Members of the Ellis County Sheriff’s Office and Ellis Rural Fire Department were on scene at an overpass just east of Victoria for a rollover accident on I-70 at approximately 4 p.m. Friday.
A late model white sedan was in between the east and westbound lanes on its drivers side as police directed traffic heading east. A Penske moving truck was also stopped at the scene, but it is unknown if the truck had been involved in the accident.
It is also unknown at this time if any injuries were caused by the accident.
Hays Post will update as information becomes available.
SHERIDAN COUNTY- A child died in an accident just after 7:30 a.m. on Friday in Sheridan County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2011 Ford Edge driven by Jami Lynne Stevenson, 28, Quinter, was northbound on Kansas 23 and was passing a semi in dense fog.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Attorneys for investors who lost a bid to build a casino in southeast Kansas have filed a lawsuit seeking to overturn the decision.
Castle Rock Casino is suing the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission, the Kansas Gaming Facility Review Board and members of the groups. The Kansas Lottery and its executive director are also named in the lawsuit.
The lawsuit filed July 31 in Shawnee County challenges a decision in June to support a $70 million Kansas Crossing Casino proposal to be built near Pittsburg. Castle Rock had proposed building a $145 million casino complex in Cherokee County.
The Pittsburg Morning Sun reports Castle Rock officials argue the review board made the wrong decision and did not follow the law when choosing the smaller project.
The Hays Police Department’s tactical team served a search warrant this week that resulted in the arrest of two men on a variety of drug charges.
HPD Lt. Brandon Wright said the Special Situation Response Team served the warrant at 1217 Maple at approximately 7 a.m. Wednesday. The investigation started after reports of “a lot of come-and-go activity at that address,” Wright said.
The raid resulted in the arrests of two men, both listed as residing at that address. Dennis Lee Robinson Jr., 33, was taken into custody on suspicion of drug distribution, drug possession and possession of drug paraphernalia. Jerrick Phillips was arrested on suspicion of drug possession and possession of drug paraphernalia. Wright said the HPD recovered Adderall, a prescription drug.
Monarch players wait to hear the results from the tie-breaker calculations.
LE SUEUR, Minn. – Despite some initial confusion surrounding the tie-breaker, the Hays Monarchs qualified for bracket play at the American Legion Central Plains regional. Rancho (NV) Post 8 defeated Moose Lake (MN) 11-6 in Friday’s pool play finale leaving all three teams with a 1-1 record. Runs allowed per innings played provided the tiebreaker with the Monarchs finishing second.
The Monarchs defeated Rancho 7-2 then lost to Moose Lake 14-4 on Thursday.
Iola, who the Monarchs defeated at the ‘AA’ state tournament in Colby, also went 1-1 in pool play but garnered the runner-up spot to advance to the single-elimination bracket play.
The Monarchs are expected to play their first single-elimination game at about 8:30 p.m. Friday. Listen to KFIX 96.6-FM or watch live online at HaysPost.com.
TOPEKA- The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) samples publicly accessible bodies of water for cyanobacteria, commonly called blue-green algae, when the agency is alerted to a potential algae bloom in Kansas lakes. KDHE, in cooperation with the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) and other lake managers where appropriate, responds by informing the public of harmful conditions.
Lakes under a Warning are not closed. Marinas, lakeside businesses and park camping facilities are open for business. If swim beaches or lakes are closed, it will be specifically noted. Drinking water and showers at parks are safe and not affected by algae blooms. Boating and fishing are safe on lakes under a Warning, but contact with the water should be avoided. It is safe to eat fish caught during a harmful blue-green algae outbreak, as long as the fish is rinsed with clean water; consume only the fillet portion and discard all other parts. Hands should also be washed with clean water after handling fish taken from an affected lake.
Kansans should be aware that blooms are unpredictable. They can develop rapidly and may float around the lake, requiring visitors to exercise their best judgment. If there is scum, a paint-like surface or the water is bright green, avoid contact and keep pets away. These are indications that a harmful bloom may be present. KDHE and KDWPT urge pet owners to be particularly mindful of the presence of blue-green algae. Pets that swim in or drink water affected by a harmful algal bloom or eat dried algae along the shore may become seriously ill or die.
Public Health Warning: High levels of toxic blue-green algae have been detected. A Public Health Warning indicates that activities like boating and fishing may be safe; however, direct contact with water (i.e., wading, skiing and swimming) is strongly discouraged for people, pets and livestock.
Kansas public waters currently under a Warning status:
CHISHOLM CREEK PARK LAKE, Sedgwick County
HARVEY COUNTY EAST LAKE, Harvey County
MELVERN RIVER POND (Not Melvern Lake), Osage County
MEMORIAL PARK LAKE, Barton County
MILFORD RESERVOIR (Zones A and C), Clay, Dickinson and Geary Counties
NEMAHA STATE FISHING LAKE, Nemaha County
PLAINVILLE TOWNSHIP LAKE, Rooks County
When a Warning is issued, KDHE recommends the following precautions be taken:
Lake water is not good to drink for pets or livestock
Lake water, regardless of blue-green algae status, should never be consumed by humans
Water contact should be avoided
Fish can be eaten as long as they are rinsed with clean water, consume only the fillet portion, and discard all other parts
Do not allow pets to eat dried algae
If lake water contacts skin, wash with clean water as soon as possible
Avoid areas of visible algae accumulation
KDHE will update these statements as conditions warrant.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A 28-year-old Topeka man has received 10 citations after police say his two pit bull-type dogs attacked three people, including an 11-year-old boy.
The Topeka Capital-Journal reports Angelo Aldridge was issued six citations for a dangerous dog, two for having a dog at large and two for not having a city tag for them.
Police say the two dogs bit the boy, who escaped to the top of some monkey bars, and two men, ages 21 and 33, who tried to intervene.
A Topeka police officer shot one of the dogs and both were captured by police, who were called to Chesney Park at 2:09 p.m. Thursday.
Police Chief James Brown says the officer who shot the dog probably saved several lives. None of the bites were considered life-threatening.
“America’s Got Talent Live: The All-Stars Tour” will KICK-OFF THEIR TOUR AT THE STIEFEL THEATRE on Tuesday, Oct. 6, at 7 p.m. Tickets start at $45 and will go on-sale Friday, August 14 at 9:00 a.m.
America’s Got Talent Live: The All-Stars Tour! featuring some of the most popular performers from the hit NBC variety competition series, including Season 8 favorite comedian Taylor Williamson, singer Emily West, acrobatic duo The KriStef Brothers and “junk rock” performers Recycled Percussion.
The tour, which kicks off in Salina, will visit 42 cities, including Chicago, Detroit, Atlanta, New Orleans and Los Angeles. It wraps up on Nov. 22 in Reno, Nev.
“America’s Got Talent” is in its 10th season. It airs on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 7 p.m. Central time on NBC.
During the ceremony Maj. Gen. Paul E Funk II passed the 1st ID-Colors to Maj Gen. Wayne W. Grigsby, Jr. symbolizing the passing of the command.-photo Fort Riley
FORT RILEY, Kan. (AP) — The commander of Fort Riley and the Big Red One has handed over leadership and leaves for a new position in Washington.
The Manhattan Mercury reports Maj. Gen. Paul Funk II on Thursday gave command of the 1st Infantry Division to Maj. Gen. Wayne Grigsby Jr. during a change-of-command ceremony.
Funk took command in May 2013 and is leaving Fort Riley to serve as the Army’s assistant deputy chief of staff for operations and plans.
Grigsby assumes command after 31 years of military service, including his most recent assignment as commander of the Combined Joint Task Force based in East Africa.
Grigsby has also been stationed at Fort Leavenworth and served in multiple deployments to Iraq, including as commander of the 1st Inf. Div.’s G3 unit for two years.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A collision that killed three people in Wichita came after a brief police pursuit.
Wichita police say an officer noticed a man driving a Ford pickup erratically and without headlights early Friday in south Wichita. Capt. Jeff Weible says the driver refused to pull over, prompting a chase that lasted less than a minute.
Weible says less than 10 minutes later, the speeding truck collided with a Cadillac.
A 31-year-old Wichita man driving the truck was killed, along with a 69-year-old man and a 62-year-old woman from Haysville who were in the other vehicle.
Weible says the truck driver did not seem to realize he was no longer being pursued. He says the officer followed proper protocol.
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WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Wichita police say a collision Friday killed two men and a woman.
The accident occurred in south Wichita about 3:45 a.m. Friday.
Police say a 31-year-old man from Wichita was in one of the vehicles. The other vehicle carried a 69-year-old man and 62-year-old woman from Haysville. There were no survivors.
Police say at least one of the vehicles rolled after the collision.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A 46-year-old man faces murder charges in the shooting death of his employer in Kansas City, Kansas.
The Kansas City Star reports that Willie E. Parker is charged in Wyandotte County District Court with first-degree murder in the July 28 shooting death of 54-year-old Michel Ziade of Lee’s Summit.
Parker was an employee of the medical transport company that Ziade owned. The shooting occurred in a parking lot near the University of Kansas Hospital in Kansas City, Kansas.
Parker was taken into custody in Missouri on Thursday evening after a five-hour standoff with police and waived his right to fight extradition back to Kansas during a brief court hearing Friday.
Parker was expected to be returned to Wyandotte County later Friday. It’s unclear if Parker has a lawyer.
Hays city commissioners cut $25,000 from the 2016 funding request by ECCED.
By BECKY KISER Hays Post
The withdrawal of an agenda item originally scheduled for Thursday night’s Hays City Commission work session brought about changes in outside agency funding for the city’s 2016 budget.
City Manager Toby Dougherty asked commissioners for a “consensus” in allocations for the agencies that had been left at the 2015 budget level, although three groups asked for increases in 2016.
Commissioners agreed to fund the higher amounts requested — another $25,000 for the Fort Hays State University Scholarship Program; $379 more for the Ellis County Historical Society; and an additional $818 for the Hays Arts Council.
Of that $26,197 in increases, $25,000 was deducted from the Ellis County Coalition for Economic Development request, decreasing ECCED’s city funding to $61,353, slightly more than 30 percent. Commissioner James Meier advocated cutting the ECCED request “by half.”
“I have a lot of concerns about the organization (Ellis County Coalition for Economic Development) and whether they’re really doing what they should be doing, which is basically to be the economic development arm for the city of Hays,” said Meier.
“I think that it kind of came to life over the Big Creek Travel Plaza proposal. Two weeks ago, I got this packet which apparently was supposed to be the final form, but I read through it and I was able to identify spelling errors and grammatical errors. The front page is addressed to ‘The Honorable Eber Phelps’ but later on the page it says ‘The Honorable Mayor Schwaller.’
“In Section 5 of the Economic Development Application (to the city of Hays), it says that they have requested outside agencies funds from other government agencies or received outside funds. But then in Section 10 when it says to provide names and information for those entities, it says ‘Not Applicable.’
“To me that means the application is void and not complete.”
“I think this is something that should have been caught by the Coalition. It was brought to the table by the Coalition….They’ve been very publicly supporting this project, which is fine…(but) I don’t think they’re doing their job as far as really screening and giving a quality product to us,” Meir concluded.
Commissioner Lance Jones nodded his head in agreement.
“I actually spent the last two days fuming about this,” Jones said. “I took a highlighter and there wasn’t a single page in this whole document that didn’t have a single error on it somewhere. I was very upset with the development group (NWK Investments of Colby) and then realized today I was mad at the wrong entity.
“Ellis County Economic Development should have caught this. They’re…wasting city staff time and they’re wasting a lot of the commission’s time,” Jones added.
“The development group does have a successful track record,” Mayor Eber Phelps pointed out. “Look at their (travel plaza) operation in Colby. “When you come to an economic development group in any community…you’re sort of taking them on as your agent to know the nuances of how things work in that particular community and what the (city) commission expects, what (city) staff is able to put forth in assistance. The Hays city staff is not economic development personnel.”
“That’s why we give the Coalition money,” said Meier. “To be honest … I would just like to see (city funding) eliminated because if they’re not going to do their job, they shouldn’t be receiving city money.”
“I agree they have not done what we have requested. I think we should put them on ‘warning’ that if it’s the same next year, they’re done,” countered Vice-Mayor Shaun Musil.
“I can say the Coalition has been involved in business development and lots of other issues around town that involve economic development. I’m as disappointed as anybody in this,” Dougherty said in a response to a question from Musil.
Commissioners agreed on the need for “something in place like the Coalition for economic development.” They also talked about the possibility of using the ECCED $87,550 budget to instead hire a city employee responsible for economic development but were reluctant to do so.
The revised Big Creek Travel Plaza proposal is expected to be before the city commission on Sept. 3.
Meier also suggested eliminating city funding for the Hays Sister Cities Advisory Board but was outvoted by the other commissioners.
Thursday was the final time the commission reviewed the 2016 budget before the Aug. 13 public hearing and adoption of it at next week’s regular commission meeting.
“You can’t increase the mill levy or the total amount spent, because the budget has already been published, ” advised Dougherty. “Any changes you would make could only be a reduction.”
The levy of 25 mills has “remained the same for the past seven or eight years,” according to Dougherty.
Commissioner Henry Schwaller was absent from Thursday’s work session.
After showing a commercial property to a prospective buyer, a Hays real estate agent said she was “shocked” to find her vehicle had been burglarized in broad daylight.
After showing the former Home Party Club in the 200 block of West 10th on Thursday evening, Jennyfer Toepfer of Williams Real Estate said she went to her vehicle to call the owner about turning lights off in the building. She then went back inside to turn out the lights.
“During that two-minute period I was inside, she took my purse in broad daylight and my daughter’s bag,” Toepfer said. “As soon as I got back in my car, I reached for (the purse) … and I realized instantly it was gone.”
She said the incident occurred at approximately 7:20 p.m. Thursday.
“I was extremely shocked that would happen,” she added. “I consider this a safe place to live, and I’d never expect something like that.”
Toepfer said she filed a police report Thursday evening, noting the loss was in the range of “several hundred dollars.”
She is hopeful, however, that security camera footage she said captured the incident will aid in the investigation. On Friday, she submitted an excerpt of the security camera feed she shot on her smartphone while reviewing the tapes with the building owner.
“I’m sure someone out there knows who she is,” she said.
Anyone with information about this or any other criminal activity can call the Hays Police Department at (785) 625-1030.
