politicized the bureaucracy, attacked the judiciary, and reduced local control over voter fraud, elections, and taxation.
As Paul Harvey breathlessly ended his broadcast: “Good day!” But not for Kansas.
Burdett Loomis is a professor of political science at the University of Kansas.
FHSU University Relations
Over a span of 70 days, Halle Stephens, Arapahoe, Neb., will bike from Baltimore, Md., to Portland, Ore., to raise funds and awareness for cancer.
Stephens, a junior majoring in music education at Fort Hays State University, named her bike “Vivace,” an Italian term used by musicians to indicate “lively” or “fast.” Vivace rides for a specific cancer patient or survivor each day, whose name Stephens writes on the back of her leg.
“I want them to know that I am thinking of them every time I bike,” she said. “A lot of times as I’m biking up some steep hill or mountain I will whisper to myself ‘It’s not for me, it’s for them.'”
Stephens is participating in 4K for Cancer, a program created by the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults, where people bike or run across the United States to raise money to assist young adults battling cancer. This year’s program exceeded the $1 million goal by more than $300,000. Bikers must raise $5,000 in order to go on the trip, which Stephens did by giving organizing benefit concerts in which she sang and played guitar.
Stephens has known about the program for many years because the bikers always travel through her hometown. She had never considered participating until her family hosted two bikers last summer.
Her parents, Kip and Senja Stephens, have supported her decision to join the program. While 4k for Cancer provided her jerseys and bike, her parents bought her equipment, drove her to Baltimore and will pick her up in Portland. They are also paying her rent while she is unable to work during the summer.
Senja said that she is amazed by the selflessness of the riders.
“They’re giving up a lot of time and energy. They ride from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. sometimes,” she said. “They don’t always get a hot shower.”
She said that the bikers also don’t carry any food with them, so every time they want a meal they have to approach people to ask for donations, which provides them with the opportunity to educate people about their mission. Their meals vary from home-cooked dinners with their host families to Wendy’s chili in a laundromat while they dry rain-soaked clothes.
“They like to joke that they go around begging for food,” said Senja.
Stephens has to get up at 4:30 every morning to eat breakfast and prepare for the day’s ride, which on average is between 60 and 100 miles.
“Even if I just want to sleep in or maybe not bike that particular day, I have to because that was the commitment I made to not only myself, but to my team,” said Stephens. “I think that this is similar to a cancer patient because they don’t have the option to just get up and not fight. They do it on a daily basis.”
The bikers interact with cancer survivors and patients in a variety of ways. They take chemo care packages to patients in hospitals and give scholarships to cancer survivors who were not able to attend college due to their treatments.
One of her team members had cancer and has been in remission for a year. Stephens likes hearing stories about how he found his strength when he was going through treatment.
Her teammates are Stephens’ favorite part of the trip.
“I think we all have a similar quality because we all want to do this crazy bike-across-the-country thing,” she said.
The bikers tell one another stories and jokes to get themselves up steep mountain roads. Even though she could walk faster than she is biking sometimes, she said that the satisfaction of reaching the top of a mountain is indescribable.
“I have learned that I’m much stronger than I was giving myself credit for,” she said. “I didn’t have the confidence to climb mountains or hills, and now I do.”
To follow Stephen’s journey, visit her blog at https://4kforcancer-hallestephens.weebly.com/.
For more information about 4k for Cancer, visit https://4kforcancer.org/.
BY AMY BALTODANO
Hays Post
Local law enforcement officers will be out in force this weekend — to help promote and raise funds for Special Olympians.
The annual Law Enforcement Torch Run will be Saturday. This year, participants have the option of running or riding a bicycle.
“This one is just law enforcement, they just run carrying the torch,” said Roberta Oborny with the Ellis County Sheriff’s Office. “The torch goes to the destination in Wichita, from county to county.”
For their leg in the race, local runners and bikers will try to complete 12 miles and it will be divided among the Hays Police Department, Ellis County Sheriff’s Office, Court Services and their families. The event kicks off at 8 a.m. Saturday from 601 Main.
“The route will be traveling on Highway 183, heading to Schoenchen, and turn into Schoenchen and we’ll have drinks and stuff there when we’re done,” said Oborny.
She said they will not be interfering with traffic. “That’s why we went down 183 so that we’ll be on the east side of the road. We will have vehicles and they will be parked along the side of the road, to take people mile to mile, if they want to rest.”
The public is cautioned to be alert of the racers on the roadside.
“We’ll have an ending vehicle that will have a banner on it saying what we’re doing,” Oborny said. “It will probably take 2 to 3 hours.”
Most of the participants are doing 2 to 3 mile increments, but some will be make the whole 12 miles.
“We’ll have vehicles there to pick them up, take them a mile and let them rest and then they’ll run some more. It’s basically whatever they want to do and they can walk it.”
She said, “We contribute a lot to it, they like to see us come out and participate and we enjoy it.”
If you would like to donate, contact Oborny at (785) 625-1040.
SALINA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Wesleyan University says it will begin offering 17 new majors and a revamped core curriculum during the next four years.
Officials from the university in Salina said Wednesday the new curriculum will allow departments to combine offerings. For example, art therapy would combine art and psychology studies.
Provost Nancy Cummings says the goal is to develop compelling programs and meet graduate’s needs for employment.
School officials say the changes grew out of discussions with employers and alumni, who said a well-rounded education was important.
The Salina Journal reports students will generally take about 40 hours of liberal studies classes over four years, with the courses grouped into four broad categories.
Funeral services for longtime Sherman County, Kansas, resident Delmar Bunker, 81 ,will be held Monday, June 29, 10:00 AM MT at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Goodland, Kansas.
Interment will be at Goodland Cemetery.
Friends may share respects one hour prior to service at church.
The family of Delmar Bunker will be hosting a Coffee and Fellowship on Sunday, June 28, from 2-4 PM MT at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Goodland. Family and friends are invited to stop by to visit and share stories.
Memorials to Veterans of Foreign Wars—Lowell Coleman Post 1133 may be left at the services
or mailed to Koons Funeral Home, 211 North Main, Goodland, KS 67735-1555.
Online condolences to www.koonsfuneralhome.com.
Longtime Quinter resident Norma Yvonne Eichman passed away Tuesday, June 23, 2015 at Gove County Medical Center, Quinter. She was born August 22, 1931 on the family farm, south of Quinter, to Andrew and Mary (Anderson) Bird. Norma was 83 years of age.
Norma was a 1949 graduate of Quinter High School. On June 19, 1950, she was united in marriage to Paul Eichman, in WaKeeney. They enjoyed 65 years of marriage together. He survives of Quinter. Norma was a devoted homemaker and mother. She was a member of the United Methodist Church and Women’s Group. Her talent in the kitchen as a great cook was known by many friends and family. She loved to crochet and embroider. She loved birds, and always had a bird bath out to encourage them to spend time in her yard. If you saw Norma, you could be sure her Dachshund dogs weren’t far away. She loved her dogs. Norma will be dearly missed.
Survivors include her husband, Paul; three sons, Randy and wife Shirley of Ft. Myers, Florida, Gene and wife Kathleen of Aurora, Colorado, and Jamie of Aurora, Colorado; granddaughter, Nicole and husband Mitch Percival of Little Rock, Arkansas; great-granddaughter, Ava Percival; one brother, Eldon Bird; and one sister, Lorene Redmond. She was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Roland Bird; sister, Eva Norton; and an infant sister, Reva Lonore.
Funeral service will be 11:00 a.m., Friday, June 26, 2015 at the United Methodist Church, Quinter. Burial will be in the Baker Township Cemetery, Quinter.
Visitation will be Friday, from 10:00 a.m. to service time at the church.
Memorial contributions are suggested to Quinter United Methodist Church or Gove County Medical Center. Checks made to the organization may be sent in care of Schmitt Funeral Home, 901 South Main, Quinter, KS 67752.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.schmittfuneral.com.
MARION, Kan. (AP) — Police have arrested two men on suspicion of raping a minor in rural Marion County, an hour north of Wichita.
According to Marion County Undersheriff David Huntley, a young girl was raped Saturday morning on a rural county road.
The two suspects were arrested Saturday and have been charged with aggravated child endangerment and rape. They are currently being held in the Marion County jail.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A man will be tried for first-degree murder in the death of a 100-year-old Wichita woman he is also accused of raping.
A Sedgwick County judge ruled Wednesday that an autopsy report and previous testimony provided enough evidence to try 36-year-old Kasey Nesbitt for murder in the October 2014 death of Martha Schell.
The Wichita Eagle reports the autopsy found Schell died from a blood clot that formed after the attack, which left her with a broken back and other injuries that made her immobile.
Nesbitt also is charged with rape and aggravated burglary.
Defense attorney Val Wachtel argued in court Wednesday that prosecutors had not provided probable cause for the murder charge.
Nesbitt has pleaded not guilty. He is being held on $300,000 bond.
The Liberal BeeJays loaded the bases with no outs in the eighth inning and scored what proved to be the winning run on a sacrifice fly off of DJ Carr as they rally past the Hays Larks 3-2 to take their four-game series three games to one.
The Larks scored two in the fourth on a Reggie Wilson single to grab a 2-0 lead. The BeeJays tied it with two in the sixth. They would use a single, a double and a walk off Allan Beer to load the bases with no outs in the eighth. DJ Carr entered and gave up a sacrifice fly which gave Liberal the lead for good.
The Larks threatened in the ninth. Brooks Balisterri opened the inning with a walk followed by a Reggie Wilson single. Michael Burns was robbed of extra-bases by BeeJay center fielder Gavin Wehby who tracked down his line drive in the left-center field gap for the second out. Jacob Campbell then struck out to end the game.
Beer (0-1) takes the loss, allowing one run on three hits over one inning of relief. Starter Keegan Curtis (Louisiana-Monroe) allowed two runs on seven hits over six innings in his Larks debut. DJ Carr gave up one run and didn’t allow a run in two innings of relief.
The Larks fall to 12-11 overall and are 9-9 at the midway point of Jayhawk League where they sit in third place in the North, three-games behind the BeeJays.
The Larks are off Thursday before opening a three-game series against Derby Friday at a site yet to be determined.
Wednesday’s Jayhawk league results…
Derby 16, Bethany 1
El Dorado 14, Dodge City 4
Haysville 9, Wellington 8 (11 innings)
A cold front will move across western Kansas tonight and be near Dodge City by around midnight, then move into the Medicine Lodge area by morning. A few severe thunderstorms are possible with the front until around midnight. Hail to quarter size and strong wind gusts are possible.
Today A 10 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 5pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 97. Light and variable wind becoming southeast 6 to 11 mph in the morning.
Tonight A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 5am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 67. East wind 8 to 11 mph becoming north after midnight.
Friday A 10 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 7am. Partly sunny, with a high near 83. North northeast wind 13 to 16 mph.
Friday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 62. North northeast wind 5 to 14 mph.
Saturday Sunny, with a high near 86. Northwest wind 5 to 8 mph becoming north northeast in the afternoon.
Saturday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 63.
Sunday Sunny, with a high near 93.
Sunday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 65.
LAWRENCE -A Kansas man was injured in an accident during a police chase just before 9 p.m. on Wednesday on Wednesday in Douglas County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2005 Yamaha motorcycle driven by John P. Taitano, 46, Leavenworth, was being pursued by law enforcement westbound on U.S. 24 two miles west of Lawrence.
The driver failed to negotiate a corner due to speed.
Taitano was transported to KU Medical Center.
He was wearing safety equipment according to the KHP.
The details on what prompted the chase have not been released.
