TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Gov. Sam Brownback has named the CEO of an international business consulting firm as the next Kansas commerce secretary.
Brownback’s office announced Wednesday that he has selected Antonio Soave (SWAH’-vay) of Overland Park to the economic development job. Soave’s appointment is subject to confirmation by the Kansas Senate.
Soave is chairman and CEO of Capistrano Global Advisory Services. The company helps businesses with mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures and expanding their foreign markets.
The Department of Commerce oversees the state’s business development efforts. It has an annual budget of $113 million and about 250 employees.
Soave will take over as secretary in December.
Secretary Pat George resigned in July to become a nonprofit group’s CEO. Brownback nominated Leawood businessman George Hansen for the post in August, but Hansen later withdrew.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach is defending his participation in a conference organized by a group that’s been called “anti-immigrant.”
Kobach gave a presentation last week in Washington for The Social Contract Press, which the Southern Poverty Law Center considers an anti-immigrant hate group. The SPLC, which tracks hate groups, accuses The Social Contract Press of publishing race-baiting articles.
Kobach told The Kansas City Star that criticism of the conference was “outrageous” in part because it included many minority presenters. Kobach also says opposing illegal immigration doesn’t mean an organization is anti-immigrant.
Kobach has championed Kansas’ strict voter registration law, which requires proof-of-citizenship documents.
The Social Contract Press didn’t immediately respond to a call seeking comment Wednesday.
New Equine Performance Testing Center to be built at KSU College of Vet Med!- KSU photo
MANHATTAN -The Veterinary Health Center at Kansas State University broke ground Wednesday on a $2.8 million state-of-the-art equine facility.
The ceremony will include a celebration of the donors and the future of equine care at the Veterinary Health Center
The Equine Performance Testing Center will offer an indoor riding arena with hard and soft footing to better evaluate and diagnose lameness issues in equine patients. Also included in the plans are an indoor examination area, radiology suite, farrier space and consultation room, according to a KSU media release.
Nearly 50 percent of the roughly 2,500 services provided annually by the Veterinary Health Center equine clinicians involve performance-related disorders. The Equine Performance Testing Center will provide safe, year-round access to consistent footing and shelter for patients, clients, students and clinicians.
Private donations have funded more than $800,000 of the project.
RUSSELL SPRINGS – A Northwest Kansas woman died in an accident just after 8a.m. on Wednesday in Logan County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2008 Mercury Mariner driven by Della I. Heinitz, 89, Leoti, was making a left hand turn onto Kansas 25 from County Road 180 eight miles west of Russell Springs.
The vehicle collided with the passenger side of the oil derrick towed by a Mack Truck driven by Francis R. Leiker, Munjor.
Heinitz was pronounced dead at the scene and transported to Price and Sons Funeral Home.
She was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.
Photo by Susie Fagan Four Kansas legislators participated on a panel at a forum Tuesday in Wichita sponsored by a coalition of 14 Medicaid expansion supporters. Seated from left are Senate Vice President Jeff King, Sen. Michael O’Donnell, Rep. Dan Hawkins and Rep. Jim Ward.
Supporters of expanding Medicaid in Kansas hope the story of how the conservative governor of another “red state” found a way to move forward will motivate Gov. Sam Brownback and Republican legislative leaders to do the same here.
They invited a delegation of hospital officials from Indiana to come and talk about how they worked with Republican Gov. Mike Pence and large GOP majorities in the Indiana Legislature to pass a conservative plan that expanded health coverage to more than 350,000 low-income residents of the Hoosier state but required them to share in the costs.
“There is no more fervent anti-Obamacare person than Governor Pence,” Doug Leonard, president of the Indiana Hospital Association, said Tuesday at a Wichita forum. Even so, Leonard said, Pence pushed an expansion plan through the Legislature but did it “the way he thought was right for Indiana.”
Looking back, Georgiana Reynal, director of advocacy and government relations for Indiana’s St. Vincent health system, said, “We heard a million times (from Pence): ‘I’m not interested in expanding Medicaid the way it is; it’s a broken system. But I’m interested in expanding the Indiana way.’”
The plan that Pence crafted, which federal officials approved in January, uses Medicaid dollars to purchase high-deductible health insurance plans for adults making up to 100 percent of the federal poverty level, annually $11,770 for individuals and $24,250 for a family of four.
The state then contributes money to a Personal Wellness and Responsibility, or POWER, account that beneficiaries can use to cover out-of-pocket costs. Unlike traditional Medicaid recipients, Indiana beneficiaries must pay a portion of their premiums.
Brownback and large conservative Republican majorities in the Kansas House and Senate have staunchly resisted expansion for the past three years. But struggling rural hospitals and the story of how Indiana found a way forward on the issue spurred a panel of legislators to talk Tuesday about what it might take for Kansas to pass its own alternative plan.
Senate Vice President Jeff King, a Republican whose southeast Kansas district saw a key hospital close this year, said it’s time for a serious discussion about the specifics of a Kansas plan.
“Saying ‘no’ to everything has to stop being a viable political option because there are real lives that are being affected,” King said.
‘Who’s who of Kansas health care’
King was one of four legislators who participated on a panel at the forum sponsored by a coalition of 14 Medicaid expansion supporters that included hospitals and health foundations.
A crowd gathered early in the lobby of the Kansas Leadership Center before filing into the auditorium and filling every chair. The audience included legislators, advocates for people with disabilities and health organization lobbyists.
“This is a who’s who of Kansas health care,” said Ira Stamm, a Topeka psychologist and mental health advocate.
After the Indiana officials made a presentation, King said he was impressed with that state’s expansion plan. He said a Kansas plan would have to include similar cost-sharing elements to have a chance of passing.
In addition, King said the Kansas budget crisis means an expansion plan could pass only if it did not require money from the state general fund — something the Indiana officials said they were also able to accomplish.
Rep. Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican who chairs the House Health and Human Services Committee, said legislators should work within Brownback’s Medicaid expansion guidelines.
Those include eliminating waiting lists for home and-community-based support services for Kansans with disabilities. “That waiting list needs to be taken care of before he moves on,” Hawkins said.
Guidelines as barriers?
During a question-and-answer session, Joe O’Rourke, president and CEO of New Beginnings Enterprise in Neodesha, asked if Brownback’s guidelines, which would substantially increase the cost of expansion, were meant to preempt discussion of the issue.
Hawkins said he believed the governor was sincere in his belief that the state should use its “limited resources” to serve those with disabilities before “able-bodied” Kansans.
But after the event O’Rourke did not seem convinced. “Some of the things he’s asking for — they’ve been trying to deal with the waiting lists for years,” said O’Rourke, whose organization serves Kansans with developmental disabilities. “It’s just barriers. It’s just barriers he’s set up to make sure it will never be achieved.” John Monroe, a constituent services representative for
Photo by Susie Fagan Senate Vice President Jeff King –
Brownback, attended the event. Asked afterward whether he could name any disability advocacy groups that support elimination of the waiting lists as a condition of expansion,
Monroe said, “I’m not sure. I can’t speak to that.” Tim Wood, who formerly ran a campaign dedicated to eliminating the lists for the Disability Rights Center, said no disability groups had adopted that position.
“Never,” Wood said. “No one has ever said that.” Wood said the Kansas Hospital Association was right in saying that the support services covered under the Medicaid waivers are different than the medical coverage provided by expansion.
He also said that the 150,000 Kansans who would gain medical coverage through Medicaid expansion would not be all “able-bodied” individuals. Some would be Kansans with disabilities who weren’t previously eligible for Medicaid.
Rural hospital concerns
Rep. Susan Concannon, a Republican from Beloit who attended the discussion as an audience member, said she believes the Kansas Hospital Association could put forth a plan that would satisfy all the conditions voiced Tuesday except for the waiting list elimination.
However, Sen. Michael O’Donnell, a Republican from Wichita who sat on the panel, said many legislators from rural areas are worried about their hospitals closing. But he said they also are concerned about expending political capital voting for Medicaid expansion only to see hospitals close for other reasons.
Rep. Jim Ward, the panel’s lone Democrat, said no plan could guarantee that there would be no future hospital closings. He also said his party would be open to adopting a red state model for expansion. “I believe anything that expands access to affordable health insurance would be supported by the Democratic caucus,” Ward said.
King said he’s ready to start discussing the nitty-gritty policy pieces. But he said unlike last year, expansion advocates need to propose a detailed plan. “I don’t think this is something we can discuss entirely in the abstract,” he said. Tom Bell, president and CEO of the Kansas Hospital Association, said such a plan is forthcoming.
“What you’re going to see this year is something a little more specific,” Bell said. “I agree with Senator King. We need to have a plan that folks can react to knowing that if something moves, where we end up is not going to be where we started.” Brownback privatized the Kansas Medicaid program in 2013.
Now called KanCare, the nearly $3 billion program is administered by three managed care organizations. KanCare now covers about 425,000 low-income children and families, plus disabled and low-income elderly adults.
Adults with dependent children are eligible for KanCare coverage only if they have incomes below 33 percent of the federal poverty level, annually $7,870 for a family of four. Non-disabled adults without children aren’t eligible regardless of income.
Expansion would extend KanCare coverage to non-disabled, childless adults with incomes up to 138 percent of poverty, annually $16,105 for an individual and $32,913 for a family of four.
Andy Marso is a reporter for Heartland Health Monitor, a news collaboration focusing on health issues and their impact in Missouri and Kansas.
Out of the 71 percent of the bargaining unit who voted, 89 percent voted no, according to Kim Schneweis, HNEA Bargaining Committee co-chairwoman.
“The general feeling was that there were a lot of take-aways and really nothing offered in return for that,” she said.
“I’m not surprised it failed,” Schneweis said after hearing negative feedback from the unit after three presentations were given to explain the negotiated contract.
Following the vote, members were given an opportunity to provide feedback.
That feedback indicated salary and benefits were the biggest areas of concern.
The negotiated contract offered no vertical movement in salary, lowered the number of sick days that could be accumulated and would accelerate the phase-out of early retirement benefits.
The board suggested making those changes to stabilize the district’s budget, lowering benefit costs that would later be used to give raises.
“We’re trying to free up dollars, and most of what we have talked about unfortunately doesn’t free enough immediately,” said Sarah Rankin, board member, during the negotiations in August.
“These proposals did reduce and change benefits, but it didn’t make any meaningful changes in salary,” Schneweis said.
Despite the unit’s concerns, data suggests Hays teachers are doing substantially better than area counterparts.
According to the Kansas Department of Education’s April 3 report, Hays has a contracted average salary of $47,527, putting Hays in the top 16 percent of the state and near the Kansas average of $47,550.
With benefits and supplemental pay included, Hays teacher salary averages are around the top 3 percent in Kansas, with an average total contracted salary of $58,791 — over the state average of $54,907. That number puts the Hays average ninth in Kansas of total teacher salaries.
When compared to schools in towns similar in size – Pittsburg, Emporia, Derby, Newton and Liberal – Hays has the top average salary.
Schneweis is not sure, at this time, what would drive the bargaining unit to pass the contract, but is hopeful common ground can be found in future meetings between the HNEA and the board.
“The new proposed contract has a lot of changes that are detrimental to them, but nothing that is beneficial to them,” Schneweis said. “Many of them are better off on the contract they are on.”
If the two groups cannot come to an agreement after future meetings, the negotiations will move to mediation.
Elizabeth R. Amrein, age 85, of Ellis, passed away Wednesday, November 4, 2015 at the Good Samaritan Center, Ellis. She was born September 23, 1930 in rural Ellis to Philip and Frances (Gnad) Schuster. She married George A. Amrein on June 5, 1950 in Ellis.
She was a homemaker. She enjoyed playing pinochle, cooking, gardening and her grandchildren. She was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church and Daughters of Isabella.
She is survived by three sons, Ron Amrein and wife Karen, Dean Amrein and Roy Amrein and wife Sandi all of Ellis; two daughters, Elaine Augustine and husband Randy of Hays and Arlene Riedel and husband Marvin of Ellis; a sister, Anna Flax of Ellis as well as 12 grandchildren and 19 great grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, George Amrein on March 22, 2011; her parents; a son, Joseph Amrein; a daughter, Mary Amrein; a grandson, Eric Augustine and a brother, Ignatius Schuster.
Funeral services will be 9:00 A.M. Saturday, November 7, 2015 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Ellis with burial in St. Mary’s Cemetery.
Visitation will be Thursday 5:30 P.M. – 8:00 P.M. at Keithley Funeral Chapel 400 E. 17th in Ellis with a Daughters of Isabella rosary and parish vigil service at 7 PM.
Contributions are suggested to St. Mary’s Church.
Condolences may be left by guest book at www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com or emailed to [email protected].
City officials on Wednesday increased estimates of the size of the crowd at Tuesday’s rally and parade to 800,000. That’s about four times the number of people officials had expected.
Kansas City has a population of about 470,000, with a metropolitan area of about 2 million.
City spokesman Chris Hernandez called the festivities the largest in the history of Missouri.
Downtown businesses turned their conference rooms into parade-viewing areas. Hundreds of patients at a downtown hospital canceled appointments. And many schools closed for the day.
Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce spokeswoman Pam Whiting says “not a lot of work got done,” although everyone was in a “fabulous mood.”
The Hays High volleyball placed three players on the All-Western Athletic Conference team. Albany Schaffer was named the WAC Player of the Year for a second straight season. She’s joined on the first team by Kylie Brown. Tessa Stickle was named honorable mention.
HHS coach Kristin Nunnery was named the WAC Coach of the Year for a second straight season.
The Indians finished 29-8, losing to eventual 4A Division I state runner-up McPherson in the first round of sub-state.
On Tuesday, Senator Roberts Urged colleagues to Stop EPA’s WOTUS Rule
MARY CLARE JALONICK, Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate has voted for a resolution calling for scrapping new federal rules to protect smaller streams, tributaries and wetlands from development and pollution.
Senators voted 53-44 in favor of a “resolution of disapproval,” a measure that would void the regulations if also passed by the House and signed by the president. The White House has said it would veto the resolution.
A win for America’s farmers and ranchers: #Ag Cmite Member @SenJoniErnst‘s #WOTUS joint resolution passes Senate on 53-44 vote. #bogusWOTUS
Senate passes @joniernst’s resolution to protect American farmers and ranchers from a water power grab. #WOTUS@BarackObama — Cong. Tim Huelskamp (@CongHuelskamp) November 4, 2015
The Obama administration says the rules issued by the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in May would safeguard drinking water for 117 million Americans. Republicans and some rural Democrats say the rules would give federal regulators unprecedented control of small bodies of water on private land.
Federal courts have already put the regulations on hold as they consider a number of lawsuits.
GOODLAND, Kan. (AP) — A lawyer for a man charged with voting illegally in western Kansas says the case should be dismissed because Secretary of State Kris Kobach isn’t prosecuting it personally.
Defense attorney Jeffery Mason filed a motion Tuesday attacking the three felony and seven misdemeanor charges against Lincoln Wilson in Sherman County District Court.
Kobach’s top assistant filed the case last month.
Wilson’s first court appearance was Tuesday. He is accused of voting illegally in Sherman County in 2010, 2012 and 2014 while also voting in Yuma County, Colorado. Wilson owns property in both.
Mason contends a new state law allowing Kobach to prosecute such cases requires the secretary of state to handle them personally.
Kobach’s office disagreed Wednesday and called the motion “perfunctory.”
Marjorie Nell Hauschild, age 80, passed away November 1, 2015 in Wheatridge, Colorado where she resided in the Spring Ridge Park Assisted Living Home.
She was born April 6, 1935 in Hays, Kansas to Henry Albert and DeEtta Hester (Shottenkirk) Hauschild. Her family lived on a farm southwest of Hays, Kansas and moved to a farm south of Oakley, Kansas when Marge was 12. She loved living in the country and driving the tractor. She was an active member in a 4-H club while growing up. She graduated from Oakley High School as an honor student in 1953.
Music was an important part of her life. She played the piano and enjoyed singing. Upon graduation she moved to Kansas City where she worked as an administrative assistant for several years. As an adventure, Marge and two of her roommates decided to move to the West Coast and settled in San Francisco. She eventually rented her own studio apartment in downtown San Francisco near the famous Lombard Street, the most crooked street in the world. She began working for Reuben H. Donnelley Corporation (later known as Dunn-Donnelley) as their office manager and eventually was promoted as a sales representative. Marge’s territory included the western part of the United States. She loved her work and traveling.
She purchased a home in Concord, California and filled her retirement days with genealogy research of both her father and mother’s sides of the family. She loved becoming acquainted with many new relatives and friends during her research.
Another enjoyment in Marge’s life was her yard and garden work. After a hard day’s work in the yard, it was not uncommon for Marge to prepare a full dinner that evening. She was an excellent cook and loved to eat as well.
She leaves to cherish her memory a brother Wesley Hauschild, Russell, KS.; three sisters Harriet (Ellis) Dupsky, Arvada, CO; Karen (Les) Freeman, Concordia, KS. and Wanda (Don) Higgason, Buford, GA.
She was preceded in death by her parents; a sister Henrietta St.Aubyn; two brothers Virgil and Howard Hauschild; a niece Denise Dupsky, and nephews Darren Dupsky and Eric Higgason.
Funeral services will be at 10:30 am on Tuesday, November 10, 2015 at the Trinity Lutheran Church, 2703 Fort Street, Hays. Burial will follow in the Mt. Allen Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 9:30 am until service time on Tuesday at the church. Memorials are suggested to a charity of the donor’s choice, in care of the Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home, 1906 Pine Street, Hays, KS 67601. Condolences may be left for the family at www.haysmemorial.com.
FREDONIA, Kan. (AP) — Authorities have identified three people who were found fatally shot outside a southeast Kansas home.
Wilson County Sheriff Pete Figgins says deputies found a married couple and the woman’s son dead Monday night near Fredonia. The discovery was made after another relative asked the deputies to check on their welfare.
Figgins identified the people killed as Eva and Russell Blevins, who were both 43, and 19-year-old Jacob Traylor. Figgins says deputies are not looking for any suspects.
The Kansas Bureau of Investigation is assisting with the investigation, and autopsies have been completed. Figgins says he can’t immediately provide any details about the identity of the shooter pending further analysis of forensic evidence.
Fredonia is a town of about 2,400 residents located about 150 miles southwest of Kansas City.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Gov. Sam Brownback has named the CEO of an international business consulting firm as the next Kansas commerce secretary.
When compared to schools in towns similar in size – Pittsburg, Emporia, Derby, Newton and Liberal – Hays has the top average salary.
