August 2015 – Page 38 – Hays Post Archive

Weighing in on the Hillary email debacle

Posted on August 19, 2015August 19, 2015

Several weeks ago, I sent in a letter to the editors of the Hays Post and Hays Daily. The title of my letter was “Hillary hype, and insanity.” When Hillary announced she was coming out for the presidency, all of liberal media and Democrats got real excited about what they thought was good news, now it is their biggest nightmare! I claimed it was insane to support this woman due to all her scandals.

The Clintons have managed to wiggle out of one scandal after another. Nothing ever sticks, but the use of a personal email server as Secretary of State may be her undoing.

In my letter, I said the email scandal may finally catch up to her. I even said she should drop out of the race for president in as much as this scandal is huge and, as we speak, the email scandal is getting legs like you wouldn’t believe. The FBI is now investigating.

It’s too early to tell where all this ends up, but finally the Clintons may have to pay a price. At the very least, let’s hope it kills her chance of being back in the White House, even if she beats criminal charges.

Hillary is caught lying all over the place (five big lies or more for all to see) about her personal email server and classified information going to it. Compromising our national security with an unsecured personal email server and not archiving important emails by erasing them is a crime.

On top of the email fiasco, the Clintons have yet to clearly explain all that money from rogue foreign governments going to the Clinton Foundation and into their personal bank account while Hillary was Secretary of State.

What are people thinking who still support her, even though she is the least trustworthy and transparent career politician in American history? Also, this abuse of a personal email server may go down in history as the stupidest political decision ever.

Hold on to your seats! There could be fireworks over these emails not seen in American politics since the Nixon tapes that ended up having President Nixon resign!

Les Knoll lives in Victoria and Gilbert, Ariz.

Hays sewer line cleaning includes inspections

Posted on August 19, 2015August 19, 2015

sewer clean 33rd — Mayer Specialty Services employees clean Hays sewers on 33rd Street in 2013.

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

Another 18 miles of sewer lines in Hays will be cleaned starting Monday, Aug. 24., in an area located generally south of 27th Street between Ash and Vine Streets.

This is the third year the city has contracted with Mayer Specialty Services of Goddard to do the work, according to Bernie Kitten, director of utilities. The project will take about two months and is scheduled to be completed by Oct. 24.

In addition to preventative maintenance which significantly reduces the chance for damaging sewer blockages and backups, the workers will inspect the condition of the sewer lines. In some areas of Hays, the sewer lines are 75 to 100 years old and need to be replaced, Kitten explained.

“This company has camera equipment and trained technicians that know how to look at cracks and breaks, roots, and other things in the sewer line. Right after they clean these, they send their TV camera in–a little rover–and run it through the pipe. It videos all the lines. The operator runs it by remote control and he’ll see a crack. He logs it–1 through 5–as to how bad it is. Then he’ll log that data.

“We are collecting that data to create a new project–sewer repair. They’re getting data for that project which is starting soon,” Kitten said.

The hike in sewer rates for Hays customers approved last week by the city commission will be used in part to fund sewer line repair and replacement. There are 120 miles of sanitary sewer lines in Hays.

Door hanger notices will be placed on homes affected the day before the cleaning. Click here for more information.

2 arrested after death of toddler in south-central Kansas

Posted on August 19, 2015

ARKANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Police in south-central Kansas have arrested two people in the death of a toddler.

KWCH-TV reports that the child’s mother and her boyfriend are jailed in Cowley County on suspicion of second-degree murder and possession of drug paraphernalia, marijuana and methamphetamine. Police say the 16-month-old was dead when officers responded Tuesday afternoon to an Arkansas City apartment.

An autopsy is scheduled for Wednesday.

Group says no academic protection for KU teacher

Posted on August 19, 2015August 19, 2015

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — A state faculty organization says a University of Kansas business teacher does not warrant academic protection to keep his emails private.

The Lawrence Journal-World reportsthat the Kansas Conference of the American Association of University Professors says in a brief in the case of Art Hall v. the University of Kansas that Hall isn’t a faculty member entitled to academic protection.

Hall is a lecturer and director of the Center for Applied Economics in the University of Kansas School of Business. He previously was chief economist for the Public Sector Group of Koch Industries Inc.

A University of Kansas student organization filed an open records request for Hall’s email correspondence. Hall sued to temporarily block the university from releasing the records.

The case is set for trial in November.

Ellis Co. Commission rejects Old U.S. 40 construction bid

Posted on August 19, 2015

By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post

After the bid came in more than three times the estimated project cost, the Ellis County Commission rejected a bid for reconstruction on the western portion of Old U.S. 40 at Monday evening’s meeting.

According to Tom Bennett with BG Consultants, the company earlier this month sent out requests for bids for the approximately 7-mile stretch between Yocemento and Ellis.

They received just one proposal from Sporer Land Development of Oakley for $1.9 million, about three times the estimated cost of $661,000.

Bennett said he believes the company misunderstood the project and they will rebid the project in three different phases.

Bennet said one of the key changes will be that instead of widening the shoulders to 4 feet the entire length of the project they instead will widen only in areas where they have too.

The county plans to advertise before Labor Day and will award the bid 21 days after publication.

In other business, the commission:

• Gave Sheriff Ed Harbin the go-ahead, pending a contract, to bring in a food services company for the newly remodeled jail. Harbin said they will be doubling the number of inmates and the added service should cut down on overtime for jail kitchen staff.

• Approved a resolution to sell the property at 1208 Cedar once the Ellis County Rural Fire Department moves into the Emergency Services Building later this fall. The county will accept sealed bids until Sept. 21 with the county reserving the right to reject all bids.

• Approved language in the county administrator job description giving the county — not the administrator — final say when it comes to terminating non-elected department heads. The vote was 2-1 in favor of the language. Commissioner Barb Wasinger voted against the measure. She said it gave the position more weight if the administrator could terminate personnel.

HAWVER: Sept. 1 a key date for Kansas budget ‘fix’

Posted on August 19, 2015August 19, 2015

Kansans are two weeks away from learning whether the key to the $384 million in tax increases passed by the Legislature this year fix the budget problem for the state.

That key is the amount of revenue that the boost from 6.15% to 6.5% in sales taxes raises. The sales tax is the key to the tax hikes, because it raises the most money, and it is the most unpredictable tax source that was increased.

Without a strong showing in the first month in which those higher rates are going to be fully accounted for—to be revealed Sept. 1 in the Kansas Department of Revenue tax-collection report for August—lawmakers and the administration won’t know whether the two-year budget adopted this spring is going to work.

Other items in the massive tax package remain questionable.

It won’t be known until spring whether some corporations are canny enough to recast what are called “guaranteed payments” into something else to avoid $23 million in new income taxes on those payments, often to corporate partners and such.

And, it will be October before we learn whether a tax amnesty program which is designed to spur payments—minus penalties and interest—on taxes owed before Dec. 31, 2013, raise the $30 million that similar amnesties have yielded in previous years. That amnesty is questioned by many, but the concept—pay up without penalties—has an allure that may spur some delinquents to take advantage of the program during the Sept. 1-Oct. 15 filing period.

The rest of that tax package that isn’t a big worry? Well, diligent smokers are expected to cough up an additional 50 cents a pack (from 79 cents a pack to $1.29 a pack, expected to raise $40 million) without much complaint. After all, they didn’t quit puffing when five years ago they were sent outdoors to smoke.

Eliminating most itemized income tax deductions and dropping to 50 percent the tax-deduction of mortgage interest and property taxes constitute, well, an income tax that will show up next spring, and for forward-looking taxpayers, be hard-wired into their tax withholding in the next few months.

So it is the $164 million that the sales tax increase is expected to raise this fiscal year that is the real question.

Many states saw flat or dropping sales tax revenues in July, including Kansas—complicated here by the fact that the increased sales tax hadn’t been fully reflected for the entire month. So it’s going to be Sept. 1 when we learn whether Kansans are spending or not.

Opponents of the sales tax boost—which includes everything, including food—called the measure punishing to those with low incomes who spend a higher percentage of their income on food than on Buicks or vacations or redecorating their homes.

The concept is that there will be less spent on other taxable items because of the sales tax on food, or that Kansans will spend that money on rent or house payments or paying off debts or nearly anything else that doesn’t require paying sales tax.

And…we’ll find out Sept. 1.

If the news is good—that’s for the state, not for us folks who buy things and pay sales tax—the upcoming Legislature may not have to boost taxes again next session just before we vote whether to reelect all 125 House members and 40 senators.

If the news is bad on sales tax, well, then it’s another session of paring spending, of cutting programs, of finding other little things to do to raise money for the state—like boosting filing fees and registrations and such that we don’t all notice, which raises money that can be scooched from some obscure agencies back into the State General Fund.

We’ll have our first indication Sept. 1.

Syndicated by Hawver News Co. of Topeka, Martin Hawver is publisher of Hawver’s Capitol Report. To learn more about this nonpartisan statewide political news service, visit www.hawvernews.com.

Motivational speaker will focus on customer service, leadership

Posted on August 19, 2015

The Hays Area Chamber of Commerce will host a customer service workshop and keynote luncheon with nationally known motivational speaker David K. Aaker.

Two identical workshops will be presented Thursday, Oct. 15, from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. and 2 to 4 p.m.

A “Leadership for Business Success” keynote luncheon will be held Friday, Oct. 16 at noon.

All events will be held at the Rose Garden Banquet Hall, 2350 E. Eighth.

For more information, call (785) 628-8201 or email [email protected].

DNA results confirm Kan. sperm donor is child’s father

Posted on August 19, 2015

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Genetic testing has confirmed that a Topeka man who donated sperm to a lesbian couple is the biological father of the 5-year-old child born to one of the women.

The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that Shawnee County District Judge Mary Mattivi on Tuesday morning ordered that William Marotta’s DNA results be entered in the official record. The testing identified Marotta as the father, with a 99.9 percent certainty.

Kansas wants Marotta declared the father so he can be forced to pay child support. The state started pursuing the case in 2012 after the couple split up and one of the women applied for state health insurance for the child. Marotta claims he signed a contract waiving his parental responsibilities.

Albert hoping to continue FHSU’s football rise in 2015

Posted on August 19, 2015August 19, 2015

As the Fort Hays State football team moves well into their second full week of practice prior to their season opener September 3rd at Central Oklahoma, competition remains high at several key positions for starting spots.

One position that appears to be settled is quarterback where fifth-year senior Treveon Albert returns. Albert has been a part of coach Chris Brown’s turnaround since day one and is excited for his final season.

“We’ve taken a lot of steps to get to where we are right now” Albert said. “It feels good being in his (coach Brown) first class and this is also my last year, trying to go out with a bang with coach Brown”.

Senior QB Treveon Albert discusses the upcoming 2015 season

Albert completed 54-percent of his passes for 1,569 yards with with 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions while rushing for 434 yards with five touchdowns last season, helping the Tigers to a 7-4 record. Albert is now trying to help the Tigers find the postseason for the first time since 1995.

“You go as far as your leaders go” Albert said. “I think our senior leaders are the best since I’ve been at this school”.

Fort Hays State opens the 2015 season at Central Oklahoma September 3rd.

Hays fire, police clean up after car strikes pole on 27th Street

Posted on August 19, 2015August 19, 2015

Hays fire and police crews were cleaning up the scene of an apparent single-vehicle accident late Wednesday morning on busy 27th Street.

The accident occurred at approximately 11 a.m. at the intersection of 27th and Plaza. The car was being removed by trailer after striking a utility pole in the northwest corner of the intersection.

It was unclear if there were injuries.

Check Hays Post for details as they become available.

Jilg, Staab, local florists featured in this month’s HAC Fall Art Walk

Posted on August 19, 2015August 18, 2015

The 2015 Hays Arts Council Fall Art Walk will be Friday, Aug. 28, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. in downtown Hays.

The featured exhibition will be “Flowers: Real & Imagined,” featuring the paintings of Michael Jilg and the photographs of Leon Staab, as well as unique floral creations from local floral designers.

A complete list of participating locations and artists announced soon.

For more information or to become a participating artist or location, call (785) 625-7522.

Bridge repairs planned on U.S. 283 near Hill City

Posted on August 19, 2015August 18, 2015

HILL CITY — The Kansas Department of Transportation expects work to begin in late August, weather permitting, on a bridge repair project along U.S. 283 in Graham County.

Crews will be repairing expansion joints on the South Fork Solomon River Bridge located approximately 1 mile south of the U.S. 283 and 24 junction near Hill City. Traffic will be restricted to one lane and controlled by temporary traffic signals. Minor delays, not exceeding 15 minutes, should be expected. A 14-foot width restriction and a 17-foot height restriction will also be in effect and no large structures of super loads will be permitted through the construction zone. KDOT urges all motorists to slow down, obey the warning signs and “Give ‘em a Brake!” when approaching and driving through construction zones.

KDOT awarded the construction contract, totaling $113,000 to King Construction of Hesston. Work is expected to be completed in late October, weather permitting.

For more information on the bridge repairs, contact KDOT area construction engineer Nick Rogers at (785) 625-9718.

Partly sunny, cooler Wednesday

Posted on August 19, 2015

A few showers will linger across central and southwest Kansas early this morning. Meanwhile, much cooler air will filter southward into western Kansas today resulting in highs only up into the 70s under partly cloudy skies.

WednesdayA 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 9am. Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 77. North northwest wind 10 to 15 mph.

Wednesday NightMostly clear, with a low around 50. North northwest wind 5 to 9 mph becoming calm.

ThursdaySunny, with a high near 86. South wind 5 to 10 mph increasing to 12 to 17 mph in the afternoon.

Thursday NightMostly clear, with a low around 62. South wind 10 to 17 mph.

FridayA 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 88. Breezy.

Friday NightA 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 68. Breezy.

SaturdayA 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 92.

Saturday NightA 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 62.

SundayMostly sunny, with a high near 81.

Sunday NightMostly clear, with a low around 58.